JPH1069204A - Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To attach and detach a process cartridge to/from an image forming device main body in minimum space in a direction perpendicular to the bus of a photoreceptive drum. SOLUTION: A cylindrical coupling member 23 inputting driving force to the photoreceptive drum is fitted and inserted into a guide surface for a cartridge attaching means, and a cylindrical guide 45 and a rough guide 46 are used as whirl-stops. A cylindrical positioning boss 11h is used at an attaching position. Since an outermost coupling member is used as a guide, the measure of the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge is not made large, so that positioning is finally accurately made. Also, a rotation-stop member 11j is arranged on an upper side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge can be attached and detached. Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming method. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, a laser beam printer, an LED printer, and the like), a facsimile machine, a word processor, and the like.

A process cartridge is a cartridge in which a charging unit, a cleaning unit, and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is made detachable from an image forming apparatus main body. Further, the cleaning means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge so that the cleaning means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member can be detachably attached to the image forming apparatus main body. Since the user can attach / detach to / from the apparatus main body, maintenance of the apparatus main body can be easily performed.

[0003]

The present invention is a further development of the prior art described below.

An object of the present invention is to provide a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus which can be easily attached to and detached from the apparatus main body without increasing the width of the process cartridge and can be accurately positioned with respect to the apparatus main body.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a process cartridge detachably mountable to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body, wherein an electrophotographic photosensitive drum and toner remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum are removed. A cleaning member for removing, a toner storage unit for storing toner removed from the electrophotographic photosensitive drum by the cleaning member, and positioning of the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. In order to perform the operation, one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, which can be engaged with a main body positioning member provided on the apparatus main body, are coaxial with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. A positioning member protruding from the cartridge frame, and the process cartridge mounted on the apparatus main body. A force receiving portion that receives a force from an urging member provided in the apparatus main body when the electrophotographic photosensitive drum is disposed with respect to the toner storage portion. And restricting the process cartridge from rotating upward about the positioning member when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body by abutting a contact member provided on the apparatus main body. And a contact portion, which is located on the upper surface when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body and is located above the toner storage portion.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the positioning member is a circular member provided coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and the circular member is formed integrally with the cartridge frame by a resin material. A process cartridge according to a first aspect of the invention.

In a third aspect of the present invention, the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. The process cartridge according to the first aspect, further comprising a driving force receiving member that receives a driving force for rotating the photographic photosensitive drum.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the process cartridge, the side on which the electrophotographic photosensitive drum is disposed is directed forward from a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and the toner is The process cartridge according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein the housing is mounted to the main body of the apparatus with the storage section backward, and the force receiving section is disposed on a back surface of the process cartridge in a mounting direction.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, the contact portion includes:
The process cartridge according to the first invention, wherein the process cartridge is disposed at one end and the other end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum with respect to a longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, the contact portion includes:
The process cartridge according to the first or fourth invention, wherein the process cartridge is a rectangular member protruding from the upper surface.

According to a seventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method for cleaning the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the cleaning member being provided above the toner storage portion when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. The toner cartridge according to the first aspect of the present invention, wherein a toner transport path for transporting the toner transport direction rearward is disposed, and the contact portion is disposed above the toner transport path.

An eighth invention according to the present application is the process cartridge according to the seventh invention, wherein a plurality of toner conveying members that convey the toner by rotating are arranged in the toner conveying path.

A ninth invention according to the present application is the process cartridge according to the first invention, further comprising a charging member for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive drum.

According to a tenth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for detachably mounting a process cartridge and forming an image on a recording medium, comprising: a. An electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a cleaning member for removing toner remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and a toner storage unit for storing the toner removed from the electrophotographic photosensitive drum by the cleaning member. In order to position the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, one end in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, which can be engaged with a main body positioning member provided on the apparatus main body. A positioning member provided on the other end side so as to protrude from the cartridge frame coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and an attachment provided on the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. A force receiving portion for receiving a force from a biasing member; A force receiving portion disposed on the side opposite to the side on which the device is disposed, and a device main body for rotating the process cartridge upward around the positioning member when the process cartridge is mounted on the device main body. A surface that is located on the upper surface when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, for regulating by contacting with the provided contact member,
A mounting portion for detachably mounting a process cartridge having a contact portion disposed above the toner storage portion; b. A main body positioning member for engaging with a positioning member of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting portion; c. An elastic member for applying an elastic force to a force receiving portion of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting portion; d. An abutting member for abutting on an abutting portion of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting portion; e. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: a conveying unit for conveying the recording medium.

According to an eleventh aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developing unit for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting unit, and developing by the developing unit. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the tenth aspect, further comprising: a toner storage unit that stores the toner used for the image forming apparatus.

According to a twelfth aspect of the present invention, the developing means uses a black developing member for developing using black toner, a yellow developing member for developing using yellow toner, and a magenta toner. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to the tenth aspect, comprising: a magenta color developing member that performs development using a cyan toner; and a cyan color developing member that performs development using cyan toner.

[0017]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and this cartridge is used as an image forming apparatus. A process cartridge system detachable from the main body is employed. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be performed by the user himself without relying on a serviceman, so that the operability can be remarkably improved. Therefore, this process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.

When the life of the electrophotographic photosensitive member is prolonged and the number of printable sheets increases, the developing means which limits supply capacity is an independent unit, and the developing unit and the electrophotographic photosensitive member of the image forming process, charging means and cleaning means are integrated. Process cartridges, which facilitate the attachment / detachment to and maintenance of the apparatus main body, and how to use them in accordance with the life of the main components. The waste developer (toner) generated by cleaning in the process cartridge is stored in a cleaning container having a sufficient capacity for the life of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and is removed when the process cartridge is replaced.
Further, in the cleaning container, a partition wall for dividing the cleaning container into an electrophotographic photosensitive member side and a container rear side,
The image forming apparatus has an opening provided in the partition wall and a developer conveying means configured by a feed blade rotating in the cleaning container on the electrophotographic photosensitive member side.

With the prolongation of the life of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the waste toner accommodating portion of the process cartridge must accommodate residual toner on the electrophotographic photosensitive member after development and transfer generated by a plurality of developing devices. However, a larger capacity is required as compared with an integrated process cartridge in which most of the conventional process means are integrated. Therefore, due to the positional relationship with other units, the mounting and dismounting of the process cartridge is performed in a substantially horizontal direction parallel to the generatrix direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by providing a hole in the side plate of the image forming apparatus main body.

A process cartridge in which such an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging unit and a cleaning unit are integrated into a cartridge is attached to and detached from the apparatus main body from a horizontal direction perpendicular to the recording medium conveyance direction. For this reason, the apparatus main body is provided with an opening for inserting and ejecting the process cartridge in the side plate on the front side in the same direction.

[0021]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

In the following description, the short direction of the process cartridge B is the direction in which the process cartridge B is attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 14, and coincides with the recording medium transport direction. The longitudinal direction of the process cartridge B is a direction (direction substantially perpendicular to) that intersects with the direction in which the process cartridge B is attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 14, that is parallel to the surface of the recording medium, and that the recording medium is conveyed. The direction intersects (substantially orthogonal). Further, the left and right of the process cartridge are right or left when the recording medium is viewed from above according to the transport direction of the recording medium.

(Embodiment 1) Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

<< Overall Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus >> FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an entire electrophotographic image forming apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as an image forming apparatus) according to the present invention.

First, an outline of the entire image forming apparatus A will be described with reference to FIG. The image forming apparatus A shown in FIG. 1 is a four-color full-color laser beam printer.

The image forming apparatus A shown in FIG. 1 includes a drum-type electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter, referred to as a "photosensitive drum") 1 as a first image carrier. The photosensitive drum 1
It is rotated counterclockwise in the figure by a driving unit (not shown). A charging device 2 for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 in order according to the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 1 irradiates a laser beam based on image information to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1 around the photosensitive drum 1. Exposure means 3 for forming, a developing device 4 for attaching toner to the electrostatic latent image and developing it as a toner image, and a transfer unit 5 as a second image carrier to which the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 is primarily transferred A cleaning device 6 for removing residual toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 after the primary transfer is provided.

Here, the photosensitive drum 1, the charging device 2, and the cleaning device 6 for removing toner are integrated into a cartridge to form a process cartridge B, which can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 14 of the image forming apparatus A. I have.

In addition, a recording medium (third image carrier) S
And a fixing unit 8 for fixing the toner image to the recording medium S after the secondary transfer, while feeding the recording medium S toward the transfer unit 5.

Hereinafter, the photosensitive drum 1 will be described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 20, for example, the photosensitive drum 1 is formed by applying an organic photoconductor layer (OPC photosensitive member) to the outer peripheral surface of an aluminum cylinder 1c having a diameter of about 47 mm. The photosensitive drum 1 is rotatably supported at both ends by a support member, and is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow by transmitting a driving force from a driving motor (not shown) to one end. .

The charging device 2 is described in, for example,
A so-called contact charging type as shown in JP-A-149669 can be used. The charging member is a conductive roller formed in the shape of a roller. The roller is brought into contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 1, and a charging bias voltage is applied to the roller by a power supply (not shown). This is for uniformly charging the surface of the drum 1.

The exposure means 3 has a polygon mirror 3a, and the polygon mirror 3a is irradiated with image light corresponding to an image signal by a laser diode (not shown). The polygon mirror 3a is rotated at a high speed by a scanner motor (not shown), and selectively exposes the surface of the charged photosensitive drum 1 to the reflected image light via the imaging lens 3b, the reflection mirror 3c, and the like. It is configured to form an electrostatic latent image.

The developing device 4 contains a rotating member 4A rotatable around an axis 4d and four developing devices mounted thereon, ie, toners of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, respectively. Developing units 4Y, 4M, 4C,
4Bk. When the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1 is developed, a predetermined developing device of a color to be attached to the electrostatic latent image is arranged at a developing position. That is, the predetermined developing device is stopped at the developing position facing the photosensitive drum 1 by the index rotation of the rotating body 4A, and the developing sleeve 4 of the developing device is further stopped.
After b is positioned so as to face the photosensitive drum 1 with a minute gap (about 300 μm), the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1 is developed. This development is performed as follows. The toner in the container of the developing device corresponding to the color to be developed is sent to the application roller 4a by the feeding mechanism,
A thin layer of toner is applied to the outer periphery of the rotating developing sleeve 4b by the rotating application roller 4a and the toner setting blade 4c, and a charge is applied to the toner (frictional charging).
By applying a developing bias between the developing sleeve 4b and the photosensitive drum 1 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed,
This is to develop a toner image by attaching a toner image to the electrostatic latent image. Further, each of the developing devices 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4B
The k developing sleeve 4b is connected to a high voltage power source for each color provided in the image forming apparatus main body 14 when each developing device is arranged at the developing position. A voltage is selectively applied. Each developing unit 4
Y, 4M, 4C, and 4Bk are configured to be detachable from the rotator 4A, and the rotator 4A is detachable from the apparatus body 14.

Transfer unit 5 as second image carrier
Is to collectively transfer a plurality of toner images sequentially primary-transferred and superposed from the photosensitive drum 1 to the recording medium S in a batch. The transfer unit 5 includes an intermediate transfer belt 5a that runs in the direction of arrow R5. The intermediate transfer belt 5a of the present embodiment is a belt having a circumference of about 440 mm, and is stretched around three rollers: a driving roller 5b, a secondary transfer facing roller 5c, and a driven roller 5d. A pressing roller 5 that retreats so as to take a position where the intermediate transfer belt 5a is pressed against the photosensitive drum 1 close to the driven roller 5d and a position where the intermediate transfer belt 5a is separated from the photosensitive drum 1.
j. The intermediate transfer belt 5a is
The vehicle travels in the direction of arrow R5 by the rotation of b. further,
At a predetermined position outside the intermediate transfer belt 5a, a cleaning unit 5e capable of coming in contact with and separating from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 5a is provided.
Is provided, and the transfer residual toner remaining after the secondary transfer is collectively removed on a recording medium S described later. The cleaning unit 5e brings the charging roller 5f into contact with the intermediate transfer belt 5a to give the toner a charge opposite to that at the time of transfer. The toner to which the opposite charge has been applied is electrostatically attached to the photosensitive drum 1 and then collected by a cleaning device 6 for the photosensitive drum 1 described later. The method of cleaning the intermediate transfer belt 5a is not limited to the above-described electrostatic cleaning, but may be a mechanical method such as a blade or a fur brush, or a method using both of them.

After the toner developed on the photosensitive drum 1 by the developing device 4 is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 5a, the cleaning device 6 is a so-called transfer residue remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 without being primary-transferred. This is to remove the toner. In the cleaning device 6 shown in FIG. 5, the transfer residual toner is accumulated in the cleaning container 11a. In FIG. 1, the inside of the cleaning container 11a is not shown, and will be described later in detail.

The feeding / conveying means 7 sends the recording medium S to the image forming section.
The image forming apparatus includes a paper feed cassette 7a in which a plurality of recording media S are stored and which is loaded in a lower portion of the image forming apparatus main body 14. At the time of image formation, the pickup member 7e and the transport roller 7b are driven and rotated in accordance with the image forming operation to separate and feed the recording medium S in the sheet feeding cassette 7a one by one, and to guide the recording medium S by the guide plate 7c, and to register the registration medium 7d. And is fed to the intermediate transfer belt 5a.

The fixing device 8 fixes a plurality of toner images secondary-transferred onto the recording medium S. As shown in FIG. 1, the driving roller 8a is driven to rotate, and the recording medium is pressed against the driving roller 8a. And a fixing roller 8b for applying heat and pressure to S. That is, the recording medium S that has passed through the secondary transfer roller 5n that collectively transfers the toner on the intermediate transfer belt 5a is conveyed by the driving roller 8a when passing through the fixing device 8, and the heat and pressure are reduced by the fixing roller 8b. Applied. As a result, the toner images of a plurality of colors are fixed on the surface of the recording medium S.

Next, the image forming operation of the above-described image forming apparatus will be described.

