JPS63220272A - Developing device supply method for image forming device provided with storage device of plural developing devices - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the constitution of a carrying device, the installation space, and the supply time by using a means, which carries a developing device to an image forming device body and moves it to a developing operation position as one body, to continuously carry the developing device to the image forming device body and move it to the developing operation position. CONSTITUTION:The means is provided which carries a developing device 2 to an image forming device body X1 and moves it to the developing operation position as one body. The developing device 2 is slid on a developing device mount 6 and is carried into the device body X1 through a developing device supply hole 31 coinciding with a developing device carrying-in entrance 29 and has a developing sleeve 30 pressed against the outside peripheral surface of a photosensitive drum 1 with a prescribed pressure as it is and is set to the developing operation position. Since the developing device 2 is continuously carried into the image forming device body X1 and is moved to the developing operation position, the carrying device required for supply of the developing device is simplified, and the installation space and the cost are reduced, and the supply time is shortened.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention provides an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer or a copying machine equipped with a multiple developer storage device (developer autochanger). The present invention relates to a method for supplying a selected developing device into an image forming apparatus main body.

(Technical Background) The applicant of the present application previously attempted to address the wide range of color needs for image forming apparatuses by storing a plurality of developing units and transferring a selected one of the developing units to the main unit of the apparatus. An image forming apparatus has been proposed (in Japanese Patent Application No. 61-256215, etc.) which includes a storage device for multiple developing devices that can be automatically supplied within the image forming apparatus.

Generally, in an image forming apparatus equipped with a multiple developer storage device as proposed, when a selected developer in the multiple developer storage device is supplied into the apparatus main body, the developer is first transferred to a conveying means. A method is adopted in which the conveyed developing device is conveyed into the main body of the packaging using a pressurizing means, and then the conveyed developing device is moved to the developing operation position using a pressurizing means. A means is necessary. For this reason, a space is required to install the pressurizing means within the apparatus main body, and furthermore, time is required to switch from the conveying means to the pressurizing means, which increases the supply time accordingly.

(Object of the Invention) The present invention provides an image forming apparatus equipped with a multiple developer storage device as proposed above, when supplying a selected developer in the multiple developer storage device into the apparatus main body. It is an object of the present invention to provide a developing device supply method that is more effective in terms of the configuration of a conveying device, the storage space, the supply time, etc.

(Summary of the Invention) In order to achieve the above object, this invention uses means for integrally carrying the developing device into the main body of the image forming apparatus and moving it to the developing operation position. It is characterized in that the conveyance into the main body of the forming apparatus and the movement to the developing operation position are performed continuously.

(Example of the invention) Hereinafter, one embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing the main parts of an image forming apparatus equipped with a multiple developing device storage device to which the developing device supply method according to the invention +51 is applied, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in FIG. Figure 53 is an external perspective view of the image forming apparatus.

First, the configuration of an image-forming rJt apparatus including a plurality of developing device storage devices that implements the developing device supply method according to the present invention will be described.

In FIGS. 1 to 3, X represents an image forming apparatus, Yi,
This is a multiple developing unit storage device which is detachably attached to the outside of the apparatus main body Xl of the image forming apparatus X with bolts or the like.

The image forming device 21X has the same structure as the previous one except for a part of the structure, and the portion implementing the present invention is mainly located on the side of the multiple developing device storage device Y. Therefore, here, we mainly discuss the multiple developer storage system 'i! Let's talk about IY.

The difference between the image forming apparatus X and the previous one is that the rear side plate 28 of the apparatus main body XI is brought closer to the photoreceptor drum l, and a developer entrance 29 is provided near the photoreceptor drum l on the rear side plate 28. This is the point.

Multiple developer storage device (hereinafter simply referred to as "storage device")
Y has two developing devices 2.3 of different colors, and the necessary developing device is selected from them and set in a predetermined position in the apparatus main body X, and the other developing devices not selected are stored. Wait in case 4. In the case shown, the lower developing unit 2
has been selected, transported, and set at the developing operation position.

The upper developing device 3 is in a standby state in the storage case 4 before being selected.

Further, the storage device Y includes a storage case 4 and a storage case 4.
Lead screw (vertical conveyance screw) 5 installed vertically on the
, a developer mount 6.7 mounted at a predetermined distance from the lead screw 5, and each developer mount 6.
．． A bleach (lateral conveying/pressing body) 8 that pushes out the developing device 2.3 installed at 7 toward the photosensitive drum l side is provided.

The sword screw 5 is rotationally driven by a forward/reverse motor 11 connected to its lower end via a gear 9.10, and vertically conveys (moves in the vertical direction) each developer mount 6.7. In this case, each developer mount 6.7 moves a predetermined distance, and the amount of movement is set by the amount of rotation of the motor.

The developer mount 6.7 is attached to the sorting screw 5 by threading the nut 12 at the base onto the lead screw 5. Further, the mount portion 13 is shaped like a water moat plate, and has guide grooves (rails) 14.14' formed on both sides of its lower surface into which a slider 15 of a developing device 2.3 (described later) is fitted.

A slider 15 is attached to the upper surface of the developing device 2.3, and engagement walls 16.16'' formed on both sides of the upper end of the slider 15 are slidably inserted into the guide groove 14.14'. By fitting, the developing devices 2 and 3 are installed in the developing device mount 6.7.The developing device 2.3 installed in the developing device mount 6.7 is connected to the coil interposed between the nut 12. It is connected to the developer mount 6.7 by a spring 17.

