JPH02165174A - Developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the stain by toner which occurs at the time of exchanging a toner cartridge by providing a sealing member which always blocks the opening part of the toner cartridge and opens it when the toner cartridge is positioned at a replenishing position. CONSTITUTION:The toner cartridge 20 is provided with the opening part 22 provided to a cartridge main body 21 which is formed in a cylinder shape, an agitator which rotates clockwise so as to stir the toner and replenishes the toner from the opening part 22 and the sealing member 24 which hermetically seals the opening part 22 by covering from an upper side. Therefore, the sealing member 24 opens the opening part 22 of the toner cartridge 20 only at the replenishing position where the toner cartridge 20 replenishes the toner. Since the opening part 22 is kept being blocked at the time of exchanging the toner cartridge 20, the toner is prevented from scattering and staining an operator's hands.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial-QJU■” 1 ship The present invention is removably attached to the main body of the developing device.

The present invention relates to a developing device that includes a toner cartridge for replenishing toner, and the toner cartridge is attached to a main body of the developing device by moving to a replenishing position where the opening thereof faces in a predetermined direction.

The developing device of the above type is known, and includes a laser printer,
Used in copying machines, etc. In this type of developing device, when the toner in the device runs out.

The toner cartridge must be replaced with a new one.

In this case, the opening of a conventional toner cartridge is sealed with Mylar (trade name) or a seal on a film.

When setting the above toner cartridge in the developing device,
This is done after removing the seal covering the opening.

Therefore, if the toner cartridge is not carefully operated after the seal is removed, toner may spill from the opening. If you spill toner, it will stain your hands, etc., and the toner will scatter inside and outside the machine.Also, there is toner on the back of the sticker that you peel off, so if you dispose of the sticker incorrectly, it can stain your hands and clothes. or if you place it on top of an object, that object will be smeared with toner.

Furthermore, when the toner cartridge is pulled out from the developing device, there is a problem that a small amount of toner remains inside the toner cartridge, and this toner scatters from the opening and contaminates the operator and the inside of the machine.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned problems.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a developing device that does not become stained by toner when replacing a toner cartridge.

The structure of the present invention to achieve the above object is as follows.

A developing device that includes a toner cartridge that is removably attached to a developing device body and replenishes toner, and the toner cartridge is attached to the developing device body by moving to a replenishing position with its opening facing in a predetermined direction. The developing device further comprises a sealing member that always closes the opening of the toner cartridge and opens the opening when the toner cartridge is in the replenishment position.

In the developing device configured as described above, the sealing member opens the opening of the toner cartridge only at the replenishment position where the toner cartridge is replenished with toner. Therefore, the opening remains closed when the toner cartridge is replaced. No more toner scattering or getting your hands dirty.

Nu J1 type Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a developing device to which the present invention is applied. The overall configuration of the laser printer is shown, and it operates as follows.

A recording paper 2 fed from a paper feeding device 1 in the direction of arrow A is timed by a pair of registration rollers 3 and transported to a latent image carrier consisting of a drum-shaped photoreceptor 4. Photoreceptor 4
is rotationally driven in a counterclockwise direction, its surface is charged by a charging charger 5, and is irradiated with laser light from a laser optical system 6 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor.

This latent image is made visible by toner when passing through the developing device 7, and this visible image is transferred by the transfer charger 8 onto the recording paper 2 which is conveyed to the photoreceptor 4.

The transferred visible image on the recording paper is fixed by a fixing device 9. Then, the recording paper 2 that has left the fixing device 9 is discharged to the discharge section 11 in the direction of arrow B. On the other hand, residual toner is removed from the photoreceptor 4 after the visible image has been transferred by a cleaning group @12 having a cleaning blade 12a. The toner removed from the photoreceptor is collected in a toner collection tank 13 and stored there.

