JPH0980909A - Developer discharging device for developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To smoothly discharge deteriorated developer even if the high speed processing of a developing device is attained by intermittently driving and/or acceleratedly driving a motor driving a screw for developer carrying for a specified time from start. SOLUTION: The screw 19 carrying developer to a developer discharging port 31 and the motor 24 driving the screw 19 are provided at a bottom at the inside of a developing case 17 where the developer discharging port 31 capable of opening and closing by a cover 30 is provided at the bottom. A motor control part 39 intermittently drives and/or acceleratedly driving the motor 24 for a specified time from the start. Then, the motor 24 is driven so that the quantity of the developer discharged from the developer discharging port 31 to a funnel 33 is made smaller than the volume of the funnel 33, and is suspended over a time a little shorter than the time required for allowing the developer dropped down inside the funnel 33 from the funnel 33 to flow out to a recovering container. Thus, the quantity of developer exceeding the volume of the funnel 33 is prevented from being dropped down, so that the developer is prevented from overflowing the funnel 33.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developer discharging device for a developing device used in a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile, etc., to which an electrophotographic technique is applied, and more particularly, a funnel and a hose for discharging the developer have a smaller diameter than conventional ones. The present invention relates to a developer discharging device for a developing device, in which the developer can be smoothly discharged into a recovery container without being clogged with the developer even when the processing speed of the developing device is increased.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Generally, printers, copiers, facsimiles and the like to which electrophotographic technology is applied include those using a one-component developer and those using a two-component developer.
In printers, copiers, facsimiles, etc. that use two-component developers, deteriorated developers are replaced in order to maintain image quality above a certain level.

As a method of exchanging the developer, firstly, there is a method of taking out the deteriorated developer from the developing device and replenishing the developing device with a new developer, and in addition to this, accommodating the deteriorated developer. The developing device is replaced with a developing device filled with a new developer, and further, the developing device is installed together with at least one of a charger, an exposing device, a transfer device, a cleaner and the like arranged around the photoconductor. There is a method in which one unit is used and the deteriorated developer is replaced with a new developer for each unit. Of these methods, the method with the highest economic efficiency is the first method. In order to carry out this method, a developer discharge device for discharging deteriorated developer is provided in the case of the developing device. To be

In this developer discharging device, it is conceivable to simply form a developer discharging port which is opened and closed by a lid in the entire lower part of the developing device. In this case, however, the developer is discharged below the developing device. A space is provided for loading and unloading a collection container for collection, a large funnel for receiving the developer under the developing device and a fairly large diameter for guiding the developer to the outside of the printer, copier, facsimile, etc. from the funnel. Since it is necessary to provide a hose, it is extremely disadvantageous in reducing the size of printers, copying machines, facsimiles and the like.

Therefore, as the developer discharging device, a developer discharging port is opened relatively small at the bottom of the case of the developing device, and the developer in the case is discharged at the bottom of the case of the developing device. It has been proposed to provide a screw for transporting the screw and a drive means for driving the screw. As the screw for discharging the developer, it may be provided separately from the so-called stirring screw, which conveys the developer to the mag roller while stirring, but in order to downsize the developing device, also use the stirring screw. Is preferred.

Further, in this case, it is considered that the developer discharged from the developer discharge port is directly dropped into the recovery container, but in order to downsize the printer, the copying machine, the facsimile, etc., this development is performed. It is advantageous that the hose is guided from the agent discharge port to a collecting container arranged outside of a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile machine or the like.

When such a hose is provided, the developing device and the hose are not directly connected to each other in order to save labor and time when the developing device is taken in and out for maintenance.
It is advantageous to arrange a funnel having a larger opening than the developer outlet below the developer outlet of the developing device loaded in the apparatus, and connect the upper end of the hose to the funnel.

Generally, in printers, copiers, facsimiles, etc., the developing device can be taken in and out of the machine for inspection and maintenance, but in order to prevent the photoconductor from being damaged during the taking in and out. In order to allow the developing device to be separated from the photoconductor by a certain amount or more, a distance of a certain amount or more is provided between the funnel and the loaded developing device.

