KR100602606B1 - Toner End Detection Device of Image Forming Machine - Google Patents

Abstract

The present invention relates to a toner end detecting device of an image forming machine, which is mounted on a housing 20 of an image forming machine 10, a toner discharge port 31 is formed on a lower surface thereof, and first and second shaft holes 32, A toner container 30 in which 34 is formed; Receiving a rotational force by the external drive motor 70, the shaft hole 42 in the center so that the driving shaft 72 exposed to the inside of the toner container 30 through the first shaft hole 32 of the toner container 30 is condensed A rotating body 40 having a protrusion rib 44 projecting at right angles to the outer peripheral side of the shaft hole 32; Shaft portions 51 and 52 are formed at both ends to be inserted into the shaft hole 42 of the rotating body 40 and the second shaft hole 34 of the toner container 30, and each of the shaft portions 51 and 52 is bent and extended. Bent parts (53, 54) are rotated by being pushed by the protruding rib (44) of the rotating body (40) to be rotated, and the agitator part (55) for connecting the ends of the bent parts (53, 54) is provided. Agitator 50; The toner container 30 is spaced downward from the bottom of the toner container 30 so that its center portion is condensed to the housing 20, and at one end thereof, magnetic force is generated on the agitator that reaches a predetermined position on the bottom surface of the toner container 30. The magnet part 62 rotated to the bottom surface of the cylinder 30 is provided, and the other end is provided with the blocking plate 64 which rotates correspondingly according to the rotation of the magnet part 62, and blocks the light of the optical sensor 66. And configured detector 60.

Toner End Detection Device, Toner Box, Housing, Agitator, Light Sensor

Description

Toner exhaustion sensing apparatus of Image formation machine

1 is a schematic exploded perspective view showing a toner end detecting apparatus of an image forming machine according to the present invention.

2 is a schematic side cross-sectional view showing a toner end detecting apparatus of the image forming machine according to the present invention.

Figure 3 is a schematic diagram showing the interior of the toner container of the toner end detection device of the image forming machine according to the present invention.

4A to 4C are schematic diagrams showing a state in which a sensor is operated in the toner end detecting apparatus of the image forming machine according to the present invention.

5A and 5B are schematic views illustrating that a spring is added to the detector in the toner end detecting apparatus of the image forming machine according to the present invention.

** Description of the symbols for the main parts of the drawings **

10: image forming machine 11: photosensitive member

12: corona wire 13: developing roller

14: toner supply roller 15: transfer roller

20: housing 30: toner container

31: toner discharge 32: first shaft hole

34: second shaft hole 40: rotating body

42: shaft hole 44: protrusion rib

50: agitator 51, 51: shaft portion

53, 54: bend portion 55: stirring portion

60: detector 62: magnet portion

64: blocking plate 66: light sensor

66a: light emitting portion 66b: light receiving portion

70: drive motor 72: drive shaft

80: magnet operating range 90: spring

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner end detecting device of an image forming machine, and more particularly, to a toner end detecting device of an image forming machine that enables accurate recognition of a toner end in a toner container.

In general, toners used in photocopiers, laser printers, and facsimile machines, which are dry electrophotographic imaging apparatuses, are classified into magnetic toners having magnetic toners and nonmagnetic non-magnetic toners.

In the case of magnetic toner having magnetic properties, a method of detecting a toner end is to detect a toner end by using a change in magnetic force depending on the amount of toner.

However, in the case of the non-magnetic toner, the toner end cannot be detected using the magnetic force sensor because the toner is not magnetic.

In order to solve this problem, in the case of a non-magnetic toner, an optical sensor which detects rotation by transmitting light through one rotating plate directly connected to an agitator for stirring the toner in the toner container and another rotating plate connected by a spring and a slit of the rotating plate is transmitted. The toner end was detected by using the device, because the difference in the amount of rotation occurs between the two rotating plates due to the difference in load depending on the amount of toner generated while the agitator rotates.

However, the magnetic toner magnetic sensor of the prior art has the disadvantage that it can not be applied to the non-magnetic toner, the non-magnetic method using the difference of the load generated in the agitator occurs when the agitator rotates in the toner container The toner end is difficult to detect because the load is changed by various loads, loads generated from the rotating shaft, and various members installed to prevent the toner from leaking, and the apparatus must be attached to the agitator. There was a problem such as getting complicated.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve this problem, and can be applied to both nonmagnetic materials and accurately detects the toner end in the toner container so that the replacement time of the toner can be accurately recognized, and the structure is simplified. It is an object of the present invention to provide a toner end detecting device of a former.

Thus, the toner end detecting apparatus of the image forming apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object is a toner container is mounted to the housing of the image forming machine, the toner discharge port is formed on the lower surface, the first, biaxial hole formed on both sides; The rotating body receives a rotational force by an external drive motor, and a shaft hole is formed at the center thereof so that the driving shaft exposed to the inside of the toner container through the first shaft hole of the toner container is condensed. ; Shaft portions are formed at both ends to be inserted into the shaft hole of the rotating body and the second shaft hole of the toner container, and a bent portion is formed by being pushed by the protruding ribs of the rotating body which are bent and extended and rotated from the shaft portion, respectively. An agitator having a stirring portion for connecting the; The center of the toner container is spaced apart downwardly from the bottom of the toner container, and the center thereof is condensed to the housing, and one end thereof is provided with a magnet part which generates a magnetic force to reach the bottom of the toner container and rotates to the bottom of the toner container. And, the other end is configured to include a detector provided with a blocking plate for blocking the light of the optical sensor by rotating corresponding to the rotation of the magnet portion.

