JPH0648532Y2 - Scattered developer recovery device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to a scattered developer collecting device for preventing scattering of a developer falling from a gap between a photosensitive drum and a developing device. More specifically, the present invention relates to a scattered developer collecting device of a developing device in which the developing device is displaced in a position where the developing device approaches and separates from the photosensitive drum.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a magnetic brush has been used to supply toner for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the peripheral surface of a photosensitive drum. The photoconductor drum and the magnetic brush are in contact with each other, but the photoconductor drum and the developing device are arranged with an appropriate gap.

However, there is a problem in that the developer drops from the magnetic brush during the developing operation through the gap and scatters, so that the developer adheres to the transfer paper conveyance path below the developing device.

In order to solve the above problems, for example, as shown in FIG. 3, a scattered developer collecting device for collecting the developer falling from the gap between the photosensitive drum and the developing device to prevent the developer from scattering ( It has been proposed to attach 25) with a screw or the like to a supporting projection formed on the lower part of the pair of photoconductor drum support side plates (24) that rotatably support the photoconductor, facing the developing device.

By the way, in a copying machine that can obtain multicolored copies,
Switching between the developing units used for developing the electrostatic latent images of the main developing unit (20) and the sub-developing unit (21) is performed by each developing unit (20) (21) being a pivot (22) (23). ) About the photosensitive drum and the developing unit (20) (21) supported between the pair of photosensitive drum supporting side plates (24). Some of them are designed to widen or narrow the gap between them.

(Problems to be solved by the invention) However, in the above-mentioned embodiment, when the scattered developer collecting device (25) is provided, as shown by a dashed line in FIG. ) Rotates about the rotation fulcrum (22) to separate from the photoconductor drum,
The gap between the photoconductor drum and the main phenomenon unit (20) is widened, and in order to reliably collect the phenomenon agent falling from the gap, the scattered developer collecting device (25) can be completely covered. It has to be upsized. Further, the scattered developer collecting device (25) and the main phenomenon unit (20) must be provided with a predetermined space so that the scattered developer collecting device (25) does not come into contact with each other when the main phenomenon unit (20) rotates. Since it has to be done, it is easily affected by the flow of air in the apparatus, and as a result, all the falling developer cannot be collected in the scattered developer collecting apparatus (25).

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems,
Provided is a scattered developer collecting device that always and completely collects a developer falling from the gap regardless of the size of the gap that changes when the developing device approaches and separates from the photosensitive drum. .

(Means for Solving the Problems) A scattered developer collecting device of the present invention includes a photoconductor drum rotatably supported between a pair of supporting side plates, and a photoconductor drum that is disposed so as to face the photoconductor drum. A scattered developer collecting device that collects scattered developer that falls from a gap between a developing device that moves closer to the photosensitive drum and a developing device that separates from the developing position and does not perform developing. In the scattered developer collecting device, a developer collecting device mounted between supporting side plates of the photosensitive drum, and a seal member made of a flexible material having one end fixed to the developing device side of the developer collecting device. The other end of the seal member is always in contact with the lower surface of the developing device, and the seal member always covers the gap regardless of the displacement between the developing devices.

(Operation) According to the scattered developer collecting device of the present invention, the seal member of the scattered developer collecting device provided on the photosensitive drum supporting side plate has flexibility and is always in contact with the lower surface of the developing device.

As a result, regardless of the size of the gap that changes as the developing device approaches and separates from the photosensitive drum, the gap is covered below by the scattered developer collecting device in any case.

As a result, the developer falling from the gap can be reliably and completely recovered by the scattered developer recovery device.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the scattered developer collecting device of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the scattered developer collecting apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a side view showing an embodiment of the scattered developer collecting apparatus of the present invention.

In the present embodiment, the scattered developer collecting device of the present invention is applied to a two-color copying machine, that is, a copying machine having two developing devices. In the figure, (1) indicates a photosensitive drum, The photoconductor drum (1) is a pair of photoconductor drum supporting side plates (2).
The main developing unit (8) and the sub-developing unit (10) are rotatably supported in between and face each other with respect to the photoconductor drum (1), and are rotatable by respective rotative fulcrums (9) and (11). It is installed in.

That is, by rotating each of the developing units (8) and (10), a developing operation position where development is selectively performed in the vicinity of the photosensitive drum (1) and a development non-operation where development is not performed apart from the developing operation position are performed. The gap between the photosensitive drum (1) and the developing units (8) and (10) also changes with the displacement between the two positions.

