JPH0432385B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a process kit and an image forming apparatus to which the process kit can be installed.

A copying apparatus will be described below as an example.

Taking a copying machine that uses electrophotography as an example,
If the device is used for a long period of time, it becomes necessary to replace the photoreceptor, replenish or replace the developer, clean the charging wire, and make other adjustments or replacements, and such maintenance work is performed by specialized service personnel. However, in order to keep this copying apparatus operating in good condition at all times, a method has been proposed in which maintenance work is performed without relying on service personnel with the above-mentioned specialized knowledge. One example is a method in which a combination of a plurality of constituent members, such as a discharger, a developing device, and a photosensitive drum, included in the device is simply replaced with a new one. If the configuration is such that the process kit can be replaced, multiple kits can be prepared depending on the purpose of use, and the user can load the kit that suits the purpose into the main unit. This allows the same main body to be used for multiple functions.

The present invention is a further improvement of this process kit, and when the process kit is carried, the developer moves from the developer storage section toward the photoreceptor.
When the process kit is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the developer is located near the photoreceptor, making it possible to obtain clearer images from the beginning. On the other hand, when the process kit is carried, the developer removed from the photoreceptor in the cleaning means moves in a direction further away from the photoreceptor, so when the process kit is installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the cleaning agent is removed from the beginning. It is possible to provide a process kit capable of exhibiting the effect of cleaning a photoreceptor by the means, and an image forming apparatus to which the process kit can be installed.

That is, the present invention, which achieves the above object, provides a process kit that is removably attached to an image forming apparatus main body, and includes a frame body provided with a developing means having a developer storage section, a photoreceptor, and a cleaning means in this order; The developing means side has a handle provided on the outer surface of the frame body along the longitudinal direction of the photoreceptor, and the developing means is provided upwardly with respect to the photoreceptor, and the handle is provided downwardly with respect to the photoreceptor. The process kit is characterized in that the cleaning means is positioned so that it can be carried. Still another aspect of the present invention provides an image forming apparatus to which a process kit can be mounted, including a frame body provided with a developing means having a developer storage section, a photoreceptor, and a cleaning means in this order, and a a handle provided along the longitudinal direction of the photoreceptor on the outer surface of the frame, the developing means above the photoreceptor and the cleaning means below the photoreceptor. The present invention is an image forming apparatus characterized by having apparatus means to which a process kit configured to be positioned and carried can be attached, and a conveyance means for conveying a transfer material.

The details of the present invention will be explained below with reference to an embodiment and the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of the main parts of an electrophotographic copying apparatus to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a copying apparatus using electrophotography, in which a photosensitive drum 2 having a photoconductive layer provided on a conductive drum base is supported by a drum shaft 2a so as to be rotatable in the direction of the arrow. A corona discharger 3, a short focus optical element array 4, a developing device 5, a transfer corona discharger 6, and a cleaning device 7 are arranged around the drum 2 in accordance with the rotational direction of the drum 2. In this embodiment, the photosensitive drum 2, the discharger 3, and the cleaning device 7 are integrally supported by the casing 8, and the developing device 5, which will be described later, is detachably held in the casing 8 for processing. A kit 20 is formed. This process kit 20
The housing 8 is guided and supported by guide rails 9 ₁ and 9 ₂ fixed to the main body, so that it can be attached to and removed from the main unit 1 as shown in FIG.

In the copying apparatus described above, the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 is uniformly charged with a predetermined polarity by the corona discharger 3, and then the document on the document table 10 that moves back and forth at the top of the apparatus main body is illuminated by the lamp 11, and the reflected light is transmitted to the element array. 4
A latent image is formed on the drum 2 by exposing the drum 2 to light.
The latent image formed on the drum 2 is developed by a developing device 5, and the developed image is transferred to a transfer material by a transfer corona discharger 6. Note that the transfer material is supplied to the transfer material supply tray 12 manually by the operator, and is conveyed to the transfer section via the conveyance roller 13 and the timing roller 14. Now, the transfer material after the transfer of the developed image on the drum 2 is separated from the drum 2 by the separating means 15. The image transferred from the drum 2 to the transfer material is sent to the fixing device 17 via the moving path 16, and is fixed on the transfer material.
8 onto the paper discharge tray 19. As shown in the figure, the developing device 5 stores toner 5d in a developing container 5c.

