JP2008116537A - Image forming apparatus, image forming unit and method for filling image forming unit with developer - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus having an image forming unit which is efficiently filled with a developer. <P>SOLUTION: The image forming apparatus 10 has a toner cartridge 34 attachably/detachably provided in an image forming apparatus main body 12. The toner cartridge 34 has a cartridge main body 70, a developer storing part 72 in which the developer is stored, and a waste developer collecting part 74 to which waste developer is collected. An aperture part for filling 76 for filling the developer storing part 72 with the developer is formed on the cartridge main body 70. The aperture part for filling 76 is formed in the shape of a slot long in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge main body 70. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2008,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, an image forming unit, and a method for filling a developer into the image forming unit.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, the toner replenishing tank portion has a toner replenishing port, and the waste toner tank portion has a removal port for removing the collected waste toner, and the waste toner tank portion is filled with waste toner. The present invention discloses a cleaner toner magazine that can be re-used by refilling new toner from a toner replenishing port and removing waste toner from a removing port when the toner replenishing tank is empty.

JP-A-5-165326

  However, the cleaner / toner magazine disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem that the toner cannot be efficiently filled.

  SUMMARY An advantage of some aspects of the invention is that it provides an image forming apparatus having an image forming unit capable of efficiently filling a developer.

  In order to achieve the above object, an image forming apparatus according to the present invention has an image forming unit detachably provided in an image forming apparatus main body, and the image forming unit includes an image forming unit main body, a developer, and the like. And an opening for filling the developer is formed in the side wall of the developer storage section, and the opening has a length in one direction other than that. It is formed in a long hole shape longer than the length in the direction.

  Preferably, the opening is formed in an elongated hole shape having a length in one direction longer than a length in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction.

Preferably, the side wall of the developer accommodating portion provided with the opening is formed such that the length in the longitudinal direction of the opening is longer than the length in the other direction.
Preferably, the side wall of the developer accommodating portion provided with the opening is formed such that the length in the longitudinal direction of the opening is longer than the length in the direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction.

  Preferably, the image forming unit further includes a developer agitating member that is rotatably supported by the developer accommodating portion and that rotates and agitates the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion.

  Preferably, the rotation shaft formed in the developer agitating member passes through one side wall of the two opposing side walls different from the side wall provided with the opening of the developer accommodating portion. A power transmission member for transmitting power for rotation to the developer agitating member is provided on the rotating shaft outside the developer accommodating portion.

  Preferably, the image forming unit further includes a waste developer collecting unit for collecting the waste developer.

  Preferably, the waste developer collection unit is provided on the opposite side of the developer storage unit from the side on which the power transmission member is provided.

Preferably, the developer stored in the developer storage section is identified through the opening.
Preferably, the developer housed in the developer housing section is identified when the image forming unit is mounted in the image forming apparatus main body.

  An image forming unit according to the present invention includes an image forming unit main body and a developer accommodating portion in which a developer is accommodated, and a side wall of the developer accommodating portion is filled with the developer. An opening is formed, and this opening is formed in a long hole shape having a length in one direction longer than the length in the other direction.

  In the developer filling method of the image forming unit according to the present invention, the opening provided in the developer accommodating portion is formed in an elongated hole shape in which the length in one direction is longer than the length in the other direction. The developer filling device is inserted, the developer filling device is moved along the longitudinal direction of the opening, and the developer is filled into the developer storage portion from the developer filling device.

  According to the present invention, the image forming unit can be efficiently filled with the developer.

Next, an embodiment of the present invention will be described.
FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The image forming apparatus 10 includes an image forming apparatus main body 12, an image forming unit 14 in the image forming apparatus main body 12, and a sheet supply device 54 that supplies a sheet used as a transfer material to the image forming unit 14. A power supply unit 16 is disposed. Further, a sheet discharge unit 15 for discharging a sheet on which an image has been formed is provided on the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body 12.

