JPH08305117A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To cause a vibrating means to vibrate at least either one of the opening of a toner storage container and the toner receiving part of a toner-container holding part to prevent toner scatter, etc., when the toner storage container is replaced for toner replenishment, and to display a sign of toner exhaustion by the use of a display means. CONSTITUTION: When a sensor 120 detects that none of toner is left in the toner storage container, a microprocessor 122 drives a revolver-rotating motor 77, so that a revolver developing unit is vibrated and toner accumulating on the toner discharge opening of the toner storage container and on the opening of the toner receiving case is caused to fall. Then, the microprocessor 122 makes a display panel 121 display a sign of toner exhaustion.

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 such as a copying machine, a facsimile or a printer, and more specifically, a toner container containing toner for replenishing a developing device, and a detachable toner container. The present invention relates to prevention of toner spillage and toner scattering that may occur during replacement of the toner container in an image forming apparatus provided with a toner container holder that holds the toner container.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus in which a developing device develops a latent image formed on a latent image carrier by using toner, when the toner stored in the apparatus runs out, It is necessary to supply toner to the device. Therefore, an image forming apparatus has been proposed in which a toner container for accommodating toner is provided with, for example, a rubber cap or the like, and an operator removes the rubber cap and injects toner to replenish toner. Sho 62-251772
No.). However, according to this image forming apparatus,
When pouring the toner, there is a bad effect that the toner may spill or scatter and stain the surroundings. Further, in this image forming apparatus, there is a problem in that the operation of pouring toner requires a certain amount of skill, and even if the skill is obtained, it takes time to replenish the toner.

Therefore, in order to prevent such a harmful effect, the toner container containing the toner is detachably held by the toner container holding portion provided in the main body of the apparatus, and the toner container itself is replenished when the toner is replenished. There has been proposed an image forming apparatus for exchanging images. According to this image forming apparatus, toner replenishment is completed only by attaching a toner container, which is supplied in a state where toner is stored in advance in a factory or the like, to the apparatus main body.
Therefore, the operation for replenishing toner is easy, and even an operator unfamiliar with the operation can easily replenish toner. Further, as compared with the above-described method of directly pouring the toner, the toner is less likely to spill or the toner is scattered.

[0004]

However, even in such an image forming apparatus, a certain amount of toner spillage or toner scattering occurs when the toner container is replaced. In particular, the toner remains around the opening for discharging the toner provided in the toner container and around the toner receiving portion that receives the toner discharged from the opening provided in the toner container holding portion. If it is present, the toner related to the replacement of the toner container is likely to spill or scatter.

Therefore, as an image forming apparatus for preventing toner scattering at the time of toner replenishment in an image forming apparatus for replenishing toner by replacing the toner container itself, shutters are provided around the opening and the toner receiving portion. An image forming apparatus has been proposed. According to this apparatus, before the replacement of the toner container, the operator closes the shutter so that the toner does not scatter, and then replaces the toner container to prevent the toner scattering. .

However, in such an image forming apparatus, since it is necessary to close the shutter before replacing the toner container, the operation procedure for toner replenishment becomes complicated and the operation becomes complicated. In addition, the provision of the shutter increases the number of parts, which causes a new problem that the device becomes larger. In particular, in an image forming apparatus provided with four sets of toner containers for four colors and a toner container holding portion for forming a full-color image, the adverse effect becomes remarkable. Further, since the shutter is provided, the assembly direction of the toner container and the toner container receiving portion is restricted, which causes a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and it is an object of the present invention that toner can be replenished by a simple operation and that the conventional image forming apparatus tends to occur when toner is replenished. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that prevents toner spillage and toner scattering.

