JPH07160173A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To perform the presence detection of an image forming process equipment in the image forming device main body and its freshness detection with a sensor by providing the detection receiving part with a moving member so that the moving member movably disposed corresponding to the image forming process equipment being moved from the first position to the second position is detected by the sensor. CONSTITUTION:The image forming process equipment unitized in freely attachably and detachably, for instance, the cleaning device 10 is provided with the moving member 16 moved by the gear 15 fixed to the shaft 13a of the toner recovering member 13 outside the casing 11. When the cleaning device 10 is fresh, the moving member 16 is placed in the ascent position and the optical path is intercepted by the shield plate 21 provided with the moving member 16, hence the low signal is outputted by the sensor 20. When the drive of the image forming device is performed for the prescribed time, the moving member 16 is forcedly made to descend and moved to the descent position. During the period of time, the high signal is temporarily outputted or the low signal for the sake of the upper part shield plate 22 is continuously outputted. At the time of neglecting for mounting the device 10, only the high signal is outputted.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having an image forming process device for replacing old and new.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer or a facsimile, a drum shape, a belt shape,
It is known that image forming process devices such as a charging device, a cleaning device, a transfer device, and a developing device are provided around a photoconductor having another shape.

A life is set for each of such image forming process equipment according to its function and strength. If the equipment is used beyond this life, a defective image may occur, or The image forming process device itself may be damaged. For example, in the above-described cleaning device, the service life of the cleaning blade itself, the storage capacity of the amount of collected toner, etc. are taken into consideration, and the service life is determined.
Poor cleaning may result in poor image quality. Further, the toner leaks to the outside of the cleaning device main body, and the cleaning device main body and its surroundings are contaminated with the toner.

Therefore, in this type of image forming apparatus, for example, the number of recording media to be passed after loading and setting a new image forming process device is counted, and a predetermined number of sheets to be passed (image When the number of sheets corresponding to the life of the forming process equipment) is exceeded, a warning is issued to the user and the like to prompt replacement of the image forming process equipment. The user removes the image forming process equipment that has reached the end of its life from the image forming apparatus main body according to this warning, and loads a new image forming process equipment into the image forming apparatus main body.

On the other hand, in this type of image forming apparatus,
When the image forming process equipment is loaded at the loading set position which is the operating position (operating position), the sensor provided inside the image forming apparatus main body detects the loading, that is, the presence of the image forming process equipment at the loading set position. However, it ensures that the machine operates normally only when this is detected. This can prevent the user from forgetting to load a new image forming process device after removing the old image forming process device that has reached the end of life from the image forming apparatus main body. Also, when a new image forming process device is loaded at the loading set position, the number of passing recording media can be counted in order to detect the life of the process device based on the detection of the sensor, that is, the counter is reset. I'm trying to do.

However, it is good when a new image forming process device is loaded, but when a used old image forming process device is accidentally loaded, the sensor is used. The presence of equipment is detected as it is, and the machine operates.

Therefore, it is necessary for the main body of the image forming apparatus to detect whether or not the image forming process equipment to be loaded is new. Conventionally, there is no such a new detection unit, and if such a unit is dedicatedly provided in addition to the above-mentioned sensor, the cost of the image forming apparatus increases or the image forming apparatus becomes large. There was a fear.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to detect the presence of an image forming process device in a main body of an image forming apparatus and to detect a new image forming process device with a single sensor. An object is to provide an image forming apparatus.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has an image forming process device, and the image forming process device is detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus so that the old and new can be exchanged. In the image forming apparatus, the moving member is provided so as to be movable with respect to the image forming process device, and when the image forming process device is a new product, the moving member is placed at a first position indicating that the image forming process device is new. After loading a new image forming process device into the loading set position, which is the operating position, inside the image forming apparatus main body,
Means for moving the moving member at the first position to the second position on the downstream side in the moving direction, and one unit provided on the image forming apparatus main body side along the moving path of the moving member. And the moving member has a second position from the first position.
The position to be detected, and whether or not the image forming process device with the moving member in the second position is present in the loading set position,
An image forming apparatus provided on the moving member is proposed.

At this time, the image forming process device has a rotary member and a gear connected to the member and exposed to the outside of the main body of the image forming process device. The rack portion is movably provided and has a rack portion formed in part, and the rack portion is initially meshed with the gear, so that the rack portion is placed at a first position where it is prevented from being lowered by its own weight.
The means for moving the moving member is a mechanical driving means including a gear that rotates in conjunction with the rotary system member and a rack portion that is moved by the gear, and a moving member that moves the moving member to the second member after the rack portion is separated from the gear. It is effective to include gravity means for lowering the weight to the position.

[0011]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing the construction of an image forming process device detecting portion and its periphery, showing only the main portion of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. In describing the image forming process device detection unit, first, the overall configuration of an image forming apparatus including such a detection unit will be clarified with reference to FIG.

