JPH05313430A - Electrostatic latent image developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To sufficiently and excellently stir a developer in a width direction, and to homogenize it in an electrostatic latent image developing device using the developer consisting a carrier grain and a toner grain. CONSTITUTION:A rotary stirring mechanism 286 having plural stirring blade parts 292 extending in the width direction at intervals in the circumferential direction is provided, and the stirring blade parts 292 of the rotary stirring mechanism 286 are tilted to the upstream side in a rotational direction, from one end to the other end. In addition, plural guiding projected lines 300 tilted from one end side to the other end side, toward the rotary stirring mechanism 286 is provided on the upper surface of a partition plate 294. Or two rotary stirring mechanisms 286 are arranged in parallel, and the stirring blade part 292 on one rotary stirring mechanism is tilted to the upstream side in the rotational direction from one end to the other end, and on the contrary, the stirring blade part on the other rotary stirring mechanism is tilted to the downstream side in the rotational direction from one end to the other end.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrostatic latent image developing device used for developing an electrostatic latent image into a toner image in an electrostatic copying machine or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As an electrostatic latent image developing device in an electrostatic copying machine or the like, a type using a so-called two-component developer composed of a carrier and toner particles has been widely put into practical use.
A typical example of such an electrostatic latent image developing device is a developing container for containing a developer composed of carrier particles and toner particles, and a part of the developer in the developing container is held on the surface in the developer scooping area to perform such development. And a developer applying means for carrying the developer to the developing zone. When viewed in the moving direction of the developer held and carried on the surface of the developer applying means, there is a spike cutting region downstream of the developer scooping region and upstream of the developing region. An ear cutting member is arranged at a predetermined distance from the surface of the applying means. Further, a partition plate is arranged in association with the bristle cutting member. A developer peeling area where the developer is peeled off from the surface of the developer applying means exists downstream of the developing area and upstream of the developer scooping area in the moving direction of the developer. A developer stirring means is provided in association with the area and the upstream end of the developer scooping area as seen in the direction of movement of the developer. The bristle cutting member removes excess developer from the surface of the developer applying unit, and the removed developer flows on the partition plate and is guided to the developer stirring unit. By applying toner particles to the electrostatic latent image, the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image, so that the toner particles in the developer are consumed as the development is performed.
Therefore, it is necessary to appropriately replenish the toner particles in the developing container, and for this reason, the electrostatic latent image developing device includes a toner particle accommodating container for accommodating the toner particles, and a toner particle accommodating device that is selectively operated to accommodate the toner particles. A toner particle supply means for supplying toner particles from the container into the developing container is also provided.

[0003]

In the electrostatic latent image developing device of the above-described form, in addition to the carrier particles and the toner particles being sufficiently satisfactorily stirred by the developer stirring means, the toner can be spread over the entire width direction. In order to achieve good and uniform development, it is important to stir the developer in the width direction so that the developer is sufficiently homogenized in the width direction.
However, in the conventional electrostatic latent image developing device, the developer cannot be sufficiently stirred in the width direction, and the developer tends to be nonuniform in the width direction.

The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and its main technical problem is an improved electrostatic latent image development in which the developer is sufficiently agitated and homogenized even in the width direction. It is to provide a device.

[0005]

In order to solve the above technical problems, in the first aspect of the present invention, the developer stirring means is fixed to the rotating shaft portion and both ends of the rotating shaft portion. A rotary stirring mechanism having a plurality of stirring blade portions extending between the end plate portions and the end plate portions at intervals in the circumferential direction,
The stirring blade is inclined from one end to the other end toward the upstream side in the rotational direction so as to move the developer from one end side to the other end side, and further, the upper surface of the partition plate where the developer is made to flow. Further, a plurality of guide ridges are arranged at intervals in the width direction, and the guide ridges are inclined toward the rotary stirring mechanism from the other end side to the one end side.

