JPH02118682A - Process cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent soil caused by dropping of developer and the deterioration in the developer and to maintain stable printing quality by providing a shielding unit which can be opened and closed plural times. CONSTITUTION:After the developer 3 fills to a storing unit 4, the shielding unit 10 is rotated in the direction of an arrow in order to supply the developer 3 to a developing unit 2. After printing is inspected, the shielding unit 10 is shipped in a sealed condition by rotating it in the direction opposite to the arrow. A user again rotates the shielding unit 10 in the direction of the arrow just before printing, then uses it. When a process cartridge is not used for a long time, the shielding unit 10 is rotated in the direction opposite to the arrow to preserve the developer 3 by sealing it hermetically. Therefore, the developer can be shielded once more; moreover, the developer 3 does not drop outside the process cartridge and, printing quality does not fall because of the deterioration.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to an electrophotographic process cartridge,
In particular, the present invention relates to a process cartridge having a developer, a developer reservoir, and a developer shield.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in this type of process cartridge, a shield for blocking development between a developing device and a developer storage container is constructed of a sheet material, and the sheet is pulled out or rolled up when installed in an electrophotographic device. The shield between the storage container and the developing device was removed.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

The disadvantage of the above-mentioned conventional process cartridges is that if the sheet material that is the shielding material is removed, the shielding property is completely lost, and it is impossible to shield the development between the storage container and the developing device again. was there.

[Means to solve the problem]

The process cartridge of the present invention includes a developing device for developing a latent image on the surface of an image carrier, a reservoir for storing developer to be supplied to the developing device, and a flow of development between the developing device and the reservoir. It has a shield that can be opened and closed multiple times.

〔Example〕

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view of an embodiment of the present invention.

The photosensitive drum 1, which is an image carrier, rotates in the direction of the arrow.
/-Disappearance of potential by the lamp (not shown), charging by the charger 6, formation of an electrostatic latent image by the exposure device (not shown), toner development by the developer 2, transfer by the transfer device (not shown), exposure to light An image is formed by a series of processes in which the toner 3 remaining on the drum 1 is scraped off by the cleaning blade 8.

Preferably, the developer 3 of the process cartridge remains in the reservoir 4 until immediately before a printing operation is performed using the process cartridge, and flows into the developer 2 when used. The reason for this is that the developer 3 may fall out of the process cartridge during transport, staining the image forming device and the process cartridge, placing an unnecessary burden on the user, and staining the printed matter when printing. This is because it causes inconvenience. Also, if the developer 3 is not sealed in the storage container, changes in the environment, that is, changes in temperature and humidity, will cause the developer 3 to
may deteriorate and reduce print quality.

Therefore, it is necessary to provide a shield 10, but a shield that can only be used once (for example, a shield made of a sheet material that can be pulled out and removed) is not used after filling the developer 3 into the reservoir 4. Since the process cartridge cannot be operated until immediately before printing, it is impossible to inspect the print at the time of shipment, or when the process cartridge is not used for a long time after being used once, the developer 3 is not sealed. It causes deterioration.

Therefore, in this embodiment, after the developer 3 is filled into the storage container 4, the shield 10 is rotated in the direction of the arrow to transfer the developer 3 to the developer 2.
After printing is inspected, the shield 10 is rotated in the opposite direction of the arrow and shipped in a closed state, and the user rotates the shield 10 again in the direction of the arrow just before printing to use it. Further, when the process cartridge is not used for a long period of time, the shield can be rotated in the opposite direction of the arrow to seal and store the developer 3.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, the present invention provides a shield that can be opened and closed multiple times to prevent stains caused by falling developer, prevent deterioration of developer, and maintain stable printing quality. It has the effect of being able to

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a process cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1...Photosensitive drum, 2...Developer, 3
...Developer, 4...Reservoir, 5...
...Magnetic roll, 6...Charger, 7...
...Cleaner, 8...Cleaning blade,
9... Doctor blade, 10... Shielder. Agent Patent Attorney Susumu Uchihara

Claims (1)

[Claims] A developing device for developing a latent image on the surface of an image carrier, a reservoir for storing developer to be supplied to the developing device, and a shielding device for blocking the flow of developer between the developing device and the reservoir. 1. A process cartridge having: a process cartridge, wherein the shield can be opened and closed a plurality of times.