JPS6122370A - Developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To detach and attach a hopper easily, so as to not to contaminate the periphery by constituting a titled device so that a shutter member of a replanishing port of a developer hopper is closed, and the hopper is detached and attached from and to the upper part of the device without removing the upper cover of the device. CONSTITUTION:A hopper can be taken out easily by drawing out a developing device 3 to this side, releasing a connection of the developing device and a developer hopper 4, and thereafter, detaching the coupling of a device body and the hopper 4, and drawing it out upward. In this case, a shutter member of a replenishing port of the hopper 4 is closed. Accordingly, the hopper is taken out easily without detaching the upper cover 100 of the device, and in this case, since the shutter member is closed, the hopper is handled easily and it is possible not to contaminate the periphery.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a hopper extraction mechanism in a developing device that has a developing device that accommodates developer and a developer hopper that supplies developer to the developing device.

When replenishing powder developer to the developing device of an electrophotographic device, electrostatic recording device, or magnetic recording device.

Conventionally, a developer cartridge containing powder developer was inserted into a developing device to directly supply the developer to the developing device. However, the amount of developer (also called toner) that can be stored in the developing device is small, and only about 7 to 8,000 copies of A4 size paper can be made. Nowadays, as office automation increases and the amount of copies to be made increases, developing devices equipped with a storage device for storing a large amount of toner are being considered.

This is to supply toner to the hopper 4 from the supply port A and store it in the hopper. When the amount of toner in the developing device 3 becomes less than a certain amount, the supply roller 41 is gradually rotated in the direction of the arrow by a motor (not shown). The orifice 42 prevents the toner from standing on the roller 41, and the blade 43 scrapes the toner off the roller, thereby replenishing the developing device 3 with toner. Developer 3
The supplied toner is stirred by a stirring rod 31 and simultaneously conveyed toward a magnetic roller 33 having a sleeve and a magnet. A toner reservoir layer is formed on the magnet roller 33 by the blade 32, and the photosensitive drum 1 is developed by a known contact or non-contact development method.

If the developing device and hopper are formed into one unit in this way, the unit becomes large and maintenance of this unit is very difficult.Moreover, with the recent trend of electronic copiers, the user has to replace the developing device to produce multiple colors. Although there is an increasing demand for easily obtaining copies, the device shown in FIG. 1 has a drawback in that the unit is large and the user cannot easily replace the unit.

Further, in order to avoid increasing the size of the developing device unit, a developing device 3 and a hopper are used as shown in FIG. At the connecting part between the developing device 3 and the hopper 4.

Sealing material (urethane foam, etc.) to prevent toner scattering
34 is attached to the entrance of the developing device 3. In this example, when the hopper is removed, the developer supply port is open, which not only stains the image forming machine and the user with toner, but also requires the removal of the machine exterior cover in order to remove the hopper. There were drawbacks.

The objects of the present invention are as follows: (1) The hopper can be attached and detached from the top of the image forming machine without removing the top cover of the image forming machine, and when the hopper is removed, the shutter member of the developer replenishment port of the hopper is closed, so that attachment and detachment are easy and the surrounding area is not contaminated. An object of the present invention is to provide a developing device.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the main parts of a copying machine to which the developing device of the present invention can be applied. 1 is a photosensitive drum that rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure; 2 is a well-known latent image forming means that projects an original image onto the photosensitive drum 1 from above to form a latent image on the photosensitive drum 1; 3 is a latent image forming means on the photosensitive drum 1; A developing device 1.4 for developing an image is a developer hopper that supplies developer to the developing device, 5 is a transfer paper cassette, 6 is a transfer paper feeding means, and 7 is a transfer paper fed by the paper feeding means. Photosensitive drum! This is a transfer and separation section that transfers the above visible image and then separates the transfer paper from the photosensitive drum l.Then, the transfer paper is sent to the fixing means 9 by the conveying means 8 and fixed thereon, and is ejected to the paper ejection tray lO. be done. Reference numeral 11 indicates a cleaning means for cleaning the photosensitive drum l, and reference numeral 24 indicates an opening for replenishing the developer hopper 4 with developer.

25 is a lid that closes the opening.

Fourth, the developing device 3 and hopper 4 improved by the present invention.
FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view of the connecting portion of FIG.

