JPH04191770A - Electrophotographic type image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the miniaturization of a device by supplying a developer from a cylindrical cartridge having the developer received therein and inserted to the hollow part of a photosensitive drum to a developing equipment through an opening provided near the end part of the photosensitive drum. CONSTITUTION:A photosensitive drum 1 is formed into a hollow form by fixing a bottomed flange 13 and a cylindrical flange 14 to both end of a photosensitive body. A shaft part 15 protruded from the flange 13 and the body part 16 of the flange 14 are inserted to a bearing 17 and rotatably supported by the support wall 18 of a device box. A locking projection having nearly a rectangular form seeing from the front and protruded from the bottom part inner wall surface of the flange 13 is fitted to the edge of a cartridge 3, and the cartridge 3 is rotated together with the drum 1. The flange 13 has a proper number of openings 4 to fall the developer from the cartridge 3 to the developer receiving part 20 of a developing machine 5 below. Thus, it is not required to additionally provide the setting space of the cartridge 3, and the device can be miniaturized.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] 【overview】

With regard to electrophotographic image forming devices such as printers, copiers, and facsimile machines that use electrophotographic methods, the purpose of the present invention is to provide an electrophotographic image forming device that can be made smaller in size. In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that obtains a visible image by supplying a developer to an electrolatent image, a cylindrical cartridge containing a developer is inserted into a hollow part of the photosensitive drum, and the photosensitive drum is transferred from the cartridge to the photosensitive drum. The developer is configured to be supplied to the developing device via an opening opened near the end.

[Industrial application field]

The present invention relates to electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as printers, copying machines, and facsimiles that use electrophotography.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as shown in FIG. 6, electrophotographic image forming apparatuses obtain a visible image by attaching a developer to a static latent image formed on a photosensitive drum l, After being electrically transferred to paper, the transferred image is fixed by a thermal fixing device 8, and the developer consumed during image formation is appropriately supplied to the developing device 5 from the cartridge nozzle 3. It is formed like this. In FIG. 6, 9 is a developing roller for supplying developer from the developing device 5 to the photosensitive drum l, 10 is a replenishment roller for dropping and supplying the developer from the cartridge 3 to the developing device 5, and 11 is a developer. A stirring screw 12 is used to stir the developer and charge the developer to a predetermined level, and 12 represents a cleaning brush.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional example, since the cartridge 3 occupies a large volume within the device, there is a drawback that there is a limit to miniaturization of the device. The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks, and an object of the present invention is to provide an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that can be miniaturized.

[Means to solve the problem]

According to the present invention, the above object is to provide an electrophotographic image in which a visible image is obtained by supplying a developer to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum 1, as shown in FIG. 1 corresponding to an embodiment. In the forming apparatus, a cylindrical cartridge 3 containing a developer is inserted into the hollow part 2 of the photosensitive drum 1, and development is carried out from the cartridge 3 through an opening 4 opened near an end of the photosensitive drum 1. This is accomplished by providing an electrophotographic imaging device that supplies developer to container 5. Furthermore, a movable lid 7 that moves forward and backward to open the developer supply opening 6 when attached to the photosensitive drum 1 can be attached to the tip of the cartridge 3, and furthermore, the cartridge 3 rotates with the photosensitive drum 10 rotations. It can also be configured to do so.

