JP2011123250A - Cartridge and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To improve holding stability of a cartridge 4, which is attached removably to a cartridge mounting part 102 of a device body 101 in an image forming apparatus 100 forming an image in a recording medium S, when a user holds the cartridge 4; to reduce cost and a space for a cartridge positioning structure; and to reduce erroneous installation of the cartridge. <P>SOLUTION: The cartridge includes: a handle 13 to be gripped by the user when the cartridge 4 is attached/detached to/from the cartridge mounting part 102; and a biasing member 14 to bias the handle. The handle can be moved between a projection position A projecting from the rear end side of the cartridge toward the upstream side in the mounting direction x1 in which the cartridge is mounted to the cartridge mounting part and a retraction position B located on the opposite side to the upstream side with respect to the projection position. The handle is biased to move toward the projection position A by biasing force of the biasing member 14 to be gripped by the user while being protruded to the projection position A. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2011,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a cartridge that is detachably mounted on a cartridge mounting portion of an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium. The present invention also relates to an image forming apparatus in which a cartridge is detachably attached to an apparatus main body to form an image on a recording medium.

  Examples of image forming apparatuses include mono-color or full-color copying machines such as electrophotographic systems, electrostatic recording systems, and magnetic recording systems, printers (laser beam printers, LED printers, etc.), facsimiles, word processors, and combinations thereof. Functional machines are included. The apparatus main body is obtained by removing the configuration of the cart litz from the image forming apparatus. The recording medium is an image on which an image is formed by an image forming apparatus, and includes, for example, paper, an OHP sheet, cloth, and the like.

  The cartridge is, for example, a process cartridge or a developing cartridge, and is detachably attached to the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus, and contributes to an image forming process for forming an image on a recording medium. A process cartridge is a cartridge in which an image carrier (electrophotographic photosensitive member, electrostatic recording dielectric, magnetic recording magnetic body, etc.) on which a latent image is formed and process means acting on the image carrier are integrally formed. The image forming apparatus is detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The process means acts on the image carrier, for example, at least one of a charging means, a developing means, a cleaning means and the like. Therefore, regarding the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, in the process cartridge, the developing means as the process means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge and removed from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. Also included are those that can be worn. The process cartridge includes a cartridge in which a charging unit, a developing unit or a cleaning unit and an electrophotographic photosensitive member as process units are integrated into a cartridge and detachably mounted on the apparatus main body. A process cartridge that integrally includes an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a developing unit is referred to as a so-called integrated type. A process cartridge integrally including an electrophotographic photosensitive member and process means other than the developing means is referred to as a so-called separation type. The process cartridge can be attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus by the user himself. Therefore, maintenance of the apparatus main body can be easily performed.

  The developing cartridge includes a developer carrying member for supplying a developer to an image carrier on which a latent image is formed and developing the latent image, and a developer containing portion containing the developer, and an apparatus It is detachably attached to the main body. In the case of a developing cartridge, the image carrier is attached to the apparatus main body or a cartridge support member. Alternatively, the image carrier is provided in the so-called separation type process cartridge (in this case, the process cartridge does not have developing means). The developing cartridge can also be attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus by the user himself / herself. Therefore, maintenance of the apparatus main body can be easily performed.

  Therefore, the cartridge includes the so-called integral type or the so-called separation type process cartridge. The cartridge includes a case where a so-called separation type process cartridge and a developing cartridge are used as a pair. The cartridge includes a case where the image carrier is fixedly attached to the apparatus main body or the cartridge support member, and the developing cartridge is detachably used so as to act on the image carrier.

  The present applicant has proposed the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 in order to make it easy to attach and detach the cartridge to and from the apparatus main body. This is a configuration in which the image forming apparatus is miniaturized by attaching a handle to the cartridge and retracting the handle inside the apparatus main body while the cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body.

Japanese Patent No. 4307517

  The present invention is a further development of the aforementioned technique. An object of the present invention is to improve stability when a user holds a cartridge. Another object of the present invention is to reduce the cost and space of the cartridge positioning configuration. Another object of the present invention is to reduce the possibility of erroneous mounting of the cartridge.

  A typical configuration of a cartridge according to the present invention for achieving the above object is a cartridge that is detachably mounted on a cartridge mounting portion of an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium, A grip for a user to grip when attaching or detaching the cartridge to or from the cartridge mounting portion; and a biasing member for biasing the grip. The handle holds the cartridge in the cartridge mounting portion. It is movable between a protruding position protruding from the rear end side of the cartridge toward the upstream side in the mounting direction to be mounted, and a retracted position positioned on the opposite side of the upstream side from the protruding position, It is urged to move to the protruding position by the urging force of the urging member, and is held by the user while protruding to the protruding position.