The photosensitive drum 1 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow in FIG. 1 (counterclockwise) in synchronization with the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 5a, and the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is uniformly charged by the charging device 2 and exposed. The yellow image is irradiated by the means 3 to form a yellow electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1. Simultaneously with the formation of the electrostatic latent image, the developing device 4 is driven to dispose the yellow developing unit 4Y at the developing position, and the photosensitive drum 1 is moved so that the yellow toner adheres to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 1. A voltage having the same polarity as the charging polarity and substantially the same potential is applied to cause the yellow toner to adhere to the electrostatic latent image for development. A voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner is applied to the primary transfer roller (driven roller) 5d, and the yellow toner image on the photosensitive drum 1 is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 5a.

When the primary transfer of the yellow toner image is completed as described above, the next developing unit rotates and is positioned at the developing position opposite to the photosensitive drum 1, and the magenta and yellow toner images are moved in the same manner as in the case of yellow. The formation, development, and primary transfer of the electrostatic latent image are sequentially performed for each of the cyan and black colors, and four color toner images are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 5a. These toner images are collectively and secondarily transferred onto the recording medium S supplied from the feeding / conveying means 7.

Then, the recording medium S after the secondary transfer is fixed to the fixing device 8.
Here, after fixing the toner image, the image forming apparatus main body 14 is driven by the discharge roller 9 driven by the belt 9a moving in the illustrated arrow direction and the belt 9a wound around the belt 9a.
The image is discharged onto the external discharge tray 10 and the image formation is completed.

Next, the mounting of the process cartridge B to the image forming apparatus main body 14 will be briefly described.

When the process cartridge B is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 14, a cartridge guide 50 for guiding the process cartridge B to the image forming apparatus main body 14 is movable in the image forming apparatus main body 14, as shown in FIG. It has a configuration. 15 and 16 with respect to the cartridge guide 50 pulled out.
As shown in FIG. 17, the shaft coupling member 23 of the process cartridge B is guided along the guide surface 51 of the cartridge guide 50, and the shaft coupling member 23 concentric with the center of the photosensitive drum 1 of the process cartridge B as shown in FIG. The cylindrical positioning bosses 11h arranged in the axial direction enter the U groove 52 of the cartridge guide 50, and the U
And is attached to the cartridge guide 50 as shown in FIG.

Further, by placing the cartridge guide 50 in the image forming apparatus A, an image can be formed as shown in FIG.

{Frame of Process Cartridge} As shown in FIG. 3, the cartridge frame 11 of the process cartridge B has a drum supporting portion 11d extending to both ends of the photosensitive drum 1 and the charging device 2 in the longitudinal direction. A cleaning container 11a having a member mounting portion 11m and a charging device supporting portion 11e, and a rear container 11b joined to the rear end of the cleaning container 11a by ultrasonic waves are provided.
As shown in FIG. 6, a gear cover (one side cover) 11c is fixed on the driving side in the longitudinal direction across the cleaning container 11a and the rear container 11b, and a side cover 11f is provided on the non-driving side in the longitudinal direction. Fixed. A charging device cover 11g that covers the longitudinal direction of the charging device 2 and both ends thereof is attached. A charging device cover 11g that covers the charging device 2 is attached to the cleaning frame 11a.

A drum shutter 18 is provided on the cleaning container 11a to protect the photosensitive drum 1 from being touched by external light and people when the photosensitive drum 1 is taken out of the apparatus main body 14.

{Process Cartridge} As shown in FIG. 3, the process cartridge B is provided with a charging device 2 and a cleaning device 6 around a photosensitive drum 1, and these are integrated by a cartridge frame 11 to form a cartridge guide 50. It is configured to be removable.

As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the photosensitive drum 1 is rotatably supported by a cleaning container 11a of a cleaning device. The photosensitive drum 1 is fixed by fitting drum flanges 1a and 1b to both ends of an aluminum cylinder 1c, and caulking four places around the end of the aluminum cylinder 1c by 1 m. The maximum diameter portions of the drum support shafts 1d and 1e are press-fitted and fixed to the center of each of the drum flanges 1a and 1b. Drum support shaft 1d,
1e is a drum supporting portion 1 of the cleaning container 11a.
1d, gear cover 11c, side cover 11
The ball bearing 21 and the synthetic resin bush 22 which are fixed and supported so as not to escape in the axial direction by f, are rotatably supported.

To mount the process cartridge B on the apparatus main body 14, the cleaning container 11a is provided with a cylindrical positioning boss 11h integrally with the gear cover 11c and the side cover 11f. A rotation stopper 11j is integrally provided on the upper surface 11i of the cleaning container 11a (FIGS. 3, 6, 9 to 11, and 1).
3, see FIGS. 15 to 19).

The positioning boss 11h is connected to the drum support shaft 1d,
The shaft coupling members 23 and 24 attached to 1e are provided close to the axial direction. The diameter of the positioning boss 11h is slightly larger than the diameter of the shaft coupling members 23 and 24. The position of the outer end surface of the cylindrical positioning boss 11h in the longitudinal direction is the same as or the inside of the longitudinal position of the outer plate portions of the gear cover 11c and the side cover 11f. On the other hand, the longitudinal positions of the shaft coupling members 23 and 24 are outside the outer plate portion. The outer shape D1 of the cylindrical positioning boss 11h and the outer shape D2 of the shaft coupling members 23 and 24
Is D1> D2.

At a position upstream of the shaft coupling member 23 in the insertion direction of the process cartridge B, there is a waste toner transport system drive input means 44 as shown in FIGS. The waste toner transport drive input means 44 is protected by a second cylindrical boss 45 integral with the gear cover 11c fixed to the cleaning container 11a. The position of the second cylindrical boss 45 in the longitudinal direction is outside the outer plate portion of the gear cover 11c and inside the outermost portion of the shaft coupling member 23 in the longitudinal direction. The relationship between the outer diameter D3 of the second cylindrical boss 45 and the outer diameter D2 of the shaft coupling members 23 and 24 is D3 <D2.

A rough guide 46 is provided integrally with the gear cover 11c upstream of the shaft coupling members 23 and 24 in the insertion direction and downstream of the second cylindrical boss 45. The rough guide 46 is located above an axis connecting the center of the shaft coupling member 23 and the center of the second cylindrical boss 45.
The position of the rough guide 46 in the longitudinal direction is outside the outer plate portion of the gear cover 11c and inside the outermost longitudinal portion of the shaft coupling member 23.

An anti-rotation member 11j is provided on the upper surface 11i of the cleaning container 11a on the upstream side in the loading direction from the second cylindrical boss 45.

{Movable body for attaching / detaching process cartridge} Here, the cartridge guide 50 having a drawer mechanism used for attaching / detaching the process cartridge will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

A groove-shaped guide surface 51 for inserting the process cartridge B into the cartridge guide 50 is provided on the inner side surface 50b of the side plate portion 50a of the cartridge guide 50.
Are provided symmetrically. A part of the guide surface 51 on the drive side has a notch 51a that matches a through hole 50c provided in the side plate portion 50a for driving input from the apparatus main body 14 to the waste toner transport system drive input means 44. Guide surface 5
An engagement member 54 that engages with the cylindrical positioning boss 11h is provided on the downstream side in the insertion direction and the inside in the longitudinal direction from 1. The engagement member 54 has a half-pipe shape having an upward opening, and has a U-shaped groove 52 formed therein.

When the cartridge guide 50 is inserted into the image forming apparatus main body 14 on the rearmost plate 55 on the most upstream side in the insertion direction, the rearmost side portion 11D on the most upstream side in the insertion direction of the cartridge frame 11 of the process cartridge B is pressed. Pressing member 56 is provided.

The pressing member 56 is an elastic member such as a leaf spring provided on an inner surface of an opening / closing member (not shown) that opens and closes an opening 14b provided on the rear side surface portion 14a (see FIG. 19) of the apparatus main body 14. Yes, cartridge guide 50
The process cartridge B attached to the cartridge 50 with the pressing member 56 entering the cartridge 50
An opening 56a is provided so as to press the rear container 11b.

Further, the opposite side plate portion 50a of the cartridge guide 50 comes into contact with the side surface portion (side cover 11f) of the process cartridge B from both inside and outside the longitudinal direction of the side plate portion 50a.
Urging member 57 configured to be able to urge in the longitudinal direction
Is provided.

This urging member 57 is a leaf spring,
As shown in FIG. 4, the side plate portion 50a of the cartridge guide 50
The two ends are fixed to the upper and lower sides of an opening 57a provided by a small screw 57b, and the two ends are almost crank-shaped except for both ends. One corner 57c of this crank projects inward from the inner side surface of the side plate portion 50a, The other corner 57d protrudes outward from the outer surface of the side plate portion 50a. Therefore, the process cartridge B is moved to the cartridge guide 50.
When the plate spring is pushed in as shown by the arrow A in the sectional view of the leaf spring shown in FIG. 14, the longitudinal side surface of the process cartridge B is pressed by the corner 57c side of the pressing member 57, and the process cartridge B is mounted on the cartridge guide 50. In this state, the process cartridge B presses the corner 57c of the leaf spring, and the process cartridge B is pressed by the inner plate portion 50b on the driving side of the cartridge guide 50.
When the cartridge guide 50 is inserted into the apparatus main body 14, the member on the apparatus main body 14 presses the corner 57d of the leaf spring, and the cartridge guide 50 is moved to the drive main body 14 on the drive side.
And presses the process cartridge B further on the inner surface 50b on the drive side. Here, the driving side is the right side when the mounting and insertion directions of the process cartridge B and the cartridge guide 50 are viewed from above, and the shaft coupling member on the apparatus body 14 side is disposed on this side.

<< Mounting / Removing Operation of Process Cartridge to / from Moving Body >> Here, the attaching / detaching operation of the process cartridge B to / from the moving body will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 15 to 18 are side views of the driving side plate 50a seen through from the outside.

As shown in FIG. 15, the outer diameter portion of the shaft coupling member 23 fixed to the photosensitive drum 1 is placed on the guide surface 51 of the cartridge 50 while the shaft coupling member 23 is moved in the insertion direction.
I will guide you. At this time, the drive side guide portion has a notch 51a, but the notch width D4 is different from that of the shaft coupling member 23.
Is smaller than the outer diameter D2 of the shaft coupling member 23 during insertion.
Does not fall into the notch 51a, and the notch 5 is formed on the guide surface 51 with which the shaft coupling member 24 on the non-drive side engages.
Since there is no 1a, the process cartridge B is smoothly inserted when the rear and upper handles 11r and 11r1 (see FIG. 3) are held by hand (see FIG. 16).

The process cartridge B reaches the position shown in FIG.
Is inserted, the second cylindrical boss 45 and the rough guide 46 are also guided by the guide surface 51. Second cylindrical boss 4
5 has a rotation stopping function for preventing the rear part of the process cartridge B in the insertion direction from rotating about the shaft coupling member 23 in the downward direction. Since the rear portion has a rotation stopping function for preventing the rear portion from rotating upward, erroneous insertion of the process cartridge B is unlikely to occur.

When the process cartridge B is further inserted, as shown in FIG. 17, the shaft coupling member 23 passes through the guide surface 51, and replaces with the cylindrical positioning boss 11h.
Engages with the engagement member 54. Thus, the position of the center of the photosensitive drum 1 of the process cartridge B is determined with respect to the cartridge guide 50. At this time, since the outer diameter of the cylindrical positioning boss 11h is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft coupling member 23, the engaging member 54 and the shaft coupling member 23 may interfere in the longitudinal direction and affect the drive input. Absent.

At this time, the second cylindrical boss 45 also engages with the notch 51a in the middle of the drive side guide member, and the attitude of the process cartridge B is provisionally positioned with respect to the cartridge guide 50. At this time, the urging member 57 provided on the cartridge guide 50 urges the opposite side cover 11f fixed to the cleaning container 11a. As a result, the process cartridge B is urged toward the drive side, and the gear cover 11c on the drive side abuts against the inner side surface 50b of the cartridge guide 50, thereby determining the position of the process cartridge B in the longitudinal direction.

In these cases, since the shaft coupling member 23 is located at the outermost side in the longitudinal direction, the drive input stroke from the apparatus body 14 may be short. Further, since the shaft coupling member 23 is guided by the guide surface 51, it is not necessary to provide a new insertion guide on the side surface in the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge B, so that space in the longitudinal direction can be saved. Also,
The cylindrical boss 45 and the rough guide 46 serving as the second guide portion are also guided by the guide surface 51 when the cartridge guide 50 is inserted, so that rotation around the shaft coupling member 23 can be restricted, and operation is prevented while preventing erroneous insertion. Performance can be improved. Since the engaging member 54 of the cartridge guide 50 is arranged so as to engage with the cylindrical positioning boss 11h located inside the shaft coupling member 23 in the longitudinal direction, space in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge guide 50 can be reduced. Can be.

Although the above description has been made on the drive side, the shaft coupling member 24 on the non-drive side operates in a similar manner. That is, the notch 51a does not exist in the guide surface 51 with which the shaft coupling member 24 on the non-drive side engages. The guide surface 51 has the same shape and the same size on the left and right as viewed from the insertion direction of the process cartridge B, and the shaft coupling members 23 and 24 have the same diameter and are on the axis of the photosensitive drum 1. The shaft coupling member 24 on the side moves on the guide surface 51 where the notch 51 a does not exist, and is fitted into the U groove 52 for positioning simultaneously with the shaft coupling member 23. If only the outer diameter and the width are symmetrical with respect to the shaft coupling member 24, the shaft coupling member 24 does not function as a shaft coupling.