The image forming unit 14 is an electrophotographic system that forms a color image, and an image forming unit 18Y that forms a yellow image using a yellow developer and an image formation that forms a magenta image using a magenta developer. The image forming unit 18C includes an image forming unit 18C that forms a cyan image using a cyan developer, and an image forming unit 18B that forms a black image using a black developer.
These image forming units are arranged in the order of the image forming unit 18Y, the image forming unit 18M, the image forming unit 18C, and the image forming unit 18B in this order from the lower side in the gravity direction, which is upstream in the sheet conveying direction, along the conveying belt 46 described later. Has been.

Since the image forming units 18Y, 18M, 18C, and 18B have the same configuration although the colors of the images to be formed are different, the configuration of the image forming unit 18 will be described below.
The image forming unit 18 includes a photosensitive member 22 used as an image carrier, a charging roll that uniformly charges the photosensitive member 22, a charging device 24 used as a charging unit, and a latent image on the photosensitive member 22 by light. An optical writing device 26 used as a latent image writing means for writing, a developing device 28 for developing the latent image written on the photosensitive member 22 with a developer to form a developer image used as a visible image, and a photosensitive member A transfer roll 50 for transferring the formed developer image to the sheet, and a cleaning device 30 used as a developer removing means for removing the developer image remaining on the surface of the photoconductor 22 after the transfer by the transfer roll. Each has.
The optical writing device 26 comprises a laser exposure device, and emits a laser beam to write an electrostatic latent image on each photoconductor 22.

  Among the members of the image forming unit 18, the photosensitive member 22, the charging device 24, the developing device 28, and the cleaning device 30 are integrated as a process cartridge 32 used as an image forming unit, and are detachably attached to the image forming apparatus main body 12. Has been.

The transfer rolls 50Y, 50M, 50C, and 50B are integrated with other members as a transfer unit 42, and can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 12.
The transfer unit 42 includes two support rolls 44a and 44b, a conveyance belt 46 that conveys the sheet, and an adsorption roll 48, in addition to the transfer rolls 50Y, 50M, 50C, and 50B.
The support roll 44a is used as a drive roll for driving the conveyor belt 46, and is connected to a drive source (not shown) made of, for example, a motor.
The adsorption roll 48 is used as an electrostatic adsorption unit that adsorbs the sheet to the conveyance belt 46 by static electricity.

  The developer images formed on the photoreceptors 22Y, 22M, 22C, and 22B are transferred to the sheet being conveyed by the conveyance belt 46 by the respective transfer rolls 50Y, 50M, 50C, and 50B, and the yellow, A full-color developer image is formed by superimposing the developer images of magenta, cyan, and black.

In addition, a fixing device 52 that fixes the developer image transferred to the sheet to the sheet is provided in the upper part of the image forming apparatus main body 12.
The fixing device 52 includes a heating roll 52a and a pressure roll 52b, and heats and presses the sheet passing between the heating roll 52a and the pressure roll 52b, thereby fixing the developer image on the sheet. It has become.

  The sheet supply device 54 includes a sheet supply cassette 56 in which sheets are stored, a supply roll 58 that supplies sheets from the sheet supply cassette 56 toward the image forming unit 14, and a rolling roll that separates the supplied sheets one by one. 81.

The image forming apparatus main body 12 is provided with a conveyance path 60 that conveys the sheet supplied from the sheet supply apparatus 54 to the sheet discharge unit 15, and along the conveyance path 60, upstream in the sheet conveyance direction. The resist roll pair 62, the transfer unit 42, the fixing device 52, and the discharge roll 40 are arranged in this order.
The discharge roll 40 discharges the sheet conveyed from the fixing device 52 to the sheet discharge unit 15.

