JPH05289505A - Electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a developer from being discharged from a developer discarding port when and after a developing device is taken out and to make operability on the processing of the developer excellent by providing a shutter device on the developer discarding port. CONSTITUTION:When the developing device 8 is removed from a copying machine, a developer supplying/recovering unit 18 is taken out, and then, the developing device 8 is taken out in the direction of B. In this process, in the shutter device 31, a shutter member 32 is pulled by a tension spring 34 and moved in the direction of A, with respect to the developing device 8, accompanying the movement of the developing device 8 in the direction of B. After that, when the extension part 32b of the shutter member 32 is separated from a restraining frame 36, the developer discarding port 19b is completely closed by a discarding port opening/closing part 32a. At this time, the shutter member 32 is held in the closing position of the developer discarding port 19b, by a restraining part 35. When the developing device 8 is fitted to the copying machine, the extension part 32b of the shutter member 32 is abutted on the restraining frame 36, and the discarding port opening/closing part 32a is moved in the direction of B, to open the developer discarding port.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus equipped with a trickle type developing device which does not require periodic replacement of the developer while keeping the developing characteristics of the two-component developer constant. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an electrophotographic apparatus such as a copying machine, a developing apparatus for developing with a two-component developer composed of carrier and toner is often used. In such a developing device, the toner is consumed by the developing operation, while the carrier remains in the developing device without being consumed. Therefore, in the carrier, the resin coating tank on the surface is peeled off by being stirred with the toner in the developing device,
And the adhesion of toner to the surface occurs, and
As shown in the graph (b) of 2, the chargeability of the developer is gradually deteriorated. Therefore, for example, the above carrier is regularly replaced.

By the way, when the carrier is regularly replaced as described above, the function of the carrier immediately before replacement is significantly lower than that of the carrier at the time of replacement. The image quality will change drastically. Further, the regular carrier replacement work is to remove old carriers from the developing device and fill unused carriers, which is troublesome and causes toner in the developing device to fly up at this time, which is unsanitary. Is. Therefore, in order to eliminate such inconvenience, a trickle-type developing device has been proposed in which carriers in the developing device are gradually discarded while unused carriers are gradually replenished.

As a typical example of the trickle type developing device, for example, Japanese Examined Patent Publication No. 2-21591 is disclosed.
JP-B-60-2596 and JP-A-1-2676.
As disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 83-83, while the unused developer is gradually replenished from the developer replenishing device to the developing device, the old developer in the developing device, which becomes excessive due to this replenishment, is replaced with the developer discarding port. It is known that the toner is discharged by overflow from the developer and collected in a developer collecting container. In such a developing device, as shown in the graph (a) of FIG.
The chargeability of the developer is from the time when the developing device is filled with the unused developer to the lapse of a certain use time.
Although it deteriorates, thereafter, the unused developer is gradually replenished, and the old developer is gradually discharged, so that it becomes stable and substantially constant. Further, the developer collection container may be replaced when the collected developer is full, and the periodical replacement work according to the deterioration of the carrier becomes unnecessary. In addition, there is an advantage that the toner hardly rises in the replacement work of only the developer recovery container.

[0005]

However, in the above-described conventional structure, the operability regarding the processing of the developer when the developing device is attached or detached, or when the developer is discarded, is not sufficiently considered, and the improvement thereof is made. Is desired.

[0006]

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, an electrophotographic apparatus of the present invention is provided with a detachable developing device, and a developer comprising toner and carrier in the developing device. In the electrophotographic apparatus in which the carrier is gradually supplied into the developing device and the developer in the developing device is gradually discharged from the developer discarding port in response to this. A shutter device is provided, which opens when the developing device is mounted on the electrophotographic device and closes when the developing device is removed from the electrophotographic device.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the electrophotographic apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention contains a developer containing a toner and a carrier in the developing device, and the carrier is gradually supplied into the developing device. On the other hand, in accordance with this, in the electrophotographic apparatus in which the developer in the developing device is gradually discharged from the developer waste port of the developing device into the developer recovery container detachably provided in the developing device, While opening the developer disposal port with the mounting operation of the developer recovery container to the developing device,
It is characterized in that it is provided with a shutter device that is closed when the developer recovery container is removed from the developing device.

