JPH08123297A - Process cartridge and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To reuse the toner stored in a recovered toner storage part with a simple constitution without impairing the merit of reducing the size, the weight and the cost, by disposing the opening parts on parts opposite a developing toner storage part and the recovered toner storage part respectively, and providing shutter members capable of opening-closing on the opening parts respectively. CONSTITUTION: The process cartridge is provided with the shutter member capable of opening-closing the developing toner storage part 10a and the recovered toner storage part 11c. The developing toner storage part 10a and the recovered toner storage part 11c have opening part 10a1 and 11c1 opposite each other across the exposure path 9, and the shutter member is disposed at the position blocking the opening parts 10a1 and 11c1. The shutter member is has two sheets of plate members 16a opposite each other at a specified interval, and the members 16a are attached freely turnably round the rotary shaft 16b disposed on the longitudinal both end. Moreover, the contact parts with the respective opening part 10a1 and 11c1 are provided with the seal member 16c composed of the rubber foam or the like.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

The present invention relates to a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus for forming an image using toner.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a latent image is formed by selectively exposing an image carrier uniformly charged by a charger, and the latent image is developed by a developer by a developer. At the same time as forming an image, the image formed by the developer is transferred to a recording medium to record an image. In such an apparatus, maintenance of each member had to be performed by a professional service person.

Therefore, the image carrier, the charging device, the developing device,
By integrating the cleaning unit etc. into an integrated structure into a cartridge, the user can load the cartridge into the main body of the apparatus to replenish the developer and replace the parts of the image bearing member that have reached the end of life, facilitating maintenance. The one that has been put into practical use has been put into practical use.

In such a process cartridge, there is a problem that toner is usually left in the cleaning portion after the process cartridge is used, and the toner is scattered when the process cartridge is recycled or it takes time to clean the toner.

Further, in order to reduce the size, weight and cost of the process cartridge, it is desired to reuse the toner collected in the cleaning section. Therefore, the toner in the collected toner storage section is conveyed by a screw or the like. It is also considered that the toner is once discharged to the outside of the collected toner containing portion by using a means and is supplied into the developing toner containing portion of the developing device through the toner conveying path.

[0006]

However, the one that reuses the toner collected in the conventional cleaning section is
There are problems that the structure of the toner conveyance path becomes complicated, the process cartridge becomes large, and the cost becomes high.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is to solve the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge in which toner can be reused with a simple structure without impairing reduction in size and cost, and the process cartridge. Another object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus using the.

[0008]

A typical structure according to the present invention for achieving the above object is to develop a latent image formed on an image carrier in a process cartridge which can be attached to and detached from a main body of an image forming apparatus. And a collected toner container for collecting the toner remaining on the image carrier, and an opening portion is provided at a position facing the developed toner container and the collected toner container, respectively. And a shutter member capable of opening and closing the opening is provided.

[0009]

In the above structure, when the toner is accumulated in the collected toner container, the collected toner container is positioned above the developing toner container and the shutter member is opened. The toner drops and is supplied from the opening of the developing toner container to the developing toner container. Therefore, the toner stored in the collected toner storage portion can be reused with a simple configuration.

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Next, a process cartridge and an image forming apparatus will be specifically described with reference to the drawings as an embodiment according to the present invention.

[First Embodiment] A process cartridge and an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5. 1 is a configuration explanatory view of an image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge is mounted, FIG. 2 is a configuration explanatory view of a process cartridge, FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a mounting configuration of a process cartridge, and FIG. 4 is a shutter member. FIG. 5 is a structural explanatory view for supplying the toner in the collected toner storage portion to the developing toner storage portion.

As the order of description, the overall structure of the process cartridge and the image forming apparatus will be described first, and then the shutter structure will be described.

{Overall Configuration} This image forming apparatus A is shown in FIG.
2 is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that irradiates an optical image based on image information from the optical system 1 to form a toner image on an electrophotographic photosensitive member which is an image carrier. Then, in synchronization with the formation of the toner image, the recording medium 2 is conveyed from the cassette 3a by a conveying means 3 including a pickup roller 3b, a pair of registration rollers 3c, and the like, and the process cartridge B is also used.
In the image forming section formed as a cartridge, the toner image formed on the photoconductor drum, which is the electrophotographic photoconductor, is transferred to the recording medium 2 by applying a voltage to the transfer roller 4 as the transfer means, and the recording medium 2 is formed. Is conveyed to the fixing unit 5 by the intermediate discharge roller 3d and the guide plate 3e. The fixing means 5 comprises a driving roller 5a and a fixing roller 5c having a heater 5b built therein, and the recording medium 2 passing therethrough.
The transfer toner image is fixed by applying heat and pressure to the. Then, the recording medium 2 is conveyed by the discharge roller pair 3f, and is discharged to the discharge portion 6 through the reverse transport path.