As shown in FIG. 2, the developing device 7 includes a developing roller 14 disposed opposite to the photoconductor 4, a replenishment roller 15 that charges toner and supplies toner to the developing roller 14, and a roller that supplies toner to the developing roller. It has a thin layer roller 16 that forms a uniform thin layer of the required amount of toner, and a cleaning roller 17 that scrapes off the toner that would have been developed from the developing roller 14.
These rollers are arranged within a developing chamber 19 formed by a unit casing 18. And this developing chamber 19
Toner is replenished by the toner cartridge 20.

The toner cartridge 20 includes an opening 22 provided in a cartridge main body 21 formed in a cylindrical shape, an agitator 23 that rotates clockwise to agitate the toner and replenish the toner from the opening 22, and the opening 22. It has a sealing member 24 that covers and seals 22 from above.

The sealing member 24 has a sponge on the surface facing the toner cartridge, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5.

A sealing part 26 provided with a sealing material 25 such as rubber and an arm part 27 provided at one end of the sealing part 26 are rotatable about an axis 28 whose axis coincides with the central axis of the toner cartridge. is installed on. The movement of the sealing member 24 is regulated by a protrusion 29 provided on the side of the toner cartridge, and the sealing member 24 is normally held in the closed position shown in FIG. 2 in which the opening 22 is sealed. In this case, the shape and material of the protrusion 29 or the material of the sealing member 24 are appropriately set so that the protrusion 29 can pass through the arm portion 27 of the sealing member 24 when the toner cartridge 20 is moved to the replenishment position described later. There is. In this example, as shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a sealing material 30 is also provided around the opening 22 by pasting or the like.

In the unit casing 18 of the developing device 7, a recess 31 into which the sealing member 24 can be fitted is formed above a portion where the toner cartridge 20 is mounted. This recess 31 is
It is adapted to hold the sealing member 24 in a predetermined position.

The installation and removal operations of the toner cartridge 20 in the thus configured developing device 7 will be explained.

The unused toner cartridge 20 is positioned in a closed position where the sealing member 24 closes the opening 22 with the protrusion 29 . Note that during storage, there is a risk that the sealing member 24 may overcome the protrusion 29 due to vibrations, shocks, etc. and the opening 22 may open, so it is preferable to provide an appropriate stopper means to prevent the sealing member 24 from moving. , releasing such stopper means.

Here, the upper unit casing 18 of the developing device 7 is opened, and the toner cartridge 20 is installed in a predetermined position.

At this time, the toner cartridge 20 is installed with the sealing member 24 facing upward.

After the toner cartridge 20 is installed, the unit casing 18 is closed, and the sealing member 24 is fitted into the recess 31 (see FIG. 2), and the toner cartridge 20 is closed.
Rotate counterclockwise as shown.

The toner cartridge 20 is moved to the replenishment position where the opening 22 communicates with the developing chamber 19 (see FIG. 3). At this time, the sealing member 24 fitted in the recess 31 does not move, and the toner cartridge 20 , and the opening 22 is opened. Thereafter, the toner cartridge main body is held at this position by a fixing means (not shown).

In this manner, the toner cartridge 20 is set in the developing device 7, but since the toner cartridge 20 can be installed without touching the sealing member 24 by hand, no staining due to toner occurs during installation.

Next, transfer the empty toner cartridge 2o to the developing device 7.
When the toner cartridge is removed from the main body 21, a small amount of toner remains inside the toner cartridge main body 21, and if the toner cartridge is removed with the opening 22 open, the toner will spill and scatter. Therefore, the toner cartridge main body 21 is rotated clockwise and returned from the replenishing position to the closed position.
returns to the state shown in FIG. 2, and since the opening 22 is closed by the sealing member 24, there is no risk of toner spilling.

Then, the unit casing 18 is opened and the empty toner cartridge 20 is taken out. Thus, the toner cartridge 20 can be removed without getting one's hands dirty.

6 and 7 show another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the sealing member 24 has a tension spring 32 secured to its arm 27 and the toner cartridge main body 21. It is provided. The tension spring 32 applies an elastic force to the sealing member 24 to rotate it counterclockwise.

