JPH0484159A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the exchange of consumables, the maintenance and exchange of materials and jam treatment by automatically moving a process cartridge from a 1st position to a 2nd position when the consumption of a developer is detected and allowing the replenishing of the developer to a developer replenishing section or the exchange of a container for replenishing the developer in the 2nd position. CONSTITUTION:A signal to supply electric power for forward rotation is outputted to a motor M1 when a toner replenishment signal to a replenishing hopper is outputted. Consequently, the process cartridge 30 is moved from the 1st position in the device where the image formation is possible to the 2nd position where the exchange of the container for replenishing the developer, i.e. process cartridge is possible. The replenishment of toners to respective toner replenishing hoppers 308 to 310 and 311 is automatically executed by the operations to respectively exchange the respective toner process cartridges 380C to 310C and 311C packed with various kinds of color of toner. The exchange and inspection of the process materials, the replenishment of the developer and further, the easy and rapid treatment of troubles, such as jam of transfer materials are executed in this way.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that forms an image on a transfer material such as a copying machine or a printer.

[Background of the invention]

There are many ways to obtain color images using electrophotography.
A device has been proposed. For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 61100770
As disclosed in the publication, a latent image is formed and developed in accordance with the number of separated colors of the original image on a photosensitive drum serving as an image forming member, and is transferred onto a transfer drum each time it is developed. There is a step 71 in which a multicolor image is formed and then transferred onto a transfer material to obtain a color copy. A device using this method requires a transfer drum large enough to transfer one sheet of image onto its circumferential surface in addition to the photoreceptor drum, and the device does not have a large and complicated structure. Inevitable.

Furthermore, as disclosed in, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 61-249972, a latent image is formed and developed on a photoreceptor drum according to the number of separated colors of an original image, and is transferred onto a transfer material each time it is developed. There is a way to obtain a multicolor copy. In this method, it is mH to accurately overlap multicolor images,
It is not possible to obtain a good quality color copy.

Another method is to repeatedly form a latent image on a photoconductor drum according to the number of separated colors of the original image and develop it with color toner, and then overlap the color toner images on the photoconductor drum and transfer the images to obtain a color image. . The basic process of forming a multicolor image is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 60-75850 and No. 60-75850 by the present applicant.
-76766, 60-95456, 60-95
No. 458, No. 60-158475, and the like.

In a multicolor image forming apparatus that obtains a color image through such superimposition, a plurality of developing devices containing different color toners are arranged around the periphery of the photoreceptor drum. The photosensitive drum is rotated multiple times to develop the latent image on the photosensitive drum to obtain a color image.

On the other hand, in image forming apparatuses such as monochrome analog copying machines using electrophotography and copying machines and printers using semiconductor laser/LED scanning systems, various photoreceptors, developer carriers, cleaning members, and developer toners that have a useful life are used. A part of the image forming means is made into a cartridge for replenishment and replacement when the image forming means is worn out, and the member that integrates the main parts of the image forming means is taken out of the apparatus for maintenance or replacement. Something has been proposed. Furthermore, various configurations have been proposed in which the conveyance path of the transfer material on which an image is formed by the image forming means is opened to make it easier to take out the transfer material when clearing a jam.

A typical configuration of these is as disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-54392, in which the photoreceptor drum, developer, cleaner, etc. are integrally attached to a support member, and can be pulled out from the main body of the apparatus, and each unit is Proposals have been made to make replacement and repair easier, and the next step was to integrate the main parts of these image forming means and make them disposable in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 57-15.
4255, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 147366/1989 discloses a printer configuration that uses a similar disposable cartridge and forms a latent image on a photosensitive drum by dot exposure scanning writing using a semiconductor laser. There is.

Further, these publications disclose a structure in which the upper housing of the split structure is opened to open the transfer material conveyance path and take out the transfer material in the event of a jam. A structure is adopted in which a disposable process cartridge is replaceably disposed in an upper housing having a two-part structure, and attempts are made to improve the workability of cartridge replacement and ease of jam removal. In addition, with emphasis on ease of replacement of process cartridges, mainly replenishment toner cartridges and linting cartridges for recovered toner, the structure is divided into two parts, and the process cartridges are placed in the lower casing to facilitate maintenance work. Unexamined Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 1973 (1973)
It is disclosed in the publication No. 8-1161.

