JPS62296158A - Picture producing machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To properly control the quantity of reused toner so as to prevent the deterioration of picture qualities for a long period, by supplying a new toner in a toner storing chamber and the recovered reused toner to a developing chamber after they are mixed with each other at a fixed rate. CONSTITUTION:The toner scraped down by means of the elastic blade 196 of a cleaning device 36 is stored in a toner recovering chamber 198 and carried to a 2nd storing chamber 158 by means of a prescribed toner resupplying means composed of a spiral member. The recovered toner is successively supplied to a lower mixing chamber 160 by a fixed quantity and sufficiently mixed with the new toner in a toner storing chamber 156. After mixing, the mixed toner is supplied to a developing chamber 150 from a toner discharging aperture 162 by means of a toner supplying roller 164. Since the reused toner is used by a fixed rate in such way, the deterioration of picture quality can be prevented and stable pictures can be formed over a long period.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 3. Technical Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image generator, and more particularly to an image generator including a process unit that is detachably attached to a support structure.

PRIOR ART As is well known to those skilled in the art, electrostatic copying machines or electrostatic printing machines, which form an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatographic photoreceptor and then develop the electrostatic latent image into a toner image. Image generating machines such as the machine are in widespread use. One type of image generator includes a support structure and a process unit that is detachably attached to the support structure. In this type of image generating machine, -1, the process unit includes a movable photoreceptor supporting means such as a rotating drum having a photoreceptor on its surface, and a developer for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor. The device includes a cleaning device for removing residual toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor, and the movable photoconductor support means, the developing device, and the cleaning device are attached to a unit frame that is detachably attached to the support structure. . Further, the developing device includes a developing chamber, an applying means disposed in the developing chamber for applying toner, and a toner storage chamber communicated with the developing chamber through a toner discharge opening, and the cleaning device includes a photosensitive It has a toner removing means that acts on the body surface to remove residual toner, and a toner collecting chamber that collects the toner removed from the photoreceptor surface. Further, the process unit is provided with a toner resupply means for resupplying the toner collected in the toner collection chamber of the cleaning device to the toner storage chamber of the developing device.

However, in conventional image generators, old toner (toner that has been used once) is collected in the toner collection chamber.
The toner is re-supplied above the new toner (toner that has not been used at all) stored in the toner storage chamber, and therefore, the following problem exists due to this. That is, after the new toner stored in the toner storage chamber is used, only the old toner is supplied to the developing chamber, and when the ratio of this old toner increases, the image quality deteriorates significantly.
Therefore, there is a drawback that the image quality deteriorates rapidly at a relatively early stage.

<Object of the Invention> The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and its main purpose is to effectively re-supply the toner collected in the toner collection chamber to the developing chamber, thereby stably maintaining the toner for a long period of time. An object of the present invention is to provide an image generator capable of obtaining a captured image.

<Summary of the Invention> According to the present invention, a support structure and a process unit detachably attached to the support structure are provided, and the process unit includes movable photoconductor support means having a photoconductor on the surface thereof. , a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoconductor, a cleaning device for removing toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor, the movable photoconductor supporting means, the developing device, and the cleaning device are installed. The development device includes a development chamber, an application means disposed in the development chamber for applying toner to the electrostatic latent image to be developed, and communicating with the development chamber through a toner discharge opening. The cleaning device has a toner storage chamber configured to remove residual toner by acting on the surface of the photoreceptor, and a toner removing device that collects the toner removed by the action of the toner removing device. In an image generating machine having a collection chamber; the process unit is further provided with toner resupply means, and the toner resupply means supplies the toner collected in the toner collection chamber to the toner discharge opening of the toner storage chamber. The toner from the toner collection chamber is mixed with the toner in the toner storage chamber in the vicinity of the toner discharge opening, and the mixed toner is supplied to the development chamber through the toner discharge opening. An image generator is provided.

<Preferred specific examples of the invention> A more detailed explanation will be given below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

Shizuma fan (sha) warmth! FIG. 1 schematically illustrates a specific example of an electrostatic copying machine as an example of an image generating machine constructed according to the present invention.

The illustrated copying machine includes a generally rectangular parallelepiped-shaped housing, which is indicated by the number 2 as a whole. In the specific example, this housing 2 is defined by a lower support frame 4 and an upper support frame 6. The upper support frame 6 has a shaft 8 at the lower left end thereof.
It is rotatably connected to the lower support frame 4 via the
It can be pivoted between a closed position shown by a solid line and an open position shown by a two-dot chain line.

On the upper surface of the housing 2, ie, the upper surface of the upper support frame 6, a document mounting means 10 is mounted so as to be able to reciprocate in the left-right direction. This document placement means 1O includes a transparent plate 12 on which the document to be copied is placed, and a document cover 14 that can be opened and closed to cover the transparent plate 12 and the document placed thereon. Contains.

