JPS6015668A - Copying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To report simply and easily that the quantity of a residual developer recovered into a storage part reaches a prescribed value, by reporting that the stored value of the replenished frequencies of developer reaches a prescribed value. CONSTITUTION:When a density detecting sensor 46 detects a toner density lower than a prescribed value, the sensor 46 outputs a high-level signal to a control circuit 20, and the circuit 20 drives a replenishing device 45 to replenish the toner. If the density is not raised to a set value or higher for a certain time, the circuit 20 judges that the toner does not exist in a hopper 44, and the circuit 20 drives a warning display lamp 21. Each time the toner is charged into the hopper 44, the circuit 20 adds ''1'' to the contents of a memory device 22. The circuit 20 discriminates whether these contents reach a prescribed value (m) or not; and when they reach the value (m), the circuit 20 lights a maintenance and inspection display lamp 24. By this lamp 24, the maintenance and inspection (replacement) time of a filter bag 13 is detected.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Technical Field> The present invention uses a copying apparatus that removes developer (toner) remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor after transferring the toner image formed on the photoreceptor onto transfer paper. This invention relates to a device that notifies the timing of inspection of the storage section for collecting waste.

<Prior Art> In an electrophotographic copying apparatus, for example, as shown in FIG. 1, a photoreceptor 1 having a photoconductive layer is formed in the shape of a drum, the surface of the photoreceptor 1 is charged with a charger 2, and is electrified with an exposure section 3. An electrostatic latent image is formed by performing imagewise exposure, and the electrostatic latent image is visualized as a toner image by a magnetic brush developing device 4. Photoreceptor 1
The toner image is transferred by a transfer device 6 onto a transfer material 5 such as paper that is transported along a transport path by a transport roller, and is fixed onto the transfer material through a heat fixing roller. On the other hand, after the transfer, the photoreceptor 1 passes through a static eliminator 7 disposed opposite to remove residual charges, and a cleaning device 8 cleans the remaining developer to prepare for the next image formation. If necessary, the photoreceptor 1 is irradiated with light by a lamp 9 to make the surface condition uniform after cleaning.

When the toner image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 is transferred to a transfer material such as paper, a toner image of 60 to 8096 is generally transferred. Then, 20 to 40% of the toner remains and adheres to the surface of the photoreceptor 1. As means for removing this residual toner, a nib, a blade, a fur brush as shown in FIG. 1, etc. are well known.

The surface of the drum-shaped photoreceptor 1 is made of a photoconductive substance such as selenium, and does not have a large yield strength in terms of wear resistance, purity, and scratch resistance. This is a contributing factor. Therefore, although a web type or blade type cleaning device 8 has the advantage of being simple, small, and inexpensive, it is difficult to directly clean the surface of the photoreceptor 1 by pressing it against the surface of the photoreceptor 1 with a mechanical pressing force. From, photoreceptor 1
It has the disadvantage that the surface is easily damaged.

The developer is composed of an iron powder carrier with a mesh angle of 15" to 400 meshes and toner as a colored toner. Therefore, when visualizing the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor, In addition to the toner, some carrier is also attached to the surface of the photoreceptor 1. When the attached carrier is cleaned in the cleaning section, the surface of the photoreceptor 1 is more likely to be damaged.

On the other hand, cleaning devices using fur brushes
This is a cleaning method that causes relatively less damage to easily damaged photoreceptors such as selenium. As shown in Fig. 1, this 7-foot cleaning device has the following features:
A rotationally driven bristle brush 10 is provided in a casing 11, and the brush 1° is brought into sliding contact with the photoreceptor 1 to remove residual toner.

The toner adhering to the brush 10 is scraped off by a scraping plate 12 provided after contact with the photoreceptor 1. The toner is collected by the suction force 1c of the filter bag 13KIl1 connected to the casing 1 and containing the toner.

If the filter bag 13 collects a certain amount of toner, it will interfere with the printing function. In other words, the filter bag 13 becomes clogged with toner, and the suction means cannot suck up the toner removed by the rotating brush 1o. Therefore, a sensor is provided inside the filter bag 13, etc., to detect when a certain amount of toner has been collected, and to notify the user of an inspection time to replace the filter bag 13, etc.

With such a configuration, it is necessary to install a sensor only in the filter bag 13, and it is extremely difficult to detect that a specified amount of toner has been collected in the filter bag. They tended to be complex and very expensive.

<Objective of the Invention> An object of the present invention is to notify the storage of a specified amount of developer (toner) in a developer (toner) storage part in a cleaning device without using a sensor in the storage part.