In the vicinity of the process cartridge 32, a toner cartridge 34 used as an image forming unit is provided.
The toner cartridge 34 supplies a developer (toner) to the developing device 28 via a developer supply path 35 made of, for example, a pipe and the cleaning device 30 via a waste developer collecting path 37 made of, for example, a pipe. The waste developer removed from the surface of the photosensitive member 22 is recovered.
The toner cartridge 34 is detachable from the image forming apparatus main body 12 independently of the process cartridge 32. Note that the toner cartridge 34 and the process cartridge 32 may be configured as a single unit, and may be detachable from the image forming apparatus main body 12 as a single unit.
Further, a filling opening 76 described later is formed on the side surface of the toner cartridge 34.

2 to 4 show a toner cartridge 34 according to an embodiment of the present invention.
The toner cartridge 34 has a cartridge main body 70 used as an image forming unit main body, a developer storage portion 72 in which a developer is stored in the cartridge main body 70, and a waste developer recovery portion 74 in which the waste developer is recovered. And are provided.
For example, an upward surface 71 of the cartridge body 70 is formed with a filling opening 76 that is used to fill the developer storage portion 72 with a developer in, for example, a manufacturing stage or a reproduction stage.

Further, on the upward surface 71 of the cartridge main body 70, for example, a discharge opening 78 used to discharge the waste developer collected by the waste developer collection unit 74 is formed in the regeneration stage.
Here, the regeneration stage means that, for example, a producer, a seller, etc. collects the toner cartridge 34 in which the stored developer has been used up, and, for example, the collected toner cartridge 34 is filled with a new developer. This means that the toner cartridge 34 can be reused.

Seal films 80 and 82 used as sealing members are attached to the upward surface 71 of the cartridge body 70.
The seal films 80 and 82 are flexible, and are preferably made of, for example, a resin or the like and using a transparent member.
The seal film 80 is attached to the upward surface 71 of the cartridge body 70 so as to cover at least the filling opening 76.
The seal film 82 is attached to the upward surface 71 of the cartridge body 70 so as to cover at least the discharge opening 78.
Therefore, the filling opening 76 and the discharge opening 78 are sealed by the seal films 80 and 82, so that the developer spills from the developer storage portion 72, and the waste developer recovery portion 74 releases the waste development. Spilling of the agent is prevented.

The cartridge main body 70 has a supply opening 86 used for supplying the developer stored in the developer storage 72 to the developing device 28 (see FIG. 1).
The developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion 72 is supplied to the developing device 28 via the supply opening 86 and the developer supply path 35 (see FIG. 1).

Further, the cartridge body 70 is formed with a collection opening 88 that is used to collect waste toner from the cleaning device 30 (see FIG. 1) in a waste developer collection unit 74.
The waste developer is recovered from the cleaning device 30 to the waste developer recovery unit 74 via the recovery opening 88 and the waste developer recovery path 37.

The developer storage unit 72 is used as a stirring unit that stirs the developer in the developer storage unit 72 and is also used as a transport unit that transports the developer in the developer storage unit 72 to the supply opening 86. A plate-like member 90 is provided.
The plate-like member 90 is made of, for example, a flexible resin, and is attached to the shaft 92. The plate-like member 90 is rotated in the developer storage portion 72 by receiving drive transmission from the shaft 92.

In the waste developer collecting section 74, a plate-like member 94 used as a stirring member for stirring the waste developer collected in the developer storage section 72 is provided.
The plate-like member 94 is made of, for example, a flexible resin, and is attached to the shaft 92. The plate-like member 94 rotates in the waste developer collecting unit 74 upon receiving drive transmission from the shaft 92.

The shaft 92 is rotatably supported by both wall portions in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge main body 70, and one end portion of the shaft 92 protrudes from the cartridge main body 70.
A gear 96 used as a drive transmission member is attached to a portion of the shaft 92 protruding from the cartridge main body 70.
When the toner cartridge 34 is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 12 (see FIG. 1), the gear 96 is connected to a drive gear (not shown) provided on the image forming apparatus main body 12 side.

