KR100408305B1 - Ink rotating system by using Lorentz force - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to an ink supply structure capable of preventing and removing developer stacking using Lorentz force. A developing container for supplying ink to the developing roller while maintaining a certain level of ink, a developing roller for transferring the ink filling the developing container onto the photosensitive member, an attaching roller for attaching a predetermined amount of ink to the developing roller, and An ink supply structure of an image forming apparatus comprising an ink recovery device attached to one side of the developing container, the developing container comprising: a magnetic field generating device for generating a magnetic field in a predetermined direction; And conducting wires for flowing current in a direction crossing the direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating device.

Description

Ink supply structure capable of preventing and removing developer accumulation by using Lorentz force {Ink rotating system by using Lorentz force}

The present invention relates to an ink supply structure for preventing and removing accumulation of ink by the force of Lorentz in an ink supply structure for supplying ink to a developer of a wet printer, and more particularly, to prevent ink from accumulating on the lower portion of the ink supply structure. It relates to an ink supply structure of a wet printer that can maintain the concentration of the ink in the ink supply structure using the force of Lorentz.

Conventional wet electrophotographic printers are provided with a laser scanning unit for forming an electrostatic latent image of a desired image on a transfer surface of a photosensitive belt traveling in an endless track and a wet developing device for developing an image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image. Referring to FIG. 1, such a developer fills a developing container 10 and a developing container 10 to supply ink to a developing roller while maintaining a level of a certain amount of ink (high concentration liquid developer) 11. A developing roller 13 which serves to transfer the ink 11 onto the photosensitive member 12, a deposition roller 14 for attaching a certain amount of ink to the developing roller 13, an excessive amount of ink Metering blade (15) to filter and always reach a certain amount of ink to the photosensitive agent, and the sponge while cleaning the residual image on the outer peripheral surface of the developing roller (13) in the developing container 10 during normal operation It consists of a cleaning roller (16) that serves to mix the ink (11), the developing roller 13 and the power supply unit (17, 17 ') for supplying power to the attachment roller (14) have.

The ink 11 inside the developing container 10 of the general wet developing machine exhibits a predetermined flow by the rotational movement of the developing roller 13 and the cleaning roller 16 or the like. However, the ink 11 of the inner wall portion of the developing container 10 which does not flow like this is attached to the lower part of the developing container 10 due to the adhesion force with toner, gravity, etc. As a result, there is a problem of high concentration.

In order to prevent such a phenomenon, an agitating roller 18 is also mounted on the lower part of the developing container 10 in order to cause a separate flow to the inner wall portion of the developing container 10. However, the effect by the stirring roller 18 has only a part on the developing container 10, and does not show a big effect. Incidentally, an inclined surface was formed to prevent the accumulation of the developer inside the developer recovery device 19 that overflowed to supply the developer and maintain the proper level in the developing container 10. Stacking of the developer occurs due to the fixing force between the agents. In particular, this phenomenon often occurs when a high concentration of developer is used. For this reason, it is difficult to control the developer concentration inside the developing container 10, and eventually high quality image printing is difficult to realize.

The problems of the prior art are summarized as follows.

First, in the use of a high concentration of ink, the rotational force of the cleaning roller 16 and the stirring roller 18 for ink circulation does not sufficiently reach the entire interior of the developing container 10, so that the concentration inside the developing container 10 is increased. It is not uniform.

Second, since the amount of the developer settles, which interferes with the ink recovery path, the amount of settling is increased to increase the amount of unused dead volumn in the ink recovery site inside the developing container 10, which eventually causes ink leakage. Let's do it.

Thirdly, it causes leakage of ink and hinders supply of new ink.

Fourth, there is a fear that the solidification of the precipitated portion of the ink including the developer due to the decrease in circulation efficiency when the developing apparatus is not operated progresses, thereby damaging the operation of the developing apparatus.

In order to solve the problems of the prior art, an object of the present invention is to provide an ink supply structure capable of preventing the developer stacking phenomenon under the developer supply tank and the ink recovery device, and maintaining a constant concentration as a whole.

1 is a cross-sectional view showing an ink supply structure of a conventional image forming apparatus.

2A and 2B are diagrams for explaining the principle of generation of Lorentz force.