In addition, the above structure is made vertical, and JP-A-63-2
No. 44058, No. 63-244059, No. 63-24
[This is proposed in No. 164, Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 1-179168, etc., and is aimed at improving the same direction operation and jam handling.

[Problem that the invention attempts to solve]

However, if the developing device, image carrier, etc. are made into a process cartridge and are replaceable with respect to the apparatus main body, the process cartridge can be easily loaded into and removed from the apparatus main body.
In addition, there is no need to worry about leakage of toner or developer from the developing unit or smudges when inserting or removing it into the main body of the device, and there is no need to worry about these problems when dealing with jams of transfer material. No compact printer has been proposed.

In addition, a proposal was made in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-190961 for a printer with a two-part structure, in which the process cartridge installed in the upper housing is kept horizontal at all times as a countermeasure against waste toner clumps when the upper housing is opened. It is disclosed in the publication No. Although efforts have been made to make loading and jam removal easier, the structure does not solve problems such as toner smearing and leakage during cartridge loading, jam removal, and other maintenance replacement operations.

In particular, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 58-2003 has a structure in which a disposable cartridge is provided in the upper casing with a two-part structure that facilitates jam handling.
72159, and Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 72159 proposes that a process cartridge is installed in the lower housing to facilitate replenishment and replacement of collected toner, and the process cartridge for developing, cleaning, photosensitive drums, etc. is lifted upward when handling jams. All of the proposals in Japanese Patent No. 58-1161 are at odds with the workability of process cartridge replacement and the ease of jam removal. Furthermore, in these process cartridges, the developing section
The cleaning part is on the bottom and faces the transfer pole across the paper feed and conveyance path, so even if the cartridge is tightly sealed, the developer This causes toner to spill from the cleaner section, causing stains inside the machine and staining the transfer paper.

Further, the plink disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 63-195357 has a process cartridge built inside and a flat feeding conveyance path at the top. There is a limit to the conveyance path leading to the fixing section, and the problem with the conveyance section has not been solved. Furthermore, it is not easy to clear jams when divided into two parts, it is not compact as a whole due to the stacked paper feeding configuration of the upstand, and the opening angle of the upper housing is restricted when divided into two parts, making it difficult for users to operate. However, it has not yet been possible to provide a device with excellent performance.

Regarding color image forming bodies, as explained above, there are photoconductor drums with a photoconductor coated or vapor-deposited on the peripheral surface of the drum, as well as belts with a photoconductor coated on or mounted on a flexible belt. For example, a patent application filed in 1983 by the applicant
4-192874, etc. The shape of the belt-shaped image forming body (hereinafter also referred to as a photoconductor belt) is determined by stretching it between rotating rollers including a drive roller, so that space can be used effectively to construct a compact color image forming apparatus. It is valid in some cases. In addition, since the photoreceptor belt can run along a small curvature, it is possible to prevent poor separation of the transfer material by using a rotating roller with a small diameter and using this curvature to separate the transfer material. can.

In a color image forming apparatus using such a photoreceptor belt, each image forming means such as a charging means, an image exposure means, a plurality of developing device groups, and a cleaning means are connected to the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor belt. Although it is mainly installed facing the lower surface, each of these image forming means, including the photoreceptor belt, is housed in a unitized process cartridge that can be freely attached to and detached from the main body of the apparatus. .

In addition, the transfer material with the color toner image transferred to it is ejected onto a paper ejection tray installed on the top of the device with the copy side facing down, allowing the device to be installed in a small space. ing.

In recent years, Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publications No. 64-40850 and No. 63-244059 have disclosed configurations that use compact cartridges to solve the problems of transportability and jam handling, and that enable operations in the same direction.

Furthermore, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-85763 discloses a control concept that performs display output when the toner in the process cartridge is exhausted or when the photoreceptor has reached the end of its lifespan.
The above-mentioned jam disposal is easy, there is no toner spillage during operation and operation of the cartridge, and it is easy to replace,
In addition, there has been no image forming apparatus that is compact and has easy-to-use functions that allow all operations to be performed from one direction on the front of the apparatus body.

