JPS63293572A - Developer supplying method and image forming device using the method - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a method and a device for injecting developer into a developing device without staining hands or cloth by using simple constitution for rotating and horizontally moving a winding drum on racks at the time of loading a process unit and opening a seal sticking part. CONSTITUTION:A developing means 6, a replenishing toner stock part 18, etc., are arranged on the right side of a photosensitive body 4 in the process unit 2. At the time of inserting the unit 2 from an inserting opening of a body 22, rotary shaft 38a, 38b of the winding drum 32 are checked at their entrance by hatched parts 50a, 50b in the figure adjacent to the opening. Thereby, the winding drum 32 is guided to groove-like opening parts 40a, 49b along racks 44a, 44b and rotationally moved following the insertion of the unit 2. Since the end part of a seal member 26 sealing the opening of the toner stock part 18 is fixed on the drum 32, the sticking part of the seal part 26 is successively peeled off in response to the revolution of the drum 32 and opened.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (Industrial Application Field) The present invention provides a method for supplying a dry developer as a consumable in an image forming apparatus that forms an image using a dry developer, and a method for using this method. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

(Prior Art) In recent years, a cartridge system has been widely adopted as a method for replenishing developer in image forming apparatuses such as copying machines and laser printers that employ an electrophotographic system. This cartridge method uses a developer cartridge in which replenishment developer is sealed in a container that has an opening on the lower side and is sealed with a sealing member that can be peeled off. After the cartridge is installed in the developing device, it is sealed. This replenishment method involves opening the package and replenishing the developer to the developing device.

This method can be said to be an effective replenishment method because there is no problem of the replenished developer scattering and contaminating the room in which the image forming apparatus is installed with the developer.

In addition, a system called a process cartridge system has begun to be developed as an advanced type of the developer cartridge. In this process car 1-IJ Tsuji method, instead of only replacing the developer for replenishment, the photosensitive drum, developer, cleaner, charger, etc. are formed as an integrated cartridge (process cartridge), and a predetermined image can be produced. When the number of formations is completed, the entire process cartridge is replaced. When such a process cartridge system is adopted, maintenance such as replacing and replenishing consumables of the image forming apparatus can be easily performed by the user.

Even in such a process cartridge system, the developer used in the developing device is sealed in the developer storage space in the process cartridge with a sealing member, and when the process cartridge is used, the sealing member is opened and the developer is transferred to the developing device. A configuration of supplying is adopted. This is adopted from the standpoint of preventing the developer from spilling out of the process cartridge or being concentrated on one side within the main body of the developing device when the process cartridge is being transported.

Therefore, whether the developer car I/ridge method is adopted or the process cartridge method is adopted, it is necessary to unseal the sealing member of the developer storage section before use.

(Technical Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As mentioned above, the conventionally used cartridge system requires manual work to open the seal.
Generally annoying.

Furthermore, the seal member peeled off by the seal opening operation is pulled out of the main body of the image forming apparatus. in this case,
Since a large amount of developer adheres to this opening seal, there is a risk that the adhered developer may stain hands and clothes.

The present invention was devised to solve the above-mentioned problems of the prior art, and its purpose is to (i) prevent soiling of hands and clothes with a simple configuration; (11) Provision of a developer supply method that does not require the seal opened for developer supply to be pulled out of the main body of the image forming apparatus; (iii) ) Provision of an image forming apparatus applicable to the above supply method.

(Structure of the Invention) In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a developer supply method comprising: a developer storage container having a developer supply opening in a lower part; a sealing part for sealing the developer supply opening; An image forming apparatus main body, which integrally includes a sealing member having a tensioning part for opening the seal, and a sealing winding member connecting the tensioning part of the sealing member and having a rotatable and movable sealing winding part. A replacement member having a removable developer storage container is placed in a mounting opening of the main body of an image forming apparatus, and an action part for opening a seal located at or near the mounting opening and a seal winding part for the replacement member are attached. Then, by attaching the replacement member to a predetermined surface of the main body of the image forming apparatus, the seal winding part is rotated and moved to seal the developer supply opening. The image forming apparatus used in this method includes at least a developing means as an image forming component. In the image forming apparatus, the process kit includes a developer storage container positioned above the developing means and having a developer supply opening facing the developing means. and a sealing member having a sealing part for sealing the developer supply opening and a tensioning part for unsealing, and a seal winding member having a rotatable and movable seal winding part that connects the tensioning part of the sealing member. and the image forming apparatus main body side is positioned at or near the insertion opening, and each of the image forming apparatuses adopts a configuration in which the image forming apparatus main body side is provided with an acting part that acts on the seal winding part of the kit when the process kit is inserted. ing.

