JPH04308874A - Developing device for electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent toner from spilling outside the developing device main body when a toner cartridge is pulled out from a cartridge loading/unloading opening of the developing device main body. CONSTITUTION:An opening 30c of a toner storage part 30b is opened near the cartridge loading opening 30a of the developing device main body 30. In the cartridge loading opening 30a of the developing device main body 30, a cleaning member 33 is provided to be freely rotatable facing an outer periphery surface of the toner cartridge 31 and a toner splashing prevention magnet 32 is also provided. An accumulation prevention magnet 37 is provided in the entrance 30c of the toner storage part 30b. Then, when the toner cartridge 31 is pulled out from the cartridge loading opening 30a, while the toner stuck to the outer periphery surface of the toner cartridge 31 is cleaned with the cleaning member 33, it is also attracted and eliminated by the splashing prevention magnet 32. Furthermore, the toner stuck to the cleaning member 33 is attracted and eliminated by the accumulation prevention magnet 37.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

[Industrial Application Field] This invention relates to electronic devices such as laser printers, laser copying machines, and laser facsimiles that record on sheets such as paper and envelopes using electrophotographic processes such as charging, writing, development, transfer, and cleaning. Applicable to photographic equipment. Specifically, in such an electrophotographic device,
The present invention relates to a developing device that attaches toner to a photoreceptor and develops an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor into a visible image.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art For example, some developing devices of this type for laser printers are equipped with a replaceable cylindrical rotary toner cartridge in the cartridge attachment/detachment opening of the developing device main body, and when the toner runs out, it can be replaced with an empty toner cartridge. In some devices, a new toner cartridge is inserted and the toner inside the toner cartridge is replenished into the toner storage section of the main body of the developing device. In this type of developing device, a brush-shaped cleaning member, for example, is provided at the cartridge attachment/detachment port of the developing device main body. When the toner cartridge is pulled out from the cartridge attachment/detachment opening, the cleaning member removes the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge, thereby preventing the toner from spilling outside the developing device main body.

0003

However, in a conventional developing device that uses a cleaning member to clean the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge, when the toner cartridge is pulled out from the cartridge insertion/removal opening, the outer periphery cannot be sufficiently cleaned. There have been problems in that toner adhering to the cleaning member spills out of the developing device main body, and toner that accumulates on the cleaning member over time and becomes saturated spills out of the developing device main body.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to prevent toner from spilling outside the main body of a developing device when a toner cartridge is pulled out from a cartridge attachment/detachment opening.

[0005]

[Means for Solving the Problems] Therefore, the invention according to claim 1 provides, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiments,
A cylindrical rotary toner cartridge 31 is inserted through the cartridge attachment/removal port 30a of the developing device main body 30 and the toner therein is replenished into the toner storage portion 30b of the developing device main body 30. When the toner cartridge 31 is pulled out, the In the developing device 14 of the electrophotographic apparatus, which cleans the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31 by wiping with a cleaning member 33 provided in the cartridge attachment/detachment port 30a, the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31 is suctioned away from the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31. It is characterized by being provided with a scattering prevention magnet 32.

[0006] According to the second aspect of the invention, for example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment below, a cylindrical rotary toner cartridge 31 is inserted from a cartridge attachment/detachment opening 30a of a developing device main body 30, and the toner inside the toner cartridge is transferred to the developing device. Device body 3
In the developing device 14 of the electrophotographic apparatus, the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31 is cleaned by wiping it with a cleaning member 33 provided in the cartridge attachment/detachment port 30a when the toner cartridge 31 is pulled out while replenishing the toner storage portion 30b of the toner cartridge 30. The cleaning member 33 is characterized by being provided with an accumulation prevention magnet 37 that sucks and removes toner attached to the cleaning member 33.

The invention according to claim 3 is, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiment, in the invention according to claim 2, the accumulation prevention magnet 37 is provided at the entrance 30c of the toner storage section 30b. It is characterized by

[0008] The invention according to claim 4 is, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiment, in the invention according to claim 2 or 3, the accumulation prevention magnet 37 is formed of a magnetic material that is electrically magnetized. It is characterized by being

[0009] The invention according to claim 5 is, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiment, in the invention according to any one of claims 1 to 4, the toner cartridge 31 has a toner cartridge attached to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31 facing the outer periphery thereof. A scattering prevention magnet 32 for suctioning and removing the toner is attached to the cartridge attachment/detachment opening 30.
The present invention is characterized in that an accumulation prevention magnet 37 is provided at the inlet 30c of the toner storage section 30b for sucking and removing toner attached to the cleaning member 33.

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, for example, as shown in the illustrated embodiment below, a cylindrical rotary toner cartridge 31 is inserted from a cartridge attachment/detachment opening 30a of a developing device main body 30, and the toner inside the toner cartridge is transferred to the developing device. Device body 3
In the developing device 14 of the electrophotographic apparatus, the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31 is cleaned by wiping it with a cleaning member 33 provided in the cartridge attachment/detachment port 30a when the toner cartridge 31 is pulled out while replenishing the toner storage portion 30b of the toner cartridge 30. The present invention is characterized in that a fan 39 for suctioning and removing toner adhering to the cleaning member 33 is provided in the toner storage section 30b.

