JPH04333077A - Developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Summary] This bulletin contains application data before electronic filing, so abstract data is not recorded.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention]

0001

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to the structure of a toner or developer supply port of a developing device.

0002

2. Description of the Related Art An electrophotographic recording apparatus to which the present invention is applied, as shown in the schematic diagram of FIG. A developing device 2 that attaches polyester toner to the drum surface using the potential difference between the image carrier 1 and the surface of the image carrier 1, a charger 3 that uniformly charges the surface of the image carrier 1, and a laser beam scanning device. Therefore, an optical system 4 that changes the amount of charge on the image carrier 1 to form an electrostatic latent image, a transfer device 6 that transfers the toner image on the image carrier 1 to the paper 5, and a It is composed of a cleaning device 7 that removes and collects residual toner, a static eliminator 8 for the image carrier 1, a fixing device 9 that fixes the toner image transferred to the paper 5, and the like.

In such an electrophotographic recording apparatus, when the developing method is a two-component developing method, as the number of printed sheets increases, the two-component developing method runs out of toner, and the one-component developing method becomes insufficient. In some cases, the ability of the developer decreases and it becomes impossible to obtain prints of the original quality.

For this reason, the developing device 2 has a structure that allows toner to be replenished and developer to be replaced. As shown in the side view of FIG. 5, the upper part of the developing device 2 is equipped with a cartridge 10 storing toner or developer, and the lower part of the cartridge 10 is equipped with a shutter 12 for opening and closing the toner or developer supply port 11. It is equipped.

When inserting the cartridge 10 into the device,
First, remove the seal provided inside to prevent the toner or developer from flowing out, and then slide the developing device 2 into a predetermined position above the developing device 2 in the apparatus as shown by the arrow to set it.

Due to this sliding, the end of the shutter 12 hits, for example, the convex portion 13 on the upper part of the developing device 2 and moves to the right, thereby opening the toner or developer supply port 11. Then, the toner or developer in the cartridge 10 falls from the supply port 11 and spreads into the gap above the developer-side shutter 15, which is located directly below the supply port 11 and covers the receiving port 14 of the developer device 2. It is accumulated.

In order to store the toner or developer inside the developing device 2, the developing device side shutter 15 is moved to open the receiving port 14.

[0008]

[Problem to be Solved by the Invention] When toner or developer is diffused and piled up as described above, a large amount of toner or developer may end up in the device if the cartridge is removed and reinserted due to an operational error or the like. Diffusion and accumulation occur.

[0009] This poses a problem in that it contaminates the parts, deteriorating the performance of the device and causing failure. An object of the present invention is to ensure that toner or developer is normally supplied to a developing device without scattering.

0010

[Means for solving the problem] In the present invention, FIG.
As shown in the side view, it is slidably provided in the toner or developer receiving port 14 on the upper part of the developing device 2, and opens the receiving port 14 when moving in a predetermined direction and opens the receiving port 14 when moving in the opposite direction. A developing device side shutter 16 that closes, and a toner or developer supply cartridge 10 that is located above the developing device 2 when the developing device side shutter 16 is moved in a predetermined direction.
A contact piece 18 floats up to a position where it abuts the end of the cartridge side shutter 17 that opens and closes the supply port 11, and sinks to a position where it does not abut the cartridge side shutter 17 when the developer side shutter 16 is moved in the opposite direction. When the developer side shutter 16 is moved in a predetermined direction, the contact piece 18
The toner or developer is configured so that it comes into contact with the cartridge-side shutter 17 and is pushed forward, opening the supply port 11 and causing the toner or developer to fall into the receiving port 14.

The contact piece 18 has one end rotatably supported by the end of the shutter 16 on the developing device side, and both ends 19 formed into guide grooves curved downward at a position beyond the receiving port 14. 20
It is slidably engaged with.

0012

[Operation] When you move the shutter on the developer side and open the receiving port,
This movement causes the cartridge side shutter to move and open the supply port.

[0013] Therefore, the toner or developer falling from the supply port is stored in the receiving port without being diffused.

[0014]

[Embodiment] In the present invention, as shown in the side view of FIG. 1, the toner or developer receiving opening 14 in the upper part of the developing device 2 is provided in a slidable manner, and is slidable in a predetermined direction (for example, the direction of arrow A). a developing device-side shutter 16 configured to open the receiving port 14 when moving in the opposite direction (for example, in the direction of arrow B);
When moved in the direction of arrow A, the position comes into contact with the end of the opening/closing shutter (hereinafter referred to as cartridge side shutter) 17 of the supply port 11 of the toner or developer supply cartridge 10 located at the upper part of the developing device 2. The abutting piece 18 floats up to the point where it floats until the developing device side shutter 16 moves in the direction of arrow B, and then sinks to a position where it does not abut against the cartridge side shutter 17.
It is equipped with the following.