As a result of solving and improving this point, the present invention facilitates the replacement of consumables, maintenance and replacement of materials, and jam handling.
A further object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus configured such that all of the above operations can be performed from the same side of the apparatus.

[Means to solve the problem]

The above object is to provide a process cartridge including a belt-shaped image bearing member stretched in the lateral direction between at least two axes, and a plurality of developing devices disposed opposite to each other on the lower peripheral edge of the belt-shaped image bearing member.
In an image forming apparatus that can be inserted replaceably, the process cartridge has a plurality of developer replenishing parts for replenishing developer to the plurality of developing devices, and the process cartridge has a plurality of developer replenishing parts that supply developer to the plurality of developing devices, and the process cartridge has a plurality of developer replenishing parts that supply developer to the plurality of developing devices. There is a first position and a second position where developer can be replenished.
When the detection means for detecting developer consumption issues a detection signal, the process cartridge automatically moves from the first position to the second position, and in the second position, the developing agent is supplied to the developer replenishing section. This is achieved by an image forming apparatus characterized in that it is possible to replenish the developer or replace the container for replenishing the developer.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the image forming apparatus of the present invention is shown in FIGS. 1 to 12.
As shown in the figure.

In FIG. 1, ■ is a flexible photoreceptor belt that is a belt-like image carrier, and the photoreceptor belt 1 is installed between rotating rollers 2 and 3, and is driven clockwise by rotating roller 2. transported to.

Reference numeral 4 denotes a support member or guide member fixed to the main body of the apparatus so as to be inscribed in the photoreceptor belt I, and the photoreceptor belt I-1 is kept in a tensioned state by the outward biasing action of the rotary roller 3. This causes the guide member 4 to rub against its inner circumferential surface.

Therefore, the photoreceptors on the outer circumferential surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 are always maintained at a constant position relative to the surface of the guide member 4 even during conveyance, making it possible to form a stable image forming surface.

Reference numeral 6 denotes a scorotron charger as a charging means, 7 a laser writing system unit as an image exposure means, and 8 to 11 a plurality of developing means, that is, developing devices, each containing a developer of a specific color. The means is disposed facing the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor belt l with the guide member 4 on the back side.

In addition to the optical system shown in the drawings, the laser writing system unit 7 may also include an optical system that integrates a light emitting section and a convergent light transmission body.

Each of the developing units 8.9.10.11 accommodates, for example, yellow magenta, cyan, and black developers, respectively, and is equipped with a respective developing sleeve that maintains a predetermined gap with the photosensitive belt 1. It has the function of making the upper latent image visible using a non-contact development method. Unlike contact development, this non-contact development has the advantage of not interfering with the movement of the photoreceptor belt.

12 is a transfer device, 12A is a static elimination bar, 13 is a cleaning device, and a blade 13A and a toner conveying roller 13B of the cleaning device 13 are connected to the photoconductor bell l-1 during image formation.
The photoreceptor belt 1 is kept in a position apart from the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1, and is pressed against the surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 as shown in the figure only during cleaning after image transfer.

The process of forming a color image by the color image forming apparatus is performed as follows.

First, the formation of a multicolor image according to this embodiment is performed according to the following image forming system. That is, data obtained by a color image data input section in which an image sensor scans an original image is processed by an image data processing section to create image data, which is stored in a star image memory. The image memory is then taken out during recording and input to a recording section, for example, the color image forming apparatus shown in the embodiment of FIG.

That is, when a color signal output from an image reading device separate from the printer is input to the laser writing system unit 7, the laser writing system unit 7 outputs a laser beam generated by a semiconductor laser (not shown). is rotated and scanned by a polygon mirror 7B rotated by a drive motor 7A, and passes through an fθ lens 7C to mirrors 7D and 7E.
, 7F, and is projected onto the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor bell l-1, which has been charged in advance by a charger 6 serving as a charging means, to form a bright line.