[0009]

By the way, when the developer discharging device is operated to discharge the developer, a large amount of the developer is discharged for a certain time after the developer is discharged from the case of the developing device. Is carried to the developer discharge port by the screw, and when the amount of the developer in the developing device becomes less than a certain value, the amount thereof gradually decreases.

In order to smoothly introduce a large amount of developer into the recovery container outside the apparatus for a certain time from the beginning of discharging, the minimum flow passage cross-sectional area of the funnel and the flow passage cross-sectional area of the hose must be thicker than a certain amount. Therefore, it has been found that there is a certain limit in downsizing the device.

However, recently, not only downsizing of the apparatus but also high functionality and multi-functionality are severely demanded, and there is an increasing demand for downsizing of the developer discharging apparatus which is not always used. Attempts have been made to use funnels and hoses that are smaller than the limits.

However, if the funnel is made small, the developer causes a bridge phenomenon in the funnel when a large amount of developer is dropped and is blocked, and if the hose is reduced in diameter, the bridge phenomenon occurs in the hose. As a result, the hose is clogged, resulting in the problem that the developer overflows from the periphery of the funnel into a device such as a printer, a copier, or a facsimile.

Similarly, in printers, copiers, facsimiles, etc., there is a strong demand for higher speeds. When speeding up printers, copiers, facsimiles, etc., the number of rotations of the screw is increased. Since a large amount of developer is dropped into the funnel in a shorter time than before, the developer is clogged inside the funnel or the hose, and as a result, the developer is discharged from around the funnel inside the printer, copier, facsimile, or other device. The problem of overflowing occurs.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances and smoothly discharges the deteriorated developer even if the diameter of the funnel or hose is made smaller than that of the conventional one or the processing speed of the developing device is increased. It is an object of the present invention to provide a developer discharging device for a developing device that is made possible.

[0015]

According to the present invention, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, a developer discharge port 31 which is opened and closed by a lid 30 on the bottom.
The developer in the developer case 17 is disposed at the bottom of the developer case 17 in which the developer is formed.
In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the developer discharging device of the developing device, which is provided with the screw 19 for transporting the screw 19 and the driving means for driving the screw 19, takes the following means.

That is, in the developer discharging device for the developing device of the present invention, the driving means drives the screw 16 and the motor 24, and the motor for intermittently driving and / or decelerating the motor for a predetermined time from the start. Control unit 39
And is provided.

[0017]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION The motor 24 used in the present invention is not particularly limited and may be a DC motor or an AC motor.

As the motor control section 39, a combination of intermittently driving the motor 24 for a predetermined time from the start, a deceleration driving of the motor 24 for a predetermined time from the start, and a combination thereof, It can be mentioned that the motor 24 is intermittently decelerated for a predetermined time from the start.

The motor control unit 39 for intermittently driving the motor 24 for a predetermined time from the start may be constructed so as to intermittently turn on / off the drive current, and the ratio of the on time to the off time may be set. It may be constant for a predetermined time from the time of start-up, or may be one in which the ratio of on-time gradually increases.

That is, for example, after the motor 24 is driven so that the volume of the developer discharged from the developer discharge port 31 to the funnel 33 by the drive of the motor 24 becomes smaller than the volume of the funnel 33, the funnel is thereby driven. By stopping the motor 24 for a period of time during which the developer that has dropped into the funnel 33 flows out of the funnel 33 into the collection container, or for a time period that is slightly shorter than that, a quantity of developer that exceeds the volume of the funnel 33 drops into the funnel 33. And the developer can be prevented from overflowing from the funnel 33.

Further, as the motor control unit for decelerating and driving the motor 24 for a predetermined time from the start, even if the motor speed is maintained at a constant deceleration speed for a predetermined time from the start, the motor speed The speed may be gradually increased from the start.

That is, it is possible to prevent the developer from overflowing from the funnel 33 by decelerating the motor 24 so that the developer discharged from the developer discharge port 31 to the funnel 33 does not overflow from the funnel 33.