A so-called process unit, which is located approximately in the middle of the housing 2 and is generally designated by numeral 16, is removably attached to the upper support frame 6. More specifically, a pair of support rails 18 and 20 are fixed to the upper support frame 6, spaced apart from each other in the left-right direction and extending in a direction perpendicular to the paper surface. On the other hand, the process unit 16 is mounted on a unit frame 22.
Supported rail portions 24 and 26 are formed on both left and right sides of this unit frame 22, extending in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the drawing. Supported rail portions 24 and 2 of unit frame 22
6 are engaged with the support rails 18 and 20 of the upper support frame 6, respectively, and the unit frame 22 is slid in a direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper, thereby attaching and detaching the process unit 16 to the upper support frame 6. Approximately at the center of the unit frame 22, a rotating drum 28 constituting a movable window light support means is provided.
is rotatably mounted. A suitable electrostatic photoreceptor is disposed on the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 28.

The unit frame 22 further includes a charging corona discharger 32 and a developing device generally designated by the number 34 around the rotating drum 28 which is rotationally driven in the direction shown by the arrow 30. A cleaning device, generally designated 36, is also installed. Developing device 34 and cleaning device 3
6 will be described later.

The upper support frame 6 further includes the process unit 16.
Irradiation lamp 46 and reflection plate 48 located above
A supporting optical system 50 is also attached.

The optical system 50 is composed of a large number of elongated optical elements (for example, a rond-shaped lens sold under the trade name "Selfoc Micro Lens" by Nippon Sheet Glass Co., Ltd.) extending in the vertical direction. The light from the irradiation lamp 46 is irradiated through the transparent plate 12 to the original placed on it, as shown by the dashed line, and the reflected light from the original is formed on the optical system 50 and the upper wall 52 of the unit frame 22. exposure aperture 54
, and is projected onto the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 28 in the exposure area 56 . Also, a part of the light from the irradiation lamp 46 passes through an opening 58 formed on the lower surface of the reflection plate 48 and a static elimination light opening 60 formed on the upper wall 52 of the unit frame 22, as similarly shown by the dashed line. It is projected onto the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 28 in the static elimination area 62 .

At approximately the center of the lower support frame 4, there is a transfer corona discharger 66 facing the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 28 in the transfer area 64, and a transfer corona discharger 66 located adjacent to and downstream of the transfer corona discharger 66. A stripping static eliminator 6B is provided.

Further, at the right end of the lower support frame 4, a copy paper supply means, which is indicated by the number 72 as a whole, is provided.
A copy paper tray 74 is disposed at the left end of the tray. Between the copy paper supply means 72 and the copy paper tray 74,
A copy paper transport system, generally designated by numeral 76, is provided for transporting copy paper through the transfer area 64. The copy paper supply means 72 includes a copy paper table 78 and a copy paper delivery roller 80 disposed above the downstream end of the copy paper table 78. Copy paper delivery roller 80 is selectively moved up and down and rotated in the direction shown by arrow 82. The copy paper supply means 72 further includes the copy paper table 78.
The copy sheet feeding roller 86 includes a copy paper feeding roller 86 that is disposed downstream of the roller and is rotationally driven in the direction shown by an arrow 84, and a copy paper separating means 88 that is disposed below the copy paper feeding roller 86. Copy paper separation means 88
is a support member 9 rotatably mounted by a pin 90;
2, and a separation member 94 made of a high friction material such as synthetic rubber and disposed on the upper surface of the support member 92. Support member 92 is resiliently biased in a clockwise direction by suitable spring means (not shown), thus forcing separation member 94 resiliently against copy paper feed roller 86.

In the copy paper supply means 72 as described above, a layer of sheet-like copy paper of an appropriate size is manually fed to the 7y copy table 78.
inserted above. Then, each time the copy paper feed roller 80 is lowered and rotated in the direction shown by the arrow 82, the upper copy paper in the copy paper layer is sequentially delivered, and the copy paper is further advanced by the copy paper feed roller 86. be done. The separating member 94 is configured to separate the copy sheets other than the uppermost copy sheet from the copy paper feed roller 86 when two or more sheets of copy paper are sent to -, 19 by the copy paper feed roller 80.
This prevents the copy paper from being advanced by the copy paper transport system 76, thus allowing the copy paper to be fed one by one to the copy paper transport system 76. The copy paper conveyance system 76 includes a pair of guide plates 96, a pair of conveyor rollers 100 that are rotationally driven in the direction shown by the arrow 98, guide plates 102 and 104, a conveyor belt a structure 108 that is rotationally driven in the direction shown by the arrow 106, and It includes a pair of heat fixing rollers 112 that are rotationally driven in the direction indicated by 110, a pair of guide plates 114, and a pair of discharge rollers 118 that are rotationally driven in the direction indicated by arrow 116. Appropriate heating means 122 is disposed within the upper heating roller 120 of the heating fixing roller pair 112. Further, a peeling member 124 is attached to the upper heating roller 120 to prevent the copy paper from being wrapped.