The sealing member 24 is normally held at a position where it abuts against the stopper 33. This position is a closed position in which the opening 22 is closed.

When the toner cartridge 20 configured as described above is installed in the developing device 7, it is placed with the opening 22 facing upward, and the stopper 33 is removed, and then the unit casing 18 is lowered.

Next, when the toner cartridge 20 is rotated counterclockwise, the recess 31 in this example communicates with the developing chamber 19 and reaches the position.
Blocked by 4. Then, when the sealing member 24 hits the left end of the recess 31 and stops, and the toner cartridge 20 is further rotated against the action of the tension spring 32, the opening 22 begins to open and becomes both open at the replenishment position, and the toner cartridge body is held in this position by fixing means, not shown.

Next, when replacing the empty toner cartridge 20, the fixing means is released and the toner cartridge 20 is rotated clockwise. At this time, the 1-ner cartridge 2
When the opening 22 of No. 0 reaches the position of the recess 31, the opening 22 is immediately closed by the sealing member 24 by the action of the tension spring 32.

Thus, in this embodiment, the opening 22 of the toner cartridge 20 is opened only at the replenishment position, and toner contamination that occurs when replacing the toner cartridge is reliably prevented. Furthermore, in this example, the opening 22 is covered by the sealing member 24 even during rotation when the toner cartridge is installed, so there is no fear of toner scattering. It should be noted that if the tension spring 32 is provided as shown, it will also apply an elastic force in the direction in which the sealing member 24 closes the opening 22.

Advantageously, other types of springs or the like may be used.

Further, instead of the stopper 33, a stopper pin 33' may be provided on the side of the toner cartridge main body, and in this case, the operation of removing the stopper is unnecessary.

FIG. 8 shows a modification of the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, in which the rotation center 28 of the sealing member 24 is offset from the central axis of the toner cartridge body 21. In this case, the center of rotation of the sealing member 24 is set at such a position that the sealing member 24 separates from the outer periphery of the toner cartridge main body 21 when the toner cartridge 20 is rotated clockwise.

The toner cartridge 20 configured as described above has a developing device i17.
By rotating counterclockwise when setting the toner cartridge, the sealing member 24 hits a recess (not shown) and separates from the toner cartridge main body 21, opening the opening 22. Furthermore, if the toner cartridge 20 is rotated clockwise when removed, the sealing member 24 closes the opening and the toner cartridge 20 is rotated clockwise.
There is no risk of toner scattering when replacing the zero. Further, the tension spring 32 exerts a strong elastic force that presses the sealing member 24 against the opening 22, thereby improving sealing performance.

Effects According to the above configuration, in the developing device of the present invention, the opening of the toner cartridge opens at the replenishment position, and the sealing member can be held at the closed position whenever the toner cartridge is touched by hand, thereby preventing toner stains. It was definitely preventable.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a front view showing the overall configuration of a laser printer using a developing device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the developing device showing the closed position of the sealing member, and FIG. 3 is the replenishment position of the developing device. 4 and 5 are side and front views of the toner cartridge, FIGS. 6 and 7 are enlarged sectional views showing another embodiment of the present invention and a front view of the toner cartridge, and FIG. 8 is a side view and a front view of the toner cartridge. FIG. 7 is a front view of a toner cartridge showing still another embodiment of the present invention. 7...Developing device 20...Toner cartridge 22...Opening section 24...Sealing member Fig. 4 Fig. 5

Claims (1)

[Claims] It has a toner cartridge that is removably attached to the developing device main body and replenishes toner, and the toner cartridge is moved to a replenishing position with its opening facing in a predetermined direction, thereby replenishing the toner into the developing device main body. The developing device to which the toner cartridge is attached is provided with a sealing member that always closes the opening of the toner cartridge and opens the opening when the toner cartridge is located at the replenishment position.