In order to manufacture the toner cartridge 34 configured as described above, the developer accommodating portion 72 is filled with the developer via the filling opening 76.
Then, a seal film 80 is attached to the upward surface 71 of the cartridge body 70 so as to cover at least the filling opening 76, and a seal film 82 is attached so as to cover at least the discharge opening 78.
By attaching the sealing films 80 and 82, the filling opening 76 and the collection opening 88 are respectively sealed.

Further, in order to regenerate the toner cartridge 34 configured as described above, the seal films 80 and 82 are removed from the used toner cartridge 34.
After the seal films 80 and 82 are removed, the waste developer recovered by the waste developer recovery section 74 is discharged through the discharge opening 78 and the developer storage section 72 is discharged through the filling opening 76. Is filled with a developer.
After discharging the waste developer and filling the developer, for example, new seal films 80 and 82 are prepared, and the seal film 80 is placed on the upward surface 71 of the cartridge body 70 so as to cover at least the filling opening 76. The sealing film 82 is attached so as to cover at least the discharge opening 78.
By attaching the sealing films 80 and 82, the filling opening 76 and the collection opening 88 are respectively sealed.

If the developer remains in the developer accommodating portion 72 when the toner cartridge is collected, before the developer accommodating portion 72 is filled with the developer, the remaining developer is removed by, for example, a filling opening. It is desirable to discharge through 76.
In addition, it is desirable that after the waste developer is removed from the waste developer collection unit 74 via the discharge opening 78, the developer storage unit 72 is filled with the developer via the filling opening 76.

FIG. 5 shows a plan view of the cartridge body 70 viewed from the upward surface 71 side.
The filling opening 76 is formed in a long hole shape that is long in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge main body 70, and the relationship between the length L and the width W (shown in FIG. 5) of the filling opening 76 is L> W. It is formed to become.
The width W of the filling opening 76 is formed so that a nozzle 104 of the developer filling apparatus 100 described later can be inserted, and the nozzle 104 can be moved in the longitudinal direction of the filling opening 76.
Further, it is desirable that both ends in the longitudinal direction of the filling opening 76 are formed in accordance with the shape of the nozzle 104 of the developer filling apparatus 100 described later.

The length L of the filling opening 76 that is as long as possible within the length of the developer accommodating portion 72 can be more efficiently filled with the developer in the developer accommodating portion 72. However, if the distances D1 and D2 between the wall perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the developer storage portion 72 and the filling opening 76 are too short, the rigidity necessary for forming the cartridge body 70 cannot be secured.
Accordingly, the length L of the filling opening 76 takes into consideration the balance between the ratio of the developer to be filled with respect to the internal volume of the developer storage portion 72, the angle of repose of the developer, and the rigidity of the cartridge body 70, It can be designed as appropriate. Note that the repose angle of the developer in the present embodiment is 25 ° to 35 °.

Next, the operation of this embodiment will be described.
FIG. 6 shows a method of filling the developer storage unit 72 with the developer using the developer filling device 100. 6A is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA shown in FIG. 5, and FIG. 6B is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB shown in FIG.
The developer filling device 100 includes a hopper 102 that temporarily stores the developer, and a nozzle 104 that guides the developer from the hopper 102 to the developer storage portion 72 through the filling opening 76.

As shown in FIG. 6, the nozzle 104 is inserted into the filling opening 76 to move the developer filling apparatus 100 so as to reciprocate in the longitudinal direction along the filling opening 76. By filling the developer container 72 with the developer from the hopper 102 via the nozzle 104, it is possible to efficiently fill the developer in the longitudinal direction of the developer container 72.
Further, when the developer container 72 is filled with the developer using the developer filling device 100, the developer container 72 is more efficiently filled with the developer by vibrating the cartridge body 70 as appropriate. be able to.