3A and 3B are front and plan views showing the ink supply structure of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

<Description of Symbols for Main Parts of Drawings>

10, 30 ... Developing container 11 .. Ink

12 ... photosensitive member 13 ... developing roller

14 ... Depositioning Roller

15 ... Metering Blade

16 ... Cleaning Roll 17, 17 '... Power Supply

18 ... Agitating Roller

19, 32 ... Ink recovery unit 21 ... Magnetic field

22 ... the flow of current 23 ... the power of Lorentz

31 ... Field Generator 33 ... Lead

34 ... conductor

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a developing container for supplying ink to a developing roller while maintaining a certain level of ink, a developing roller for transferring ink filling the developing container onto a photosensitive member, and a constant to the developing roller. An ink supply structure of an image forming apparatus, comprising: an attachment roller for attaching an amount of ink and an ink recovery device attached to one side of the developing container;

The developing container includes a magnetic field generating device for generating a magnetic field in a constant direction; And a conducting wire for flowing a current in a direction crossing the direction of the magnetic field generated in the magnetic field generating device.

In the present invention, the ink recovery device preferably further includes a magnetic field generating device and a conductive wire.

In the present invention, the magnetic field generating device is a coil formed on one side of the developing container to generate a magnetic field in the developing container inner direction; And a power supply device for supplying power to the coil.

In the present invention, it is preferable to further form a conductive material to face the coil on the opposite side on which the magnetic field generating device of the developing container is formed so that the magnetic field generated in the coil can reach the opposite side of the developing container.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the magnetic field generating device is formed on one side of the developing container, and a permanent magnet is arranged to generate a magnetic field in the developing container inner direction.

In the present invention, it is preferable that the conductive material is further formed to face the permanent magnet on the opposite side where the magnetic field generating device of the developing container is formed so that the magnetic field generated in the permanent magnet can reach the opposite side of the developing container. Do.

In the present invention, it is preferable that conductors are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating device on the lower surface of the developing container.

In the present invention, it is preferable to further include a power supply unit for supplying power to the conducting wire.

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present invention, a magnetic field and an electric field generating device are mounted below the developing container using the force of Lorentz to maintain the same concentration throughout the ink of the developing container.

2A and 2B are views for explaining the principle of Lorentz force used in the ink supply structure according to the present invention. Lorentz's force refers to a force acting on an electric charge in an electric field or a magnetic field. As shown in FIGS. 2A and 2B, when the magnetic field 21 flows from the right to the left, and the current 22 flows from the + direction to the − direction, the Lorentz force 23 acts upward. have. In the present invention, by applying such a Lorentz force, a new concept ink supply structure is provided.

The structure of the ink supply structure according to the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to FIGS. 3A and 3B.

3A is a cross-sectional view showing a side portion of the structure of the ink supply structure according to the present invention in which the magnetic field generating device 31 is mounted. As shown in the figure, the magnetic force generating device 31 and the conducting wire 32 including the conducting wire through which electric current can flow are formed in the lower part of the developing container 30 so that the Lorentz force is applied to the ink supply structure. Make it head upwards.

First, the magnetic field generating device will be described with reference to FIG. 3A. In the ink supply structure according to the present invention, the magnetic field generating device 31 is formed under the developing container 30. The general developing container 30 has a rectangular shape on one side thereof, and the magnetic field generating device 31 is formed on a relatively wide side of the developing container 30. This is because a magnetic field is generated and must be transmitted to the opposite side of the developing container 30 so that the distance between the relatively opposite sides is preferably short. The magnetic field generating device 31 according to the present invention is preferably in the form of an electromagnet capable of generating a magnetic field in a constant direction by applying a current to a conductor in the form of a permanent magnet or a coil, and at this time, each end of the magnetic field generating device 31 Connect the power source to enable power supply.

Attaching the conductive material 34 to the opposite side of the developing container 30 in which the magnetic field generating device 31 is mounted so that the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating device 31 can be transmitted through the lower part of the developing container. desirable. The conductive material 34 is formed on the opposite side to which the magnetic field generating device 31 of the developing container 30 is mounted, so that the magnetic field penetrates the developing container 30 and the lower portion of the developing container 30. This is to generate Lorentz force by the interaction when current flows in all conductors disposed on the surface. Such a magnetic field generating device 31 is preferably installed not only in the developing container 30 but also in a collecting device 32 attached to one side of the developing container.