(Function of the Invention) By employing the above-described configuration, the present invention functions as a developer supply method as follows.

First, a replacement member having a developer storage container is positioned in the insertion opening of the main body of the image forming apparatus.

At this time, the acting portion on the image forming apparatus main body side acts on the rotating shaft of the seal take-up member.

Next, this replacement member is inserted into the main body to a predetermined position.

This rotary shaft is provided with a seal winding portion, and by pressing the action portion on the main body side against the rotary shaft, the seal winding portion moves while rotating. On the other hand, a tension part for opening the seal member that seals the developer supply opening is fixed to this seal winding part, so as the seal winding part rotates and moves, a tensile force is applied to the tension part of the seal. As a result, the sealing member that had sealed the opening is gradually peeled off.

Therefore, by simply attaching the replacement member to the main body, the seal is gradually opened, and the developer in the storage container can be easily and reliably supplied into the developing device.

Furthermore, since the rolled-up sealing member remains on the winding member as it is, there is no risk of staining hands or clothes with the peeled-off sealing member.

(Example) The present invention will be explained in more detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway perspective view showing the relationship between a replacement member having a developer storage portion and the main body of the image forming apparatus.

In this embodiment, a process unit is shown as an example of the replacement member 2.

Referring to FIG. 1, a replaceable member (hereinafter sometimes referred to as a process unit) 2 has a developing means 6 on the right side of the figure, centering on a photoreceptor 4 capable of forming an electrostatic latent image. A cleaning means 8 is provided on the left side of the center, and a charging means 10 is integrally provided in the housing 12 adjacent to the right side of the cleaning means 8.

The developing means 6 includes a developing sleeve 14, a part of which is exposed to the photoreceptor 4 side, and a two-component developer consisting of toner and carrier on the right side of the sleeve 14 for mixing and stirring. a replenishment toner storage section 18 located above the stirring roller 16; a replenishment opening 19 located below the storage section and above the stirring roller 16; and a replenishment opening 19 positioned in the opening. and a rotatable supply roller 20.

The process unit 2 having such a configuration can be freely attached to and removed from a predetermined position of the image forming apparatus body 22 through the unit insertion opening 24 of the image forming apparatus body 22.

An important feature of the present invention is that toner is sealed in the toner storage section 18 of the process unit (replaceable member) 2 using a seal member 26, and when the process unit is inserted into the main body 22, the seal member 26 is sealed. The point is that it opens automatically.

This point will be explained in detail below.

On the upper surface side of the housing 12 of the process unit 2 and above the developing means 6, there is provided a seal winding means generally indicated by 30.

This seal winding means 30 includes a seal winding drum 32,
It is comprised of a rotational movement mechanism 34 for rotating and moving the drum 32.

The winding drum 32 is provided with gears 36a136b at both ends thereof. The moving mechanism 34 also includes a groove-shaped opening 40a through which the rotating shafts 38a and 38b of the winding drum 32 are inserted;
side wall portions 42a, 42b having 40b, and the side wall portion 42
Racks 44a and 44b are attached to the upper surface of the housing 12 along the inner surfaces facing the racks 44a and 42b, respectively.
It has

Gears 36a and 36b of the winding drum 32 are screwed into the racks 44a and 44b, respectively, in a rack-and-pinion relationship.

In such a configuration, the side wall portion 42a of the rotational movement mechanism 34
, 42b, the rotating shaft 38a of the winding drum 32,
38b is applied along the longitudinal direction of the groove-shaped openings 40a, 40b provided in the side walls 42a, 42b. At this time, a moment is applied to the rotating shaft of the winding drum 32, with the fulcrum being the joint portion of the gears 36a, 36b and the racks 44a, 44b. Due to this moment, this winding drum 32
rotates around the rotating shaft 38a138b, and can move on the racks 44a, 44b along with the rotational movement.