  Further, a typical configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention for achieving the above object is an image forming apparatus in which an image is formed on a recording medium by detachably attaching a cartridge to the apparatus main body. The apparatus main body includes a cartridge mounting portion for detachably mounting the cartridge, a positioning portion for the mounted cartridge, an opening for attaching and detaching the cartridge to and from the cartridge mounting portion, and the opening. An opening / closing member that opens and closes and that can take a closed position that closes the opening and an open position that opens the opening; and the cartridge attaches and detaches the cartridge to and from the cartridge mounting portion A grip for the user to grip, a biasing member for biasing the grip, and a positioned portion. A gap between a protruding position protruding from the rear end side of the cartridge toward the upstream side in the mounting direction in which the cartridge is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion, and a retracted position positioned on the opposite side of the upstream side from the protruding position. The grip is movable and biased to the protruding position by the biasing member, and the handle is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion and the opening / closing member is positioned in the closed position. Is pushed by the opening / closing member and moved from the protruding position to the retracted position against the urging force of the urging member, so that the positioned portion is moved to the positioning portion by the reaction force of the urging member. It is characterized by being held in a pressed state.

  According to the present invention, stability when the user holds the cartridge can be improved. Further, it is possible to reduce the cost and space of the cartridge positioning configuration. Further, the possibility of erroneous mounting of the cartridge can be reduced.

2A and 2B are an external perspective view and a schematic vertical right side view of the image forming apparatus according to the first exemplary embodiment. FIG. 6 is a configuration explanatory diagram of a cartridge (developing cartridge). It is a disassembled perspective view of a handle arrangement part. (A) is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus in a state where a door is opened, and (b) and (c) are explanatory views of a cartridge mounting portion of the apparatus main body. (A) is explanatory drawing of the attachment procedure of a cartridge, (b) is explanatory drawing of the to-be-positioned part by the side of a cartridge, and the positioning part by the side of an apparatus main body. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a handle structure in the cartridge of Example 2. It is explanatory drawing of the other embodiment.

[Example 1]
(Overall schematic configuration of image forming apparatus example)
FIGS. 1A and 1B are an external perspective view and a schematic vertical right side view of the image forming apparatus 100 in this embodiment. This apparatus 100 is a four-color full-color laser printer using an electrophotographic process. That is, image formation on the sheet-like recording medium S is executed based on an electrical image signal input from a host device (not shown) such as a personal computer, an image reader, or a counterpart facsimile machine to a control circuit unit (not shown). The apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment forms a color image on the recording medium S in a state where a plurality of cartridges 4y, 4m, 4c, and 4k are detachably mounted in one direction, that is, in the vertical direction (vertical direction). A color electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

  In the following description, with respect to the apparatus 100, the front side or the front side is the side on which the apparatus opening / closing door (opening / closing member) 10 is disposed. The rear side is the opposite side. The front-rear direction is a direction from the rear side to the front side of the device 100 (front direction) and the opposite direction (rear direction). Left and right are left or right when the apparatus 100 is viewed from the front side. The left-right direction is a direction from left to right (left direction) and the opposite direction (right direction).

  An electrophotographic photosensitive drum 1 as an image carrier on which a latent image is formed is disposed at a substantially central portion in the apparatus main body 101 of the apparatus 100. The drum 1 is driven to rotate counterclockwise as indicated by an arrow. Around the drum 1 are arranged electrophotographic process means 2 to 6 which act on the drum in order according to the drum rotation direction. 2 is a charging unit, 3 is an image exposing unit, 4 is a developing unit, 5 is an intermediate transfer unit, and 6 is a drum cleaning unit.

  The drum 1 is rotatably supported by left and right support portions (not shown) on the apparatus main body 101 side with both end shaft portions (not shown) having a drum axis line in the left-right direction. A drive transmission means (not shown) for receiving a driving force from a drive motor (not shown) is arranged on the shaft portion on one side. A driving force is transmitted to the drive transmission means. As a result, the drum 1 rotates at a predetermined speed counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow. The charging means 2 is a contact charging system in this embodiment, and the contact charging member is a charging roller formed in a roller shape. The roller 2 is disposed substantially in parallel with and in contact with the drum 1 and rotates following the rotation of the drum 1. A predetermined charging bias voltage is applied to the roller 2 from a power supply unit (not shown), so that the surface of the drum 1 is uniformly charged with a predetermined polarity and potential. In this embodiment, the image exposure means 3 is a laser scanner unit, and is arranged below the drum 1. The unit 3 includes a laser diode, a polygon mirror, an Fθ lens, a reflection mirror, and the like, and outputs a laser beam L modulated in accordance with image information of each color input from the host device to the control circuit unit. The charged surface is scanned and exposed. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the scanning exposure pattern is formed on the surface of the drum 1.

  The developing means 4 is a device that visualizes the electrostatic latent image formed on the drum 1 using toner as a developer. In the present embodiment, the first to fourth developing devices 4 (4y, 4m, 4c, and 4k) having different toner colors are provided between the drum 1 and the door 10 as a plurality of developing means. It is arranged adjacent to each other in the vertical direction. Each of the developing devices 4y, 4m, 4c, and 4k is a developing cartridge (hereinafter referred to as a cartridge) that is detachably mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 102 of the apparatus main body 101. The first cartridge 4y contains yellow (y color) toner as a developer. The cartridge 4y is hereinafter referred to as a yellow cartridge. The second cartridge 4m contains magenta (m color) toner as a developer. This cartridge 4m is hereinafter referred to as a magenta cartridge. The third cartridge 4c contains cyan (c color) toner as a developer. This cartridge 4c is hereinafter referred to as a cyan cartridge. The fourth cartridge 4k contains black (k color) toner as a developer. This cartridge 4k is hereinafter referred to as a black cartridge. In this embodiment, the lower black cartridge has a larger toner capacity than the other cartridges 4y, 4m, and 4k. This is because the black toner is used frequently and the toner storage amount is increased only in the black cartridge 4k. The four cartridges 4y, 4m, 4c, and 4k are selectively controlled in developing operation to develop the electrostatic latent image formed on the drum 1. That is, for the selected cartridge, the developing roller 40 and the like are driven, and a predetermined developing bias is applied to the developing roller 40 from a power supply unit (not shown). Thus, the electrostatic latent image formed on the drum 1 is developed by the cartridge. That is, the electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing roller 40 using toner.

