JP2001350394A - Process cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a process cartridge capable of surely removing a sealing member with simple constitution and preventing developer adhering to the sealing member pulled out from being scattered to the outside. SOLUTION: This process cartridge B is freely attached to/detached from an image forming device main body, and is provided with an electrophotographic sensitive body, a developing means, a developer frame body and the removable sealing member 100 hermetically enclosing the developer by covering over the opening part of the developer frame body, and then is shipped after it is hermetically enclosed in a package bag 200. One end 100b exposed from the developer frame body of the member 100 is fixed in the bag 200. Thus, the member 100 is surely removed with simple constitution by operation for taking out the cartridge B from the bag 200. Since the member 100 pulled out remains in the bag 200, the developer adhering to the member 100 is prevented from being scattered to the outside.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a process cartridge detachable from an electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body.

Here, as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus,
It includes an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, an LED printer, a laser beam printer, and the like), an electrophotographic facsimile machine, an electrophotographic word processor, and the like.

In addition, as a process cartridge, a charging unit, a developing unit or a cleaning unit and an electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and the cartridge is detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus main body. At least one of the developing means and the cleaning means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge so as to be detachable from the image forming apparatus main body, or at least the developing means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed as a cartridge. One that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body is exemplified.

[0004]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrated into a process cartridge. On the other hand, a process cartridge system which can be detached is used. According to this process cartridge system, the maintenance of the apparatus can be performed by the user himself without relying on a service person, so that the operability can be significantly improved. Therefore, the process cartridge system is widely used in image forming apparatuses.

In such a process cartridge, a toner frame (developer frame) having an opening for accommodating a developer (hereinafter referred to as toner) and sending the toner to a developing means is provided. In general, when a process cartridge is used, a user pulls out and removes the seal member, and then mounts the process cartridge on the image forming apparatus main body.

[0006]

However, if the process cartridge is mounted on the main body of the image forming apparatus without pulling out and removing the seal member, not only the toner cannot be supplied to the developing means, but also the image formation cannot be performed.
When the developing roller as the developing unit is rotated in a state where the toner is not supplied, there is a possibility that a problem such as damage to the developing roller and the developing blade may occur.
For this reason, a method in which the process cartridge cannot be attached to the image forming apparatus main body unless the seal member is pulled out and removed, and means for detecting that the seal member is not removed is provided in the image forming apparatus main body. A method of providing the same has been proposed.

Further, in order to prevent a photosensitive drum as an electrophotographic photosensitive member from being exposed to external light for a long time, the process cartridge is shipped in a sealed state in a packing bag made of a light-shielding sheet. Generally, when a user purchases a process cartridge and mounts it on the image forming apparatus main body, the user removes the process cartridge from the packing bag, removes the sealing member, and then mounts the process cartridge on the image forming apparatus main body. It is necessary to attach to.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to make it possible to reliably remove a seal member with a simple structure and to remove the developer adhered to the pulled-out seal member. It is an object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge capable of preventing scattering of the process cartridge.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an electrophotographic photosensitive member which is detachable from an image forming apparatus main body, and a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Developing means for developing the developing means using a developer, a developer frame for containing the developer and supplying the developer to the developing means through an opening, and closing the opening of the developer frame. In a process cartridge which has a removable seal member for sealing the developer in a package and is sealed and shipped in a packaging bag, one end of the sealing member exposed from the developer frame is fixed in the packaging bag. It is characterized by the following.

Therefore, according to the present invention, one end of the seal member exposed from the developer frame is fixed in the packing bag.
The sealing member is pulled out and removed by the operation of removing the process cartridge from the packing bag, and the sealing member can be reliably removed with a simple configuration.

Further, since the removed seal member remains in the packing bag, the developer attached to the seal member can be prevented from scattering outside.

[0012]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

First, a laser beam printer as an electrophotographic image forming apparatus provided with a process cartridge according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a laser beam printer A, and FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of the laser beam printer A. The laser beam printer A uses a recording medium (for example, recording paper, OHP) by an electrophotographic image forming process.
Sheet, cloth, etc.).

That is, a drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter, referred to as a drum-shaped
After the photosensitive drum 7 is uniformly charged by a charging roller 8 serving as a charging unit, the photosensitive drum 7 is irradiated with a laser beam according to image information from the optical system 1 to the photosensitive drum 7. Form a latent image. Then, the latent image is developed by the developing means 9 to become a visible image as a toner image. The sheet is conveyed reversely by 3d and a pair of registration rollers 3e.