[0008]

To achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to a first aspect of the present invention provides a latent image carrier on which a latent image is formed and a latent image formed on the latent image carrier. A developing device for developing and forming a toner image, a toner container having an opening for discharging the toner supplied to the developing device, and a toner container communicating with the inside of the developing device Vibrating means for imparting vibration to at least one of the opening and the toner receiving portion, and a toner containing portion holding portion for detachably holding the toner container, the toner receiving portion receiving the toner supplied from the toner receiving portion. And a toner presence / absence detection unit that detects whether or not toner is present in the toner container, and the vibration applying unit when the toner presence / absence detection unit detects that toner is not present in the toner container. motion It is characterized in that it comprises a control means, a to.

An image forming apparatus according to a second aspect is the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, further comprising toner end display means for displaying that no toner is present in the toner container.
When the control means detects that the toner is not present in the toner container by the toner presence / absence detection means, the control means operates the vibration imparting means, and then operates the toner end display means. It is characterized by being.

An image forming apparatus according to a third aspect of the present invention is the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, which has a plurality of the developing devices and the toner container, and the toner container holding portion has a plurality of toner containers. And a developing device moving means for moving the developing device inside the apparatus main body while holding the developing device, and the developing device moving means also serves as the vibration applying means. It is characterized by doing.

In the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3, when the toner presence / absence detecting means detects that the toner is not present in the toner container, the control means operates the vibration generating means to store the toner. Vibration is applied to at least one of the opening portion of the container and the toner receiving portion of the toner container holding portion. Then, due to this vibration, the toner remaining in the opening of the toner container or the toner receiving portion of the toner container holding portion, which is a place where toner scattering is likely to occur when the toner remains, is The toner drops to a place where toner scattering is unlikely to occur in the container holder.

Particularly, in the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect, after the vibration generating means is operated, the control means operates the toner end display means to display that the toner is not present in the toner container. .

Further, particularly in the image forming apparatus of claim 3, the developing device moving means for moving the developing device in the main body of the apparatus while holding the developing device is used, and the opening of the toner container and the toner container holding device are held. Vibration is applied to at least one of the toner receiving portion and the toner receiving portion. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the vibration applying means for applying the vibration independently of the developing device moving means.

[0013]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to a color electrophotographic printer (hereinafter referred to as a printer) which is an image forming apparatus will be described below. FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the printer according to the present embodiment. First, an outline of the entire printer will be described. In FIG. 2, the photosensitive drum 1 serving as a latent image carrier is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow A, and is uniformly charged by the charging charger 2 serving as uniform charging means, and then image information is generated by the laser optical device 3. Scanning exposure is performed on the basis of the above to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface. Here, the image information to be exposed is image information of a single color obtained by separating a desired full-color image into color information of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 is subjected to yellow, magenta, cyan, and cyan as predetermined developers by a rotary developing device 4 described later including a developing device and the like.
And is developed with black toner, whereby toner images of respective colors are formed on the photosensitive drum 1. The laser optical device 3 includes a laser diode 3a, an fθ lens 3b, a polygon mirror 3c and a mirror 3d.

The toner images of the respective colors formed on the photosensitive drum 1 are monochromatic of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black on the intermediate transfer belt 5 which rotates in the direction of arrow B in the figure in synchronization with the photosensitive drum 1. Each time, the primary transfer charger 6 sequentially performs the overlapping transfer. The yellow, magenta, cyan, and black images that are superposed on the intermediate transfer belt 5 are transferred from the automatic paper feed cassette 7 for double-sided copying or the manual paper feed tray 7a through the paper feed rollers 8 and 8a and the registration rollers 9. The secondary transfer charger 11 collectively transfers the transferred sheet 10 onto the transfer sheet 10. After the transfer is completed, the toner image is fixed on the transfer paper 10 by the fixing device 12, and the transfer paper 10 is discharged outside the machine as a full-color print.

The toner on the photoconductor drum 1 that has not been transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 5 is removed by the photoconductor cleaner 13.
Is removed from the photosensitive drum 1 by the
The toner on the intermediate transfer belt 5 that has not been transferred onto the
It is removed from the intermediate transfer belt 5 by the intermediate transfer belt cleaner 14.

