JPS59184372A - Cartridge developing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a developer from being scattered in the course of carrying, and to make it a usable state immediately after installation by placing a developer containing vessel which contains a developer in the inside and is provided with a closing member on the lower opening part, in a developing machine body, and constituting so that its lower opening part is opposed to a developing roller, the opening closing member is removed, and the developer is dropped and supplied onto the developing roller. CONSTITUTION:An unused developer containing vessel 33 is formed on the side part of a toner hopper 25 as one body with the hopper, and an opening closing part 35 for closing an opening part 34 is constituted so as to be slidable. It does not occur that a developer is scattered to the outside of this vessel in the course of carrying a developing machine, by the closing member 35. In this regard, a developing bias power source connecting terminal (a) and toner supplying bias power source connecting terminals (b), (c) are connected to a developing bias power source 27 and a toner supplying bias power source 30, respectively. When the member 35 is slid and removed, an unused developer 37 is dropped and supplied onto a non-magnetic sleeve 22, rotates a magnet roller 21, and distributed to a uniform thickness, moving on the sleeve 22.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a cartridge developing machine used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.

Image forming apparatuses such as copying machines and printers using electrophotography come in various configurations and are widely put into practical use. These devices require maintenance work to replenish consumables, replace deteriorated parts, and clean contaminated areas in order to produce a large number of images over a long period of time. This has been a major obstacle in using these devices easily.

One way to solve these problems is to reduce deterioration,
It has been proposed that replacement parts be made into cartridges so that worn or contaminated parts can be replaced regularly and easily.

However, when parts that require maintenance are made into cartridges, the powder may scatter during transportation in assemblies such as developing machines that contain powder and must be exposed to the outside during operation. There is a problem.

That is, in the developing machine, a magnetic component developer consisting only of fine particles of magnetic toner is used as the developer, and a specific developing method is used in which development is performed by forming a thin layer of toner on the developing roller. In such cases, even if the opening formed between the developing roller and the chamber is made extremely narrow to prevent toner from scattering during transportation of the developing machine in the form of a cartridge, there will be no problem when operating the developing machine. The toner can be held on the developing roller, transported, and exposed on the outer surface of the developing machine.

However, in commonly used conventional developing methods, only magnetic toner or a mixture of magnetic carrier and toner is used as the developer.
The developer layer held on the developing roller often requires a thickness of 0.5 mm or more, and therefore, the developer is held on the developing roller from a chamber that stores the developer, and is deposited on the outer surface of the developing machine. In order to expose the developer, it is necessary to set a large opening between the chamber and the developing roller. Therefore, if the developing machine is made into a cartridge, the developer will scatter from the opening when the cartridge is transported. There were drawbacks.

Next, specific examples of the drawbacks of such conventional developing machines will be described. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an example of a developing machine to which a conventional dry type magnetic two-component developer is applied.

In the figure, 1 is a charge holding member such as a photosensitive drum on which a latent image has been formed, 2 is a fixed magnet roller of a developing machine, and 3 is arranged at a distance on the outer circumference of the magnet roller 2, and rotates in the direction of the arrow. Non-magnetic sleeve, 4 is scraper, 5
is a stirring blade, 6 is a doctor blade, 7 is a toner supply roller, 8 is a developer housing, 9 is a toner hopper, 10
is a toner concentration sensor, 11 is a toner replenishment control circuit, 1
2 is a magnetic two-component developer, 13 is a replenishment toner, 14 is a developer layer held on the non-magnetic sleeve 3, and 14' is a spiked portion thereof. The developing machine with such a configuration rotates the non-magnetic sleeve 3,
Due to the magnetic force of the magnet roller 2, the developer is conveyed while being held on the non-magnetic sleeve 3, and the standing portion 14' is exposed at the opening of the housing 8 of the developing machine. is applied to an electrostatic latent image formed on the charge holding member 1 to perform development. After development, the developer layer 14 remaining on the non-magnetic sleeve is cleaned by a screen.
4, falls onto the stirring blade 5 and is stirred,
It is configured to be supplied to the non-magnetic sleeve 3 again.

By the way, when the developer spikes 14' are formed in the portions corresponding to the magnetic poles of the magnet roller 2 and development is performed using the developer spikes 14', the developer is held on the non-magnetic sleeve 3. If the thickness of the developer layer 14 is too small, stable and uniform spikes with sufficient height will not be formed. do. The thickness of the developer layer 4 in the portion of the non-magnetic sleeve 3 where the raised portion 14' is not formed is approximately equal to the gap do between the doctor blade 6 and the non-magnetic sleeve 3. Therefore, in this type of developing machine, a wide opening is formed between the developing machine nozzle 8 and the non-magnetic sleeve 3 so that the developer layer 14 can easily pass through. If a cartridge-type developing device is configured as it is and transported with developer loaded, the developer will scatter from the opening.