Next, the arrangement of the conductive lines will be described with reference to FIG. 3B. 3B is a view showing the lower surface of the shape container 30. As shown in the figure, the conducting wire 33 through which current can flow is disposed on the lower surface of the developing container 30. At this time, the conductive wires 33 mounted on the lower part of the developing container 30 are arranged side by side so as to have a constant direction in the longitudinal direction or the transverse direction, which passes through the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating device 31 made of a coil or the like. It should be perpendicular to the direction. Therefore, when power is applied by a power supply unit (not shown) on the lower surface of the developing container 30, the current flows in a constant direction. It is preferable to provide such a structure also in the collection | recovery apparatus arrange | positioned at one side of the said developing container 30 similarly.

The operation principle of the ink supply structure according to the present invention will be described below.

Generally, a developer is accumulated in the lower part of the developing container 30 by gravity or fixing force, and the ink is maintained at a high concentration. In this state, when a current flows through the conductive wire 33, a current flows in a predetermined direction in the developing container 30. At this time, the conducting wire 33 is disposed in the lower direction of the developing container 30 in a predetermined direction, and the directions of the currents flowing under the developing container 30 are all the same. At the same time, a current is applied to the coil which is the magnetic field generating device 31 so that a magnetic field is generated in the coil. Due to the interaction of the current and the magnetic field, the Lorentz force in the upper direction is generated in the lower side of the developing container 30. The developer toner precipitated or adhered to the bottom of the developing container 30 by the Lorentz force moves in a direction opposite to gravity or fixing force. This Lorentz force may extend across the developing vessel 30, but preferably extends below it. Therefore, the ink density of the lower part of the developing container 30 is lowered, and the density of the upper part is higher.

The structure of generating the Lorentz force can be mounted together with the stirring roller 18 which is generally used, and does not affect the operation of the developing apparatus. Generating the Lorentz force by the above structure may be made intermittently, and may be made continuously by interrupting and supplying a current. In addition, the development of the ink toner deposition occurs not only in the developing container but also in the ink recovery devices 19 and 32, and when such a structure is attached to the ink recovery parts 19 and 32, the developing device is more efficient. Operation is possible.

According to the present invention, firstly, it is very easy to prevent accumulation and removal of the developer generated inside the developer container or within the developer moving path of the image developing apparatus using the wet ink. Second, it can be applied to complex places such as a developing container or a developer moving path, and its installation and operation are easy and can be miniaturized. Third, it is possible to operate by applying and blocking the current without the need for a separate mechanical drive device. Fourth, durability and reliability can be secured by only one installation.

Claims (8)

A developing container for supplying ink to the developing roller while maintaining a certain level of ink, a developing roller for transferring the ink filling the developing container onto the photosensitive member, an attaching roller for attaching a predetermined amount of ink to the developing roller, and An ink supply structure of an image forming apparatus comprising an ink recovery device attached to one side of the developing container, The developing container includes a magnetic field generating device for generating a magnetic field in a constant direction; And conducting wires for flowing a current in a direction crossing the direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating device. The method of claim 1, The ink supply structure of the image forming apparatus, wherein the ink recovery device further comprises a magnetic field generating device and a conductive line. The method according to claim 1 or 2, The magnetic field generating device may include a coil formed on one side of the developing container and generating a magnetic field in an inside direction of the developing container; And a power supply device for supplying power to the coil. The method of claim 3, The ink of the image forming apparatus, wherein the conductive material is further formed to face the coil on the opposite side where the magnetic field generating device of the developing container is formed so that the magnetic field generated in the coil can reach the opposite side of the developing container. Supply structure. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the magnetic field generating device is formed on one side of the developing container and has a permanent magnet arranged to generate a magnetic field in the developing container inward direction. The method of claim 5, And a conductive material formed to face the permanent magnet on the opposite side where the magnetic field generating device of the developing container is formed so that the magnetic field generated in the permanent magnet can extend to the opposite side of the developing container. Ink supply structure. The method according to claim 1 or 2, And the conducting wires are arranged side by side in a direction perpendicular to the direction of the magnetic field generated by the magnetic field generating device on the lower surface of the developing container. The method of claim 6, And a power supply unit for supplying power to the conductive wires.