In order to solve the above problems, in the electrophotographic apparatus of the third aspect of the present invention, a developer consisting of toner and carrier is contained in the developing device, and the carrier is gradually supplied into the developing device. On the other hand, in response thereto, the developer in the developing device gradually enters the developer collecting container detachably provided in the developing device through the developer discarding port of the developing device and the developer collecting port of the developer collecting container. In the electrophotographic apparatus discharged to the above, the developer discarding port and the developer collecting port are opened along with the mounting operation of the developer collecting container to the developing device, while the developer collecting container from the developing device is opened. It is characterized in that it is provided with a shutter device that closes in association with the withdrawal operation.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the electrophotographic apparatus according to the fourth aspect of the present invention collects the waste developer on the surface of the photoconductor by the cleaning apparatus, and the developer consisting of toner and carrier is stored in the developing apparatus. In an electrophotographic apparatus in which the carrier is accommodated and the carrier is gradually supplied into the developing device, the developer in the developing device is gradually discharged from the developer waste port of the developing device into the developer collecting container in response to this. A waste developer transport device for transporting waste developer in the cleaning device into the developer recovery container is provided between the cleaning device and the developer recovery container.

[0010]

According to the structure of claim 1, when the developing device is mounted on the electrophotographic apparatus by the shutter device, the developer waste port of the developing device is opened in association with the mounting operation, while When the developing device is pulled out,
Along with the removal operation, the developer disposal port is closed.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the developer from being discharged from the developer disposal port due to the impact when the developing device is pulled out and the developing device is inclined during the transportation after the removal. Therefore, when the developing device is pulled out and transported, the developing device need not be handled with extreme caution. As a result, the operability for processing the developer is good.

According to the structure of claim 2, when the developer collecting container is attached to the developing device by the shutter device,
While the developer discarding port of the developing device is opened along with the mounting operation, when the developer recovery container is removed from the developing device, the developer discarding port is closed along with the removal operation.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the developer from being discharged from the developer disposal port of the developing device due to the impact when the developer recovery container is pulled out. Also, due to the impact of the developing device with respect to the electrophotographic apparatus when the developing device is removed and the impact when the developing device is attached, and when the developing device tilts during transportation after removal, the developer is discharged from the developer disposal port. Is prevented from being discharged. Therefore, at the time of removing the developer collecting container from the developing device, at the time of attaching and detaching the developing device to the electrophotographic device with the developer collecting container removed, and at the time of transporting the developing device in this state, In order to prevent the developer from being discharged from the developer waste port, the developing device does not require special handling. As a result, the operability for processing the developer is good.

According to the structure of claim 3, when the developer collecting container is attached to the developing device by the shutter device,
When the mounting operation is performed, the developer discarding port of the developing device and the developer collecting port of the developer collecting container are opened, and when the developer collecting container is removed from the developing device, the developing operation is performed along with the removing operation. The agent disposal port and the developer recovery port are closed.

Therefore, it is possible to prevent the situation where the developer is discharged from the developer recovery port due to the impact when the developer recovery container is pulled out and the inclination of the developer recovery container during transportation after the removal. .. Therefore, in addition to the function of the second aspect, particularly careful handling of the developer recovery container is not required when the developer recovery container is pulled out of or transported from the developing device. As a result, the operability for processing the developer is further improved.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, since the waste developer collected by the cleaning device is carried into the developer collecting container by the waste developer carrying device, the cleaning device or the developer collecting container becomes full. It is not necessary to perform replacement work or developer disposal work every time, and the above work may be performed only when the developer recovery container is full. Therefore, the operability for processing the developer is good.

Further, the cleaning device can be downsized because it is not necessary to store the waste developer. On the other hand, although the developer collection container becomes larger by that amount, unlike the cleaning device provided in the overcrowded portion of each means around the photoconductor, the developer collection container can be provided using an appropriate empty space. The size of the copying machine can be reduced.

[0018]

【Example】

[Embodiment 1] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS.

As shown in FIG. 2, the copying machine as the electrophotographic apparatus of the present embodiment has a document placing table 1 on the upper surface thereof,
An exposure optical system section 2 is provided below the original placing table 1.
The exposure optical system unit 2 includes a light source lamp 3 for scanning an original document (not shown) placed on the original document table 2 while irradiating light, and a plurality of reflections for guiding reflected light from the original document to the photoconductor 6. Mirror 4
, And the lens unit 5 arranged in the optical path of the reflected light.

