JPH05158346A - Color image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To replenish toner with a simple operation and without causing the leakage of toner, with respect to a toner housing container connected to a developer unit. CONSTITUTION:Respective toner housing containers 16, 17, 18 and 19 are orthogonally crossed and arranged in parallel, to connect and fix them to respective developing units 6, 7, 8 and 9 arranged in parallel so as to face a photosensitive belt 1, the dropping and receiving of the toner are executed by the rotation of a carrying member 20 incorporated in each toner housing container, on the crossing part of the toner housing containers, and simultaneously, the toner replenishing ports 23 of each toner housing containers 23 are provided on their end parts in a series. Thus, even in a process cartridge incorporating both the developing unit and the toner housing container, a cartridge is moved a little, so that the toner can be replenished.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color image forming apparatus in which a plurality of developing devices are arranged on the peripheral surface of an image forming body.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a color image forming apparatus, since image processing of a plurality of colors is performed, a plurality of developing devices each having a monochromatic developing function at the peripheral portion of the image forming body and a developing device for each of these developing devices are provided. A plurality of toner storage containers for supplying the toner are incorporated.

On the other hand, since the developing device group is frequently maintained, the developing device group is often housed in a process cartridge together with an image forming body and a cleaning device so as to be easily taken out from the main body of the device. Under the present circumstances, the developing device and the toner storage container are connected and disconnected each time the cartridge is attached or detached.

[0004]

However, the connecting portion between the developing device and the toner storage container has a complicated structure to prevent toner leakage and is troublesome to handle. However, since toner leakage cannot be avoided, the inside of the apparatus may be contaminated with toner for a long period of time and the image may be damaged.

As a means for dealing with this problem, there is a method in which a toner container is integrated with a developing device and then included in the cartridge. However, the cartridge becomes large and the cartridge is externally provided every time toner is replenished. It becomes necessary to take it out, and the daily handling and maintenance workability becomes extremely poor.

As a result of solving and improving this point, the present invention provides
An object of the present invention is to provide a color image forming apparatus that does not require a complicated connection mechanism for supplying toner and that can replenish toner by extremely simple handling such as slightly moving the cartridge.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The above object is to provide a color image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of developing devices arranged in parallel and a toner storage container storing toner to be supplied to the developing device. The color image forming apparatus is characterized in that the toner is circulated in parallel to the developing device and is supplied to the developing device by means of the toner circulating and conveying means contained in the toner container.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of a color image forming apparatus of the present invention.
Through FIG.

FIG. 1 shows a first embodiment. Reference numeral 1 is a flexible photoconductor belt which is a belt-shaped image forming body, and the photoconductor belt 1 is located between rotating rollers 2 and 3A, 3B. It is installed in the horizontal direction and is conveyed in the clockwise direction indicated by the arrow by driving the rotating roller 2.

Reference numeral 4A is a charging device, 5 is a laser writing system unit, 6 to 9 are respective developing devices for accommodating a developer of a specific color, 10 is a cleaning device, and 11 is a fixing device. The developing devices 6, 7, 8 and 9 are arranged in parallel on the peripheral surface of the photoconductor belt 1 and accommodate, for example, yellow, magenta, cyan and black developers, respectively, and have a predetermined gap from the photoconductor belt 1. Developing sleeves 6A, 7
A, 8A, and 9A are provided and have a function of visualizing the latent image on the photoconductor belt 1 by a non-contact reversal development method. Unlike the contact development, the non-contact development has an advantage that the movement of the photosensitive belt 1 is not hindered.

Further, the blade 10 of the cleaning device 10
A is kept at a position apart from the surface of the photosensitive belt 1 during image formation and is pressed against the surface of the photosensitive belt 1 only as shown in the figure during cleaning after image transfer.

The color image forming process 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, the data obtained by the color image data input section in which the image sensor scans the original image is processed by the image data processing section to create image data, which is once stored in the image memory. Next, the image memory is taken out at the time of recording and is input to the color image forming apparatus shown in the embodiment of FIG. 1, which is a recording unit.