The rotary developing device 4 in this printer, the outline of which is described above, will be further described. FIG.
3 is an exploded perspective view of the developing device 4, FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the developing device unit 40 of the developing device 4, and FIG. 4 is a central axis of the vertical conveying screws 86, 91 of the black developing device. It is a longitudinal cross-sectional view by the surface containing.

In FIG. 1, a rotary developing device 4 is provided with a developing device for each of four colors of black, cyan, yellow and magenta inside, and an outer periphery which is rotatably mounted around a central axis in the printer body. Holds a substantially cylindrical developing device unit 40, and four toner containers 41, 42, 43, 44 corresponding to the developing devices in a one-to-one correspondence and containing black, yellow, magenta, and cyan toners, respectively, and A toner container unit 45 that is attached so as to be substantially coaxial with the front side of the developing device unit 40 in the central axis direction and that rotates integrally with the developing device unit 40 around the central axis line. The portion composed of the developing unit 40 and the toner container unit 45 is hereinafter referred to as a revolver developing unit.

The revolver developing unit supports the developing device unit 40 with, for example, two sets of supporting rollers 49a and 49b, and has a central shaft (not shown) provided at the center of the rear end wall of the developing device unit 40. ) Are rotatably supported by a rear side plate (not shown) of the main body, so that their rotation axes are substantially parallel to each other in the printer main body, as shown in FIG. It is positioned in a parallel position and is rotatable.

Next, the developing unit 40 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4. As shown in FIG. 1, a revolver output gear 78 driven by a revolver rotation motor 77 as a toner container holding unit driving means including a stepping motor is attached to the main body of the apparatus in order to drive the revolver developing unit to rotate. The output gear 78 meshes with a revolver input gear 79 fixed to the rear surface of the rear end plate of the developing device unit 40 by screwing,
The revolver developing unit is driven to rotate. Further, development output gears 81a and 81b driven by development driving motors 80a and 80b for driving a development roller, a conveyance screw, and the like in a developing device unit 40, which will be described later, are also attached to the apparatus main body.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, the developing device unit 4
On the rear side of the revolver input gear 79 fixed to the rear end wall of 0, the revolver developing unit side developing input gear 100 that meshes with the main body side developing output gears 81a and 81b.
Reference characters a and 100b are fixed to the end portion of the shaft 101 of the developing roller 84 and the end portion of the shaft 102 of the lower transport screw 91, which project through the rear end wall of the developing device unit 40. With these, each rotating body (developing roller or the like) is driven via the developing input gears 100a, 100b and the like. The developing device unit 40 includes a black developing device, a yellow developing device, a magenta developing device, and
And cyan developing devices, each of which has developing input gears 100a and 100b, a developing roller shaft 101, and a lower conveying screw shaft 102, but in FIG. Input gear 10 provided in the cyan developing device
Only 0a and the like are shown.

In FIGS. 3 and 4, the developing device unit 40 includes front and rear end plates 50 and 51 having a substantially circular shape, and a partition wall provided between the front and rear end plates. This partition wall extends from the hollow cylindrical portion 82 and the hollow cylindrical portion 82 in a radial direction, and divides the space around the hollow cylindrical portion 82 into four developing chambers of substantially the same type in the circumferential direction and divides the space into a developing unit casing portion 8
3, 83C, 83M, and 83Y. Then, a carrier as a developer and a two-component developer including toner of each color are accommodated in each of the four developing chambers. In FIG. 3, the developing position of the black developing device containing the black toner and the carrier is at the developing position facing the photosensitive drum 1, and the yellow containing the yellow toner and the carrier is arranged in the counterclockwise order in FIG. Developing chamber of developing unit, developing chamber of magenta developing unit containing magenta toner and carrier,
It is the developing chamber of a cyan developing device that contains cyan toner and carrier.