On the outer periphery of the photoconductor 6, a charger 7 for charging the surface of the photoconductor 6 to a predetermined potential, an inter-image eraser (not shown), and an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoconductor 6 are developed. There is provided a developing device 8, a transfer charger 9 for transferring the toner image on the surface of the photoconductor 6 to a sheet, a cleaning device 10 for collecting the residual toner on the surface of the photoconductor 6, and a destaticizing device (not shown). Further, on the paper input side with respect to the photoconductor 6, a timing roller 11 for feeding a paper at a predetermined timing, a conveyance roller 12, a paper feed cassette 1
3 and a paper feed roller 14 are provided, and a fixing device 15 that fixes the toner image transferred onto the paper to the paper is provided on the paper output side with respect to the photoconductor 6.

As shown in FIG. 3, the developing device 8 has a developer supplying device 1 for supplying the developing device 8 with the developer D.
6 and a developer collecting container 17 for collecting the developer D discharged from the developing device 8 are mounted. The developer supply device 16 and the developer recovery container 17 are integrated to constitute a developer supply / recovery unit 18, and the development device 8
It is removable with respect to.

The developing device 8 has a container-shaped tank body 19, which is provided with a magnet roller 20 and an agitating roller 21 in the tank body 19 and contains a developer D composed of carrier and toner. is doing. The carrier is made of a magnetic material and has a resin coating layer on its surface that suppresses adhesion of the toner. The carrier is agitated together with the toner so that the toner is frictionally charged so that the toner is attracted to the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor 6. The magnet roller 20 attracts the carrier by a magnetic force, forms a magnetic brush, and conveys the carrier to supply the toner adhered to the carrier by the Coulomb force to the photoconductor 6. The height of the spikes of the magnetic brush is regulated by the doctor 22. The stirring roller 21 is the tank body 1.
The developer D in 9 is agitated.

The tank 19 is provided with a developer intake port 19
a and the developer disposal port 19b are formed, and when the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is attached to the developing device 8, the developer intake port 19a is the developer supply port 2 of the developer supply device 16.
3a, the developer disposal port 19b is connected to the developer recovery container 1
It is possible to communicate with the developer recovery port 17a of No. 7. still,
This copier has a so-called upper part that is opened so as to open the sheet conveyance path around the opening / closing fulcrum 28 shown in FIG. It is a clamshell type, and the developer waste port 1 above
9b is formed on the surface opposite to the opening / closing fulcrum 28 side. When the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is attached to the developing device 8, as shown in FIG. 1, the tank body of the developer supplying device 16 is inserted into the groove portion 19c formed on the upper surface of the tank body 19 of the developing device 8. 23 for the developer supply port 23a
The formation portion of is fitted and the developer supply / collection unit 18 is moved in the direction A.

The developer supply device 16 has a container-shaped tank body 23. Inside the tank body 23, a replenishing arm 24,
And a replenishing roller 25 for gradually supplying the developer D from the developer supply port 23a by rotation, and stores the high-concentration developer D composed of toner and carrier. The developer recovery container 17 has the above-described developer recovery port 17a on the upper side wall facing the developing device 8. Then, the developer D is discharged by overflow from the developer disposal port 19b to the developer recovery port 17a in accordance with the amount of the developer D supplied from the developer supply device 16 to the developing device 8. Is becoming

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the developing device 8 is provided with a shutter device 31 for opening and closing the developer disposal port 19b. The shutter device 31 includes a shutter member 32 that opens and closes the developer discarding port 19b, and upper and lower guide members 33 and 33 that guide the shutter member 32 so as to move in the AB direction, which is the attaching and detaching direction of the developing device 8. When,
A tension spring 34 that pulls the shutter member 32 so as to move it in the closing direction of the developer waste port 19b, a locking portion 35 that stops the moving shutter member 32 at the closed position of the developer waste port 19b, and a copying machine. And a locking frame 36 provided at the end on the A direction side, which is the mounting direction of the developing device 8.

The shutter member 32 has a waste opening / closing portion 32a for opening / closing the developer waste opening 19b, and extends from the waste opening / closing portion 32a in the direction A. When the developing device 8 is attached to the copying machine, the shutter member 32 shown in FIG. As also shown in the above, the above-mentioned locking frame 3
6 and the waste port opening / closing portion 32a is connected to the developer waste port 19
It has an extending portion 32b that moves in the opening direction of b, that is, the B direction. The locking frame 36 is composed of some kind of wall member provided in the copying machine. still,
The extension portion 32b is a separate body from the waste opening / closing portion 32a,
It may be provided on the locking frame 36 side.