On the other hand, when scanning is started, the beam is detected by the index sensor, modulation of the beam by the first color signal is started, and the modulated beam scans the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor belt 1. Therefore, a latent image corresponding to the first color is formed on the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor belt 1 by main scanning by the laser beam and sub-scanning by the conveyance of the photoreceptor belt 1. This latent image is developed by a developing device 8 loaded with yellow (Y) toner (developing medium) of the developing means, and a toner image is formed on the drum surface. The obtained toner image, while being held on the drum surface, passes under a cleaning device 13, which is a cleaning means, which is separated from the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor belt 1, and enters the next copy cycle.

That is, the photoreceptor belt l is charged again by the charger 6, and then the second color signal output from the signal processing section is input to the writing system unit 7, and in the case of the first color signal described above, Writing is performed on the drum surface in the same manner as described above, and a latent image is formed. The latent image is developed by a developer 9 loaded with magenta (M) toner as a second color.

This magenta (M) toner image is formed in the presence of the previously formed yellow (Y) toner image.

A developing device 10 has cyan (C) toner, and forms a cyan (C) toner image on the drum surface based on a control signal generated by a signal processing section.

Furthermore, 11 is a developing device having black toner, and forms a black toner image superimposed on the belt surface by the same process. These developing units 8.9°10 and 11
A direct current or even alternating current bias is applied to each sleeve, and jumping development is performed using a two-component developer, which is a developing means, and development is performed without contact on the photoreceptor belt l whose base is grounded. It has become. Incidentally, as the development, non-contact development using a -component developer can also be used.

The color toner image thus formed on the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor bell (1) is transferred to a transfer material fed through the paper feed guide 15 from the paper feed force sensor (14) in the transfer section.

That is, the top layer of the transfer material stored in the paper feed cassette 14 is carried out by the rotation of the paper feed roller 16, and transferred to the transfer device 12 via the timing roller 17 in synchronization with the image formation on the photoreceptor belt l. supplied to.

The transfer material that has undergone image transfer and static electricity removal is transferred to the rotating roller 2.
The image is reliably separated from the photoreceptor belt 1, which suddenly changes direction along the direction of the photoreceptor belt 1, and heads upward via the suction type conveyor belt 17A, and after the image is fused by the fixing roller 18, it passes through the paper ejection roller 19 to the upper lid 2o. It is discharged onto the formed tray.

On the other hand, the photoreceptor belt l that has completed the transfer to the transfer material continues to be conveyed to the blade 13A and the toner conveying roller 13B.
The remaining toner was removed in the cleaning device 13 which was brought into pressure contact with the blade 13A, and the blade 13A was removed again after the cleaning was completed. A little later, the toner supply roller 13B smoothed out the toner accumulated on the tip of the blade 13A. Afterwards, the toner supply roller 13B is separated and a new image forming process begins.

The photosensitive drum 11, the charger 6, each developing device, and the cleaning device 13 are incorporated into an independent process cartridge 3o as process materials for image formation, and are integrally attached to and removed from the main body of the apparatus.

That is, inside the device, as shown in FIG. 5 showing the AA cross section, there is provided a pedestal 50 that is slidably supported by engaging a pair of fixed guide rails 4° with the legs 50A on the bottom surface. , the process cartridge 30 is placed on the pedestal 5o and housed in the apparatus.

The pedestal 50 is a pinion PI of the motor Ml on the device main body side.
The rack plate 51 is integrally meshed with the rack plate 51, and when the motor M1 rotates, the rack plate 51 is moved in parallel diagonally upward as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, the upper lid 20 is rotatably supported by the apparatus main body via a shaft 20A, and is opened by rotating counterclockwise to open an opening in the upper part of the apparatus main body.

That is, the upper lid 20 has a flat gear 21 integrated in its rotating base that meshes with a pinion P2 of a motor M2 on the apparatus main body side, and rotates counterclockwise as shown in FIG. 2 or 3 by the rotation of the motor M2. Rotates and holds at a predetermined angle.

The movement of the pedestal 50 and the opening of the upper cover 20, that is, the rotation of the motors M1 and M2, are automatically started at the time of the process material replacement, inspection, or replenishment cycle and at the timing of transfer material transport trouble. .