Furthermore, the developing machine shown in Fig. 2 was previously proposed by the inventor of the present application (Japanese Patent Application No. 57-220145, etc.);
Even with this configuration, there is a risk of developer scattering during transportation. First, the outline of the structure will be explained. Numeral 21 is a magnetic roller having N and S poles arranged alternately, and is supported so as to be rotatable in the direction of the arrow. Reference numeral 22 denotes a sleeve made of a non-magnetic material such as aluminum, and is configured to be fixed or rotatable. 2
A toner supply roller 3 is made of a conductive material such as aluminum, and has minute irregularities close to the toner particle size formed on its surface. 24 is an elastic blade, and a toner hopper 25
It is attached to one end of the lower opening 25' of the toner supply port 25', and its tip is in pressure contact with the toner supply port 23.

A sealing plate 26 is made of a thin elastic plate, and is similarly attached to the other end of the lower opening 25' of the toner hopper 25, and its tip is pressed against the toner replenishing roller 23 by elastic force. 27 is a developing bias power supply, 28.2
A dust cover 9 prevents foreign matter from entering the developing machine and also prevents carrier and toner from scattering to the outside. 30 is a bias power supply for toner replenishment, 3
1 is a magnetic developer held on a non-magnetic sleeve 22; 3 is a magnetic developer held on a non-magnetic sleeve 22;
Reference numeral 2 denotes replenishment toner stored in the toner hopper 25.

In a developing machine with such a configuration, a magnetic carrier:
Magnetic two-component developer '3 composed of a combination of a and toner
1 is held uniformly over the entire circumference with a thickness of dl on a non-magnetic sleeve 22, and a spike 31' is formed at the magnetic pole portion of the magnetic roller 2]. The total amount of developer used in this developing machine is held on a developing roller consisting of a magnetic roller 21 and a non-magnetic sleeve 22.
The developing machine shown in Fig. 1 is a system in which a magnetic two-component developer is used, the developer is once removed from the developing roller, toner is replenished, and the developer is resupplied onto the developing roller, and the developer is circulated. Developing can be done with a much smaller amount of developer compared to conventional cartridge-type developing machines, which require a much smaller amount of developer than conventional cartridge-type developing machines, which require replacing the entire developing machine after forming a predetermined number of images. A developing machine that can use developer can be realized.

By the way, in the developing machine configured as described above, if toner is replenished by dropping the replenishment toner directly onto the developer, sufficient mixing and agitation of the developer will not be achieved, resulting in various inconveniences due to poor toner mixing. In this developing machine, in order to avoid this inconvenience, a thin layer of toner is formed on the toner replenishing roller 23 while the toner is charged to a predetermined magnetic pole by the blade U, and the charged toner on the toner replenishing roller 23 is A thin layer of toner is introduced little by little into the developer through spikes 31' of the developer 31 under the action of the bias power supply 30. Therefore, the lower opening 25' of the toner hopper 25 is connected to the toner supply roller 25'.
3. Since the cartridge can be sealed by the blade 24 and the seal plate 26, the toner in the hopper will not scatter during transportation even if the developing machine with this configuration is made into a cartridge.

However, although the developer 31 on the developing roller is held by magnetic force and is relatively difficult to scatter,
When subjected to a strong impact force, there is a risk that the developer 31 resists the magnetic attraction force of the magnet roller 21 and scatters.

As shown in FIG. 1 or 2, in a system in which development is carried out by conveying the developer using a normal developing roller, the thickness of the developer layer held on the developing roller depends on the thickness of the developing agent layer. Since this value is quite large compared to the developer particle size, the opening between the developing roller and the nozzle through which the developer held on the developing roller passes must also be set to be large. It was not possible to prevent the developer from scattering outside the developing machine, or the relatively thick layer of developer held on the developing roller from scattering outside the machine, and a cartridge-type developing machine was created. This was a big obstacle in doing so.

The present invention was made in order to solve these problems in conventional developing machines. Even if the developing machine is loaded with developer and is transported, the developer does not scatter, and it is easy to operate. It is an object of the present invention to provide a cartridge developing machine configured so that it can be used in a state where it can be used in the following manner.