In the figure, there is a toner cartridge (not shown) in the hopper body 4.
The toner from the hopper is replenished from the direction A, and the toner is stored in the hopper. When the toner in the developing unit 3f reaches a certain level, a sensor (for example, heavy type, piezo type, condenser type, etc.) that detects this is activated. Along with the detection operation of this sensor, the stirring shaft 451 in FIG.
is fixed to the stirring gear 410 by a parallel pin 452, and a spiral-shaped stirring rod 45 is fixed to this stirring shaft 451. Therefore, the driving force from the stirring gear 410 is transmitted to the stirring shaft 451, the stirring rod 45 is constructed integrally with the hopper 1411, and the timing pulley 411 and screw pulley 412 are connected via a timing bell 416. Screw pulley 412 and screw 4
7 is fixed by a parallel pin 471, the toner in the hopper is sent in the direction of arrow X1 by the screw 47, falls in the direction B from the hopper discharge port 401, and is sent to the developing device. To prevent toner crosslinking or stagnation, the fourth
In the figure, the stirring rod 451 is rotating in the C direction, and this stirring achieves the purpose of preventing crosslinking and at the same time conveying the toner to the screw 47 section. The hopper 4 is fixed to the main body stay 12.13.

The toner sent to the developing device 3 is conveyed to the center of the developing device in the X2 direction by a screw 39 provided in the opening.

This screw 39 is connected to the gear 31 by a motor (not shown).
5. 31O is a screw bearing. The toner conveyed to the center of the developing device is conveyed in the direction of arrow X3 and the direction of arrow X4 by a two-way feed screw 311 in order to convey the toner uniformly to the magnet roller 33. This two-way feed screw 311 has screws formed in both directions at some distance from the center. This is to ensure that even if the position of the toner falling from section E varies somewhat, it is uniformly conveyed in two directions. Also, it is desirable to leave part of the screw 311 at both ends so that the toner does not get stuck too much at both ends.X3. The developer conveyed in the X4 direction is sent to the magnet roller 33 by a stirring rod 312 and a stirring rod 313. The toner on the magnetic roller 33 having a sleeve and a magnet is formed into a uniform toner layer by the blade 32, and developed with the drum 1 by contact or non-contact development. At this time, the developer may be one-component or two-component.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the developing device 3 separated from the drum 1 and before the developing device 3 and the hopper 4 are connected, and FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view at that time.

In FIG. 6, the developing device 3 is guided by the main body guide 14.15 and the pressure lever 16 toward the back of the page (7th direction).
In FIG. 7, a tension spring 320 is provided between a boss 318 of a slide lid 317, which is a shutter member of the developing device, and a boss 319 provided on a part of the developing device 3. ing. Therefore, when the developing device 3 and the hopper 4 are not connected.

The developer supply port 301 is closed by a slide lid 317. When the developing device 3 is further inserted in the direction of arrow Y, the notch 321 of the slide cover 317 comes into contact with the protrusion 414 of the hopper 4, and as a result, the slide cover 317
remains stationary at that position, but since the developer 3 is inserted further back, the replenishment port 301 begins to open relatively. Figure 5 shows the fully opened state.

The developer supply port 301 has a toner receiver 35 and a compression spring 36.
, bellows 37. It consists of a bellows fixing part 38. Due to the action of the compression spring 36, the bellows 37 is always subjected to a force that tends to move in the direction of the arrow. Slide pig 317
When the toner is above the supply port, the slide lid 317 engages with the toner receiver 35 to suppress this force. Due to this force, the toner receiver 35 comes into close contact with the slide lid, and the supply port is sealed.

FIG. 8 shows a front view of the bellows 37, which has a bellows shape for expansion and contraction. Further, the bellows is made of a flexible material such as neoprene rubber or urethane rubber.

As shown in FIG. 5, when the developing device 3 is inserted to a predetermined position, the slide cover 317 opens completely and the compression spring 36
The toner receiver 35 comes into contact with the hopper connecting terrace 48 due to the force. When the toner receiver and connecting terrace are combined, the sixth
The boss 302 shown in the figure abuts against the cam 431, and the flapper 413, which is a shutter member that closes the opening of the hopper, is rotated 90 degrees to open the hopper as shown in FIG. 44 is a ring-shaped sealing material such as urethane foam attached around the opening.

FIG. 9(A) is a plan view of the flapper 413. The flapper 413 and the cam 431 are fixed to the shaft 432. Figure 9(B) is a side view of the flapper, Figure 9(C) is a side view of the flapper.
) is a side view of the cam.

