JPS6211866A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To execute exactly the electrical connection of an equipment body side and a developing device by constituting the titled device so that only one developing device which has been selected by a movement to the developing part position of a developing equipment is connected electrically to the equipment body side. CONSTITUTION:A connector 150 of a power receiving side consisting of a terminal fitting part 141a which has been formed unitary with a developing device case 141 and terminals 151-154 which have been insulated and held by this terminal fitting part 141a is provided on a position of a contact/separation side end to an image carrying body of each developing device 14a-14d for a developing equipment. Also, when the selected developing devices 14a-14d have been moved and set to a developing part position, a connector 160 of a feed side having connecting terminals 161-164 to which connector terminals 151-154 of these developing devices 14a-14d contact are provide and fixed to the developing part position where the developing equipment of an image forming device body approaches and moves. By a movement to the developing part position of the developing equipment, only one developing device which has been selected is connected electrically to the equipment body side.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a color copying machine equipped with a plurality of developing devices containing developers of different colors.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems] Conventionally, a plurality of developing devices containing developers of different colors are supported on a rotating frame so that they can revolve while being kept in a parallel state. An image forming apparatus is known in which one of the developing devices is selected and a latent image on an image carrier is developed by the selected developing device (for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 111555/1983). No. Public Bulletin).

Such image forming apparatuses require an electrical connection between the main body of the apparatus and the developing unit in order to control the developing bias and the specific density of the developing side (toner). Since this was done using a connector that slid on the side of the developing device, there was a drawback that the connector terminals were subject to severe wear.

[Purpose of the Invention] This invention was made in view of the above circumstances, and its purpose is to ensure electrical connection between the main body of the apparatus and the developing device, and to extend the life of the connector terminal with less wear. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that has the following features.

[Summary of the Invention] In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention is configured to move a developing device consisting of a plurality of developing devices toward and away from an image carrier, and to move each developing device toward and away from an image carrier. A power receiving side connector consisting of a terminal mounting part integrated with the developer case and a terminal held insulated in the mounting part is provided at a side end position, and at a developing unit position where the developing device of the main body of the image forming apparatus approaches. When the selected developer is moved to the developing unit position and set, a power supply side connector having a connection terminal that contacts the connector terminal of this developer is arranged and fixed, and the developing unit is moved to the developing unit position. The present invention is characterized in that only one developing device selected by movement is electrically connected to the main body of the apparatus.

[Embodiment of the Invention] An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 2 shows an overall configuration diagram of a color copying machine which is an example of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, in which 1 indicates the copying machine main body;
Reference numeral 2 denotes a document table fixed to the upper surface of the main body 1, and the document set on the document table 2 is exposed to an exposure lamp 3 and mirrors 4, 5, . Exposure scanning is performed by reciprocating an optical system consisting of a 6'6 along the lower surface of the document table 2.

In this case, the mirrors 5 and 6 move at half the moving speed of the mirror 4 so as to keep the optical path length constant.

The reflected light from the original due to scanning by the optical system (reflected light from the original due to light irradiation from the exposure lamp 3) is reflected by the mirror 4,
5.6, passes through the lens block 7 for setting the copying magnification, is further reflected by the mirrors 8, 9.10, is guided to the photosensitive drum 12 as an image carrier through the slit 11, and is the image of the original. An image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 12. 9 The photosensitive drum 12 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow, and the surface is first charged by the charging device 13, and then the image of the document is exposed to slit light to form an electrostatic latent image. This electrostatic latent image is configured to be visualized by applying a developer (toner) by a developing device 14, which will be described later.

Below, sheets of paper P are taken out one by one from the paper feed cassette 15 by the paper feed roller 16, guided through the paper guide path 17 to a pair of registration rollers 18, aligned by the registration rollers 518, and transferred to the image transfer section. It is configured and sent to you. The paper feed cassette 15 is detachably provided at the lower right end of the main body 1 of the apparatus.