Accordingly, when the developer side shutter 16 is moved in the direction of arrow A, the abutting piece 18 floats up to abut against the side of the cartridge side shutter 17 and push it. Due to this pushing, as shown in the top view of FIG.
A and the supply port 11 are inserted through the openings so that the toner or developer stored in the cartridge 10 falls into the receiving port 14 of the developing device 2.

That is, since the supply port 11 and the receiving port 14 open and close at the same time, toner is prevented from falling onto the developing device 2 and spreading as in the prior art. As shown in the figure, one end of the contact piece 18 is rotatably supported by the end of the developer-side shutter 16, and both end parts 19 are provided on both sides of the receiving port 14. The guide groove 20 is slidably engaged with the guide groove 20 .

The guide groove 20 is curved downward at a position beyond the receiving port 14, as shown in the side views of FIGS. The contact piece 18 falls into the curved groove 20a and sinks as shown in FIG.

[0018] In this state, the cartridge 1
0 can be easily inserted without coming into contact with the contact piece 18. On the other hand, the cartridge side shutter 17 is provided at the supply port 11 of the cartridge 10 as in the prior art, and is configured to close the supply port 11 when it is biased by a spring means 21 and is not acted upon from the outside. .

Accordingly, when the developer side shutter 16 is moved to a position where the receiving port 14 is opened as shown in FIG. 1, the abutment piece 18 escapes from the curved groove 20a and moves to the upper flat groove 20b. Due to this, the abutment piece 18 bent into an L-shape
floats upright and comes into contact with the side of the cartridge-side shutter 17.

As the developer side shutter 16 moves, the contact piece 18 pushes the cartridge side shutter 17 and opens the supply port 11. For this reason, supply port 1
The toner or developer falling from the container 1 is securely stored in the receiving port 14, which is opened at the same time, without being diffused.

Note that when the developer side shutter 16 is moved to close the receiving port 14 of the developer device 2 when it is no longer necessary to receive toner or developer, the cartridge side shutter 17 is released from the pressure of the abutment piece 18. The supply port 11 is automatically closed by the bias of the spring means 21.

In the figure, 22 is the shutter 16 on the developing unit side.
This is a lever used when moving.

[0023]

[Effects of the Invention] According to the present invention, the toner or developer receiving port of the developing device and the supply port on the cartridge side are opened at the same time, and the toner or developer that falls from the cartridge is delivered to the developing device without spreading. This has great economic and industrial effects, such as preventing contamination of equipment.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

[Fig. 1] A side view showing the developing device of the present invention,

[Figure 2]
A plan view showing the developing device side shutter of FIG.

[Figure 3]
A side view showing a state in which the contact piece used in the developing device of the present invention is depressed;

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram of an electrophotographic recording device to which the present invention is applied;

[Figure 5] Side view showing a conventional developing device,

[Explanation of symbols]

2. Developing device, 10 Cartridge, 11 Supply port 14 Receptor port, 16 Developer side shutter, 16a, 17a opening, 17 Cartridge side shutter, 18 Contact piece, 20 Guide groove, 20a curved groove, 20b flat groove, 21 Spring means, 22 Lever,

Claims (2)

[Claims] Claim 1: A toner or developer receiving opening (14) in the upper part of the developing device (2) is slidably provided, and when the developing unit (2) is moved in a predetermined direction, the receiving opening (14) is opened and the developing unit (2) is moved in the opposite direction. a developing device side shutter (16) that closes the receiving port (14) when the developing device side shutter (16) is moved in a predetermined direction; and a toner or developer supplying device positioned above the developing device (2) when the developing device side shutter (16) is moved in a predetermined direction. Cartridge side shutter (17) that opens and closes the supply port (11) of the cartridge (10)
an abutting piece that floats up to a position where it abuts the end of the cartridge side shutter (17) and sinks to a position where it does not abut the cartridge side shutter (17) when the developer side shutter (16) is moved in the opposite direction;
18), when the developing unit side shutter (16) is moved in a predetermined direction, the abutting piece (18) abuts and pushes the cartridge side shutter (17), and the supply port (11) A developing device characterized in that the toner or developer is made to fall into the receiving opening (14) by opening the opening. 2. The contact piece (18) according to claim 1 has one end rotatably supported on the end of the developer-side shutter (16);
A developing device characterized in that both end portions (19) are slidably engaged with guide grooves (20) curved downward at positions beyond the receiving opening (14).