JPS6079374A - Developing device for electrophotographic copying machine - Google Patents

Developing device for electrophotographic copying machine

Info

Publication number
JPS6079374A
JPS6079374A JP18680683A JP18680683A JPS6079374A JP S6079374 A JPS6079374 A JP S6079374A JP 18680683 A JP18680683 A JP 18680683A JP 18680683 A JP18680683 A JP 18680683A JP S6079374 A JPS6079374 A JP S6079374A
Authority
JP
Japan
Prior art keywords
toner
load
blender
bottle
rod
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Pending
Application number
JP18680683A
Other languages
Japanese (ja)
Inventor
Yutaka Nogami
豊 野上
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Fujifilm Business Innovation Corp
Original Assignee
Fuji Xerox Co Ltd
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Fuji Xerox Co Ltd filed Critical Fuji Xerox Co Ltd
Priority to JP18680683A priority Critical patent/JPS6079374A/en
Publication of JPS6079374A publication Critical patent/JPS6079374A/en
Pending legal-status Critical Current

Links

Classifications

    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
    • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
    • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
    • G03G15/0848—Arrangements for testing or measuring developer properties or quality, e.g. charge, size, flowability
    • G03G15/0856—Detection or control means for the developer level
    • G—PHYSICS
    • G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
    • G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
    • G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
    • G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
    • G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
    • G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
    • G03G15/0848—Arrangements for testing or measuring developer properties or quality, e.g. charge, size, flowability
    • G03G15/0856—Detection or control means for the developer level
    • G03G15/0858—Detection or control means for the developer level the level being measured by mechanical means

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detect the presence or absence of a toner by detecting the load of a driving system of an agitating member occuring in the amt. of the toner by a detecting means. CONSTITUTION:When a toner is full in a toner bottle 2, a belt 4 transmits rotation always in a tense state to a blender 3 because the load against the driving of the blender 3 is large. A rod 7 receives large force from a spring 8 and maintains always a switch 6 in an on state. When the driving load decreases gradually on gradual decrease in the toner, the blender 3 is made easily rotatable and the tensed belt 4 is loosened gradually. The switch turns off when the force that the rod 7 receives is smaller than the force that the rod receives from the spring 8. More specifically, the switch 6 can be so set as to be changed over at the prescribed amt. of the toner by setting the elastic force at optional intensity. The amt. of the toner is thus surely detected by such operation before the inside of the bottle 2 is emptied.

Description

【発明の詳細な説明】 産業上の利用分野 本発明は電子複写機の現像装置に関する。[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to a developing device for an electronic copying machine.

従来技術 電子複写機の現像装置は現像機と、その上部に設けたト
ナーボトルとからなり、トナーボトル内には内部のトナ
ーを攪拌するための回転式、往復式、振動式等のブレン
ダーが備えられている。トナーボトル内のトナー量を確
認するために、通常トナーボトルは透明なプラスチック
製であり、外部からの目視によりトナー残量の確認を行
なっている。しかしトナーボトル内壁にトナーが付着し
壁面が汚れた場合、外部から内部を透視するのは困難で
あり、またトナー不足にならないように定期的にトナー
残量を確認しなければならないという不便があり、トナ
ーボトルがカラになるまで気づかない場合も起こり得た
。Conventional technology The developing device of an electronic copying machine consists of a developing device and a toner bottle installed above the developing device.The toner bottle is equipped with a rotary type, reciprocating type, vibrating type, etc. blender for stirring the toner inside. It is being In order to check the amount of toner in the toner bottle, the toner bottle is usually made of transparent plastic, and the remaining amount of toner is visually checked from the outside. However, if toner adheres to the inner wall of the toner bottle and the wall surface becomes dirty, it is difficult to see through the inside from the outside, and there is the inconvenience of having to periodically check the remaining amount of toner to avoid running out of toner. In some cases, the problem may not be noticed until the toner bottle is empty.

そこで、トナーボトル内部にセンナを設け、表面を発振
させてトナーの有無による振動の変化を検出してトナー
量を検知する方法がある。Therefore, there is a method of detecting the amount of toner by providing a sensor inside the toner bottle, causing the surface to vibrate, and detecting changes in vibration depending on the presence or absence of toner.