FIGS. 1θ (A) and CB) are drawings showing the opening and closing of the flapper 413. The flapper cam 431 is pressed by a leaf spring 433 fixed to the hopper 4. When the post 302 attached to the developing device is in the position shown in FIG. 1A, the flapper 431 closes the hopper opening. When the developing device is further inserted in the P direction, the cam 431 rotates 90" clockwise as shown in FIG. 10B, and the flapper 431 fixed coaxially with this flapper also rotates 90 degrees and open the hopper opening.

After reaching the above state, apply pressure in Figure 6/<-15
Rotate in the M direction. As a result, pressure is applied to the developing device 3 via the leaf spring 322, and as shown in FIG.
4, the developing device 3 rotates in the N direction, and the abutment rollers (not shown) provided at both ends of the roller 33 abut against the end of the drum l, and the distance between the magnet roller 33 and the drum l is set to a predetermined distance. Development becomes possible at an interval of .

Here, since the developing device is pressurized after the developing device opening member and the hopper terrace are connected, even if the connecting portion rotates a little,
The toner receiver 35 is always pressed against the hopper connecting terrace 48 by the compression spring 36, and since the connecting member is a bellows, toner will not leak from the connecting part.When removing the developing device, the above-mentioned operation is performed. and do the opposite.

Although the embodiments of the present invention have been described above with reference to the drawings, the present invention is not limited to what has been described in detail. For example, in this embodiment, the opening/closing operation of the flapper 413 of the hopper opening is Developer post 302 and cam 43
1, but in conjunction with the opening and closing of the front door,
The hopper flapper may be closed via a plunger when the front door is opened.

Alternatively, a solenoid may be installed at the bottom of the hopper to open and close the hopper flapper in response to a signal indicating that the developing device is set.Also, the developing device connecting portion is a bellows, but if it is a flexible member, a hose can be used. But it is possible. Furthermore, in one embodiment of the present invention, the flapper closes the opening of the hopper and the stay lid closes the developing device opening, but the configuration may be reversed.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the image forming machine of this embodiment.

In the figure, 100 is the top cover of the machine. The lid 101 has a handle 104 that can be opened by grasping a handle 104 around a hinge 102 that is a part of the upper cover and a hinge 103 located opposite thereto. As shown in FIG. 4, the hopper 4 is fixed to the stays 12 and 13 of the machine body with screws. Therefore, when removing the hopper, pull out the developing device 3 toward the front of the machine, release the connection between the developing device 3 and the hopper 4, then remove the screw connection between the main body stay 12, 13 and the hopper 4, and pull it out upward. It can be easily taken out. At this time, as described above, the flapper 413, which is the shutter member of the developer supply port of the hopper 3, is closed. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the hopper 4 taken out from the machine body.

As explained above, in a developing device in which the developing device that stores developer and the developer hopper that supplies developer are separated, it is possible to remove the developer hopper from the top of the machine without removing the top cover of the machine. Moreover, when the hopper is removed, the shutter member of the developer replenishment port of the hopper is closed, so that maintenance and handling of the hopper is easy and the surrounding area is not contaminated. Further, when a user wants to make a large number of color copies of a specific color, the hopper can be easily replaced with a hopper containing developer of the specific color. Incidentally, at this time, it is a good idea to replace the developing device with one containing a specific color developer.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Fig. 1 is a sectional view of a developing device in which the developing device and hopper are integrated into a unit, Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a developing device in which the developing device and hopper are separable, and Fig. 3 is a side view of the main parts of the copying machine. FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a connecting portion between a developing device and a hopper according to the present invention, FIG. Fig. 8 is a front view of the bellows, Fig. 9 (A),
(Ij), (C) are front and side views of the flapper and cam, and Figure 1O (A). CB) is an explanatory diagram illustrating opening and closing of the flapper, FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the image forming machine, and FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing the state in which the hopper is taken out from the machine body. In the figure, 1 is a photosensitive drum, 3 is a developing device, 4 is a hopper, 33 is a magnet roller, 317 is a slide lid, 413 is a flapper, and 100 is an upper cover.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) In a developing device in which a developing device that accommodates developer and a developer hopper that supplies developer to the developing device can be separated,
A developing device characterized in that a developer hopper can be attached and detached from the top of the image forming machine without removing the top cover of the machine. (2) The developing device according to claim 1, wherein when the developer hopper is removed, a shutter member of a replenishment port of the hopper is closed.