  Further, as described above, since the sealing film 80 covering the filling opening 76 uses a transparent member, the member at the position corresponding to the filling opening 76 of the image forming apparatus main body 12 is a transparent member. Thus, even when the cartridge main body 70 is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 12, the amount and color of the developer stored in the developer storage section 72 can be identified.

Further, in order to fill the developer storage portion 72 of the cartridge main body 70 with the developer, it is desirable that a filling opening is provided on a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the developer storage portion 72. However, in the case where a gear 96 for driving the plate-like member 90 that stirs and conveys the developer and a waste developer collecting portion 74 are provided on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the developer storage portion 72, respectively, the developer storage An opening for filling cannot be provided on a surface perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the portion 72.
In the present embodiment, as described above, since the elongated hole-shaped filling openings 76 are provided in the plane parallel to the longitudinal direction, the gear 96 and the waste developer collecting section are provided on both sides of the developer storage section 72 in the longitudinal direction. 74 can be efficiently filled with the developer.

  In the above embodiment, the filling opening 76 and the discharge opening 78 are formed on the same surface. However, they may not be formed on the same surface.

1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a first perspective view illustrating an image forming unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a 2nd perspective view which shows the image forming unit which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a 3rd perspective view which shows the cross section of the image forming unit which concerns on embodiment of this invention. 1 is a plan view showing an image forming unit according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the method of filling a developing agent storage part with a developing agent using a developing device filling apparatus.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Image forming apparatus 12 Image forming apparatus main body 14 Image forming part 22 Photoconductor 28 Developing device 30 Cleaning device 32 Process cartridge 34 Toner cartridge 35 Developer supply path 37 Waste developer collection path 70 Cartridge main body 72 Developer storage part 74 Waste development Agent recovery unit 76 Filling opening 78 Discharging opening 90 Plate member 92 Shaft 96 Gear 100 Developer filling device 102 Hopper 104 Nozzle

Claims (12)

An image forming unit detachably provided in the image forming apparatus main body,
The image forming unit includes:
An image forming unit main body;
A developer storage section in which the developer is stored;
An opening for filling the developer is formed in the side wall of the developer accommodating portion, and this opening is formed in a long hole shape whose length in one direction is longer than the length in the other direction. Image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the opening is formed in an elongated hole shape having a length in one direction longer than a length in a direction substantially perpendicular to the direction. 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a side wall of the developer storage portion provided with the opening is formed such that a length in the longitudinal direction of the opening is longer than a length in the other direction. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein a side wall of the developer storage portion provided with the opening is formed such that a length in a longitudinal direction of the opening is longer than a length in a direction substantially perpendicular to the longitudinal direction. apparatus. The image forming unit includes:
5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a developer agitating member that is rotatably supported by the developer accommodating portion and that rotates and agitates the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion. . The rotating shaft formed in the developer agitating member passes through one side wall of the two opposing side walls different from the side wall provided with the opening of the developer accommodating portion,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein a power transmission member that transmits power for rotation to the developer agitating member is provided on the rotating shaft outside the developer accommodating portion. The image forming unit includes:
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a waste developer collecting unit that collects the waste developer. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the waste developer collection unit is provided on a side of the developer storage unit opposite to a side on which the power transmission member is provided. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the developer stored in the developer storage unit is identified through the opening. The image forming apparatus according to claim 9, wherein when the image forming unit is mounted in the image forming apparatus main body, the developer stored in the developer storing section is identified. . An image forming unit main body;
A developer storage section in which the developer is stored;
An opening for filling the developer is formed in the side wall of the developer accommodating portion, and this opening is formed in a long hole shape whose length in one direction is longer than the length in the other direction. Image forming unit. A developer filling device is inserted into an opening formed in a long hole shape in which the length in one direction is longer than the length in the other direction provided in the developer storage unit,
A developer filling method for an image forming unit, wherein the developer filling device is moved along the longitudinal direction of the opening, and the developer is filled in the developer storage portion from the developer filling device.

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