On the other hand, in the process cartridge B forming the image forming section, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the photosensitive drum 7 having a photosensitive layer is rotated, and its surface is transferred to a charging roller 8 which is a charging means. Is uniformly charged by the application of the voltage, and the optical image from the optical system 1 is exposed on the photosensitive drum 7 through the exposure path 9 to form a latent image, and the latent image is developed by the developing means 10. There is.

The developing means 10 includes a developing toner container 10a.
The toner inside is sent out by the toner sending member 10b,
While rotating the developing roller 10d having the built-in 10c, a toner layer to which a triboelectric charge is applied by the developing blade 10e is formed on the surface of the developing roller 10d, and the toner is transferred to the photosensitive drum 7 according to the latent image. As a result, a toner image is formed and visualized.

Then, after a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner image is applied to the transfer roller 4 to transfer the toner image to the recording medium 2, the cleaning blade 11a is used for the photosensitive drum 7.
Scraping off the toner remaining on the
The residual toner on the photosensitive drum 7 is removed by the cleaning means 11 that scoops the toner by b and collects it in the collected toner storage portion 11c.

Each component such as the photosensitive drum 7 is housed in a housing 12 in which a first frame body 12a and a second frame body 12b are combined to form a cartridge, and a cartridge provided in a main body 13 of the apparatus. It is detachably attached to the attachment means.

The cartridge mounting means includes an opening / closing member 14
When opened, as shown in FIG. 3, a cartridge mounting space is provided, and cartridge mounting guide members 15 are mounted on the left and right inner side surfaces of the apparatus body 14 (only one side is shown in FIG. 3). A guide portion 15a for inserting the process cartridge B is provided opposite to the guide member 15. The process cartridge B is inserted into the image forming apparatus A by inserting the process cartridge B along the guide portion 15 and closing the opening / closing member 14.

{Structure of Shutter} This process cartridge B includes a developing toner container 10a and a collected toner container 11
A shutter member 16 capable of opening and closing c is provided. Next, the structure of the shutter member 16 will be described.

The developing toner storage portion 10a and the collected toner storage portion 11c are provided with openings 10a1 and 11c1 facing each other with the exposure path 9 interposed therebetween, and the shutter member 16 is provided at a position where the openings 10a1 and 11c1 are closed. Is provided. As shown in FIG. 4, the shutter member 16 is composed of two plate members 16a facing each other at regular intervals, and a rotary shaft provided at both ends in the longitudinal direction.
It is attached so as to be rotatable around 16b. Also the opening 10
A seal member made of foamed rubber, etc. at the contact part with a1 and 11c1
16c is provided.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2, the shutter member
When 16 is closed, it serves as an exposure path for irradiating the photoconductor drum 7 with the image light from between the two plate members 16a, and the openings 10a1 and 11c1 are sealed by the seal member 16c, and The elasticity of the seal member 16c fixes the shutter member 16 in the closed state. Therefore, the toner does not leak from the openings 10a1 and 11c1.

With the above-mentioned structure, the developing toner accommodating portion is provided even when the photosensitive drum 7 has not reached the end of its life.
When the toner in 10a is exhausted, the process cartridge B is removed from the image forming apparatus A, and as shown in FIG. 5, the collected toner container 11c is erected so as to be located above the developing toner container 10a, and the shutter is released. The member 16 is rotated 90 ° by a handle (not shown). In this way, the openings 10a1 and 11c1 are opened, the developing toner storage portion 10a and the collected toner storage portion 11c communicate with each other, and the toner stored in the upper collected toner storage portion 11c is moved downward as shown by the arrow a. And is supplied into the developing toner storage portion 10a.

Then, after the toner in the collected toner storage portion 11c is supplied to the developing toner storage portion 10a by its own weight, the shutter member 16 is rotated again by 90 ° to close the openings 10a1 and 11c1 so that the process cartridge is again opened. It becomes possible to use B.

As described above, the developing toner storage portion 10a and the collected toner storage portion 11c are provided with the opening portions 10a1 and 11c1 and the shutter member 16 for opening and closing the opening portions is provided, so that the collected toner storage portion 11c is stored. The toner thus prepared can be reused. As a result, it is possible to provide a process cartridge in which toner can be reused without sacrificing reduction in size, weight, and cost, and without increasing the cartridge mounting space in the image forming apparatus using this process cartridge, the running cost can be reduced. It is possible to suppress the above and form an image.

[Second Embodiment] Next, a second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8. The members having the same functions as those of the first embodiment described above are designated by the same reference numerals, and the duplicated description will be omitted.

