JP2005114761A - Development apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To easily mount an agitator on a toner casing after suppressing a manufacturing cost. <P>SOLUTION: A development apparatus 10 rotatably attaches the agitator 22 to the toner casing 12 storing toner, and agitates the toner by rotation of the agitator 22. The development apparatus 10 is provided with a shaft length adjusting member 38 changing length of the longitudinal direction of the agitator 22 by moving it on a rotating shaft 32 of the agitator 22 in a longitudinal direction of the agitator 22. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a developing device in which an agitator for stirring toner is rotatably mounted in a toner casing that contains toner.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, some image forming apparatuses using an electrophotographic system include a developing device that supplies toner to a photosensitive drum and attaches the toner. This developing device is provided with a toner casing for containing toner and an agitator for stirring the toner in the toner casing and supplying the toner to the photosensitive drum.
Here, Patent Document 1 below discloses a technique in which an auxiliary member is provided at one end of a rotating shaft of the agitator so that the length of the agitator in the rotating shaft direction is variable. Specifically, the auxiliary member urges the auxiliary member in the direction by separating the holding member provided at the end of the agitator, the fixing plate arranged to face the agitator, and the holding member and the fixed plate. And a spring arranged to do so. In this auxiliary member, the length of the agitator in the direction of the rotation axis is made variable by expanding and contracting the spring.

JP 11-52693 A JP-A-9-288419

  By the way, the auxiliary member requires parts such as a holding member, a fixing plate, and a spring in order to make the length of the agitator in the rotation axis direction variable. There is a rising problem. Further, since the variable amount of the length of the agitator in the rotation axis direction depends on the amount of expansion and contraction of the spring, the variable amount is also limited.

  In view of the above circumstances, an object of the present invention is to provide a developing device in which an agitator can be easily attached to a toner casing while suppressing manufacturing costs.

  The invention according to claim 1 is a developing device in which an agitator is attached to a toner casing that contains toner so as to be rotatable, and the toner is agitated by the rotation of the agitator. An axial length adjusting member that changes the length of the agitator in the longitudinal direction by moving in the longitudinal direction of the agitator is provided.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the agitator is inserted into the toner casing, the axial length adjusting member is moved in a direction in which the length of the agitator in the longitudinal direction is shortened so that the agitator can be easily attached to the toner casing. Can be put inside. Further, when the agitator is attached to the toner casing, the agitator can be easily attached to the toner casing by moving the shaft length adjusting member in a direction in which the longitudinal length of the agitator becomes longer.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided a developing device in which an agitator is attached to a toner casing that contains toner so as to be rotatable, and the toner is stirred by the rotation of the agitator. A through hole that is formed in an opening box shape, is formed on one side wall in the longitudinal direction of the toner casing and passes through the one side wall, and an insertion hole that is formed in the other side wall in the longitudinal direction of the toner casing and opens inward The agitator includes an agitator body that stirs the toner housed in the toner casing, a first shaft portion that extends from one longitudinal end of the agitator body, and the agitator body. A second shaft portion extending from the other end portion in the longitudinal direction of the first shaft portion, and the second shaft portion moves on the second shaft portion to move the agitator. An axial length adjusting member that makes the length in the longitudinal direction variable is mounted, and the axial length adjusting member moves to the agitator main body side on the second shaft portion, whereby the end of the first shaft portion of the agitator From the first side wall to the other side wall of the toner casing is shorter than the length from the first side wall to the other side wall of the toner casing. The length from the end of the first shaft portion of the agitator to the end of the shaft length adjusting member is longer than the length from the one side wall to the other side wall of the toner casing. The agitator is mounted on the toner casing by extending the first shaft portion through the through hole and inserting the shaft length adjusting member into the insertion hole.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, when the agitator is put into the toner casing, the shaft length adjusting member is moved toward the agitator main body side on the second shaft portion to end the end of the first shaft portion of the agitator. The length from the part to the end of the shaft length adjusting member is made shorter than the length from one side wall of the casing to the other side wall. Thereby, an agitator can be put in the inside of a casing.
Further, after the agitator has entered the inside of the toner casing, the shaft length adjusting member is moved toward the side opposite to the agitator main body side with the second shaft portion facing the insertion hole. Due to the movement of the shaft length adjusting member, the length from the end of the first shaft portion of the agitator to the end of the shaft length adjusting member becomes longer than the length from one side wall of the toner casing to the other side wall. Can be inserted through the through hole, and the second shaft portion can be inserted through the insertion hole. As a result, the agitator can be attached to the toner casing.
As described above, in the developing device of the present invention, the length of the agitator in the longitudinal direction can be easily changed by moving the shaft length adjusting member mounted on the second shaft portion of the agitator on the second shaft portion. The agitator can be easily attached to the toner casing.
Moreover, since it is sufficient to attach the shaft length adjusting member to the second shaft portion, the number of parts does not increase significantly, and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.
Furthermore, since the length of the agitator in the longitudinal direction is changed by moving the shaft length adjusting member on the second shaft portion, for example, compared to the case where the shaft length is changed by the amount of expansion and contraction of the spring, The amount of change in shaft length can be increased.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the developing device according to the second aspect, when the shaft length adjusting member moves to the agitator main body side, the shaft length adjusting member is pressed by the shaft length adjusting member and the moving direction of the shaft length adjusting member is When the shaft length adjusting member moves to the opposite side of the agitator main body side and passes through the insertion hole, the movement of the shaft length adjusting member to the agitator main body side is restricted. A locking means is provided.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the shaft length adjusting member moves toward the agitator main body, the locking means is pressed by the shaft length adjusting member and retracts in a direction substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the shaft length adjusting member. . Thereby, the axial length adjusting member can be moved.
On the other hand, when the shaft length adjusting member moves to the side opposite to the agitator main body side and passes through the insertion hole, the movement of the shaft length adjusting member to the agitator main body side is restricted by the locking means. Thereby, the shaft length adjusting member is positioned, and the shaft length adjusting member can be prevented from moving to the agitator side and coming out of the insertion hole.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the developing device according to the third aspect, the lock unit is provided in the agitator body, and the lock unit is pressed against the shaft length adjusting member by a part of the agitator body. And when the shaft length adjusting member is retracted, it bends in a direction substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the shaft length adjusting member.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the shaft length adjusting member moves the second shaft portion to the agitator main body side, the locking means is pressed by the shaft length adjusting member and retracted, and further, the locking means is provided. The pressing force is also transmitted to the agitator body, and the agitator body is bent in a direction substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the shaft length adjusting member. In this way, by bending the agitator in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the strength of the agitator in the longitudinal direction can be ensured, and the amount of movement of the shaft length adjusting member can be made relatively large. .