In the electrostatic copying machine as described above, the rotating drum 28
is rotated in the direction shown by arrow 30, the charging corona discharger 32 substantially uniformly charges the photoreceptor on the rotating drum 28 to a specific polarity, and then, in the exposure area 56, the photoreceptor on the transparent plate 12 is charged. The image of the original is scanned and exposed onto the photoreceptor, thus forming an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image of the original on the photoreceptor. During the above-mentioned scanning exposure, the document mounting means 10
, for example, is moved for scanning exposure from a scanning exposure start position indicated by a two-dot chain line 10A rightward to a scanning exposure end position indicated by a two-dot chain line 10B. Thereafter, the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor is developed into a toner image by a developing device 34. Next, the copy paper supplied from the copy paper supply means 72 and conveyed by the copy paper conveyance system 76 is brought into close contact with the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 28 in the transfer area 64, and the copy paper is brought into close contact with the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 28 in the transfer area 64.
The toner image on the photoreceptor is transferred onto copy paper by the action of . Thereafter, the copy paper is peeled off from the rotating drum 28 by the action of the static eliminator 68. , 7, the copy paper is conveyed through a pair of heat-fixing rollers 112, during which time the toner image on the copy paper is heat-fixed, and then discharged onto a copy paper tray 74.

On the other hand, the rotating drum 28 continues to rotate further, and the toner remaining on the photoreceptor after transfer is removed from the photoreceptor by the action of the cleaning device 36.Next, the static eliminator 62 irradiates the photoreceptor with static eliminating light. , residual charges on the photoreceptor are dissipated.

To further explain the process unit with reference to FIG. 2 as well as FIG. It has a front wall (not shown) and a rear wall 126 that are spaced apart from each other, and a rotating drum 28, a developing device 34, and a cleaning device 36 are installed between the front wall and the rear wall 126. Between the front wall and the rear wall 126 are a bottom wall 128, a left end wall 130, and a right end wall 132, as well as the above-mentioned top wall 52.
is provided. A copy paper transport system 76 is provided on the bottom wall 128.
A transfer opening 134 is formed to allow the copy paper conveyed by the action of 26.

The rotary drum 2 is rotatably mounted between the front wall and the rear wall 126. When the process unit 16 is removably attached to the upper support frame 6 and the upper support frame 6 is placed in the closed position, the rotating drum 28 is connected to the drive source (see FIG. (not shown) (constituting the drive source of the electrostatic copying machine), and is rotationally driven in the direction shown by arrow 30 by the action of the drive source.

Next, to explain the developing device 34, the illustrated developing device 34 has a pair of end walls 136 (inside the rear wall 126 in FIG. (only one side is shown),
Various walls 138, 140, 142, 144, 146 and 14 extending in the front-rear direction between these pair of end walls 136
8 is provided, and the developing device 34 is connected to the wall 138 .
Three chambers divided by 140, 142, 144, 146 and 148, namely a developing chamber 150 and a developer storage chamber 1
52 and a toner storage chamber 154. The toner storage chamber 154 is divided into three chambers: a first storage chamber 156 , a second storage chamber 158 , and a mixing chamber 160 .

Referring primarily to FIG. 2, in the specific example, wall 142 is provided with a wall 162 extending downwardly, and
and the first storage chamber 1 by the walls 140 and 142.
56 is specified. New, unused toner (not shown) is stored in the first storage chamber 156. In a specific example, a toner cartridge 165 can be removably installed in the first storage chamber 156,
Therefore, by replacing the toner cartridge 165, new toner can be supplied. The discharge port 167 of the toner cartridge 165 is sealed with, for example, a suitable sealing member (not shown), and the toner cartridge 165 is sealed by peeling off this sealing member.
by inserting the first storage chamber 156 into the first storage chamber 156.
It is installed as shown in the figure and FIG. When installed in this way, the discharge port 167 is opened and the toner cartridge 165 is removed.
The new toner contained therein is supplied through the outlet 167. In the specific example, new toner can be replenished, but replenishment of the toner is not required (for example, the entire process unit 16 is replaced when all the toner stored in the first storage chamber 156 is consumed). In this case, a discharge port may be defined by the inner surface of the wall 140 and the lower end of the wall 162, and new toner may be directly stored in the first storage chamber 156. Further, the second storage chamber 158 is defined by a substantially U-shaped portion 144a of the wall 144. In the specific example, the second
As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the storage chamber 158 of
The development device 34 is arranged substantially in parallel with the storage chamber 156 of the development device 34, thereby making it possible to reduce the height of the development device 34 and make the entire development device compact. Toner removed from the rotating drum 28 is resupplied to the second storage chamber 158 as will be described later, and this toner is supplied from the second storage chamber 158.

