JP2000206748A - Color image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a color image forming device that a trouble due to wiring- saving and interruption or the like is evaded by eliminating wiring at a movable part by having the wiring such as the electric signal of the state detecting means of a developing device take-out cover which is the movable part only on the side of a device main body. SOLUTION: A developing unit attaching/detaching cam 7 to attach/detach developing devices 3a-3d to a latent image carrier and a cam shaft 10 are attached at the developing device take-out cover 15 that is the movable part. Driving force is transmitted because idler gears 14a and 14b on the side of the cover 15 in a state in which the cover 15 is closed at a normal position are respectively meshed with drive motors 13a and 13b on the side of the device main body, and the prescribed developing unit attaching/detaching cam 7 is rotated, so that prescribed developing devices 3a-3d are attached and detached to/from the latent image carrier. The cover 15 is opened and closed by an operator or the like at the time of exchanging the developing devices 3a-3d.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a color image forming apparatus for an electrostatic copying process such as a color copying machine, a facsimile, and a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a conventional color image forming apparatus of this type, a developing device of a predetermined color is latently moved by moving means for moving the developing device in a direction of contacting and separating a latent image carrier. The developing device take-out lid is provided with connecting means for bringing the image carrier into and out of contact with the image carrier, and state detecting means for detecting the state of the connecting means. Some of them are provided separately and completely. In the device having such a configuration, when the developing device is replaced, the developing device is always a movable portion whose lid is opened and closed. In other words, if the movable section is provided with state detecting means for detecting the state of the connecting means for bringing the developing device into and out of contact with the latent image carrier, wiring of the state detecting means such as an electric signal from the apparatus main body to the developing section It is necessary to wire to the device take-out lid side. For this reason, there is a problem that the wiring of the electric signal and the like of the state detecting means becomes complicated, and the wiring of the electric signal of the state detecting means may be disconnected due to the repeated opening / closing operation of the cover for taking out the developing device.

Accordingly, the present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, so that the wiring of the electric signal and the like of the state detecting means can be completed only on the apparatus main body side, and the wiring in the movable portion is eliminated to reduce the wiring and disconnection. It is an object of the present invention to provide a color image forming apparatus which avoids troubles caused by the above.

[0004]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a color image forming apparatus comprising: a latent image carrier; and a static image formed on the latent image carrier. A developing device for visualizing the electro-latent image with a developer of a plurality of colors including at least toner, transferring the toner image formed on the latent image carrier onto an intermediate transfer body, A transfer device for transferring the toner image onto a transfer material such as paper and fixing the transferred toner image to the transfer material by a fixing device; A connecting device for bringing the developing device of a predetermined color into and out of contact with the latent image carrier is provided, and a state detecting device for detecting a state of the connecting device is provided. Movable and retractable collar for forming machine body In the image forming apparatus, a state detection means of the connecting means is fixed to the apparatus main body, the developing device is taken out lid side fitted with the coupling means when replacing the developing device is characterized in that the movable.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, a cam is used for the connecting means.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the open / close state of the developing device take-out lid to which the connecting means is attached is detected by the state detecting means of the connecting means.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, the state detecting means of the connecting means is provided at a plurality of positions in the apparatus main body.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a color image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, 1 is a latent image carrier, 2 is a charger, 3a to 3d are developing devices, 4 is a cleaner device (for a latent image carrier), 5 is an intermediate transfer member, 6 is a cleaner device (for an intermediate transfer member), Reference numeral 7 denotes a developing device contact / separation cam, and reference numeral 8 denotes a writing device.

In this embodiment, a latent image pattern is formed by a writing device 8 on a latent image carrier 1 charged to a predetermined potential by a charger 2, and a developing device (3a to 3d) of a predetermined color is formed. Either one of them) is selectively brought close to the latent image carrier 1 by the developing device contact / separation cam 7, whereby a toner of a predetermined color is developed and visualized on the latent image carrier 1. Next, the visualized toner image on the latent image carrier 1 is transferred to the intermediate transfer member 5 by an electrostatic electric field, and the other three colors are similarly transferred to the intermediate transfer member 5. To superimpose the four color toner images, and then collectively transfer them to a transfer material such as paper.

The cleaner device 4 scrapes off toner remaining after the toner image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer member 5 on the latent image carrier 1. The cleaner device 4 and the charger 2 are independent of the latent image carrier 1. When the latent image carrier 1 is replaced, the cleaner device 4 and the charger 2 stay in the apparatus main body, and take out only the latent image carrier 1 from the apparatus main body.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of an embodiment of the color image forming apparatus according to the present invention. In the figure, 10 is a cam shaft, 11a and 11b are fillers, 12a and 12b are state detecting means, 13a and 13b are drive motors, 14a and 1b.
4b is an idler gear, and 15 is a lid for taking out the developing device.