That is, according to the first aspect of the present invention, a developing container for containing a developer composed of carrier particles and toner particles, and a part of the developer in the developing container in the developer scooping area are provided on the surface. A developer applying means for holding and carrying such a developer to the developing area, a developer agitating means for agitating the developer in the developing container, and a developer removed from the surface of the developer applying means for the developer. In an electrostatic latent image developing device provided with a partition plate leading to a stirring means; the developer stirring means includes a rotating shaft portion, end plate portions fixed to both ends of the rotating shaft portion, and a circumferential gap. A rotary stirring mechanism having a plurality of stirring blade portions extending between the end plate portions, the stirring blade portion from one end to move the developer from one end side to the other end side. It is inclined toward the other end toward the upstream side in the rotation direction. On the upper surface of the partition plate where the developer flows as a result, a plurality of guide ridges are provided at intervals in the width direction, and the guide ridges move the developer from the other end side. There is provided an electrostatic latent image developing device, characterized in that the electrostatic latent image developing device is inclined toward the other end side toward the rotary stirring mechanism so as to be moved toward the one end side.

In the second aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned technical object, the developer stirring means is composed of a first rotary stirring mechanism and a second rotary stirring mechanism which are arranged in parallel. Each of the first rotary stirring mechanism and the second rotary stirring mechanism extends between the rotary shaft portion and the end plate portions fixed to both end portions of the rotary shaft portion in the circumferential direction at intervals. The first rotary stirring mechanism is equipped with a plurality of stirring blade portions, and the stirring blade portion of the first rotary stirring mechanism moves the developer from one end side to the other end side in the rotation direction upstream side from the one end side to the other end side. The second rotary stirring mechanism is tilted so that the stirring blade portion of the second rotary stirring mechanism tilts the developer from one end to the other end toward the downstream side in the rotational direction so as to move the developer from the other end to the one end.

That is, according to the second aspect of the present invention, a developing container containing a developer composed of carrier particles and toner particles and a part of the developer in the developing container in the developer scooping area Electrostatic latent image development including a developer applying unit that holds the developer and conveys the developer to the developing region, and a developer stirring unit that agitates the developer in the developing container and sends the developer to the developer pumping region. In the apparatus, the developer stirring means includes a first rotary stirring mechanism and a second rotary stirring mechanism which are arranged side by side, and each of the first rotary stirring mechanism and the second rotary stirring mechanism is The rotating shaft portion, end plate portions fixed to both ends of the rotating shaft portion, and a plurality of stirring blade portions extending at intervals in the circumferential direction between the end plate portions, The stirring blade portion of the stirring mechanism is designed to move the developer from one end side to the other end side. From the one end to the other end, the stirring blade of the second rotary stirring mechanism moves from one end to the other end so as to move the developer from the other end to the one end. Provided is an electrostatic latent image developing device, which is inclined toward the other end toward the downstream side in the rotational direction.

[0009]

In the electrostatic latent image developing device constructed according to the first aspect of the present invention, the developer is moved from the one end side to the other end side by the action of the rotary vane portion of the rotary stirring mechanism, and the one partition plate is used. By the action of the guide ridges arranged above, the developer is moved from the other end side to the one end side, and thus, the developer is sufficiently agitated in the width direction and homogenized.

In the electrostatic latent image developing device constructed according to the second aspect of the present invention, the developer is moved from one end side to the other end side by the action of the rotary blade portion of the first rotary stirring mechanism. On the other hand, by the action of the rotary vane portion of the second rotary stirring mechanism, the developer is moved from the other end side to the one end side, and thus, the developer is sufficiently stirred in the width direction and homogenized.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of an electrostatic latent image developing device constructed according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

In FIG. 1, an electrostatic latent image developing device constructed in accordance with the present invention for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the peripheral surface of a rotating drum 64 rotated in the direction indicated by arrow 66. The device is shown. The electrostatic latent image developing device, generally designated by the numeral 72, includes front and rear walls 252 arranged at intervals in the front-rear direction (direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1).
It includes a developer housing 258 defined by a concave bottom wall 254 and a side wall 256 (only the rear wall is shown in FIG. 1). The lower part of the developing housing 258 is a so-called two-component developer 260 composed of carrier particles and toner particles.
The developing container 259 that accommodates is defined.

A developer applying means 262 is disposed in the developing housing 258. The illustrated developer applying means 2
Reference numeral 62 is composed of a cylindrical sleeve member 266 that is rotationally driven in the direction indicated by an arrow 264, and a stationary permanent magnet 268 that is disposed inside this sleeve member 266. The stationary permanent magnet 268 has a roll shape, and has a plurality of magnetic poles (that is, three S poles and two N poles located between them) that are circumferentially spaced at the peripheral edge portion thereof.