  The intermediate transfer means 5 is an intermediate transfer belt unit in this embodiment. This unit 5 has a flexible endless intermediate transfer belt 51 made of a dielectric material as an intermediate transfer member. Further, the first roller 52 and the second roller 53 that suspend and stretch the belt 51, and the first roller 52 and the second roller 53 are arranged between the first roller 52 and the second roller 53 and pressed against the drum 1 with the belt 51 interposed therebetween. The primary transfer roller 12 is included. A contact portion between the drum 1 and the belt 51 is a primary transfer nip portion. A secondary transfer roller 32 is disposed opposite to the belt suspension portion of the roller 52. The roller 32 is switched and moved between a working position pressed against the first roller 52 and a non-working position separated from the belt 51 by a moving mechanism (not shown). The roller 32 is always held in a non-operating position. And it moves to the action position at a predetermined control timing. In a state where the roller 32 is moved to the operating position, a contact portion between the roller 32 and the belt 51 is a secondary transfer nip portion. A belt cleaning means 7 for cleaning the surface of the belt 51 is disposed on the belt suspension portion of the roller 53. The means 7 is switched and moved between a working position where the cleaning member contacts the surface of the belt 51 and a non-working position where the cleaning member is separated from the surface of the belt 51 by a moving mechanism (not shown). The means 7 is always held in the non-operating position. And it moves to the action position at a predetermined control timing. The drum cleaning means 6 is means for removing the primary transfer residual toner from the surface of the drum 1 after the primary transfer of the toner image to the belt 51. In this embodiment, a cleaning blade 61 is used as a cleaning member. The toner removed from the drum surface is stored in a cleaner container 62.

  When an image formation start signal is input, the control circuit unit drives a main motor (not shown). Thereby, the drum 1 is rotationally driven at a predetermined speed. The belt 51 is also driven to rotate in the forward direction in the rotation direction of the drum 1 and at a speed corresponding to the speed of the drum 1. The secondary transfer roller 32 and the belt cleaning unit 7 are respectively moved to and held at a non-operation position separated from the belt 51. A predetermined charging bias is applied to the charging roller 2. As a result, the surface of the rotating drum 1 is uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity and potential. The unit 3 outputs a laser beam L modulated corresponding to the y color component image signal of the full color image, and the drum surface is scanned and exposed. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the y color component image is formed on the drum surface. The electrostatic latent image is developed as a y-color toner image (developer image) by the yellow cartridge 4y whose development operation is controlled. The y-color toner image is primarily transferred onto the surface of the belt 51 at the primary transfer nip portion. The primary transfer roller 12 is applied with a primary transfer bias having a predetermined potential with a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner from a power source (not shown) at a predetermined control timing. The surface of the drum 1 after the primary transfer is cleaned by the drum cleaning means 6. When the primary transfer of the y-color toner image to the belt 51 is completed, charging, exposure, and development processes for forming an m-color toner image corresponding to the m-color component image of the full-color image on the drum 1 are executed. The m-color toner image is primary-transferred at the primary transfer nip portion while being superimposed on the y-color toner image already transferred onto the belt 51 in a predetermined alignment state. When the primary transfer of the m-color toner image to the belt 51 is completed, charging, exposure, and development processes for forming a c-color toner image corresponding to the c-color component image of the full-color image on the drum 1 are executed. In the primary transfer nip portion, the c-color toner image is primary-transferred superimposed on the y-color + m-color toner image already transferred onto the belt 51 in a predetermined alignment state. When the primary transfer of the c-color toner image to the belt 51 is completed, charging, exposure, and development steps for forming a k-color toner image corresponding to the k-color component image of the full-color image on the drum 1 are executed. The k-color toner image is primary-transferred at the primary transfer nip portion while being superimposed on the y-color + m-color + c-color toner image already transferred onto the belt 51 in a predetermined alignment state. In this manner, four color full-color unfixed toner images of y color + m color + c color + k color are synthesized and formed on the belt 51.

