JPS60107058A - Toner remaining quantity detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect exactly the remaining quantity of a toner in a hopper, and also to prevent the toner from sticking, by detecting an oscillating state of a magnetic oscillating member oscillated by a rotary magnetic force body. CONSTITUTION:When a stirring plate 7 is driven to rotate in the direction as indicated with an arrow 6, a magnet 7a also rotates simultaneously. A magnetic oscillating member 9 moves upward when the magnet 7a approaches from the lower part, and stops the oscillation when it recedes. When a replenishing toner 1 of a sufficient quantity exists in a hopper 2, the member 9 is prevented from oscillation by a resistance force of the toner, and fixed at a fixed position. On the other hand, in case when the toner 1 in the hopper 2 decreases, the resistance force decreases gradually, the member 9 starts its oscillation within a range in which a magnetic force between the magnet 7a and the member 9 exceeds the resistance force, and in the end, the toner 1 is consumed almost completely, and when the resistance force is gone, the member 9 oscillates. A lever 10 is provided so as to show a decrease of the contained quantity of the toner 1 by operating intermittently a microswitch 11.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device for detecting the remaining amount of replenishment toner in an electrophotographic copying apparatus.

Conventional configuration and its problems Traditionally, in electrophotographic copying machines, a toner marker in the hopper has been installed to prevent the image density of the copy paper from decreasing when the replenishment toner has been consumed. A display means is required to instruct the user to add replenishment toner into the hopper when the amount is low.

As such means, in conventional devices, the hopper is made of transparent parts and the remaining amount of toner is detected using light based on the presence or absence of toner shadows, or the method of installing a piezoelectric element in the hopper and detecting the amount of toner remaining due to the presence or absence of toner. A method of detecting the remaining amount by electrically measuring changes in the amplitude of the element is used.

However, the toner does not necessarily decrease uniformly inside the hopper, and toner may stick to the hopper wall due to the influence of humidity, etc. As a result, the conventional method described above This method has the disadvantage that if toner adheres to the sensor section, stable detection becomes impossible every time.

Purpose of the Invention The object of the present invention is to provide a toner remaining amount detection device with a simple configuration that allows reliable detection operation and simultaneously eliminates toner sticking in a hopper.〇Invention The remaining toner amount detecting device of the present invention includes a rotating magnetic body in a hopper that stores toner for replenishment, a magnetic rocking member whose tip swings near the magnetic body, and a magnetic rocking member that swings in the vicinity of the magnetic body. The apparatus is equipped with a detection means for detecting a decrease in replenishment toner in the hopper by detecting the swinging state of the moving member and outputting a signal, thereby ensuring the remaining amount detection operation. In addition, it is possible to prevent toner from sticking inside the hopper at the same time.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS Below, a toner remaining amount detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
This will be explained with reference to the drawings.

The figure is a sectional view of a remaining toner amount detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In the figure, replenishment toner 1 is stored in a hopper 2. A toner replenishment roller 4 is provided at the bottom opening of the hopper 2 and is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow 3.

The replenishment toner 1 enters the notch 4a of the replenishment roller, falls downward as it rotates, and is replenished into the developing device 5 fixed to the hopper 2. On the other hand, a stirring plate 7 that rotates appropriately in the direction of arrow 6 is provided inside the hoverer 2, and a magnet 7a is fixed to the tip of the stirring plate 7.

The replenishment toner 1 is constantly physically stirred by the rotation of the stirring plate 7.

Further, inside the hopper 2, a magnetic swinging member 9 made of a magnetic material such as a steel plate and swinging about a shaft 8 is arranged. A switch lever 1o is fixed to one end of the shaft 8 and the back of the hopper 2, and when the magnetic swinging member 9 moves downward, the actuator 11a of the microswitch 11, which is also attached to the back of the hopper 2, is activated. is pressed by the switch lever 1o, operating the microswitch 11 and outputting an electric signal.

The operation of the remaining toner amount detecting device of this embodiment configured as described above will be described below.

When the stirring plate 7 is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow 6, the magnet 7a also rotates at the same time. The magnetic swinging member 9 is the magnet 7
When a approaches from below, it is attracted by magnetic force and moves upward as the magnet 7a rotates, and when the magnet 7a moves away and the magnetic force decreases, it stops swinging. However, when there is a sufficient amount of replenishment toner 1 in the hopper 2, the magnetic swinging member 9 is prevented from swinging by the resistance of the replenishment toner 1, and stops at a certain position.

On the other hand, when the amount of replenishment toner 1 in the hopper 2 decreases, the above-mentioned resistance force also gradually decreases.
Within the range where the magnetic force between the magnet 7a and the magnetic swinging member 9 exceeds the resistance force, the magnetic swinging member 9 starts swinging, and eventually the replenishment toner 1 is almost completely consumed and the resistance force increases. When the magnetic oscillating member 9 becomes smaller, the magnetic oscillating member 9 resumes its vertical oscillation within the range of the effective magnetic force with the magnet 7a.

Therefore, at this time, the switch lever 10 operates the actuator 11a of the microswitch 11 intermittently, and the microswitch 11 is repeatedly turned on and off. Now, if the microswitch 11 is intermittently turned on and off at a time corresponding to the number of rotations of the magnet 7a, an electric signal indicating a decrease in the amount of replenishment toner 1 stored in the hopper 2 is generated. , for example, can be displayed using a lamp.

According to the embodiment described above, when the remaining amount of the replenishment toner 1 in the pumper 2 becomes small, it is automatically detected, and the remaining amount before the replenishment toner 1 is completely consumed is below a certain amount. When the amount of replenishment toner 1 is reached, it is possible to display a message to add replenishment toner 1. Also, the stirring plate 7 and the magnetic swinging member 9
The configuration is simple, and furthermore, the rotation of the stirring plate 7 and the rocking of the magnetic rocking plate 9 can prevent the replenishment toner 1 from sticking in the hopper 2.
Not only can stable toner replenishment be achieved, but also the remaining amount can be reliably detected without erroneous detection due to adhesion of replenishing toner due to moisture absorption, etc.

Effects of the Invention As is clear from the above description, the toner remaining amount detection device of the present invention can reliably detect the remaining amount of replenishment toner with a simple configuration, and can also detect the amount of replenishment toner in the hopper. The effect that sticking can also be prevented can be obtained.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The figure is a cross-sectional view of a remaining toner amount detection device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1...Replenishment toner, 2...Hopper,
Completion...- Stirring plate, 9...Magnetic rocking member,
11...Micro switch.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A rotating magnet is provided in the hopper that stores toner for replenishment, and a magnetic swinging member whose tip swings near the magnet, and a swinging state of the magnetic swinging member is detected. and detecting means for outputting a signal detecting a decrease in the amount of replenishing toner.