JPS62182768A - Rotary type multicolor developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To enhance the economization by providing a cylinder body provided with plural toner chambers independent of one another and distributing toners in toner chambers uniformly in the axial direction of the cylinder body to replenish toners without mixing the color. CONSTITUTION:Four toner chambers 1C, 1M, 1Y, and 1B independent of one another are formed in a cylinder body 1. For the toner chamber 1B, a rectangular toner replenishing hole 2B is formed in a part corresponding to the peripheral surface of the cylinder body 1 and in the rightmost part in the axial direction of the cylinder body, and a cover 3B is provided to open and close this toner replenishing hole 2B. A screw 7B as an agitating means which distributes the toner uniformly in the axial direction of the cylinder body is provided in the vicinity of a partitioning wall upstream in the rotational direction of the cylinder body 1. The turn direction of the screw 7B is reversed in a part corresponding to the toner replenishing hole 2B, and the toner replenished from the toner replenishing hole 2B is carried to both sides in the axial direction in accordance with the rotation of the screw and the toner is distributed uniformly in the toner chamber 1B.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] (Technical field) The present invention relates to a rotary multicolor developing device.

(Prior Art) In the field of color electrophotography, a developing device is known that is disposed close to an electrostatic latent image carrier and sequentially supplies several types of toner to the electrostatic latent image to perform multicolor development.

In a conventional developing device of this type, a plurality of developing devices each having a function of developing with toners of different colors sequentially rotate to supply toners of a desired color to an electrostatic latent image to form a color image.

However, the conventionally known developing device described above does not have a mechanism to replenish I/toner even if each developing device runs out of toner, and is configured to be disposable once the toner runs out. . Therefore, since the 1-toner is not necessarily used on average in each developing device, there may be unused color toner, which is uneconomical.

For example, one way to replenish toner would be to replenish toners of different colors to each developing device using the same replenishment path, but if this is done, it would be difficult to mix the toners of each color and replenish the toner. This results in secondary problems such as toner scattering.

(Objective) Therefore, one object of the present invention is to provide a rotary multicolor developing device that can improve economical efficiency by replenishing toner without causing color mixing.

(Structure) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention includes a cylindrical body provided with a plurality of independent toner chambers formed in the circumferential direction, and a cylindrical body provided for each toner chamber on the peripheral surface of the cylindrical body. The toner replenishment port and the means for opening and closing the toner replenishment port, and the static f! ! This apparatus is characterized by having a developing means for supplying toner to the latent image, and a b1 stirring means for uniformly distributing the toner in each toner chamber in the axial direction of the cylinder.

Hereinafter, a detailed explanation will be given based on one embodiment of the present invention.

In the following examples, a rotary multi-color developer for a color electrophotographic copying apparatus that uses four-color single-component toners will be used.
Let's explain using two l[b.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the symbol l indicates a rotatable drum-shaped cylindrical body, and inside thereof there are four independent toner chambers I.
C, IM, l'/, IB are formed.

Each of these toner chambers has an extension in the axial direction of the cylinder 1, and its dimensions are as follows:
Corresponds to a longitudinal dimension of 0. The toner chamber IC is cyan, and the toner chamber IM is magenta.

[Toner chamber] Yellow toner is stored in toner chamber V, and black toner is stored in toner chamber IB.

For example, in the toner chamber IB, a rectangular toner replenishment port 2B is formed at the rightmost end in the axial direction of the cylinder, which corresponds to the circumferential surface of the cylinder 1.
A lid 3B is provided for opening and closing. M3B is a cylindrical body
It is fitted into a guide groove (not shown) on the inside of the holder and is slidable therein. The lid 3B is driven to open and close by a rack and binion mechanism driven by a motor or a mechanism using a solenoid. Therefore, the M3C and the drive mechanism described above are collectively referred to as a toner replenishing port opening/closing means.

The toner supply port 2B is located above the rotational direction of the cylinder 1, and is located in the toner chamber IB.
The developing roller 4B is located near the partition wall downstream of the toner supply port 2B in the rotational direction of the cylinder 1.
, a developing means consisting of a sponge roller 5B, a sliding member 6B, etc. is provided. A portion of the developing roller 4B is exposed from the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body 1, so that it can closely face the photosensitive drum 20 at a required rotational position (2) of the cylindrical body. Further, near the partition wall on the upstream side of the cylinder 1 in the rotational direction, a screw 7B is provided as a stirring means for uniformly distributing the toner in the axial direction of the cylinder. As shown in FIG. 3, the screw 7B has an opposite winding direction at the part corresponding to the toner supply port 2B, and conveys the toner supplied from the toner supply port 2B to both sides in the axial direction according to its rotation. However, it functions so that the toner is uniformly distributed within the toner chamber IB.