  The roller 32 is moved to the working position in contact with the belt 51 before the front end portion of the four-color full-color unfixed toner image formed on the belt 51 reaches the position of the roller 32 by the movement of the belt 51. Further, the belt cleaning means 7 is also moved to the operating position with respect to the belt 51 at a predetermined control timing. On the other hand, the feeding roller 18 of the feeding unit 16 is driven at a predetermined control timing, and the recording medium S is separated and fed from the cassette 17 in which the sheet-like recording media S are stacked and accommodated. The cassette 17 can be taken in and out from the front side of the apparatus main body 101 (front loading). A handle 17 a is provided on the front surface of the cassette 17. The fed recording medium S is introduced by a registration roller pair 19 into a secondary transfer nip portion that is a contact portion between the roller 32 and the belt 51 at a predetermined control timing. A secondary transfer bias having a predetermined potential is applied to the roller 32 from a power supply unit (not shown) having a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner. As a result, in the process in which the recording medium S is nipped and conveyed through the secondary transfer nip portion, the four color superimposed toner images on the belt 51 are sequentially and collectively transferred onto the surface of the recording medium S. The recording medium S is separated from the surface of the belt 51 and introduced into the fixing unit 20. The fixing unit 20 fixes (melt and mixed color fixing) the toner images of a plurality of colors transferred to the recording medium S. A heating roller 21b that rotates and a pressure roller 21a that applies pressure and heat to the recording medium S are provided. That is, the recording medium S to which the toner image on the drum 1 is transferred is nipped and conveyed by the pair of fixing rollers 21b and 21a when passing through the fixing unit 20. Heat and pressure are applied by the fixing roller pair 21b and 21a. As a result, toner images of a plurality of colors are fixed on the surface of the recording medium S. Then, the recording medium S exits the fixing unit 20 and is discharged from the discharge unit 24 to the outside of the apparatus main body by the discharge roller pair 23 as a full-color image formed product.

(cartridge)
2A is a left side view of the cartridge 4 in the present embodiment, FIG. 2B is a right side view, FIG. 2C is a perspective view seen from the left side, and FIG. 2B is a perspective view seen from the right side. The cartridge 4 has a developing roller 40 as a developer carrier for supplying toner to the drum 1 as an image carrier on which a latent image is formed to develop the latent image. Further, it has a flat box-shaped casing (exterior portion) 41 as a toner storage portion (developer storage portion) that stores toner used for developing a latent image by the developing roller 40. In addition, a grip 13 is provided for a user to hold when the cartridge 4 is attached to and detached from the cartridge mounting portion 102 of the apparatus main body 101. In the drawing, when the direction of the arrow x1 is the mounting direction in which the cartridge 4 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 102 of the apparatus main body 101, the developing roller 40 is disposed on the front end side of the housing 41 (the front end side of the cartridge). The handle 13 is disposed on the rear end side (rear end side of the cartridge) of the housing 41. Guided portions (protrusions) 42L and 42R are provided on the left side surface portion and the right side surface portion of the housing 41 (the left side surface portion and the right side surface portion of the cartridge 4).

  The developing roller 40 is disposed such that the left and right shaft end portions are rotatably supported by the housing 41 via the bearing portions 43 in a state where the substantially circumferential surface is exposed from the front end side opening portion 41 a of the housing 41. ing. Spacer rollers 44 serving as positioning portions are disposed concentrically with the developing roller 40 on both the left and right ends of the developing roller 40. The outer diameter of the spacer roller 44 is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the developing roller 40 by a predetermined amount. Although not shown in the drawing, inside the housing 41, a toner application member that applies toner to the developing roller 40, a developing blade that regulates the layer thickness of the applied toner and applies charge to the toner, A toner stirring / conveying member and the like are provided.

A pair of left and right handles 13 are disposed with respect to the rear end surface 41 b of the housing 41. FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the left and right handle arrangement portions. A handle bearing plate 45 is disposed on each of the left and right portions of the rear end surface 41b of the housing 41. The bearing plate 45 is provided with a bearing hole 45a and a handle stopper portion 45b. The handle 13 is an elongated plate-like member, and a horizontal shaft 13b is provided on the base side. The handle 13 is provided with a spring seat 13a. The handle 13 is rotatably attached to the bearing plate 45 by inserting the horizontal shaft 13 b into the bearing hole 45 a of the bearing plate 45 and preventing the handle 13 from coming off by the C-type retaining ring 15. Further, a torsion coil spring 14 as an urging member is fitted to the horizontal shaft 13b. One end 14a of the spring 14 is set to the spring seat 13a of the handle 13, and the other end 14b is set to the rear end face 41b of the casing 41. Is locked against. The spring 14 rotates the handle 13 around the horizontal axis 13b in the Z1 direction, that is, in the direction from the rear end side (the rear end side of the cartridge 4) toward the upstream side in the mounting direction x1 of the cartridge 4. It is fast. Therefore, in the free state, the handle 13 is rotated in the Z1 direction until the lower surface side of the handle is received by the stopper portion 45b of the bearing plate 45 due to the rotation bias by the spring 14. The rotation position at which the handle 13 is received by the stopper portion 45b is a protruding position A that protrudes from the rear end side of the cartridge 4 toward the upstream side in the mounting direction x1. Further, the handle 13 can be rotated upward in the Z2 direction around the horizontal axis 13b against the rotational urging force of the spring 14, and is shown by two-dot chain lines in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b). Thus, it can move to the retracted position B located on the opposite side of the upstream side from the protruding position A.
That is, the handle 13 can move between the protruding position A and the retracted position B by rotating around the shaft 13 b with respect to the housing (exterior portion) 41 of the cartridge 4. In the protruding position A of the handle 13, the movement in the direction z1 opposite to the direction z2 toward the retracted position B is restricted by the stopper portion 45b.

