JPH0442258A - Developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a malfunction when a new toner cartridge is not mounted from occurring by detecting the mounting of the new toner cartridge only when it is mounted and continuing the function until the cartridge is detached from a main body part. CONSTITUTION:The main body part 22 for executing the developing processing of an image, the toner cartridge 41 which is mounted on the main body part 22 so that it can be exchanged and set for supplying toner to the main body part 22 and a toner cartridge detection means 42 which is arranged between the main body part 22 (40) and the cartridge 41 are provided. Then, the detection means 42 continues to detect that the cartridge 41 is mounted while the cartridge 41 is arranged on the main body part 22 by the first mounting thereof and holds the function until it is detached. That means, the mounting of the cartridge 41 is continuously detected and the detection thereof is stopped when the cartridge 41 is detached once. Besides, when the cartridge already used 41 is utilized again, the mounting thereof is not detected. Thus, the malfunction is surely prevented from occurring.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a developing device, particularly a replaceable toner car i.
The present invention relates to a developing device including a ridge.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Image forming devices such as copying machines, printers, and fax machines employ developing devices that use toner. This developing device includes a replaceable toner cartridge, and 1-toner is replenished by replacing the toner cartridge.

Conventionally, as the above-mentioned developing device, one equipped with a toner cartridge detection means is known. For example, Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 62-140546 describes a developing device in which a conductive member is provided in a seal that seals a toner cartridge, and an electrode is provided on the main body side of the developing device. With this developing device, by replacing the toner cartridge, you can
When the toner cartridge is installed, the conductive member on the cartridge side and the electrode on the main body side are energized, and replacement of the cartridge is detected.

Further, Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 1-8295 describes an image forming unit equipped with a developing device that has a counter reset rod for resetting the image processing counter of the developing device. In this conventional technology, the unit's counter reset rod is constructed so that it is damaged when the unit is first installed in the copier body, and when the unit is reinstalled in the copier after being used several times, the counter resets. Lycée
It is designed so that it will not be printed.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

In the developing device described in the above-mentioned Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 62-140546, a new toner cartridge can be detected only at the moment when a new toner cartridge is installed. That is,
In the developing device, after the toner cartridge is installed and the seal is removed, it cannot be determined whether the toner cartridge is installed in the developing device main body. therefore,
This developing device may malfunction when no toner cartridge is installed.

In the developing device described in the above-mentioned Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 2-8295,
The reset rod will work the moment a new unit is installed, but after that, the reset rod will no longer function at all.

Therefore, even if the recess throat rod is used for detecting the toner cartridge, the toner cartridge can only be detected at the moment when a new toner cartridge is installed.

That is, after the toner cartridge is installed and the seal is removed, it cannot be determined whether the toner cartridge is installed in the developing device main body.

An object of the present invention is to reliably identify whether a new toner cartridge is installed or not.
To provide a developing device capable of preventing malfunction when a new toner car 1-ridge is not installed.

[Means to solve the problem]

The developing device according to the present invention includes a main body for performing image development processing, a toner cartridge replaceably attached to the main body and for supplying toner to the main body, and a gap between the main body and the toner cartridge. and a toner cartridge detection means disposed in the toner cartridge. The toner cartridge detection means continues to detect that the toner cartridge is installed while the toner cartridge is placed in the main body after being installed for the first time, and maintains its function until the toner cartridge is removed. It is a means of

[Effect]

In the developing device according to the present invention, the toner cartridge/nozzle is replaceably attached to the main body. Further, the toner cartridge installed in the main body is detected by a toner cartridge detection means. The toner cartridge detection means
The presence of a new toner cartridge in the main body is detected only when a new toner cartridge is installed, and this continues until the toner cartridge is removed from the main body. Further, once a toner cartridge is detached from the main body, the toner cartridge detection means for that toner cartridge loses its function.

Therefore, in the developing device according to the present invention, while a new toner cartridge is installed, the installation of the toner cartridge continues to be detected unless the toner cartridge is removed. On the other hand, once the toner cartridge is removed, the detection of the attachment of the toner cartridge stops. When a used toner cartridge is reused, the toner cartridge is not detected.

As a result, it is possible to reliably identify whether a new toner cartridge is installed or not (including the installation of an old toner cartridge), and malfunctions can be reliably prevented.

〔Example〕

Embodiment 1 FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view of a copying machine employing an embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, a document table 12 is fixed to the upper surface of a copying machine main body 11, and a document holder 13 that can be opened and closed is arranged above the document table 12. On the right side of the main body 11 of the copying machine, a paper feed force sensor 14, 15 is attached to a removable latch. A paper discharge tray 18 is installed on the left side of the copying machine main body 11, from which copied sheets are discharged.