A developing device take-off cam 7 and a cam shaft 10 serving as connecting means for bringing the developing devices 3a to 3d into and out of contact with the latent image carrier 1 are attached to the developing device take-out lid 15, which is a movable portion. . The developing device removal cover 15 is
It is opened and closed by an operator or the like when replacing a to 3d. The developing device contact / separation cam 7 includes an idler gears 14a and 14b on the developing device removal cover 15 side and drive motors 13a and 13b as driving sources thereof when the development device removal cover 15 is closed at a regular position. The driving force is transmitted by the respective meshing, the predetermined developing device contact / separation cam 7 rotates, and the predetermined developing devices 3a to 3d come into contact with and separate from the latent image carrier 1.

The developing device contacting / separating cam 7 and the cam shaft 10 are attached to a developing device take-off lid 15 which is a movable portion, and state detecting means 12a, 1a for detecting the state of the developing device contacting / separating cam 7.
2b is fixed to the apparatus main body side. In this configuration, the developing device take-out lid 15 is not provided with state detecting means 12a and 12b for detecting the state of the developing device contact / separation cam 7 for bringing the developing devices 3a to 3d into and out of contact with the latent image carrier 1, and Side, the state detecting means 12a, 1
The wiring for the electric signal and the like in 2b is only required on the apparatus main body side, and the wiring on the developing apparatus take-out lid 15 side is eliminated. Filler 11 for detecting the state (position) of certain developing device contact / separation cam 7
a and 11b are detected by the state detection means 12a and 12b, respectively. The state detecting means 12a and 12b can also have a state detecting function of detecting the open / close state of the developing device take-out lid 15.

That is, if the developing device removal cover 15 is in a closed state at a proper position, the state detecting means 12 is surely provided.
a and 12b detect the fillers 11a and 11b for detecting the state (position) of the developing device contacting / separating cam 7, while the state detecting means 12a and 12b when the developing device removal cover 15 is not closed at a regular position. Either or both cannot detect the fillers 11a and 11b. Thus, the open / closed state of the developing device take-out lid 15 can be detected by the state detecting means 12a and 12b for detecting the state of the developing device contact / separation cam 7.

In the embodiment described above, the state detecting means is composed of two parts, but three or more state detecting means may be provided.

[0016]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a color image forming apparatus.
As described above, the state is achieved by fixing the developing device removal cover, which is a movable portion, to the apparatus main body without attaching the state detecting means for detecting the state of the connecting means for bringing the developing device into and out of contact with the latent image carrier. Wiring for electrical signals and the like of the detecting means can be completed only on the apparatus main body side, and wiring in the movable part is eliminated. Therefore, there is an effect that wiring can be reduced and troubles such as disconnection can be avoided.

In the color image forming apparatus according to the third aspect, as described above, the open / closed state of the developing device take-out lid is detected by the state detecting means of the connecting means. In addition, it is possible to omit the open / closed state detecting means of the developing device take-out lid, which is conventionally provided alone, and it is possible to provide a cheaper device without impairing the function.

In the color image forming apparatus according to the present invention, as described above, the state detecting means of the plurality of connecting means is provided on the apparatus main body side, and the open / close state of the developing device take-out lid is determined by each state detecting means. As a result, in addition to the above-mentioned common effect, there is an effect that it is possible to more accurately detect the open / closed state of the developing device take-out lid.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of an embodiment of a color image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a main part of an embodiment of the color image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Latent image carrier 2 Charger 3a-3d Developing device 4, 6 Cleaner device 5 Intermediate transfer member 7 Developing device contact / separation cam 10 Cam shaft 11a, 11b Filler 12a, 12b State detecting means 13a, 13b Drive motor 14a, 14b Idler・ Gear 15 Developing device removal lid

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A latent image carrier, comprising: a latent image carrier; and a developing device for visualizing an electrostatic latent image formed on the latent image carrier with a plurality of color developers containing at least toner. The toner image formed on the intermediate transfer body is transferred onto the intermediate transfer body, the toner image on the intermediate transfer body is transferred onto a transfer material such as paper, and the transferred toner image is fixed to the transfer material by a fixing unit. Moving means for moving the developing device in the direction of contact and separation of the latent image carrier, and connecting means for moving the developing device of a predetermined color toward and away from the latent image carrier, and detecting the state of the connecting means. In the color image forming apparatus in which the connecting means is movable and retracted with respect to the image forming apparatus main body when replacing the developing device, the state detecting means of the connecting means is fixed to the apparatus main body. When replacing the developing device A color image forming apparatus, wherein the developing device take-out lid side to which the connecting means is attached is movable. 2. The color image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a cam is used as said connecting means. 3. A color image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said state detecting means of said connecting means detects an open / close state of said developing device take-out lid to which said connecting means is attached. 4. The color image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said state detecting means of said connecting means is provided at a plurality of positions in said apparatus main body.