(Cartridge replacement method)
As each cartridge 4y, 4m, 4c, and 4k in the apparatus 100 is used for image formation, the contained developer (toner) is consumed. Therefore, for example, a means (not shown) for detecting the developer remaining amount of each cartridge is provided, and the detected remaining amount value is set as a threshold value for a cartridge life warning or a life warning set in advance in the control circuit unit. Let them compare. Then, for a cartridge whose detected remaining amount value is smaller than the threshold value, the display unit (not shown) displays a life warning or a life warning for the cartridge. This prompts the user to prepare a cartridge for replacement, or prompts the user to replace the cartridge to maintain the quality of the output image. In the apparatus 100 according to the present embodiment, the cartridge is replaced by front access in order to improve usability.

  This will be described in detail below. An opening 103 for allowing the cartridge 4 to pass therethrough is provided on the front side of the apparatus main body 101 in order to insert the cartridge into the cartridge mounting portion 102 and to remove the cartridge 4 from the mounting portion 102. And the door 10 as an opening-and-closing member which can move between the closed position C which closes this opening part 103, and the open position D which opens the opening part 103 is provided. In the present embodiment, the door 10 can be opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body 101 about a horizontal axis (hinge axis) 10b on the door lower side. That is, the door 10 is erected about the hinge shaft 10b in the upright direction so as to be closed with respect to the opening 103 of the apparatus main body 101 as shown in FIGS. be able to. The opening 103 is closed by closing the door 10. The closed state of the door 10 is stably held by the engagement force of the catchers 50a and 50b provided to face the apparatus main body 101 side and the door 10 side. In the state in which the door 10 is closed, the handle 13 of each cartridge 4 has its free end side against the urging force of the spring 14 by contact with the inner surface of the door 10 as shown in FIG. It is held in a state of being located at a retracted position B rotated upward about the horizontal axis 13b.

  The door 10 held in the closed state by the catchers 50a and 50b can be opened by disengaging the catchers 50a and 50b by placing the fingers on the handle 10a and pulling them forward against the engaging force of the catchers 50a and 50b. Can do. Then, it can be tilted to the front side of the apparatus main body 101 around the hinge shaft 10b and rotated to be in an open state from the apparatus main body 101 as shown in FIG. Since the door 10 moves in a direction away from the handle 13 by the opening and turning of the door 10, the handle 13 of the cartridge 4 is sequentially moved from the upper cartridge to the lower cartridge by the urging force of the spring 14 in the retracted position B. To the projecting position A. 4A, when the door 10 is sufficiently opened from the apparatus main body 101 and the opening 103 is opened, the handle 13 of each cartridge 4 is positioned at the protruding position A, and the apparatus The main body 101 protrudes outside the opening 103. In this state, the user can grip the handle 13 that is located at the protruding position A and protrudes outward from the opening 103 for each cartridge 4. The user can remove the cartridge 4 from the opening 103 to the outside of the apparatus main body by holding the handle 13 and pulling the cartridge 4 from the mounting portion 102 toward the opening 103.

  FIGS. 4B and 4C are perspective views of the apparatus main body 101 in a state in which the door 10 is opened and the cartridge 4 is not mounted on the mounting portion 102, in different viewing directions. is there. In the mounting portion 102, guide portions (main body side guide portions, cartridge attachment / detachment guide portions) 25R and 25L are provided to face the inner wall surfaces of the right frame 104R and the left frame 104L of the apparatus main body 101, respectively. The guide portions 25R and 25L guide the cartridge 4 when the cartridges 4y, 4m, 4c, and 4k are mounted on the apparatus main body 101 and when they are removed from the apparatus main body 101.

  In this embodiment, four sets of guide portions 25R and 25L corresponding to the cartridges 4y, 4m, 4c, and 4k are provided adjacent to each other in the vertical direction. That is, 25Ry and 25Ly are guide portions corresponding to the yellow cartridge 4y, and 25Rm and 25Lm are guide portions corresponding to the magenta cartridge 4m. Further, 25Rc and 25Lc are guide portions corresponding to the cyan cartridge 4c, and 25Rk and 25Lk are guide portions corresponding to the black cartridge 4k. Each of the guide portions 25R and 25L extends in a substantially horizontal direction in the front-rear direction, and a drum 1 is disposed at the tip. The extending directions of the guide portions 25R and 25L are substantially the same as the attaching / detaching direction of the cartridge 4. Each of the cartridges 4y, 4m, 4c, and 4k slides with the left and right guided portions (cartridge side guide portions) 42L and 42R engaged with the corresponding left and right guide portions 25R and 25L on the mounting portion 102 side. It is attached to and detached from the mounting portion 102 by being moved.