As shown in FIG. 2, the cleaning device 10 transports the cleaning blade 26 for scraping off the residual toner on the surface of the photosensitive member 6 and the waste toner collected by the cleaning blade 26 in one direction, that is, in the back direction. And a screw 27. As shown in FIG. 4, the end of the cleaning device 10 on the conveying direction side of the conveying screw 27 is a waste developer conveying device 29.
It is connected to the developer recovery container 17 via.

The waste developer transport device 29 is provided with a transport screw for transporting waste toner inside the transport pipe 29a connecting the cleaning device 10 and the developer recovery container 17, for example. There is. Further, the developer recovery container 17 is attachable / detachable to / from the transport pipe 29a.

In the above structure, first, the copy operation of the copying machine will be briefly described. When the copy start switch (not shown) is turned on in the standby state in which the warm-up is completed, the light source lamp 3 of the exposure optical system unit 2 scans the original document placed on the original document table 2 to remove the original from the original document. The reflected light is applied to the photoconductor 6 via the reflecting mirrors 4 ... And the lens unit 5. As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor 6 charged to a predetermined potential by the charging charger 7, and the electrostatic latent image is developed by the toner supplied from the developing device 8. The toner image on the surface of the photoconductor 6 is transferred to the paper supplied from the paper feed cassette 13 by the transfer charger 9, and is thermally fixed on the paper by the fixing device 15. As a result, a copy image corresponding to the original image is obtained on the sheet.

The toner remaining on the photoconductor 6 during the above transfer operation is scraped off into the cleaning device 10 by the cleaning blade 26. The waste toner is transported by the transport screw 27 toward the connection with the waste developer transport device 29, and further transported by the waste developer transport device 29 into the developer recovery container 17.

Here, when the developer recovery container 17 is filled with the recovered developer D, the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is removed from the developing device 8 and the developer recovery container 17 is removed.
After discarding the developer D therein, the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is reused, or the developer supply / recovery unit 18 itself is replaced with a new one. At this time, when the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is pulled out in the direction B, the developer recovery container 17 and the waste developer transport device 29 are disengaged, and the developer supply / recovery unit 18 can be removed. .. The developer supply / recovery unit 18 is attached by the reverse operation of the above operation.

When the developing device 8 is to be removed from the copying machine for replacement of the developing device 8, for example, the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is first removed and then
The developing device 8 is pulled out in the B direction. In the process of removing the developing device 8, in the shutter device 31, as the developing device 8 moves in the B direction, the shutter member 32 is pulled by the tension spring 34 and moves in the A direction with respect to the developing device 8. After that, when the extended portion 32b of the shutter member 32 separates from the locking frame 36, as shown in FIG. 6, the developer waste port 19b is completely closed by the waste port opening / closing part 32a. At this time, the shutter member 32 is held at the closed position of the developer disposal port 19b by the locking portion 35.

On the other hand, when the developing device 8 is mounted on the copying machine by the reverse operation of the above operation, as shown in FIG. 5, the extending portion 32b of the shutter member 32 is locked by the extending frame 32b.
6, the disposal port opening / closing part 32a moves in the B direction, and the developer disposal port 19b is opened.

As described above, in the present copying machine, since the waste toner collected by the cleaning device 10 is collected in the developer collecting container 17 by the waste developer conveying device 29, the cleaning device 10 Alternatively, it is not necessary to replace them or to discard the developer each time the developer recovery container 17 is full, and the above operation may be performed only when the developer recovery container 17 is full. Therefore, the operability for processing the developer is good.

Further, the cleaning device 10 can be downsized because it is not necessary to store waste toner. On the other hand, although the developer recovery container 17 is increased in size by that amount, unlike the cleaning device 10 which is provided in an overcrowded portion of each means around the photoconductor 6, the developer recovery container 17 is provided using an appropriate empty space. Because you can
The copying machine can be downsized.

Further, the cleaning device 10 is the photosensitive member 6
In the cartridge type that is integrated with and exchanged integrally, the life of the cartridge is not determined by the capacity of the cleaning device 10 for storing the waste toner, but is determined only by the degree of deterioration of the photoconductor 6. It is possible to avoid the situation in which the cartridge must be replaced while the photoconductor 6 is still usable.