That is, when a color signal output from an image reading apparatus separate from the image forming apparatus is input to the laser writing system unit 5, a semiconductor laser (not shown) is used in the laser writing system unit 5. The generated laser beam is a polygon mirror 5 rotated by a drive motor 5A.
It is rotationally scanned by B, passes through the fθ lens 5C, and then the mirror 5
The optical path is bent by D, and a bright line is formed by being projected onto the peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 1 to which electric charges have been previously given by the charger 4A.

On the other hand, when the scanning is started, the beam is detected by the index sensor, the modulation of the beam by the first color signal is started, and the modulated beam scans the peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 1. Therefore, a latent image corresponding to the first color is formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 1 by the main scanning by the laser beam and the sub-scanning by the conveyance of the photosensitive belt 1. This latent image is yellow (Y) in the developing means.
The toner image is formed on the belt surface by reversal development in a non-contact state by the developing device 6 loaded with the toner (visual medium). The toner image thus obtained, while being held on the belt surface, passes under the cleaning device 10, which is a cleaning means separated from the peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 1, and enters the next copy cycle.

That is, the photoconductor belt 1 has the charger 4
A second color signal output from the signal processing unit is input to the writing system unit 5 after being charged by A again.
Writing is performed on the surface of the belt to form a latent image in the same manner as in the case of the first color signal described above. The latent image is reversely developed in a non-contact state by the developing device 7 loaded with magenta (M) toner as the second color.

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

Reference numeral 8 denotes a developing device having cyan (C) toner, which forms a cyan (C) toner image on the surface of the belt based on a control signal generated by a signal processing section.

Further, 9 is a developing device having a black toner, which forms a black toner image on the surface of the belt by superimposing it by the same process. A direct current or an alternating current bias is applied to each sleeve of each of these developing devices 6, 7, 8 and 9 to perform jumping development with a one-component or two-component developer which is a developing means, and the base is grounded. The reversal development is performed on the photoconductor belt 1 in a non-contact manner.

Thus, the color toner image formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 1 by the four rounds is transferred to the transfer device 4B.
In this case, it is transferred to the transfer paper which is conveyed by the paper feed cassette 12 and is driven by the driving of the timing roller 13.

The transfer paper on which the toner image has been transferred is separated from the peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 1 and is horizontally conveyed via the conveyor belt 14 and is fused in the fixing device 11 on the tray 15. Is discharged.

On the other hand, the photosensitive belt 1 from which the transfer paper is separated
Is the blade 10A of the cleaning device 10 at the 5th lap
The residual toner is removed / cleaned by receiving the pressure contact of 1), and after one round, the transfer device 4B is charged again to start the next image forming process.

Reference numeral 16 denotes a rectangular parallelepiped toner container for containing the toner to be supplied to the developing device 6, which is connected and integrated in a form orthogonal to the developing device 6.

On the other hand, the toner storage containers 17, 18 and 19 for the other developing devices 7, 8 and 9 are also connected and integrated in the form orthogonal to the respective developing devices as in the toner storage container 16, Therefore, they are located side by side on the back side of the toner storage container 16 shown in FIG.

Each of the toner storage containers 16, 17, 18 and
Each of the units 19 incorporates a belt-shaped carrier member 20 that is rotated counterclockwise as shown in FIG. A plurality of flexible fins 20A are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the conveying member 20 so as to convey the contained toner in the direction of the arrow, and the toner is transferred from the drop port 21 on the bottom surface to the receiving port 22 on the developing device side. Supply by dropping. At this time, the fins 20A slidably contact the ironing plate 22A of the receiving port 22 to efficiently drop the transported toner.

The toner supply port 23 for each toner storage container is provided in series at the end of each toner storage container as shown in the figure, and the plain is covered by a cap 24.

