JPS62187370A - Electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To facilitate the attachment and detachment of a developer storage container loaded detachably in the storage part of a main device body and to detect the level of the developer in the container securely by pressing a developer detecting means against the external surface. CONSTITUTION:The major part of the process unit 11 consisting of a photosensitive body 1, a developing device 4, and a cleaner 7 is drawn out of the main device body and the nonmagnetic developer storage container 21 is loaded in the storage part 32 from the upper part. The developer detecting means 33 is mounted on the wall part of the storage part 32 slightly above the reverse surface of the storage container 21 in a projecting/sinking state and pressed by a spring 37. The residual level of the developer in the storage container 21 is detected securely from variation in the inductance of the means 33 and the back surface 32 of the storage container 21 slants, so the loading of the container is facilitated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an electrophotographic apparatus such as an electronic copying machine or an electronic printer, and particularly relates to a -component magnetic developer or a two-component developer comprising a toner and a magnetic carrier. The container contains a magnetic developer, and the container containing a -component magnetic developer has a function to detect residual developer, or a container containing a two-component magnetic developer. The container relates to an electrophotographic apparatus equipped with a developer toner concentration detection function.

[Prior Art] Generally, in an electrophotographic apparatus that uses a -component magnetic developer, the remaining amount of developer in a container is appropriately detected, and when there is a shortage, this is displayed to prompt the operator to replenish the developer. In addition, in electrophotographic devices that use two-component developers, it is equipped with a function that detects the toner concentration of the developer and automatically replenishes the missing toner to maintain the toner concentration at a predetermined value. ing. The most common means for detecting the remaining amount or concentration described above is a detection means that utilizes changes in magnetic permeability. A decrease in the magnetic developer R inside the container or a decrease in the toner 81 degree is captured as a change in inductance that changes depending on the magnetic permeability of the developer. The detected result is input as a detection signal to an appropriate control section, and the control section controls the display section, toner replenishing device, etc. in accordance with the detection signal.

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention] Incidentally, in the conventional apparatus described above, the developer detection means is fixed integrally with the outer surface of the container, or is fixed inside the container. On the other hand, the container, for example the casing of the developing device, must be removed from the Raiko Photoso4 main body for maintenance inspection or developer replacement.
Such a container is configured to be detachable from the main body of the device.

Therefore, when the container is removed from the device main body, the electrical connection connecting the detection means and the tIII control section of the device main body is electrically disconnected by removing the appropriate connector, and the container is electrically disconnected from the device main body. When storing the sensor into a computer, it is necessary to connect the connector and connect the detection means and the control section. This not only complicates maintenance and inspection work, but also
Failure to do so may cause malfunction of the device due to poor contact at the connector.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and it is an object of the present invention to provide an electrophotographic apparatus that has high work efficiency for removing containers and has a reliable detection function.

[Means for Solving the Problems] In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a non-contact device that is removably housed in the storage section of the apparatus main body and that houses a magnetic developer therein. The storage device may include a magnetic container, a developer detection means provided in the storage portion so as to be protrusive and retractable, and a pressing device that presses the developer detection means against the outer surface of the storage container stored in the storage portion. Features.

(Function) According to the above-described configuration, when the container is stored in the storage section of the main body of the apparatus, the outer surface of the container appropriately pushes the developer detection means according to the storage operation and withdraws the means from the storage section. On the other hand, the pressing means presses the detecting means in the direction of the outer surface, so that appropriate pressure contact is made between the detecting means and the outer surface, and the state of the developer in the container is reliably transmitted to the detecting means. Furthermore, since the detection means is fixed to the main body of the apparatus, the container can be attached and detached with a single touch.

[Example] Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

The illustrated embodiment is an example in which the present invention is applied to an ordinary electronic copying machine, in which a photosensitive drum 1 that can rotate in the direction of the arrow is arranged inside the machine. After the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is uniformly charged by the charging device 2, optical information 3 corresponding to the document is irradiated via an optical system (not shown) to form an electrostatic latent image. Next, toner is applied to the electrostatic latent image by the developing device M4 to form a visible powder image, which is transferred onto a transfer material fed from a selected one of the plurality of transfer material cassettes. Reference numeral 5 is a transfer discharger for performing the above-mentioned transfer, and reference numeral 6 is a transfer discharger for performing the transfer.
indicates a separation discharge device that separates the transfer material from the photosensitive drum, and the separated transfer material is transported to a fixing device (not shown), where the powder image is fixed, and is discharged outside the machine. . Incidentally, reference numeral 7 denotes a cleaner, which removes toner remaining on the photosensitive drum after transfer and provides the photosensitive drum for reuse.