  FIG. 5A shows a state of work for mounting the yellow cartridge 4y to the mounting portion 102. FIG. The user can easily attach and detach the cartridge 4y to and from the mounting portion 102 by holding the cartridge 4y by holding the handle 13 located at the protruding position A by the urging force of the urging member 14. . As described above, the movement of the handle 13 positioned at the protruding position A in the direction opposite to the direction from the protruding position A toward the retracted position B is restricted by the stopper portion 45b. Thereby, even if the handle 13 is held and the cartridge 4y is held, the cartridge 4y can be stably held. The user holds the cartridge 4 y by holding the handle 13, inserts the developing roller 40 into the mounting portion 102 from the opened opening 103, and inserts the left and right guided portions 4 </ b> L and 4 </ b> R into the mounting portion 102. Are engaged with the corresponding guide portions 25Ly and 25Ry on the left and right sides. Then, the guided portions 4L and 4R are slid along the guide portions 25Ly and 25Ry, and the cartridge 4y is inserted into the mounting portion 102. The mounting direction x1 of the cartridge 4y is substantially the same as the extending direction of the guide portions 25Ly and 25Ry as described above, and the cartridge 4y is inserted from the front surface of the apparatus main body 101 in a substantially horizontal direction. Then, spacer rollers 44 as positioning portions arranged on the left and right sides of the developing roller 40 on the front end side of the cartridge 4y are left and right peripheral surface portions 1L and 1R of the drum 1 as positioning portions (FIG. 5B). ) And push it in fully until it is received. In this inserted state, the handle 13 protrudes outward from the opening 103. The magenta cartridge 4m, the cyan cartridge 4c, and the black cartridge 4k are also inserted into the corresponding guide portions of the mounting portion 102 in the same manner as in the case of the yellow cartridge 4y.

  FIG. 4A also shows a state in which all four cartridges 4y, 4m, 4c and 4k are inserted. In this state, all the handles 13 of the cartridges 4 are located at the protruding position A and protrude outward from the opening 103. Then, the door 10 is closed. During the closing and turning process of the door 10, the inner surface of the door 10 sequentially contacts the tip of the handle 13 of each cartridge in the order of the lower cartridge and the upper cartridge in order to press the handle 13. With this pressing force, the handle 13 rotates from the protruding position A to the retracted position B against the urging force of the spring 14. In the state where the door 10 is sufficiently closed and closed by the catchers 50a and 50b, the grips 13 of each cartridge 4 are all resisting the urging force of the spring 14 as shown in FIG. It is converted and held in a state where it is pivotally moved from the protruding position A to the retracted position B. In this state, each cartridge 4 is positively moved and biased in the insertion direction x 1, that is, in the direction of the drum 1 by the reaction force of the spring 14. Therefore, the spacer roller 44 as the positioned portion is positively pressed against the left and right peripheral surface portions 1L and 1R of the drum 1 as the positioning portion and is held in a state of abutting. That is, each cartridge 4 is held in a predetermined position with respect to the mounting portion 102.

  In this embodiment, the development of the electrostatic latent image formed on the drum 1 is a non-contact development method using a non-magnetic toner, and development is performed in a state where the developing roller 40 and the drum 1 have a predetermined gap. In a state in which the spacer roller 44 is positively pressed against the left and right peripheral surface portions 1L and 1R of the drum 1 and the cartridge is positioned, the facing portion between the developing roller 40 and the drum 1 as shown in FIG. Is formed with a predetermined gap α. When the door 10 is closed in the opening 103 of the apparatus main body 101, a drive output section (not shown) on the apparatus main body 101 side is coupled to a drive input section (not shown) of each cartridge 4. It becomes a state. Further, a bias output unit (not shown) on the apparatus main body 101 side is coupled to a bias input unit (not shown) of each cartridge 4. As a result, the apparatus 100 is ready for an image forming operation.

  The removal operation of the cartridge 4 is performed from the opposite side of the mounting procedure described above. That is, the closed door 10 is opened. The door 10 held in the closed state by the catchers 50a and 50b can be opened by disengaging the catchers 50a and 50b by placing the fingers on the handle 10a and pulling them forward against the engaging force of the catchers 50a and 50b. Can do. Then, the door 10 can be tilted to the front side of the apparatus main body 101 about the hinge shaft 10b and rotated to be in a state opened from the apparatus main body 101 as shown in FIG. Since the door 10 moves in a direction away from the handle 13 by the opening and turning of the door 10, the handle 13 of the cartridge 4 is sequentially moved from the upper cartridge to the lower cartridge by the urging force of the spring 14 in the retracted position B. To the projecting position A. When the handle 13 returns from the retracted position B to the protruding position A, the positive pressing of the spacer roller 44 against the left and right peripheral surface portions 1L and 1R of the drum 1 by the reaction force of the spring 14 is released. 4A, when the door 10 is sufficiently opened from the apparatus main body 101 and the opening 103 is opened, the handle 13 of each cartridge 4 is positioned at the protruding position A, and the apparatus The main body 101 protrudes outside the opening 103. In this state, the user can grip the handle 13 that is located at the protruding position A and protrudes outward from the opening 103 for each cartridge 4. The user grasps the handle 13, slides the guided portions 41L and 41R along the guide portions 25L and 25R, and pulls the cartridge 4 from the mounting portion 102 toward the opening 103, thereby moving the opening 103. Can be removed from the main body. The removal direction of the cartridge 4 is a direction x2 opposite to the mounting direction x1, and is removed from the front surface of the apparatus main body 101 in a substantially horizontal direction. The attachment / detachment direction of the cartridge 4 indicates the mounting direction x1 and the removal direction x2.

  1) In this embodiment, since the handle 13 is rotatable, the handle 13 comes into contact with the door 10 when the door 10 is closed as shown in FIG. Therefore, the apparatus main body 101 can be downsized.