The process cartridge 30 has a counter function that adds up the frequency of use of the process materials contained therein, and when it is newly installed in the apparatus main body, the protrusion member 31 on the side of the cartridge shown in FIG. 5 is installed on the apparatus main body side. Press the reset lever 35 of the counter C to return the display of the counter C to 0, record the number of usages from then on, and set each predetermined number of usages, such as the number of durable usages of the blade 13A of the cleaning device 13, the number of lifetime usages of the drum, etc. When the reference value is reached, the counter C outputs a signal S.

〔example〕

Cleaning durability replacement...20,000C Drum life replacement...60,000C At 60,000C, counter C is reset by inserting a new process unit.

Based on this signal, the cycle of replacement and inspection of the photosensitive drum 1, the charger 6, each developing device, and the cleaning device 13 is detected.

Note that the protruding member 31 is described in the present inventor's actual publication No. 2829.
The proposal in Publication No. 5 is applied, thereby preventing the counter C from being reset again by the same cartridge 30.

The process cartridge 30 has a developer replenishing section 3OA configured with four toner replenishing hoppers for replenishing toner to each of the developing devices, and a waste container containing the amount of toner collected by the cleaning device I3. It has a built-in toner cartridge 30B.

Each of the developer replenishing sections 30A is yellow (Y).
Four toner cartridges filled with , magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (BK) toners are installed, and toner can be constantly dropped and refilled into each corresponding toner replenishment hopper. Built-in.

Further, a sensor P is attached to the developer replenishing section 30A as a detection means for detecting consumption of developer, that is, toner, and outputs an electric signal S' when the remaining amount of toner contained therein decreases below a specified value. The signal is transmitted to the main body of the apparatus via the connector 32 shown in FIG.

On the other hand, the waste toner cartridge 30B has a built-in sensor for detecting the amount of collected toner, and when the amount of toner contained exceeds a specified value, the electrical signal S is outputted and transmitted to the main body of the apparatus.

On the other hand, seven sensors Sl, S2, S3, etc., which detect the passage of the transfer material, are arranged at key points on the conveyance path of the transfer material, and after the sensors located upstream of each conveyance detect the passage of the transfer material, If the downstream sensor cannot detect the transfer material even after a predetermined time has elapsed, a jam detection signal S'' (not shown) is output, and the occurrence of a jam in the transfer material is detected.

Each of the detected signals described above is input to a control section of the main body of the apparatus, and output as a signal for controlling the rotation of the motors M1 and M2.

Further, the above-mentioned device has a lamp Ll as shown in FIG. 8 that indicates the occurrence of a jam in the transfer material on the operation/display section 60 of the device provided on the front side of the device, that is, on the side of arrow B in FIG.
, a lamp L2 indicating process material replacement, a lamp L3 indicating developer replenishment, and the motor M.
1 and M2 are provided with a reset button 61 to start driving in the reverse direction and an eject button 62 to start driving in the forward direction.

When the jam detection signal (S") and the process material replacement and developer replenishment detection signals (S and S') are input to the control section of the apparatus main body, the lamps Ll and L2
, the lamp L3 is lit and displayed.

Below, motors M1 and M2 are controlled by inputting each of the above signals.
The process of controlling the rotation of
This will be explained with reference to each flowchart shown in the figure.

First, a case will be described in which the amount of toner in the developer replenishing section 3OA decreases and the sensor P detects the time to replenish the toner.

FIG. 6 shows a plan view of the process cartridge 30 in the first section from the direction of arrow C.
) and black (BK), toner supply hoppers 308, 309, 310 and 311 respectively.

Each of the toner replenishment hoppers is connected to each corresponding developing device through a replenishment pipe containing a flexible conveyance screw, and the toner is developed by rotation of each motor m in response to an image density detection signal. It is designed to be replenished inside the vessel.

When the toner replenishment signal S' is output to the toner replenishment hopper, the lamp L3 (preferably a lamp corresponding to each color toner Y, M, C, BK) is activated as shown in FIG. 10(a).
lights up to warn the toner replenishment server that the toner cartridge needs to be replaced, and at the same time, a signal is output to supply electric power for forward rotation to the motor M1.