The present invention will be described in detail below based on Examples.

Figure 3 (5), (Bl is a schematic sectional view of an embodiment of the cart and ridge developing machine of the present invention. Figure 3 (3), (
The reference numerals in I3) are given the same reference numerals as the corresponding members in the apparatus shown in FIG. In the third doujinshi, 33 is an unused developer storage container, which is formed integrally with the side of the toner hopper 25, 34 is an opening formed at the lower end of the container 33, and 35 is an opening formed at the lower end of the container 33. It is a removable opening closing member that closes the opening 34. The opening closing member 35 can have various forms, but the one shown in this embodiment has bent portions 35 with a U-shaped cross section on both sides.
′, 35′, and the bent portions 35′, 35′ are provided at the end of the opening 34 of the storage container 33.
．． 36 and is configured to slidably engage 36 . Reference numeral 37 indicates unused developer stored in the developer storage container 33. Before the developing machine starts to be used, the opening 34 of the developer storage container 33 is closed by the closing member 35, so that the developing machine cannot be used. The developer will not be scattered outside the container during transportation. Note that a is a developing bias power supply connection terminal, and b and C are toner supply bias power supply connection terminals, which are installed in the main body of the apparatus when the cartridge developing machine is installed in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine. These are connected to the developing bias power supply 27 and the toner supply bias power supply 3o, respectively.

FIG. 3(B) is a diagram showing how the developing machine is used. The developing machine configured as described above is installed in a predetermined position of an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, and prior to starting the operation of the apparatus,
The opening closing member 35 of the developer storage container 33 of the developing machine is removed by sliding it forward or backward in the state shown. When the opening 34 is thereby opened, the developer storage container 3
The unused developer 37 stored in the developing roller 3 falls onto the non-magnetic sleeve 22 constituting the developing roller. Then, when the magnetic roller 21 is rotated, the developer 37 that has fallen is distributed to a uniform thickness while moving on the non-magnetic sleeve 22, and is ready for use.

Note that the position of the opening 34 provided in the developer storage container 33 is such that when the developer 37 falls from the opened opening 34 due to gravity, the developer 37 is supplied onto the non-magnetic sleeve 22; Even if the developer falls and accumulates outside the magnetic action area of the magnet roller 21 before the magnet roller 21 rotates, the setting must be such that the developer does not flow out of the developing machine.

Various modes of engagement between the slidable closing member that closes the opening 34 of the developer storage container 33 and the opening can be used in addition to those shown in the above embodiments. For example, as shown in FIG. 3(0), the developer storage container 33
A groove 38.38 is formed in the side wall forming the opening 34, and a slidable plate-like closing member 39 is disposed in the groove 38.38 to close the opening 34. Good too.

The fourth doujin is another embodiment of the present invention, in which the opening of the developer storage container is sealed with a breakable sheet member, and a cutter plate for breaking the sheet member is provided. The configuration is similar to the first embodiment shown in FIG. 3(5).

In FIG. 4(5), 40 is a sheet-shaped sealing material that seals the opening 34 of the developer storage container 33, and 41 is a cutter plate for cutting the sealing material 40, which is opposed to the sealing material 40. and is integrally attached to a rotatable shaft 42. Reference numeral 43 denotes a lever fixed to the shaft 42, and is mounted at a position where it can be operated from the outside of the developing machine. The sealing material 40 is made of aluminum foil, aluminum foil laminated paper, paper, coated paper, or the like, and is adhered to the end surface of the opening 34 to seal it.

Figure 4 (I3) shows the cutter plate 41, shaft 42, and lever 4.
FIG. 3 is a diagram showing a cutter assembly in which three parts are integrated. The cutter plate 4I has a serrated tip and is configured so that it can be easily broken and removed by coming into pressure contact with the sealing material 40.

FIG. 4(0) shows the state of use of the developing machine shown in the fourth doujinshi. After setting the developing machine in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, when the lever 43 is rotated approximately 90 degrees clockwise from the state shown in FIG. 4 (5), the cutter plate 4J attached to the shaft 42 is also rotated clockwise at the same time. The opening 34 is opened by rotating the same angle to break through the sheet-like sealing material 40. As a result, the unused developer 37 in the developer storage container 33
The developer 37 is supplied onto the non-magnetic sleeve 22 constituting the developing roller, and due to the rotation of the magnetic roller 21, the developer 37 is distributed to a uniform thickness on the non-magnetic sleeve 22, resulting in the state shown in the figure. , the developing machine becomes ready for use.