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, when the agitator is inserted into the toner casing, the axial length adjusting member is moved in a direction in which the length of the agitator in the longitudinal direction is shortened so that the agitator can be easily placed inside the toner casing. Can be put. Further, when the agitator is attached to the toner casing, the agitator can be easily attached to the toner casing by moving the shaft length adjusting member in a direction in which the longitudinal length of the agitator becomes longer.

In the invention according to claim 2, the axial length adjusting member attached to the second shaft portion of the agitator can easily change the length in the longitudinal direction of the agitator by moving on the second shaft portion. The agitator can be easily attached to the toner casing.
Moreover, since it is sufficient to attach the shaft length adjusting member to the second shaft portion, the number of components does not increase significantly, and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.
Furthermore, since the length of the agitator in the longitudinal direction is changed by moving the shaft length adjusting member on the second shaft portion, for example, compared to the case where the shaft length is changed by the amount of expansion and contraction of the spring, The amount of change in shaft length can be increased.

  The invention according to claim 3 can prevent the shaft length adjusting member from being positioned and the shaft length adjusting member from moving to the agitator side and coming out of the insertion hole.

  In the invention according to claim 4, the strength of the agitator in the longitudinal direction can be secured by bending the agitator in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the amount of movement of the shaft length adjusting member can be relatively reduced. Can be bigger.

Next, a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.
A developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention is used for an image forming apparatus (for example, a facsimile machine) using a general electrophotographic system.
As shown in FIG. 1, the developing device 10 includes a toner casing 12 in which toner is accommodated. The toner casing 12 is formed in a box shape opening in one direction, and a through hole 16 penetrating the one side wall 14 is formed in one side wall 14 in the longitudinal direction of the toner casing 12 (the direction of arrow A in FIG. 1). Is formed. Further, an insertion hole 20 that opens to the inside of the toner casing 12 is formed in the other side wall 18 that faces the one side wall 14.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 1, an agitator 22 is rotatably mounted inside the toner casing 12. The agitator 22 includes an agitator main body 24 that agitates the toner accommodated in the toner casing 12. The agitator main body 24 includes a rotation center portion 26 extending in the longitudinal direction of the agitator 22, and a pair of stirring portions 28 </ b> A and 28 </ b> B connected to the rotation center portion 26. Projecting portions 30A and 30B projecting toward the other side wall 18 of the toner casing 12 are formed at one end of the agitating portions 28A and 28B. In addition, locking portions (locking means) 34A and 34B extending toward the second shaft portion 32 described later are formed on the protruding portions 30A and 30B.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a first shaft portion 36 is formed at one end of the agitator body 24 in the longitudinal direction (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1). The first shaft portion 36 is formed coaxially with the rotation center portion 26 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the agitator 22. Further, a second shaft portion 32 is formed at the other end of the agitator body 24 in the longitudinal direction (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1). The second shaft portion 32 is formed coaxially with the rotation center portion 26 and extends in the longitudinal direction of the agitator 22.