The bleach 8 has a height that allows the developer 2.3 installed on the developer mount 6.7 to be positioned relative to the photoreceptor tram 1 (the developer sleeve 30 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the photoreceptor tram 1 with a predetermined pressure). The developer pushing member 18 and the actuating body (
(rotating link) 19.

The developing unit pushing member 18 is made of a flat horizontal plate that holds the nut 12 therebetween, and pushes the developing unit over a pedestal 20 fixed to the storage case 4 via rollers 21 provided on the pedestal 20. The developer mount moves in the direction of 6.7 (direction of arrows A and A') while rolling. Further, a guide plate 23 having a vertical guide hole (elongated hole) 22 is integrally provided above the approximately central portion of the developer pushing member 18.
2 is engaged with a pin 24 on the tip side of the rotary link which is the operating body 19. Rotating link 2. (A forward/reverse motor (not shown) is connected to the shaft 25 on the side, and when the motor is driven to rotate, the rotary link, which is the operating body 19, rotates in the direction of the arrows 9 and 9 with the shaft 25 as the rotation center. With this, the developing device pushing member 18 moves on the pedestal 20 in the direction of arrows A and I' as described above.
In the case shown in FIG. 0, the developer pushing member 18 moves in the direction of arrow A and is in the state of pushing the developer. With the developer pushing operation, the developer 2 slides on the developer mount 6 and is carried into the apparatus main body xI through the developer supply port 31 which is aligned with the developer inlet 29, and the developer sleeve 30 as it is. is set at a developing operation position in contact with the outer circumferential surface of the photoreceptor drum l under a predetermined pressure. in this case,
The coil spring 17 is pulled and the developing device 2 is pulled into the nut 1.
It is working to bring the situation back to a 2-sided situation. Further, when the rotary link, which is the operating body 19, is rotated in the direction of arrow A' and the developer pushing member 18 is returned to the direction of arrow A', the developer 2 set at the developing operation position is moved by the restoring force of the coil spring 17. It is returned to the storage case 4 at the same position as the developing device 3. Note that the amount of movement of the developing device pushing member 18 in the directions of arrows A and A' is limited by the guide hole 22 of the guide plate 23. The pin 24 of the first operating body 19 is inserted into the guide hole 22.
When the developing device push member 18 moves to the lower end, the developing device 2 is set at the developing operation position, and when the pin 24 of the operating body 19 moves to the upper end of the guide hole 22, the developing device pushing member 18 sets the developing device 2 to the storage case 4. Store inside.

Next, a method for supplying developing devices using the main storage device 2iY will be described.

As described above, the illustrated state is 1! in which the developing device 2 has been selected, transported, and set at the developing operation position l! i, and the developing device 3 is in a standby state in the storage case 4 before being selected.

Thus, the positioned developing device 2 is replaced with a developing device 3 of a different color.
When replacing the developing device 2, first, the developing device 2 is returned to the storage case 4, and then the developing device 3 is fed into the apparatus main body X1. In the developing device 2, when the operating body 19 of the bleach 8 is rotated in the direction of the opening, the developing device pushing member 18 moves in the direction of the opening. and then returned to the storage case 4. Next, the lead screw 5 is rotated by rotation of the motor 11 in a direction in which the developer mount 7 descends, and the developer 3 is set at a predetermined supply position. In this case, the developing device 2 is located below the set position.

Further, the developing device mount 7 is guided by a guide rail 27 that is in contact with the developing device mount 7 via rollers 26 . Thereafter, when the developing unit pushing member 18 of the bleach 8 is moved in the direction A by the operation of the actuating member 19, the developing unit 3 is slid along the developing path mount 7 against the coil spring 17 and is fed. In this case, the developer pushing member 18 is moved as the operating body 19 rotates to the lower end of the guide hole 22, or the developer 3 is set at the developing operation position by this movement. After setting, the bleach 8 maintains this state until the next developing device 2 is selected.

In the illustrated case, the breach 8, which is a horizontal conveyance/pressure body, is provided on the side of the storage device Y or can be provided on the side of the main body of the device X1, and in such a case, the storage device Y may be made more compact. It is possible.

(Effects of the Invention) As explained above, in the developing device supply method according to the present invention, the developing device is transported into the image forming apparatus body and moved to the developing operation position in one. Since the conveyance of the container into the image forming apparatus body and the movement to the developing operation position are performed continuously, the conveyance device necessary for supplying the developing device is simplified (the pressure used in the general supply method is Therefore, there are practical benefits such as reduced installation space and cost, and shortened supply time.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional side view showing the main parts of an image forming apparatus equipped with a multiple developing device storage device to which the developing device supply method according to the present invention is applied, and FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along the line ■-■ in FIG. FIG. 3 is an external perspective view of the image forming apparatus. X...image forming device, X...apparatus body, Y...
#i number developer storage device, 2.3-... developer, 8...
Bleach.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A method for supplying a selected developer in a multiple developer storage device into an image forming apparatus main body, the method comprising integrally transporting the developer into the image forming apparatus main body and moving the developer to a developing operation position. A developing device for an image forming apparatus equipped with a plurality of developing device storage devices, characterized in that the developing device is continuously conveyed into the image forming device main body and moved to a developing operation position using a means for performing the following steps. How to supply the container.