Since the internal structure of each of the four developing chambers is exactly the same, the internal structure of the black developing chamber in the developing position will be described as an example in FIG. 3 and the internal structure of the other developing chambers will be described below. Are the same reference numerals as the reference numerals in the black developing chambers, but with the suffixes Y, M, and C added to distinguish the yellow, magenta, and cyan developing chambers from each other. To do.

In the black developing device in the developing position in FIG. 3, an opening portion 83a (see FIG. 1) facing the photosensitive drum 1 is formed in the developing device casing portion 83, and one opening is formed through the opening portion 83a. A developing roller 84 is provided in the developing chamber so that the portion is exposed. In addition, a doctor blade 85 that regulates the amount of the developer carried by the developing roller 84 in the developing chamber and conveyed to a portion facing the photosensitive drum 1, and is regulated by the doctor blade 85 and pressed into the developing chamber. An upper conveyance screw 86 for conveying a part of the developer along the central axis direction from the rear to the front and a guide 87 therefor, and a stirring paddle 88 for stirring the developer in the developing chamber are provided.

The stirring paddle 88 has a hollow cylindrical portion 89 having a plurality of developer discharge holes 89a formed in the width direction of the developing roller 84, and a plurality of stirring plate portions 90 radially extending from the peripheral surface of the hollow cylindrical portion 89. And the hollow cylindrical portion 8
A lower carrying screw 91 for carrying the developer in the opposite direction to the upper carrying screw 86 along the central axis direction is housed in the container 9. The developer casing below the lower transport screw 91 is provided with a developer discharge port used as a discharge port for a deteriorated developer or an input port for unused developer (toner mixed) when a developer is replaced due to deterioration of development in the developing chamber. Exit 9
2 is formed. The discharge port 92 is covered from the outside by a cap 93 attached with a screw 94.

Further, in the present embodiment, the developing roller 84 is used as shown in FIG. 3 for the yellow developing device, for example.
The front and rear end wall portions that support Y and the doctor blade 85Y are
The small end wall portion 104 is separable from the other front and rear end wall portions, and is fixed by screwing or the like in a state of being fitted to the other front and rear end wall portions. As a result, when cleaning the inside of the developing chamber or replacing parts, the developing roller 84Y and the doctor blade 85Y together with the small end wall portion 104 are removed to facilitate access to the developing chamber.

In FIG. 4, the upper and lower conveying screws 86,
The front end of 91 is outside the effective width region of the developing roller 84 (in the example shown, outside the front end wall 50 of the developing unit).
A drop portion 96 for extending the developer conveyed by the upper conveying screw 86 to the lower conveying screw 91 by its own weight is provided at this extending portion. The front end of the lower conveying screw 91 extends further to the front side than the drop portion 96, and extends to the communication chamber below the toner supply roller 97 provided corresponding to each developing chamber of the toner container unit 45. ing. As a result, of the developer drawn up by the developing roller 84, the doctor blade 8
5, the guide 87 and the upper conveying screw 8
The developer conveyed to the front side in 6 falls on the lower conveying screw 91 at the dropping portion 96, and the lower conveying screw 91
Is conveyed within the effective width of the developing roller 84, is discharged into the developing chamber from the developer discharge port of the stirring paddle hollow cylindrical portion within the width, and is again carried by the developing roller 84. That is, so-called lateral stirring of the developer is performed in the developing chamber.

The developer discharged from the developer discharge port of the hollow cylindrical portion 82 of the stirring paddle 88 to the developer pool at the lower part of the developing chamber is subjected to so-called vertical stirring by the rotation of the stirring paddle 88 at the stirring plate portion. . Further, the toner dropped on the lower conveying screw 91 in the communication chamber by the rotation of the replenishing roller 97 is conveyed by the lower conveying screw 91 to the dropping portion 96, where it is taken into the developer dropped from the upper conveying screw 86. Are mixed with each other, and the mixed developer enters the developing chamber through the developer discharge port, thereby increasing the toner concentration of the developer in the developing chamber. (Hereinafter, margin)

Next, the toner container unit 45 will be described with reference to FIG. Toner container unit 45
Is a circular unit face plate 108 (see FIG. 4) and a toner receiving case 10 as a total of four toner container holders attached in a one-to-one correspondence with each developing device.
9, 109Y, M, C, and toner replenishing rollers 97, 97Y provided in the respective toner receiving cases,
It has M, C, and so on. The toner replenishing roller 97 and the like are pivotally supported on the wall portion of the case so as to be located almost directly above the extending portion of the lower conveying screw 91 into the case when the corresponding developing chamber is located at the developing position. ing.