The sleeve member 26 of the developer applying means 262.
6, a developer scooping region 270, a spike cutting region 272, which are sequentially located in the rotation direction indicated by an arrow 264,
There is a development zone 274 and a developer stripping zone 276. The developer scooping area 270 is disposed on one side portion (the right side portion in FIG. 1) of the sleeve member 266, the spike cutting area 272 is disposed substantially on the top of the sleeve member 266, and the developing area 274 is the other side of the sleeve member 266. Portion (the left side portion in FIG. 1), and the developer peeling area 276 is formed on the sleeve member 26.
Conveniently, it is located on one side of 6 and below the developer pumping area 270.

A head cutting member 278 is provided in the head cutting area 272. In the illustrated embodiment, a hanging piece that hangs downward from the lower surface of the member 280 fixed to the inner surface of the side wall 256 forms the spike cutting member 278. Ear cutting member 27
The distal end of 8 is close to the sleeve member 266 in the circumferential direction at a slight interval, which may be about 1 mm, for example. In the developing area 274, the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 is slightly spaced from the peripheral surface of the rotating drum 64 through the opening 282 defined between the lower edge of the side wall 256 and one edge of the bottom wall 254. opposite.

Further within the developer housing 258 is the direction indicated by arrow 284, and thus arrow 2 of sleeve member 266.
A developer stirring unit including a rotary stirring mechanism 286 that is rotationally driven in the same direction as the rotational direction indicated by 64 is provided. As is clear from FIG. 1, the rotary stirring mechanism 28
6 is a developer scooping area 270 from the developer peeling area 276.
Is positioned so as to be adjacent to the sleeve member 266 in the region extending over the upstream end of the. Referring to FIG. 2 together with FIG. 1, the illustrated rotary stirring mechanism 286 includes a rotary shaft portion 288 extending substantially parallel to the rotary axis of the sleeve member 266, and a circular shaft fixed to both ends of the rotary shaft portion 288. End plate portion 290 and both end plate portions 29 with a space in the circumferential direction.
It has a plurality of stirring blades 292 (12 in the case shown) extending between zero. Each of the stirring blade portions 292 extends in the radial direction from the inner end connected to the rotating shaft portion 288 to the outer end in a concave shape. In the front-back direction (Fig. 1
In the direction (perpendicular to the plane of the drawing), it extends obliquely toward the upstream side from the front end side toward the rear end side when viewed in the rotation direction indicated by arrow 284.

A partition plate 29 is provided in the developing housing 258.
4 are also provided. The partition plate 294 shown in the drawing is an inclined portion 296 that extends from the lower end located above the rotary stirring mechanism 286 to the left in FIG.
96 and a horizontal upper end 298 extending substantially horizontally to the left in FIG. The horizontal upper end portion 298 is located slightly upstream of the ear cutting region 272 in which the ear cutting member 278 is located. As clearly shown in FIG. 2, on the upper surface of the inclined portion 296 of the partition plate 294, a plurality of pieces (eight pieces in the case of FIG. 1) are arranged at intervals in the width direction thereof (that is, the front-back direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. ) Guide ridges 300 are provided. Each of the guide protrusions 300 is inclined toward the lower end, that is, toward the rotary stirring mechanism 286 from the rear end side to the front end side. At the upper edge of the horizontal upper end 298 of the partition plate 294,
A relatively narrow projecting piece 302 is provided that hangs downward from a substantially middle portion in the width direction. The lower end of the protruding piece 302 is preferably located close to the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 at or near the angular position where one of the plurality of magnetic poles of the stationary permanent magnet 268 is located. Protruding piece 30
The distance between the lower end of 2 and the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 is smaller than the distance between the lower end of the spike cutting member 278 and the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266, and is preferably about 0.5 mm, for example.

On the above-mentioned member 280, there is fixed a contact type developer detector 304 which detects the inductance of the developer 260 corresponding to the ratio of the carrier particles and the toner particles and which may be of a known form. .. FIG. 3 together with FIG.
As will be easily understood by referring to, a circular opening 306 is formed in the member 280, and the circular detection portion 308 of the developer detector 304 is located in the opening 306. The lower end surface of the circular detection unit 308 forms the developer contact surface 310, and the developer detector 304 detects the inductance of the developer 260 contacting the developer contact surface 310. As shown in FIG. 3, the developer contact surface 3
10 is preferably positioned adjacent to one side of the above-mentioned protruding piece 302 as viewed in the width direction (that is, the front-back direction).