By normal rotation of the motor M1, the pedestal 50 moves from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG.
2 stops the rotation of the motor M1 at a position where the photo sensor S5 of the main body of the apparatus is switched from ON to OFF.

As a result, the process cartridge 30 is moved from the first position in the apparatus where image formation is possible to the second position where the developer replenishment container, that is, the toner cartridge, can be replaced. Protrude outside the device.

The toner replenishment hoppers 308, 309, 310 and 311 are supplied with toner of each color of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C) and black (BK) as shown in FIG. Each toner cartridge 308C, 309C, 310C and 311 filled with
This is automatically done by exchanging C respectively.

Referring to FIG. 7, a replacement operation for the toner cartridge 308C for the toner supply hopper 308 will be described as an example.

The toner supply hopper 308 has the toner cartridge 30 on the top surface.
A guide plate 3081 that engages 8G is fixed, and a toner receiving port 3082 is opened.

The toner receiving port 3082 is connected to the guide rails 3083 and 3.
Shirt plate 308 slidably held by 084
5, and is always shielded by the biasing action in the opposite direction of the arrow by a tension spring 3086 attached to the shirt shirt plate 3085.

On the other hand, the toner cartridge 308C has a stepped portion 3081C inscribed on the bottom surface thereof and engaged with the guide plate 3081 of the toner supply hopper 308, and further has a toner drop port 3082C opened in the center thereof.

The toner fall port 3082C is a guide rail 3083c.
and 3084C, the shirt shirt plate 308 is covered by a shirt shirt plate 3085C slidably held by
The shielded state is maintained at all times by the biasing action in the direction of the arrow by the tension spring 3086C attached to 5C.

When the toner cartridge 308C is slid into the toner replenishment hopper 308 in the direction of the arrow so that the stepped portion 3081C engages with the guide plate 3081, the spring hook on the cartridge side causes the pin 3087c to slide into the upright portion of the shutter plate 3085 on the hopper side. 3088 to press the shirt shirt plate 3.
085 in the direction of the arrow, and after a slight delay, the rising portion 3088C of the shutter plate 3085G on the cartridge side contacts the pin 3087 of the spring hook on the hopper side, and as the cartridge is inserted, the shutter plate 3085C is moved in the opposite direction of the arrow. Ru.

Therefore, when the stepped portion 3081C is inserted until it abuts and locks against the back wall of the guide member 3081, the toner receiving port 3082 and the toner dropping port 3082C are fully opened at the mutually matched positions, and the toner cartridge 30 at
The toner in 8C automatically flows out and falls into the toner replenishment hopper 308 to be replenished.

After replacing the toner cartridge 308C, by manually pressing the reset button, reverse rotation power is supplied to the motor Ml, and the process cartridge 30
starts moving from the second position toward the first position, and the light shielding plate 5
At the position where the photo sensor S4 is switched from OFF to ON, the rotation of the motor M1 is stopped, the image forming apparatus is placed in a state where image formation is possible again, and the lamp L'3 is turned off.

In this embodiment, the entire process cartridge 30 is moved to the second position when replenishing toner, but the developer replenishing section 30A and each developing device connected thereto are constructed as a unit that can be moved independently. It is also possible to adopt a structure in which only the unit is moved from the first position to the second position to replenish toner.

It is also possible to move the process cartridge 30 or the aforementioned unit to the second position by manually pressing the select button.

Furthermore, instead of incorporating each of the toner cartridges in the process cartridge 30, the toner cartridges are installed when the process cartridge 30 moves to the second position as shown in FIG. It is also possible to supply the liquid to a supply hopper.

Next, a case will be described in which the time for replacing the process material is detected by the counter C, and the occurrence of a jam in the transfer material is detected by the seven automatic sensors 51 to 53, respectively.

Electrical signal S by counter C or photosensor 5l
-33, when the electric signal S'' is input to the control unit, the first
As shown in Figure O (b) or Figure 10 (c), first the lamp L2 or lamp L+ is lit to indicate whether the process material is to be replaced or if the transfer material has been replaced, and at the same time, the motors M1 and M2 are rotated in the forward direction, respectively. A signal is output that supplies power.