Next, a voltage is applied to the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 7 provided in the process cartridge B by applying a voltage to a transfer roller 4 as a transfer means.
The image is transferred to the recording medium 2. Thereafter, the recording medium 2 to which the toner image has been transferred is transported to the fixing unit 5 along the transport guide 3f. The fixing unit 5 includes a driving roller 5c and a fixing roller 5b having a heater 5a therein, and applies heat and pressure to the recording medium 2 passing between the driving roller 5c and the fixing roller 5b to record a toner image. The image is fixed on the heat medium 2 as a permanent image. Then, the recording medium 2 on which the toner image is fixed
Is transported by the discharge roller pairs 3g, 3h, 3i,
The sheet is discharged to the discharge tray 6 via the reversing path 3j. Here, the discharge tray 6 is provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 14 of the image forming apparatus A.

By operating the swingable flapper 3k,
The recording medium 2 can be discharged by the discharge roller pair 3m without passing through the reversing path 3j. In the present embodiment, the pickup roller 3b, the transport roller pair 3
The conveying means 3 is constituted by c, 3d, a pair of registration rollers 3e, a conveyance guide 3f, a pair of discharge rollers 3g, 3h, 3i and a pair of discharge rollers 3m.

Next, the process cartridge B according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 3 is a sectional view of the process cartridge according to the present invention, FIG. 4 is a side view of the process cartridge, FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of a toner frame of the process cartridge, and FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of the toner frame. FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of the process cartridge.

As shown in FIG. 3, the photosensitive drum 7 provided in the process cartridge B has a photosensitive layer 7e on its surface, and a voltage is applied to a charging roller 8 as a charging means while rotating the photosensitive drum 7. Is applied, the surface of the photosensitive drum 7 is uniformly charged.

Next, a laser beam corresponding to the image information is emitted from the optical system 1 to the photosensitive drum 7 through the exposure opening 1e to form a latent image on the photosensitive drum 7. Then, the latent image is developed by the developing means 9 using toner, and is visualized as a toner image.

Incidentally, the charging roller 8 is provided in contact with the photosensitive drum 7 and charges the photosensitive drum 7 by being driven to rotate relative to the photosensitive drum 7. The developing unit 9 supplies toner to a developing area of the photosensitive drum 7 to develop a latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 7. As shown in FIG. 1, the optical system 1 has a laser diode 1a, a polygon mirror 1b, a lens 1c, and a reflection mirror 1d.

Here, the developing means 9 includes the toner container 1
The toner in 1A is sent to the developing roller 9c by the rotation of the toner feeding member 9b. Then, while rotating the developing roller 9c having a fixed magnet therein, a toner layer provided with a triboelectric charge is formed on the surface of the developing roller 9c by the developing blade 9d, and the toner is supplied to the developing area of the photosensitive drum 7. Then, the latent image is developed by transferring the toner to the photosensitive drum 7 in accordance with the latent image, and this is visualized as a toner image. Here, the developing blade 9d regulates the amount of toner on the peripheral surface of the developing roller 9c and applies a triboelectric charge to the toner. In the vicinity of the developing roller 9c, a toner stirring member 9e for circulating the toner in the developing chamber is rotatably provided.

After the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 7 is transferred to the recording medium 2 by applying a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner image to the transfer roller 4, the cleaning means 10 transfers the toner image onto the photosensitive drum 7. Is removed. Here, the cleaning unit 10 scrapes off the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 7 by an elastic cleaning blade 10a provided in contact with the photosensitive drum 7 and collects the toner in the waste toner reservoir 10b.

The process cartridge B includes a toner frame 11 having a toner container (toner storage section) 11A for storing toner and a developing frame 12 for holding developing means 9 such as a developing roller 9c. Frame 1 on which a photosensitive drum 7, a cleaning means 10 such as a cleaning blade 10a, and a charging roller 8 are mounted.
3 is rotatably connected to form a cartridge.

The process cartridge B is supplied with laser beam light corresponding to image information on the photosensitive drum 7.
An exposure opening 1e for irradiating the recording medium 2 with an exposure opening 1e for irradiating the recording medium 2 is provided (see FIG. 3). Specifically, the exposure opening 1e is provided in the cleaning frame 13, and the transfer opening 13n is formed between the developing frame 12 and the cleaning frame 13.

A drum shutter member 18 for covering the transfer opening 13n when the process cartridge B is detached from the image forming apparatus main body 14 is rotatably provided on the developing frame 12 in the process cartridge B. The drum shutter member 18 prevents the photosensitive drum 7 from being exposed to light for a long time, and protects the photosensitive drum 7 from contact with foreign matter.