A circular through hole (see FIG. 4) is formed in the center of the unit face plate 108, and the toner receiving cases 109, 109Y, M, and C are mounted so as to escape from the through hole. ing. Also, the unit face plate 10
A through hole (see FIG. 4) for the lower carrying screw 91 extending from the developing chamber of each developing unit is also formed in the developing device 8. Each lower carrying screw is provided with a unit face plate 1 through the through hole.
Each of the toner receiving cases 109 on the front surface of the No. 08 extends.

The four toner receiving cases 109,
109Y, M, and C all have the same shape. That is, the toner replenishing roller 97 is enclosed when the inner extending portion of the lower conveying screw 91 and the toner replenishing roller 97 are surrounded and the corresponding developing chamber is located at the developing position.
Has a peripheral wall portion in which a case opening 110 as a toner receiving portion is formed. Around the case opening 110, the toner containing containers 41, 42, 43, 44 containing toner of the same color can be attached and detached with the toner discharge port 130 serving as an opening for discharging toner facing downward. A groove portion 111 for holding is formed in the rotation center line direction of the revolver developing unit.

In the rotary developing device 4 having such a structure, the developing roller 84 is driven by the driving force transmitted from the developing drive motor 80a, and the stirring paddle 88 is driven by the developing drive motor 80b. Rotate
A developer is supplied to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor drum 1 to develop the latent image to form a toner image. Further, when the toner concentration of each developing device included in the rotary developing device 4 decreases, the lower transport screw 102 causes the toner replenished from the toner container 44 or the like to the toner receiving case 109 as described above. It is conveyed to the inside of the developing device to eliminate the density decrease. In the developing operation and the toner conveying operation, only the developing device in the developing position, such as the cyan developing device shown in FIG. 1, is driven. That is, the developing drive motor 80 provided on the apparatus main body side
Development output gears 81a and 81b driven by a and 80b
However, since it is provided only at the position where it meshes with the developing input gears 100a and 100b provided in the developing device at the developing position, only the developing device at the developing position is driven.

In order to change the developing device used for development in the rotary developing device 4, the revolver rotating motor 77 is used to rotate the revolver developing unit including the developing device unit 40 and the toner container unit 45. And replace the developing device located at the developing position. That is, using the revolver rotation motor 77, the revolver developing unit is rotated 90 degrees counterclockwise in FIG. 1 via the revolver output gear 78 and the revolver input gear 79 to replace the developing device located at the developing position. I do.
For example, from the state where the cyan developing device shown in FIG. 1 is in the developing position, move the revolver developing unit 90 counterclockwise.
When the unit is rotated once, the magenta developing unit is placed in the developing position. The step angle of the stepping motor that constitutes the revolver rotation motor 77 is 0.9 degrees. By this operation, the revolver rotation unit is rotated to sequentially move the cyan developing device, the magenta developing device, the yellow developing device, and the black developing device to the developing position, and each developing device forms a toner image of each color.

Further, in the developing device 4, when the developing operation is repeated and the toner is consumed, it is necessary to replenish the toner from outside the device. In order to replenish toner, first, the revolver rotation unit is rotated so that the toner container that has accommodated the toner of the color to be replenished is positioned below the corresponding toner receiving case 109. In FIG. 1, the magenta toner container 43 is positioned below the toner receiving case 109M corresponding to the container 43. Then, after the desired toner container is moved to such a position, the operator removes the toner container from the apparatus, and the toner container in a state where toner is stored in advance in a factory or the like is used as the toner receiving case 109.
Toner is replenished by attaching to. Here, as described above, each toner receiving case 109 is provided with the groove portion 111 and each toner container 41 to 44 is detachably attached, so that the toner container can be easily replaced. . Even if the toner remains in the toner receiving case 109, the toner falls into the toner container prior to the replacement of the toner container. For this reason, when the toner container is removed, the toner is prevented from spilling or scattering from the toner receiving case 109.