Inside the copying machine main body 11, an exposure device 19 for reading a document is provided on the upper side. This exposure device 19 is composed of a light source, a mirror, and the like. Also,
A photosensitive drum 20 on which an electrostatic latent image is formed is arranged in the center of the copying machine main body 11. Surrounding the photoreceptor drum 20 are a charging device 21 that charges the photoreceptor drum to a predetermined charge, a developing device 22 that develops an electrostatic latent image, a transfer device 23 that transfers the toner image onto paper, and a photoreceptor drum. 20
A paper separation device 24 for separating paper from the photosensitive drum 20 and a cleaning device 25 for removing residual toner on the photosensitive drum 20 are arranged. Between the paper feed cassette 1-14, 15 and the image forming unit constituted by the photosensitive drum 20, etc., and on the downstream side of the image forming unit, there are a paper feed conveyance path 27 and a paper discharge conveyance path for conveying paper, respectively. 28 are provided. A fixing device 30 is arranged between the paper discharge conveyance path 28 and the paper discharge tray 18 to fix the transferred image on the conveyed paper.

The developing device 22 will be explained in detail with reference to FIG. In the figure, the developing device 22 mainly includes a developing device 31 and a toner hopper 32.

The developing device 31 contains a developer consisting of toner and carrier, and extends parallel to the rotation axis of the photoreceptor drum 20 and faces the surface of the photoreceptor F' crumb 0 at a predetermined distance. A developing roller 33 is arranged. A rotary sleeve that can be rotated counterclockwise by a driving means (not shown) is provided on the outer circumference of the developing roller 33, and inside the sleeve, an N pole and a S pole are arranged at a predetermined interval on the outer circumferential surface. A magnet (not shown) is provided Lj.

A scooping roller 34 that supplies developer to the developing roller 33 is disposed on the lower right side of the developing roller 33 .

Further, on the right side of the drawing roller 34 in the figure, an agitation roller 35 for agitating and mixing the developer in the developing device 31 is arranged. Above the developing roller 33, the developing roller 33
A doctor blade 36 for regulating the height of the upper brush is provided at a predetermined distance from the developing roller 33. A toner concentration sensor 37 is disposed on a wall continuous with the doctor blade 36 and detects the toner concentration by detecting the magnetic flux density of the developer. Further, on the right side of the doctor blade 6 in the drawing, a partition plate 38 is arranged above the pumping roller 34 for guiding the developer scraped off by the doctor blade 36 to the stirring roller 35. The partition plate 3B extends in the axial direction of the developing roller 33, and is inclined so that the stirring roller 35 side is lower.

The toner hopper 32 is arranged above the developing device 31. A toner supply roller 39 extending parallel to the rotation axis of the photoreceptor drum 20 is rotatably attached to the lower part of the toner hopper 32, which has opposing surfaces that approach each other as they go downward. In addition, at the top of the toner hopper 32,
A cartridge holder 40 for mounting a toner cartridge 41 is provided. Carl Ridge Boulder 4
0 has a generally cylindrical shape extending parallel to the toner supply rollers 1 to 39, and has an opening (not shown) into which the toner cartridge 41 is inserted on the front side in FIG. Further, as shown in FIG. 2, a cartridge holder 40
On the back wall 40a, there is a detector 4 for the toner cartridge 4I.
2 is placed. The detector 42 includes a bushing switch 43 mounted on the back wall 40a and a cylindrical guide 44 that covers the bushing switch 43.

Note that the bushing switch 43 is connected to the developing device 2 (not shown).
2 actuator.

As shown in FIG. 3, the toner cartridge 41 has a cylindrical shape, and a replenishing l.toner is housed inside. The toner cartridge 41 includes a handle 41a at one end (right end in FIG. 3). Further, the toner cartridge 41 is provided with a supply port 45 extending in the longitudinal direction for supplying toner into the toner hopper 32 . Furthermore, a cylindrical opening 46 is provided at the other end of the toner cartridge 41 (the left end in FIG. 3), and a bushing button 47 for pressing the bushing switch 43 described above is disposed inside the opening 46. ing.

The button 47 is connected to the detector 4 as shown in FIG.
This is a member that can be housed in the guide 44 (FIG. 2) of No. 2. The bush button 47 is constructed integrally with a thin film-like support plate 49 extending from the inner surface of the opening 46, and has a flange portion 48 at the right end in the figure. The button 47 is connected to the partition wall 46a of the toner cartridge 41 and the flange portion 4.
8, the spring 50 is always biased toward the left.