The process cartridge B in this embodiment is arranged such that the collected toner storage portion 11c is located above the developing toner storage portion 10a when mounted in the image forming apparatus A. The process cartridge B is to be mounted on the image forming apparatus A as shown in FIG. 7, but when the opening / closing member 14 which can be opened / closed with respect to the apparatus main body 13 is opened, the cartridge mounting space is the same as in the above-described embodiment. Is provided, and cartridge mounting means composed of a cartridge insertion guide is provided on both side surfaces of the space.
When the process cartridge B is inserted along the guide and mounted, the collected toner storage portion 11c becomes the development toner storage portion.
It is mounted so as to be located above 10a.
Further, in the image forming apparatus A, the recording medium 2 is conveyed upward from the cassette 3a at the bottom of the apparatus by the conveying means 3, and an image is formed by the image forming section provided in the process cartridge B in the meantime, and is on the upper side of the apparatus. The material is discharged to the discharging unit 6.

Also in this process cartridge B,
Openings 10a1 and 11c1 are provided at positions where the developed toner storage section 10a and the collected toner storage section 11c face each other, and a shutter member 16 that can open and close these openings 10a1 and 11c1 is provided. The shutter member 16 has an exposure path formed so as not to block the image light L as in the first embodiment.

The shutter member 16 is rotatable about a rotary shaft 16b. In this embodiment, when the process cartridge B is mounted on the image forming apparatus A, the rotary shaft 16b is rotated by a coupling (not shown). The shutter member 16 is connected to the drive means of the main body, and the drive force is transmitted to the rotary shaft 16b according to image formation so that the shutter member 16 rotates.

At the time of image formation in which the optical system 1 emits image light, the rotating shaft 16b is locked by the driving means and the shutter member 16 is fixed in the state of FIG. 6 in which the openings 10a1 and 11c1 are closed.

On the other hand, during non-image formation when the optical system 1 does not illuminate the image light, the driving means drives the shutter member 16 to 90 degrees.
The shutter member 16 is rotated by an angle of?, And is fixed in the state of Fig. 8 in which the openings 10a1 and 11c1 are opened. As a result, the developing toner container
The toner 10a and the collected toner storage portion 11c are communicated with each other, and the toner stored in the collected toner storage portion 11c above is dropped and supplied into the developing toner storage portion 10a below, and this toner is used again for development.

As described above, the collected toner storage portion 11c is located above the developing toner storage portion 10a, and the shutter member 16 is operated in accordance with the image forming operation. The toner stored in the collected toner storage portion 11c can be automatically returned to the developing toner storage portion 10a without providing the above.

[Third Embodiment] Next, a process cartridge according to a third embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. In this case as well, members having the same functions as those in the above-described embodiment are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant description will be omitted.

Process cartridge B according to this embodiment
Has the same structure as the process cartridge of the second embodiment described above, but is transparent on both sides of the shutter member 16 between the opening 10a1 of the developing toner storage portion and the opening 11c1 of the collected toner storage portion. The window member 17 is provided.

The seal member 16c provided at the end of the shutter member 16 is made of foamed rubber, felt, or the like, and seals between the shutter member 16 and the openings 10a1 and 11c1. The transparent window member 17 is rubbed when it is rotated to the center.

With this structure, the toner in the collected toner storage portion 11c can be returned to the developing toner storage portion 10a without providing a special toner transport path, and when the shutter member 16 rotates. Toner storage section
When the toner is supplied from 11c to the developing toner container 10a, there is no possibility that the toner will scatter in the exposure path 9. Even if the toner adheres to the transparent window member 17 when the toner drops, the sealing member 16c functions as a cleaning member because the sealing member 16c rubs and removes when the shutter member 16 rotates. Image exposure is not blocked by the toner adhering to the. [Other Embodiments] The above-described process cartridge B according to the present invention is not limited to the case of forming a single color image as described above, but a plurality of developing means are provided to provide a plurality of color images (for example, a two-color image and a three-color image). Alternatively, it can be preferably applied to a cartridge forming a full color or the like).

As the developing method, various known developing methods such as a two-component magnetic brush developing method, a cascade developing method, a touchdown developing method and a cloud developing method can be used.

The image carrier is not limited to the above-mentioned photosensitive drum, but includes the following, for example. First, a photoconductor is used as the photoconductor, and as the photoconductor, for example, amorphous silicon, amorphous selenium,
Zinc oxide, titanium oxide, organic photoconductor (OPC) and the like are included. The shape on which the photoconductor is mounted includes, for example, a drum-shaped, belt-shaped rotating body, a sheet-shaped body, and the like. In general, a drum-shaped or belt-shaped one is used. For example, in the case of a drum-type photoconductor, a photoconductor is deposited or coated on a cylinder of an aluminum alloy or the like. It is.