The main configuration of the toner chamber 113 has been described above.

The one-name type member in the toner chamber IB is exactly the same in the other toner chambers. Therefore, the symbols indicating the constituent members of each of the other toner chambers will be indicated by the letters B3c, M, and Y, without changing the numbers in each symbol for the toner chamber 1B.

Here, regarding the toner supply ports, they are shifted at a constant interval in the axial direction of reference numeral 1. That is, the toner replenishing port 2C1 is located closer to the center than the toner replenishing port 2B, the toner replenishing port 2M is located further to the left end, and the toner replenishing port 2Y is located at the leftmost end. This misalignment of each toner supply port is caused by the difference between each toner storage chamber 8B and 8C, which will be described later.

This is to correspond to 8M and 8V respectively.

A toner container 8 containing four types of toner, cyan, magenta, yellow, and black, is fixed diagonally above the cylinder 1 in the main body of the color electrophotographic apparatus. This toner container 8 has four toner storage chambers 8B, 8C, 8M, and 8Y arranged in the axial direction of the cylinder l.

Each of these toner storage chambers has a toner outlet communicating with the toner storage chamber.

For example, as shown in FIG. 2, at the rotational position of the cylinder 1 when the replenishment ports 1 to 2B coincide with the toner outlet BOB, the developing roller 4C is closest to and facing the photosensitive drum 20,
An r51 image using cyan toner is performed on the static mFPI image. At the same time, M3B is opened and exit 80
The valve B 800B opens, and the Black 1 hener stored in the toner storage chamber 8B is replenished into the toner chamber IB. The replenished black toner falls onto the partition wall and the screw 7B, and is transported in the axial direction according to the rotation of the screw 7B and is uniformly distributed.

In this way, when the black toner supply is finished, Boo? 800
B is closed, and M2R is also closed. When the cyan toner fJH91 is completed, the cylinder l rotates in the direction of the arrow and stops at a position where the toner supply port 2C matches the toner outlet communicating with the toner storage chamber 8C. Also in this stopping position,
This is also the position where the developing roller 4M is closest to the photosensitive drum 20.

The electrostatic latent image is then developed with magenta toner by the developing roller 4M. or.

The toner chamber IC is replenished with the cyan toner in the toner storage chamber 8C.

Following the above steps, other toners will be sequentially replenished and developed.

Note that the toner replenishment ports 2 [1, 2C, 2M, 2'/ are closed with lids 313.3C, 3M, 313.
It is tightly closed with 3Y, etc., and is designed to prevent toner from scattering or leaking to the outside. The same applies to the valves provided at the toner outlets of the toner storage chambers 8B, 8C, 8M, and 8Y. Further, the sliding contact members 68.6C, 6M, 6'/ that are in sliding contact with the developing roller not only triboelectrically charge the toner but also have a sealing function. The sponge rollers 5B, 5C, 5M, 5'/ have an auxiliary function of attaching i.ner to each developing roller.

In this way, in this example, since toner from each independent toner container is supplied to each independent toner chamber through a dedicated toner outlet, color mixing does not occur when toner is replenished.

Further, since the toner container 8 is fixed to the main body of the color electrophotographic apparatus, there are two toner storage chambers 8B and 8C.

Refilling toner to 8M and 8'/ is easy.

Furthermore, since toner replenishment is performed stably and continuously, the amount of toner constantly stored in each toner chamber can be reduced, which has the advantage that the developing device can be downsized.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a developing device that can replenish toner with a simple configuration and that does not cause color mixture.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the main parts of a rotary multicolor developing device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the same, and FIG. 3 is a relationship between the toner replenishment port and the position where the winding direction of each screw is reversed. It is a developed view explaining the position. ■・・・Cylinder, 2B, 2C, 2M, 2'/...
...Toner supply port, 3B, 3C, 3M, 3'/-
-Lid, 4B, 4C, 4M, 4Y...Developing roller, 7B, 7C, 7M, 7Y-...Screw. 3rd wash B

Claims (1)

[Claims] A developing device that is disposed close to an electrostatic latent image carrier and performs multicolor development by sequentially supplying several types of toner to the electrostatic latent image, comprising a plurality of toners formed in the circumferential direction. A cylindrical body provided with an independent toner chamber, a toner replenishment port provided for each toner chamber on the circumferential surface of the cylindrical body, and means for opening and closing the toner replenishment port;
A rotary multicolor developing device comprising a developing means for supplying toner from each toner chamber to an electrostatic latent image, and a stirring means for uniformly distributing the toner in each toner chamber in the axial direction of a cylinder.