Further, the shutter device 31 causes the developer disposal port 19b to be removed as the developing device 8 is attached to and detached from the copying machine.
Is opened and closed, the developer D is discharged from the developer disposal port 19b due to an impact when the developing device 8 is pulled out and the developing device 8 is tilted during transportation after the removal. The situation is prevented. Therefore, when the developing device 8 is pulled out and transported, the developing device 8 is not required to be handled with extreme caution. This allows
The operability for processing the developer D is good.

[Embodiment 2] Another embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. For convenience of explanation, members having the same functions as those of the members shown in the drawings of the above-described embodiments are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted.

The copying machine according to the present embodiment, as shown in FIG.
The developing device 8 includes a waste-port opening / closing shutter device 41 for opening / closing the developer waste port 19b, and a recovery-port opening / closing shutter device 51 for opening / closing the developer recovery port 17a of the developer recovery container 17, as shown in FIG. ing.

The waste port opening / closing shutter device 41 has a shutter member 42, and the shutter member 42 is a direction CD in which the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is attached / detached to / from the developing device 8.
Upper and lower guide members 43, which guide to move in the direction
43, a groove portion 19d for arranging the compression spring 44, and a compression spring 4 which is arranged in the groove portion 19d and urges the shutter member 42 to move to the closed position of the developer disposal port 19b.
4, a guide shaft 45 for holding the compression spring 44 in the groove portion 19d, and as shown in FIG. 8, the guide shaft 45 is provided at the C direction portion of the developer recovery port 17a on the surface of the developer recovery container 17 facing the developing device 8. And a stepped drive engagement portion 17b.

As shown in FIG. 9, the shutter member 42 has an engagement receiving portion 42a projecting toward the developer collecting container 17 and a guide receiving portion projecting toward the groove 19d at the end on the C direction side. And a portion 42b. Engagement receiving portion 42a
When the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is attached to the developing device 8, the drive engagement portion 1 provided in the developer recovery container 17 is installed.
7b is engaged, and the shutter member 42 is moved open along with the movement of the developer recovery container 17 in the C direction. On the other hand, the guide shaft 45 passes through the guide receiving portion 42b. Then, the shutter member 42 is moved in the closing direction of the developer disposal port 19b when the guide receiving portion 42b is pushed by the compression spring 44. This movement is restricted by the guide receiving portion 42b coming into contact with the D-direction side end of the groove 19d.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8, the recovery port opening / closing shutter device 51 includes a shutter member 52 and upper and lower guide members 53, 53 for guiding the shutter member 52 so as to move in the CD direction. The groove portion 17c for arranging the compression spring 54, and the shutter member 52 arranged in the groove portion 17c.
The compression spring 54 for urging the developer recovery port 17a to move to the closed position, and the compression spring 54 in the groove 17c.
As shown in FIG. 7, the guide shaft 55 that holds the guide shaft 55 and the developer recovery container 17 of the developing device 8 is provided with a convex drive engagement portion 1 provided at a portion of the developer discarding port 19b in the D direction.
9e.

As shown in FIG. 9, the shutter member 52 has a guide receiving portion 52b at the end on the D direction side that projects in the groove 17c direction. The guide shaft 55 passes through the guide receiving portion 52b. The shutter member 52 moves in the closing direction of the developer recovery port 17a when the guide receiving portion 52b is pressed by the compression spring 54. This movement is regulated by the guide receiving portion 52b coming into contact with the C-direction side end of the groove 17c. In addition, the shutter member 52
When the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is attached to the developing device 8, the drive engagement portion 1 provided in the developing device 8 is attached to the front end of the developing device 8.
9e is engaged, and the shutter member 52 is moved open along with the movement of the developer recovery container 17 in the C direction.