{Parts Related to Mounting / Removing Process Cartridge in Image Forming Apparatus Main Body} Next, parts relating to mounting / dismounting of the process cartridge in the image forming apparatus main body will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

On the side surface of the image forming apparatus main body 14, the photosensitive drum 1 is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum 1.
The rear surface 14a of the main body opposite to the developing device 4 when viewed from the
There is an opening 14b for inserting the cartridge guide 50 on which the process cartridge B is mounted. Rail members (not shown) are provided on both side surfaces in the longitudinal direction of the opening 14b in the insertion direction, and guide the guide members (not shown) on both side surfaces of the cartridge guide 50. When the cartridge guide 50 and the process cartridge B are inserted into predetermined positions in the image forming apparatus main body 14, the cartridge guide 50 and the process cartridge B are inserted into a position where they engage with the cylindrical positioning boss 11 h provided on the cartridge frame 11 of the process cartridge B. There is a main body engaging member 14c in the form of a half pipe facing the opening direction. Further, as a part of the scanner lower cover 3d, a rotation stopping member 3e for rotating the process cartridge B around the photosensitive drum 1 is provided.

{Mounting and Demounting of Movable Body and Process Cartridge in Image Forming Apparatus Main Body}
A cartridge guide 50 extends along a rail member (not shown).
Is pulled out to a position outside the predetermined apparatus main body 14. Cartridge guide 5 on which process cartridge B is mounted
No. 0 is inserted into the image forming apparatus main body 14 by pushing the rear plate 55 on the upstream side in the insertion direction of the cartridge guide 50.
When the cartridge guide 50 reaches a predetermined position, the cylindrical positioning boss 11h of the process cartridge B engages with the half-pipe-shaped main body engaging member 14c that is open facing the insertion direction. In this state, the engaging member 54 of the cartridge guide and the main body engaging member 14c are adjacent in the longitudinal direction, and both are in contact with the outer periphery of the positioning boss 11h. Thus, only one position of the process cartridge B is determined with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 14. At this time, the process cartridge B is not positioned in the rotation direction about the center of the photosensitive drum 1 as a fulcrum. Also,
When the cartridge guide 50 reaches the predetermined position, the urging member 57 abuts on the non-driving side inner wall portion (not shown) of the image forming apparatus main body 14 and is urged to the driving side in the image forming apparatus main body 14. I have. Thereby, the cartridge guide 50
Is urged toward the drive side, and abuts against the drive-side inner wall portion of the image forming apparatus main body 14 to determine the position of the cartridge guide 50 in the longitudinal direction. At this time, the cartridge guide 5
Since the position of the process cartridge B in the longitudinal direction is also determined with respect to 0, the position of the process cartridge B in the longitudinal direction with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 14 is also determined by abutting on the drive side.

Further, the rear side plate 55 on the upstream side in the insertion direction of the cartridge guide 50 forms a part of the rear side surface portion 14a of the image forming apparatus main body 14 when the cartridge guide 50 is inserted into a predetermined position in the apparatus main body 14. Form. A pressing member 56 provided on a part of the upstream rear side plate 55 in the insertion direction of the cartridge guide 50 inserted into the apparatus main body 14 at a predetermined position in the apparatus main body 14 is used. 19, the pressing direction is deviated from the center of the photosensitive drum 1 as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 19, so that an upward rotation is generated around the photosensitive drum 1 at the rear of the process cartridge B. Since this rotation direction also coincides with the drive direction of the photosensitive drum 1, the rotation stopper 11j on the upper surface 11i of the process cartridge B is abutted against the rotation stopper 3e in the image forming apparatus main body 14. The attitude of the process cartridge B in the apparatus main body 14 is determined.

In these cases, the main body positioning member 14c for positioning the main body engages with the cylindrical positioning boss 11h of the process cartridge B, whereby the cylindrical positioning boss 11h is engaged.
Can also be positioned at one point with respect to the cartridge guide 50 which has been engaged with the photosensitive drum 1 between the apparatus main body 14 and the cartridge guide 50. There is no need to provide a positioning member, and space can be saved. Further, when the process cartridge B is mounted on the cartridge guide 50 by one urging member provided on the cartridge guide 50, the process cartridge B is abutted against the drive side of the cartridge guide 50 and positioned. Cartridge guide 5 when inserted inside
By abutting 0 on the main body drive side and positioning,
The drive input means of the photosensitive drum 1 is urged toward the drive side, the drive input is reliably performed, and the drive input stroke can be minimized to simplify the drive input configuration. Further, the pressing member 56 of the cartridge guide 50 causes the process cartridge B to generate the same rotational moment as the drive rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 1 centering on the drive input means of the photosensitive drum 1, and the rotation stop member 11j on the upper surface of the process cartridge. By determining the posture by abutting the apparatus main body 14, the process cartridge B can be reliably positioned with respect to the apparatus main body 14.

In the process cartridge and the cartridge guide, since the input means to the photosensitive drum is located at the outermost side in the longitudinal direction, the drive input stroke from the apparatus main body side may be short. Further, since the input means to the photosensitive drum is guided by the cartridge guide, there is no need to provide a new insertion guide on the side surface in the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge, so that space in the longitudinal direction can be saved.
In addition, the cylindrical boss and the rough guide of the second guide portion are also guided by the guide surface when the cartridge guide is inserted, so that rotation around the input means to the photosensitive drum as a fulcrum can be restricted, and operation is performed while preventing incorrect insertion. Performance can be improved. Since the engaging member of the cartridge guide is arranged to engage with the cylindrical positioning boss located inside the input means to the photosensitive drum in the longitudinal direction, space in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge guide can be saved. .

When the process cartridge mounted on the cartridge guide is attached and detached together with the cartridge guide, the engaging member of the apparatus main body positioning member engages with the cylindrical positioning boss of the process cartridge, thereby engaging with the cylindrical positioning boss. Positioning can be performed at one point with respect to the cartridge guide that has been fitted, and there is no need to newly provide a positioning member between the apparatus main body and the cartridge guide, and space can be saved. In addition, a single urging member provided on the cartridge guide positions the process cartridge against the drive side of the cartridge guide when the process cartridge is mounted on the cartridge guide, and locks the cartridge guide when the cartridge guide is inserted into the main body. The input means of the photosensitive drum is biased toward the drive side by abutting and positioning the drive input side, so that the drive input is reliably performed and the drive input stroke is minimized to simplify the drive input configuration. Can be. Furthermore, the pressing member of the cartridge guide causes the process cartridge to generate the same rotational moment as the driving rotation direction of the photosensitive drum at the center of the input means of the photosensitive drum. Is determined, the process cartridge can be reliably positioned with respect to the apparatus main body.

Next, the description of the structure of the process cartridge will be supplemented.

The shaft coupling members 23 and 24 are fitted to the shaft ends of the drum supporting shafts 1d and 1e, respectively. The inner joint member 23 is a force receiving member that receives a rotational force from the apparatus main body 14 side. The same member as the shaft coupling member 23 is used for the shaft coupling member 24, but is not related to the driving means on the apparatus main body 14 side.
Only functions as a guide member for As shown in FIG. 21B, the drum support shafts 1d and 1e and the shaft coupling member 2
The cross-sections of the fitting portions 3 and 24 are both D-cut, and the circumferential grooves 1d of the arc portions provided on the drum support shafts 11d and 1e.
Protrusions 23a, 24a into which a part of the D-cut holes of the shaft coupling members 23, 24 are respectively provided are provided in the shaft joint members 1 and 1e1.
The projections 23a and 24b are formed by providing grooves 23b and 24b in the axial direction, and are formed by axial projections 23c and 24c.
It is provided in.

As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the charging device 2 employs a contact charging method, in which a conductive rubber 2b is provided on the outer periphery of a metal shaft 2a supported at both ends and parallel to the photosensitive drum 1. The roller 2c is used. This metal shaft 2
Both ends of “a” are rotatably fitted to a charging roller bearing 25 which is movably fitted to a bearing guide 11 l (ell) of the photosensitive drum 1 which faces in the radial direction. The charging roller 2c is connected to the photosensitive drum 1 by a composite spring 26 contracted between the charging roller bearing 25 and the end of the bearing guide 11l.
, And is driven to rotate by the photosensitive drum 1.

The cleaning device 6 cleans the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 after the toner visualized on the photosensitive drum 1 by the developing device 4 is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 5a. The cleaned waste toner is stored in the cleaning container 11a. The amount of waste toner stored in the cleaning container 11a does not fill the cleaning container 11a earlier than the life of the photosensitive drum 1, and therefore, the cleaning container 11a is integrally replaced when the life of the photosensitive drum 1 is replaced.

The cleaning device 6 includes a cleaning roller 27 and a cleaning blade 28 as shown in FIG.
Are provided adjacent to each other in the moving direction of the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 in this order. The cleaning roller 27 is provided with a soft cleaning member 27b, such as sponge rubber, integrally provided around a cleaning roller shaft 27a. The cleaning member 27b extends in parallel with the photosensitive drum 1 near the entire width of the photosensitive drum 1. We are in pressure contact. The cleaning roller shaft 27a protrudes from both ends of the cleaning member 27b, and this protruding portion is connected to side plates 11k on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning container 11a (FIG. 2).
7, see FIG. 31). The cleaning roller gear 27c and the journal 27d are rotatably supported by a fitting portion having a D-shaped cross section.

As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning blade 28 is parallel to the photosensitive drum 1 and has a plate-like shape as a whole. A rubber blade 28a that is in pressure contact with the body drum 1 and a supporting metal plate 28b to which the rubber blade 28a is fixed by bonding, welding, or the like. The cleaning blade 28 has substantially the same length as the cleaning member 27b of the cleaning roller 27, and the supporting metal plate 28b has an L-shaped cross section, and cutouts at both ends are integrally formed with the cleaning container 11a. The cleaning container 11 is fitted and positioned with a small screw (not shown).
a.

The squeeze sheet 29 is an elastic sheet and allows the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 after the transfer to pass therethrough, but slips between the squeeze sheet 29 and the photosensitive drum 1 from inside the cleaning container 11a to transfer the toner after the transfer. Lightly pressed against the photosensitive drum 1 to the extent that the residual toner does not leak.

The cleaning container 11a is a closed container having the rear container 11b at the rear in the direction of insertion into the apparatus main body 14 and the opening 11n facing the photosensitive drum 1 as described above. The inside is partitioned by a partitioning member 41 inside the cleaning container. When the process cartridge B is mounted on the apparatus main body 14, the inside is partitioned by the toner transport section 11A which is located above and the toner storage section 11B which is located below the toner transport section. Partitioned by a member 41a.
In a state where the process cartridge B is mounted on the apparatus main body 14, the toner transporting section partitioning member 41a is disposed so as to rise as a whole as the distance from the photosensitive drum 1 increases (see FIGS. 3 and 44 (between Ero)). reference).

The toner transport section 11A is divided into a first toner transport section 11A1, a second toner transport section 11A2, and a third toner transport section 11A3 by a toner transport section partition member 41b. 41c
The space between the rear container 11b and the rear container 11b is a part of the toner storage unit 11B.

The toner storage portion 11B is partitioned by a partition member 41d in the toner storage portion. The rear plate 41c of the partitioning member 41 in the cleaning container is substantially a partitioning member in the toner container. The toner storage portion 11B is divided into the first, second, and third toner storage portions 11B1, 11B2 by the partition member 41d in the toner storage portion and the rear plate 41c.
11B3.

Each of the toner conveying sections 11A1, 11A2, 11
A3 is provided with a rotary plate 19 as a feeding member for sending toner.
a, 19b, 19c and 19d are provided, each of which rotates counterclockwise about the axis C.

The rotary plate 19 (19a, 19b, 19
c, 19d) are the partition members 41 in the toner conveying section 11A.
b (see FIGS. 3 and 44), the side plate 41 of the partitioning member 41 in the cleaning container as shown in FIG.
The two ends are rotatably loosely fitted into the round holes 41n drilled in m. The two end portions of the rotating plate 19 are narrower than the width of the portion between the side plates 41m on both sides.
e, and the drive gear 31 (3
1a, 31b, 31c, 31d) and the journal 32
When the respective slits 31s, 32s of (32a, 32b, 32c, 32d) are fitted, respectively, these slits 31
A centering protruding piece 19f is provided which fits closely into the hole 30 provided on the back side of the holes 30s and 32s. Therefore, the driving gear 3
1 to bearing holes 12 (12a, 12b, 12c, 12
d), the slits 31 s and 32 s are fitted and pushed into the extending portion 19 e of the rotating plate 19, and the centering protruding piece 19 f is driven by the drive gear 31 and the hole 30 of the journal 32.
, The edge of the round hole 41n provided in the side plate 41m of the partitioning member 41 in the cleaning container does not come into contact with the extension 19e of the rotating plate 19.

Each of the rotating plates 19a, 19b, and 19c has a feed blade 17 made of a flexible sheet having a thickness of about 50 μm at each edge. The feed blade 17 is connected to a rotating plate 19
When (19a, 19b, 19c) rotates, the respective feed blades 17 are deflected to separate the toner conveying unit partitioning members 41a.
, The first toner transport section 11A1 is within the lower right quadrant, and the second and third toner transport sections 11A2, 11A3
Are arc-shaped portions 41a1 and 41a of approximately quadrants near the rear portion immediately below.
2, 41a3 are provided.

The center of the member for conveying the waste toner, such as the rotating plates 19a, 19b, and 19c, is also arranged at a position higher in order as the distance from the photosensitive drum 1 increases.

A transport opening 41e is provided between the toner transport sections 11A below the partitioning member 41b inside the toner transport section, and the toner transport sections 11A communicate with each other.

The toner conveying section partition member 41a has storage openings 41f1, 41f2, 41f3, 41f4, 41f.
5 are provided, and the toner conveying section 11A and the toner storing section 11 are provided.
B (see FIGS. 3, 44 and 45).

When the rotary plate 19a rotates counterclockwise, the storage opening 41f1 is used to move the first and second transport units 11A1 and 11A.
Each toner transport section 11A1,1 between the transport openings 41e between the two
The waste toner discharged to the first toner conveying unit 11A1 is provided on the side of the raised ridge line 41g1 of the toner conveying unit partition member 41a in 1A2 (substantially immediately below the conveying opening 41e and at the end of the circular arc portion 41a1). First, the toner is fed from the storage opening 41f1 of the toner transport section 11A1 to the first toner storage section 11B1.