Further, in the toner end detecting device of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that the protruding ribs are gradually protruded with a predetermined slope along the concentric circumference of the outer circumference of the shaft hole.

Further, in the toner end detecting apparatus of the image forming machine according to the present invention, it is preferable that the bent portion of the agitator is formed to extend beyond the toner discharge port at the bottom of the toner container.

In addition, in the toner end detecting apparatus of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention, it is preferable that a spring is provided to connect the magnet part and the housing so that the magnet part rotated to the bottom surface of the toner container by the magnetic force is returned to its original state.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4C, the toner end detecting apparatus of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a toner container 30 mounted on the housing 20 of the image forming machine 10, and one of the toner container 30. It is inserted into the rotating body 40 and the rotating shaft 40 of the rotating body 40 and the second shaft hole 34 of the toner container 30, which is rotated and condensed on the side, and the toner container ( 30) and an agitator 50 which is rotated within the shaft, and a detector 60 provided on the bottom surface of the toner container 30.

The image forming machine 10 includes a photoreceptor 11 that responds to light, a charging corona wire 12 that charges the photoreceptor 11, a developing roller 13 that supplies toner to the photoreceptor 11, A toner supply roller 14 for supplying toner to the developing roller 13, a transfer roller 15 for transferring an image of the toner in the photosensitive member 11 to paper, a toner container 30 containing toner, and the like. It is provided.

The toner container 30 is detachably mounted to the housing 20 of the image forming machine 10, has a rectangular box shape in which toner is contained, and a toner discharge port 31 is formed at one side of a lower surface thereof. The first shaft hole 32 has one end connected to the external driving motor 70 at one side of the direction, and the other end thereof extends into the toner container 30 so that the driving shaft 72 coupled to the rotating body 40 is compressed. ) Is formed, and a second shaft hole 34 into which the shaft portion 52 of the agitator 50 is inserted is formed opposite the first shaft hole 32.

The rotating body 40 has a driving shaft 72 exposed through the first shaft hole 32 of the toner container 30 into the toner container 30 through one side thereof, and the other side of the agitator 50 through the other side thereof. A shaft hole 42 through which the shaft portion 51 is inserted is formed, and a protrusion rib 44 projecting at right angles is formed at the outer peripheral side of the shaft hole 42.

Here, the protruding rib 44 is formed in a shape that gradually protrudes along a concentric circumference of the outer circumference of the shaft hole 42.

The agitator 50 is axially rotated in the toner container 30, and has a crank-shaped rectangular conductor rod shape that operates the sensor 60 while stirring the toner, and the shaft hole 42 of the rotating body 40 Shaft portions 51 and 52 are formed at both ends to be inserted into the second shaft hole 34 of the toner container 30, and bent portions 53 and 54 extending at right angles are formed at the shaft portions 51 and 52, respectively. In particular, the bent portion 53 bent at right angles in the shaft portion 51 inserted into the shaft hole 42 of the rotating body 40 is pushed by the protruding rib 44 of the rotating body 40 to be agitator 50. The rotating body 40 is rotated and consists of the stirring part 55 which connects the upper end of each bending part 53.54.

Here, the shaft portions 51 and 52 of the agitator 50 are inserted into the shaft hole 42 of the rotating body 40 and the second shaft hole 34 of the toner container 30 in a loose state, and thus cannot rotate by itself. It is pushed by the rotating body 40 to be rotated, and the bent portions 53 and 54 of the agitator 50 are extended to the extent beyond the lower end of the toner discharge port 31 of the toner container 30. .

The detector 60 is a seesaw shape such that one end is axially rotated to the bottom surface of the toner container 30 by the magnetic force generated by the rotation of the agitator 50, and is spaced apart downwardly from the bottom surface of the toner container 30. And a central portion thereof is fixed to the housing 20, and at one end thereof, magnetic force is generated by the stirring portion 55 of the agitator 50 reaching a predetermined position on the bottom surface of the toner container 30. A magnet part 62 which is axially rotated to the bottom surface is provided, and the other end thereof is correspondingly rotated in accordance with the rotation of the magnet part 62 and placed between the light emitting part 66a and the light receiving part 66b of the optical sensor 66. A blocking plate 64 for blocking light is provided.

Here, the magnet portion 62 is a so-called magnetic portion operating range 80, the stirring portion 55 of the agitator 50 is a range from the bottom height of the toner discharge port 31 of the toner container 30 to the bottom end thereof. When located inside the magnetic force is generated to rotate to the bottom surface of the toner container (30).