In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a drum-shaped photosensitive member which is an example of a latent image carrier, and the photosensitive member 1 is provided as a typical example in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus. The photoconductor 1 is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow in the drawing by a driving unit (not shown). At the time of this rotation, the surface of the photoconductor, which has been neutralized by the static elimination lamp 2 in advance, becomes Is charged. After the charging, image exposure or optical writing is performed in the exposure unit 4, so that a predetermined electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor 1. 2. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the image forming apparatus as viewed from the back side (the side opposite to the front side where the user is usually located and operates).

The developing device 5 has a developing roller 6 carrying and carrying the toner T, and the electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image by the carried and carried toner. Then, this toner image is transferred onto the transfer paper 7 which is an example of the recording medium by the action of the transfer charger 8. After this transfer, the transfer paper 7 is sent toward a fixing device (not shown), and the transfer device fixes the transfer toner image on the transfer paper 7.

The main body of the cleaning device 10 is, for example, a casing 11 in which only the photosensitive member facing portion is opened. Inside the casing 11, an elastic member such as rubber is used. A cleaning blade 12 which is brought into contact is provided. After the transfer of the toner image, the toner that has not contributed to the transfer remains on the surface of the photoconductor 1, and the adhered toner is scraped off the surface of the photoconductor by the cleaning blade 12.

The toner thus removed is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure, falls toward the toner collecting member 13 having a rectangular cross section, and is collected in the casing 11 by the rotation of the collecting member. It is stored and stored. In addition,
The toner attached to the toner collecting member 13 is scraped off from the toner collecting member by the scraper member 14 made of a thin elastic plate.

Here, the static elimination lamps 2, the charging chargers 3, and the developing devices 5 arranged around the photoconductor 1 respectively.
The transfer charger 8, the cleaning device 10, etc. constitute an image forming process device.
The photoconductor 1 itself also constitutes an image forming process device. All of these image forming process equipment will be replaced with new ones at the end of their service life.
The unit is detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus.

The detection system will be described below by taking the cleaning device 10 as an example of the image forming process device.

The cleaning device 10 can be inserted into and removed from the image forming apparatus main body 100 in the axial direction of the photoconductor 1. That is, the cleaning device 10 is inserted into the main body of the image forming apparatus from the front side of the image forming apparatus, and is placed at the loading set position facing the photoconductor 1. Photoconductor 1
The cleaning device 10 is placed in the operating position (operating position) at the load setting position opposite to.

Returning to FIG. 1, the arrow A indicates the inserting direction of the cleaning device 10, but the inserting and loading direction of this cleaning device may be the arrow B direction (vertical direction). When the cleaning device reaches the end of its life because the edge portion of the cleaning blade is worn or the toner contained in the casing 11 of the cleaning device is full, the cleaning device uses the arrow A (or B). ), And is taken out of the main body of the image forming apparatus. In any case, the image forming process equipment such as the cleaning device 10 is detachable from the image forming apparatus main body 100 so that the old and new can be replaced.

The shaft 13a of the toner collecting member 13 is rotatably supported by the casing 11, and a gear 15 exposed to the outside of the casing 11 is fixed to one end of the shaft 13a. That is, the cleaning device 10 has a rotary member such as the toner collecting member 13 and a gear 15 that is integrally connected to the rotary member and is exposed to the outside of the casing 11.

At the back side of the cleaning device 10,
A moving member 16 is provided movably with respect to the casing 11. In this example, the moving member 16 is provided so as to be vertically movable. That is, the moving member 16 is provided with a vertically long guide hole 16a, and the two guide pins 17, 17 fixedly implanted in the casing 11 are fitted in the guide hole 16a so as to be slidable relative to each other. Is movable up and down.

The moving member 16 is placed in the raised position shown in FIGS. 1 and 3 when the cleaning device 10 is a new one. A rack portion 18 is formed on the lower side of one side portion of the moving member 16, and the first tooth tip on the lower side of the rack portion meshes with the gear 15 to move the moving member 16 to such a raised position. It has been placed. That is, the moving member 16 is placed at the first position (raising position) indicating that the cleaning device 10 is a new product against the habit of lowering due to its own weight. Moving member 16
When the rack portion 18 is initially meshed with the gear 15 having a predetermined load resistance, the rack portion 18 is placed in the raised position where it is prevented from being lowered by its own weight.

One sensor 20 is fixedly mounted on the side plate 19 which is fixedly provided on the image forming apparatus main body side.
In this example, this sensor is composed of a photo interrupter having a light emitting element and a light receiving element incorporated therein. The photo interrupter 20 is provided along the moving path of the moving member 16.