Further, as shown in FIG. 1, an axial length adjusting member 38 is attached to the second shaft portion 32. The axial length adjusting member 38 is formed in a cylindrical shape, and moves on the second shaft portion 32 in the longitudinal direction of the agitator 22 (the direction of arrow B in FIG. 1 is the same as the axial direction of the second shaft portion 32). To do.
Here, in a state in which the shaft length adjusting member 38 is moved to the agitator main body side (arrow X direction side in FIG. 1) as much as possible, the end portion of the shaft length adjusting member 38 from the end portion of the first shaft portion 36 of the agitator 22. Is set so as to be shorter than the length (meaning the shortest distance) from one side wall 14 to the other side wall 18 of the toner casing 12.
On the other hand, the shaft length adjusting member 38 is moved to the side opposite to the agitator main body side (the arrow Y direction side in FIG. 1), and the shaft length adjusting member 38 protrudes farther toward the other side wall 18 than the end of the second shaft portion 32. In this state, the length from the end of the first shaft portion 36 of the agitator 22 to the end of the shaft length adjusting member 38 (meaning the shortest distance) is the length from one side wall 14 to the other side wall 18 of the toner casing 12. It is set to be longer than (which means the shortest distance).
A protrusion 40 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the shaft length adjusting member 38. When the shaft length adjusting member 38 is moved, the shaft length adjusting member 38 can be easily moved by pressing the projection 40.

  Next, the operation of the developing device 10 according to one embodiment of the present invention will be described.

When the agitator 22 is inserted from the opening of the toner casing 12, the shaft length adjusting member 38 is attached to the second shaft portion 32 of the agitator 22 as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 2B, when the shaft length adjusting member 38 is moved on the second shaft portion 32 to the agitator body 24 side (arrow X direction side in FIG. 2), the lock portions 34A and 34B are pivoted. Pressed by the length adjusting member 38, this pressure is transmitted from the lock portions 34A, 34B to the projecting portions 30A, 30B of the agitator body 24, and the projecting portions 30A, 30B move in the direction of movement of the shaft length adjusting member 38 (in the direction of arrow X in FIG. 1). ) In a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction (arrow Z direction in FIG. 2). When the protruding portions 30A and 30B are bent, the lock portions 34A and 34B are retracted in a direction (arrow Z direction in FIG. 2) substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the shaft length adjusting member 38 (arrow X direction in FIG. 2). By elastically deforming the agitator 22 in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, the strength of the agitator 22 in the longitudinal direction can be secured and the amount of movement of the shaft length adjusting member 38 can be increased.
In this way, the shaft length adjusting member 38 is moved to the agitator main body side (arrow X direction side in FIG. 2) to the maximum, and from the end of the first shaft portion 36 of the agitator 22 to the end of the shaft length adjusting member 38. The agitator 22 is placed inside the toner casing 12 in a state where the length is shorter than the length from the one side wall 14 to the other side wall 18 of the toner casing 12.

After the agitator 22 is placed inside the toner casing 12, the first shaft portion 36 is inserted through the through hole 16 formed in the one side wall 14 of the toner casing 12 as shown in FIG. 3. After the first shaft portion 36 is inserted through the through hole 16, the second shaft portion 32 to which the shaft length adjusting member 38 is attached is opposed to the insertion hole 20 as shown in FIG. In this state, as shown in FIG. 4B, the shaft length adjusting member 38 is moved by a predetermined amount of movement on the side opposite to the agitator main body 24 side (the same as the arrow Y direction side in FIG. 4 and the insertion hole 20 side). The shaft length adjusting member 38 is inserted into the insertion hole 20 by being moved. Thereby, the agitator 22 can be easily attached to the toner casing 12.
Here, as shown in FIG. 4B, when the shaft length adjusting member 38 is moved to a side opposite to the agitator main body 24 by a predetermined amount of movement, the pressing force from the shaft length adjusting member 38 is released, and the lock The portions 34A and 34B and the protruding portions 30A and 30B return to the original state. At this time, the lock portions 34A and 34B come into contact with one end of the shaft length adjusting member 38 (the end on the agitator main body 24 side), the shaft length adjusting member 38 is positioned, and the agitator main body of the shaft length adjusting member 38 Movement to the 24 side is prevented. Thereby, it is possible to prevent the shaft length adjusting member 38 from moving to the agitator main body 24 side and coming out of the insertion hole 20.