A toner particle container 314 for containing the toner particles 312 is disposed above the developing housing 258. A toner particle discharge opening 316 is formed at the lowermost end of the toner particle container 314. The toner particle discharge opening 316 is preferably located adjacent to the lower end of the partition plate 294 and above the rotary stirring mechanism 286. Toner particle supply means 318 is attached to the toner particle discharge opening 316. In the illustrated embodiment, the toner particle supply means 318 comprises a toner particle supply roller 320 rotatably mounted just above the toner particle discharge opening 316. A large number of recesses or grooves are formed on the peripheral surface of the toner particle supply roller 320. The toner particle supply roller 320 is selectively rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 322 according to the developer inductance detected by the developer detector 304,
As a result, the toner particles 312 are accommodated in a large number of recesses or grooves existing on the peripheral surface of the toner particle supply roller 320 and are carried to the toner particle discharge opening 316, and then pass through the toner particle discharge opening 316 to the rotary stirring mechanism 286. The toner particles 312 are made to flow down, and thus the toner particles 312 are supplied from the toner particle container 314 into the developing container 259. The means for selectively rotating the toner particle supply roller 320 according to the developer inductance detected by the developer detector 304 will be described later.

In the developing device 72 as described above,
Arrow 26 of sleeve member 266 of developer applying means 262
Rotation in the direction indicated by 4 causes the following behavior. Referring to FIG. 1, the developer scooping area 27
At 0, part of the developer 260 existing in the developing container 259 is adsorbed and held on the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 by the magnetic attraction force of the stationary permanent magnet 268. Then, the developer 2 adsorbed on the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266.
The 60 is gradually raised by the rotation of the sleeve member 266 and is carried to the spike cutting region 272. In this case,
As can be easily understood from FIG.
Pass below 4. Some upstream from the Hokiri area 272,
A relatively narrow projecting piece 302 is located near the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266, and the projecting piece 302 acts on the developer 260 adsorbed and held on the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266, whereby the projecting piece 302 A considerable amount of the developer 260 is removed from the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 at the center portion in the front-rear direction (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1) where there is. However, as indicated by an arrow 322 in FIG. 3, on the downstream side of the projecting piece 302, the developer 260 flows from both sides of the projecting piece 302 inward in the front-rear direction, and thus the circumferential surface of the sleeve member 266 is also formed in the central part in the front-rear direction. A considerable amount of the developer 260 is adsorbed and held on. The advantages gained by the flow of developer 260 as indicated by arrow 322 produced by protruding piece 302 will be mentioned later.

In the ear cutting area 272, the sleeve member 2
The bristle cutting member 278 acts on the developer 260 adsorbed and held on the peripheral surface of the sleeve 66 to remove excess developer 260 from the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266, and thus adsorbed and held on the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266. The layer thickness of the developer 260, i.e., the ear length, is set to a required value. The developer 260 removed from the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 by the action of the bristle cutting member 278 is guided to the horizontal upper end portion 298 of the partition plate 294, and then flows on the inclined portion 296 to rotate and stir the mechanism 2.
Run down 86. The developer 260 introduced to the horizontal upper end portion 298 of the partition plate 294 removed from the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 is the developer contact surface 3 of the developer detector 304.
10 and thus the developer detector 304 detects such an inductance of the developer 260.

Next, the developer 260 adsorbed and held on the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 is carried to the developing area 274 by the rotation of the sleeve member 266, and this developing area 274.
, The toner particles in the developer 260 are applied to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum on the rotating drum 64 which is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 66. Is developed into a toner image.

After that, the developer 260 adsorbed and held on the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 is absorbed by the sleeve member 2
The rotation of 66 carries the developer to the developer peeling area 276. In the developer peeling area 276, the stationary permanent magnet 268 is used.
In addition to the fact that there are no magnetic poles, the magnetic attraction force is extremely small, and in addition, the flow of the developer 260 stirred by the rotary stirring mechanism 286 rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 284 acts on the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266. By doing so, the developer 260 is peeled from the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266.

The rotary stirring mechanism 286 rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 284 has the developer 260 separated from the sleeve member 266 in the developer separation area 276 and the partition plate 29.
4 and the developer 260 flowing down onto the rotary stirring mechanism 286 and the toner particle supply roller 320 that is selectively rotated, from the toner particle discharge opening 316 of the toner particle container 314 onto the rotary stirring mechanism 286. The toner particles 312 flowing down to the toner are stirred, thus uniformly mixing the carrier particles and the toner particles in the developer 260, and at the same time, the toner particles are triboelectrically charged to a specific polarity, and then fed to the developer scooping region 270.