Furthermore, a mixing chamber 160 located below the first accommodating chamber 156 and the second accommodating chamber 158 is defined by the lower ends of the walls 140 and 144. A toner discharge opening 162 is formed at the bottom of the mixing chamber 160 . The toner discharge opening 162 is formed substantially from one end to the other end in the width direction of the mixing chamber 160 (that is, the above-mentioned front-to-back direction), and an elongated cylindrical toner supply roller 164 is disposed in the toner discharge opening 162. has been done. Toner supply roller 164
is rotated in the direction shown by an arrow 166, and as a result of this rotation, the toner in the mixing chamber 160 is supplied to the developing chamber 150 through the toner discharge opening 162.

The left side of the developing chamber 150 facing the rotating drum 28 is open. In the developing chamber 150, an application means 16 is provided.
8, a developer stirring means 170, and a guide plate 172 are provided. The applying means 168 includes a cylindrical sleeve 176 rotatably driven in the direction indicated by an arrow 174, and a stationary permanent magnet 178 disposed within the sleeve 176 and having a plurality of circumferentially spaced magnetic poles.
It can be composed of. The stirring means 170 is
It has a plurality of spiral blades 182 that are rotationally driven in the direction shown by an arrow 180 to agitate the developer in the developing chamber 150 and supply it to the application means 168. The wall 148 defining the upper left wall of the developing chamber 150 is formed with an ear cutting means 184 that protrudes toward the sleeve 176 of the application means 168. The cutting means 184 is magnetically held on the surface of the sleeve 176 and acts on the moving developer to remove excess developer. Further, the above-mentioned ear cutting means 184 is attached to the above-mentioned wall 148.
A toner concentration detector 186 is provided above the toner concentration detector 186 . Detector 186, which may be of well-known form, is located in development chamber 150.
It has a detection surface exposed inside, and detects the toner concentration of the developer removed from the application means 168 by the action of the ear cutting means 184.

Further, the developer storage chamber 152 is arranged above the developing chamber 150. This developer storage chamber 152 stores a start developer (a new developer in which carrier and toner are mixed at a predetermined mixing ratio). The starting developer is stored in the developer storage chamber 15 until the developing device 34 is actually used.
2 to the developing chamber 150, and therefore, the developer storage chamber 152, etc., must be protected from leakage from the developer storage chamber 152, etc., for example in the utility model registration application filed by the present applicant on May 30, 1986 (name: image Preferably, the construction is as disclosed in the specification and drawings of Developing Device for a Generator.

In the developing device 34 as described above, at the start of use, the start developer contained in the developer storage chamber 152 is first supplied to the developing chamber 150 as required. Next, the toner cartridge 165 is placed inside the toner storage chamber 156.
Attach as required. That is, a sealing member (not shown)
Insert the toner cartridge 165 into the first storage chamber 156 while peeling off the toner cartridge 165. When installed in this manner, the outlet 167 of the toner cartridge 165 is opened, and the outlet 167 of the toner cartridge 165 is opened.
The toner in the toner cartridge 165 is supplied to the mixing chamber 160 through the mixing chamber 67, thereby enabling toner supply. In the specific example, the outlet 167 is a mixing chamber! 60 and extends substantially from one end to the other end in the width direction of the mixing chamber 160. Therefore, new toner in the toner cartridge 165 is supplied substantially uniformly from one end to the other end in the width direction of the mixing chamber 160. be done. By operating in this manner, the electrostatic latent image can be developed by the developing device 34. When performing development, the stirring means 170 is rotated in the direction shown by arrow 180 within the developing chamber 150, thereby stirring the developer and charging the toner to a predetermined polarity, and also transferring the developer to the applying means 168. will be sent towards. Application means 16
The sleeve 176 at 8 is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow 174, and the developer fed by the action of the stirring means 170 is held on the surface of the sleeve 176 by the magnetic attraction of the magnet 178 disposed within the sleeve 176. As the sleeve 176 rotates, it is transported in the direction shown by the arrow 174. Then, the excess developer retained on the surface of the sleeve 176 is removed by the action of the cutting means 184. The removed developer is moved upward along the inner surface of the wall 148 and then flows down on the guide plate 172 toward the stirring means 170, where it is stirred again by the stirring means 170. On the other hand, the developer held on the surface of the sleeve 176 and further conveyed in the direction shown by the arrow 174 is brought into contact with the photoreceptor disposed on the surface of the rotating drum 28, and is brought into contact with the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor. Correspondingly, the toner in the developer is applied onto the photoreceptor, thus developing the electrostatic latent image into a toner image. As the toner concentration of the developer material decreases due to such development action, the detector 186 generates a signal which causes the toner supply roller 164 to rotate in the direction indicated by arrow 166, thus filling the toner storage chamber 154, i.e. The toner in the mixing chamber 160 is supplied to the developing chamber 150.