The process cartridge B can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 14 by a user. When the process cartridge B is attached and detached, the opening and closing member 35 shown in FIG.
A space for a cartridge mounting portion appears in the image forming apparatus main body 14, and a cartridge mounting guide member (not shown) is disposed on the left and right sides of the space. In this state, the guides 18a (see FIGS. 4 and 7) provided on both sides of the process cartridge B are fitted into the cartridge mounting guide provided on the image forming apparatus main body 14 side, and the process cartridge B is mounted on the cartridge mounting guide. The process cartridge B is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 14 by being moved along. The drum shutter member 18 opens and closes in conjunction with the mounting and dismounting operation of the process cartridge B.

Next, the toner frame 11 and the seal member 100
Will be described.

The toner frame 11 is formed by injection molding a polystyrene resin. Inside the toner frame 11, as shown in FIG.
a rotatable toner stirring member 9b for supplying toner to the toner frame c and stirring the toner in the toner frame 11;
Opening 11a for supplying toner to developing roller 9c
And a seal-attaching seat surface 11b is provided around the opening 11a as shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a toner filling port 11c is provided on one side surface in the longitudinal direction of the toner frame 11, and the toner filling port 11c is filled with a toner by a cap (not shown) after the toner is filled. It is covered.

Prior to toner filling, a seal member 100 is attached to the seal attachment seat surface 11b as shown in FIGS. Here, the seal member 100 is made of PE on and under an Al (aluminum) film.
It is formed by laminating a T (polyethylene terephthalate) film, which is attached to a seal attaching seat surface 11b so as to cover the opening 11a of the toner frame 11. As a method of attaching the sealant, a method of providing a sealant layer on the seal member 100 and applying heat to the sealant layer to bond the seal member 100 is considered.

By the way, the seal member 100 is provided with a cut in one layer of the PET film laminated for opening the opening 11a, and the seal member 100 is cut by performing an opening operation described later. The opening 11a of the toner frame 11 is opened. As shown in FIG. 6, the seal member 100 is folded back at one end 100a in the longitudinal direction of the opening 11a, and the free end 100b is provided on the developing frame 12 with a slit 12 formed therein.
a (see FIG. 4) to the outside.
As shown in FIG. 8, Ob is fixed to the packing bag 200 when packing the process cartridge B.

Next, the packing and unsealing of the process cartridge B configured as described above will be described.

FIG. 8 shows the process cartridge B in the packing bag 2.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which
FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing a state in which a process cartridge B is taken out of FIG.

The assembled process cartridge B is sealed in a packing bag 200 as shown in FIG. 8, and the packing bag 200 is exposed to light from the photosensitive drum 7 provided in the process cartridge B or to the process cartridge B. It is provided to prevent dust and the like from entering the inside. In the present embodiment, polyethylene (PE) having a high light-shielding property is used as the material of the packing bag 200, but other materials may be used as long as they have the same effect.

The packing bag 200 is formed by folding a single sheet into two and welding the three welded portions 200a1, 200a2, and 200a3 by heat welding or the like to form a bag. The fixing of the member 100 is performed by welding the distal end portion (free end) 100b of the seal member 100 while welding the welding portion 200a1.

When the process cartridge B is opened, the sealing member 100 is pulled out by opening the welding portion 200a3 side of the packing bag 200 and taking out the process cartridge B, and the toner is transferred from the opening 11a to the developing roller 9c. It can be supplied. It should be noted that the outer appearance of the packaging bag 200 is provided with a marking indicating the position to be opened by printing or the like, so that the location to be opened may be easily recognized.

In this embodiment, the sealing member 1
One end (free end) 10 exposed from the toner frame 11
Since Ob is fixed in the packing bag 200, the sealing member 100 is pulled out and removed by the operation of taking out the process cartridge B from the packing bag 200, so that the sealing member 100 can be reliably removed with a simple configuration.

Further, since the pulled-out seal member 100 remains in the packing bag 200, the toner attached to the seal member 100 can be prevented from scattering outside.

In this embodiment, the sealing member 100 is formed by laminating a PET film on the upper and lower sides of an A1 film. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a film such as PET or PA (polyamide) may be used. A film obtained by integrating a tearing film made of PP (polypropylene) with a laminated film may be used.