In the above-described structure, when the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is mounted on the developing device 8, as shown in FIG. 11, the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is fitted in the groove 19c of the developing device 8. With developer supply and recovery unit 18
Push in in the C direction. In this process, from the state shown in FIG. 9, the drive receiving portion 17b of the developer collecting container 17 is engaged with the engagement receiving portion 42a of the shutter member 42 on the developing device 8 side, and the developer collecting container 17 is provided. The drive engagement portion 19e of the developing device 8 engages with the tip portion of the shutter member 52 on the side. After that, the developer supply and recovery unit 1 in the C direction
8, the shutter members 42 and 52 are connected to the developer waste port 1
9b and the developer recovery port 17a are opened, and when the mounting of the developer supply / recovery unit 18 on the developing device 8 is completed, as shown in FIG. 10, the developer disposal port 19b and the developer recovery port 19b. 17a is completely open and their positions coincide. Therefore, the developer D can be discharged from the developing device 8 to the developer recovery container 17 through the developer disposal port 19b and the developer recovery port 17a.

On the other hand, when removing the developer supply / recovery unit 18 from the developing device 8, the reverse operation to the above operation is performed. When the developer supply / recovery unit 18 moves with respect to the developing device 8, the shutter members 42 and 52 move in the closing direction, respectively, and when the removal / removal of the developer supply / recovery unit 18 is completed, the developer waste port 19b and The developer recovery port 17a is completely closed.

As described above, in the present copying machine, the shutters 41 and 51 are used to attach / detach the developer supply / recovery unit 18 to / from the developing device 8 so that the developer disposal port 1 is removed.
9b and the developer recovery port 17a are opened and closed.
8 when the developing device 8 is pulled out, the impact when the developing device 8 is pulled out from the copying machine, and the two are tilted during the transportation of both after being pulled out, so that the developer disposal port 19b or the developer recovery port 17a. It is possible to prevent the developer D from being discharged. Therefore, when the developer supply / recovery unit 18 and the developing device 8 are pulled out and transported, they need not be handled with extreme caution.
Thereby, the operability for processing the developer D is good.

The copying machine of this embodiment is provided with the waste opening / closing shutter device 41 and the recovery opening / closing shutter device 51, but the developer collecting container 17 is attached to and detached from the developing device 8. When only the developer disposal port 19b needs to be opened and closed by the above, only the disposal port opening / closing shutter device 41 needs to be provided.

[0048]

As described above, the electrophotographic apparatus according to the first aspect of the present invention opens the developer disposal port of the developing device with the mounting operation of the developing device to the electrophotographic apparatus, while the electrophotographic apparatus is opened. In this configuration, the shutter device is closed when the developing device is removed from the device.

As a result, it is possible to prevent the developer from being discharged from the developer disposal port due to the impact when the developing device is pulled out and the developing device tilting during transportation after the removal. Therefore, when the developing device is pulled out and transported, the developing device does not need to be handled with special care, and the operability for processing the developer is good.

As described above, in the electrophotographic apparatus according to the second aspect of the present invention, the developer waste port of the developing device is opened along with the mounting operation of the developer collecting container to the developing device, and This is a configuration including a shutter device that closes when the developer recovery container is pulled out.

As a result, it is possible to prevent the developer from being discharged from the developer disposal port of the developing device due to the impact when the developer recovery container is pulled out. Also, due to the impact of the developing device with respect to the electrophotographic apparatus when the developing device is removed and the impact when the developing device is attached, and when the developing device tilts during transportation after removal, the developer is discharged from the developer disposal port. Is prevented from being discharged. Therefore,
When the developer collecting container is removed from the developing device, when the developing device is attached to or removed from the electrophotographic device with the developer collecting container removed, and when the developing device is transported in this state, the developer is In order to prevent the developer from being discharged from the waste port, the developing device does not require special handling. As a result, the operability for processing the developer is good.

In the electrophotographic apparatus according to the third aspect of the present invention, as described above, the operation of mounting the developer recovery container in the developing device and the developer recovery port of the developer recovery container are performed. The shutter device is configured to include a shutter device which is opened in response to the above-mentioned operation and which is closed in response to the operation of withdrawing the developer recovery container from the developing device.

As a result, it is possible to prevent the situation where the developer is discharged from the developer recovery port due to the impact when the developer recovery container is pulled out and the developer collection container is inclined during the transportation after the removal. It Therefore, in addition to the effect of the second aspect of the invention, particularly careful handling of the developer recovery container is not required when the developer recovery container is pulled out from the developing device or is transported. Thereby, there is an effect that the operability for processing the developer is further improved.

As described above, in the electrophotographic apparatus according to the invention of claim 4, between the cleaning device and the developer recovery container, the waste developer in the cleaning device is conveyed to the developer recovery container. This is a configuration in which a drug delivery device is provided.