Next, the effects of the above embodiment will be explained.

In the developing device 22 , a toner cartridge 41 is installed in a cartridge holder 40 of a toner hopper 32 . When installing the toner cartridge 41, the handle 41a is grasped and the toner cartridge 41 is inserted into the cartridge holder 40.

In response to the operation of installing the toner cartridge 41 into the cartridge holder 40, the detector 42 detects that the toner cartridge 41 is installed in the cartridge holder 40. Here, as shown in FIG.
The bush button 47 of the toner cartridge 41 is inserted into the guide 44 of No. 2, and the tip of the guide 44 contacts the support plate 49. Furthermore, toner cartridge 4
1 is pushed into the cartridge holder 40, the guide 44 breaks through the support plate 49.

As a result, the bushing button 47 becomes slidable within the opening 46 and is moved by the spring 50 to the left in the figure.

As a result, the tip of the bushing button 47 presses the bushing switch 43 of the detector 42, and the toner cartridge 41
is detected. As a result, the developing device 22 is set to an operable state, and the above-described copying operation by the copying machine becomes possible. Note that as long as this toner cartridge 41 continues to be installed, the button switch 43 will remain in place.
7, the presence of the toner cartridge 41 can be detected.

In a copying operation by a copying machine, a document placed on a document table 12 is read by an exposure device 19, and a photosensitive drum 20 is read by an exposure device 19.
An electrostatic latent image is formed thereon. And the photosensitive drum 20
The upper electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device 22 and becomes a toner image.

If the above-described developing operation is repeated, toner is consumed, and new toner needs to be replenished.

In this case, the toner cartridge 41 in use is removed from the cartridge holder 40, and a new toner cartridge 41 is installed.

When removing the used toner cartridge 41, grasp the handle 41a and pull the toner cartridge 41 toward you. As shown in FIG. 6, when the toner cartridge 41 is pulled out from the cartridge holder 40, the push of the bushing switch 43 by the bushing button 47 is released. At the same time, the bushing button 47 is pushed out inside the opening 46 to the left in the figure by the spring 50. When the spring 50 reaches its free length, the spring 50 falls downward from between the bushing button 47 and the partition wall 46a. Thereby, the bushing button 47 can be moved within the opening 46 to the angle θ.

- When the toner cartridge 41 has been used several times, press the push button 47 after removing it from the cartridge holder 40.
Since the button 4 can be freely moved within the opening 46, even if it is attached to the cartridge holder 40 again, the button 4 can be moved freely within the opening 46.
7 does not press the bushing switch 43 of the detector 42. Therefore, even if a used toner cartridge is installed by mistake, it will not be erroneously detected that a new toner cartridge is installed.

Detanglement Function I FIG. 8 is a longitudinal sectional view of a toner hopper of a developing device according to another embodiment. In the figure, the toner hopper 51 is
It is divided into upper and lower halves by a guide piece 51a, and the upper side serves as a cartridge holder 53 for accommodating the toner cartridge 52.

The cartridge holder 53 has an insertion opening 53a at the right end in the figure into which the toner cartridge 52 is inserted. A switch 54 for detecting a toner cartridge is arranged at the upper left side of the cartridge holder 53 in the figure. The switch 54 includes an actuation piece 54a that projects into the cartridge holder 53, and a pressing plate 54b for pressing the actuation piece 54a. Note that, in the switch 54, the pressing plate 54b extends obliquely from the opening side of the cartridge holder 53 to below the actuating piece 54a.

Furthermore, a projection 55 that projects into the cartridge holder 53 is provided on the upper wall of the cartridge holder 53 between the switch 54 and the insertion port 53a. This protrusion 55 is a wedge-shaped member having an inclination that extends diagonally downward from the insertion port 53a side toward the back side, and is able to swing up and down slightly due to its own elasticity.

As shown in FIG. 9, the toner cartridge 52 has a cutout groove 56 at its tip, and a button 57 stands up on its upper surface. Button 57 is for toner cartridge 52
It protrudes slightly above.

The button 57 has a wedge-shaped upper end having a slope opposite to the slope of the protrusion 55 .

In the toner hopper 51, a cartridge holder 53
The toner cartridge 52 is inserted into the cartridge from the insertion opening 53a. The toner cars 1 to 52 are guided by the guide piece 51.
The cartridge is inserted to the innermost part (left end in the figure) of the cartridge holder 53 while being guided by the cartridge holder 53. At this time, after the button 57 pushes up and passes the protrusion 55, it presses the press plate 54b of the switch 54 upward, as shown by the dashed line in FIG. As a result, the actuating piece 54a is pressed, and the switch 54
is activated, and the developing device becomes ready for operation.