[0011]

[Function] In the invention according to claim 1, when the toner cartridge 31 is pulled out, the toner cartridge 3
The cleaning member 33 wipes off the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner 1, and the anti-scattering magnet 32 sucks and removes the toner.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the toner cartridge 31 is pulled out, the cleaning member 33 removes the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31;
The toner attached to the cleaning member 33 is removed by suction by an accumulation prevention magnet 37.

In the invention according to claim 3, the cleaning member 33
The toner adhering to the toner is removed by suction by the accumulation prevention magnet 37 and collected into the toner storage section 30b.

In the fourth aspect of the invention, the accumulation prevention magnet 37 is electrically magnetized as appropriate to suction and remove the toner adhering to the cleaning member 33. Further, the toner that has been demagnetized and attracted to the accumulation prevention magnet 37 is dropped onto an appropriate location.

In the fifth aspect of the invention, when the toner cartridge 31 is pulled out, the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31 is removed by the cleaning member 33 of the cartridge attachment/detachment port 30a and the anti-scattering magnet 32; The toner attached to the toner 33 is removed by suction by the accumulation prevention magnet 37 and collected in the toner storage section 30b.

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, when the toner cartridge 31 is pulled out, the cleaning member 33 removes the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31;
The toner adhering to the cleaning member 33 is removed by suction by the fan 39 and collected into the toner storage section 30a.

[0017]

Embodiments Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of the entire internal structure of a laser printer equipped with a developing device according to the present invention. What is indicated by the reference numeral 10 in the figure is the main body of the apparatus. Inside the device body 10, a drum-shaped photoreceptor 12 is located approximately in the center.
will be established.

A charging device 13, a developing device 14 according to the present invention, a transfer separating device 15, and a cleaning device 16 are arranged around the photoreceptor 12 in the driving direction indicated by the arrow. An optical writing device 18 is arranged above the charging device 13 and the cleaning device 16, and a paper feed cassette 19 is detachably attached below the transfer separation device 15.

Then, the sheet 20 is sent out from the paper feed cassette 19 and conveyed to the lower side of the photoreceptor 12 while being timed by a pair of registration rollers 21. Photoreceptor 12
is rotated clockwise as shown by the arrow, and at this time, the surface is uniformly charged by the charging device 13, and the laser beam L from the optical writing device 18 is irradiated to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface. Form. This latent image is made visible by toner as it passes through the developer device 14 according to the invention. Then, this visible image is transferred to the sheet 20 that has been conveyed to the lower side of the photoreceptor 12 by the transfer separation device 15. After the transfer, the separated sheet 20 is guided by the conveyance guide 22 and sent between the fixing roller 23a and the pressure roller 23b of the fixing device 23,
Fix the visible image. After fixing, the sheet 20 is further conveyed to a paper discharge section 25 by a paper discharge roller 24, guided by a paper discharge guide 26, and stacked on a paper discharge tray 27.

By the way, the above-mentioned developing device 14 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 2, a toner cartridge 31 is detachably installed in the developing device main body 30 through a cartridge attachment/detachment port 30a.

Now, in this embodiment, the developing device 14
is configured as shown in FIG. 1 in detail. That is, the developing device body 30 of the developing device 14 has an inlet 30 of the toner storage section 30b near the cartridge attachment/detachment port 30a.
Open c. A scattering prevention magnet 32 is provided on the inner periphery of the cartridge attachment/detachment opening 30a so as to face the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31. The anti-scattering magnet 32 is ring-shaped and has a non-magnetic portion 32a on a part of its outer periphery as shown in FIG. Become. Further, a cleaning member 3 is provided in the cartridge attachment/detachment port 30a.
3 is attached, and the anti-scattering magnet 32 is engaged with the engagement groove 33a thereof so as to be rotatable. This cleaning member 33
A brush portion 33b is provided toward the inside of the cartridge attachment/detachment opening 30a, and a brush portion 33b is pressed against the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31, and a knob portion 33c for rotating the cleaning member 31 is protruded from the outer periphery.

On the other hand, the inlet 30 of the toner storage section 30b
An accumulation prevention magnet 37 for suctioning and removing toner adhering to the cleaning member 33 is formed at c. The accumulation prevention magnet 37 is formed into a ring shape using an electrically magnetized magnetic material, and is connected to a control means (not shown). A fan 39 is provided inside the toner storage section 30b to suck toner from the inlet 30c.

The toner cartridge 31 is provided with a toner replenishment port 31a in the longitudinal direction on its cylindrical outer periphery, and is also provided with a lid portion 31b and a knob portion 31c at one end for closing the cartridge attachment/detachment port 30a.

Therefore, the toner cartridge 31 can be removed from the cartridge attachment/detachment opening 30a of the developing device main body 30 shown in FIG.
When pulling out the toner cartridge 31, the cleaning member 33 wipes and cleans the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31, and the anti-scattering magnet 32 sucks and removes the toner. Since the cleaning member 33 and the anti-scattering magnet 32 perform cleaning, the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31 can be sufficiently removed.