Next, the cleaning device 36 will be described. The illustrated cleaning device 36 has a pair of end walls (not shown) disposed inside the unit frame 22 at intervals in the front-rear direction. Various walls 190 and 192 extending in the fore-aft direction are provided between the walls. A mounting member 194 is mounted on the top surface of the wall 190 of the cleaning device 36.
An elastic blade 196 is attached by. The free end of the elastic blade 196 constituting the toner removing means is pressed against the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 28 with a required pressure. The cleaning device 36 also includes a toner collection chamber 198 defined by the walls 190 and 192. The toner recovery chamber 198 is open at a portion facing the rotating drum 28, and a sealing member 200 is disposed in the open opening. Seal member 200
is attached to the outer surface of the wall 192, and its free end is brought into contact with or close to the circumferential surface of the rotating drum 28. As shown above, rotate the rotating drum 2 in the direction shown by the arrow 30.
8 is rotated, residual toner remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor is removed by the action of the elastic blade 196. Then, the toner thus removed is transferred to the sealing member 200 and the wall 19.
, 2 and are collected as required into the toner collection chamber 198.

In the copying machine as described above, a toner collection chamber 1 is further provided.
The toner collected at 98 is supplied to the second storage chamber 158 of the toner storage chamber 154. To further explain with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 together with FIG.
8 includes a toner resupply means 202 exclusively. An opening is formed at a required portion of one end wall of the cleaning device 36 (the end wall located at the front in the front-rear direction), and an opening is formed at a required portion of one end wall of the cleaning device 36 .
Openings are also formed at required portions of one end wall of 4 (the end wall located at the front in the front-rear direction opposite to the end wall 136 shown in FIG. 4), and both openings form the U-shaped hollow cylindrical member 204. (shown by a chain double-dashed line in FIG. 3). Toner resupply means 202 includes an elongated helical member 206 . The spiral member 206 has an intermediate portion 206a located within the hollow cylinder member 204, one end thereof located within the toner collection chamber 198 of the cleaning device 36, and the other end located within the second toner storage chamber 154. It is located within the storage chamber 158. More specifically, in the toner collection chamber 198, the one end portion 206b of the spiral member 206 extends in the width direction of the toner storage chamber 198, that is, in the front-rear direction, and the shaft portion 208 provided at one end is used for cleaning. It is rotatably attached to the other end wall of the device 36 (the end wall located at the rear in the longitudinal direction). The shaft portion 208 penetrates the other end wall and projects rearward, and a gear 210 is provided at this projecting end.
is installed. The gear 210 is meshed with a large gear 212 provided at the rear end of the rotating drum 28, and when the rotating drum 28 is rotated in the direction indicated by an arrow 30, the gear 210 is rotated through the large gear 212 into a direction indicated by an arrow 214. It is rotated in the direction shown. Further, in the second storage chamber 158 of the toner storage chamber 154, the other end 2 of the spiral member 206 is
06C extends in the width direction of the second storage chamber 158, that is, in the front-rear direction, and the shaft portion 216 provided at the other end is rotatably attached to the other end wall 136 (FIG. 4) of the developing device 34. has been done. The spiral member 206 has shaft portions 2 at both ends thereof.
08 and 216, but there is no shaft in other parts and the gear 210 is hollow.
When it is rotated in the direction shown by 4, it is wound in a spiral shape so as to transfer the toner as shown by an arrow 218 (FIG. 3). In relation to the other end 206C of the spiral member 206, it is preferable that the substantially U-shaped portion 144a of the wall 144 be configured as follows, for example. That is, as shown in FIG. 4, the height of the upper surface of one example end (the right end in FIG. 2) of the portion 144a is gradually decreased from the one end to the other end in the width direction of the mixing chamber 160. preferable.

In addition, as shown in FIG. 3, the sleeve 17 of the application means 168
6, the shaft portions 220a and 220b provided at both ends thereof are rotatably attached to the pair of end walls 136 of the developing device 34, and the stirring means 170 also has shaft portions 222a and 220b provided at both ends thereof. and 222b are rotatably attached to the pair of end walls 136. sleeve 1
The shaft portion 220b of the stirring means 170 extends rearwardly through the end wall 136 (FIG. 4), and the gear 224 is attached to this projecting end.
6 and protrudes rearward, and the protruding end also has a gear 22.
6 is installed. Gears 224 and 226 are small gears 2
28, such that the drive # (not disclosed) of the copier rotates gear 224 in the direction shown by arrow 230 (thereby rotating sleeve 176 in the direction shown by arrow 174). Then, the gear 226 is rotated via the gear 228 in the direction not shown by the arrow 232 (thereby, the stirring means 170 is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow 180).

