JPH06317958A - Electrophotographic recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide an electrophotographic recorder which can detect the existence of an EP cartridge and the existence of toner in a toner housing means by using one set of detection means. CONSTITUTION:In the electrophotographic recorder provided with the EP cartridge 3 housing and installing the toner housing means 1 and a device main body 4 housing the cartridge 3 so that it is freely loaded and unloaded; a light emitter 11, a reflecting mirror 12 and a light receiving sensor 13 are installed in the device main body 4. Then, the toner housing means 1 part of the cartridge 3 is arranged at a position where an optical path to the mirror 12 from the emitter 11 is shielded by one part of the cartridge 3. Besides, one and the other light transmitting windows 21 and 22 are provided at a part positioned on the optical path to the mirror 12 from the emitter 11 at the toner housing means 1 part in the cartridge 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic recording apparatus, and more particularly to an electrophotographic apparatus equipped with an EP cartridge accommodating a toner accommodating means and a developing means, and an apparatus main body accommodating the EP cartridge detachably. Recording device

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art EP cartridges have been used comparatively more frequently than before because they are integrally equipped with toner storage means and developing means. This EP cartridge has an advantage that the equipment including the toner replenishing work can be easily maintained by removably mounting the EP cartridge on the apparatus main body. Further, in the apparatus using the EP cartridge, most of the presence / absence signals are obtained by the on / off operation of the switch.

On the other hand, in the electrophotographic recording apparatus, the detection of the presence or absence of toner occupies a more important position than the position of reliably outputting information on the paper surface. Therefore, for example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. Hei 3
As can be seen in Japanese Patent No. 126967, various techniques for detecting the presence / absence of toner have been developed comparatively more than in the past.

[0004]

In the conventional electrophotographic recording apparatus, as described above, the presence / absence of the EP cartridge is detected and the presence / absence of the toner in the toner storing means equipped in the EP cartridge is detected. Were generally done separately.

Therefore, in the conventional electrophotographic recording apparatus,
Two sets of detection means for detecting the presence / absence of the EP cartridge and for detecting the presence / absence of toner in the toner storage means must be provided, which is always accompanied by the disadvantage that the structure is complicated and the production cost is increased. Was there.

[0006]

An object of the present invention is to improve the disadvantages of the conventional example, and particularly to effectively detect the presence of the EP cartridge and the presence / absence of toner in the toner storing means by one set of detecting means. To provide an electrophotographic recording device that simplifies the structure and reduces the production cost.
To that end.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided an electrophotographic recording apparatus including an EP cartridge equipped with a toner housing means and a developing means, and an apparatus body detachably housing the EP cartridge. A light emitting body, a reflecting mirror for capturing the light beam from the light emitting body through the space in the apparatus body, and a light receiving sensor for receiving the light beam from the light emitting body via the reflecting mirror are provided therein. Further, the toner storing means portion in the EP cartridge is arranged at a position where a part of the EP cartridge shields the optical path from the light emitting body to the reflecting mirror, and the toner storing means portion in the EP cartridge is also used to reflect the reflecting mirror from the light emitting body. A light-transmissive window is provided in a portion located on the optical path leading to. This aims to achieve the above-mentioned object.

[0008]

[Operation] If there is no EP cartridge, the light from the light emitter is totally reflected by the reflecting mirror and detected by the light receiving sensor. At this time, the amount of light detected by the light receiving sensor is A. On the other hand, when there is an EP cartridge and toner is in the toner storage means, the light from the light emitting body is reflected by the transmission window and the light is not detected by the light receiving sensor.

When there is an EP cartridge and the toner is not in the toner storage means, the light from the light emitting body passes through one of the light transmitting windows, and then part of the light is reflected by the other light transmitting window. The rest passes through the light transmitting window, is reflected by the reflecting mirror attached to the upper cover, and reaches the light receiving sensor. At this time, the amount of light detected by the light receiving sensor is set to B
And

The magnitudes of the light quantities A and B are A> B depending on the presence or absence of the other light transmitting window. As a result, the presence / absence of the EP cartridge and the presence / absence of toner can be determined based on the difference in the amount of light detected by the light receiving sensor.

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIG. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, the toner storage means 1 and a developing sleeve 2 as a developing means are stored and equipped.
A P cartridge 3 and an apparatus main body 4 in which the EP cartridge 3 is detachably accommodated are provided. The apparatus main body 4 includes a main body base 4A that supports various components housed inside, and a main body cover 4B that is arranged so as to cover the space above the main body base 4A.

In the main body 4 of the apparatus, a light emitting body 11 and a reflecting mirror 12 for capturing a light beam from the light emitting body 11 through a space in the main body 4 of the apparatus, and a light emitting body 11 from the light emitting body 11 via the reflecting mirror 12. It is equipped with a light receiving sensor 13 for receiving a light beam. Among them, the light emitter 11 and the light receiving sensor 13 are mounted on the above-mentioned main body base 4A. As a result, the light emitting body 11 and the light receiving sensor 13 are always fixed when the main body cover 4B and the like are opened and closed, and therefore it is possible to maintain the initially set positional accuracy for transmission and reception. The reflecting mirror 12 is mounted on the inner surface side of the main body cover 4B described above.