A part of the insertion opening 24 of the image forming apparatus main body 22 shown in FIG. 1 is used as the pressing force specifically applied to the rotating shafts 38a and 38b.

That is, the shape of the insertion opening 24 generally matches the cross-sectional shape of the process unit 2. Therefore, the side wall portions 42a, 42
Rotating shafts 38a and 38b respectively protruding outward from b.
come into contact with the hatched portions 50a and 5ob adjacent to the insertion opening 24 of the main body 22.

In such a state, when the process unit 2 is installed at a predetermined position inside the main body 22 through the insertion opening 24 of the main body 22, the rotation shafts 38a and 38b of the winding drum 32 are rotated at 50a.
, 50b and are prevented from entering the main body together with the process unit 2, and as a result, the winding drum 3
2 rotates on racks 44a and 44b provided on the upper surface of the housing 12 of the process unit 2 from a position at the back to a position at the front in the figure.

Since the end of a sealing member 26 that seals the opening of the toner storage section 18 in the process unit 2 is fixed to this winding drum 32, the sealing member 26 seals as the winding drum 32 rotates as described above. The member 26 will be wound up one after another.

The procedure for opening the seal member 26 will be described in detail below with reference to FIG.

FIG. 2 is a diagram for explaining the unsealed state of the seal member 26 of the process unit 2, and is a cross-sectional view of the portion where the seal member 26 is located so that it is easy to understand the states before and after the seal member 26 is unsealed. It is shown as In addition, the process unit 2 shown by the solid line in the figure shows the state in which the main body is attached, and the process unit 2 shown by the two-dot chain line shows the state before being mounted.

First, the installation state of the seal member will be explained from the process unit 2 shown by the two-dot chain line.

The seal member 26 is formed of a long film member. Then, in order to seal the replenishment opening 19 located below the toner storage portion 18, from the position A in the figure (the end on the insertion side of the process unit 2 of the replenishment amount Loe 9), the opposite side of the replenishment opening 19 is It is pasted up to the side end at position B in the figure.

The sealing member pasted to position B is then folded back to position B.

The sealing member 26 that has been folded back to position A is further bent at this position and directed toward the winding drum 32. The end of the sealing member 26 affixed and bent in this manner is finally fixed to the winding drum 32. In the seal member 26, the area between B-A-C in the figure is not pasted, and acts as a tension portion for peeling off the pasted area B-A.

Now, consider a case where the process unit 2 (indicated by a two-dot chain line in the figure) is inserted into the image forming apparatus main body 22 through the insertion opening 24 of the main body 22 in the direction of the arrow 60.

At this time, first, the rotating shafts 38a, 38b (
Hereinafter collectively referred to as 38, the process unit 2
Side wall portions 42a, 42b (hereinafter collectively referred to as 42)
Since each of the winding drums 32 protrudes outward, the winding drum 32 can be inserted into the main body 22.

Under such circumstances, the process unit 2 is
When inserted into the inside of the winding drum 32, the rotating shaft 38 of the winding drum 32
A pressing force is applied to the left side in the figure. On the other hand, this winding drum 32 has pinion gears 36a and 36b (hereinafter collectively referred to as 36 ) is provided. the result,
The pressing force acting on the rotating ring 38 is the pinion gear 3
6 and the rack 44 is applied as a fulcrum to the winding drum 32. The pressing force or rotational moment acting on the rotating shaft 38 acts as an acting force that rotates the winding drum 32 along the rank of the upper surface of the housing 12 of the process unit 2 and moves it from the right side to the left side in the figure. becomes.

In this case, as the winding drum 32 rotates and moves to the left in the figure, the sealing member 26 fixed to the winding drum 32 has an arrow mark 62 at the position of the winding drum 32.
This winding force acts as a tensile force in the direction of arrow 64 on the sealing member 26 between AC in the figure,
Further, between 80 and 80 in the figure, a tensile force in the direction of arrow 66 similarly acts on the sealing member 26.

As a result, the above-mentioned winding drum 32 rotates and moves, thereby making it possible to sequentially peel off the sealing member 26 stuck between BA in the figure from B toward A in the figure.

