JPS6275477A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To remove waste due to the supply and recovery of a developer by making a storing container storing the developer replaceable and using the using storing container as a developer recovering means. CONSTITUTION:The excess developer on a photosensitive drum is cleaned out by a cleaner and discharged from a discharge port 7b to the outside by a carrying roller arranged on the inner bottom of the container. A developer supplier 30 is attachably/detachably couplied with a developing unit 4 and a port part 32 to be connected with a supplying port part 4a of the developing unit 4 is projected on one side of a storing container 31 of the supplier 30 to properly supply the fixed quantity of the developer stored in its inside to the developing unit 4 through a spiral carrying mechanism in the developing unit 4. The storing container 31 used for the supply of the developer is diverted as a developer recovering container by coupling the port part 32 with the discharge port 7b.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus used, for example, as an electronic copying machine.

[Technical background of the invention and its problems]

Conventionally, in this type of electronic copying machine, the supply device for supplying the developer to the developing device was made of, for example, a plastic container in the shape of a hollow container, which was discarded after use, making it extremely uneconomical. be.

Further, surplus developer supplied from the developing device and deposited after image formation on the image carrier (photoreceptor) is cleaned by a cleaning device, and a large recovery device is installed in the cleaning device to remove the surplus developer. However, collecting such developer requires a separate collection container, which is also very uneconomical.

[Purpose of the invention]

The present invention has been made under the above circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of eliminating the uneconomical problems associated with supplying and collecting developer. .

[Summary of the invention]

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a developing means for adhering and supplying a developer to an image bearing member, a developer supplying means for supplying the developer to the developing means, and a developer supplying means for supplying the developer to the image bearing member, after forming an image on the image bearing member. a cleaning means for cleaning residual excess developer;
means for discharging and collecting the developer cleaned by the cleaning means to the outside, and the developer supplying means has a structure in which a storage container containing the developer is replaceably provided in the developing means. In addition, the used storage container can be used as the developer recovery means.

[Embodiments of the invention]

The present invention will be described below with reference to an embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a main body of an electronic copying machine, and a photosensitive drum 2 as an image carrier is rotatably provided in the center of the interior of the main body 1. Around the photosensitive drum 2, a charged body 3, a developing device 4, and a transfer charger 5 are arranged in order along the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 2.
, a peeling charger 6 and a cleaner 7 are provided.

Two paper feed cassettes 8 and 9 containing paper of different sizes are provided at the bottom of the main body 1 in a freely insertable and removable manner. Starting from 8.9, paper is fed one by one. This paper is conveyed along a conveyance path 1o, and in this conveyance path 10, a registration roller 11, the above-mentioned transfer charger 5 and peeling charger 6, a conveyance belt 12, a fixing device 13, and a paper ejection roller 14 are connected to the conveyance path 10. Paper ejection trays 15 are disposed sequentially along the conveying direction of the paper sheets, and are disposed ahead of the paper ejection rollers 14 to receive the paper.

A glass document table 16 is arranged at the top of the main body 1, and an exposure system 18 is provided below the document table 16. This exposure system 18 includes an exposure lamp 19, a first mirror 20, a second
mirror 21, a third mirror 22, a lens 23, and a fourth mirror 24, while moving an exposure lamp 19, the light is applied to the original placed on the upper surface of the original platen 16, and the light is reflected. The image of the document is scanned using the photosensitive drum 2, and based on this scanning, the image is formed as an electrostatic latent image on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 2. Note that when the exposure lamp 19 is moved, the second and third mirrors 21 and 22 move in the same direction at 1/2 speed to keep the optical path length constant. The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 2 is visualized by toner supplied from the developing device 4, and this visualized image is transferred to the paper feed cassette 6.
．． When the transfer charger 5 operates, the image is transferred to the paper supplied from the transfer charger 9. Later, the paper was transferred to the photosensitive drum 2.
The peripheral surface of the sheet is peeled off by the operation of the peeling charger 6, and sent to the fixing device 13 via the conveyor belt 12, where the image is fixed, and then ejected to the paper ejection tray 15 via the paper ejection roller 14. It is something.

Incidentally, the surplus developer remaining after image formation on the photosensitive drum (photosensitive member) 2 is cleaned by a cleaning device (cleaning device), and is removed by a conveyance roller 7a provided at the inner bottom of the photosensitive drum (photosensitive member) 2. The front cover 1 shown in FIG.
It is discharged to the outside from the discharge lower b protruding from the back side of a,
It can be recovered by means described later.

As shown in FIG. 2, a developer supply device 3o is connected to the developer device 4 in a removable and replaceable manner, and the developer supply device 30 is housed in a hopper-like hermetically sealed container as shown in FIG. It consists of a container 31, and one side surface 3 of the bottom of this storage container 31
1 m, an opening 3 connectable to the supply opening 4a of the developing device 4.
2 is formed in a protruding manner, and the developer sealed inside can be appropriately supplied from the opening 32 in fixed amounts via a spiral conveyance mechanism in the developing device 4 (not shown).

When the storage container 31 is used up after the developer is supplied into the developing device 4, the storage container 31 is opened to a discharge lower which protrudes from the back side of the front cover 11 of the main body 1, as shown in FIG. A mouth portion 32 is connected to the discharge lower portion b so that it can be used as a collection container for excess developer discharged from the discharge lower portion b.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As is clear from the above description, according to the present invention, a storage container filled with developer used as a developer supply device can be used as a collection container for surplus developer discharged from a cleaning device after use. Since it is reused, it has the advantage of being extremely economical.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the state of supply of developer to the developing device, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the developer supply device. 4A and 4B are explanatory diagrams showing a state in which a used developer supply device is repurposed and reused in the developer recovery section of the apparatus main body. 1... Apparatus main body, 2... Photoreceptor (image carrier), 4...
...Developer, 7...Cleaning device, 7a...Recovery conveyance roller, 7b...Discharge port, 30...Developer supply device,
3. Storage container, 32. Mouth. Applicant's representative Patent attorney Takehiko Suzue Figure 2 Figure 3 and Figure 4

Claims (1)

[Claims] a developing means for adhering and supplying a developer to the image carrier; a developer supplying means for supplying the developer to the developing means; a cleaning means for cleaning excess developer remaining after image formation on the image carrier; means for discharging and collecting the developer cleaned by the cleaning means to the outside, and the developer supplying means has a structure in which a storage container containing the developer is replaceably provided in the developing means. Also, an image forming apparatus in which the used storage container can be used as the developer recovery means.