After pulling out the toner cartridge 31, by holding the knob 33c and rotating the cleaning member 33, the toner adhering to the cleaning member 33 is sucked by the accumulation prevention magnet 37. and remove it. Therefore, toner does not accumulate on the cleaning member 33. Further, when the accumulation prevention magnet 37 is electrically demagnetized, the fan 39 sucks the toner attached thereto along with its own gravity, and the toner storage section 30b
be collected efficiently.

In the above-described first embodiment, a scattering prevention magnet 32 is provided in the cartridge attachment/detachment opening 30a to face the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31 and to suction remove the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31. An accumulation prevention magnet 37 for suctioning and removing toner adhering to the toner storage section 30b is provided at the entrance 30c of the toner storage section 30b. However, as in the second embodiment shown in FIG.
In the developing device 14 of an electrophotographic apparatus, the outer periphery of the toner cartridge 31 is cleaned with a cleaning member 33 provided in the cartridge attachment/detachment port 30a when the toner cartridge 31 is pulled out. The cleaning member 33 with only 39
The toner adhering to the toner storage section 30 is removed by suction.
It is good also as a structure which collects in b.

[0028]

Effects of the Invention From the above, according to the inventions set forth in claims 1 and 5, when pulling out the toner cartridge,
Since the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge is removed by the scattering prevention magnet as well as the cleaning member, the toner cartridge can be thoroughly cleaned and the toner can be prevented from spilling outside the developing device main body.

In the inventions described in claims 2 and 5, since the toner adhering to the cleaning member is suctioned and removed by the accumulation prevention magnet, the toner does not accumulate on the cleaning member, and when the toner cartridge is pulled out, the toner is removed from the outside of the developing device main body. can prevent spills.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the toner adhering to the cleaning member is collected into the toner storage section, it is possible to prevent toner from being wasted.

[0031] According to the fourth aspect of the invention, the toner attracted by the accumulation prevention magnet can be dropped onto an appropriate location to efficiently remove the toner adhering to the cleaning member.

In the invention as set forth in claim 6, when the toner cartridge is pulled out, the cleaning member removes the toner adhering to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge, and the toner adhering to the cleaning member is suctioned and removed by the fan to store the toner. Since the toner is collected in a separate section, it is possible to prevent the toner from spilling outside the main body of the developing device, and also to prevent the toner from being wasted.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view of a developing device according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a front view of a scattering prevention magnet of the developing device.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view of a developing device according to a second embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an external perspective view of a developing device main body in the developing device of the present invention and a toner cartridge attached to and detached from the developing device main body.

FIG. 5 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of an internal mechanism in a laser printer equipped with the developing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

14 Developing device 30 Developing device main body 30a Cartridge attachment/detachment port 30b Toner storage section 30c Entrance of toner storage section 31 Toner cartridge 32. Shatterproof magnet 33 Cleaning parts 37 Accumulation prevention magnet 39 Fan

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A cylindrical rotary toner cartridge is inserted into a cartridge attachment/detachment port of a developing device main body, and the toner inside the toner cartridge is replenished into a toner storage section of the developing device main body, and when the toner cartridge is pulled out, the cartridge In a developing device of an electrophotographic apparatus in which the outer periphery of the toner cartridge is cleaned by wiping with a cleaning member provided at an attachment/detachment port, the cartridge includes a scattering prevention magnet that faces the outer periphery of the toner cartridge and sucks and removes toner attached to the outer periphery of the toner cartridge. A developing device of an electrophotographic device, which is provided at the attachment/detachment port. 2. A cylindrical rotary toner cartridge is inserted through a cartridge attachment/detachment port of a developing device main body, and the toner inside is replenished into a toner storage section of the developing device main body, and when the toner cartridge is pulled out, the cartridge A developing device for an electrophotographic device that cleans the outer periphery of the toner cartridge by wiping it with a cleaning member provided at an attachment/detachment port, the developing device for an electrophotographic device comprising an accumulation prevention magnet that sucks and removes toner adhering to the cleaning member. . 3. The developing device for an electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the accumulation prevention magnet is provided at an entrance of the toner storage section. 4. The developing device for an electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the accumulation prevention magnet is formed of a magnetic material that is electrically magnetized. 5. A scattering prevention magnet that faces the outer periphery of the toner cartridge and that sucks and removes toner adhering to the outer periphery is provided in the cartridge attachment/detachment opening, and an accumulation prevention magnet that suctions and removes toner that adheres to the cleaning member. is provided at the entrance of the toner storage section,
A developing device for an electrophotographic apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 4. 6. A cylindrical rotary toner cartridge is inserted into the cartridge attachment/detachment opening of the developing device main body, and the toner therein is replenished into the toner storage section of the developing device main body, and when the toner cartridge is pulled out, the cartridge A developing device of an electrophotographic apparatus that cleans the outer periphery of the toner cartridge by wiping with a cleaning member provided at an attachment/detachment port, the electrophotographic apparatus further comprising a fan provided in the toner storage section for sucking and removing toner adhering to the cleaning member. developing device.