In the copying machine equipped with the toner resupply means 202 described above, when the rotary drum 28 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow 30, the helical member 206 is rotated as required via the large gear 212 and the gear 210. . That is, the toner collection chamber 1
At one end 206b located within 98, the arrow 234
The toner rotated in the direction shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and collected in the toner collection chamber 198 as described above is transferred to the toner collection chamber 19 by the action of the spiral member 206.
8 from the rear end to the front end in the direction shown by arrow 218. The thus transferred toner passes through the hollow cylinder member 204 and is further supplied into the second storage chamber 158 of the toner storage chamber 154. At the other end 206C of the spiral member 206 located inside the second storage chamber 158, the arrow 236 (second
3), and the second storage chamber 15 is rotated in the direction shown in FIG.
The toner supplied into the chamber 8 as described above is transferred to the second storage chamber 158 by the other end rotating in the direction shown by the arrow 236.
from the front end to the rear end in the direction shown by arrow 218. When being transferred to the second storage chamber 158,
Due to the action of the spiral member 206, the toner comes to exceed the upper surface of one side end (right side @) of the substantially U-shaped wall portion 144a of the wall 144, and the toner that has exceeded the upper surface of the one side end is attached to the walls 144 and 162. The toner is supplied to the upper part of the mixing chamber 160 where the toner supply roller 164 is disposed. Mixing chamber 1
As described above, new toner supplied from the toner cartridge 165 is present in the toner 60 , and the reused toner supplied from the second storage chamber 158 is stored near the toner discharge hole 162 in the mixing chamber 160 . The mixed toner is mixed with new toner at the toner supply roller 1.
64, the toner is supplied to the developing chamber 150 through the toner discharge opening 162. In a specific example, wall portion 144
The upper surface of the end that the toner of a crosses over is the second storage chamber 1.
The height of the storage chamber 58 gradually decreases from the front end to the rear end, and therefore, at the front end of the second storage chamber 158, there is a relatively large amount of toner (despite the presence of toner, the toner supply rate is low). On the other hand, although there is relatively little toner at the rear end, the toner supply ratio is large, and thus the toner from the second storage chamber 158 is supplied substantially uniformly in the width direction of the mixing chamber 160. Ru.

In the electrostatic copying machine as described above, the toner storage chamber 15
4 is divided into three chambers: a first storage chamber 156 where new toner is stored, a second storage chamber 158 where the toner collected in the toner collection chamber 198 is resupplied, and a mixing chamber 160. The new toner from 154 and the reused toner from the second storage chamber 158 are mixed near the toner discharge opening 162 of the mixing chamber 160 and then supplied to the developing chamber 150 through the toner discharge opening 162. The used toner is resupplied to the developing chamber 150 at a constant rate, so that deterioration in image quality can be suppressed and stable images can be obtained over a long period of time.

Next, referring to FIG. 5, a first modification of the image generator constructed in accordance with the present invention will be described. In the first modification, improvements have been made to the second storage chamber 158 in the toner storage chamber 154 and elements related thereto, and FIG. 5 shows only the portions to which the above-mentioned improvements have been made. Hereinafter, the same members as those in the specific example shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 will be described using the same numbers.

In FIG. 5, a pair of end walls 136 of the developing device 34 and a substantially U-shaped portion 144a of a wall 144 provided between the pair of end walls 136 form a second portion of the toner storage chamber 154.
A storage chamber 158 is defined. Further, although one end portion of the spiral member 206 constituting the toner resupply means is not shown, it is disposed in the toner collection chamber of the cleaning device.
The other end portion 206c is arranged in the second storage chamber 158. A hollow cylindrical member 204 is connected to one end wall 136 (the end wall located at the front in the front-rear direction) of the developing device 34.
The spiral member 206 passes through the hollow cylindrical member 204 and extends inside the second storage chamber 158 in its width direction, that is, in the front-rear direction, and the shaft portion 216 provided at the other end is connected to the other end wall 136.
(the end wall located at the rear in the front-rear direction) so as to be rotatable.

In this first modification, the bottom 144b of the portion 144a that defines the second storage chamber 158 (the approximately U-shaped bottom that defines the bottom of the second storage chamber 158) is a mixing chamber. 160 in the width direction from one end (front end) to the other end (rear end). In other words, the second
The height of one side end of the wall portion 144a over which the toner in the storage chamber 158 crosses is decreased from one end in the width direction of the mixing chamber 160 to the other end. Therefore, even in such a case, when the wall portion 14 is transferred inside the second storage chamber 158,
The proportion of toner supplied to the mixing chamber 160 beyond the upper surface of the one side end of the second storage chamber 158 is small, although there is a relatively large amount of toner at the front end of the second storage chamber 158; At the rear end, although the amount of toner is relatively small, a large proportion is supplied, and the toner is supplied substantially uniformly in the width direction of the mixing chamber 160. In addition, in the first modification, the other end 206C1 of the spiral member 206, that is, the portion located within the second storage chamber 158, extends in a conical shape that gradually becomes smaller toward the rear in the front-rear direction, and In connection with this, the central axis of the other end 206c is inclined slightly upward from the front end of the second storage chamber 158 toward the rear end. The same effect can also be achieved by simply making the central axis of the other end 206c of the spiral member 206 slightly inclined upward, as described above, without making the other end 206c conical. In addition, an opening 2 is provided at the bottom of the rear end of the second storage chamber 158.
38 is formed, therefore, the toner transferred to the rear end in the direction shown by the arrow 218 within the second storage chamber 15B is supplied to the mixing chamber 160 through the opening 238.