In the illustrated example, a photosensitive drum 1, a developing device @4, and a cleaner 7 are shown.
constitutes a process unit 11 that can be handled integrally,
The unit 11 can be pulled out from the fuselage to the right as seen in Figure 1.

In this specification, the term "VI body" refers to the base part of the electrophotographic apparatus, including the frame, side plates, and exterior, which form the overall framework of the electrophotographic apparatus, and the term "apparatus main body" refers to not only the body, but also the body of the electrophotographic apparatus. For example, like the process unit, the developer container (
In the illustrated example, in a device constituting a unit in which several devices and parts including a developing device 4) can be integrally handled with respect to a machine body, the unit is collectively referred to as the unit in addition to the machine body.

The process unit 11 has a housing shape in which the upper right side of substantially parallel side plates 12 (only one is shown) can be opened. As shown in FIG. 2, a slider 13 is fixed to the outer surface of both side plates 12 and extends substantially horizontally and in a direction substantially perpendicular to the axial direction of the photosensitive drum. The unit is slidably engaged with a slide bearing device 14 (for example, Accuride (trade name)) extending in the same direction, thereby supporting the entire unit so that it can be pulled out in that direction.

FIG. 3 shows the unit 11 installed in the operating position within the body, and FIG. 4 shows the unit 11 pulled out from the body. In the pulled-out state, the unit 11 is locked by a suitable flange to prevent it from falling out of the machine body, and in this state J3, the developing device 4 is exposed to the outside of the machine. On the other hand, by releasing the stopper, the unit 11 can be completely removed from the fuselage.

The developing device 4, photosensitive drum 1, and cleaner 7, which are the main components of the units 1 to 11, can be independently attached to and removed from the unit 11, and when attached, they are ensured in the predetermined position of the unit by a positioning means (not shown). located in

The photosensitive drum 1 is rotatably supported by the frame of the unit, and a passive gear is fixed to one end in the axial direction or formed on the circumferential surface of the drum itself, and the unit 11 is mounted at the operating position of the machine body. In the state shown in FIG. 3, the gear meshes with the drive gear of the main drive source of the copying machine, transmits its driving force, and rotates the drum 1 in the direction of the arrow during copying.

On the other hand, the developing device a4 has a non-magnetic container 21 whose upper side and the photosensitive drum 1 side are open, and in this example, a one-component magnetic developer is stored therein.

A lid 24 is disposed in the upper open portion so as to be openable and closable, and a developing roller 23 is rotatably disposed in the open portion on the photosensitive drum side. The developing row 523 rotates by meshing the tooth width fixed at its end with the gear of the photosensitive drum 1, and develops the latent image on the photosensitive drum with a developer brush formed on its peripheral surface. The distance between the developing roller 23 and the photosensitive drum 1 was kept constant by a pair of rollers that were provided coaxially with the developing O-roller 23 and had a slightly larger diameter than that of the roller, and were brought into contact with the circumferential surface of the drum. It will be done. In order to ensure this contact, the developing device 4 is biased by common spring means so as to move to the left in FIG. 1 when attached to the unit 11.

The bottom surface of the container 21 has a wavy cross section forming an arcuate portion 25.26, which approximately coincides with the locus of the tip of a stirring member 27.28 provided inside the container and rotating in the direction of arrow C. The developer stored in the arc portion 26 is placed on the arc portion 25 side.
This is suitable for sequentially sending out the developer stored in 5 to the developing roller 23 side. On the other hand, the back surface 31 of the container 21 forms an inclined surface that continuously extends upward from one end of the arcuate portion 26 and opens outward.