しかしこの方法によるとセンサ取り付は部分のトナーの
有無のみ検知できるだけで、必ずしもトナーボトル内の
トナー全体量を検知することはできず、またセンサを取
り付けるためコストも高（なるという欠点があった。However, with this method, installing a sensor can only detect the presence or absence of toner in a certain part of the toner bottle, and cannot necessarily detect the entire amount of toner in the toner bottle.Additionally, the cost of installing a sensor is high. .

発明の目的 本発明の目的は安価でしかもトナーボトル内のトナー残
量を容易に検知できる現像装置を提供することにある。OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a developing device that is inexpensive and can easily detect the amount of toner remaining in a toner bottle.

発明の構成 本発明は、攪拌部材を取り付けたトナーボトルを上部に
備えている電子複写機の現像装置において、攪拌部材の
駆動系に、駆動系の負荷に対応して作動するトナー検知
手段を備え、トナー４５ｋに起因する駆動系の負荷を検
知手段により検出することによりトナーの有無を検知す
る現像装置である。Configuring the Invention The present invention provides a developing device for an electronic copying machine that is equipped with a toner bottle having an agitating member attached thereto, in which the agitating member's drive system is provided with a toner detecting means that operates in response to the load on the drive system. , is a developing device that detects the presence or absence of toner by detecting the load on the drive system caused by the toner 45k using a detection means.

トナーボトル内のトナーを攪拌する攪拌部材の駆動系に
は、トナーの量に比例した負荷がかかり、トナー量が多
いと負荷は太き（、トナー量が少ないと負荷は小さい。A load proportional to the amount of toner is applied to the drive system of the agitation member that stirs the toner in the toner bottle, and when the amount of toner is large, the load is heavy (and when the amount of toner is small, the load is small).

すなわち、トナーボトル内にトナーが充満しているとき
には駆動系には大きな負荷がかかり、トナーボトル内の
トナー量が少ないと駆動系にかかる負荷は小さい。そこ
で本発明は駆動系にかかる負荷が小さい時にのみ作動す
るトナー検知手段を攪拌部材の駆動系に備えることによ
ってトナー不足を検知できるようにしたものである。こ
の検知手段としては、回転ムラなどにより一時的に負荷
が小さくなることも考慮に入れ、一定時間低負荷状態が
続いた時に作動するものを利用するとよ（ゝＯ 実施例 以下に添付図面に基づいて本発明の詳細な説明する。That is, when the toner bottle is full of toner, a large load is applied to the drive system, and when the amount of toner in the toner bottle is small, the load applied to the drive system is small. Therefore, in the present invention, the toner shortage can be detected by providing the drive system of the stirring member with a toner detection means that operates only when the load on the drive system is small. As this detection means, it is recommended to take into consideration that the load may be temporarily reduced due to uneven rotation, etc., and use one that activates when a low load state continues for a certain period of time. The present invention will now be described in detail.

第１図に示すようζζ本発明の現像装置は、現像機１と
トナーボトル２とからナリ、トナーボトル２の底部近（
にはボトル２内のトナーを攪拌するための回転式のトナ
ー攪拌部材（プレンダー）３が設けられている。プレン
ダー３はトナーボトル２の側壁外にまで延びる回転軸を
備え、現像機１の駆動源からの動力をプーリー９を介し
てベルト４から受けて回転する。一方、一端を回転可能
に支持したロッド７の他端にはセンｖｌ−リ−ｓが設け
られ、このセンサプーリー５が常に駆動ベルト４に接し
て回転するようにロッド７はスプリング８からのカを受
けている。そしてさらにロッド７はトナー不足の表示あ
るいは現像機の停止等を制御するスイッチ６に接触可能
になっている。As shown in FIG.
A rotary toner stirring member (plender) 3 for stirring the toner in the bottle 2 is provided. The blender 3 includes a rotating shaft extending outside the side wall of the toner bottle 2, and rotates by receiving power from the drive source of the developing device 1 from the belt 4 via the pulley 9. On the other hand, a sensor pulley 5 is provided at the other end of the rod 7 which is rotatably supported at one end, and the rod 7 is supported by a spring 8 so that the sensor pulley 5 always rotates in contact with the drive belt 4. Is receiving. Furthermore, the rod 7 can come into contact with a switch 6 that controls the display of toner shortage or the stoppage of the developing machine.