Here, the following points should be noted in the peeling operation of the seal member 2G. That is, the seal winding drum 3
2 moves the upper surface of the housing 12 from the right side to the left side in the figure while rotating itself.

First, attention will be paid to the rotational movement of the winding drum 32.

The winding drum 32 is rotated on a rack 44 provided on the upper surface of the housing 12 by the rotational force of a pinion gear 36. Therefore, the amount of rotational movement corresponds to the length of the rack 44, ignoring the increase in drum radius caused by the sealing member 26 being wound onto the drum circumferential surface, and assuming that the diameters of the pinion gear 36 and the drum 32 are the same. The amount is as follows.

The seal member 2 is torn off only by this amount of rotational movement.
Considering that the sealing member 26 is folded back at its end, the amount 6 is half of the length l in the longitudinal direction of the opening.
In other words, the amount is (1/2)/.

On the other hand, the winding drum 32 is horizontally moving on the rack 44 from the C position to the D position in the figure while rotating. The amount of movement in the horizontal direction is equal to the length of 44, and is the length β. As a result, the amount of the seal member 26 that is peeled off only by this horizontal movement amount is equal to (1/2) 1, which is the same as the amount that is peeled off only by the rotational movement amount. Therefore, in the present invention, when the process unit 2 is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the winding drum 32
By rotating and horizontally moving on the rack 44,
This makes it possible to obtain the amount of peeling necessary to exactly open the adhesive portion of the seal member 26.

In this way, along with the mounting operation, the toner stored in the toner storage section 18 is thrown into a predetermined position of the developing means.

The case where the developer supply method of the present invention is applied to a process unit has been described above. However, as long as this supply method is based on the technical idea that the rotation and movement of the seal take-up member is performed by the mounting operation when inserting the replacement member having the developer storage section into the main body, various replacements can be performed. It is possible to apply it to members.

For example, a replacement member in which only the developing means can be replaced can be cited as an example.

In addition, in the example described above, the rotating shaft 38a of the winding drum 32,
Although the pressing force is applied to 38b, it is also possible to apply the pressing force directly to the winding drum 32 in a manner that does not inhibit the winding of the seal member.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, the sealing member of the developer storage section can be automatically opened with a simple configuration in conjunction with the mounting operation of the replacement member.

Furthermore, the sealing member after opening is automatically wound up on a winding drum provided on the replacement member.

As a result, the operation of charging the developer into the developing means can be made extremely simple, and there is no risk of staining the operator's hands or clothes.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 is a perspective view for explaining the method and apparatus of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram for explaining the developer supply method of the present invention. 2...Process unit 18 ...Toner storage section 19 ... Replenishment opening 22 ... Image forming apparatus main body 24 ... Insertion opening 26 ... Seal member 30 ... Seal Winding means 38a, 38b - rotating shaft

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A developer storage container having a developer supply opening in the lower part, a sealing member having a sealing part for sealing the developer supply opening and a tensioning part for unsealing, and connecting the tensioning part of the sealing member. and a seal winding member having a rotatable and movable seal winding portion, and a replacement member having a developer storage container that is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus body is attached to the image forming apparatus body. The replacement member is inserted into the opening in such a manner that the seal rewinding portion of the replacement member acts on the action portion for opening the seal located in or near the mounting opening, and then the replacement member is inserted into the image forming apparatus main body. By rotating and moving the seal winding section to a predetermined position, the sealing member sealing the developer supply opening is opened, and the developer in the developer storage container is transferred into the developing device. A developer supplying method characterized by supplying a developer. (2) In an image forming apparatus in which a process kit having at least a developing means as an image forming component is configured to be removable from an insertion opening of an image forming apparatus main body, the process kit is positioned above the developing means and the developing means a developer storage container having a developer supply opening toward the developer; a sealing member having a sealing part for sealing the developer supply opening and a tensioning part for unsealing; and a tensioning part of the sealing member connected to each other; and a seal winding member having a movable seal winding part, the image forming apparatus main body side is positioned at the insertion opening or the vicinity thereof, and when the process kit is inserted, the seal winding member of the kit has a seal winding part. An image forming apparatus characterized by comprising an acting section.