On the other hand, as shown in Figures 5a and 5b, the spring to connect the magnet portion 62 and the housing 20 so that the magnet portion 62 rotated to the bottom surface of the toner container 30 by the magnetic force is returned to its original state. 90 may be provided.

The toner end detecting device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention according to the above configuration rotates the rotating body 40 in the toner container 30 by the operation of the driving motor 70, and the protruding rib of the rotating body 40 is rotated. 44 is caught by the bent portion 53 of the agitator 50 and is rotated by pushing the bent portion 53 in the rotational direction to stir the toner.

Here, the agitator 50 is the agitator unit 55 while the agitator unit 55 rotates at a constant speed along the upper and lower sides of the toner bottle 30 with the shafts 51 and 52 at both ends thereof. When the magnet portion operating range 80, which is flush with the toner discharge port 31 of 30, is reached, the magnet portion 62 of the detector 60 generates magnetic force on the stirring portion 55, which is a conductor, toner container 30 At the same time, the block plate 64 at the other end of the magnet part 62 blocks the light of the optical sensor 66, and the stirring part 55 is rotated by the rotating body 40. If the magnet unit 62 is returned to its original state due to its own weight while the magnet unit 62 is returned to its original state due to its own weight, the optical sensor 66 is operated by the upper part of the lower part of the motor. .

When the agitator 50 and the sensor 60 continue to operate periodically, and the toner is consumed below the magnet 62 operating range, the stirring part 55 of the agitator 50 moves to the lower end of the toner container 30. The longer the time stays at, the longer the magnetic part 62 of the sensor 60 rotates to the bottom surface of the toner container 30 by generating a magnetic force in the stirring part 55. As the blocking plate 64 of the sensor 60 blocks the light of the optical sensor 66, the change of the operating time of the sensor 60 can be grasped from the outside to accurately recognize the toner consumption state. It will be possible.

In more detail, the bent portion 53 of the agitator 50 is pushed by the protruding rib 44 of the rotating body 40, and the stirring portion 55 is rotated while stirring the toner and then the toner When the amount of toner in the toner container 30 is gradually reduced to be less than or equal to the magnet operating range 80, the stirring part 55 of the agitator 50 rotated by being rotated by the rotating body 40 has the highest rotation radius. When it reaches the point, it is pushed by the protruding rib 44 of the rotating body 40 which is continuously rotated, and there is no toner as a resistance element. On the other hand, the rotating body 40 reaches the agitator 50 staying at the lower end while maintaining a continuous power rotation state and pushes the bent portion 53 of the agitator 50 again to agitator ( Will rotate 50) At this time, the magnetic force is generated by the stirring unit 55 of the agitator 50 staying at the lower end until the rotating body 40 reaches the lower end of the agitator 50. ), Thereby confirming that the time for blocking the light of the light sensor 66 from the other end of the blocking plate 64 becomes longer, thereby toner end (depletion) in the toner container 30 It will be able to know the timing of the exchange accurately.

As described above, the toner end detecting device of the image forming apparatus of the present invention can be applied to both non-magnetic toners, and can accurately detect the toner end in the toner container so as to accurately recognize the replacement time of the toner, and the structure Also, the effect can be simplified.

Claims (4)

A toner container (30) mounted to the housing (20) of the image forming machine (10) and having a toner discharge port (31) formed at a lower surface thereof, and having first and second shaft holes (32, 34) formed at both sides thereof; Receiving a rotational force by the external drive motor 70, the shaft hole 42 in the center so that the driving shaft 72 exposed to the inside of the toner container 30 through the first shaft hole 32 of the toner container 30 is condensed A rotating body 40 having a protrusion rib 44 projecting at right angles to the outer peripheral side of the shaft hole 32; Shaft portions 51 and 52 are formed at both ends to be inserted into the shaft hole 42 of the rotating body 40 and the second shaft hole 34 of the toner container 30, and each of the shaft portions 51 and 52 is bent and extended. Bent parts (53, 54) are rotated by being pushed by the protruding rib (44) of the rotating body (40) to be rotated, and the agitator part (55) for connecting the ends of the bent parts (53, 54) is provided. Agitator 50; The toner container 30 is spaced downward from the bottom of the toner container 30 so that its center portion is condensed to the housing 20, and at one end thereof, magnetic force is generated on the agitator that reaches a predetermined position on the bottom surface of the toner container 30. The magnet part 62 rotated to the bottom surface of the cylinder 30 is provided, and the other end is provided with the blocking plate 64 which rotates correspondingly according to the rotation of the magnet part 62, and blocks the light of the optical sensor 66. Detector 60;  Toner end detection device of the image forming machine comprising a. The toner end detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the protruding ribs (44) protrude gradually along a concentric circumference of the outer periphery of the shaft hole (42). The toner end detecting apparatus of claim 1, wherein the bent portions (53, 54) of the agitator (50) extend to a position beyond the toner discharge port (31) at the bottom of the toner container (30). . The method of claim 1, wherein a spring 90 for connecting the magnet portion 62 and the housing 20 is provided so that the magnet portion 62 rotated to the bottom surface of the toner container 30 by the magnetic force is returned to its original state. A toner end detecting apparatus of an image forming machine, characterized in that.

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