When the moving member 16 is in the first position, that is, the raised position, the moving member 16 has a photo interrupter 20.
First detected portion 21 placed at a position detected by
Is provided. In this example, the detected portion 21 shields the detection optical path of the photo interrupter 20.
Is made up of.

When the shield plate portion 21 is in the position shown in FIG. 1, the shield plate portion 21 shields the detection optical path, and the photo interrupter 20 outputs a low signal.
When the shield plate 21 is not provided, the detection optical path is not shielded, and the photo interrupter 20 outputs a high signal.

Here, first, the old cleaning device 10 is used.
In order to remove the cleaning device, an exterior cover (not shown) is opened, the cleaning device is taken out of the main body of the image forming device, and then a new cleaning device is inserted and loaded into the loading set position in the main body of the image forming device. FIG. 1 shows a state in which a new cleaning device 10 is loaded in a regular set position.

In this way, a new cleaning device 1
0 is loaded, but the moving member 16 provided in this cleaning device is given a descent habit due to its own weight, and movement due to this habit causes the rack unit 1 to move.
8 is initially blocked by meshing with the gear 15. FIG. 3 shows the moving member 16 placed in such a position.

When the above-mentioned exterior cover is closed in the above-mentioned state, the image forming apparatus is driven for a predetermined time when the image forming apparatus is initially warmed up. For example, the toner collecting member 13 shown in FIG. 2 is driven to rotate in the arrow direction by a predetermined rotation angle. Then, the gear 15 shown in FIG. 1 also rotates in the same direction together with the toner collecting member 13, and the gear 15
The rack portion 18 is tooth-fed to forcibly lower the moving member 16 in the raised position.

When the rack portion 18 separates from the gear 15 while the moving member 16 is descending, this time the moving member 16 continues its descending operation by its own weight and is stopped at the position shown in FIG. That is, the moving member 16 moves from the first position (up position) shown in FIG. 3 to the second position (down position) shown in FIG. 4 on the downstream side in the moving direction.

A mechanical drive means comprising a gear 15 that rotates (in this example, integrally) in the initial stage in conjunction with a rotary member such as the toner collecting member 13 and a rack portion 18 that is moved by this gear, and a rack portion 18. Is a means for lowering the moving member 16 by its own weight after being separated from the gear 15, the new cleaning device 10 is installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus.
After loading the loading set position which is the operating position, the moving member 16 at the first position is configured to move to a second position on the downstream side in the moving direction.
After the moving member 16 has dropped to the second position, the moving member 16 remains held in the second position, and it is substantially impossible to move the moving member 16 back to the first position.
This is because, even if the moving member 16 shown in FIG. 4 is lifted carelessly, the rack portion 18 hits the gear 15 having a predetermined load resistance.

The moving member 16 is stopped at a raised position by a horizontally swingable stopper member (not shown), and when the cleaning device 10 is loaded in the loading set position, the stopper member is moved by the cleaning device. May be rotated and retracted from the position where the moving member is stopped, and the moving member may be lowered as it is under its own weight.

Here, the moving member 16 is provided with a first shield plate portion 21 and a second shield plate on the upstream side in the moving direction (falling direction) of the moving member with a gap between the shield plate portions 21. Part 22
And the shielding plate portion 22 is placed at a position detected by the photo interrupter 20 as shown in FIG. 4 when the moving member 16 moves to the second position. At this position, the detection optical path of the photo interrupter 20 is blocked. That is, the moving member 16 moves from the first position to the second position.
Of the two shield plates 2 shown in FIG.
When the space between 1 and 22 passes through the photo interrupter 20, the detection optical path is opened, and when the upper shielding plate portion 22 reaches the photo interrupter 20, the detection optical path is shielded again.

FIG. 5 shows the output form of the signal from the photo interrupter. FIG. 5A shows the case where the cleaning device is present (the cleaning device is loaded and set in the main body of the image forming apparatus) and it is not new. In this case, the moving member 16 is still falling, and the detection optical path of the photo interrupter is shielded by the upper shielding plate portion 22 as shown in FIG. 4, so a low signal is output from the photo interrupter. Will remain. A predetermined image forming operation is performed in this state.

Further, FIG. 5B shows the case where there is no cleaning device. In this case, since there is no cleaning device and there is no shield plate part, a high signal is output from the photo interrupter. Will remain. In this state, execution of the image forming operation is prohibited. Alternatively, on the operation panel of the main body of the image forming apparatus, a display prompting the mounting of the cleaning device is displayed, or the display of the prohibition of the image forming operation is displayed together. This can prevent the user from forgetting to load a new cleaning device 10.

Further, FIG. 5C shows a case where the cleaning device is provided and this is a new product. In this case, first, the function of the shielding plate portion 21 shown in FIG. When passing through the photo interrupter 20 between the shield plate portions, it becomes a high signal, and then becomes a low signal again by the function of the shield plate portion 22 shown in FIG. At this time, the image forming operation is made executable, and the counter for counting the number of copies is reset in order to detect the life of the new cleaning device 10. Is counted.