Now, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the attachment/detachment relationship between the apparatus main body 1 and the process kit 20. The process kit 20 containing the photosensitive drum 2 is assembled by opening the front door 21 of the main body 1 and manually pulling out the housing 8 by an operator. Arrow 22 in the diagram
indicates the direction of movement of the housing 8 as the process kit 20 is attached and detached.

FIG. 3 shows a perspective view of the process kit 20 from the handle 23 side. The handle 23 of this embodiment is formed integrally with the main body of the process kit 20, and is attached to the tip of a protrusion 23a protruding from the housing 8 in the form of a rod that extends in the attachment/detachment direction integrally with the protrusion. The entire handle is formed by forming the members. Reference numeral 24 denotes a handle for pulling out the process kit 20 from the main body, and the convex portion of the handle 24 is intentionally formed to be shallow so that when carrying the process kit 20, the entire kit 20 cannot be lifted down by holding the handle 24. be. Therefore, when a user handling the process kit carries the kit 20 in his/her hand, he/she inevitably grasps the handle 23, which is easy to hold. and,
The handle 23 is provided in the longitudinal direction, which is the rotation axis direction of the developing device 5 of the kit 20 and the photoreceptor 2 of the cleaning means 7. Therefore, since the process kit 20 is not carried with one of its sides facing down, there is no fear that the toner will be biased to one side of the kit when the kit is moved.

As in this embodiment, when the process kit is attached to and detached from the main unit in the longitudinal direction of the developing unit, etc., the kit body cannot be lifted or is difficult to be lowered by the handle 23 of the present invention and its own support. It is effective to provide a handle 24 to facilitate attachment and detachment of the kit. When the process kit 20 of the above embodiment is actually lifted, the cleaning device 7 equipped with the cleaner 7a, which is located farthest from the handle 23 provided along the longitudinal direction of the photoreceptor 2, will be at the bottom. The toner 7b inside the cleaning device 7 does not shift because the process kit 20 is kept substantially horizontal. Furthermore, when the kit 20 is carried, the photoconductor 2 is positioned above the cleaning device 7, so the cleaning device 7 and the photoconductor 2 are
The toner 7b will not scatter to the outside between the two.

At this time, the drum 2 is placed inside the cleaning device 7.
The effect can be further improved by providing a plurality of partition plates perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the tube.

Further, in this embodiment, the developing device 5 is provided to be detachably attached to the process kit 20. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 3, this housing 8 is provided with a space 25 that houses the developing device 5, and furthermore, within this space, there is a slide for detachably holding the developing device 5. Rails 12a and 12b are installed. Note that this slide rail 12a,
12b faces an opening 8a provided in a portion of the housing 8 opposite to the position where the developing device 5 is installed;
It is installed parallel to the drum shaft 2a. Therefore, the developing device 5 can be freely attached to and removed from the housing 8 by sliding its slide portions 5a and 5b along the rails 12a and 12b on the main body 1 side, passing through the opening 8a of the housing 8. be. Note that 5c is effective for a body in which the developing unit 5 is attached and detached by a handle. As described above, in this embodiment, the developing device 5 is configured to fit into the opening 8a of the process kit 20, which is a consumable item. Further, in this embodiment, a case has been shown in which the developing device 5, which is provided with slide portions 5a and 5b, is attached to the process kit 20 by sliding it in the front and back direction, but the present invention is not limited to this. Known attachment/detachment means can be used.