The second and third toner conveying sections 11A2 and 11
The storage openings 41f2 and 41f4 in A3 are provided at the lowest portions of the arc portions 41a2 and 41a3, respectively, and communicate with the first and second toner storage chambers 11B1 and 11B2, respectively. Storage opening 41 provided in second toner transport section 11A2
f3 is open on the front side of the toner storage section 11B2,
The openings are provided for the second and third toner conveying units 11A2 and 11A.
It is provided on the opposite side of the raised ridgeline 41g2 of the toner conveying section partitioning member 41a between A3.

The storage opening 4 of the third toner conveying section 11A3
1f5 is a position where the waste toner is fed into the third toner storage portion 11B3 when the rotating plate 19c rotates counterclockwise and the feed blade 17 lifts the waste toner to the ridgeline 41g3 along the arc portion 41a3.

The partitioning member 41a, the partitioning member 41b, and the rear plate 41 described in FIG.
(c) Both ends in the longitudinal direction of the partition member 41d in the toner storage unit and the upper surface portion 41r to be described later are integrally joined by a side plate 41m as shown in FIG. 31 (the partition member 41b in the toner transport unit is not shown). It has become.

As shown in FIG. 31 in an exploded perspective view, a large opening is provided between the toner container 11a and the rear container 11b.
It is inserted into 1a and assembled.

The side plates 11 on both sides of the cleaning container 11a
Inside the container k, an in-container guide 11o (O) is provided in parallel. During the insertion of the cleaning container partition member 41 into the cleaning container 11a, the toner storage member partition member 41 is inserted into the container guide 11o (O).
Guide grooves 41s provided on both lower edges in the longitudinal direction of d engage with each other, and the bottom of the guide groove 41s is guided along the upper edge of the in-container guide 11o (O).

As shown in FIG. 3, a mounting plate 41i is provided at a front portion in parallel with the partition member 41d in the toner storage section, and a positioning projection 11p formed integrally with the toner container 11a.
The positioning hole 41j is fitted into the mounting plate 41i, and the tip is inserted up to the root of the tapered positioning projection 11p. Then, the snap-fit positioning portion 41k provided on the upper surface of the partitioning member 41 in the cleaning container engages with the inner corner of the position where the upper surface portion 11i of the toner container 11a ends on the front side as shown in FIG. . In this state, as shown in FIG. 44, the upper end surface 41 of the rearmost partition wall 41 in the toner transport section.
“v” contacts the inner wall of the upper surface of the cleaning container 11a. As shown in FIG. 31, the snap-fit positioning portion 41k is provided on the upper surface portion 41r of the partition member 41 in the cleaning container.
In this case, an inverted claw is provided at the tip of a protruding portion cut into a U-shape.

The side plates 11k on both sides of the toner container 11a have bearing holes 12a, 12b, 12
c and 27e are opened. A bearing hole 12d (see FIG. 42) is also formed in the side plate of the rear container 11b.
Each of the bearing holes 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, and 27e has a cleaning roller gear 27 on the driving side.
c, drive gears 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d (31d
(Not shown) is rotatably fitted to the journal portion 31j, and the gear portion is out of the cleaning container 11a. The journals 27d, 32a, 3
2b, 32c, 32d (32d is not shown) are rotatably fitted. Drive gears 31a, 31b, 31c, 3
Slits 31 s and 32 s are provided in the leading ends of 1 d and journals 32 a, 32 b, 32 c and 32 d, respectively, in the axial direction.

The side plates 41m on both sides of the partitioning member 41 in the cleaning container are aligned with the bearing holes 12a, 12b, 12c provided in the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a and the bearing holes 12d provided in the side plate of the rear container 11b in an assembled state. Are provided with rotary plate support holes 41n, respectively.
9b, 19c and 19d are rotatably supported. A slit 41p slightly larger than the thickness of the rotary plate 19 is provided upward from the rotary plate support hole 41n, and the rotary plate support hole 41n is an open figure for assembling the rotary plate 19.

A notch positioning guide 41q is provided at the end of the side plate 41m on the side close to the photosensitive drum 1, and the cleaning roller shaft 27b is fitted and held in the guide 41q, and the rotary plates 19a, 19b, 19c are held. The assembly is facilitated by inserting the cleaning-container partition member 41 with the cleaning roller 27 into the cleaning container 11a in the direction of the arrow in FIG.

A rotating plate 19d is accommodated in the rear container 11b, and is rotatably supported as described above.
Is driven to rotate clockwise. The flexible blade leveling blade 17d of the rotating plate 19d hits the light transmitting port 33a and rubs the inner surface of the light transmitting port 33a while flexing to detect the fullness of waste toner through the light transmitting port 33a. Is secured. The smoothing blade 17d and the feed blade 17 extend between the side plates 41m on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the partitioning member 41 in the cleaning container.

The apparatus main body 14 has a lamp 34a and a lamp 3
A light detecting element 34b for receiving the light emitted from the light transmitting port 4a is fixedly provided on the optical path L through which the light passes.
a and 33b are provided. The light transmission ports 33a, 33b
Is provided with a rib-shaped handle 11r in a part of the rear container 11b, and without providing a rib for the handle 11r near one of the recesses 11q provided at two locations in the longitudinal direction.
An angled protruding wall is formed between one wall of q and the wall behind the rear container 11b, and a transparent member made of synthetic resin is fitted into this wall.

Obviously from the above configuration, the light transmission ports 33a,
Reference numeral 33b is disposed downstream of the toner container 11a in the waste toner conveying direction.

When the waste toner stored in the toner storage section 11B3 becomes full, even if the rotating plate 19d is rotated, the light transmission ports 33a and 33b are eventually covered with the waste toner and the light path L is blocked. The light detecting element 34b is the lamp 34
The H active signal which has received the light from a and is photoelectrically converted is converted into the L active signal by interruption of the light reception,
An engine controller 131 (described later) of the apparatus main body 14 informs that the cleaning container 11a of the process cartridge B is full of waste toner. The rear plate 41c of the cleaning container 6a is provided with a rib 41u standing upright, and the rear container 41b is provided with a rib 11b1 on the inner side below the rear plate D. These ribs 41u and 11b1 are arranged in a staggered position in the longitudinal direction and cooperate to prevent the waste toner from moving in the longitudinal direction. As a result, when the process cartridge B is removed from the apparatus main body 14, the waste toner is shifted toward the light transmission ports 33a and 33b due to handling, and when the process cartridge B is mounted again, the waste toner is removed from the third toner in the cleaning container 11a. This prevents an erroneous operation of outputting a signal that the waste toner is full even though the storage section 11B3 is not full.

Photosensitive drum 1, cleaning roller 2
7. The rotating plate 19 rotates simultaneously with the driving force. The configuration of this driving device will be described later, but the operation of the cleaning device 6 will be described here.

{Operation of Cleaning Device} The cleaning device 6 stores the toner remaining after the transfer on the photosensitive drum 1 by the cleaning roller 27 and the cleaning blade 28 as waste toner in the cleaning container 11a.

The cleaning roller 27 is rotating counterclockwise in the same direction as the photosensitive drum 1 in FIG. 3, and the circumferential surface of the cleaning roller 27 is At the contact portion with the drum 1, it moves in the opposite direction and rubs against the photoconductor drum 1 to remove the toner remaining on the photoconductor drum 1 after the transfer, and the inner side of the first toner conveying unit 11A1 (photoconductor (In a direction away from the drum 1) and sent as waste toner, and the waste toner is transferred to the toner container 11a in the first toner transport unit 11A1.
And falls on the vicinity of the opening 11n with respect to the photosensitive drum 1 and on the partitioning member 41a of the toner conveying section. The toner accumulated near the opening 11n does not leak out of the cleaning container 11a from the gap between the squeeze sheet 29 and the photosensitive drum 1 by the action of the squeeze sheet 29. The waste toner accumulated on the toner transport section partitioning member 41a of the first toner transport section 11A1 tries to advance toward the second transport section 11A2 by the feed blade 17 of the first rotary plate 19a, but to the ridge line 41g1. When it is lifted and reaches the storage opening 41f1 over the ridgeline 41g1, it falls from the opening 41f1 to the front side in the waste toner transport direction of the first toner storage unit 11B1 and is accumulated. The rotating moment of the rotating plate 19a and the ridgeline 41g
A small amount of waste toner is sent to the second toner transport unit 11A2 by the repulsion of the repulsion of the feed blade 17 that has passed through. Since the toner conveying section partitioning member 41a in the second toner conveying section 11A2 is descending from the ridgeline 41g to the storage opening 41f2, the waste toner is directed to the storage opening 41f2, and the second rotating plate The feed blade 17b of 19b rotates to send waste toner to the storage opening 41f2, and the first toner is fed from the storage opening 41f2 to the first opening.
Is dropped into the toner storage section 11B1.

Thus, waste toner accumulates in the first toner storage portion 11B1 through the storage opening 41f1, which is predominantly supplied, with the peak almost immediately below the storage opening 41f1, and reaches the storage opening 41f1. 41
After f1 is filled with waste toner, the waste toner that has been cleaned and discharged to the first transport unit 11A1 is entirely transported by the feed blades 17 of the first rotary plate 19a.
The waste toner is sent to the second toner transport unit 11A2 through the storage opening 41f2 and into the space where the first toner storage unit 11B1 is open. When the first toner storage unit 11B1 is full of waste toner, the storage opening 41f2 is blocked, so the cleaned waste toner is sent to the second toner transport unit 11A2 through the first toner transport unit 11A1. Here, the ridge line 4 in front of the transport opening 41e between the second and third toner transport units 11A2 and 11A3.
The feed blade 17 of the rotating plate 19b lifts the waste toner toward 1g2 and drops the waste toner from the storage opening 41f3 to the side of the second toner storage unit 11B2 closer to the photosensitive drum 1. A small amount of waste toner is sent to the third toner conveying unit 11A3 by the rotation of the feed blade 17 of the rotating plate 19b and the repulsion due to the release of the elasticity due to the passage of the ridge 41g2.

Thus, the waste toner that has dropped into the second toner storage portion 11B2 cannot be deposited in a mountain shape immediately below the storage opening 41f3. The storage opening 41f3 is the first and second
This is because it is near the toner storage unit inner partition member 41d that partitions the toner storage units 11B1 and 11B2.
Therefore, in the second toner storage section 11B2, the storage opening 4
The surface of the waste toner is formed so that the part immediately below 1f3 is the highest point and the side far from the photosensitive drum 1 is lowered, the surface gradually rises, the highest part reaches the storage opening 41f3, and the storage opening 41f3 is the waste toner. It is blocked. Thereafter, all of the waste toner transported through the first and second transport units 11A1 and 11A2 crosses the ridge line 41g2 between the second transport unit 11A2 and the third transport unit 11A3, and passes through the transport opening 41e to the third transport unit. 11A3, the downward slope from the ridgeline 41g2 to the storage opening 41f3, and the third rotating plate 19
By the movement of the feed blade 17 in FIG.
3 to the storage opening 41f4 from the third toner conveying portion 11A3.
Moves on the toner conveying unit partition member 41a at
The waste toner is dropped into the second toner storage portion 11B2 from the lowermost storage opening 41f4 of the partition member 41a. Thus, when the second toner storage section 11B2 is filled with the waste toner and the storage opening 41f4 is closed with the waste toner, the waste toner sent to the third toner transport section 11A3 is
The third toner transport unit 11A is provided by the feed blade 9c of 9c.
3, the storage opening 41f4 extends from the ridgeline 41g2 on the side closer to the photosensitive drum 1 on the toner conveying unit partitioning member 41a.
Is moved on the arc portion 41a3 to remove the waste toner toward
Lift to 1g3. Ridge line 41g3 is storage opening 41f5
The waste toner that has been lifted up to the ridge line 41g3 falls into the third toner storage portion 11B3. The storage opening 41f5 also serves as the transport opening 41e, and sends and drops waste toner to the toner storage section 11B3.

The waste toner that has fallen into the third toner storage section 11B3 accumulates in a surface state in which the rear plate 41c is the highest and the back side is lowered. The surface of the accumulated waste toner is flat with the surface inclined at a repose angle with respect to the horizontal plane. The surface of the waste toner gradually rises and the rotating plate 19d
When the toner is pulled by the leveling blade 17d, the rotational force of the leveling blade 17d causes the waste toner to fly off, and the waste toner is sent to the rear plate 41c. Also, this leveling blade 1
7d, the width in the radial direction is increased, and the portion of the light transmission port 33a at the position where the optical path L intersects is the leveling blade 17d.
Is always cleaned in. The waste toner scattered toward the rear plate 41c of the third toner storage unit 11B3 is the third waste toner.
When the toner storage portion 11B3 of FIG. 4 is almost full, the light transmission port 33a can no longer always be cleaned by the leveling blade 17d of the rotating plate 19d, the light transmission port 33a is blocked by waste toner, and the light path L is blocked. The fullness of the waste toner in the process cartridge B is displayed on the apparatus main body 14.

{Driving Device for Waste Toner Conveying Member in Process Cartridge} FIG.
Is shown in a side view with the gear cover (drive side cover) 11c removed. FIG. 24 shows the photosensitive drum 1 and the first
FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a driving side of a cleaning container 11a of the rotary plate 19a.

The drum support shaft 1c of the photosensitive drum 1 is provided with a shaft coupling member 23 having a groove 23a into which a round pin 35a can be fitted from the axial direction with the circumferential direction being arranged in four equal parts. On the 14 side, the pin 35a
A drive-side shaft coupling member 35 provided with a pin 35a is provided so as to take a position where it has entered the groove 23a and a position where it has separated. The shaft coupling member 35 is fixed to a drive shaft 36, and the drive shaft 36 advances and retreats in the axial direction concentrically with the drum support shaft 1c. The drive shaft 36 is supported by the frame body 14d of the apparatus main body 14 so as to be rotatable and movable in the axial direction. The groove 23
a is a groove in which the pin 35a is movable in the radial direction, for example, a groove having an equal width.