Assuming now that an old cleaning device is accidentally loaded, in this case,
The signal form generated from the photo interrupter is as shown in FIG. 5A, which is different from the case of a new product (FIG. 5C). At this time, since a new cleaning device is not yet loaded, a signal for replacing the cleaning device is output, and this signal and the detection signal shown in FIG. It can be determined that it has been loaded. In this case, for example,
A warning is displayed on the operation panel of the image forming apparatus body,
It is possible to inform the user that the cleaning device is loaded incorrectly. Alternatively, the machine is not operated, or a warning is displayed together with the prohibition of the image forming operation.

Although not shown in the figure, the image forming apparatus is equipped with a CPU for performing various controls.
A signal generated from the photo interrupter 20 is sent to the PU, and the CPU causes the CPU to receive a new cleaning device,
It is determined whether or not there is such a presence and whether or not an old cleaning device is loaded. The CPU recognizes the signal patterns as shown in FIG. 5 and makes the respective detection judgments.

As described above, the detected portion provided on the moving member 16, that is, the two shield plate portions 21 and 22 is that the moving member 16 has moved from the first position to the second position.
Also, the sensor 20 can detect whether or not the cleaning device 10 in the state where the moving member 16 is in the second position is in the predetermined loading set position. By such detection, it is possible to detect whether the cleaning device has been forgotten to be loaded, a new cleaning device 10 has been loaded, or an old cleaning device 10 has been loaded. This is not limited to the shielding plate portions 21 and 22, and can be realized in various modes. For example, various modifications can be made, such as omitting the lower shield plate portion 21 or conversely dividing the lower shield plate portion 21 into a plurality of pieces.

Further, as the sensor, a micro switch or the like can be used instead of the photo interrupter. Further, another gear that meshes with the gear fixed to the rotary member such as the toner collecting member 13 may be meshed with the rack portion 18. The gear connected to the rotary member may be engaged with the rack portion as described above.

In any case, according to the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment, the image forming process equipment such as the cleaning device is a new one with only one moving member having the detected portion. It is possible to detect whether or not the image forming process device is loaded in the regular loading set position.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the cleaning device is applied as an example of the image forming process equipment, but the other image forming process equipment shown in FIG.
The same detection configuration can be adopted, and further, the photoconductor 1
For other image forming process equipment not deployed around
Similar detection configurations can be employed.

[0043]

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the presence of the image forming process equipment in the main body of the image forming apparatus and the new detection of the image forming process equipment are detected by one sensor. Therefore, the number of detection components of this type can be reduced, and the cost of the image forming apparatus can be further reduced.

According to the image forming apparatus of the second aspect,
For the movement of the moving member, it is possible to use natural gravity action and the driving force of the rotary member used in the image forming process equipment, and the driving means for the dedicated moving member is not required. The configuration of the apparatus can be further simplified, and the cost of the image forming apparatus can be further reduced.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a configuration around an image forming process device detection unit showing only a main part of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram around a photoconductor of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an initial state of a moving member included in the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a state after the moving member is lowered.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing an output form of a signal from a photo interrupter provided in a moving track region of the moving member.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Cleaning Device as Image Forming Process Equipment 13 Toner Collection Member as Rotation System Member 15 Gear 16 Moving Member 18 Rack Section 20 Sensor 21 Detected Section 22 Detected Section 100 Image Forming Apparatus Main Body

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. An image forming apparatus having an image forming process apparatus, wherein the image forming process apparatus is detachably attached to an image forming apparatus main body so that the old and new can be replaced. When the image forming process device is a new product, the moving member is placed at a first position indicating that the image forming process device is new, and the new image forming process device is installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus. A means for moving the moving member at the first position to the second position on the downstream side in the moving direction after loading at the loading set position which is the operating position, and at the image forming apparatus main body side, A single sensor provided along the moving path of the moving member, wherein the moving member has moved from the first position to the second position, and the moving member is in the second position. Image shape Whether the process equipment is present in the loading set position,
An image forming apparatus, wherein a detected portion detected by the sensor is provided on the moving member. 2. The image forming process device has a rotary member and a gear connected to the member and exposed to the outside of the main body of the image forming process device, and the moving member moves up and down in the image forming process device. It is provided freely,
A rack part is formed in a part of the rack part. When the rack part is initially meshed with the gear, the rack part is placed at the first position where it is prevented from being lowered due to its own weight, and means for moving the moving member is A mechanical drive means including a gear that rotates in conjunction with a rotary system member and a rack portion that is moved by the gear; and after the rack portion separates from the gear,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising gravity means for lowering the moving member by its own weight to the second position.