Further, as the motor for intermittently decelerating the motor for a predetermined time from the time of starting, there are four kinds of combinations of these, that is, the on-time and the off-time are made constant, and the on-time is set. One that is driven at a constant deceleration speed, one that keeps the on-time and off-time constant, and the deceleration speed of the on-time is gradually increased from the start, the proportion of the on-time gradually increases from the start, and the on-time is constant Examples of the driving method include those that are driven at a deceleration speed of 1, and those that the on-time ratio gradually increases from the time of starting, and the deceleration speed of the on-time gradually increases from the time of starting.

In the present invention, two or more motors having different rotational speeds are provided as the motor 24 for driving the screw 19, and the motor control section selectively switches between these motors to drive them. Motor 24
Can be configured to be decelerated for a predetermined time from the start. However, in order to reduce the number of parts and simplify the configuration to reduce the cost, it is preferable to intermittently drive or decelerate one motor as described above.

According to the present invention, the discharge amount of the developer from the developing device case is controlled so that the bridge phenomenon does not occur inside the funnel or the hose by intermittently driving or decelerating the motor by the control means. Is limited to
Even if the funnel or hose has a smaller diameter than before or the processing speed of the developing device is increased, it is possible to smoothly discharge the deteriorated developer without causing the bridge phenomenon inside the funnel or hose. Become.

[0026]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A developer discharging device for a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention applied to a printer will be specifically described below with reference to the drawings.

As shown in the configuration diagram of FIG. 4, in the printer to which the developer discharging device of the developing device according to the embodiment of the present invention is applied, the continuous paper 3 is electrophotographically photographed from the hopper 2 arranged in the case 1. After the toner image is guided to the continuous printing paper 3 by the printing apparatus 4, the toner image is fixed on the continuous paper 3 by the fixing device 5, and is folded and accumulated on the stacker 6. There is.

In the printing device 4, the surface of the photosensitive drum 7 is uniformly charged by the charger 8 arranged around the photosensitive drum 7 which rotates at a constant speed, and the exposure LED 9 emits light. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 7, and then a toner image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 7 by adhering toner to this electrostatic image by the developing device 10. This toner image is transferred onto the continuous paper 3 by the transfer charger 11. After the transfer, the surface of the photoconductor drum 7 is destaticized by the destaticizing charger 12, and the cleaning brush 13 and the cleaning blade 14 remove the residual toner from the surface of the photoconductor drum 7. Body drum 7
After uniformly removing the charge on the surface of, the process after the charging by the charger 8 is repeated.

The developing device 10 uses a two-component developer, and as shown in the vertical sectional front view of FIG. 5, two toners supplied from the toner hopper 16 into the developing device case 17 are conveyed. It is sent to the first stirring screw 19 by the paddle 18, and is sent in the axial direction of the first stirring screw 19 while being stirred with the developer in the developing device case 17 by the first stirring screw 19, and further from the destination to the second It is sent to the stirring screw 20. Further, in the developing device 10, the developer fed into the second stirring screw 20 is further stirred by the second stirring screw 20, while the developer is further stirred in the axial direction of the second stirring screw 20 in the feeding direction of the first stirring screw 19. Sent in the opposite direction,
Further, it is carried to the surface of the three developing mag rollers 22 by the conveyor roll 21 and adheres to the surfaces of the three developing mag rollers 22. Further, in this developing device 10, the excess developer adhering to the continuous paper 3 from the developing mag roller 22 is adsorbed to the collecting mag roll 23 and collected.

As shown in the vertical side views of FIGS. 5 and 6,
A developer discharge port 31 that is opened and closed by a lid 30 is formed in a portion of the developer case 17 below the end of the first stirring screw 19 in the developer feeding direction, and as shown in FIG. A developer discharge lever 32 is provided in front of the developer case 17 for operating the lid 30, and
A sensor for detecting the open / closed state of the lid 30 is provided.