Further, the toner storing means 1 portion in the EP cartridge 3 described above is arranged at a position where the optical path from the light emitting body 11 to the reflecting mirror 12 is shielded, and the toner storing means 1 portion in the EP cartridge 3 is arranged. The light transmitting windows 21 and 22 are provided at the portions located on the optical path from the light emitting body 11 to the reflecting mirror 12 described above.

In the light transmission windows 21 and 22, one light transmission window 21 is provided on the bottom surface of the EP cartridge 3, and the other light transmission window 22 is provided on the top surface of the EP cartridge 3. The other light transmission window 22 is composed of a half mirror in this embodiment.

A determination circuit section 30 is provided which receives an output signal from the light receiving sensor 13 and determines the presence / absence of the EP cartridge 3 and the presence / absence of the toner T in the toner storing means 1 according to a predetermined reference value. Reference numeral 31 is a determination circuit unit 30.
2 shows a reference value output circuit unit that outputs a reference value necessary for the determination operation of. Further, reference numeral 32 indicates a display unit that displays the determination result output from the determination circuit unit 30.

The presence or absence of the EP cartridge 3 or the presence or absence of the toner T is determined by the difference in the amount of light detected by the light receiving sensor 13. The difference in the light amount in each case will be described below.

When the EP cartridge 3 is not provided, the luminous body 1
The light from No. 1 is totally reflected by the reflecting mirror 12 attached to the body cover 4B as shown by an arrow c, and the light receiving sensor 13
Detected by. At this time, the amount of light detected by the light receiving sensor 13 is A.

On the other hand, when the EP cartridge 3 is present and the toner T is in the toner accommodating means 1, the light from the light emitting body 11 is reflected as shown by an arrow a and the light receiving sensor 13 does not detect the light.

Further, when the EP cartridge 3 is present and the toner T is not in the toner storage means 1, the light from the light emitting body 11 passes through one of the light transmitting windows 21, and a part of the light is emitted from the half mirror as indicated by an arrow b. Although the light is reflected by the other light transmitting window 22, the rest passes through the light transmitting window 22 and is reflected by the reflecting mirror 12 attached to the upper cover 4A as indicated by an arrow c to reach the light receiving sensor 13. At this time, the amount of light detected by the light receiving sensor 13 is B.

The other light transmission window 22 formed of a half mirror
Depending on the presence or absence of light, the magnitudes of the light quantities A and B are A> B. Thereby, due to the difference in the amount of light detected by the light receiving sensor 13,
The presence / absence of the EP cartridge 3 and the presence / absence of the toner T are respectively discriminated and displayed on the display unit 32.

[0021]

Since the present invention is constructed and functions as described above, according to this, the presence of the P cartridge and the inside of the toner accommodating means are detected by a pair of detecting means composed of a light emitter, a light receiving sensor and a reflecting mirror. It is possible to effectively detect the presence / absence of toner, and therefore, it is possible to reduce the number of constituent members as compared with the conventional one, and thus it is possible to downsize the entire apparatus and reduce the labor for assembling. This makes it possible to provide an excellent electrophotographic recording apparatus which has not been heretofore available in which the production cost can be reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially omitted sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Toner accommodating means 2 Developing sleeve which is a main part of developing means 3 EP cartridge 4 Device main body 4A Main body base 4B Main body cover 11 Light emitting body 12 Reflecting mirror 13 Light receiving sensor 21 One light transmitting window 22 Another light transmitting window 30 Judgment circuit Part T Toner

Continuation of the front page (51) Int.Cl. ⁵ Identification number Office reference number FI technical display location G03G 21/00 510 8004-2H

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. An electrophotographic recording apparatus comprising an EP cartridge equipped with a toner housing means and a developing means, and an apparatus body accommodating the EP cartridge in a removable manner. A reflection mirror that captures a light beam from the light emitting body through the space in the apparatus main body, and a light receiving sensor that receives the light beam from the light emitting body through the reflection mirror are provided, and a part of the EP cartridge is provided. The toner storing means portion in the EP cartridge is arranged at a position that shields the optical path from the light emitting body to the reflecting mirror, and the toner storing means portion in the EP cartridge is located on the optical path from the light emitting body to the reflecting mirror. An electrophotographic recording device, characterized in that one and the other of the light transmission windows are provided in the portion to be formed. 2. The electrophotographic recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the one light transmitting window is provided on the bottom surface of the EP cartridge, and the other light transmitting window is provided on the upper surface of the EP cartridge. 3. The electrophotographic recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the other light transmitting window of the light transmitting windows is constituted by a half mirror. 4. An electrophotographic recording device comprising an EP cartridge equipped with a toner containing means and a developing means, and an apparatus main body accommodating the EP cartridge detachably. A reflection mirror that captures a light beam from the light emitting body through the space in the apparatus main body, and a light receiving sensor that receives the light beam from the light emitting body through the reflection mirror are provided, and a part of the EP cartridge is provided. The toner storing means portion in the EP cartridge is arranged at a position that shields the optical path from the light emitting body to the reflecting mirror, and the toner storing means portion in the EP cartridge is positioned on the optical path from the light emitting body to the reflecting mirror. One and the other of the light transmission windows are provided in the portion to be input, the output signal from the light receiving sensor is input, and the presence / absence of the EP cartridge is determined according to a predetermined reference value. An electrophotographic recording apparatus comprising a judgment circuit section for judging the presence / absence of toner in a toner storage means.