Then, the paper P sent to the image transfer section 1 is transferred to the transfer charger 1.
By coming into close contact with the surface of the photoreceptor drum 12 at the portion 9, the toner image on the photoreceptor drum 12 is transferred by the action of the charger 19. Then, the paper P to which this toner image has been transferred is electrostatically peeled off from the photoreceptor drum 12 by the action of a peeling charger 20 and conveyed by a conveyor belt 21, and a fixing device 22 is provided at the end of the sheet P. The transferred image is fixed by passing through this.Then, the sheet P after fixing is sent by a pair of conveyance rollers 23 to a pair of paper ejection rollers 24, and by this paper ejection roller 24, it is transferred to the main body 1 of the apparatus. The photosensitive drum 12 is configured to be discharged onto an outer tray 25. After the photosensitive drum 12 has been transferred, residual toner on the surface thereof is removed by a cleaner 26, and then the residual image is erased by a static elimination lamp 27, and the image returns to its initial state. It is configured as follows.

A guide selector 2 is provided between the transport roller 23 and the paper discharge roller 24 to switch the traveling direction of the paper P to be transported.
8 is provided, and by the operation of this selector 28,
゛During normal copying, the paper P sent by the transport roller 23 is guided to the paper ejection roller 24, and during multiple color copying, the paper P sent by the transport roller 23 passes through the downwardly curved paper guide path 29 to the main body 1. Conveyance path 3 provided on the bottom side of
0, and by this conveyance path 30, the paper feed jJ set ~
The paper guide path 3 is conveyed to the vicinity of 15 and curves upward.
1 to the register 1 to roller 18. That is, during multiple copying, the paper P is circulated as shown by the arrow in the figure.

The developing device 14 includes, for example, four developing units 14a to 14d.
By rotating each of the developing units 14a to 14d while maintaining them in a parallel state (horizontal state),
One developing device (for example, 14b) can be selected from among the plurality of developing devices 14a to 14d. Further, the developing device 14 is movable in the left-right direction (in the direction of approaching and separating from the photoreceptor drum 12) by a contacting and separating mechanism to be described later. That is, during the copying operation, as shown in FIG. 2, the selected developing device 14b is set facing the photosensitive drum 12 (near the photosensitive drum 12), When selecting one of the developing devices 14a to 14d, the developer is moved to a position a predetermined distance away from the photosensitive drum 12, as shown in FIG. 3, and the selection operation of the developing devices 14a to 14d is performed at this position. When this selection operation is completed, it is again moved to the photosensitive drum 12 side, and the selected developer 14b, for example, is set facing the photosensitive drum 12 as shown in FIG. 2'. .

The detailed structure of the developing device 14 will be explained in FIGS. 4 to 8 below.
To explain with reference to the drawing, the developing device 14 includes a pair of left and right suspension members 34 and 35 that swing in the direction of the photoreceptor drum 12 using a support shaft 33 fixed to the device main body 1 as a fulcrum, and A rotating shaft 36 supported between members 34 and 35, and a pair of left and right rotating frames 37 fixed to this rotating shaft 36.
38 and a sub-rotating frame 39 (this sub-rotating frame 39 is connected by a stay so that it can rotate together with the right-side rotating frame 38), and this rotating frame 37, 38 and sub-rotating frame 39 have four The fifth developing device 14a to 14d is arranged parallel to the rotating shaft 36.
As shown in the figure, it is pivoted at both ends. Each developing device 14a
The right shafts 40a to 40d shown in FIG. 5, which are joined to the case ends of the casings 40a to 14d by couplings 41, are connected to a right rotating frame 38 fixed to a rotating shaft 36 and a sun pulley 42, which will be described later.
A sub-rotating frame 39 rotatably supported by a fixed boss portion of
42b and the sun pulley 42 fixed to the suspension member 35 and rotatably inserted with respect to the rotation shaft 36, and between the planetary pulley 420 and the sun pulley 42d attached to the developer shafts 40c and 40d. 42, two timing belts 43 and 44 are hung as shown in FIGS. 5 and 8, with a sun pulley and a planetary pulley assembled on three sides. On the other hand, a drive pulley 4 is attached to the shaft end of the rotating shaft 36.
5 is attached, and this drive pulley 45 and the revolution motor 4
A timing belt 48 is also hung between a pulley 47 attached to the rotating shaft of the motor 6 (the motor 46 is fixed to the suspension member 35 as shown in FIG. 5).