As described above, the end of the first rotary plate 19a is fitted in the slit 31s of the drive gear 31a.
The driving gear 31a is connected to the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a.
The journal portion 31j is rotatably fitted in the journal portion 31j. A plate-shaped rib is provided in the end face of the drive gear 31a in a radial direction in a cross shape to form a convex clutch 31a1, and a concave clutch 37 having a cross groove fitted into the rib of the convex clutch 31a1 is provided. The drive shaft 37a is attached to the device body 1
The fourth frame 14d is supported so as to be movable in the axial direction and rotatable. The concave clutch 37 is engaged with and disengaged from the convex clutch 31a1 by passing through a through hole 50c communicating with a notch 51a provided in the guide surface 51 of the cartridge guide 50. The drive shafts 36 and 37a on the apparatus main body 14 side with respect to the drive unit of the photosensitive drum 1 and the waste toner conveying system drive input means 44 are urged by a spring force (not shown) in the directions indicated by arrows A and B, respectively. Although the description is omitted in the opposite direction, it is retracted by the release means.

As shown in FIG. 27, the convex clutch 31a
1 is meshed with the cleaning roller gear 27c via the idler gear 38a, and is meshed with the drive gear 31b via the idler gear 38b. The driving gear 31b is connected to the driving gear 3 via an idler gear 38c.
1c. The driving gear 31c is driven by two driving gears 31d via idler gears 38d and 38e.
Are engaged.

As shown in FIG. 43, the dowels 11c1 to 11c3 projecting from the back surface of the gear cover 11c fit into the respective central holes of the cleaning roller gear 27c and the driving gears 31b, 31c, and the cleaning roller gear 27c and the driving gear 31b. , 31c are rotatably supported. Dowel 11
c2 and 11c3 are stepped, and drive gears 31b,
The outward movement of the shaft 31c in the axial direction is restricted. Each of the idler gears 38a to 38e is rotatably supported by a dowel 11k1 projecting from a side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a (see FIG. 4). The dowels 11k1 are fitted into holes 11c4 provided in the gear cover 11c, respectively. A drive gear 31d for connecting the rotary plate 19d having the smoothing blade 17d is rotatably fitted to the outer periphery of a hollow cylindrical dowel 11c7 provided on the back surface of the gear cover 11c.

The photosensitive drum 1 and the drive gear 31a in which the process cartridge B is mounted on the apparatus main body 14 through the cartridge guide 50 are connected to the drive side shaft coupling member 35 provided at the ends of the drive shafts 36 and 37a from the apparatus main body 14 side. , Concave clutch 37, shaft coupling member 23, convex clutch 31a1
, Each of which receives a driving force separately.

In the cleaning device 6 described above, the residual toner after transfer removed from the photosensitive drum 1 by the cleaning roller 27 and the cleaning blade 28 is transported as waste toner into the cleaning container 11a, and the first to third toners are successively provided. To drive the operation of filling the toner storage sections 11B1 to 11B3 with waste toner, a rotational force is transmitted from a drive source (not shown) of the apparatus main body 14 to the concave clutch 37, and the concave clutch 37 drives the drive gear 31a. I do.

As a result, the cleaning roller gear 27c is rotated from the driving gear 31a via the idler gear 38a, and the cleaning roller 27 rotates in the same direction as the photosensitive drum 1 while the photosensitive drum 1 is rotating as described above. . On the other hand, the drive gear 31a, the idler gear 38b, the drive gear 31b, the idler gear 38c, the drive gear 31c, the idler gears 38d, 38e, and the drive gear 38d that are sequentially meshed rotate simultaneously, and the cleaning roller gear 27 is rotated.
c, the driving gears 31a to 31c rotate in the same direction, and the driving gear 31d rotates in the opposite direction to the gears 27c, 31a to 31c.

{Method of Assembling Cleaning Device} Assembling of the cleaning device 6 having the above-described configuration will be described.

At the time of assembling, as shown in FIG. 31, first, the opening for the cleaning roller 27 in the notch provided in the side plate 41m of the partitioning member 41 in the cleaning container is narrower than the diameter of the cleaning roller shaft 27a, and the depth is smaller than the diameter of the cleaning roller shaft 27a. The cleaning roller 27 is inserted into a positioning guide 41q having a size that allows the loose fit.

Next, the rotary plates 19a, 19b, and 19c are inserted into the holes 41n through the slits 41p, and the cleaning container 11a is assembled with the cleaning container partitioning member 41.

Next, the journal 27d of the cleaning roller 27 and the cleaning roller gear 27c for driving are inserted from both sides of the cleaning container 11a.

At this time, since the cleaning roller 27 is temporarily positioned in the cleaning container partitioning member 41 and inserted into the cleaning container 11a and is substantially coaxial with the journal 27d to be mounted and the gear 27c, the journal 27d and the gear 27c 27c can be easily engaged with the shaft 27a of the cleaning roller 27.

As a result, the cleaning roller 27 is positioned at a regular position. At this time, the cleaning roller shaft 27a comes into contact with a part of the temporary positioning guide 41q of the partition member 41 in the cleaning container, and the cleaning roller 27 receives the reaction force pressed against the photosensitive drum 1. It has become. With such a configuration, the bending of the cleaning roller 27 can be suppressed without increasing the thickness of the shaft 27a of the cleaning roller 27.

Next, the positioning holes 11b1 and 11b2 of the same shape are fitted to the round dowel 11a1 and the square dowel 11a2 of the cleaning container 11a, and the rear container 11b having these positioning holes and the flange around the opening of the cleaning container 11a. And high frequency welding.

Before assembling the rear cover 11b by welding and fixing the gear cover 11c and the side cover 11b by completely covering both side surfaces of the integrated cleaning container 11a by welding, the photosensitive drum 1, the charging device 2, The cleaning blade 28 is mounted on the cleaning container 11a, and the charging device cover 11g is mounted.

Further, another embodiment 2 of the cleaning device 6 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. The cleaning device 6 stores the toner remaining after the transfer on the photosensitive drum 1 by the cleaning blade 28 as waste toner in the cleaning container 11a. First, the waste toner removed from the photosensitive drum 1 is transferred to the first toner conveying unit 11A1.
Falls near the opening 11n on the photosensitive drum 1 side and accumulates. Below the opening 11n, a squeeze sheet 29 is brought into contact with the photosensitive drum 1 at a certain angle and pressure. The toner remaining after the transfer on the photosensitive drum 1 slips through the abutting squeeze sheet 29, and the first toner conveying unit 11A1
Come inside. However, cleaning blade 2
The waste toner scraped and accumulated in step 8 is a squeeze sheet 29
, And passes through the gap between the photoconductor drum 1 and is deposited without falling. In the first toner conveying section 11A1, the toner feeding blade 1 and the rotating plate 19 are rotated in the counterclockwise rotation direction in the drawing.
7 rotates. The driving force of the toner feeding blade 17 is directly received from a driving shaft of the apparatus main body 14 (not shown) at the rear of the figure, and rotates, and sends the waste toner accumulated in the first toner conveying unit 11A1 to the rear of the container. Together with the container. At the center of the container, there is a toner conveying unit partitioning member 41a that divides the cleaning container 11a into two parts, the toner conveying units 11A1 and 11A2 and the toner storage unit 11B. Waste toner is stored in toner storage unit 1
There is a storage opening 41f for sending to 1B. Also, the partition member 4
Reference numeral 1a also serves as the bottom of the waste toner conveying sections 11A1 and 11A2, and has such a configuration that the bottom is relatively higher than the photosensitive drum 1 side toward the rear of the container. Thus, the storage opening 41f can be provided near the upper part of the center of the toner storage portion 11B, and a configuration in which the waste toner sent from the storage opening 41f is uniformly deposited and a dead space hardly occurs can be obtained. Furthermore, the storage opening 4
Since 1f is located at the top of the container, even if the user attaches / detaches the process cartridge B to / from the apparatus main body 14 and handles it, for example, holding the photosensitive drum 1 side downward, the waste toner is removed from the toner container 11B in the cleaning container 11a. Therefore, without entering the toner conveying section 11A2, the vicinity of the opening 11n on the photosensitive drum 1 side of the toner conveying section 11A1 can always be maintained in a state where no waste toner is applied and no powder pressure is applied. Thereby, appropriate cleaning performance can be guaranteed during the life of the photosensitive drum 1.

Next, another embodiment 3 of the cleaning device 6 will be described. Only different points from the second embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 29, the cleaning container 1
A plurality of storage openings 41f1, 41f2, 41f3 are provided in the toner conveying section partitioning member 41a of 1a. These openings have substantially the same length as the feed blade 17, and the waste toner conveyed by the feed blade 17 first receives the first storage opening 41 f 1.
From the toner storage unit 11B and accumulates. When the toner is accumulated to reach the waste toner storage opening 41f1, the waste toner to be conveyed thereafter becomes the first storage opening 41f1.
It is conveyed further upward to the rear of the container. When the toner is transported to the second storage opening 11f2, the toner storage unit 1
Drop to 1B and deposit. As in the case of the first storage opening 41f1, when the waste toner that has fallen and accumulated reaches the second storage opening 11f2, the waste toner that is subsequently transported is further transported to the rear of the container and sent to the third storage opening 41f3. , Falls into the toner storage section 11B. As a result, the waste toner can be sequentially sent to the photosensitive drum 1 side, the central portion, and the rear side of the container of the toner storage portion 11B to be uniformly deposited, and a dead space hardly occurs. From this,
The amount of waste toner in the toner conveying unit 11A1 can be always kept at a small amount, and a stable cleaning performance can be maintained even during the life of the photoconductor drum 1, which has a longer life, and easy maintenance can be supplied to the user. .

A fourth embodiment of the cleaning device 6 will be described with reference to FIG. Only different points from the second embodiment will be described.

As shown in FIG. 30, the toner transport section 11A
Reference numerals 1 and 11A2 denote rotating plates 19a and 19b with feed blades 17 as toner conveying means, respectively. The driving force of the rotating plate 19a is directly received from a driving shaft of the apparatus main body 14 (not shown) at the rear of the drawing, and the rotating plate 19b rotates.
Is transmitted by the gear connection with the feed blade 19a, and both rotate in the counterclockwise rotation direction. Also, the photosensitive drum 1
Second rotating plate 19b at the rear of the container with respect to the rotating plate 19a at the side.
Is located at a position where the rotation center is relatively high, and the first rotation plate 19
a, the waste toner conveyed in a is sent to the second rotary plate 19b and further conveyed to the rear of the container.
1B2 is configured to be lifted up.
As a result, the ability to transport the waste toner to the rear of the container in the toner transport units 11A1 and 11A2 is improved, and the photosensitive drum 1
Waste toner is less likely to accumulate behind, and stable cleaning performance can be maintained during the life of the photosensitive drum 1. The toner storage unit 11B is divided into the first and second toner storage units 11B by the toner storage unit inner partition member 41d.
The operation of the point divided into 1, 11B2 is the same as that of the first embodiment, and exhibits the same operation. FIG.
As shown in FIG. 6, the toner storage chamber 11B may not be partitioned by the partition member 41d in the toner storage section.

As described above, unlike the conventional cleaning container capable of maintaining the cleaning performance up to a certain number of prints, the cleaning cartridge is a process cartridge having a cleaning unit having a photosensitive drum having an extremely large number of printable sheets. Providing a toner storage section partition member that divides the inside of the container into a toner transfer section for upper waste toner and a toner storage section for lower waste toner, and further divides the storage section for waste toner into two or more according to the toner transfer direction By disposing a toner storage section partition member, a toner transport section partition member that divides the toner transport section into two or more toner transport directions, and a toner transport section that is a rotating plate, the process cartridge can be attached and detached during maintenance during use.
Even if it is moved, the waste toner does not lean toward the opening to the photosensitive drum 1, and the opening can always maintain an appropriate cleaning performance. In addition, it is possible to prevent the toner from leaking from the opening during handling, and to continue comfortable use.

Further, a plurality of storage openings having a length in the longitudinal direction substantially equal to the longitudinal width of the inside of the container are provided in the partition member for the toner transfer portion which vertically divides the cleaning container into two, so that the toner transfer portion can be separated from the toner transfer portion. There are a plurality of locations where waste toner is sent to the printer, and the bias of waste toner accumulation can be reduced rather than dropping waste toner from one location. As a result, a dead space hardly occurs in the waste toner storage unit, and waste toner can be efficiently stored in a limited space.

Further, a light transmission type full (waste toner is filled in the toner storage section) detection mechanism at the rear end of the toner storage section in the cleaning container divided into two parts by the toner transport section partition member. By having a light transmission port and rotating blades in the toner storage section as a means for leveling the accumulated waste toner, waste toner accumulates only in the light transmission port, leaving room for space. Despite the presence, there is no possibility that the full tank detection malfunctions, and the detection accuracy of the full tank detection can be improved.

By rotating the leveling blade in a direction in which the waste toner is moved away from the light transmission port for detecting a full tank, waste toner does not accumulate in the vicinity of the light transmission port for detecting a full tank unless it becomes full. With this configuration, waste toner accumulates only in the detection window portion, and there is no risk that the full tank detection will malfunction even though there is room in the space, and the detection accuracy of the full tank detection can be improved.

A partition member in the cleaning container for dividing the inside of the cleaning container into upper and lower portions to form a toner transport portion and a toner storage portion is made a separate member from the cleaning container, and the partition member is inserted into the cleaning container. Therefore, the mounting plate 41i is characterized in that an insertion guide, which is a hole provided to fit into the positioning projection 11p, is provided. As a result, the shape of the cleaning container is not complicated, and the degree of design freedom is increased. In addition, the insertion guide provided on the partition member in the toner container makes it easy to determine the assembly at a predetermined position in the cleaning container and improves the assemblability, so that assembly errors can be reduced.

The provision of the provisional positioning mechanism for the rotating shaft of the rotary plate for conveying toner is provided to the partitioning member inside the cleaning container provided as a separate member, so that the cleaning member can be cleaned beforehand when assembling the partitioning member inside the cleaning container. A configuration in which the rotary plate temporarily positioned on the partition member in the container is simultaneously inserted, and the rotary plate is also temporarily positioned near the predetermined position when the partition member in the cleaning container comes to a predetermined position in the cleaning container. Can be taken. This facilitates the assembly of the rotating plate to the cleaning container body, and improves workability.