トナーボトル２内にトナーが充満していると、プレンダ
ー３の駆動に対する負荷が大きいためベルト４は常に緊
張状態でプレンダー３に回転を伝え、ロッド７はスプリ
ング８より大きい力をベルト４から受けてスイッチ６を
常にＯＮ状態に保持している。そしてトナーボトル２内
のトナーが徐々に減って行き、これに対する駆動の負荷
が小さくなって行くと、プレンダ−３は回転し易くなり
緊張していたベルト４が徐々に緩んで来る。そしてロッ
ド７がベルト４から受ける力が、スプリング８から受け
る方より小さくなると、ロッド７はスイッチ６から離れ
、スイッチはＯＦＦ状態になる。このロッド７、の動き
によるスイッチ６の切り換えは、トナー量による駆動に
対する負荷とスプリング８の弾力との相対的な関係によ
るので、弾力を任意の強さにすることにより、所定のト
ナー量でスイ、チロが切り換わるように設定することが
できる。さらにトナーがボトル２内を充たしていてもプ
レンダ−３の回転ムラにより瞬間的にベルト４が緩みス
イッチ６が切れることがあり得るため、スイッチ６が一
定の時間切れていた後に初めてスイッチ６による制御が
開始するものである必要がある。このような動作により
ボトル２内がカラに１ヨる前にトナー量を確実に検知す
ることができる。When the toner bottle 2 is full of toner, the load on driving the blender 3 is large, so the belt 4 always transmits rotation to the blender 3 under tension, and the rod 7 receives a force larger than the spring 8 from the belt 4. The switch 6 is always kept in the ON state. Then, as the toner in the toner bottle 2 gradually decreases and the driving load on it decreases, the blender 3 becomes easier to rotate and the belt 4, which had been under tension, gradually loosens. When the force that the rod 7 receives from the belt 4 becomes smaller than the force that the rod 7 receives from the spring 8, the rod 7 separates from the switch 6 and the switch becomes OFF. The switching of the switch 6 by the movement of the rod 7 depends on the relative relationship between the drive load due to the amount of toner and the elasticity of the spring 8, so by setting the elasticity to an arbitrary strength, the switch 6 can be switched at a predetermined amount of toner. , it can be set so that the chiro changes. Furthermore, even if the bottle 2 is filled with toner, the uneven rotation of the blender 3 may cause the belt 4 to momentarily loosen and the switch 6 to turn off. must be the one that starts. By such an operation, the amount of toner can be reliably detected before the inside of the bottle 2 becomes empty.

以上本実施例はブレンダーが回転式のものであるが、往
復式あるいは振動式のブレンダーの場合にもそれぞれプ
レンダーの駆動に対する負荷に対応して作動するスイッ
チを設ければトナー量は確実に検知できる。As mentioned above, in this embodiment, the blender is a rotary type, but even in the case of a reciprocating type or a vibrating type blender, the amount of toner can be reliably detected by providing a switch that operates according to the load on the blender drive. .

発明の効果 本発明の現像装置はトナーボトルの攪拌部材にかかる負
荷を検出Ｔるようにしたものであり、安価でしかもトナ
ーボトル内のトナー量を確実に把握することができる。Effects of the Invention The developing device of the present invention is designed to detect the load applied to the agitating member of the toner bottle, and is inexpensive and can reliably grasp the amount of toner in the toner bottle.