  2) Further, the handle 13 pushes the door 10 by the reaction force of the urging means 14 of the handle 13 located at the retracted position B when the door 10 is closed. Therefore, the cartridge 4 is positively moved and urged in the mounting direction x1. As a result, the positioned portion 44 of the cartridge 4 is positively pressed and brought into contact with the positioning portions 1L and 1R on the apparatus main body side, and the predetermined positioning state of the cartridge 4 is stably maintained. That is, the clearance between the developing roller 40 and the drum 1 is stably maintained. Therefore, it is not necessary to separately provide a member for urging the cartridge 4 on the apparatus main body 101 side, and it is possible to save costs and reduce the size by reducing the number of parts.

  3) Further, even when the user closes the door 10 without pushing the cartridge 4 into the cartridge mounting portion 102 of the apparatus main body 101 to a predetermined position, the handle 13 of the cartridge 4 passes through the biasing member 4 and the door 10. Press. For this reason, the cartridge 4 is moved to the normal position in response to the movement biasing force in the mounting direction x1, and therefore, the possibility of failure of the image forming process due to a user's operation error can be reduced.

  4) When the door 10 is opened, the handle 13 of the cartridge 4 is automatically moved from the retracted position B to the protruding position A by the urging force of the urging member 14. That is, it is in a state of projecting outward (in the direction of the user) from the opening 103. Therefore, the handle 13 of the cartridge 4 can be moved to a position that is easy for the user to hold without providing a mechanism for operating the handle in the apparatus main body 101.

  5) Further, when the user holds the cartridge 4, the user grips the handle 13. The handle 13 is always urged to rotate in the z1 direction and is positioned at the protruding position A regulated by the stopper portion 45b. Therefore, since the handle 13 does not rotate while the user is holding the cartridge 4, the user can stably hold the cartridge 4 and can improve workability such as attachment / detachment operation. .

  6) In this embodiment, the cartridge 4 is inserted in a substantially horizontal direction, but it is also effective when the insertion angle is the vertical direction and the handle 13 does not protrude in the direction of the user due to its own weight.

  With the configuration of the above embodiment, it is possible to reduce the size and cost of the apparatus main body and improve workability.

[Example 2]
The second embodiment is another configuration example of the handle 13 of the cartridge 4. 6A is an external perspective view of the cartridge 4 in the present embodiment, FIG. 6B is a state diagram of the main part of the handle 13 in a state of being located at the protruding position A, and FIG. It is a state figure of the important section of handle 13 of the state which is carrying out. In the cartridge 4 of the present embodiment, the left and right grips 13 are sufficiently large from the inside to the outside of the housing 41b through the holes 41c provided on the left and right sides of the rear end surface 41b of the housing 41 by the urging force of the urging member 14, respectively. It is possible to take the protruding position A that protrudes and moves. Moreover, the retraction position B pushed and moved inside the housing 41b can be taken by pushing in the reverse direction against the urging force of the urging member 14.

Specifically, a slide block 13c is provided at the base of the handle 13, and the block 13c is fitted into a guide groove 41d provided inside the housing 41b. The guide groove 41d is long along the cartridge attaching / detaching direction x1, x2. The block 13c is slidable in the cartridge attaching / detaching direction x1 and x2 along the guide groove 41d. The handle 13 protrudes outside the cartridge 4 through the hole 41 c of the housing 41. In the guide groove portion 41d, a coil spring 14 as a biasing member is contracted between the tip end portion 13d of the block 13c and the downstream end surface 41f of the guide groove portion 41d in the cartridge mounting direction x1.

In the free state, the block 13c is slid in the guide groove portion 41d by the urging force of the spring 14 in the cartridge removal direction x2 which is opposite to the cartridge mounting direction x1. The rear end portion 13e of the block 13c is in contact with and received by the end surface 41e on the downstream side in the cartridge removal direction x2 of the guide groove portion 41d. In this state, the handle 13 is located at a projecting position A that sufficiently projects from the inner side of the housing 41b to the outer side through the hole 41c (see FIGS. 6A and 6B). In other words, the handle 13 is located at the protruding position A that protrudes from the rear end side of the cartridge 4 toward the upstream side in the mounting direction x1 in which the cartridge 4 is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion 102. The user grasps the handle 13 with his hand. As a result, the cartridge 4 can be easily attached to and detached from the mounting portion 102 of the apparatus main body 101.

  When the cartridge 4 is inserted into the mounting portion 102 of the apparatus main body and the door 10 is closed, the inner surface of the door 10 abuts against the tip of the handle 13 of the cartridge and presses the handle 13. With this pressing force, the handle 13 slides from the protruding position A to the retracted position B against the urging force of the spring 14 ((c) of FIG. 6). That is, the handle 13 slides to the retracted position B located on the opposite side of the protruding position A from the upstream side. In this state, each cartridge 4 is positively moved and biased in the insertion direction x 1, that is, in the direction of the drum 1 by the reaction force of the spring 14. Therefore, the spacer roller 44 as the positioned portion is positively pressed against the left and right peripheral surface portions 1L and 1R of the drum 1 as the positioning portion and is held in a state of abutting. That is, each cartridge 4 is held in a predetermined position with respect to the mounting portion 102. As described above, the handle 13 of the second embodiment slides in the mounting direction x1 of the cartridge 4 and the direction x2 opposite to the mounting direction with respect to the housing (exterior portion) 41 of the cartridge 4, thereby protruding position A. And a retreat position B. And it has the same effect as the structure of the handle 13 of Example 1. FIG.