Although the process cartridge B according to the present embodiment is for forming a single-color image, the process cartridge is not limited to one for forming a single-color image. A color image (for example, a two-color image, a three-color image, a full-color image, or the like) may be formed. Various developing methods such as a known two-component magnetic brush developing method and a touch-down developing method can be used as the developing method.

Further, the electrophotographic photosensitive member is not limited to the photosensitive drum used in the present embodiment, and for example, the following may be used. First, a photoconductor is used as a photoconductor, and as the photoconductor, for example, amorphous silicon, amorphous selenium, zinc oxide, titanium oxide, an organic photoconductor (OPC), or the like is used. Further, as the shape on which the photoconductor is mounted, for example, a rotating body such as a drum shape or a belt shape, a sheet shape, or the like is adopted. In general, a drum-shaped or belt-shaped one is used.
A structure formed by depositing or coating a photoconductor on a cylinder made of an aluminum alloy or the like is used.

In this embodiment, a charging device using a so-called contact charging method is used. However, as another configuration, a positive or negative charge generated by applying a high voltage to a conventionally used tungsten wire is used. A non-contact charging method in which negative ions are moved to the surface of the photosensitive drum to uniformly charge the surface of the photosensitive drum may be used.
In addition, as the charging means, besides the roller type, a blade type (charging blade), a pad type, a block type, a rod type,
A wire type or the like can also be used.

As a method for cleaning the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum, a cleaning method using a blade, a fur brush, a magnetic brush, or the like may be used.

Incidentally, the process cartridge according to the present invention has at least an electrophotographic photosensitive member and developing means. Accordingly, typical examples thereof include those in which a developing unit, an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging unit, and a cleaning unit are integrated, those in which a developing unit, an electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a charging unit or a cleaning unit are integrated, and a developing unit. And an electrophotographic photosensitive member.

In this embodiment, a laser beam printer is exemplified as an image forming apparatus. However, the present invention is applicable to a process cartridge provided in another image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile machine, and a word processor. Needless to say, the present invention is similarly applicable.

[0046]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, it is detachable from the image forming apparatus main body,
An image carrier, a developing unit for developing a latent image formed on the image carrier using a developer, and a developing device for storing the developer and supplying the developer to the developing unit via an opening. A process cartridge to be sealed in a packing bag and shipped, the developing cartridge having a developer frame and a removable seal member for closing the opening of the developer frame to seal the developer. Since one end exposed from the developer frame is fixed in the packing bag, the seal member can be reliably removed with a simple configuration, and the developer attached to the pulled-out seal member can be prevented from scattering outside. The effect that it can be obtained is obtained.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming apparatus (laser beam printer) including a process cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an external perspective view of an image forming apparatus (laser beam printer) including the process cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view of a process cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the process cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of a toner frame of the process cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an external perspective view of a toner frame of the process cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 7 is an external perspective view of a process cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the process cartridge according to the present invention is sealed in a packing bag.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state where the process cartridge according to the present invention is taken out of a packing bag.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List A image forming apparatus B process cartridge 7 photosensitive drum (electrophotographic photosensitive member) 8 charging roller (charging means) 9 developing means 10 cleaning means 11 toner frame (developer frame) 11a opening 14 image forming apparatus main body 100 seal member 200 packing bag

Claims (7)

[Claims] An electrophotographic photoreceptor, a developing unit for developing a latent image formed on the electrophotographic photoreceptor using a developer, and a developing unit. A developer frame that stores a developer and supplies the developer to the developing unit through the opening, and a removable seal member that seals the developer by closing the opening of the developer frame, A process cartridge sealed in a packing bag and shipped, wherein one end of the seal member exposed from the developer frame is fixed in the packing bag. 2. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the packing bag is formed of a light-shielding sheet. 3. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the packing bag is made of a polyethylene (PE) sheet. 4. The packing bag is formed by bonding or heat-welding three sides of a single sheet, and fixing one end of the seal member at the time of bonding or heat-sealing. 4. The process cartridge according to any one of 3. 5. An opening for taking out the process cartridge from the packaging bag is provided at one end of the packaging bag orthogonal to the direction in which the sealing member is pulled out and removed, and at one end opposite to the opening. The process cartridge according to claim 1, wherein one end of the seal member is fixed. 6. An electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging unit for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a cleaning unit for removing a developer remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive member,
The process cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the developing unit is integrated with the developing unit. 7. The electrophotographic photoreceptor, one of charging means for charging the electrophotographic photoreceptor, and cleaning means for removing a developer remaining on the electrophotographic photoreceptor, The process cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the process cartridge and the means are integrated.