As clearly shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a plurality of guide protrusions 300 are provided on the upper surface of the inclined portion 296 of the partition plate 294 at intervals in the width direction. Each of the guide protrusions 300 is inclined toward the lower end, that is, toward the rotary stirring mechanism 286 from the rear end side to the front end side. Therefore, the developer 260 flowing on the partition plate 294 and flowing down on the rotary stirring mechanism 286 is moved from the rear end side to the front end side. On the other hand, the rotary stirring mechanism 28
The plurality of stirring blade portions 292 provided in No. 6 extend obliquely toward the upstream side from the front end side toward the rear end side when viewed in the rotation direction indicated by arrow 284. Therefore, the rotary stirring mechanism 2
Developer 2 carried by 86 in the direction indicated by arrow 284.
60 is moved from the front end side to the rear end side. Because of this, in the developing device 72 shown, the developer 260 is mixed in the width direction (that is, the front-rear direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1) and sufficiently cut in the width direction. .. Thus, it is already known to mix the developer in the width direction by the combined action of the plate-shaped member having a plurality of inclined guide ridges on the upper surface and the rotary stirring mechanism, but in the known technology, For example, since the plurality of stirring blade portions formed in the rotary stirring mechanism are spirally arranged at intervals in the width direction, the rotary stirring mechanism moves the developer from one end side to the other end side. Mixing of the developer in the width direction was not sufficient because the transfer effect was not always sufficient. On the other hand, in the developing device 72 as described above improved according to the present invention, each of the plurality of stirring blade portions 292 provided in the rotary stirring mechanism 286 is inclined from one end side to the other end side. Due to the continuously extending form, the developer 260 is effectively moved from one end side to the other end side by the action of the rotary stirring mechanism 286, and therefore,
The developer 260 is thoroughly mixed and homogenized in the width direction.

In the developing device 72 shown in the figure, a partition plate 294 having an inclined guide ridge 300 and a unique stirring blade portion 29 are provided.
The developer 260 is mixed in the width direction by the combined action of the rotary stirring mechanism 286 having the number 2, but if desired,
Alternatively, two rotary stirring mechanisms having unique stirring blades may be arranged side by side, and the developer may be mixed in the width direction by the combined action of the two rotary stirring mechanisms. Of course, in such a case, one rotary stirring mechanism moves the developer from one end side to the other end side, and the other rotary stirring mechanism moves the developer from the other end side to the one end side. The stirring blade portion of the stirring mechanism is inclined from the one end side to the other end side in the rotation direction upstream side, and the stirring blade portion of the other rotation stirring mechanism is inclined from the one end side to the other end side in the rotation direction downstream side. This is very important.

In the developing device 72 as described above,
Furthermore, the following points should be noted. That is, the developer detector 304 should detect the developer 260 after being sufficiently agitated and mixed. Otherwise, the value corresponding to the actual ratio of carrier particles to toner particles in developer 260 cannot be detected. Also, the developer 260 detected by the developer detector 304 should be one that has just been thoroughly mixed and should not tend to stagnate in a particular location on the developer container 259. If the developer 260 to be detected has a tendency to stay in a specific portion of the developing container 259, it will be easily understood that the actual ratio which changes as the development is performed cannot be detected. Furthermore, it goes without saying that the developing action should not be adversely affected by bringing the developer 260 into contact with the developer contact surface 310 of the developer detector 304. Thus, in the developing device 72 as described above, it is sufficiently stirred and mixed by the rotary stirring mechanism 286 and fed to the developer scooping region 270, and then adsorbed and held on the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 to be cut into the scooping region. The developer 260 carried to the cutting edge 272, removed from the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 by the action of the cutting edge member 278 in the cutting edge region 272, and introduced into the partition plate 294 is the developer detector 3
04 to the developer contact surface 310. Therefore, the developer 260 immediately after being sufficiently agitated and mixed, and the developer 260 having substantially the same ratio as the developer 260 carried from the spike cutting area 272 to the developing area 274,
It contacts the developer contact surface 310 of the developer detector 304.
In addition, the developer 260 contacting the developer contact surface 310 of the developer detector 304 is adsorbed and held on the peripheral surface of the sleeve member 266 from the developer scooping area 270 to the upstream side of the ear cutting area 272, and acts by gravity. The movement is forcibly reversed by the action of the bristle cutting member 278 and then introduced into the partition plate 294. Therefore, the developer contact surface 310 of the developer detector 304.
The developer 260 that comes into contact with is sufficiently well fluidized without staying. In addition, in the case of the illustrated embodiment, the protruding piece 302 is provided somewhat upstream of the ear cutting region 272, and as described above, due to the existence of the protruding piece 302, the arrow in FIG. Developer 26 as indicated at 322
A zero stream is forced to be created. The developer contact surface 310 of the developer detector 304 is, as shown in FIG.
It is located adjacent to one side of the protruding piece 302.
Therefore, the developer 260 existing in the vicinity of the developer contact surface 310 of the developer detector 304 is more reliably flowed under the influence of the flow of the developer 260 as indicated by the arrow 322 in FIG. Furthermore, the developer 260 that comes into contact with the developer contact surface 310 of the developer detector 304 has a bristle cutting area 272.
In the sleeve member 2 by the action of the bristle cutting member 278,
Since it has been removed from the peripheral surface of 66, the developer 260 contacts the developer contact surface 310 of the developer detector 304 so that the development area 27
There is no fear that the development in 4 will be adversely affected. Because of this, in the developing device 72 as described above, the developer detector 304 properly detects the characteristics such as the inductance of the developer 260 without adversely affecting the development in the developing area 274. be able to.