[Other embodiments]
1) In the first embodiment, in relation to the thickness (height) of the cartridge 4 and the length of the handle 13, the handle 13 rotated and moved to the retracted position B when the door 10 is closed interferes with the upper and lower cartridges 4. If you want to. In such a case, for example, as shown in FIG. 7, it can be considered that the arrangement position of the handle 13 is shifted left and right between the upper and lower cartridges 4.

  2) Of course, the positioning portion on the cartridge 4 side and the positioning portion on the apparatus main body 101 side are not limited to the spacer roller 44 of the embodiment and the peripheral surface portions 1L and 1R on both the left and right sides of the drum 1. For example, the developing roller bearing portion on the cartridge 4 side can be a positioned portion, and the developing roller bearing portion receiving portion provided on the apparatus main body side can be a positioning portion.

  3) The development of the electrostatic latent image formed on the drum 1 by the cartridge 4 may be a so-called contact development method in which the developing roller 40 is brought into contact with the drum 1.

  4) The cartridge detachably mounted on the apparatus main body 101 is not furnished with the developing cartridge of the embodiment. It may be a process cartridge having an image carrier on which a latent image is formed, such as an electrophotographic photosensitive member, an electrostatic recording dielectric, and a magnetic recording magnetic material, and image forming process means acting on the image carrier. Other devices and units that are detachably attached to the apparatus main body 101 may be used.

  5) The image forming apparatus 100 may be a monochromatic apparatus such as black and white.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100..Image forming apparatus, 101..Main body of apparatus, 102..Cartridge mounting part, S..Recording medium, 4 ..・ Mounting direction

Claims (11)

  A cartridge that is detachably mounted on a cartridge mounting portion of an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording medium, and is a handle that is held by a user when the cartridge is attached to or detached from the cartridge mounting portion. And a biasing member for biasing the handle, wherein the handle protrudes from the rear end side of the cartridge toward the upstream side in the mounting direction in which the cartridge is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion. And a retracted position located on the opposite side of the upstream side from the protruding position, and is moved and urged to the protruding position by the urging force of the urging member, A cartridge that is held by a user in a state of protruding to a position.   2. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the handle is movable between the protruding position and the retracted position by rotating about an axis with respect to an exterior portion of the cartridge.   The grip is slidable in the mounting direction and in a direction opposite to the mounting direction with respect to the exterior portion of the cartridge, and is movable between the protruding position and the retracted position. 2. The cartridge according to 1.   The cartridge is a developing cartridge having a developer carrying member for supplying a developer to an image carrier on which a latent image is formed and developing the latent image, and a developer containing portion containing the developer. The cartridge according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the cartridge is provided.   4. The cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the cartridge is a process cartridge having an image carrier on which a latent image is formed and an image forming process unit that acts on the image carrier. The cartridge according to item. An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording medium by removably attaching a cartridge to the apparatus main body,
The apparatus main body includes a cartridge mounting portion for detachably mounting the cartridge, a positioning portion for the mounted cartridge, an opening for attaching and detaching the cartridge to and from the cartridge mounting portion, and the opening An opening and closing member that can open and close the opening, and an opening and closing member that can take an opening position that opens the opening,
The cartridge includes a handle for a user to hold when the cartridge is attached to and detached from the cartridge mounting portion, a biasing member for biasing the handle, and a positioned portion. Is a protruding position that protrudes from the rear end side of the cartridge toward the upstream side in the mounting direction in which the cartridge is mounted in the cartridge mounting portion, and a retracted position that is positioned on the opposite side of the upstream side from the protruding position; And is urged to move to the protruding position by the urging member,
In a state where the cartridge is mounted on the cartridge mounting portion and the opening / closing member is located at the closed position, the handle is pushed by the opening / closing member to resist the biasing force of the biasing member. The image forming apparatus, wherein the positioned portion is held in a state of being pressed by the positioning portion by a reaction force of the urging member by being moved from the position to the retracted position.   When the opening / closing member is moved from the closed position to the open position, the pressing by the opening / closing member of the handle is released, and the handle is moved from the retracted position to the protruding position by the urging force of the urging member. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the pressed portion of the positioned portion is released and the handle is held by the user in a state of protruding to the protruding position.   The image according to claim 6 or 7, wherein the handle is movable between the protruding position and the retracted position by rotating about a shaft with respect to an exterior portion of the cartridge. Forming equipment.   The grip is slidable in the mounting direction and in a direction opposite to the mounting direction with respect to the exterior portion of the cartridge, and is movable between the protruding position and the retracted position. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6 or 7.   The cartridge is a developing cartridge having a developer carrying member for supplying a developer to an image carrier on which a latent image is formed and developing the latent image, and a developer containing portion containing the developer. The image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the image forming apparatus is provided.   10. The cartridge according to claim 6, wherein the cartridge is a process cartridge having an image carrier on which a latent image is formed and an image forming process unit acting on the image carrier. The image forming apparatus described in the item.