Further, the partitioning member in the cleaning container provided by the separate member is provided with a temporary positioning mechanism for the rotating shaft of the cleaning roller for cleaning the photosensitive drum.
When the partitioning member in the cleaning container is assembled to the cleaning container, the cleaning roller temporarily positioned on the partitioning member in the cleaning container is inserted at the same time, and when the partitioning member in the cleaning container reaches a predetermined position, the cleaning roller is also moved to a predetermined position. A configuration can be adopted in which the position is provisionally positioned near the position. As a result, the cleaning roller can be easily attached to the cleaning container main body, and workability is improved.

Further, by providing a positioning mechanism for rotating the cleaning roller to the partitioning member in the cleaning container provided as the separate member, the contact pressure of the cleaning roller against the photosensitive drum can be kept constant. . In addition, since it is not necessary to newly provide another component, the number of components can be reduced, and the configuration can be simplified.

{Structure of Electrical Contacts} Next, when the process cartridge B is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 14, connection and arrangement of contacts for electrically connecting the two are shown in FIGS. This will be described with reference to FIGS. 20, 22 to 24.

FIGS. 10 to 1 show the process cartridge B.
As shown in FIG. 2, a plurality of electrical contacts are provided. That is,
In order to ground the photosensitive drum 1 to the apparatus main body 14, a driving-side drum support shaft 1d (a conductive ground contact is referred to as a conductive ground contact) as a conductive ground contact electrically connected to the photosensitive drum 1. 61 is used, and information about the conductive charging bias contact 63 electrically connected to the metal shaft 2a of the charging roller and the process cartridge B are stored in order to apply a charging bias from the apparatus main body 14 to the charging roller 2c. For this purpose, a process cartridge B side connector 71 for transmitting information from the apparatus main body 14 to a storage member provided in the process cartridge is provided.

As the ground contact 61, a drum support shaft 1d which forms the axis of the photosensitive drum 1 is used, and is in contact with the main body ground contact 62 of the apparatus main body 14 on the axis of the photosensitive drum 1. . The main body ground contact 62 is shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 4, a drive shaft 36 made of metal serves also.

The ground contact 61 is disposed so as to be recessed from the outer surface facing the drive-side shaft coupling member 35 to which the shaft coupling member 23 is connected. This prevents the ground contact 61 from being damaged by the attachment / detachment of the process cartridge B to / from the cartridge guide 50 and the handling after being removed from the cartridge guide 50.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view including the axis of the photosensitive drum 1.
As shown in FIG. 21A of FIG. 0 and the arrow C of FIG. 20, in the aluminum cylinder 1c, a ground plate 1f is resiliently fitted to the ground contact 61 and the aluminum cylinder 1c.

The ground plate 1f is provided with a projection 1h with a groove 1g on the side to be fitted into the aluminum cylinder 1c.
When outside the aluminum cylinder 1c, the distance between the tips of the protrusions 1h on both sides across the diameter of the aluminum cylinder 1c is slightly larger than the inner diameter of the aluminum cylinder 1c.

The ground plate 1f is provided with a hole 1j on the side to be fitted into the ground contact 61, and a groove 1i is cut from the hole 1j to form a projection 1k toward the outer periphery of the ground contact. The projection 1k is on the diameter connecting the projections 1k on both sides in contact with the aluminum cylinder 1c, and has a ground plate 1f.
Are not fitted to the ground contact 61 and the projections 1 on both sides are
The distance between k is smaller than the diameter of the portion of the ground contact 61 into which the ground plate 1f is fitted.

The photosensitive drum 1 is formed by inserting drum flanges 1a and 1b into the end of an aluminum cylinder 1c and caulking 1m.
Attached by. The ground plate 1f presses the ground contact 61 into the drive-side drum flange 1a until it comes into contact with the radial rib 1n of the flange. As a result, the projection 1
k is inclined with respect to the ground contact 61 in a direction perpendicular to the axis, the tip of the projection 1k is hardly fitted into the ground contact 61, and the ground plate 1f is fixed to the ground contact 61. Then, ground contact 6
1. Driving drum flange 1a with ground plate 1f
Is inserted into the aluminum cylinder 1c, the projection 1h is inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the axis with respect to the aluminum cylinder 1c, and the tip of the projection 1h is fixed to the aluminum cylinder 1c. Then, caulking the end of the aluminum cylinder 1c 1m
I do.

The ground plate 1f is made of a conductive spring material such as a stainless steel plate, a phosphor bronze plate, a beryllium bronze plate, etc. The aluminum plate 1c and the ground contact 61 are electrically connected to the ground plate 1f. .

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the charging bias contact 63 has an external contact 63a exposed on the upper surface 11g1 of the charging device cover 11g, which is a part of the cartridge frame. The charging device cover 11g has a trapezoidal cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the external contact 63a is substantially flush with the upper surface 11g1 of the charging device cover 11g.

As shown in FIG. 3 in a longitudinal sectional view of the process cartridge B, the charging device cover 11g is provided with a space 1t below and below a vertical wall 11s that is provided to extend upward on the photosensitive drum 1 side of the cleaning container 11a. This space 1t
A cover stopper hole 11u is provided on the upper portion of the thinned upright wall 11s, and a hook 11g2 integrally provided inside the charging device cover 11g is engaged with the hole 11u. The hole 11u is located immediately above the snap-fit positioning portion 41k that prevents the cleaning container partition member 41 from being removed from the cleaning container 11a.
Through this, for example, the partition member 41 in the cleaning container can be pulled out from the cleaning container 11a in a state where the snap-fit positioning portion 41k is pushed down by the tip of a screwdriver. There are two dowels (not shown) projecting outward in the longitudinal direction on both end plates in the longitudinal direction of the charging device cover 11g. These dowels are provided with dead end holes 11c provided inside the gear cover 11c and the side cover 11f.
5 and the long holes 11c6 (see FIG. 43, the side cover 11f has the holes 11c5 and the long holes 11c respectively).
c6 is not shown).

The charging bias contact 63 is connected to the charging roller 2.
22 and 23 showing the bearing portion showing the support of FIG.

The cleaning container 11a is provided with bearing guides 11l on the charging device support portions 1e at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the above-described standing wall 11s above the photosensitive drum 1. The bearing guides 11l are provided. Drum support 1
It is connected to 1d by an integral mold. The upper portion of the bearing guide 11l (ell) has a trapezoidal shape when viewed from the axial direction of the photosensitive drum 1, and exactly matches the charging device cover 11g. The cross section perpendicular to the trapezoidal shape is a square and serves as a charging bias contact holding portion 11v. However, the upper portion of the bearing guide 11l (ell) on the non-drive side is receded from the trapezoidal shape (not shown). The charging bias contact 63 is provided at one end in the longitudinal direction.

The charging bias contact 63 is made of a metal plate such as a stainless steel plate, a phosphor bronze plate, or a beryllium bronze plate, and is bent in the longitudinal direction of the band. An upper protrusion 11v1 protrudes upward from the charging bias contact holding portion 11v corresponding to a hole into which the charging bias contact 63 of the charging device cover 11g just fits. The charging bias contact holding portion 11v is provided with a dowel 11v2 protruding in the longitudinal direction. A dowel 11v3 is provided in an upper spring seat of the composite spring 26.

The charging bias contact 63 is connected to the upper protrusion 11v from the end contacting the upper surface of the charging bias contact holding portion 11v.
1 to form an external contact portion 63a on the upper protrusion 11v1. Further, the holding portion 11v is bent from the upper surface to the outer surface in the longitudinal direction and extends along the outer surface. At the outer surface, the charging bias contact 63 has a dowel 11v2 and a mounting hole 63c provided with a cut 63b from the edge of the hole. Is press-fitted, and furthermore, an end hole 63d which is bent from the outer surface to the lower surface of the charging bias contact holding portion 11v to fit into the dowel 11v3.
Having.

The composite spring 26 is provided with a contact spring 26b that extends diagonally downward from the end turn of the compression coil spring 26a in a straight line integrally with the compression coil spring 26a and presses against the charging roller shaft 2a. The contact spring 26b further extends from a contact portion with the charging roller shaft 2a to extend the bearing guide 111.
(L) and bend upward, and furthermore, bearing guide 11l
It is bent away from (El). The only spring that biases the charging roller bearing 25 on the opposite side to the photosensitive drum 1 is a compression coil spring 26a.

Since the charging bias contact 63 is formed as described above, the both ends are expanded and pushed in from the outside in the longitudinal direction against elasticity, and when the mounting hole 63c is completely inserted into the dowel 11v2, the external contact 63a is formed. Fits into the upper projection 11v1, the end hole 63d fits into the dowel 11v3 with elasticity, and the attachment of the charging bias contact 61 to the cleaning container 11a is extremely simple.

The external contact portion 63a is lowered forward as viewed from the horizontal direction of insertion of the cartridge guide 50 into the apparatus main body 14, and the cartridge guide 50 is
4, the external contact portion 63a connects the main body charging bias contact 64, which is a plunger with a spring, to a spring 64a.
Pressing against the spring force of An alternating voltage and a DC voltage are applied to the main body charging bias contact 64 from a power source controlled by a control device of the apparatus main body 14, and the photosensitive layer on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is charged through the charging bias contact 63, the contact spring 26b, and the charging roller 2c. It can be charged uniformly.

{Electronic Memory such as Storage Means of Process Cartridge} In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, for example, when the functions of the components incorporated in the process cartridge are deteriorated due to long-term use, the entire process cartridge is replaced. This replacement operation is a very simple operation such as opening the image forming apparatus main body with one touch, taking out an old process cartridge from the inside of the apparatus main body, and mounting a new process cartridge in the apparatus main body, and is easily performed by the operator himself. And realizes a maintenance-free image forming apparatus.

Further, in the present invention, the following functions can be added in order to further develop the above-described conventional technology and improve the usability of using the image forming apparatus. (1) By mounting an electronic device such as a memory on a process cartridge, data such as manufacturing conditions is written at the time of manufacture and shipment. When the process cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the image forming apparatus refers to this data, The image forming operation is performed under the optimum conditions of the process cartridge. (2) The total use time of the process cartridge is known by recording the number of times of image formation or time for one process cartridge in a memory. (3) An accident of the image forming apparatus that stores the diagnostic data of the image forming apparatus main body in the memory of the process cartridge and enables the service provider to promptly respond to the service by referring to the contents when an abnormality occurs or during maintenance. Diagnostic function.

When the above functions are added to the image forming apparatus, an electronic bias such as an EEPROM is mounted on a detachable unit such as a process cartridge.

FIG. 39 is a control block diagram of the image forming apparatus main body and the process cartridge according to the present invention. This figure shows only the control system excluding the power supply system and the like. First, basic control of the image forming apparatus will be described.

In FIG. 39, the mounting portion of the electronic device on the image forming apparatus main body 14 is surrounded by a two-dot chain line 130. The engine controller (MPU) 131 has an operation, a memory, an internal clock, and an input / output function.
Usually, the device is provided in a form such as ASiC. For the engine controller 131, a main motor control block 132, a primary charging voltage / current control block 133a, a developing bias voltage control block 133b,
A secondary and secondary transfer voltage control block 133c and a scanner unit control block 133d are connected, and each unit is controlled by a program in the engine controller 131.

Various sensor switch groups 137 are installed at various parts in the image forming apparatus main body 14, and the outputs of the sensor switch groups 137 are connected to the engine controller 131 so that the operation status of each part during the printing operation sequence can be controlled by the engine controller. Monitored by 131. In addition, the formatter 1
34 are connected. This formatter 134
It is a device that performs input / output with an I / O port of an external device, incorporates a print format, and expands the image data into image data.

In FIG. 39, a portion surrounded by a two-dot chain line B 'is a portion to be mounted on the process cartridge B. The I / O connector is simultaneously mounted on the process cartridge B in the image forming apparatus main body 14. An engine controller 131 of the image forming apparatus main body 14 and a circuit of a portion B 'mounted on the process cartridge B are connected to each other at a portion 149 (connectors 71 and 72). 14
9 via its input / output device (I / O port) 148
And an input / output device (I /
An O port 144 is connected thereto, so that data from the process cartridge side computing device (CPU) 141 and the process cartridge side sensor group 143 can be referred to.

The function of the device in the process cartridge side mounting portion B 'will be described below. First, the process cartridge side sensor group 143 detects a cartridge presence / absence sensor 143a using a limit switch or the like, and detects a waste toner amount detection sensor 143b and an electric resistance of the charging roller 2c when capacitance is used instead of light amount detection. Resistance sensor 143 to check for condensation and short circuit
c, a temperature sensor 143d for detecting an increase in the temperature of the process cartridge B, and the like are connected to the input / output device 144 of the process cartridge B.

Further, a memory device 142 is mounted on the process cartridge B. In this embodiment,
EP-R rewritable as memory device 142
OM was used. Further, in the present embodiment, the input / output device 144 for performing input / output between the engine controller 131 of the image forming apparatus main body 14 and the arithmetic unit 141 on the process cartridge B side is used to avoid a contact failure of the number of contacts. In addition, the number of contacts was reduced by using a serial port.

The process cartridge mounting portion B 'of the control circuit is built in the process cartridge connector 71 as an IC.

As described above, in the present invention, the process cartridge B is provided with an electronic device such as a memory IC,
The detection data of the process cartridge B and the information from the apparatus main body 14 are sent to and stored in C, so that the state of the process cartridge B can be recognized when the process cartridge B is mounted on the apparatus main body 14.

Here, connectors 71 and 72 are provided between the process cartridge B and the apparatus body 14 to send and retrieve information to and from the memory IC.

A first object of the embodiment of the present invention is to swing a process cartridge around the photosensitive drum,
By this operation when the image forming apparatus is installed in the image forming apparatus main body, stable electrical connection between the process cartridge side connector and the image forming apparatus main body connector is performed.

The second object is to provide a connector for the process cartridge on the side plate of the cleaning container so as not to affect the waste toner capacity.