Next, in the developing device 72 as described above, the rotation of the toner particle supply roller 320 is controlled according to the value detected by the developer detector 304, and accordingly, the carrier particles and the toner particles in the developer 260 are controlled. Toner particle supply for controlling the supply of toner particles from the toner particle container 314 to the developing container 259 according to the change of the ratio, and thus maintaining the ratio of the carrier particles and the toner particles in the developer 260 within a required range. The roller control means will be described.

Referring to FIG. 4 together with FIG. 1, the rotary shaft 324 to which the sleeve member 266 is fixed.
Is projected rearward beyond the rear wall 252 of the developing housing 258, and a gear 192 is fixed to the protruding end of the rotary shaft 324. The gear 192 is drivingly connected to a drive source (not shown), which may be an electric motor, through an appropriate transmission means (not shown).
A rotary shaft 326 to which the rotary stirring mechanism 286 is fixed.
Is also projected rearward beyond the rear wall 252 of the developing housing 258, and a gear 328 is fixed to the protruding end portion of the rotary shaft 326. Development housing 25
A short shaft 330 is fixed to the rear wall 252 of the vehicle 8, and a gear 332 is rotatably mounted on the short shaft 330. The gear 332 is engaged with the gear 192 and the gear 328. Therefore, when the gear 192 and the sleeve member 266 are rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 264 by the driving force transmitted from the drive source, the gear 332 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 334, and the gear 328 and the rotary stirring mechanism 286 are rotated. Is rotated in the direction indicated by arrow 284.

A gear 332 is rotatably mounted on the short shaft 330, and a cam 336 forming a part of the toner particle supply roller control means is also mounted so as to rotate integrally with the gear 332. .. This cam 336 has a short shaft 3
Advantageously, it is a so-called eccentric cam consisting of a disc mounted eccentrically on 30. The rotating shaft 338 to which the toner particle supply roller 320 is fixed is also projected rearward beyond the rear wall of the toner particle container 314.
Referring to FIG. 5 together with FIG. 4, a one-way clutch 340 known per se is provided at the protruding end of the rotary shaft 338.
Is attached, and a lever member 342 is attached to the one-way clutch 340. The lever member 342 has a hub portion 344 fitted to the one-way clutch 340, and a cam driven portion 346 and a restrained portion 348 that extend radially outward from the hub portion 344. The restrained portion 348 has a substantially hook shape, and its outer peripheral edge defines an arcuate edge 350 centered on the central axis of the rotating shaft 338. A cutout 352 is formed in the arc-shaped edge 350.
The hub portion 344 of the lever member 342 is fitted with spring means 354, which may be a spiral spring. This spring means 3
One end 356 of 54 is a restrained portion 348 of the lever member 342.
Is locked to one side edge of the developing housing 2 and the other end 358 is
58 is locked to a suitable locking projection (not shown) provided on the rear surface of the rear wall 252, thus the spring means 35
4, the lever member 342 is elastically biased in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 4, and one side edge of the cam driven portion 346 of the lever member 342 is brought into contact with the peripheral edge of the cam 336. The mounting bracket 3 is provided on the rear surface of the rear wall of the toner particle container 314.
60 is also fixed. Electromagnetic means 362, which may be a solenoid, is fixed to the mounting bracket 360. The mounting bracket 360 is further provided with a restraining member 364 that is rotatable between an operating position shown by a solid line in FIG. 4 and a non-operating position shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. A protrusion 366 is formed at one end of the restraint member 364 to cooperate with the notch 352 formed in the arcuate edge 350 of the restrained portion 348 of the lever member 342 when the restraint member 364 is in the operating position. There is. Spring means 368, which may be a tension coil spring, is stretched between the other end of the restraining member 364 and the mounting bracket 360. Such spring means 36
8 elastically biases the restraint member 364 to the working position.