With this, it is not necessary to replace the cleaning device or the developer recovery container each time the developer is full, and it is not necessary to replace the cleaning device or the developer, but only when the developer recovery container is full. Should be done. Therefore, the operability for processing the developer is good.

Further, since the cleaning device does not need to contain the waste developer, it can be downsized. On the other hand, although the developer collection container becomes larger by that amount, unlike the cleaning device provided in the overcrowded portion of each means around the photoconductor, the developer collection container can be provided using an appropriate empty space. The effect that the copying machine can be downsized is achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the present invention and showing a shutter device provided in a developing device by breaking a developer supply / recovery unit.

FIG. 2 is a schematic overall configuration diagram showing a copying machine including the developing device.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged vertical sectional view of the developing device and the developer supply / recovery unit shown in FIG.

4 is a perspective view showing a waste developer transport device provided between the cleaning device and the developer supply / recovery unit shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation of the shutter device shown in FIG. 1 when the developing device is attached to the copying machine.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the shutter device shown in FIG. 1 when the developing device is removed from the copying machine.

FIG. 7 shows another embodiment of the present invention, and is a perspective view of essential parts showing a waste port opening / closing shutter device provided in the developing device.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of essential parts showing a recovery port opening / closing shutter device provided in a developer recovery container, which is interlocked with the waste port opening / closing shutter device.

FIG. 9 is a lateral cross-sectional view of a main part showing a waste opening / closing shutter device and a recovery port opening / closing shutter device during a mounting operation of the developer recovery container to the developing device.

FIG. 10 is a lateral cross-sectional view of a main part showing the waste opening / closing shutter device and the recovery opening opening / closing shutter device when the mounting of the developer recovery container on the developing device is completed.

FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing a mounting operation of the developer recovery container with respect to the developing device.

FIG. 12 is a graph showing the relationship between the chargeability of the developer and the time in the case of the trickle system in which the developer is gradually replaced in the developing device (a) and in the case of not using the trickle system (b).

[Explanation of symbols]

 6 Photoconductor 8 Developing Device 10 Cleaning Device 17 Developer Collecting Container 17a Developer Collecting Port 19b Developer Discharging Port 29 Disposable Developer Conveying Device 31 Shutter Device 32 Shutter Member 36 Locking Frame 41 Disposal Port Opening and Closing Shutter Device (Shutter Device) 42 Shutter member 51 Recovery opening / closing shutter device (shutter device) 52 Shutter member

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A detachable developing device, wherein a developer consisting of toner and carrier is contained in the developing device, and the carrier is gradually supplied into the developing device. In the electrophotographic apparatus in which the developer is gradually discharged from the developer disposal port, the developer disposal port described above is opened as the developing apparatus is mounted in the electrophotographic apparatus, while the development from the electrophotographic apparatus is performed. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising: a shutter device that closes when the device is pulled out. 2. A developer comprising a toner and a carrier is accommodated in the developing device, and the carrier is gradually supplied into the developing device. In response to this, the developer in the developing device is attached to and detached from the developing device. In an electrophotographic device in which a developer waste container of a developing device is gradually discharged into a freely provided developer recovery container, the developer waste port described above is used for mounting the developer collecting container to the developing device. An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising: a shutter device that opens while being opened, and that closes when a developer collecting container is removed from the developing device. 3. A developer comprising a toner and a carrier is accommodated in the developing device, and the carrier is gradually supplied into the developing device. In response to this, the developer in the developing device is attached to and detached from the developing device. In the electrophotographic apparatus, which is gradually discharged into the freely provided developer recovery container through the developer disposal port of the developing device and the developer recovery port of the developer recovery container, the developer disposal port and the developer described above are used. The recovery port is opened with the mounting operation of the developer recovery container to the developing device, and is provided with a shutter device that is closed with the removal operation of the developer recovery container from the developing device. And an electrophotographic device. 4. The waste developer on the surface of the photoreceptor is collected by a cleaning device, the developer consisting of toner and carrier is accommodated in the developing device, and the carrier is gradually supplied into the developing device. Accordingly, in the electrophotographic apparatus in which the developer in the developing device is gradually discharged from the developer waste port of the developing device into the developer collecting container, between the cleaning device and the developer collecting container,
An electrophotographic apparatus, comprising: a waste developer transport device for transporting waste developer in a cleaning device into a developer recovery container.