As described above, in the developing device 10 of the present embodiment, the axial length adjustment member 38 attached to the second shaft portion 32 moves on the second shaft portion 32, so that the length of the agitator 22 in the longitudinal direction is easy. The agitator 22 can be easily attached to the toner casing 12.
Moreover, since it is sufficient to attach the cylindrical shaft length adjusting member 38 to the second shaft portion 32, the number of parts does not increase significantly, and the manufacturing cost can be suppressed.

In the developing device 10 of the above-described embodiment, the configuration in which the shaft length adjusting member 38 is mounted on the second shaft portion 32 has been described as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the shaft length adjusting member 38 is connected to the first shaft. The structure attached to the part 36 may be sufficient.
In addition, the shaft length adjusting member 38 may be easily moved to the agitator main body 24 side or the side opposite to the agitator main body 24 side by inclining the tip portions of the lock portions 34A and 34B that are in contact with the shaft length adjusting member 38. .

1 is a partial perspective view of a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. (A) is a state diagram when the shaft length adjusting member is mounted on the second shaft portion constituting the agitator, and (B) is a state where the shaft length adjusting member is mounted on the second shaft portion and moved to the agitator main body side. FIG. FIG. 6 is a state diagram when the first shaft portion constituting the agitator is inserted into a through hole formed in the toner casing. (A) is a state diagram in which the second shaft portion on which the shaft length adjusting member is mounted is opposed to an insertion hole formed in the toner casing, and (B) is a side opposite to the agitator main body side of the shaft length adjusting member. FIG. 4 is a state diagram when the agitator is attached to the toner casing after being moved to FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Developing device 12 Toner casing 14 One side wall 16 Through-hole 18 Other side wall 20 Insertion hole 22 Agitator 24 Agitator main body 32 2nd axial part (rotating shaft)
34A Locking part (locking means)
34B Locking part (locking means)
36 1st shaft part (rotating shaft)
38 Axis length adjustment member

Claims (4)

A developing device that attaches an agitator to a toner casing that accommodates toner so as to be rotatable, and stirs the toner by rotation of the agitator;
A developing device, comprising: an axial length adjusting member that changes a longitudinal length of the agitator by moving in a longitudinal direction of the agitator on a rotating shaft of the agitator. A developing device that attaches an agitator so as to be rotatable to a toner casing that contains toner, and stirs the toner by rotation of the agitator;
The toner casing is formed in a box shape that opens in one direction. The toner casing is formed on one side wall in the longitudinal direction of the toner casing, and passes through the one side wall, and on the other side wall in the longitudinal direction of the toner casing. An insertion hole formed and opened inside,
The agitator includes an agitator body that stirs the toner housed in the toner casing, a first shaft portion that extends from one end in the longitudinal direction of the agitator body, and the other in the longitudinal direction of the agitator body. A second shaft portion extending from the end portion,
An axial length adjusting member is mounted on the second shaft portion, and the length of the agitator in the longitudinal direction is variable by moving on the second shaft portion.
The length of the agitator from the end of the first shaft portion to the end of the shaft length adjusting member is the toner casing when the shaft length adjusting member moves on the second shaft portion toward the agitator body. Less than the length from the one side wall to the other side wall,
When the shaft length adjusting member moves on the second shaft portion to the side opposite to the agitator main body side, the length from the end portion of the first shaft portion of the agitator to the end portion of the shaft length adjusting member is reduced. Longer than the length from the one side wall of the toner casing to the other side wall;
A developing device, wherein the agitator is attached to the toner casing by inserting the first shaft portion into the through hole and inserting the shaft length adjusting member into the insertion hole. When the axial length adjusting member moves to the agitator body side, the axial length adjusting member is pressed by the axial length adjusting member and retracted in a direction substantially perpendicular to the moving direction of the axial length adjusting member,
When the axial length adjusting member moves to the side opposite to the agitator main body side and is inserted through the insertion hole, a lock means is provided for restricting the movement of the axial length adjusting member to the agitator main body side. The developing device according to claim 2. The locking means is provided in the agitator body,
The part of the agitator main body is bent in a direction substantially perpendicular to a moving direction of the shaft length adjusting member when the locking means is pushed by the shaft length adjusting member and retracts. 3. The developing device according to 3.

Images