In the toner particle supply roller control means as described above, the electromagnetic means 362 is the developer detector 304.
Characteristic value of the developer 260 detected by the
Energization and deenergization are controlled according to the ratio of the carrier particles and the toner particles inside. When the electromagnetic means 362 is biased, the restraining member 364 is pivoted and maintained in the non-acting position shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. 4 against the elastic biasing action of the spring means 368. As a result, the protrusion 366 of the restraint member 364 separates from the notch 352 formed in the restrained portion 348 of the lever member 342, and thus the restraint of the lever member 342 by the restraint member 364. Then, the arrow 33
4, the lever member 342 is shown by a solid line in FIG. 4 by the cooperation of the cam 336 which is rotationally driven in the direction shown by 4 and the spring means 354 which elastically abuts the cam follower 346 of the lever member 342 on the peripheral edge of the cam 336. It is possible to make a reciprocating turning motion between the one side limit angular position shown and the other side limit angular position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. When the lever member 342 is swung in the clockwise direction in FIG. 4 from the other side limit angular position to the one side limit angular position, the turning movement of the lever member 342 is transmitted to the rotary shaft 338 via the one-way clutch 340. Thus, the toner particle supply roller 320 is indicated by the arrow 37.
It is rotated in the direction indicated by 0 (FIG. 1). On the other hand, when the lever member 342 is swung counterclockwise in FIG. 4 from the one side limit angular position to the other side limit angular position, the one-way clutch 340 causes the turning movement of the lever member 342 to the rotating shaft 338. Not transmitted, and therefore the toner particle supply roller 320 is not rotated. Thus, the lever member 3
When 42 is swung back and forth between the one side limit angular position and the other side limit angular position, the toner particle supply roller 320 is intermittently rotated in the direction indicated by arrow 370.

On the other hand, when the electromagnetic means 362 is deenergized, the spring means 368 elastically biases the restraining member 364 toward the working position shown by the solid line in FIG. 4, and the projection 366 of the restraining member 364 is moved to the lever member. It is pressed against the arcuate edge 350 of the constrained portion 348 of 342. In this state, the lever member 3
42 is the one-sided limit angular position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 4, that is, the cam 3
The maximum diameter portion of 36 is the cam driven portion 346 of the lever member 342.
4, the restraint member 364 becomes the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 4, and the projection 366 of the restraint member 364 is formed in the arcuate edge 350 of the restrained portion 348 of the lever member 342. Lock on. That way,
The lever member 342 is constrained to the one side limit angular position,
Despite the rotation of the cam 336, the lever member 342
Is not swung, and therefore the toner particle supply roller 3
20 is not rotated.

Thus, in the toner particle supply roller control means as described above, the restraining member 364 and the spring means 36.
8, the electromagnetic means 362 is directly acted on the lever member 342, and when the electromagnetic means 360 is biased, the lever member 342 is constrained to the one-sided limit angular position shown by the solid line in FIG. You can also think of doing it. However, in this case, the lever member 342 is elastically biased counterclockwise in FIG. 4 to directly resist the relatively strong spring means 354 that causes the cam follower 346 of the lever member 342 to contact the peripheral edge of the cam 336. Then, if the lever member 342 is restrained to the one side limit angular position, the toner particle supply roller control means becomes relatively expensive because a relatively powerful and expensive electromagnetic means becomes necessary. On the other hand, in the toner particle supply roller control means as described above, the electromagnetic means 362 resists the spring means 368, which may be relatively weak, to move the restraining member 364 to the non-acting position shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. As long as it can be maintained,
Therefore, a relatively weak and inexpensive one may be used.

