JPH0467079A - developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To certainly supply developer to a developer carrier by making at least one part of a guide member for two-component developer a tiltable guide member which is freely turned. CONSTITUTION:At least one part of the guide member 15 for guiding the two- component developer 17 to the developer carrier 1 is made the tiltable guide member 10 which is freely turned. In such a case, when sealing agent is pulled out in the case that a developing device is used, the developer 17 in a first developer housing part 7 overflows and directly drops down on a developing sleeve 1 along the fixed guide member 15 and the tiltable guide member 10, and it hardly arrives at the bent inside part B of a magnetic plate 16. Then, when the sleeve 1 is rotated several times under such a state, the developer 17 is certainly attached on the sleeve 1. Thus, the developer is certainly supplied to the developer carrier.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention relates to a developing device installed in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, and particularly to a developing device using a two-component developer.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, a two-component developer consisting of a mixture of toner and carrier has been widely used in the developing device of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 4 shows a cross section of such a developing device. In the same figure, 51 is a developing sleeve as a developer carrier, and this is exposed to the outside of the developing container 59 on the right side half circumferential surface and serves as an image carrier. The developing sleeve 51 is arranged close to the photosensitive tram 52, and the half circumferential surface of the left side path is housed in a developing container 59 and is rotatably held, and the developing sleeve 51 is rotated at a predetermined speed in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure by a drive system (not shown). Driven.

Incidentally, a stirring member 53 is provided in the developer container 59 for conveying toner, which is a developer, to the developer sleeper 51 . Further, a plate 55 is disposed above the developing sleeve 51 to ensure a predetermined small gap with respect to the developer circulation limiting member 54 and the upper surface of the developing sleeve 51.
The developer carried on the surface of the developer container 59 moves out of the developer container 59 with its layer thickness being regulated.

Further, above the developer container 59, a first developer storage section 57. which communicates with the developer container 59 is provided. A second developer storage section 58 is formed, a two-component developer containing a mixture of toner and carrier is stored in the first developer storage section 57, and a second developer storage section 58 is formed.
The developer storage section 58 stores replenishment toner.

When using the developing device, when the sealing material (not shown) that is used to close the first developer storage section 57 and the developer container 59 is pulled out, two parts in the first developer storage section 57 are removed.
The component developer spills from the opening toward the developer container 59 in a cross-sectional shape as shown by the shaded area C in the figure, and is prepared for development.

Thereafter, when the transfer operation of the transfer sheet is performed, the developing sleeve 51 is rotated, and the two-component developer is attached to the developing sleeve 751 by magnetic force.

(Invention or problem to be solved) By the way, as mentioned above, by pulling the sealing material, 2
Either the component developer spills onto the magnetic plate 60 in FIG.
The force for moving the two-component developer is solely due to the magnetic force of the developing sleeve 71 and the carrier, and this magnetic force alone is insufficient to transport the two-component developer.

Therefore, when installing the developing device, the user pulls the sealing material to drop the two-component developer, shakes the main body several times, carries the two-component developer to the developing sleeve 1, and transfers the two-component developer to the developing sleeve 1.
Because of this, the installation of the developing device was complicated and troublesome.

Further, a developer circulation limiting member 5 is provided in the falling path of the two-component developer.
4, it was structurally difficult to drop the two-component developer directly onto the developing screen 1.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems, and its purpose is to reliably supply developer to a developer carrier, and to simplify the installation work for the user. An object of the present invention is to provide a developing device.

(Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a developing device that supplies a two-component developer formed by mixing a toner and a carrier to a developer carrier for development. The present invention is characterized in that a guide member is provided for guiding the developer to the developer carrier, and at least a portion of the guide member is constituted by a rotatable and collapsible guide member.

(Function) According to the present invention, since the two-component developer is reliably supplied directly to the developing sleeve along the guide member, there is no need for the user to shake it when installing the developing device, and the user's installation work is simplified. Simplify.

Then, after supplying the two-component developer, by turning the foldable guide member to a predetermined position, the foldable guide member forms a conventional developer circulation limiting member. No need for agent circulation limiting member.

(Example) An example of the present invention will be described below based on the accompanying drawings.

