JPS604187Y2 - Toner supply device in developing device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] This invention is a toner supplement in a developing device that always keeps the toner supply amount constant during manual toner replenishment.

Regarding the feeding device.

Generally, toner is replenished in a developing device by rotating a feed roller by driving a ratchet mechanism, which is a drive mechanism, and a gear interlocked with the ratchet mechanism each time a copy is made.

The amount of drive of this ratchet mechanism and gears is controlled by a toner setting device that sets according to the required image density.

By the way, even if toner is automatically replenished as described above, the image density may become thinner during copying and under toner may occur.In such cases, it is necessary to manually rotate the feed roller and replenish toner. It disappears.

However, in the conventional toner replenishing device, as shown in FIG.
Since the distance between the replenishing lever 11 and the replenishing lever 11 is constant, the amount of toner replenished by one operation of the replenishing lever 11 varies depending on the set position of the set lever 10.

That is, when the set lever 10 is at the scale 10J as shown by the solid line, and when the set lever 10 is at the scale r2J as shown by the two-dot chain line, the distance until the replenishment lever 11 is actuated and comes into contact with the pin 12 is different. It's quite a bit.

For this purpose, the gears 13a, 1 rotated by the supply lever 11
3b and the rotation amount of the feed roller 14 linked thereto are different, and the amount of toner replenishment is not constant. When replenishing toner manually, the position of the set lever 10 as well as the number of actuations of the replenishment lever 11 are not taken into account. When the set lever 10 is set at scale 71J or scale r2J, it often happens that the developing device becomes overtoned after manual replenishment.

This invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned points, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a toner replenishing device for a developing device that always maintains a constant amount of manual toner replenishment regardless of the set position of the set lever.

An embodiment of this invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 and 3.

Above the developing device 17 that develops the photosensitive drum 16, there is a toner hopper 1 that stores toner to be supplied to the developing device 17.
8 is installed.

A manual replenishment lever 20 is attached to a shaft 21 on the front side surface 18a of the toner hopper 18 via a one-way clutch (not shown).

Further, a set lever 22 for adjusting the amount of toner replenishment is similarly attached to the shaft 21, and the set lever 22
A stopper 23 provided approximately in the center of the manual replenishment lever 20 is inserted into a long hole 25 formed in the manual replenishment lever 20, and a spring 26 biases the manual replenishment lever 20 upward.
0 rotation is regulated.

On the other hand, on the rear side surface 18b of the toner hopper, a ratchet gear 27 and a first gear 28 formed integrally with the ratchet gear 27 are attached to the shaft 21, and the first gear 28 has a second gear for rotating the feed roller 30. Gear 31 is engaged.

Further, on the rear side 18b, there is formed a lever 35 which has a feed pawl 33 for rotating the ratchet gear 27 and is rotated by a fixed amount by an actuating device (not shown) that is activated by the movement of the document table (not shown). ing.

Next, we will discuss the operation.

Normally, the set lever is adjusted according to the image density required during copying.
22 to r□J~r2. The movable range of the lever 35 via the shaft 21 is determined by setting the lever 35 to an appropriate position, for example, 10 degrees.

The lever 35 is rotated in the direction of arrow S by an actuating device (not shown) when copying is started and the document table (not shown) moves forward, and is stopped after it has been rotated by a range determined by the set lever 22.

Further, when the copying is completed and the document table (not shown) moves back, the lever 35 is rotated by an actuating device (not shown) in the direction opposite to the direction of the arrow and returns to its original position.

At this time, the ratchet gear 27 and the first gear 28 are rotated in the direction of the arrow by the feed pawl 33, the second gear 31 and the feed roller 30 are rotated in the direction of the arrow U, and a predetermined amount of toner in the toner hopper 18 is transferred to the developing device. Replenished on 17th.

However, despite this automatic replenishment, if undertoner occurs during copying, manually press the manual replenishment lever 20.
When the stopper 23 is pushed down in the direction of the arrow V against the spring 26 until it comes into contact with one end of the elongated hole 25, the first gear 28 attached to the shaft 21 is rotated in the direction of the arrow, and the second gear 28 is rotated in the direction of the arrow as in the case of automatic replenishment. The gear 31 and feed roller 30 are rotated in the direction of arrow U, and toner is replenished into the developing device 17.

Next, when the hand is released, the manual replenishment lever 20 is pulled up by the spring 26 in the direction opposite to the direction of arrow V, and when the stopper 23 comes into contact with the other end of the elongated hole 25, it stops and the next replenishment becomes possible.

However, at this time, the shaft 21 is kept stationary by the action of a one-way clutch (not shown).

Note that this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiments, and can be modified in various ways. For example, the shape and mounting position of the spring that biases the manual replenishment lever may be arbitrary, and the shape of the elongated hole may also be arbitrary.

As described above, according to this invention, no matter what position the set lever is set, the manual replenishment lever can be moved while the stopper is in contact with both ends of the elongated hole, and the amount of movement is always constant. Therefore, the amount of toner replenishment by one operation of the manual replenishment lever can always be kept constant.

As a result, when operating the manual replenishment lever to replenish toner, the amount of toner replenishment can be adjusted simply by considering the number of activations, and over-toner does not occur even if the set lever is set to 11 or 12 as in the past. Therefore, it is possible to provide a toner replenishing device for a developing device that has an extremely simple structure and is highly reliable.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a side view showing a toner replenishing device in a conventional developing device, Figs. 2 and 3 show an embodiment of this invention, Fig. 2 is a side view showing its front side, and Fig. 3 is its side view. FIG. 3 is a side view showing a part of the rear side. 16...Photosensitive drum, 17...Developing device, 18...Toner hopper 20...
...Manual supply lever, 21...Shaft, 22.
...Set lever 123...Stopper,
25...Elongated hole, 26...Spring, 28...First gear, 30...Feed roller, 31...Second gear.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] 1. During copying, the feed roller is automatically rotated via a drive mechanism, while when not copying, the feed roller is manually rotated via the drive mechanism as necessary. A toner setting device that replenishes toner to a developing device by means of a toner setting device that regulates the amount of drive of the drive mechanism during copying in multiple stages, and a toner setting device that automatically controls the amount of drive of the drive mechanism during copying according to the set position of the toner setting device. a manual replenishment lever that always drives the drive mechanism by a fixed amount when not copying; and a manual replenishment lever that engages with the manual replenishment lever and operates the manual replenishment lever by an operating amount regardless of the set position of the toner setting device. 1. A toner replenishing device for a developing device, comprising: a stopper provided on the toner setting device so as to always regulate the toner setting device to a constant value; and a spring biasing the manual lever in a desired direction of rotation. 2. The toner replenishing device in a developing device according to claim 1, wherein the manual replenishing lever has an elongated hole, and the stopper is inserted into the elongated hole.