Note that the sun pulley 42 is connected to two timing belts 4.
3.44 as shown in FIG. 5, this sun pulley 42 and each of the planetary pulleys 42a~
Both 42d have the same outer diameter. Therefore, when the rotating shaft 36 is driven and rotated by the revolution motor 46, the rotating frames 37 to 39 also rotate in the same direction, and the planetary pulleys 42a to 42d revolve without rotating. Therefore, each of the developing units 14a to 14d always revolves at the same angle, that is, while maintaining a parallel state. Such an operation is necessary to control the posture of the developing units 14a to 14d containing powdered developer (toner). Note that, for example, black toner is stored in the first developing device 14a, red toner is stored in the second developing device 14b, and red toner is stored in the third developing device 14b.
The green toner in the fourth developer 14c is transferred to the fourth developer 14d.
contains blue toner.

Reference numeral 50 shown in FIGS. 4, 6, and 9 is an approach/separation mechanism for moving the developing device 14 suspended by the suspension members 34, 35 toward and away from the photosensitive drum 12. The contact/separation mechanism 50 is configured as follows. That is, a pair of left and right arms 51, 52 are arranged near the lower ends of the suspension members 34, 35 and substantially perpendicular to the suspension members s4, 35. This arm 51; 52
Elongated holes 51a and 52a extending in the direction of approaching and separating from the photoreceptor drum 12 are provided at one end located on the photoreceptor drum 12 side, and bushes 5 are provided in the elongated holes 51a and 52a.
3.53 is rotatably and movably fitted. Also,
A spring 54, 54 is stretched around the bushing 53, 53 to urge the bushing toward the photosensitive drum 12. In the center hole of the bushing 53.53 are connecting pins 34a, 3 fixed to the suspension member 34.35.
5a is rotatably fitted.

Also, bearings 55, 55 are fitted into the other ends of the arms 51, 52, and the bin 55 is inserted through these bearings.
6, 56, links 57, 57, and a shaft 58. A crank mechanism 60 is connected thereto. Furthermore, the shaft 58 is provided with a pulley 61. Torque from a motor 64 is transmitted via a timing belt 62 and a pulley 63. The shaft 58 is rotatably held on the apparatus main body 1 side by a pair of bearings 59 and 59, and the motor 64 is fixed on the apparatus main body 1 side by a mounting base (not shown).

When the developing device 14 is located at a developing portion position close to the photosensitive drum 12 as shown in FIG. ing. That is, the line connecting the support shaft 33 and the rotating shaft 36 is substantially perpendicular, so that the vector of gravity is located at the vertical line passing through the support shaft 33. At this time, Fig. 10 (
As shown in the detailed diagram in a), the bushings 53 and 53 are positioned so that they do not touch either end of the elongated holes 51a and 52a, and the bushings 53 and 53 are not in contact with either end of the elongated holes 51a and 52a, and the bushings 53 and 53 are located in the position of the selected developing device (14b in FIGS. 4 and 9).
The positioning metal fitting 74 (this metal fitting 74 is attached to all the developing devices 14a to 1) is a positioning metal fitting 74 attached to this developing device 14b.
4d, but only the positioning metal fitting 74 of the selected developing device 14b) is butted against the positioning pin 75 provided on the apparatus main body 1 side, so that the photosensitive drum 12 and the developing device 14b are The gap G between
It is defined as shown in Figure 1. In this state, the link 57 (bin 56) is the closest to the photosensitive drum 1.
The motor 64 is stopped rotating so as to face the second side.