As described above, in this printer having the rotary developing device 4, the toner containers 41 to 44 are provided.
Since toner is replenished by exchanging itself, it is possible to replenish toner to the printer by a simple operation while preventing toner scattering and the like.

However, even if the toner is replenished by such a method, it is not possible to completely prevent the toner from scattering when replenishing the toner. That is, when the toner storage containers 41 to 44 are replaced, the toner storage case 109 is surrounded by the case opening 110 and the toner storage containers 41 to 44.
The toner that adheres to and stays around the toner discharge port 130 may spill or scatter.

Here, FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional perspective view showing a mounting portion of the toner container 43 containing the magenta toner to the toner receiving case 109M. As shown in FIG. 5, the area around the case opening 110 and the toner outlet 130 is narrower than other areas. For this reason, toner adhesion and toner retention are particularly likely to occur due to the Coulomb force.

Therefore, in this printer, in addition to the configuration described above, at least one of the opening 110 and the toner outlet 130 is vibrated before the toner containers 41 to 44 are replaced to replenish the toner. In addition,
It is provided with a vibration applying means for dropping the toner attached around the opening 110 and the toner discharge port 130.
The vibration generating means includes the opening 110 and the toner discharge port 13.
0 is shockedly vibrated to drop the attached toner into the toner containers 41 to 44. Hereinafter, the vibration generating means and the like will be described.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory view showing the function of the vibration generating means. In this printer, the revolver rotation motor 77, the revolver output gear 78, and the revolver input gear 79, which are the components for rotating the revolver developing unit, are used as the vibration generating means. That is, the developing device moving means for moving each developing device within the apparatus main body is also used as the vibration generating means. In addition, this printer also includes a sensor 120 as a toner presence / absence detection sensor that detects whether toner is present in the toner container.
And a display panel 121 as a display means for displaying that toner is not present in the toner container, a revolver rotation motor 79 and the panel 1 based on the detection result of the sensor 120.
21 and a microprocessor 122 as a control unit for controlling the control unit 21. As the display panel 120,
A liquid crystal display cell or the like that displays "please replenish toner", "toner end", or the like can be used. Further, in FIG. 6, only the sensor 120M provided in the toner container 44 is shown, but other toner containers 4 are shown.
Sensors are provided at 1, 42, and 44, respectively. In the following description, it is assumed that the magenta toner in the toner container 43 has run out.

FIG. 7 is a flow chart showing the control regarding the toner end in this printer, and shows the control and the like when the sensor 120 detects the toner end in the container 43. As shown in FIG.
When 0 detects that the magenta toner in the toner container 43 is exhausted, first, the microprocessor 122 drives the revolver rotation motor 77 as described above,
The toner container 43 has a toner receiving case 109M.
Rotate the revolver rotation unit so that it is positioned in the lower part of the. Then, thereafter, the microprocessor 122 repeatedly rotates the revolver rotation motor 77 in opposite directions in a short time, thereby vibrating the revolver developing unit including the opening 110 and the toner discharge port 130. Then, after the opening 110 and the toner outlet 130 are vibrated by the above operation, the microprocessor 122 controls the display panel 121 to perform the toner end display.

In this printer, the control relating to the toner end is processed as an interrupt vector,
Similar to the control for recovering other important abnormalities such as the shortage of the transfer paper 10 and the failure of parts, it is performed as one of the recovery processes performed after the safety process. Here, the safety process is a process of stopping the power supply to a specific unit so that the device does not break down.

