JPH0712998Y2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a laser printer, a copier, or a facsimile that transfers an image on a photoconductor to form an image on a sheet.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in this type of apparatus, when a fed sheet is conveyed to a photoconductor through a conveying roller, paper dust or the like adhering to the conveying roller is removed.
As described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 62-229268, there is known one in which a brush which is in sliding contact with a conveying roller is attached to a lower portion of a developing device.

However, according to this, the cleaning work for removing the paper dust and the like accumulated on the brush must be carried out after the developing device is taken out from the main body, which is a difficult work for the operator.
Also, since the brush is attached to the lower part of the developing device, there is a risk that the developing device may be accidentally dropped and damaged during cleaning, or that the toner may be scattered and post-processing may be troublesome. there were.

An object of the present invention is to solve such a problem.

Means for Solving the Problems The present invention provides a cleaning member for removably loading a toner cartridge for replenishing the developing device with toner in the vicinity of the carrying roller and for cleaning the carrying roller in a part of the toner cartridge. It is characterized by being attached.

Therefore, when the toner cartridge is replaced with a new one to replenish the toner, the cleaning member is also replaced with a new one at the same time.

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

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser printer to which the present invention is applied. In the figure, (10) is the printer body, and the upper structure (10
It is divided into a) and the lower structure (10b). A paper feed tray (11) is detachably loaded in the printer body (10).
(12) is a drum-shaped photosensitive member, which is rotated counterclockwise. Around the photoconductor (12), the charger (1
3), laser optical writing device (14), developing device (1
5), a transfer charger (16), a separation / conveyance device (17), a charge eliminator (18) and a photoconductor cleaning device (19) are arranged, and constitutes a known dry toner transfer type electrophotographic device.

The paper (P) fed from the paper feed tray (11) by the paper feed roller (20) is supplied to the paper feed roller (20) and the photoconductor (12).
It is gripped by the upper and lower transport rollers (registration rollers) (21a) and (21b) disposed between and. Then, the paper (P) is conveyed by the transport rollers (21a) so as to be aligned with the toner powder image formed on the photoconductor (12).
The toner powder image is transferred at a timing (21b) between the photoconductor (12) and the transfer charger (16). After that, the paper (P) is separated and conveyed by the separating and conveying device (17).
The toner powder image is fixed to the fixing device (22) by the fixing device (22), and then the printer body (10) is discharged by the paper discharge roller (23).
The paper is ejected onto the paper ejection tray (24) outside the.

The developing device (15) is replenished with toner by a toner cartridge (25) which is detachably mounted on the upper part thereof. FIG. 2 shows a perspective view of the toner cartridge (25). The opening on the lower surface of the toner cartridge (25) is sealed by a seal member (26) attached to the lower surface, and when the toner cartridge (25) is loaded in the developing device (15), it is peeled off. As a result, the toner in the toner cartridge (25) is replenished to the developing device (15). A semi-cylindrical concave groove (27) capable of receiving a part of the lower conveying roller (21b) is formed in the central portion of the upper surface of the toner cartridge (25), and the entire length of the concave groove (27). A brush (28) is provided on the. Further, on the upper surface of the toner cartridge (25), in order to guide the paper (P), a large number of rib-shaped projections (29), (3) are formed along both side edges of the concave groove (27).
0) is provided.

The upper and lower transport rollers (21a) and (21b) are the printer body (1
0) is provided on the upper structure (10a), and when the upper structure (10a) is closed with respect to the lower structure (10b), as shown in FIG. A part of 21b) enters the groove (27) of the toner cartridge (25) and contacts the brush (28). Therefore, the transport roller (21
When b) rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 3, the paper dust and the like adhering to it is removed by the brush (28) and stored in the groove (27).

As shown in FIG. 4, when the upper structure (10a) is opened, the upper and lower transport rollers (21a) and (21b) also move integrally therewith, and these move away from the toner cartridge (25). Therefore, when the toner cartridge (25) is removed from the developing device (15), taken out from the printer body (10) and replaced with a new one, the brush (28) is also replaced. Therefore, the toner cartridge (25) and the brush (28) are disposable and need not be cleaned.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment of the present invention. Instead of the brush (28) as a cleaning member, the blade (31) is arranged in the groove (27) of the toner cartridge (25), and the blade (31) is Slidably contact the lower transport roller (21b),
1b) is to be cleaned. In this case, the blade (31) is made of rubber or plastic, or is made of a metal plate such as stainless steel or phosphor bronze, and is fixed to the mounting groove (32) in the concave groove (27).

Effect of the Invention The present invention is economical because a cleaning member for cleaning the conveying roller is attached to the toner cartridge, so that it is not necessary to prepare a special holding member for the cleaning member. Further, since the cleaning member is attached to the disposable toner cartridge, it is not necessary to clean the cleaning member and the toner cartridge holding the cleaning member, and maintenance is easy.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser printer to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the toner cartridge, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the toner cartridge and a conveyance roller, and FIG. Schematic of open body, No. 5
The figure is a cross-sectional view of an essential part of another example of the present invention. (12) …… Photoreceptor (15) …… Developer (21a) ・ (21b) …… Conveying roller (25) …… Toner cartridge (28) …… Brush (cleaning member) (31) …… Blade (cleaning) Element)

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Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An image forming apparatus in which a fed sheet is conveyed to a photoconductor through a conveyance roller, a latent image on the photoconductor is developed by a developing device, and transferred onto the paper. An image forming apparatus characterized in that a toner cartridge for replenishing toner is removably loaded in a developing device in the vicinity of the carrying roller, and a cleaning member for cleaning the carrying roller is attached to a part of the toner cartridge. .