The developing devices and the toner storage containers described above are integrated into a process cartridge 30 (shown by a chain double-dashed line) together with the photosensitive belt 1, the charger 4A, and the cleaning device 10 described above.

The process cartridge 30 can be moved to the right along a guide rail (not shown) by opening the door 31 on the side of the apparatus.

Therefore, in the apparatus of the present invention, it is not necessary to take the process cartridge 30 out of the apparatus when replenishing the toner, and the process cartridge 30 as shown in FIG.
The toner cartridge T can be attached to all the above-described toner storage containers in a state in which the toner is slightly pulled out, and the toner replenishment work becomes extremely easy.

FIG. 4 shows a second embodiment. In this case, the developing devices 106, 107, 108 and 109 are arranged in parallel with the peripheral surface of the photosensitive belt 101 stretched in the vertical direction, and accordingly, the developing devices are arranged. The toner storage containers 116, 117, 118, and 119 of the container are arranged in parallel in the vertical direction orthogonal to the developing devices.

Therefore, the toner replenishing port 123 can be provided in series on the upper surface of the process cartridge 130. Therefore, the apparatus main body is divided into a lower main body I and an upper main body II, and the upper main body II is formed as shown in FIG. By opening the hinge H as a fulcrum, the toner cartridge T can be mounted without moving the process cartridge 30.

In each of the first and second embodiments described above, when the developer used is a two-component developer, the developing device of the type shown in FIG. 6A is used and the conveying member 20 is used.
The toner supplied by the toner tank 6B once enters the toner tank 6B, and then the toner supply roller 6C rotates according to the decrease in the toner concentration in the developer tank 6D.
It is fed into the developing sleeve D, uniformly mixed with the carrier by the operation of the stirring member 6E, and then supplied to the developing sleeve 6A.

On the other hand, in the case of a one-component developer, a developing device of the type shown in FIG. 6B is used, and the toner supplied by the carrying member 20 is directly carried into the developer tank 6D and the stirring member 6E is used. By the operation, the new and old toners are agitated so as to be evenly distributed and then supplied to the developing sleeve 6A.

To supply the toner to each developing device, in the case of the developing devices arranged vertically in FIG. 4, the conveying member 20 is rotated clockwise, and the toner picked up by the fins 20A is removed from above. This is performed by making sliding contact with the ironing plate 22A.

[0035]

According to the present invention, the toner can be replenished to the toner storage container built in the process cartridge while the cartridge is still attached to the apparatus main body. It has become possible to provide a color image forming apparatus which is extremely easy and has no fear of toner leakage when the cartridge is attached or detached.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a first embodiment of a color image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state where a cartridge of the apparatus is moved.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a main part of the apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a second embodiment of a color image forming apparatus of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view showing a state in which an upper main body of the device is opened.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of a developing device used in each of the devices.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1,101 Photoconductor belt 4A Charger 4B Transfer device 5 Laser writing system unit 6,7,8,9,106,107,108,109 Developer 10 Cleaning device 11 Fixing device 12 Paper cassette 13 Timing roller 14 Conveyor belt 15 Tray 16,17, 18,19,116,117,118,119 Toner storage container 20 Transport member 20A Fin 21 Drop port 22 Receiving port 22A Ironing plate 23 Supply port 24 Cap 30 Process cartridge 31 Door T Toner cartridge

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Masakazu Fukuchi 2970 Ishikawa-cho, Hachioji-shi, Tokyo Konica Stock Company

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A color image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of developing devices arranged in parallel and a toner storage container storing toner to be supplied to the developing device, wherein the toner storage container is arranged in parallel at right angles to the developing device. Then, the color image forming apparatus is characterized in that the toner is circulated and conveyed to the developing device by the toner circulating and conveying means contained in the toner container. 2. The color image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner container is housed in a process cartridge together with the developing device and the image forming body, and is detachably attached to the apparatus main body.