When the motor 64 starts rotating in a predetermined direction from the state shown in FIG. 10(a), first, as shown in FIG.
．． 53, the developing device 14 begins to separate from the photosensitive drum 12. Then, when the motor 64 further rotates,
As shown in FIG. 10(C), the suspension members 34 and 35 are tilted, and as shown in FIG.
It is now in a position where it can rotate away from the Earth.

FIG. 11 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of each of the developing units 14a to 14d. Each of the developing units 148 to 14d is a developing unit containing, for example, developer E, which is a mixture of toner and magnetic carrier in an appropriate ratio. a container case 141, a stirrer 147 for stirring the developer E in the case, and a stirrer 1;
a developing roller 145 with a built-in magnet that conveys the developer E stirred by the roller 47 and supplies the developer E onto the photoreceptor drum 12; and a developer conveyed toward the photoreceptor drum 12 by the developing roller 145. The developer case 141 is equipped with a doctor blade 146 for regulating the layer thickness of E.
A toner hopper 144 having a toner replenishment roller 142 for replenishing the toner T in the developer E and a toner replenishment port 143 is provided above the toner replenishment roller 142 .

Furthermore, a developing roller gear 145a is attached to the shaft of the developing roller 145.
The stirrer gear 14 is attached to the shaft of the stirrer 147.
7a are engaged as shown in Figure 12. Further, a replenishment roller gear 142a is meshed with this agitator gear 147a via an idle gear 148.

On the other hand, the apparatus main body 1 side is provided with a drive gear 71 attached to the shaft of a drive motor 70 and an idle gear 72 that meshes with the drive gear 71. When the developing roller gear 14b approaches the photosensitive drum 12, the developing roller gear 14 is connected to the idle gear 72.
5a are engaged as shown in FIG. 12, and the developing roller gear 145
The driving force is transmitted in the order of a→stirrer gear 147a→idle gear 148→replenishment roller gear 142a. Note that an electromagnetic spring clutch (not shown) is interposed between the replenishment roller gear 142a and the toner replenishment roller 142, and the transmission of the driving force is interrupted by energizing and demagnetizing the electromagnetic spring clutch.
This allows for intermittent resupply of 1 to 1 King.

FIGS. 1A and 1B show a connector device which is the gist of the present invention.
A connector 150 on the power receiving side provided at the end position on the contact/separation side with respect to the image bearing drum 12) of the image forming apparatus 14d is arranged and fixed at a developing section position where the developing device 14 of the image forming apparatus main body 1 moves toward each other. and a power supply side connector 160. The power receiving side connector 150 includes a terminal mounting portion 141a provided integrally with the developer case 141, and a plurality of terminals 151 to 154 (this terminal The contact portion is formed in a mountain shape), and a developing bias electric wire 155 and an electric wire 156 for O1 to toner are connected to this terminal. The developing bias electric wire 155 is connected to a bias metal fitting 157 that energizes the magnets 1 to 1 of the developing roller 145, and the toner electric wire 156 connects to a detector for controlling the toner specific density. (not shown).

A power supply side connector 160 that electrically connects the apparatus main body 1 and one of the developing devices 14a to 14b is a positioning member 16 fixed to the apparatus main body 1 as shown in FIG. 1(B).
5, and a plurality of connection terminals 161 to 1 fixed to the positioning member 165 with screws 166 in an electrically insulated state.
64, and this connection terminal has a power supply wire 167.
is connected to the positioning member 165, and a developing roller protruding shaft portion 158 of each developing unit 14a to 14d (this shaft portion protrudes outward via a bias fitting 157).
1 (B) when the developing device 14 is moved to the developing section position.
A V-shaped positioning portion 16 that engages as shown by the imaginary line in
8 is provided.