【図面の簡単な説明】[Brief explanation of the drawing]

第１図は本発明の現像装置例の斜視図である。 図中符号： １・・・現像機：２・・・トナーボトル；３・・・プレ
ンダー；４・・・ベル、ト；５・・・センサプーリー；
６・・・７ スイ、テ；７・・・、っロッド；８・・・スプリング：
９・・・駆動プーリー。 第１図FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an example of a developing device of the present invention. Symbols in the figure: 1...Developer: 2...Toner bottle; 3...Plender; 4...Bell, t;5...Sensor pulley;
6...7 Sui, Te; 7..., rod; 8... Spring:
9... Drive pulley. Figure 1

Claims (1)

【特許請求の範囲】[Claims] 攪拌部材を取り付けたトナーボトルを上部に備えた電子
複写機の現像装置において、前記攪拌部材の駆動系に、
その駆動系の負荷に対応して作動するトナー検知手段を
設けてなることを特徴とする現像装置。In a developing device of an electronic copying machine equipped with a toner bottle on top of which a stirring member is attached, a drive system for the stirring member includes:
A developing device characterized in that it is provided with a toner detecting means that operates in response to the load on its drive system.
JP18680683A 1983-10-07 1983-10-07 Developing device for electrophotographic copying machine Pending JPS6079374A (en)

Priority Applications (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP18680683A JPS6079374A (en) 1983-10-07 1983-10-07 Developing device for electrophotographic copying machine

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
JP18680683A JPS6079374A (en) 1983-10-07 1983-10-07 Developing device for electrophotographic copying machine

Publications (1)

Publication Number Publication Date
JPS6079374A true JPS6079374A (en) 1985-05-07

Family

ID=16194908

Family Applications (1)

Application Number Title Priority Date Filing Date
JP18680683A Pending JPS6079374A (en) 1983-10-07 1983-10-07 Developing device for electrophotographic copying machine

Country Status (1)

Country Link
JP (1) JPS6079374A (en)

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4881103A (en) * 1986-10-31 1989-11-14 Konica Corporation Developing apparatus
JPH0682112U (en) * 1991-06-14 1994-11-25 株式会社テーシーアイ Structure support
KR19980064215A (en) * 1996-12-17 1998-10-07 죤제이.맥아들 Multifunctional encoder wheel for cartridges used in electrophotographic output
US6917769B2 (en) * 2002-06-05 2005-07-12 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming device that detects appropriateness of toner used therein

Cited By (4)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US4881103A (en) * 1986-10-31 1989-11-14 Konica Corporation Developing apparatus
JPH0682112U (en) * 1991-06-14 1994-11-25 株式会社テーシーアイ Structure support
KR19980064215A (en) * 1996-12-17 1998-10-07 죤제이.맥아들 Multifunctional encoder wheel for cartridges used in electrophotographic output
US6917769B2 (en) * 2002-06-05 2005-07-12 Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha Image forming device that detects appropriateness of toner used therein

Similar Documents

Publication Publication Date Title
JP2837973B2 (en) Toner remaining amount detection mechanism
EP0666516B1 (en) Development unit for electrophotographic copier
JPS6079374A (en) Developing device for electrophotographic copying machine
US5428427A (en) Device for detecting toner used in an electrophotography machine
EP0858009B1 (en) Self cleaning imaging material dispensing system
JPH11184231A (en) Controlling method for powdery material replenishing device
JP2001092234A (en) Image-forming device
JPH058612Y2 (en)
JPS63118173A (en) Developing device
JPH04121766A (en) Developing device
JPH0431884A (en) Image forming device
JPH0342591A (en) Powder level detecting device for powder storage chamber
KR100602606B1 (en) Toner exhaustion sensing apparatus of Image formation machine
KR0121840Y1 (en) Toner end detector
JPS6385770A (en) Detecting system for residual quantity of toner in electrophotographic recorder
JPH09212052A (en) Waste-toner recovery device
JPH0497181A (en) Toner residual quantity detecting method
JPH06258946A (en) Device for detecting amount of remaining toner
JPH046575A (en) Toner replenishing device
JPH0220887A (en) Residual toner detecting device
JPH0350533Y2 (en)
JPH03149579A (en) Developing device and process cartridge provided therewith
JPS59166976A (en) Developing device of copying machine
JPH02293769A (en) Toner supply device in developing device
JP3326459B2 (en) Developing device