By the way, the user may take out and put in the developing device 5 when the toner 5d runs out in the developing container 5c and needs to be replenished with new toner, or when the user tries to make a copy using a different colored toner and the developing device 5 contains toner of a different color. This may be the case when the developing device is replaced repeatedly, or when the developing device for multiple colors is repeatedly replaced in order to obtain multicolor copies. At this time, in either case, the area around where the developing device 5 is taken in and taken out is likely to be contaminated by toner spillage. However, in this embodiment, the process kit 20 receives the toner spilled from the surface of the developing device 5 or the drum 2, and the toner is directly transferred to the main body 1.
This has the effect of preventing the main body 1 side from getting dirty by preventing it from falling. Also, after 2,000 to 4,000 copies have been made, the downstream side of the developing device will become dirty with toner scattered from the sleeve surface, but in this case too, it is the inside of the process kit that gets dirty, not the main body, and the process When the kit reaches the end of its service life and is replaced with a new process kit, the apparatus can be handled without any contamination.

Furthermore, a tufted brush 8c may be provided on the periphery 8b of the opening 8a of the housing 8. Thereby, the effect of preventing toner scattering can be further enhanced.

Although this embodiment shows an example in which a cleaning device and a corona discharger are integrated as a process means, the present invention is not limited to this, and the cleaning device is provided alone as a process means. Alternatively, other means such as a pre-exposure lamp may be included. Further, the developing device as a developing device unit is not limited to a dry type such as cascade development or jumping development, but may also be a wet type development using a developer.

In this way, in this embodiment, the developing unit can be attached and detached without soiling the main body of the image forming apparatus.

As explained above, according to the present invention, the developing means provided with a developer storage section, the photoreceptor, and the cleaning means are provided in this order, and the outer surface of the frame body on the side of the developing means is provided with the In combination with the provision of the handle along the length of the photoconductor, the developer moves from the developer storage section toward the photoconductor when the process kit is carried, so that when the process kit is installed in the image forming apparatus body, In addition, since the developer is located near the photoreceptor, a clearer image can be obtained from the beginning. On the other hand, when the process kit is carried, the developer removed from the photoreceptor in the cleaning means moves in a direction further away from the photoreceptor, so when the process kit is installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the cleaning agent is removed from the beginning. It is possible to provide a process kit capable of exhibiting the effect of cleaning a photoreceptor by the means, and an image forming apparatus to which the process kit can be installed.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side sectional view of a copying machine to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a perspective view thereof, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a process kit to which an embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the figure, 2...photosensitive drum, 3...corona discharger, 5...developing device, 5a, 5b...sliding section, 7...cleaning device, 8...housing, 8a...
...Opening, 9 ₁ , 9 ₂ ... Guide rail, 12a, 1
2b...Slide rail, 20...Process kit.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A process kit detachable from the main body of an image forming apparatus, comprising: a developing means equipped with a developer storage section; a photoreceptor;
a frame body provided with cleaning means in this order; and a handle provided on the outer surface of the frame body on the side of the developing means along the longitudinal direction of the photoreceptor, the handle being arranged above the photoreceptor. A process kit characterized in that the cleaning means is positioned below the developing means and the photoreceptor so as to be portable. 2. The process kit according to claim 1, wherein the handle is integrally formed with the frame of the process kit. 3. The process kit according to claim 1, wherein the photoreceptor has a photoconductive layer and is drum-shaped. 4. In an image forming apparatus to which a process kit can be attached, a developing means equipped with a developer storage section, a photoreceptor,
a frame body provided with cleaning means in this order; and a handle provided on the outer surface of the frame body on the side of the developing means along the longitudinal direction of the photoreceptor, the handle being arranged above the photoreceptor. and a mounting means to which a process kit configured to be portable with the developing means and the cleaning means positioned below the photoconductor can be mounted, and a conveyance means for conveying the transfer material. Features of the image forming device. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the handle is integrally formed with the frame of the process kit. 6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the photoreceptor has a photoconductive layer and is drum-shaped. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the mounting means is a guide rail, and the process kit is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body by the frame being guided and supported by the guide rail. Forming device. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein the conveyance means includes a conveyance roller and a discharge roller.