In this embodiment, the lever 43 is manually rotated to operate the cutter plate 41, but when this cartridge developing device is installed in the main body of the image forming apparatus, a lever 43 provided on the developing device side is used. It is more convenient if the lever is engaged with a member provided on the main body of the apparatus, and the cutter plate is actuated by the mounting operation of the developing machine during mounting. In this case, if the lever that operates the cutter plate is not in the normal operating position as shown in FIG. 4 (5), an interference member that interferes with the lever is provided on the image forming apparatus main body, It would be even more convenient to configure the printer so that the developing device cannot be installed normally, thereby preventing the cutter plate from malfunctioning.

In each of the above embodiments, the present invention is applied to the developing machine shown in Fig. 2, but the present invention is not applied only to the developing machine having a specific configuration as shown in Fig. 2. Instead, it can be applied to a developing machine using a magnetic two-component developer as shown in FIG. 1, or to a developing machine using a magnetic-component developer.

As described above in detail based on the embodiments, the present invention provides a developer storage container that stores a developer therein and is provided with a removable opening closing member in the lower opening, which is disposed within the main body of the developing machine. Then, place the lower opening to face the developing roller,
Since the cartridge developing machine is configured so that unused developer can be dropped and supplied onto the developing roller by removing the opening closing member, the developer is stored in a sealed container during transportation, and the developing machine It is possible to provide a cartridge developing machine that is free from the risk of developer scattering from the cartridge and can be immediately ready for use after being installed in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine.

Furthermore, by configuring the opening closing member to be slidably engaged with the opening, unused developer can be supplied onto the developing roller and made available for use with a simple configuration and simple operation. Furthermore, by forming the opening closing member with a breakable sheet-like sealing material adhered to the opening, and configuring the sealing material to be broken with a cuckoo plate, Effects such as being able to improve the degree of sealing of unused developer and being able to easily remove the opening closing member can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a developing machine of a conventional image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of a developing machine previously proposed by the inventor of the present application, and FIG. Schematic sectional view of an embodiment of the cartridge developing machine according to the invention, FIG. 3 (I3)
is a schematic sectional view showing the state in use, FIG. 3 (C1
4(5) is a sectional view showing another example of the opening closing member of the developer storage container of the developing machine shown in the third doujinshi. FIG. 4(5) is a schematic sectional view of another embodiment of the present invention. Figure (131 is the fourth
FIG. 4(C) is an enlarged plan view of the cutter assembly used in the developing machine shown in FIG. 4(5), and is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the developing machine shown in FIG. In the figure, ] is a charge retention member, 2 is a magnetic roller, 3 is a non-magnetic sleeve, 5 is a stirring blade, 6 is a doctor blade, 8 is a housing, 9 is a toner pumper, 1z is a developer, 14 is a developer layer, 14 ' is a spiked portion, 21 is a magnetic roller, 22 is a non-magnetic sleeve, 23 is a toner supply roller, 24 is a blade, 25 is a toner hopper,
26 is a seal plate, 28.29 is a dust cover, 31 is a magnetic developer, 31' is a spiked portion, 32 is a replenishment toner, 3
3 is an unused developer storage container, 34 is an opening, 35 is an opening closing member, 35' is a U-shaped bent portion, 36 is a convex portion, and 37
38 is a groove portion; 39 is a plate-shaped closing member; 4 is an unused developer;
0 indicates a sealing material, 41 a cutter plate, and 43 a lever. Patent applicant: Olympus Optical Industry Co., Ltd. Figure 1 Figure 2 Figure 3 (A) Figure 3 (C) Figure 4 (A) Figure 4 (B) Chapter 2 Figure 4 (C)

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A developing roller disposed so as to face a charge retaining member of an image forming apparatus, and a developer containing toner held and conveyed by the developing roller, the developer being transferred onto the charge retaining member. In a cartridge developing machine that is configured to be removable from an image forming apparatus and to form a toner image by acting on an electrostatic latent image formed in A developer storage container having a removable opening closing member in the opening thereof is disposed within the developing machine main body so that the lower opening faces the developing roller, and the opening closing member is removed. A cartridge developing machine characterized in that it is configured such that unused developer can be dropped and supplied onto a developing roller. (2) The cartridge developing machine according to claim 1, wherein the opening closing member is configured to slidably engage with the opening of the developer storage container. (3) The opening closing member is composed of a breakable sheet-like sealing material adhered to the opening of the developer storage container, and a cutter member is disposed opposite to the closing member. A cartridge developing machine according to claim 1.