The container 21 can be attached to and removed from the storage portion 32 of the process unit 11 from above in the state shown in FIG. On the other hand, a developer detection means 33 is arranged in the storage section 32 to detect the remaining amount of developer in the storage container. The detection means 33 is arranged at a position somewhat above the lower surface of the container 21, and is a plate member 3 extending in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper as viewed in FIG.
4 is fixed approximately at the central portion in the longitudinal direction with its detection surface facing the container side. Bins 3 are installed at both longitudinal ends of the plate member 34.
One end of the pin 35 is fixed, and the other end of the pin 35 protrudes outward through a hole in the back plate 36 of the unit that is substantially parallel to the back surface 31 of the container 21, and this protruding portion is stopped by an E-ring or the like. Accordingly, the detection means 33 and the plate portion vi34 are configured so that they cannot be handled from the rear plate 36 and can be pushed into and retracted from the storage portion 32. Moreover, the plate member 34 and the back plate 36
When the container 21 is stored in the storage part 32, the pressing means 37 such as a compression spring provided between the
The detection means 33 is pressed so that the detection surface of the detection means 33 comes into pressure contact with the detection means 2. In addition, as mentioned above, the back surface 3 of the container 21
2 is a detection means 33 when installed to form an inclined surface.
The sensor is moved in the direction of withdrawing from the storage part side without fail, and optimal contact between the detection means and the storage part is provided.

For example, a coil body 41 is used as the detection means 33, and is combined with a capacitor 42 to form a resonant circuit 43 (FIG. 5). When the level of the magnetic developer in the container is located above the detection means 33, the inductance of the coil increases and the resonant circuit 43 is in a resonant state, the remaining amount of developer decreases and the level of the developer is detected. When the coil is lowered to a position below the means 33, the magnetic resistance of the coil increases, the inductance decreases, and the coil goes out of resonance. The output from the resonance circuit 43 is amplified by an amplifier circuit 44 and then sent to a discrimination circuit 45.
When the remaining amount of developer is lower than the detection means 33, a suitable indicator arranged on the operation panel of the copying machine is lit to prompt the operator to replenish the developer. code 4
6 is an oscillation circuit.

In the above example, a case was explained in which a one-component magnetic developer was stored in the container 21, but when a two-component developer consisting of a 1-ner and a carrier is used, the detection means 3
3, the change in the magnetic permeability of the developer is constantly monitored, and when this magnetic permeability falls outside a predetermined range, the toner supply device is activated to replenish the appropriate 61 toner to maintain the toner concentration in the developer at a constant value. It can be configured to:

still. When using the above-mentioned detection means, it is preferable that the surface of the container that comes into contact with the detection surface is non-magnetic, and in particular, the term "non-magnetic container" as used herein refers to This means that at least a portion of the container is non-magnetic, and the entire container does not need to be non-magnetic. Further, in the above example, a process unit including a container is configured, but it is also possible to use a device in which the container can be directly attached to and detached from the aircraft body without configuring such a unit. Although the surface to be covered is the back surface of the container, it is not limited to this as long as there is another suitable portion such as a side surface.

[Effects of the Invention] With the above configuration, according to the present invention, when connecting the developer container to the main body of the apparatus, it is possible to eliminate the complicated work that was conventionally required, such as connecting a connector that may cause an electrical failure. This can be omitted, and the above-mentioned attachment and detachment can be performed with a single touch. Moreover, when the container is attached, the developer detection means can be appropriately engaged with the container to ensure reliable developer detection.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of the main parts of an electrophotographic apparatus according to the present invention;
FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the portion shown in FIG. 1, FIGS. 3 and 4 are schematic diagrams showing the operation of attaching and detaching the process unit to the machine body, and FIG. 5 is a block diagram showing an example of the developer detection means. . 4... Developing device, 11... Process unit, 2
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Container, 32... Storage part, 33... Developer detection device, 37... Pressing means. Part 2, Part 5, Old Part 3, Art and Crafts: 4 drawings

Claims (1)

[Claims] a non-magnetic container that is removably stored in a storage section of an apparatus main body and that stores a magnetic developer therein; a developer detection means that is provided so as to be protrusive and retractable in the storage section; An electrophotographic apparatus comprising: a pressing means for pressing the agent detecting means against an outer surface of a container stored in the storage portion.