1 and 2 are sectional views of a developing device according to the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a side view of the same developing device.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, numeral 1 denotes a developing sleeve as a developer carrier, and this is placed close to the photosensitive tram 2, which is an image carrier, with its right side half circumferential surface exposed outside the developer container 9. , the left half circumferential surface is housed in a developer container 9 and held rotatably, and the developer sleeper 1 is rotated at a predetermined speed in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure by a drive system (not shown).

Incidentally, a stirring member 3 is provided in the developer container 9 for conveying toner, which is a developer, to the developing sleeve 1. Further, three plates 5 are arranged above the developing sleeve 1 to ensure a predetermined small gap with respect to the upper surface of the developing sleeve. The layer thickness of the agent is regulated and the agent moves out of the developing container 9.

Further, above the developer container 9, a first developer storage section 7 and a second developer storage section 8 are formed which communicate with the developer container 9. The first developer storage section 7 stores a two-component developer 17 containing a mixture of toner and carrier, and the second developer storage section 8 stores toner for replenishment and toner for transporting the toner. A transport member 6 is accommodated therein.

Incidentally, in this embodiment, a diagonally inclined fixed guide member 15 constituting the side wall of the first developer storage section 7 is provided, and a collapsible guide member 10 is provided at the tip of the fixed guide member 15. It is rotatably mounted on a shaft 18.

The shaft 18 has one end protruding from the side of the developing device as shown in FIG.
1 or tied. In addition, in Fig. 2, 12 is the lever 11.
13.1 stopper for fixing in position b in Fig. 3;
4 is a stopper for fixing the lever 11 at position a.

When the lever 11 is fixed at position a in FIG. 3 when the developing device is used, the collapsible guide member 1
0 is at the solid line position in FIG. The two-component developer 17 falls directly onto the developing sleeve 1 along the fixed guide member 15 and the retractable guide member IO as shown by arrow A in FIG. The accumulation hardly reaches the bent inside B of the magnetic plate 16, and if the developing sleeve 1 is rotated several times in this state, the two-component developer 17 will surely adhere to the developing sleeve 1.

When the replenishment of the two-component developer 17 is completed as described above, the user turns the lever 11 shown in FIG. is rotated to the position shown in FIG. In this state, when the user pulls a sealing material (not shown) that closes the opening of the second developer storage section 8, the toner stored in the second developer storage section 8 is supplied into the developer container 9. . As the development progresses, the toner in the second developer storage section 8 is sequentially conveyed and supplied to the developer container 9 side by the toner conveying member 6, and the toner supplied in the developer container 9 is stirred. It is conveyed to the developing sleeve 1 side by the member 3 and subjected to development.

In the above state, the retractable guide member 10 plays the role of the conventional developer wJ ring limiting member 54 (see FIG. Since the falling is not obstructed, the two-component developer 17 can be directly dropped onto the developing sleeve l as shown in FIG. 1, and the developer circulation limiting member 54 required conventionally is not required.

Furthermore, since the two-component developer 17 is directly dropped onto the developing sleeve 1 as described above, there is no need to shake it when installing the developing device, which simplifies the user's work of installing the developing device.

(Effects of the Invention) As is clear from the above explanation, according to the present invention, 2! is made by mixing toner and carrier. #: In a developing device that supplies a developer to a developer carrier for development, the above-mentioned 2.
A guide member for guiding the component developer to the developer carrier is provided, and at least a portion of the guide member is a rotatable and collapsible guide member, so that the developer is reliably supplied to the developer carrier. This has the effect of simplifying the user's work of installing the developing device.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 and 2 are sectional views of a developing device according to the present invention, FIG. 3 is a side view of the developing device, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of a conventional developing device. l... Developing sleeve (developer carrier), 10... Foldable guide member, 15... Fixed guide member, 17-...
Two-component developer. Patent applicant Canon Co., Ltd.

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a developing device that supplies a two-component developer consisting of a mixture of toner and carrier to a developer carrier for development, a guide member for guiding the two-component developer to the developer carrier is provided, the guide member A developing device characterized in that at least a part of the member is constituted by a rotatable and collapsible guide member.