As shown in the configuration diagram of FIG. 7, the two transfer paddles 18, the first stirring screw 19, the second stirring screw 20, the conveyor roll 21 and the recovery mag roll 2 are provided.
3 is a stirring motor 24, and a transmission mechanism 26 with a speed reducer 25 interposed therebetween is used to constantly rotate the printer at a predetermined rotation speed during a job of the printer.
In order to rotate the developing mag roller 22 of the book only at the time of development, as shown in the configuration diagram of FIG. 8, a developing motor 27 different from the stirring motor 24 is used via a transmission mechanism 29 in which a speed reducer 28 is interposed. I'm trying to drive.

In this embodiment, the conveying speed of the continuous paper 3 is set to a high speed of, for example, 1155 mm / sec. p. m. At a high speed, and the first stirring screw 19 and the second stirring screw 20 are 232
r. p. m. I am trying to rotate at a high speed.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a funnel 33 that is larger than the developer discharge port 31 is arranged below the developer discharge port 31, and as shown in FIG. The upper end of the hose 34 is connected to 33. The lower end of the hose 34 is taken out of the case 1 of the printer and inserted into the mouth of the recovery bottle.

When recovering the deteriorated developer from the developing device 10, after inserting the lower end of the hose 34 into the mouth of the recovery bottle outside the case 1, the lid 30 is opened and the stirring motor 24 makes the first stirring. Rotate the screw 19. Then, after the deteriorated developer in the developing device 10 is completely discharged, the lid 30 is closed and a new developer is introduced into the developing device case 17 from the developer input port 35 provided on the front surface of the developing device case 17. It is thrown in.

This developer replacement work is preferably performed when the developer has deteriorated to a certain degree or more. Therefore, in this printer, the developer is deteriorated at any time.
The operator can check the image quality of the toner image recorded on the developer replacement work, and the developer case 17
Deterioration of the developer is detected from the charged state of the developer inside, and is automatically displayed as, for example, a character message on a display device provided on the operation panel 36 of the printer to prompt the operator to replace the developer. .

Further, in order to perform the developer replacement work without erroneous procedure, the printer asks a question to the operator according to the steps of the operation procedure, and the printer needs the operation at each step. I try to teach you how to do it.

For this purpose, as shown in the circuit block diagram of FIG. 1, a mechanical controller 37 for controlling the mechanical mechanism of the printer is provided with the operation panel 36, a sensor for detecting the open / closed state of the lid 30, and a developer. Outlet information source 38 including a sensor for detecting deterioration of the liquid and the stirring motor 24.
9 to FIG. 9 through FIG. 9 when connected to a motor control section 39 for controlling the operation of the mechanical controller 37 by an operator operating the operation panel or a signal for detecting the deterioration of the developer from the outlet information source 38. The developer replacement work is processed in the procedure shown in FIG. 11 or the procedure shown in FIGS.

In FIGS. 9 to 14, the items in the broken line frame indicate the contents of the character message displayed on the display device, the solid line frame indicates the operation, and the double frame indicates the operator's judgment. .

First, for example, when a worker wants to arbitrarily replace the developer at the time of near life when the deterioration of the developer reaches a certain degree, the printer is stopped and the operating condition is displayed on the display device. After "00" is displayed as a status display for displaying, the consumables selection switch provided on the operation panel 36 is pressed to select replacement of the developer.
The selection result is displayed on the display device as "replacement of developer". When the selection of the "replacement of developer" is confirmed and the selection is completed, as shown in FIG. Replace ?, Yes → press the consumables replacement switch,
"No → press the consumables selection switch" is displayed (S1), and in response to this display, the operator determines whether or not to replace the developer (S2). If it is (Yes), Pushes down the consumables exchange switch provided on the operation panel 36 (S3).

When the consumables exchange switch is pressed, a message "Please prepare the developer, ready → Press down the consumables replacement switch, Stop replacement → Press the reset switch" is displayed on the display device (S4). After that, when the operator judges that the preparation is completed (S5) and presses the consumable item exchange switch (S6), the display device displays “Empty bottle in the device stacker rear cover is taken out and the center right cover / "Open the middle door to set" and "Insert hose into developer bottle, operation complete → press consumable replacement switch" are displayed alternately in a predetermined cycle (S
7).