When replacing the toner cartridge 52, as shown in FIG. 10, the toner cartridge 52 is removed from the insertion opening 53a. At this time, the back of the button 57 comes into contact with the protrusion 55, but if you forcefully pull the toner cartridge 52,
As shown by the dashed line in Fig. 1O, the button 57 is
Damaged by 5.

]・The cartridge 52 is removed by pressing the button 57.
Since the toner hopper 51 is damaged, the switch 54 cannot be activated even if it is attached to the toner hopper 51 again.

Fig. 11 shows a diagram of a developing device according to yet another embodiment.
FIG. 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the popper 61. In the figure, the L-toner bottle 61 is divided into upper and lower halves by a guide piece 61a, and the upper side serves as a cartridge holder 63 for mounting a toner cartridge 62 therein. The cartridge holder 63 has an insertion opening 63a on the right side of the figure.

Further, a switch 64 similar to that in the second embodiment is arranged at the upper part of the inner part (left side in the figure) of the cartridge holder 63.

This switch 64 includes an actuation piece 64a and a pressing plate 64b. A button holder 65 is arranged on the upper wall of the cartridge boulder 63 near the switch 64. The button holder 65, as shown in FIG.
It is a member having an opening 65a, and is arranged so that the opening 65a is on the side of the insertion port 63a of the cartridge holder 63.

The toner cartridge 62 has a recess 66 on the top surface of its tip. In the recess 66, a horizontally extending support piece 66a is arranged on the right side in the figure. Fixing grooves 66b extending into the cartridge 62 are formed on both sides of the support piece 66a (see FIG. 14). A button 67 is arranged on the support piece 66a. Button 67 is the 13th
As shown in the figure, it is composed of a base portion 67a and a fitting portion 67b formed on the base portion 67a. Inset part 67b
is configured in a shape that can be fitted into the button holder 65 described above. Note that the button 67 has both side portions of the base portion 67a inserted into the fixing grooves 66b on both sides of the support piece 66a, so that the button 67 does not easily fall off from the support piece 66a.

In this embodiment, as in the above-described embodiment, the toner cartridge 62 is guided by the guide piece 61a and inserted into the insertion opening 63.
It is inserted into the cartridge holder 63 from a. Here, the button 67 of the toner cartridge 62 is
The actuating piece 64a is pressed through the No. 4 pressing plate 64b. As a result, the developing device according to this embodiment is set to an operable state. Further, the button 67 is held by the button holder 65 at the fitting portion 67b.

When replacing the toner cartridge 62, the toner cartridge 62 is removed from the car I/ridge holder 63.

At this time, the toner cartridge 62 moves in the removal direction while the button 67 is held by the button bolt 65. Then, as shown in Figure 15,
Base portion 67a of button 67 held by button holder 65
The leading end of the toner cartridge 62 comes into contact with the toner cartridge 62 . Here, when the toner cartridge 62 is further moved in the removal direction, the button 67 comes off from the button holder 65 and falls into the four parts 66 of the toner cartridge 62, as shown by the dashed line in the figure. Therefore, even if the toner cartridge 62 that has been removed from the toner hopper 61 is reinstalled into the toner hopper 61, the switch 62
4 is never activated.

Figure 16 is a longitudinal sectional view of a toner hopper of a developing device according to yet another embodiment. In the figure, the toner hopper 71 is divided into upper and lower halves by a guide piece 71a, and the upper side is a cartridge holder 73. The cartridge holder 73 has a toner cartridge 72 on the right side of the figure.
It has an insertion lower 3a. Further, in the cartridge holder 73, a horizontally extending abutting member 73b is arranged at the back (left side in the figure). A slit 74 extending in the longitudinal direction is formed in the upper wall of the inner part of the cartridge holder 73. A photoswitch 75 consisting of a set of a light emitting section and a light receiving section is arranged with this slit 74 in between.

Furthermore, a protrusion 76 is provided on the first wall of the cartridge holder 73 between the slit 74 and the insertion lower 3a side.