As for the structure of the charging means, the so-called contact charging method was used in the above-described first embodiment, but a tungsten wire which has been conventionally used as another structure is provided with a metal shield such as aluminum around three sides. It goes without saying that a configuration may be used in which positive or negative ions generated by applying a high voltage to the tungsten wire are moved to the surface of the photosensitive drum to uniformly charge the surface of the drum.

The charging means may be of a blade type (charging blade), a pad type, a block type, a rod type, a wire type or the like other than the roller type.

Further, as a method for cleaning the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum, the cleaning means may be constituted by using a blade, a fur brush, a magnetic brush or the like.

Further, in the above-mentioned embodiment, the laser beam printer is exemplified as the image forming apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile machine or a word processor can be used. It is also possible to use for.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the opening portions are provided at the positions facing the developing toner storage portion and the recovery toner storage portion, respectively, and the shutter member that can open and close the opening portions is provided, the inside of the recovery toner storage portion is improved. When the toner is accumulated in the toner container, the collected toner storage portion is positioned above the development toner storage portion and the shutter member is opened, the toner drops from the opening of the collected toner storage portion and the development toner storage portion opens. It is supplied to the storage unit.

Therefore, the toner stored in the collected toner storage portion can be reused with a simple structure. As a result, it is possible to provide a process cartridge in which toner can be reused without sacrificing reduction in size, weight, and cost, and without increasing the cartridge mounting space in the image forming apparatus using this process cartridge, the running cost can be reduced. It is possible to suppress the above and form an image.

Further, by forming the exposure path in the shutter member, it is possible to prevent the shutter member from blocking the image exposure. Further, by providing the transparent window member so as to connect the openings of the collected toner storage unit and the development toner storage unit, it is possible to prevent the toner from scattering when the toner is supplied from the collected toner storage unit. By providing the shutter member with a cleaning member for removing the toner adhering to the transparent window member, even if the toner adheres to the transparent window member, the image exposure is not interrupted.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a process cartridge.

FIG. 3 is a configuration explanatory view of a mounting portion of a process cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a structural explanatory view of a shutter member.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration in which toner is supplied from the collected toner storage unit of the process cartridge to the developing toner storage unit.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of an embodiment using a process cartridge in which a collected toner storage unit is located above a developing toner storage unit.

FIG. 7 is a configuration explanatory view of an image forming apparatus using a process cartridge in which a collected toner storage section is located above a developing toner storage section.

FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a configuration in which toner is supplied from the collected toner storage unit of the process cartridge in which the collected toner storage unit is located above the development toner storage unit to the development toner storage unit.

FIG. 9 is a structural explanatory view of a process cartridge provided with a transparent window member that connects the openings of the collected toner storage unit and the development toner storage unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Optical system, 2 ... Recording medium, 3 ... Conveying means, 4 ... Transfer roller, 5 ... Fixing means, 6 ... Ejecting section, 7 ... Photosensitive drum,
8 ... Charging roller, 9 ... Exposure path, 10 ... Developing means, 10a ...
Developing toner storage portion, 10a1 ... Opening portion, 10b ... Toner feeding member, 10c ... Magnet, 10d ... Developing roller, 10e ... Developing blade, 11 ... Cleaning means, 11c ... Collected toner storing portion,
11c1 ... Opening part, 12 ... Housing, 13 ... Device body, 14 ... Opening / closing member, 15 ... Guide member, 16 ... Shutter member, 16a ... Plate member, 16b ... Rotating shaft, 16c ... Sealing member, 17 ... Transparent window member

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A process cartridge which can be attached to and detached from an image forming apparatus main body, and a developing toner container for containing toner for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier, and a toner remaining on the image carrier. And a collected toner storage section for storing the collected toner, and an opening is provided at a position opposite to the developing toner storage section and the collected toner storage section, and a shutter member capable of opening and closing the opening is provided. Characteristic process cartridge. 2. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the shutter member has an optical path for irradiating the image carrier with image light. 3. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the developing toner storage section is located below the collected toner storage section when mounted on the main body of the image forming apparatus. 4. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a transparent window member is provided between the opening of the developing toner container and the opening of the collected toner container. 5. The process cartridge according to claim 4, wherein the shutter member is provided with a cleaning member for the transparent window member. 6. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, wherein a process cartridge is attachable / detachable, and a developing toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner for developing a latent image formed on an image carrier. A collected toner container for collecting the toner remaining on the image carrier, and an opening is provided at each of positions facing the developing toner container and the collected toner container, and the opening can be opened and closed. A mounting means for mounting a process cartridge provided with a shutter member, a transfer means for transferring the toner image formed on the image carrier, and a transporting means for transporting a recording medium. Image forming apparatus. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the shutter member is configured to close the opening when the image light is irradiated and open the opening when the image light is not irradiated.