In accordance with this display, the operator takes out an empty bottle for collecting the developer from the case 1 of the printer and sets it at a predetermined position on the front side of the case 1, and the lower end of the hose 34 is set to the empty bottle. Plug in.

After this operation is completed, when the worker pushes down the expendables exchange switch (S8), the above display device displays "Please set the developer discharge lever to the open side.
"Press the consumables exchange switch" is displayed (S9), and when the operator switches the developer discharge lever 32 to the open side according to this display, the lid 30 is opened.

After the operation of the developer discharging lever 32 to the open side is completed, when the worker pushes down the consumable item exchange switch (S10), the stirring motor 24 is started and the first stirring screw 19 is operated. , The developer is sent to the developer discharge port 31, falls from the developer discharge port 31 to the funnel 33, and further passes through the hose 34 to be collected in the empty bottle.

What is important here is that the motor controller 3
As shown in the control characteristic diagram of FIG. 2, for example, for 60 seconds from the start, after supplying the drive current to the agitation motor 24 for 250 ms, the drive current is stopped for 750 ms. Repeatedly, by this, the agitating motor 24 is rotated 10 times, and then the intermittent drive is paused for 750 msec.

When the agitating motor 24 makes 10 revolutions, the first agitating screw 19 makes one revolution, and, for example, a maximum of 139 cm ³ of developer is discharged from the developer discharge port 31. The volume of the funnel 33 may be larger than this, but from the viewpoint of miniaturization, it is 187 cm ^{3 in} this embodiment, so the first stirring screw 19 is used.
With one rotation of the funnel 33, up to about 74.3% of the volume of the funnel 33 drops into the funnel 33. The developer that has fallen into the funnel 33 all flows out of the funnel 33 into the hose 34 in less than about 1 second, but even if the next developer starts dropping into the funnel 33 after about 750 msec has passed, the funnel 33 33
In parallel with the next drop of the developer into the, the developer that has dropped before flows out from the funnel 33 to the hose 34, so that the developer does not overflow from the funnel 33. Further, since the hose 34 has an inner diameter equal to or larger than that of the outlet of the funnel 33, the developer flowing out from the funnel 33 to the hose 34 cannot be supplied to the hose 3.
It is collected in an empty bottle without being clogged in 4.

During the above 60 seconds, the first stirring screw 1
9 makes 60 rotations, and as shown in the cumulative screw rotation number-developer discharge amount relationship diagram of FIG. 3, about 91.5 to 92.5% of the developer in the developing case 17 is generated by these 60 rotations. Since the toner is discharged, the agitation motor 24 may be intermittently driven continuously for a predetermined time. However, in this embodiment, the agitation motor 24 is continuously operated to discharge the remaining developer in a short time. . The first stirring screw 19 is operated at full speed both during the on-time of intermittent driving and during continuous operation.

As shown in FIG. 9, while the developer is being discharged, the display unit displays "Please wait for about 3 minutes while the developer is being discharged" and the progress of this time. The length of the illuminated portion of the line is displayed (S11). Then, after 3 minutes, as shown in FIG. 10, the display device displays the message "Is the developer discharged up to the discharge amount confirmation line displayed on the developer bottle?" Are you sure you want to quit ?, Yes → Press the consumables replacement switch, No → Press the consumables selection switch ”are alternately displayed (S12).

The operator confirms whether or not the developer is discharged up to the discharge amount confirmation line displayed on the developer bottle according to these indications, and if the discharge amount does not reach the confirmation line, the development is performed. Since it is necessary to continue discharging the agent, the operator judges "No" (S13) and depresses the consumable item selection switch (S14). As a result, the above display device returns to the stage of displaying the progress of this time with the length of the lit portion of the display line together with the display of "Please wait for about 3 minutes while discharging the developer" (S11).
After another 3 minutes, the above display will display "Did the developer discharge up to the discharge confirmation line displayed on the developer bottle?" And "Are you finished discharging the developer?
The display of “Yes → Press the consumable item replacement switch and No → Press the consumable item selection switch” is displayed alternately (S12).