The forward rotation of the motor M1 moves the pedestal 50 from the position shown in FIG. 1 to the position shown in FIG.
At the position F, the rotation of the motor M1 is stopped.

As a result, the process cartridge 30 is moved from the first position, where it is possible to form an image in the apparatus, to the third position, where it is possible to clear the jam of the transfer material and to remove it from the apparatus, and is easily removed from the pedestal 50. It can now be removed, allowing efficient replacement and inspection of process materials.

Continuing or in parallel with this, the motor M2 rotates forward, and the upper cover 20 rotates from the angle shown in FIG. 1 to the angle shown in FIG. 3 to open the opening of the device body, and the sector gear 2
1 presses switch MS2 on the main body of the device to turn it from OFF to O.
Rotation of motor M2 is stopped at the angle switched to N.

Therefore, in conjunction with the movement of the process cartridge 30 described above, jamming of the transfer material can also be easily performed.

When the process cartridge 30 is removed from the stand 50 for replacing or replenishing process materials, the process shown in FIG.
), the bottom of the cartridge 30 presses the switch MS3 and turns it from OFF to OFF.
By switching to N, a storage detection signal of the process cartridge 30 is inputted, and a signal for supplying reverse rotation power to the motors M1 and M2 is outputted.

As a result, the process cartridge 30 moves from the third position to the original first position again, and the motor M1 stops at the position where the light shielding plate 52 switches the photo sensor S4 of the apparatus main body from OFF to ON. The process material is maintained in an imageable condition.

On the other hand, due to the reverse rotation of the motor M2, the upper cover 20 is rotated clockwise, and the switch MSI is turned on with the sector gear 2I.
The device stops at the angle required to switch from FF to ON, and the opening at the top of the device body is closed to enable copying.

In addition, when only the jam removal of the transfer material is performed and the process cartridge 30 remains placed on the pedestal 50, the operation/display section 60 is equipped with a reset button as shown in FIG. 1O(C). By pressing the button 61, a signal is output for supplying power for reverse rotation to the motors M1 and M2 in place of the action of the switch MS3.

The jam indicator lamp L1 and the replacement indicator lamp L2 are turned off automatically after the process cartridge returns to the first position and the top cover 20 is closed.

As mentioned above, it is also possible to specifically provide an eject button 62 on the operation/display section 60 during the wear/replacement operation so that the motors M1 and M2 are rotated in the normal direction by pressing the eject button 62. In consideration of worker safety due to automatic opening/closing, the motor Ml can be reset by pressing the reset button 61 before and after installing the process cartridge 30.
It is also possible to start the reversal of M2 at any timing.

Therefore, after confirming that the lamp Ll or L2 is lit, the process cartridge 30 is moved and the upper cover 20 is opened and closed by button operations, which simplifies the mechanism and allows work to be carried out safely.

FIG. 11 shows a transfer drum type image forming apparatus according to another embodiment of the present invention. The photoreceptor belt IO1 and the process cartridge portion disposed around its periphery are roughly the same as those in the previous embodiment, but the transfer drum 200 is brought into contact with the transfer portion of the photoreceptor belt IO1. rotates in the direction of the arrow (counterclockwise) while maintaining synchronization with the photoreceptor belt 101. A transfer material is wrapped around the outer periphery of the transfer drum 200, a toner image is transferred onto the wrapped transfer material, the transferred toner images are superimposed, and then separated from the transfer drum 200, and after fixing, the mounting is completed. This is what was discharged onto the top.

A charger 2011 provided to electrostatically attract the transfer material is provided at the peripheral edge of the transfer drum 200. A winding member 202 for mechanically winding the transfer material around the transfer drum 200 is provided. has a roller at its tip and comes into contact only when it first wraps around the transfer drum 200. Further, a gripper 203 is provided on the peripheral surface of the transfer drum 200, and acts to hold the leading edge of the transfer material that is synchronously conveyed. 204 is a transfer device, and the photosensitive belt 101
Electrostatically transfer the upper toner image onto a transfer material. 205
206 is a separation and removal electrode, and 206 is a separation claw. Further, 207 is a cleaner that can come into contact with and separate from the cleaner, and removes the toner adhered to the transfer drum 200 after the transfer material has been separated.