The entire developing device 14 is moved toward the photosensitive drum 12 by the operation of the contact III mechanism 50, and the selected imager, for example, 14b moves to the developing section position as shown in FIGS. 4, 11, and 12. When the developing device 14b is moved and set as shown in FIG.
The connector terminals 151 to 154 are the power supply side connector 160
The image forming apparatus main body 1 and the developing unit 14b are electrically connected by contacting the terminals as shown by the imaginary lines in FIG. 1(B), and When the developing device 14 moves backward away from the photosensitive drum 12, the power receiving side connector terminal 151
154 come into contact with and separate from the power supply side connector terminals 161 to 164, thereby cutting off the electrical connection between the developing device 14b and the main body 1 of the apparatus.

In addition, in the case of this embodiment, the power supply side connector terminals 161 to
Reference numeral 164 is formed of an elastic current-carrying member having a dogleg-shaped bent portion, such as a plate spring contact piece, that allows elastic contact between the power receiving side connector terminals 151 to 154. Side connector terminals 151-15
4, and the connector terminal 151 on the power receiving side.
It is also possible to form 154 with an elastic current-carrying member such as the power supply side connector terminals 161 to 164.

Next, the operation of the entire image forming apparatus including the developing device 14 as described above will be explained. In the case of the multiple copy mode, first the first original is placed on the document table 2, and if, for example, a red copy is to be made, the developing device 14 is first activated in order to select the developing device 14b containing red toner. It is moved in the direction away from the photosensitive drum 12 (to the right) and set in the state shown in FIG.

In this manner, when the movement of the developing device 14 is completed, the revolution motor 46 is operated to rotate the rotating frames 37 to 39, whereby each of the developing devices 14a to 14 is rotated as described above.
The developing device 14b is rotated while being kept in a parallel state, and when the developing device 14b to be selected faces the photosensitive drum 12, the rotating operation is stopped. When this operation is completed, the developing device 14 is moved toward the photoreceptor drum 12, and the selected developer 14b is set close to and facing the photoreceptor drum 12, as shown in FIG. With the above operation, the selection operation of the developing unit 14b corresponding to the selected and designated color is completed, and red copying becomes possible.

Next, a copying operation is started, and red copying is performed using the developing device 14b. That is, exposure is performed as the original is scanned, and the photoreceptor drum 12 formed by this exposure
The upper electrostatic latent image is visualized by the developing device 14b, and this visualized toner image is transferred onto the paper P to be supplied. Next, the paper P on which the toner image has been transferred is sent to a fixing device 22 by a transport belt 21, fixed under pressure, and sent to a transport roller 23. Then, when the paper P that has been fixed is sent to the position of the selector 28 by the transport roller 23, since the selector 28 is set at the solid line position in FIG. It is turned along the guide path 29 and sent to the conveyance path 30. This conveyance path 30 conveys the paper P to the front side of the registration rollers 18, and temporarily stops the paper P at that position to prepare for the copying operation of the next color.

Next, the second original is set, and in order to stop multiple copying, the multiple copying mode is canceled and the developing device 14a containing black toner is removed by the same selection operation as described above.
is selected, and black copying becomes possible. Note that if you want to continue multiple copying again here, you can leave the multiple copying mode as it is.

In this way, when the multiple copy mode is canceled, the same copying operation as described above is started, and black copying is performed using the developing device 14a. In this case, a black copy is made superimposed on the previously made red copy.

The paper P that has been overlapped is transferred to the transport roller 23.
When the paper P is fed, the selector 28 has been switched to the position shown by the broken line in FIG.

Multiple copies are performed in the manner described above. Note that by continuing to use the multiple copying mode without canceling it, it is also possible to duplicate blue and green colors.

Note that although the above embodiment describes the case where the present invention is applied to a color copying machine, the present invention is not limited thereto, and may be applied to other image forming apparatuses such as electronic printers, facsimile machines, or printing machines. I can do it.