The toner cartridge 72 has a first fourth portion 77a at its tip. A second fourth portion 77b is further formed at a lower portion on the tip side of the first recess 77a. A light shielding plate 78 is arranged within the first recess 77a. The light shielding plate 78 is rotatably supported by a fulcrum 80 on a bracket 79 that stands up in the first recess 77a. The light shielding plate 78 includes a main body part 78a and a support part 78b extending to the opposite side of the main body part 7 with the fulcrum 80 in between. The support portion 78b is supported by a support piece 81 rotatably attached between the first recess 77a and the second fourth portion 77b. In addition,
The support piece 81 is inclined slightly to the left in the figure with respect to the vertical direction, and in this state maintains the light shielding plate 78 in a horizontal state. The main body portion 78a is always biased counterclockwise by a coil spring 82 disposed between the main body portion 78a and the bottom surface of the first recess 77a. Toner cartridge 7 An opening 80 into which a contact member 73b can be inserted is provided.

In this embodiment, similarly to the above embodiments, the toner cartridge 7 is inserted into the ridge holder 73 from the insertion lower 3a.
2 is inserted. At this time, the contact member 73b of the cartridge holder 73 is inserted into the first recess 77a from the opening 80 of the toner cartridge 72, as shown by the dashed line in FIG.

The abutting member 73b inserted into the first fourth portion 77a abuts the support piece 81 and rotates it clockwise. As a result, the light shielding plate 78 loses support from the support piece 81 and rotates counterclockwise due to the biasing force of the coil spring 82. Then, the main body portion 78a of the light shielding plate 78 is disposed between the light emitting portion and the light receiving portion of the photoswitch 75, and the photoswitch 75 is activated to set the developing device to an operable state.

When removing the toner cartridge 72 from the cartridge holder 73, the main body 78a of the light shielding plate 78 comes into contact with the protrusion 76, as shown in FIG.

When the 1-ner cartridge 72 is further moved in the extraction direction, the light shielding plate 78 rotates counterclockwise while contacting the protrusion 76, and as shown by the dashed line in FIG. stored inside. Along with this,
The coil spring 82 that was biasing the main body portion 78a is pushed down by the support portion 78b of the rotating light shielding plate 78. Therefore, the light shielding plate 78 of the removed toner cartridge 72 will not operate the photoswitch 75 even when the toner cartridge 72 is reinstalled in the cartridge holder 73.

〔Effect of the invention〕

The developing device according to the present invention includes the above-described toner cartridge detection means between the main body and the toner cartridge. Therefore, according to the present invention, it is possible to reliably identify whether a new toner cartridge is installed or not, and to prevent malfunctions when a new toner cartridge is not installed. can be realized.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention;
2 is a vertical cross-sectional partial view of the cartridge holder of the embodiment, FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the toner cartridge used in the embodiment, FIG. 4 is a vertical cross-sectional partial view of the toner cartridge, and FIG. 5 is a cartridge FIG. 6 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view showing the state of connection between the holder and the toner cartridge, FIG. 6 is a partial vertical cross-sectional view when the toner cartridge is removed from the cartridge holder, and FIG. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view of the copying machine in which the above embodiment is adopted. 8 is a vertical sectional view of a toner hopper adopted in another embodiment, FIG. 9 is a partial plan view of a toner cartridge used in that embodiment, and FIG. Figure corresponding to Figure 8, No. 11
12 is a perspective view of a button holder used in that embodiment; FIG. 13 is a perspective view of a button used in that embodiment; FIG. 14 is a perspective view of a button holder used in that embodiment; The figure corresponds to FIG. 11 when removing the toner cartridge toner force-tringe used in that embodiment, FIG. 16 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a toner hopper adopted in yet another embodiment, and FIG. 17 is a view corresponding to FIG. FIG. 16 is a view corresponding to FIG. 16 when the toner cartridge is removed. 22... Developing device, 31... Developing device, 40, 53. 63, 73... Cartridge holder, 41, 52. 62, 72... Toner cartridge, 43... Button switch, 47... Button button, 49...
Support plate, 50... Spring, 54... Switch, 55...
...Protrusion, 57...Button, 64...Switch, 6
5... Button holder, 66... Recess, 67... Button, 73b... Contact member, 74... Slit, 7
5... Photoswitch, 76... Protrusion, 78...
Light shielding plate, 80... Opening, 81... Support piece, 82...
・Coil spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) a main body for performing image development processing; a toner cartridge replaceably attached to the main body for supplying toner to the main body; and when the toner cartridge is first installed, Disposed between the main body and the toner cartridge, the toner cartridge continues to detect that the toner cartridge is disposed while the toner cartridge is disposed in the main body, and maintains its function until the toner cartridge is removed. A developing device comprising a toner cartridge detection means and a toner cartridge detection means.