The transfer material discharged from the paper feed cassette l14 is transferred to the transfer drum 200, which is charged by the charger 201 while maintaining synchronization.
The yellow (Y ) Transfer the toner image onto a transfer material. After completing the first transfer, the transfer drum 200 continues to rotate, producing a magenta (M) toner image in the second rotation, a cyan (C) toner image in the third rotation, and a black (BK) toner image in the fourth rotation.
) The toner images are transferred one after the other. When the transfer of the four-color toner image is completed, the transfer material is transferred to the separation electrode 20.
In step 5, static electricity is removed, and the leading edge of the transfer material is released from being held by the separation claw 206, separated, and conveyed to the fixing roller 11.

In the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, the transfer drum 200 is located on the apparatus main body side and is not included in the process cartridge 130, which is movable and removable. Therefore, the insertion and removal of the process card dolly/solid 130, jam removal, toner replenishment, etc. are performed in the same manner as in the previous embodiment.

Furthermore, the present invention can also be applied to a monochrome-only image forming apparatus as shown in FIG.

In this case, the process cartridge 330 is the photosensitive drum 3.
It incorporates only a pair of developing devices 311 containing black developer and a toner replenishment hopper 311A together with a charging device 306 and a cleaning device 313, and uses signals to detect developer replenishment and process material replacement as described above. As in the full-color image forming apparatus shown in FIG. It is slid to the right and moved to the second or third position. Prior to movement, the replenishment display lamp lights up and at the same time, the side cover 340 is opened clockwise about the shaft 340A, allowing the process cartridge 330 to protrude outside the apparatus.

On the other hand, when detecting a jam of the transfer material, it is possible to take the third position of the process cartridge 330 (not shown...on both the left and right sides of the dashed line in FIG.
40 is opened, the top cover 320 is opened counterclockwise about the shaft 320A as the process cartridge 330 is moved to the position to the right of the chain line (where the process cartridge 330 can be taken out), opening the top of the apparatus body ( In this case, the third position is on the left side of the dashed line in the figure, and when the opening/closing lid is opened at the other end, it can be placed either on the left or the right, including the position indicated by the dashed line) to facilitate jamming of the transfer material.

Note that the configuration of each detection signal and the operation control of each part are performed in exactly the same manner as in the previous embodiments.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, operations such as replacing and inspecting process materials in the image forming section and replenishing developer can be performed at appropriate intervals, and troubles such as transfer material jams can be easily and promptly resolved without missing an opportunity. As a result, an image forming apparatus that is well inspected and maintained and capable of always copying high quality images has been provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figure 1, Figure 2, Figure 3, Figure 4 and Figure 11, Figure 1
2 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, and FIGS. FIG. 9 is a control circuit diagram, and FIG. 1O is a flowchart showing the control process. ■...Photosensitive drum 6...Charger 7...Laser writing system units 8-11...Developer 12...Transfer device 13...
-Cleaning device 14...Paper feed cassette 20...Top lid 21...Sector gear 30.130...Process cartridge 30A,
130A...Developer supply section 40...Guide rail
50... Frame 51... Rack plate 60...
- Operation/display section 308-311... Toner supply hopper 308C-311G... Toner cartridge Ll, L
2. L3... (display) lamps 81 to S6... Photosensors MS l, MS 2, MS 3... Switch Ml,
M2...Motor

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A process cartridge including a belt-shaped image carrier stretched horizontally between at least two axes and a plurality of developing devices arranged opposite to each other on the lower periphery of the belt-shaped image carrier can be replaced. In the insertable image forming apparatus, the process cartridge has a plurality of developer replenishing parts for replenishing developer to the plurality of developing devices, and the process cartridge has a first position where image formation is possible and a first position where image formation is possible. , and a second position that allows replenishment of developer.
When the detection means for detecting developer consumption issues a detection signal, the process cartridge automatically moves from the first position to the second position, and in the second position, the developing agent is supplied to the developer replenishing section. An image forming apparatus characterized in that it is possible to replenish developer or replace a container for replenishing developer. (2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a third position in addition to the first position and the second position, which enables jam removal.