The addition of vibration to the opening 110 and the toner outlet 130 by the revolver rotation motor 77 will be described. In FIG. 8, the sensor 120 has a toner container 43.
6 is a graph showing the speed of the revolver rotation motor 77 after detecting that the toner is exhausted. In this graph, the direction in which the revolver developing unit is rotated is positive in the direction indicated by arrow V1 in FIG.
The direction in which the revolver developing unit is rotated in the direction indicated by 2 is set to be negative. Also, the first half 15 of the velocity line 150
Reference numeral 0a indicates the rotation of the revolver rotation motor 77 for moving the toner container 43, and the latter half part 1
Reference numeral 50b indicates the rotation of the revolver rotation motor for applying vibration to the opening 110 and the toner outlet 130.

As shown in the second half 150b of the speed line 150, the revolver rotation motor 77 rotates in a negative direction at -250 pulses / sec and stops, and rotates in a positive direction at +250 pulses / sec. The cycle consisting of 5 times is repeated. By such an operation, vibration is applied to the opening 110 and the toner discharge port 130, and the toner accumulated around the opening 110 falls into the toner container 43. Here, as shown by the velocity line 150, the rotation speed is represented by a rectangular wave, and its acceleration is extremely large.
Therefore, a sufficient force due to the acceleration is applied to the toner that has accumulated around the opening 110 and the toner discharge port 130, and the toner drops well.

In this embodiment, prior to applying the vibration to the revolver developing unit, the toner container in which the toner of the color to be replenished is stored is located below the corresponding toner receiving case 109. Although the device for rotating the revolver developing unit so as to be in the state described above has been described, the toner storage container does not necessarily have to be positioned below the toner receiving case 109. For example, the revolver developing unit may be vibrated while the toner container is located above the toner receiving case 109. In this case, the toner staying around the opening 110 and the toner outlet 130 falls into the toner receiving case 109. Further, even when the toner container is located at a position other than these, by applying vibration to the revolver developing unit, the opening 1
It is possible to drop the toner that has accumulated around 10 and the toner discharge port 130.

In this embodiment, the stepping motor is used as the revolver rotation motor 77, but other kinds of motors such as a servo motor may be used.

Further, in this embodiment, as the vibration generating means, the revolver rotation motor 77, which is a structure for rotating the revolver developing unit, and the revolver output gear 7 are provided.
8 and the revolver input gear 79 are used, the vibration generating means may be configured by, for example, an ultrasonic vibrator or the like independently of the mechanism for rotating the revolver developing unit. In this case, the ultrasonic exciter or the like may be attached at a position where both the opening 110 and the toner outlet 130 are vibrated, or at a position where only one of them is vibrated.

In this embodiment, a printer having four developing devices for full-color printing is shown, but the present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus having only one developing device.

Further, in this embodiment, the revolver rotation motor 77, the revolver output gear 78, and the revolver input gear 79 as the vibration applying means are provided with the case opening 110 before the toner containers 41 to 44 are replaced. It is also used in addition to applying vibration to the toner discharge port 130. That is, if the toner concentration in the developing device does not increase even if the lower conveying screw 91 that conveys toner to the developing device is driven to eliminate the decrease in the toner concentration in the developing device, the case opening 110 or Toner outlet 13
On the assumption that blocking occurs at 0, the revolver rotation motor 77 is driven, and the case opening 110 and the toner discharge port 130 are vibrated. By applying the vibration, the blocking generated in the case opening 110, the toner outlet 130, and the like is eliminated, and the toner can be replenished well. However, since the developing operation is being performed, in order to prevent the image from being adversely affected, the amplitude and the acceleration are considerably smaller than the vibration applied prior to the replacement of the toner container.