Next, a second modification of the image generator constructed according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 6 and 7. In the second modification, as understood from FIG. 6, the toner storage chamber 154 and related elements have been improved, and FIG. 6 shows the developing device 34 with the above-mentioned improvements. show.

In FIG. 6, a toner storage chamber 1 in a second modification example is shown.
54 is defined by various walls 140, 142 and 144. In the second modification, a mixing chamber 160 is defined below the toner storage chamber 154.
A second storage chamber 158 is arranged above, and a first storage chamber 156 is arranged above this second storage chamber 158. In this modification, the first storage chamber 156 has walls 240
It is defined by a removable toner cartridge constituted by 1.242 and 244, and has a discharge port 246 formed at its bottom. New toner is stored in this first storage chamber 156, as described above. Further, the second storage chamber 158 is defined by a hollow cylindrical member 248 disposed below the discharge port 246. The hollow cylindrical member 248 is connected to a pair of end walls 136 of the developing device 34.
A spiral member 206 (only one of which is shown in FIG. 6) is disposed between the hollow cylindrical members 248 and constitutes a toner resupply means. As described above, the spiral member 206 has one end (not shown) located in the toner collection chamber of the cleaning device, and the other end passed through a hollow cylindrical member (not shown) to the third end of the toner storage chamber 154. The storage chamber 158 extends rearward in the front-rear direction. As shown enlarged in FIG. 7, a plurality of openings 250 are formed at the bottom of the hollow cylindrical member 248 at intervals in the longitudinal direction, that is, in the front-rear direction. As shown in the figure, the plurality of openings 250 are smaller as they are located at one end in the width direction of the mixing chamber 160, that is, the front in the front and back direction, and are larger as they are located at the other end in the width direction, that is, in the rear in the front and back direction. is preferable.

Also in the second modification example as described above, the second storage chamber 1
58 , the toner in the second storage chamber 158 is supplied through the plurality of openings 250 to a portion of the mixing chamber 160 where the toner supply roller 164 is disposed. The thus supplied toner is mixed with new toner near the toner discharge opening 162 of the mixing chamber 160, and the mixed toner passes through the toner discharge opening 162 and enters the developing chamber.
50. In such a modification, the second storage chamber 1
Due to the small opening 250 on the front end side of 58, the proportion of toner supplied is small even though there is a relatively large amount of toner;
Due to the large width of the toner, a large proportion of toner is supplied even though the toner is relatively small, and as a result, the toner is supplied substantially uniformly in the width direction of the mixing chamber 160.

Therefore, in this second modified example as well, substantially the same effects as those of the specific example shown in FIGS. 1 to 4 are achieved.

Note that in the second modification, the toner cartridge is also configured to be detachably attached to the toner storage chamber 154;
If replenishment of toner is not desired, toner may be stored in the toner storage chamber 154. Even with this configuration, the toner from the toner collection chamber is forced to flow into the toner storage chamber 1.
54 near the toner outlet opening, thus achieving a similar effect.

Although specific examples and modifications of the image generator constructed according to the present invention have been described above with reference to the accompanying drawings, the present invention is not limited to such specific examples and modifications, and the scope of the present invention is not limited to such specific examples and modifications. Various variations and modifications are possible without deviation.

For example, in the specific example and the modified example, a static T1. Although the present invention has been described as being applied to a copying machine, it can also be applied to an apparatus equipped with a developing device that uses a so-called one-component type developer consisting only of toner. In such a case, the storage chamber 152 for storing the start developer is not necessary, and the stirring means 170, toner concentration detection means 186, etc. are also unnecessary.