The third object is to provide a ground connection terminal on the swing center side, so that the connector is connected to the ground connection terminal, so that the memory IC can be reliably protected.

The fourth object is to cover the connector with the memory IC attached to the cleaning container side plate with the side cover, so that the memory IC can be protected because it can be prevented from being easily touched at the time of assembly and by the user. .

The fifth object is to prevent a connector with a memory IC attached to the cleaning container side plate from being erroneously assembled.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view in which the process cartridge B is turned upside down and the non-driving side is viewed from an oblique direction. The process cartridge side connector 71 has an electronic device such as an IC memory. The input / output to / from the IC memory is exchanged with the apparatus main body 14 side. Therefore, the process cartridge side connector 71 and the apparatus main body side connector shown in FIGS. The cartridge 72 is connected to the cartridge guide 50 by being attached to the cartridge guide 50 before the process cartridge B is inserted into the apparatus main body 14.

A connector 71 is attached to the side surface of the process cartridge B opposite to the driving side, with the connection terminal 73 facing downward and exposed. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 33, a mounting seat portion 11w that protrudes outward is provided on the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a.

Next, the connector 7 of the process cartridge B
1 will be described.

The connector 71 is specifically, for example, a RAM
A connector equipped with an electronic device B 'such as a memory chip such as a ROM or a non-volatile memory such as a ROM, for inputting necessary information in advance and for exchanging information with the device main body 14 when the device is mounted on the device main body 14. Is used for the purpose of judging the use status of the process cartridge B.

As shown in FIG. 34, the connector 71 is operated by the operating force when the process cartridge B swings around the photosensitive drum 1 and the moment of its own weight as shown in FIG. Connector 7
2 and the electrical connection is performed stably.

Next, the position where the connector 71 is attached will be described.

As shown in FIG. 35, the connector 71 is attached to the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a.
Then, the connection terminal 73 is attached with the connection terminal 73 facing downward in order to connect to the apparatus main body side connector 72. By being attached to the outer side of the side plate 11k which is substantially flush with the drum supporting portion 11d of the cleaning container 11a, the cleaning container 11a can be installed without reducing the waste toner storage capacity inside the cleaning container 11a. With the mounting operation performed, the connectors 71 and 72 can be connected.

The side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a
After the connector 71 is attached to the side cover member 11
By covering with f, the user can hardly touch the connector 71, and the electronic device B 'such as an IC memory can be protected from static electricity or the like.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 34, the device main body side connector 72 enters the side cover 11f and is connected.

Next, the connector 71 and the device-side connector 7
The connection 2 will be described in detail.

As shown in FIG. 33, of the connection terminals 73 inside the connector 71, the ground connection terminal 73a is set at a position closest to the center of the photosensitive drum 1.

This is because, when the photosensitive drum 1 is mounted by swinging about the center thereof, the photosensitive drum 1 can always be connected from the ground connection terminal.

As a result, the memory can be reliably protected, and the destruction of the memory can be prevented. Further, if the ground connection terminal 73a protrudes from the other connection terminal 73 by a few millimeters L1, it is more secure.

Next, the cleaning container 11 of the connector 71
The attachment to a will be described in detail. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a mounting portion of the connector 71 as viewed from an arrow D in FIG.
It is shown in FIG. Two tapping holes 71 except rib 71e
c, a connector insertion hole 71b, a tapping hole 71c, a connector body 71a, a tapping hole 7
The small screw holes 71d corresponding to 1c are formed symmetrically. A rib 71e is provided in the connector insertion hole 71b. The rib 71e is on a plane including two tapping holes 71c. FIGS. 36 and 37 are cross-sectional views of the mounting seat portion 11w. The connector 71 is provided with a projection 71f. Although the mounting shown in FIG. 36 is in a normal state, FIG.
When the projection 71f is mounted in an inverted manner as described above, the projection 71f and the rib 71e interfere and cannot be mounted. Thereby, the reverse attachment of the connector 71 is prevented.

As described above, the stable electrical connection of the connector can be performed by swinging the process cartridge B around the photosensitive drum and mounting it on the image forming apparatus main body 14. By providing the process cartridge side connector 71 on the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a, the configuration can be made without reducing the amount of waste toner.

By providing the ground connection terminal 73a at the position closest to the swing center side, the connector 71 is connected from the ground connection terminal 73a, so that the memory IC and the like can be reliably protected.

By covering the connector 71 attached to the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a with the side cover 11f, it is possible to prevent the user from easily touching the memory 71.
C and the like can be protected.

By assembling the connector insertion hole 71b of the connector mounting seat 11w so as not to interfere with the projection 71f provided on the connector 71, the connector 71 can be assembled in the correct direction, thereby preventing erroneous assembly of the connector 71. be able to.

{Device for Adjusting Image Density} In the present invention, in order to adjust the density and color tone of an image formed on a recording medium,
A test pattern of each color based on the developed image is created on the photosensitive drum 1 in advance, the density of the test pattern is detected, and the image density of each color is adjusted by the engine controller 131.

As shown in FIG. 40, a surface potential detector 91 for detecting the surface potential of the photosensitive drum 1 after primary charging is connected to an engine controller 131 via a surface voltmeter 94. Developing devices 4Y, 4M, 4 on photoreceptor drum 1
A pattern reading device 93 for reading a test pattern 92 based on a toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 by one of C and 4Bk is provided. The reading device 93 includes a reading sensor 93a, for example, a light receiving member such as a CCD, and a lamp 93b for reflecting the test pattern 92 to send image light of the test pattern 92 to a light receiving member such as a CCD. The test pattern 92 read by the reading sensor 93a is converted into a density signal via a density conversion circuit 95 and input to the engine controller 131.

The detected toner density is processed by the engine controller 131 to control image forming means, for example, a charging potential, a LUT toner density, a transfer current and the like.

As shown in FIG. 12 of a perspective view in which the process cartridge is viewed upside down, the reading devices 93 are square openings of the same size arranged substantially over the entire area of the photosensitive drum 1 in the longitudinal direction. It is provided opposite to the position of 11x. This opening 11x is used for cleaning container 11
A is provided on the descending wall 11y which obliquely hangs toward the photosensitive drum 1 from the portion where the squeeze sheet 29 is attached.

FIG. 41 shows a part of the image forming apparatus A in a vertical sectional view including the pattern reading device 93.

As shown in FIG. 41, the pattern reading device 93 is fixed on the bottom plate 58 of the cartridge guide 50 which can enter and exit in the direction of the arrow on both sides of the frame of the apparatus main body 14. The lamp 93b of the pattern reading device 93
Is directed to the photosensitive drum 1, and the reading sensor 93a is located at a position where the reflected light of the lamp 93b irradiated on the photosensitive drum 1 is received. The light emitted from the lamp 93b and the reflected light from the photosensitive drum 1 pass through the same one opening 11x. The opening 11x is located immediately upstream of the squeeze sheet 29 when viewed in the direction of movement of the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1.

The test pattern 92 is a developed image formed by the developing units 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4Bk on the photosensitive drum 1 uniformly charged by the charging device 2 in the same manner as forming a target image. When the developed image moves on the portion facing the unit 5, the pressing roller 5j retreats away from the photosensitive drum 1, and the intermediate transfer belt 5a is flush with the driving roller 5b and the driven roller 5d. A gap is provided between the transfer belt 5 a and the photosensitive drum 1, and the test pattern 92 passes through the gap and is read by the pattern reading device 93. After passing through the gap, the photosensitive drum 1 is removed from the photosensitive drum 1 by the cleaning roller 27 and the cleaning blade 28. Or the driven roller 5
A voltage having the same polarity as that of the toner of the test pattern 92 is applied to d so that the test pattern 92 passes through the transfer portion.

As described above, since the opening for detecting the image density is provided immediately above the squeeze sheet with respect to the moving direction of the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum, the test pattern reading device provided on the apparatus body 14 is provided. Does not affect the arrangement of the charging device 2, the developing device 4, the transfer unit 5 and the exposure position between the charging roller and the transfer unit 5 with respect to the moving direction of the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1.

Further, since the opening for detecting the toner image density is provided in a range substantially the same length as the photosensitive drum along the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum, the image in the range corresponding to the recording medium having the maximum width is provided. The density can be adjusted.

{Structure of Drum Shutter} The drum shutter 18 damages the photosensitive layer, especially the photosensitive layer of the photosensitive drum 1 when the process cartridge B is removed from the apparatus main body 14 and handled outside the apparatus main body 14, or exposed to external light. When the process cartridge B is mounted on the apparatus main body 14, the photosensitive drum 1 is covered with the developing device 4 so as to cover the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 so as to prevent the photosensitive layer from being deteriorated by the exposure.
In addition, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is opened to be opposed to the transfer unit 5.

As shown in FIG. 4 showing a side view on the driving side and FIG. 5 showing a side view on the non-driving side, the gear shaft 11c and the side cover 11f are each provided with a root shaft 1 integral with the arm 18a.
8b is pivotally mounted, and a tip of the arm 18a is a shaft 18c connected in a longitudinal direction, and a first shutter cover 18d is rotatably fitted to the shaft 18c. The pin shaft 1 is attached to the first shutter cover 18d.
8e, the second shutter cover 18f is pivotally mounted. When the drum shutter 18 is closed, the first and second shutter covers 18d and 18f are concentric with the photosensitive drum 1 and have an arc shape larger than the radius of the photosensitive drum 1 when viewed from the side, and the drum support portions on both sides. It also covers the outside of 11d. A lower edge 11d1 of the drum supporting portion 11d has an arc shape centered on the center of the photosensitive drum 1, and a front end is linear. An arc-shaped shoe 18g is integrally formed at the tip of the second shutter cover 18f so as to be in contact with the lower edge 11d1 and the outer periphery of the end of the photosensitive drum 1.
An operation arm 18h is pivotally mounted on a fixed shaft 11f1 integrally formed with the side cover 11f on the side surface on the non-drive side, and the operation arm 18h is a shaft 18i concentric with the pin shaft 18e at the root of the second shutter cover 18f. Is pivoted to.

As shown in FIG. 11 which is a perspective view of the process cartridge B viewed from above, a torsion coil spring 18j having both ends in contact with the outer surfaces of the first and second shutter covers 18d and 18f is inserted into the pin shaft 18e. Thus, the first and second shutter covers 18d and 18f are urged so that their inner surfaces approach each other.

As shown in FIG. 5, a boss (not shown) is provided at the root of the operating arm 18h, and the torsion coil spring 18m fitted into the boss is used to
One end is prevented from rotating by a spring receiver 11f2 integrally formed with the actuator arm 18h, and the other end is prevented from rotating by an operating arm 18h. In FIG. 5 of a side view showing the non-driving side, the operating arm 18h rotates counterclockwise around the fixed shaft 11f1. Being energized.
The operation arm 18h is provided with a cam portion 18n which abuts on a fixing member on the apparatus main body 14 side when the process cartridge B enters the apparatus main body 14 for mounting in a state housed in the cartridge guide 50.

When the process cartridge B advances for mounting on the apparatus main body 14, the cam portion 18n of the operating arm 18h
Is stopped from moving forward and pivots upward around the fixed shaft 11f1 against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 18m, and the shaft 1
8i and 18e are lifted upward.

As a result, the first and second shutter covers 18d and 18f are urged upward, and the root side of the first shutter cover 18d is moved along the arc locus of the shaft 18c which rotates upward about the root shaft 18b. The leading edge of the first shutter cover 18d and the root side of the second shutter cover 18f rise along the locus, and the arc locus around the fixed shaft 11f1 of the shafts 18i and 18e due to the upward rotation of the operating arm 18a. And the shoe 18g at the tip of the second shutter cover 18f is provided with the first shutter cover 18d and the second shutter cover 18f on the lower edge 11d1 of the drum holding portion 11d or the outer periphery of both ends of the photosensitive drum 1. The torsion coil spring 18j, which is about to be folded inward, comes into contact with the coil spring 18j and rises. On the scan cartridge B is opened photosensitive drum 1 as shown in FIG. 11 to see than the diagonal, is stored in the rear of the charging device cover 11g.

In the above description, the arm 18a, the operating arm 18h, the first shutter cover 18d, the gear cover 1
1c and the cleaning container 11a to which the side cover 11f is attached form a four-bar chain mechanism, and a first shutter cover 18d and an operating arm 18h of the four-bar chain mechanism.
The torsion coil springs 18j are arranged such that the shafts 18i and 18e connecting the first and second shutter covers 18f and 18e are at the root side so that the inner sides of the second shutter cover 18f are closer to the first shutter cover 18d.
Irrespective of the fact that the photosensitive drum 1 is exposed and opened at a large angle of 180 degrees or more at its central angle, it is possible to draw a locus that moves almost near the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1, and the apparatus body 14 It does not affect the arrangement of the developing device 4 and the transfer unit 5 on the side, and can be stored low on the upper surface of the cleaning container 11a even in the stored state.

[0208]

[Examples] This is also described in the description of the embodiments.

[0209]

As described above, the present invention is provided at one end and the other end in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum so as to protrude from the cartridge frame coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. A positioning member, and a force receiving portion for receiving a force from an urging member provided on the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive member is A force receiving portion disposed on a side opposite to a side on which the drum is disposed, and a device for rotating the process cartridge upward around the positioning member when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. A surface which is located on the upper surface when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, and is used for restricting the contact with a contact member provided on the main body. And a contact portion disposed above the unit, whereby the position of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum with respect to the apparatus main body is accurately determined and the position of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum is determined. The position of the process cartridge is determined by the contact portion.

The positioning member is a circular member provided coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. Since the circular member is integrally formed of a resin material with the cartridge frame, the position of the process cartridge is When the process cartridge is determined, the process cartridge rotates around the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, so that the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum is always constant in the mounted state.

[0211] Further, when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the electrophotographic photosensitive drum protrudes from the circular member and rotates the electrophotographic photosensitive drum from the apparatus main body. Since the driving force receiving member for receiving the driving force is provided, the driving force receiving member can be used as a guide portion when the process cartridge is attached to and detached from the apparatus main body, and the positioning and the guide can be separated. Further, the stroke of the driving force transmitting member of the apparatus main body can be reduced.