When the worker recognizes that the developer has been discharged up to the discharge amount confirmation line displayed on the developer bottle according to these indications, the worker judges "Yes" (S13). , Push down the consumables exchange switch (S15). As a result, the above display device displays "Please open the developer discharge lever to the close side and take out the developer bottle, operation complete → press the consumables replacement switch" (S16), and work according to this display. When a person takes out the bottle in which the developer is collected, that is, the developer bottle with the developer discharge lever 32 closed, and further depresses the consumable item exchange switch (S17), the display device displays "Developer input". Please set JOUGO in your mouth, operation completed → press the consumables replacement switch "is displayed (S18).

According to this display, the operator sets the developer input funnel to the developer input port 35, and then depresses the consumable item exchange switch (S19). Please add new developer, is the bottle emptied ?, "Completed → press consumable replacement switch" is displayed (S20), and the operator responds to this display with the first new developer. After pressing, the consumables exchange switch is pushed down (S21), the above display indicates "Please insert the second new developer, did the bottle become empty?""Pressswitch" is displayed (S22).

In response to this display, the operator depresses the consumable item exchange switch after inserting the second new developer (S23). As shown in FIG. 11, the display device displays "2".
Has the bottle of paper been emptied and has the developer been added? Is displayed and “Are you sure you want to finish developing?”, Yes →
Pressing the consumables replacement switch, No → pressing the consumables selection switch "is displayed alternately (S2
4).

When the operator judges that the developer is to be continuously supplied by looking at this display (S25), the consumable item selection switch is pushed down (S26), and after the next new developer is supplied, By pressing down the consumables replacement switch (S23), the display device again displays the message "Did the two bottles become empty and the developer has been added?" And "End the developer addition." Are you sure ?, Yes → press the consumables replacement switch, No → press the consumables selection switch ”(S24).

When the operator sees this display and determines that the supply of the developer has been completed (S25), and depresses the consumable item exchange switch (S27), the display device displays "Jougo has been removed. "Please close the door / center right cover" and "Please store one empty bottle in the back cover of the device stacker, operation completed → press the consumable replacement switch" are displayed alternately (S28 ). Then, according to this display, the operator removes the funnel for developer injection, closes the middle door / center right cover, stores an empty bottle in the back cover of the stacker of the device, and then presses the consumables replacement switch. By lowering the pressure (S29), the developer replacement work is completed. After that, by depressing the start switch provided on the operation panel 36 (S30), the job of this printer is continued (S31).

As shown in FIG. 9, when replacing the developer, it is determined that the operator does not replace the developer (S2),
If the consumables selection switch is pressed (S3
2) Alternatively, it is determined that the worker once replaces the developer (S2), and the replacement of the consumable item is pressed down (S3), but the replacement is canceled without completing the preparation of the developer. Then, when the reset switch provided on the operation panel 36 is pushed down (S5) (S33),
As shown in FIG. 11, by further pressing the start switch, the job of this printer is continued.

When the deterioration of the developer is detected,
As shown in FIG. 12, "06" is displayed as a status display on the display means, and "[deterioration of developer] is displayed on the display means together with this display, press the consumable replacement switch, and perform the replacement operation.""ER06-01" is displayed (S34).

Then, when the operator depresses the consumable goods exchange switch according to this display (S35), the display device displays "Please prepare the developer, ready → press the consumable goods exchange switch to cancel the replacement. → "Press the reset switch" is displayed (S4), and after that, when the operator judges that the preparation is completed (S5), the consumables replacement switch is pressed (S6), the "device stacker section" is displayed on the display device. "Please take out the empty bottle in the back cover, open the center right cover / middle door and set it" and "Please insert the hose into the developer bottle, operation completed → press the consumable replacement switch" display And are displayed alternately in a predetermined cycle (S7),
Hereinafter, as shown in FIGS. 12 to 14, the developer is replaced in the same procedure (S7 to S29) as the case where the operator arbitrarily performs it.