<Effects of the Invention> In the image generating machine according to the present invention, the toner storage chamber 15
4 and the reused toner from the second storage chamber 158 are transferred to the toner discharge opening 16 of the toner storage chamber 154.
2, and the mixed toner is supplied to the developing chamber 150 through the toner discharge opening 162.
The reused toner is resupplied to the developing chamber 150 at a constant rate, so that deterioration in image quality can be suppressed and stable images can be obtained over a long period of time.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a simplified sectional view showing a specific example of an electrostatic copying machine as an example of an image generating machine constructed according to the present invention. FIG. 2 shows the process unit 7 in the electrostatic copying machine shown in FIG.
). 3 is a perspective view showing a toner resupply means and related elements in the electrostatic copying machine of FIG. 1; FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the second storage chamber and its vicinity in the electrostatic copying machine of FIG. 1; FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing the second storage chamber and its vicinity in a first modified example of an electrostatic copying machine as an example of an image generator according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a sectional view showing a developing device in a second modified example of an electrostatic copying machine as an example of an image generating machine according to the present invention. 7 is an enlarged perspective view of a hollow cylindrical member defining a second storage chamber in the developing device of FIG. 6; FIG. 2...Housing 4...Lower support frame 6...Upper support frame 16...Process unit 22...Unit frame 28. ... Rotating drum 34 ... Development device 36 ... Cleaning device 150 ... Development chamber 152 ... Developer storage chamber 154 ... ... Toner storage chamber 156 ... First storage chamber 158 ... Second storage chamber 160 ... Mixing chamber 162 ... Toner discharge opening 168 ... ... Application means 196 ... Elastic blade 198 ... Toner collection chamber 202 ... Toner resupply means 206 ... Spiral member

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A support structure and a process unit detachably attached to the support structure, the process unit comprising a movable photoconductor support means having a photoconductor on its surface, and a movable photoconductor support means having a photoconductor on its surface; a developing device that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the body; a cleaning device that removes toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor; and a unit frame in which the movable photoconductor supporting means, the developing device, and the cleaning device are mounted. the development device comprises a development chamber, application means disposed in the development chamber for applying toner to the electrostatic latent image to be developed, and communicating with the development chamber through a toner discharge opening; The cleaning device has a toner storage chamber that removes residual toner by acting on the surface of the photoconductor, and a toner collection chamber that collects the toner removed by the action of the toner removal device. The process unit is further provided with toner resupply means, and the toner resupply means recycles the toner collected in the toner collection chamber into the vicinity of the toner discharge opening of the toner storage chamber. The toner from the toner collection chamber is mixed with the toner in the toner storage chamber near the toner discharge opening, and the mixed toner is supplied to the development chamber through the toner discharge opening. Image generator. 2. The toner storage chamber includes a mixing chamber defined below, and a first storage chamber and a second storage chamber defined above the mixing chamber. The toner is stored in the second storage chamber, and the toner resupplied from the toner collection chamber is stored, and the toner supplied from the first storage chamber and the toner supplied from the second storage chamber are stored in the second storage chamber. 2. The image generating machine according to claim 1, wherein the toner is mixed in the mixing chamber, and the mixed toner is supplied to the developing chamber through the toner discharge opening. 3. The first storage chamber and the second storage chamber are substantially arranged side by side, and the toner from the first storage chamber and the toner from the second storage chamber are substantially spread in the width direction of the mixing chamber. Claim 2, wherein the mixing chamber is configured to be uniformly supplied to the mixing chamber.
The image generator described in Section 1. 4. The second storage chamber is defined by a substantially U-shaped wall, the toner resupply means is comprised of a spiral member extending from the toner collection chamber into the second storage chamber, and 4. The image generator according to claim 3, wherein the toner in the storage chamber is supplied to the mixing chamber by the action of the spiral member over the upper surface of one side end of the wall. 5. Claims in which the height of the upper surface of the one side end of the wall defining the second storage chamber is gradually decreased from one end in the width direction of the mixing chamber to the other end. The image generator according to item 4. 6. The image generator according to claim 4, wherein the bottom of the wall defining the second storage chamber is gradually raised from one end to the other end in the width direction of the mixing chamber. . 7. A hollow cylindrical member is disposed near the toner discharge opening of the toner storage chamber, and the toner resupply means includes a spiral member extending from the toner collection chamber into the hollow cylindrical member; 2. The image generating machine according to claim 1, wherein the toner collected in the chamber is supplied to the vicinity of the toner discharge opening through an opening formed in the hollow cylindrical member by the action of the spiral member. 8. A mixing chamber is defined below the toner storage chamber, a first storage chamber is defined above the mixing chamber, and the hollow cylindrical member is disposed between the mixing chamber and the first storage chamber. A second storage chamber is defined, the first storage chamber stores new toner, and the toner supplied from the first storage chamber and the toner supplied from the second storage chamber are mixed. 8. The image generating machine according to claim 7, wherein the toner is mixed in the developing chamber and the mixed toner is supplied to the developing chamber through the toner discharge opening. 9. The toner according to claim 1, wherein the toner from the first storage chamber and the toner from the second storage chamber are supplied to the mixing chamber substantially uniformly in the width direction of the mixing chamber. Range 8th
The image generator described in Section 1. 10. A plurality of openings are formed at the bottom of the hollow cylindrical member at intervals in the width direction of the mixing chamber, and the plurality of openings are located at one end of the mixing chamber in the width direction. The image generator according to claim 9, wherein the image generator is larger as the image generator approaches the other end in the width direction, and becomes smaller as the image generator approaches the other end in the width direction.