[0034]

In the electrostatic latent image developing device of the present invention,
The developer is sufficiently well agitated in the width direction to be homogenized, so that the development can be sufficiently homogenized in the tooth direction.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a preferred embodiment of an electrostatic latent image developing device configured according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a rotary stirring mechanism and a partition plate in the electrostatic latent image developing device of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a plan view showing a part of a rotary stirring mechanism and a partition plate in the electrostatic latent image developing device of FIG.

FIG. 4 is a rear view of the electrostatic latent image developing device shown in FIG.

5 is an exploded perspective view showing a part of components of toner particle supply roller control means in the electrostatic latent image developing device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 72: electrostatic latent image developing device 258: developing housing 259: developing container 260: two-component developer 262: developer applying means 266: sleeve member 268: permanent magnet 270: developer pumping area 272: ear cutting area 274: developing Area 276: Developer peeling area 278: Ear cutting member 286: Rotating stirring mechanism (developer stirring means) 288: Rotating shaft portion 290: End plate portion 292: Stirring blade portion 294: Partition plate 300: Guide ridge 302: Projection Piece 304: Developer detector 308: Detection unit 310: Developer contact surface 312: Toner particles 314: Toner particle container 316: Toner particle discharge opening 318: Toner particle supply means 320: Toner particle supply roller 336: Cam 340: One-way clutch 342: Lever member 346: Cam driven portion 348: Restrained portion 354: Spring means 362: Electric Means 364: restraining member 368: spring means

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Inventor Kazunori Akiyama 1-2-2 Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. (72) Tadashi Umeda 1-2-2 Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka Mita Within Kogyo Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Keiichi Kishimoto 1-22 Tamatsukuri, Chuo-ku, Osaka Mita Kogyo Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A developer container containing a developer composed of carrier particles and toner particles, and a part of the developer in the developer container is held on the surface in the developer scooping area, and the developer is carried to the developing area. A static discharger including a developer applying unit, a developer stirring unit that stirs the developer in the developing container, and a partition plate that guides the developer removed from the surface of the developer applying unit to the developer stirring unit. In the electro-latent image developing device; the developer stirring means includes a rotating shaft portion, end plate portions fixed to both end portions of the rotating shaft portion, and a plurality of extending at intervals in the circumferential direction between the end plate portions. It is composed of a rotary stirring mechanism having one stirring blade portion, and the stirring blade portion is inclined from one end to the other end in the rotation direction upstream side so as to move the developer from one end side to the other end side. The partition where the partition is biased and where the developer flows. On the upper surface of the plate, a plurality of guide ridges are provided at intervals in the width direction, and the guide ridges move the developer from the other end side toward the one end side. An electrostatic latent image developing device, wherein the electrostatic latent image developing device is inclined toward the other end side toward the rotary stirring mechanism. 2. The developer in a brush cutting region downstream of the developer scooping region and upstream of the developing region as viewed in the moving direction of the developer held and carried on the surface of the developer applying unit. A spike-cutting member that is disposed at a predetermined distance from the surface of the application unit and removes excess developer from the surface of the developer application unit is provided. The electrostatic latent image according to claim 1, wherein the developer removed by the action from the surface of the developer applying unit is guided to the partition plate, flows on the partition plate, and flows down to the developer stirring unit. Development device. 3. A developer container containing a developer composed of carrier particles and toner particles, and a part of the developer in the developer container is held on the surface in the developer scooping area, and the developer is carried to the developing area. In an electrostatic latent image developing device comprising a developer applying means and a developer agitating means for agitating the developer in the developing container and feeding it to the developer scooping region; the developer agitating means are arranged side by side. First rotary stirring mechanism and second
Each of the first rotary stirring mechanism and the second rotary stirring mechanism includes a rotary shaft portion, end plate portions fixed to both ends of the rotary shaft portion, and A plurality of stirring blade portions extending between the end plate portions at intervals in the direction,
The stirring blade portion of the rotary stirring mechanism is inclined toward the upstream side in the rotation direction from one end to the other end so as to move the developer from one end side to the other end side, and the second rotation The stirring blade of the stirring mechanism is inclined toward the downstream side in the rotational direction from one end to the other end so as to move the developer from the other end side toward the one end side. Electrostatic latent image developing device.