In the process cartridge, the side where the electrophotographic photosensitive drum is disposed is directed forward from the direction intersecting with the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and the toner accommodating section is positioned backward. Be attached. Since the force receiving portion is disposed on the back surface in the mounting direction of the process cartridge, the distance between the abutting portion provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body and the positioning member can be increased, and the position and orientation of the process cartridge can be accurately determined. Is determined.

Since the contact portions are arranged at one end and the other end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum with respect to the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, the process cartridge does not tilt in the longitudinal direction. It is accurately mounted on the device body.

Since the contact portion is a rectangular member protruding from the upper surface, the contact portion contacts only the contact member on the apparatus main body side by appropriately selecting the height, and the upper surface of the process cartridge and the process cartridge of the apparatus main body are connected. Appropriate gaps can be created between the members and the members disposed above.

A mounting portion for detachably mounting a process cartridge, a main body positioning member for engaging with a positioning member of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting portion, and the mounting portion are provided on the apparatus main body side. An elastic member for applying an elastic force to a force receiving portion of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting portion, and a contact member for contacting a contact portion of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting portion. Therefore, the position is accurately determined regardless of the mode of the mounting means when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body.

[Brief description of the drawings]

 The drawings all show embodiments of the present invention,

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing attachment and detachment of a process cartridge of the apparatus shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the process cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a right side view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a left side view of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a bottom view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 9 is a rear view of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 3;

10 is an external perspective view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

11 is an external perspective view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 13 is a schematic side view for explaining a mounting guide portion of the process cartridge.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view to which a partial cross section of the cartridge guide is added.

FIG. 15 is a schematic side view showing the mounting of the process cartridge on the cartridge guide.

FIG. 16 is a schematic side view showing the mounting of the process cartridge on the cartridge guide.

FIG. 17 is a schematic side view showing the mounting of the process cartridge on the cartridge guide.

FIG. 18 is a schematic side view showing a state where a process cartridge is mounted on a cartridge guide.

FIG. 19 is a schematic side view showing the mounting of the process cartridge accommodated in the cartridge guide to the apparatus main body.

FIG. 20 is a longitudinal sectional view of the photosensitive drum.

21 (a) is a view as viewed in the direction of the arrow C in FIG. 20. FIG. 21B is a sectional view taken along the line EE or FF in FIG. 20.

FIG. 22 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a charging roller and a photosensitive drum.

FIG. 23 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a support device for the charging roller unit.

FIG. 24 is a schematic development sectional view showing a drive system from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus to the process cartridge.

FIG. 25 is a perspective view of a shaft coupling member provided in the apparatus main body.

FIG. 26 is a perspective view of a clutch provided in the apparatus main body.

FIG. 27 is a side view showing a drive transmission device in the process cartridge.

FIG. 28 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the cleaning device.

FIG. 29 is a schematic vertical sectional view showing still another embodiment of the cleaning device.

FIG. 30 is a schematic longitudinal sectional view showing another embodiment of the cleaning device.

FIG. 31 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a configuration of a frame of the cleaning container.

FIG. 32 is a side view showing an operation of connecting the connector of the process cartridge and the connector on the apparatus main body side.

FIG. 33 is a side view showing an operation of connecting the connector of the process cartridge and the connector on the apparatus main body side.

FIG. 34 is a side view showing a state where the connector of the process cartridge and the connector on the apparatus main body side are connected.

FIG. 35 is a perspective view showing a connector mounting portion of the process cartridge.

FIG. 36 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 35;

FIG. 37 is a longitudinal sectional view of FIG. 35;

FIG. 38 is a schematic perspective view showing a connector position of the process cartridge.

FIG. 39 is a control block diagram of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 40 is a block diagram showing a test pattern reading device.

FIG. 41 is a side view showing a test pattern reading device.

FIG. 42 is a perspective view of a rear container.

FIG. 43 is a perspective view of the gear cover as viewed from the inside.

FIG. 44 is a longitudinal sectional view of a cleaning container part in FIG. 3;

FIG. 45 is a perspective view of a partition member in the cleaning container.

FIG. 46 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a modification of FIG. 30.

[Explanation of symbols]

A: Image forming apparatus B: Process cartridge B ': Process cartridge mounting portion S: Recording medium R5: Arrow 1: Photoconductor drum 1a, 1b: Drum flange 1c
... aluminum cylinder 1d ... drum support shaft 1d1 ... groove 1e ... drum support shaft 1e1 ... groove 1f ... ground plate 1g ... groove 1h ... protrusion 1i ... groove 1j ... hole 1k ... protrusion 1m ... caulking 1
n Rib 2 Charging device 2a Metal shaft (charging roller shaft) 2b
Conductive rubber 2c ... Charging roller 3 ... Exposure means 3a ... Polygon mirror 3b ... Imaging lens 3c ... Reflection mirror 3d ... Scanner lower cover 3e ... Rotation stop member 4 ... Developing device 4A ... Rotating body 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4B
k: developing unit 4a: coating roller 4b: developing sleeve
Reference numeral 4c: developing blade 4d: shaft 5: transfer unit 5a: intermediate transfer belt 5b: drive roller 5c: secondary transfer opposing roller 5d: driven roller (primary transfer roller) 5f: charging roller 5j: pressing roller 5n: secondary transfer Roller 5e Cleaning unit 6 Cleaning device 7 Feeding / conveying means 7a Feeding cassette 7b Transport roller 7c Guide plate 7d Registration roller 7e Pickup member 8 Fixing device 8a Driving roller 8b Fixing roller 9 Discharge Roller 9a Belt 10 Paper discharge tray 11 Cartridge frame 11a Cleaning container 11a1, 11a2 Dowel 11b Rear container 11b1, 11b2 Positioning hole
11b3 ... rib 11c ... gear cover 11c1-11c3 ... dowel 1
1c4, 11c5: Hole 11c6: Slot 11d: Drum support 11d1: Lower edge 11e: Charging device support 11f: Side cover 11f1: Fixed shaft 11f2 ...
Spring receiver 11g Charging device cover 11g1 Top surface 11h Cylindrical positioning boss 11i Top surface 11j Rotation stop member 11k Side plate 11l (Bell) Bearing guide 11m Cleaning member mounting portion 11n Opening 11o (O) ... Inner container guide 11p ... Positioning protrusion 11q ... Recess 11r, 11r1 ... Handle 11s ... Standing wall 11t ... Space 11u ... Cover stop hole 11v ... Conductive bias contact holding part v1 ... Upper protrusion v
2, v3 dowel 11w mounting seat 11x opening 11y down wall 11A toner transport section 11A1 first toner transport section
11A2: second toner transport section 11A3: third toner transport section 11B: toner storage section 11B1: first toner storage section
11B2: Second toner storage section 11B3: Third toner storage section 11D: Rear side of process cartridge 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d: Bearing hole 14: Main body 14a: Rear side of main body 14b: Opening 14c: Main body section Joint member 14d Frame 17 Feed blade 17d Break-in blade 18 Drum shutter 18a Arm 18b Root shaft 18c Shaft 18d First shutter cover 1
8e Pin shaft 18f Second shutter cover 18g Shoe 18h Operating arm 18i Pin shaft 18j Torsion coil spring 18m Torsion coil spring 18n Cam part 19 Rotating plate 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d Rotating plate 19e ... Extending portion 19f ... Centering protruding piece 21 ... Ball bearing 22 ... Bushing 23 ... Shaft coupling member 23a ... Protrusion 23b ... Groove 23c
... Projecting part 24 ... Shaft coupling member 24a ... Projecting part 24b ... Groove 24c
... Projecting part 25 ... Charging roller bearing 26 ... Composite spring 26a ... Compression coil spring 26b ... Contact spring 27 ... Cleaning roller 27a ... Cleaning roller shaft 27b ... Soft cleaning member 27c ... Cleaning roller gear 27d ... Journal 27e ... Bearing hole 28 ... Cleaning Blade 28a ... Rubber blade
28b: Support sheet metal 29: Squeeze sheets 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d: Drive gear 31a1
... convex clutch 31s ... slit 31j ... journal part 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d ... journal 32s
... Slit 33a ... Light transmission opening 33b ... Light transmission opening 34a ... Lamp 34b ... Light detection element 35 ... Drive side shaft coupling member 35a ... Pin 36 ... Drive shaft 37 ... Recessed clutch 37a ... Drive shaft 38a-38e ... Idler gear 41 ... Cleaning container partition member 41a: toner transport section partition member 41a1, 41a2, 41a3: arc section 41b: toner transport section partition member 41c6, rear side plate 41d: toner storage section partition member 41e: transport opening 41f1-f5: storage opening 41g1 , 41g2,41
g3: ridge line 41i: mounting plate 41j: positioning hole 4
1k: Snap-fit positioning part 41m: Side plate 4
1n Rotating plate support hole 41p Slit 41q Temporary positioning guide 41r Upper surface portion 41s Guide groove 4
Numeral 1u: Rear plate rib 44: Waste toner transport system drive input means 45: Second cylindrical boss 46: Rough guide 50: Cartridge guide 50a: Side plate portion 50b
Inner side surface 50c ... Through hole 51 ... Guide surface 51a ... Notch 52 ... U groove 53 ... Arrow 54 ... Engaging member 55 ... Rear plate 56 ... Pressing member 57 ... Urging member 57a ... Opening 57b ... Small screw 5
7c, 57d: Corner 58: Bottom plate 61: Earth contact 62: Body earth contact 63: Charging bias contact 63a: External contact 63b
... notch 63c ... mounting hole 63d ... end hole 64 ... body charging bias contact 64a ... spring 71 ... process cartridge side connector 71a ... connector body 71b ... connector insertion hole 71c ... tapping hole 71d ... small screw hole 71e ... rib 71f ... projection 72: Device body side connector 73: Connection terminal 73a: Ground connection terminal 91: Surface potential detector 92: Test pattern 93: Pattern reading device 93a: Reading sensor 93b: Lamp 94: Surface potential meter 95: Density conversion circuit 130: Electronics Device mounting portion 131 Engine controller 132 Main motor control block 133a Primary charging voltage / current control block 133b
Developing bias voltage control block 133c Transfer voltage control block 133d Scanner voltage control block 134 Formatter 137 Sensor switch group 141 Process cartridge side computing device 142 Memory device 143 Process cartridge side sensor group 143a
… Cartridge presence / absence sensor 143b… Waste toner amount detection sensor 143c… Band electrical resistance detection sensor 14
3d temperature sensor 144 input / output device 148 input / output device 149 I / O connector

Claims (12)

[Claims] 1. A process cartridge detachable from a main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: an electrophotographic photosensitive drum; a cleaning member for removing toner remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum; A toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner removed from the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and a main body positioning provided on the apparatus main body for positioning the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. A positioning member provided on the one end and the other end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum in a longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, which can be engaged with the member, is provided coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum and protrudes from the cartridge frame. An urging member provided on the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. A force receiving portion for receiving the force, wherein the force receiving portion is disposed on the side opposite to the side on which the electrophotographic photosensitive drum is disposed with respect to the toner storage portion; The process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body for restricting the process cartridge from rotating upward around the positioning member when it is mounted on the main body by abutting against a contact member provided on the apparatus main body. A contact portion that is located on the upper surface of the toner cartridge when the contact portion is located above the toner storage portion. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the positioning member is a circular member provided coaxially with an axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum,
The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the circular member is formed integrally with the cartridge frame by a resin material. 3. The electrophotographic photosensitive drum is protruded from the circular member, and the electrophotographic photosensitive drum is rotated from the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. The process cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a driving force receiving member that receives a driving force for the driving force. 4. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a side on which the electrophotographic photosensitive drum is disposed is directed forward from a direction intersecting a longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum.
2. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the toner storage unit is mounted rearward on the apparatus main body, and the force receiving unit is disposed on a back surface in the mounting direction of the process cartridge. 3. 5. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is disposed at one end and the other end of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum with respect to a longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. . 6. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the contact portion is a rectangular member protruding from the upper surface. 7. When the process cartridge is mounted in the apparatus main body, the toner removed from the electrophotographic photosensitive drum by the cleaning member is transported rearward in the mounting direction above the toner storage unit. 2. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein a toner transport path is disposed, and the contact portion is disposed above the toner transport path. 3. 8. The process cartridge according to claim 7, wherein a plurality of toner conveying members that convey the toner by rotating are arranged in the toner conveying path. 9. The process cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising a charging member for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive drum. 10. The process cartridge is detachable,
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium, comprising: a. An electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a cleaning member for removing toner remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, a toner storage unit for storing the toner removed from the electrophotographic photosensitive drum by the cleaning member, In order to position the process cartridge when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, one end in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, which can be engaged with a main body positioning member provided on the apparatus main body. A positioning member provided on the other end side so as to protrude from the cartridge frame coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive drum, and an attachment provided on the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. A force receiving portion for receiving a force from a biasing member, wherein the electrophotographic photosensitive drum is A force receiving portion disposed on a side opposite to a side on which the process cartridge is disposed; and an apparatus body for rotating the process cartridge upward around the positioning member when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus body. A contact portion, which is located on the upper surface when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body and is arranged above the toner storage portion, for contacting and regulating the contact member provided in the toner cartridge. And a mounting portion for removably mounting a process cartridge having: and b. A main body positioning member for engaging with a positioning member of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting portion; c. An elastic member for applying an elastic force to a force receiving portion of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting portion; d. An abutting member for abutting on an abutting portion of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting portion; e. An electrophotographic image forming apparatus, comprising: conveying means for conveying the recording medium. 11. A developing unit for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting unit, and a toner used for development by the developing unit. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: a toner storage unit. 12. The developing means includes: a black developing member for developing using a black toner; a yellow developing member for developing using a yellow toner; and a magenta developing device for developing using a magenta toner. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus according to claim 10, further comprising: a member; and a cyan developing member that performs development using a cyan toner.