[Operation 1] Based on the above configuration, the cartridge 3 in the present invention is housed within the photosensitive drum 1 and supplies developer to the developing device 5. As a result, the storage space for the cartridge 3, which was conventionally required, is reduced. Furthermore, when attaching the movable lid 7 to the cartridge 3,
When the cartridge 3 is installed, the developer supply opening 6 is automatically opened.
is formed, improving ease of handling. Further, when the cartridge 3 is rotated together with the photosensitive drum 1, the supply of developer is ensured. [tau Preferred Embodiment] Preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, in which 1 is a photosensitive drum, 3 is a cartridge stored in the photosensitive drum l,
A developing row 9 supplies the developer in the developing device 5 to the photosensitive drum 1. The photosensitive drum 1 has bottomed flanges 13 at both ends of the photosensitive member.
and a cylindrical flange 14 are fixed to each other to form a hollow shape, and the shaft portion I5 protruding from the bottomed flange 13 and the body portion 16 of the cylindrical flange 14 are inserted through the bearing 17 to form the device housing. The photosensitive drum 1 is rotatably supported by the support wall 18 of the cartridge 3, and a rotation prevention protrusion 19, which is substantially rectangular in front view and protrudes from the bottom inner wall surface of the bottomed flange 13, is fitted into the edge of the cartridge 3. When the cartridge 3 rotates, the cartridge 3 also rotates. The bottomed flange 13 of the photosensitive drum 1 is provided with a suitable number of openings 4, as shown in FIG. Side support is part 20
It is designed to be dropped. On the other hand, the cartridge 3 is formed by closing the negative end of the cylindrical main body 2I with a cap member 22 and the other end with a movable lid 7 attached via a retainer 23, and inside thereof, A spring 24 is housed together with the developer and urges the movable lid 7 outward. Further, the cap member 22 has a knob 25 at the end edge, and a guide groove 26 having a substantially U-shape in side view as shown in FIG. 3 on the side wall. , photosensitive drum 1
By inserting the removal prevention protrusion 27 protruding from the cylindrical flange 14 of the example through the communication groove 28 of the guide groove 26, the cylindrical flange 14
It is inserted into the hollow part 2 of the photosensitive drum 1 from the side. moreover,
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the retainer 23 is a cylindrical body with a stopper flange 29 protruding from its end edge, and a cylindrical portion 3 having a sliding groove 30 and a stopper groove 31 formed therein.
2 is adhered and fixed to the inner peripheral part of the cylindrical main body part 21. The movable lid 7, which is attached to the retainer 23 so as to be rotatable and movable back and forth, has a sliding member #33 that is inserted into the cylindrical portion 32 of the retainer 23, and is provided with a sliding leg 33 protruding from the sliding leg 33. B) When the bar projection 34 is engaged with the stopper groove 31 of the retainer 23, the cylindrical main body portion 21 is completely closed to prevent the developer inside from leaking to the outside. Therefore, in this embodiment, when the cartridge 3 is stored, the stopper protrusion 34 is engaged with the stopper groove 31 of the retainer 23, as shown in FIG. Since the movable lid 7 is urged outward by the spring 24, the stopper protrusion 34 is held under strong pressure by the stopper groove 31, and is prevented from inadvertently rotating. In this state, the removal prevention protrusion 27 and the cap member 2 of one example of the photosensitive drum are removed.
When the cartridge 3 is inserted into the photosensitive drum 1 by aligning the communication grooves 28 of the two, and the cap member 22 is further pressed against the biasing force of the spring 24, as shown by the arrow in FIG. 5(a). , the locked state between the stopper projection 34 and the stopper groove 31 and the locked state between the removal prevention projection 27 and the communication groove 28 are released, and the cylindrical main body 21 becomes rotatable (see Fig. 5). (see (b)). Next, pinch the knob 25 of the camping member 22 and release the retaining protrusion 27.
When the retainer 23 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 5(b) until it comes into contact with the side wall of the closing groove 35, the retainer 23 together with the cylindrical main body 21 will not rotate until the sliding groove 30 matches the stopper protrusion 34. After that, when the cap member 22 is released, the cylindrical main body 21 and the retainer 23 are moved into the sliding groove 2 by the biasing force of the spring 24.
0 as a guide, and the removal-preventing protrusion 27 abuts against the end wall of the closing groove 35 of the cap member 22 to prevent removal. In such a state, the retainer 2
A developer supply opening 6 is provided between the movable lid 7 and the developer supply opening 6, and the developer discharged from the developer supply opening 6 flows out from the opening 4 of the photosensitive drum 1 described above, and the developer side receiver is partially closed. After being stored in the developer 20, the developer is transported into the developing device 5 by the transport screw 36. Furthermore, when the developer in the cartridge 3 becomes empty, the developer supply opening 6 is closed by performing the above-mentioned operation in reverse, thereby preventing dirt on hands when taking out the cartridge.

【Effect of the invention】

As is clear from the above description, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the present invention does not require a space for installing a cartridge, so that it is possible to downsize the apparatus.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a diagram showing a cartridge installed state, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a cap member of the cartridge, and FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a movable lid installed state. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the operation of the movable lid, and FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a conventional example. In the figure, 1... Photosensitive drum, 2... Hollow part, 3... Cartridge, 4... Opening, 5... Developing device, 6... Developer supply opening, 7... Movable lid.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] [1] An electrophotographic image forming apparatus that obtains a visible image by supplying a developer to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum (1), comprising: A cylindrical cartridge (3) containing developer is inserted into the hollow part (2), and the developer is passed from the cartridge (3) through an opening (4) opened near the end of the photosensitive drum (1). An electrophotographic image forming apparatus that supplies developer to a developing device (5). [2] The distal end of the cartridge (3) is equipped with a movable lid (7) that moves forward and backward to open a developer supply opening (6) when the cartridge (3) is attached to the photosensitive drum (1).
The electrophotographic image forming apparatus described above. [3] The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge (3) rotates together with the rotation of the photosensitive drum (1).