At the stage of judging whether or not the preparation of the developer is completed, it is judged that the operator stops the replacement (S5), and when the reset switch is pushed down (S33),
"[Developer deterioration] on the above display means, press the consumables replacement switch and perform replacement operation, ER06-01"
Is returned to the stage (S34) where is displayed.

[0058]

As described above, in the developer discharging device for the developing device of the present invention, the driving means drives the screw, and the motor is intermittently driven for a predetermined time from the start of the motor. And / or a motor control unit for decelerating drive, so that when the developer is discharged, the motor control unit intermittently drives the screw for a predetermined time after starting the screw for discharging the developer through the motor. And / or limit the volume of the developer discharged from the developing device, which is driven by deceleration, to less than the volume of the funnel that receives it, or the volume of this funnel plus the amount of the developer that flows out from the funnel to the collection container. A funnel or a hose connected to the funnel can lead to the collection container without being blocked inside.

That is, even if the diameter of the funnel or hose is smaller than that of the conventional one, the developing device currently used is used as it is, and the motor and the screw are started by the motor control section for discharging the developer, and then predetermined. By intermittently driving and / or decelerating over the period of time, the developer discharge amount is limited to the extent that the developer does not become clogged in the funnel or hose, and the developer is not clogged in the funnel or hose. The effect of smooth discharge can be obtained, and as a result, the effect of reducing the size of printers, copiers, facsimiles and the like can be obtained.

Further, by increasing the processing speed of the developing device, even if the screw is operated at a higher speed than before, the motor control unit starts the motor and the screw for discharging the developer. By intermittently driving and / or decelerating for a predetermined period of time, the developer discharge amount is limited to the extent that the developer is not clogged in the funnel or hose, and the developer is clogged in the funnel or hose. Therefore, the effect of smooth discharge can be obtained, and as a result, the effect of speeding up printers, copiers, facsimiles, etc. can be obtained.

Further, according to the present invention, even if the diameter of the funnel or hose is made smaller than before and the processing speed of the developing device is increased, the motor and screw are started by the motor control section for discharging the developer. Then, by intermittently driving and / or decelerating for a predetermined time, the developer discharge amount is limited to the extent that the developer is not clogged in the funnel or the hose, and the developer is stored in the funnel or the hose. The effect of smooth discharge without clogging is obtained, and as a result, it is possible to reduce the size and speed of printers, copiers, facsimiles, and the like.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a circuit block diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a control characteristic diagram of a motor control unit of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a cumulative screw rotational speed-discharge amount relationship of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a configuration diagram of a printer to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional front view of a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a vertical sectional side view of a main part of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a configuration diagram of a stirring drive mechanism of a developing device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 8 is a configuration diagram of a part of a developing drive mechanism of a developing device to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 9 is a flowchart (part 1) of the developer replacement processing of the printer to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 10 is a flowchart (part 2) of the developer replacement process of the printer to which the invention is applied.

FIG. 11 is a flowchart (No. 3) of the developer replacement processing of the printer to which the invention is applied.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart (part 1) of the developer replacement processing of the printer to which the invention is applied.

FIG. 13 is a flowchart (part 2) of the developer replacement process of the printer to which the invention is applied.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart (part 3) of the developer replacement process of the printer to which the invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 17 Developer Case 19 Screw 24 Motor 30 Lid 31 Developer Discharge Port 33 Funnel 34 Hose 39 Motor Control Section

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A screw which is arranged at the bottom of a developing device case having a developer discharging port which is opened and closed by a lid, and which conveys the developer in the developing device case to the developer discharging port. In the developer discharging device of the developing device, which is provided with a driving means for driving the screw, a funnel for receiving the developer discharged from the developer discharging port, and a hose for guiding the developer from the funnel to the collecting container, A developer discharging device for a developing device, wherein the means includes a motor for driving the screw, and a motor control unit for intermittently driving and / or decelerating the motor for a predetermined time from the start of the screw.