[0048]

According to the inventions of claims 1 to 3,
When it is detected that the toner is not present in the toner container, the toner in the opening in the toner container or the toner receiving portion in the toner container holding portion vibrates and the toner in the toner container or the toner container holding portion is vibrated. Drops to a place where scattering is unlikely to occur. Therefore, when the toner container is replaced to replenish the toner, it is possible to prevent the toner remaining in the opening and the receiving portion from being spilled or scattered. That is, an image forming apparatus is provided in which toner replenishment operation is easy because toner replenishment is realized by replacing the toner container itself, and toner spillage and toner scattering do not occur during toner replenishment. To be done.

In particular, according to the second aspect of the invention, after the toner in the opening and the toner receiving portion falls to a place where the toner scattering or the like in the toner container or the toner container holding portion is less likely to occur due to the vibration. , Toner end is displayed.
Therefore, when the operator replaces the toner container according to the toner end display, the toner remaining in the opening and the receiving portion does not scatter. For this reason, when the toner is replenished, spillage of the toner, toner scattering, and the like can be better prevented.

According to the third aspect of the invention, since it is not necessary to provide a vibration applying means for applying vibration to the opening and the receiving portion separately from the developing device moving means, the apparatus can be used. The structure is simplified, the reliability is improved, and the device can be downsized.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a developing device included in a printer according to an embodiment.

FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of the printer.

3 is a sectional view of a developing unit in the developing device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional view of a black developing device and a toner container of the developing unit.

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing an attachment portion of the developing unit to a toner receiving case of a toner container.

FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram showing a function of vibration generating means of the printer according to the embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a flowchart showing control relating to toner end of the printer.

FIG. 8 is a graph showing a speed of a revolver rotation motor of the printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Photoreceptor Drum (Latent Image Carrier) 2 Charging Charger 3 Laser Optical Device 4 Rotating Type Developing Device 5 Intermediate Transfer Belt 6 Primary Charging Charger 7 Double-sided Copy / Automatic Paper Feed Cassette 8 Paper Feed Roller 9 Registration Roller 10 Transfer Paper 11 Secondary transfer charger 12 Fixing device 13 Photoreceptor cleaner 14 Intermediate transfer belt cleaner 40 Developing device unit (developing device) 41 Black toner container (toner container) 42 Yellow toner container (toner container) 43 Magenta toner container ( Toner container) 44 Cyan toner container (toner container) 49 Support roller 50 Front end plate 51 Rear end plate 77 Revolver rotation motor 78 Revolver output gear 79 Revolver input gear 80 Development drive motor 81 Development output gear 82 Hollow Space 84 Development roller 85 Doctor blade 86 Upper transport screw 87 Upper transport screw guide 88 Stirring paddle 91 Lower transport screw 96 Drop portion 97 Toner replenishing roller 100 Development roller shaft 102 Lower transport screw shaft 109 Toner receiving case (toner container holding part) 110 Case opening (toner receiving) Part) 111 groove part 120 sensor 121 display panel 122 microprocessor 130 toner discharge port (opening part)

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Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A housing for accommodating a latent image carrier on which a latent image is formed, a developing device for developing the latent image formed on the latent image carrier to form a toner image, and toner supplied to the developing device. The toner container is provided with an opening for discharging the toner, and a toner receiving part that communicates with the inside of the developing device and receives the toner supplied from the toner container. A toner container holding unit that holds the toner container, a vibration applying unit that applies vibration to at least one of the opening and the toner receiving unit, and toner presence / absence detection that detects whether toner is present in the toner container. An image forming apparatus comprising: a means and a control means for activating the vibration applying means when the toner presence / absence detecting means detects that toner is not present in the toner container. 2. A toner end display means for indicating that no toner is present in the toner container is provided, and the control means is not present in the toner container by the toner presence / absence detecting means. 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is a control unit that operates the vibration applying unit and then operates the toner end display unit when detected. 3. A plurality of developing devices and a plurality of toner accommodating containers are provided, and the toner accommodating container holding portion detachably holds the plurality of toner accommodating containers independently of each other, and holds the developing device. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a developing device moving means for moving the developing device in the main body of the apparatus, wherein the developing device moving means is also used as the vibration applying means.