[Effects of the Invention] As explained above, according to the present invention, a plurality of developing units containing developers of different colors are supported by a rotating frame so as to be able to revolve while being kept in a parallel state, and by the rotation of this rotating frame. Select one developer from multiple developers,
In the image forming apparatus in which the latent image on the image carrier is developed by the selected developer, a terminal integrated with the developer case is provided at the end of each developer on the contact/separation side facing the image carrier. A power-receiving side connector consisting of a mounting portion and a terminal held insulated in the mounting portion is provided, and the developer selected is moved to the developing portion position at the developing portion position where the developing device of the main body of the image forming apparatus moves toward the developing portion. When the developing unit is installed, a connector on the power supply side having a connection terminal that comes into contact with the connector terminal of this developing unit is arranged and fixed, and the developing unit is moved to the developing unit position, so that only the selected developing unit is connected to the unit. Since it is electrically connected to the main body side, the electrical connection between the apparatus main body side and the selected developing device can be ensured, and furthermore, there is an effect that wear of the connector terminal is small and the life span can be extended. In addition, the connector structure on the power receiving side provided in each developer is made up of a terminal mounting portion that is integrated with the developer case and a terminal that is insulated and held in the mounting portion, thereby simplifying the connector structure. It has the advantage of requiring less installation space.Furthermore, if at least one of the power supply side connector terminal or power reception side connector terminal is formed of an elastic conductive member that allows elastic contact with the mating terminal, the terminal The contact becomes reliable and the reliability of the electrical connection can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1(A) is a perspective view showing the main parts of the device of the present invention;
Figure (B) is a plan view of the main parts of the apparatus, Figure 2 is an overall schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view of a color copying machine which is an application example of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, and Figure 3 is a diagram showing the color copying machine with developing unit selected. A schematic longitudinal cross-sectional view showing the state at the time, FIG. 4 is a front view of the developing device part,
4 is a partially cutaway side view of the fifth solid wall, FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the developing device approach/separation mechanism, FIG. 7 is a front view showing the rotating frame of the developing device, and FIG. 8 is a timing belt hook. FIG. 9 is a front view showing the state where the developing device is separated from the photosensitive drum. FIGS. 10(a) to (C) are explanatory diagrams of the operation of the approach and separation mechanism. FIG. 11 is the developing device. FIG. 12 is a central vertical sectional view showing the internal structure of the developing device, and a rear view showing the drive system of the developing device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Image forming apparatus main body, 12... Image carrier (photosensitive drum), 14... Developing device, 14a to 14d...
・Developer, 37-39...Rotating frame, 50...
Developing device contact mechanism, 141...Developing device case, 14
1a...Terminal attachment part, 150...Power receiving side connector, 151-154...Power receiving side connector terminal, 155.
・Development bias electric wire, 156 ・O1-toner electric wire, 160 ・Power supply side connector, 161 to 16
4...Power supply side connector terminal, 165...Positioning member, 167...Power supply wire Applicant's representative Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 1 (A) b'D Figure 6 Figure 7 Figure 8, jχΣ=-:=; Mi M42a (c) 5'6 Fig. 10 Fig. 12

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A plurality of developing devices containing developers of different colors are supported by a rotating frame so that they can revolve while being kept in a parallel state, and one of the developing devices is activated by the rotation of this rotating frame. In an image forming apparatus in which a latent image on an image bearing member is developed using the selected developing unit, a mechanism for moving a developing unit including a plurality of developing units towards and away from the image bearing member; A power-receiving side connector consisting of a terminal attachment part integrated with the developer case and a terminal insulated and held in the attachment part, which is provided at the end of the developer in contact with and away from the image carrier; The developing device is disposed and fixed at the developing unit position to which the developing unit moves toward, and has a connecting terminal with which the connector terminal of the selected developing unit comes into contact when the selected developing unit is moved and set to the developing unit position, and the image forming apparatus is connected by the terminal connection. An image forming apparatus comprising a main body and a power supply side connector that electrically connects the developing device. (2) The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein at least one of the power feeding side connector terminal and the power receiving side connector terminal is formed of an elastic current-carrying member that allows elastic contact with a mating terminal. .