The scattered developer collecting device (3) for collecting the developer falling from the gap has two units corresponding to the main developing unit (8) and the sub developing unit (10), respectively. Therefore, only the scattered developer collecting device (3) on the main developing unit (8) side will be described in order to avoid duplication.

The scattered developer collecting device (3) is a developer collecting device (3) between support projections (5) formed by projecting a part of the pair of photosensitive drum supporting side plates (2) on the side facing the developing unit (8). 6)
And a seal member (7) provided on an upright wall on the developing unit side of the scattered developer recovery device (6).

More specifically, the scattered developer collection container (4) is a hollow, substantially box-shaped container having an upright wall (6a), a supporting projection (5), and a bottom surface part (6), and an opening is formed in the upper part. The seal member (7) having one end fixed to the upright wall (6a) blocks the flow of air in the apparatus and collects the developer falling from the gap into the hollow through the opening in the upper part. .

The seal member (7) is a sheet-shaped member having a size that can sufficiently cover the gap when the main developing unit (8) is most distant from the photosensitive drum (2) and has flexibility. However, the other end portion is always in contact with the lower surface portion of the main developing unit (8) regardless of whether the main developing unit (8) is displaced to the contacting position or the separating position. The gap between the main developing unit (8) and the main developing unit (8) is surely covered below.

Now, the operation of the scattered developer collecting device based on the above configuration will be described. The developing unit can be moved close to and away from the photoconductor drum (1), which allows the development unit and the photoconductor drum (1) to be separated from each other. Although the gap is variable, the seal member (7) is always in contact with the lower surface of the developing unit, and the gap is covered below by the seal member (7).

As a result, the developer falling from the gap can be reliably collected in the developer collection container (4). Similarly, on the side of the sub developing unit (10) as well, the scattered developer collecting device (3) surely prevents the scattered developer from falling, so that the scattered developer from the sub developing unit (10) is located below. The possibility of being mixed in the main developing unit (8) and adversely affecting the color of the image obtained as a result of development by the main developing unit is completely eliminated.

In the present embodiment, the scattered developer recovery container is formed by attaching the developer receiving member to the support projection by means of screws or the like, but is not limited to this, and may be formed integrally with the drum support side plate.

In this embodiment, the scattered developer collecting device is applied to a two-color copying machine having two developing units, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a so-called full-color copying machine having three or more developing units is used. The invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, and of course, to an image forming apparatus such as a monocolor copying machine having only one developing unit.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, the method of displacing the developing device from the photosensitive member is described as rotating, but the present invention can also be applied to a form of reciprocating displacement.

(Effect) According to the scattered developer collecting device of the present invention, it is possible to surely and completely collect the scattered developer that always drops from the gap between the developing device and the photosensitive drum, regardless of the displacement of the developing device with respect to the photosensitive drum. Is.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an embodiment of the scattered developer collecting apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side view showing an embodiment of the scattered developer collecting apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a conventional scattered developer. It is a side view which shows a recovery device. 1 ... photosensitive drum, 2,24 ... photosensitive drum supporting side plate,
3,25 …… Scattered developer collection device, 4 …… Developer collection container,
7 ... Seal member

Front page continued (72) Inventor Katsunori Fujii 1-22 Tamatsukuri, Higashi-ku, Osaka, Mita Mita Industry Co., Ltd. (72) Hiroyuki Hatano 1-2-2 Tamatsukuri, Higashi-ku, Osaka, Osaka Mita Satoko Hirai Examiner, Industrial Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A photosensitive drum which is rotatably supported between a pair of supporting side plates, and a developing operation position which is disposed so as to face the photosensitive drum and is in proximity to the photosensitive drum for developing. In a scattered developer collecting device for collecting scattered developer falling from a gap between a developing device which is separated from the developing device and is displaced to a non-developing developing position, the scattered developer collecting device supports the photosensitive drum. A developer collecting device attached between the side plates; and a seal member made of a flexible material, one end of which is fixed to the developing device side of the developer collecting device, and the other end of the seal member is a developing device. The scattered developer collecting device is characterized in that the seal member is always in contact with the lower surface of the developing device and the sealing member always covers the gap regardless of the displacement between the developing devices.