<Embodiment> In FIG. 1, there are four developing devices, in which a developer consisting of carrier and toner, for example, is housed in four developer tanks, and the developer is agitated by an agitation roller 42 or the like. Further, in the figure, reference numeral 43 denotes a developing roller that is rotationally driven to magnetically adsorb the developer and convey it to a developing area facing the photoreceptor 1. A hopper 44 for replenishing toner to the developer tank 41 is arranged via a replenishment device 45 on the developer tank 41 . Further, a developer concentration detection sensor 46 is provided in the developer tank 41 to detect the mixing ratio of the developer carrier of the nuclide 41 and the toner. The concentration detection sensor 461'
l: When toner is consumed each time a copy is made, and the toner density falls below a predetermined toner density, this is detected and the replenishing device 45 is driven to replenish toner to the developer tank 41. Furthermore, when the toner concentration reaches a set value or more due to the toner being replenished and being stirred by the stirring roller 42, the sensor 46 detects this and stops the toner supply.

The density detection sensor 46 detects a change in the volume of the developer containing toner as the toner is consumed.
Concentration detection is performed by detecting this or by detecting a change in magnetic permeability.

As mentioned above, the developing device 4 is generally provided with a means for keeping the concentration of the developer constant at all times, and the present invention utilizes this conventionally used means as is to improve the cleaning device 8. The developer in the filter bag 12 (
It is configured to notify whether or not the amount of toner (toner) has reached a specified amount. This configuration will be specifically explained with reference to FIG. 2.

In FIG. 2, there are 20 control circuits for controlling each copying process shown in FIG. The control circuit 20 sequentially executes a copying process according to a previously stored copying process control program when a print switch (not shown) is operated, for example. During execution of this control, if the concentration detection sensor 46 detects that the toner concentration has decreased below a predetermined level, it outputs this signal (H") to the control circuit 20. Upon receiving this output, the control circuit 20 A drive signal is output to drive the replenishment device 45 to replenish toner. If the toner concentration recovers to a set value or higher due to this replenishment, the sensor 46 detects this and controls this signal (L''). to the circuit 20. As a result, toner replenishment is stopped by the replenishing device 45, and the toner concentration of the developer is kept constant. At this time, the control circuit 20 outputs a drive signal to replenish toner, and if the toner density does not recover to the set level for a certain period of time (the output of the sensor 46 remains H''), the control circuit 20 supplies the toner in the pumper 44. Assuming that there is no toner, the warning indicator lamp 21 to load toner into the hopper 44 is activated.At the same time, the control circuit 20
I″i, “1” is stored in the storage device 22. The storage device 22 retains its stored contents even if the copying machine is turned off.
It is held by a pull-up power supply 23.

When the warning indicator lamp 21 is turned on, the user knows that the hopper 44 is empty of toner, and reloads a specified amount of toner into the hopper 44. After this loading, the toner in the hopper 44 is replenished by driving the replenishing device 45, and when the concentration detection sensor 46 detects that the set concentration has been reached, toner replenishment is stopped.

The warning indicator lamp 21 may be turned off manually after toner is loaded, but it may be turned off when the sensor 46 detects the set density as described above.

As described above, each time the hopper 44 is loaded with toner, the control circuit 20 adds "1" to the storage device 22. Here, it can be easily determined experimentally whether the amount of toner accommodated in the filter bag 13 for collecting the developer, that is, the toner, corresponds to the number of times the toner is loaded into the toner hopper 44. In other words, if the amount of toner stored in the filter bag 13 is determined by loading a specified amount of toner once, then at what number of times the filter bag 13 is loaded,
It can be easily determined whether the toner, etc. stored in No. 3 is at the specified value. Therefore, the control circuit 20 determines whether or not the stored data in the storage device 22 has reached rmJ, and if it is detected that the data has reached rmJ, it lights up the maintenance/inspection time display lamp 24.

By lighting the lamp 24, it is possible to know when it is time for maintenance inspection (replacement) of the filter bag 13.

<Effects of the Invention> According to the copying machine of the present invention, the developer (toner) remaining on the photoreceptor is removed and collected in a storage section such as a filter bag,
In order to notify that the collected amount has reached a specified amount, the number of times the developer is replenished in the developing device is stored, and the notification is made when this stored value or the specified number of times is reached. Wear.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the main structure of a copying machine according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a block diagram regarding notification control according to the present invention. 1: Photoreceptor, 4: Developing device, 41: Developing tank, 44:
Honbar, 45: Supply device, 46: Concentration detection center, 20: Control circuit, 21: Warning indicator lamp, 22:
Storage device, 23: Backup power supply, 24: Maintenance and inspection time indicator lamp.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. After the electrostatic latent image formed on the $ light body is visualized as a toner image in a developing device, the toner image is transferred to transfer paper, and the developer remaining after transfer is removed, collected and stored. In a copying apparatus equipped with a cleaning device having a storage section, the number of times the developer is replenished to the developing device is determined in advance to notify that the amount of developer collected in the storage section has reached a specified amount. A copying apparatus that activates a notification means when the number of times that the number of copies is reached is reached.