JP2952035B2 - Developing device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner replenishing section in which toner is stored and a toner replenishing port is provided at a position facing a developing section, and a toner replenishing port of the toner replenishing section is shielded. The developing device main body is mounted on the image forming apparatus, the toner shielding member is moved relatively to the toner replenishing portion to open the toner replenishing port. The present invention relates to a developing device.

2. Description of the Related Art In a two-component developing device that uses a toner and a developer, which is used in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a developing device is used to prevent deterioration of the developer. Until the developing device is mounted, the developer and the toner are handled separately. And in the conventional developing device,
The toner is contained in a toner hopper, but the developer is put into a developing section provided with a developing roller and the like after the developing device is mounted on the main body of the image forming apparatus.

However, such a method is inconvenient to operate,
In order to improve the operability, the developing device is provided with a developer accommodating portion, and the developer is accommodated therein. After the developing device is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the seal of the developer accommodating portion is opened. There is also known an apparatus in which a developer is dropped into a developing device.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, even in such a developing device, a predetermined operation is necessary after the developing device is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body. Moreover, when the sealing member or the like is taken out of the apparatus, there is a problem that the hands are stained. In particular, in a disposable developing device, maintenance becomes free and the merits of disposable are reduced by half.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art, and to provide an inexpensive developing device in which operability in which a developer is supplied to a developing section by simply operating the developing device on a main body is improved. I do.

Means for Solving the Problems The configuration of the present invention for solving the above problems is as follows.

An image forming apparatus including: a toner replenishing unit that accommodates toner and has a toner replenishing port provided at a position facing the developing unit; and a toner shielding member that blocks the toner replenishing port of the toner replenishing unit. Wherein the toner shielding member is moved relatively to the toner replenishing portion to open the toner replenishing port when the toner shielding member is mounted on the developing device. A developer supply section provided with a developer supply port, and a shutter member provided at the developer supply port of the developer storage section, one end of the shutter member is taped, and the other end is provided. Is held at a position where the developer supply port is shielded by the toner shielding member, and when the toner supply port is opened, the toner shielding member releases the shutter member, and the shutter member releases the tape stopper. Wherein the developer supply port is opened by rotating the developer supply port.

According to the above configuration, by attaching the developing device to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the toner shielding member moves, the toner can be supplied, and the developer is also supplied to the developing section, so that the operability is greatly improved. In addition, since one end of the shutter member provided at the developer supply port of the developer accommodating portion is taped, it can be used as a hinge of the shutter member which is inexpensive and has good sealing properties.

Embodiment FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic structure of a developing device according to an embodiment.

In FIG. 1, the developing device includes a developing section 1, a toner hopper 2 as a toner replenishing section, and a developer accommodating section 3.

A photosensitive drum 4 as a latent image carrier is provided in the developing unit 1.
A developing roller 5, a paddle 6 and a stirring plate 7 are provided from the side. The magnetic carrier as a developer is released from the developer accommodating section 3 and is introduced into the developing section 1, while the toner is supplied from the toner replenishing port 12 to the hole 14 of the toner shielding member 13 by the toner replenishing member 11 of the toner hopper 2. And is supplied into the developing unit 1.

In the developing section 1, the magnetic carrier and the toner are mixed and stirred by the stirring plate 7 and supplied to the developing roller 5 by the paddle 6.

The developing roller 5 has a sleeve that rotates on the outer surface and a magnet inside, and attracts and carries the magnetic carrier and the toner supplied by the action of the magnet on the surface thereof. After being regulated to the amount, the sheet is transported to a developing position close to the photoconductor 4, and the electrostatic latent image thereon is developed with toner.

The developing unit 1 is further provided with a separator 9 and a horizontal stirring screw 10, and surplus toner and magnetic carrier regulated by the doctor blade 8 pass over the separator 9, and a part of them is Separator 9
And is stirred in the width direction of the developing device by the horizontal stirring screw 10 inside.

The magnetic carrier is accommodated in the developer accommodating section 3 until the developing device is mounted on an image forming apparatus main body (not shown).
Further, a developer supply port 3b is formed in a casing 3a of the developer storage section 3 at a position facing the development section 1 of the developer storage section 3, that is, at the bottom, and the developer supply port 3b is rotatable with respect to the casing 3a. The bottom plate as a shutter member attached to
Closed by 15.

2 to 4 are views for explaining the movement of the toner shielding member 13 and the accompanying rotation mechanism of the bottom plate 15. FIG.

The developing device is mounted on an image forming apparatus main body (not shown) from the direction of arrow A while being guided by a rail (not shown). The image forming apparatus has a toner shielding member on its side plate 17.
An extrusion pin 18 for moving the 13 is provided.

When the developing device is attached to the image forming apparatus main body, as shown in FIG. 2, the pin 16 attached to the toner shielding member 13 hits the push-out pin 18, and the toner shielding member 13 is pushed in the direction of arrow B, and It is guided and moves relative to the toner hopper 2 in that direction. As a result, the support portion 13a of the toner shielding member 13 supporting the supported portion 15a of the bottom plate 15 moves out of the range for supporting the supported portion 15a, and the bottom plate 15 is moved to a position indicated by a broken line as shown in FIG. To discharge the magnetic carrier into the developing unit 1 as shown by the arrow.

With this configuration, the magnetic carrier is supplied to the developing unit 1 and toner can be supplied without any operation other than mounting the developing device on the main body of the image forming apparatus.

The developing device having such a configuration is required to be free of material in the case of disposable and to be able to store the toner inside without disposing the toner so as to be maintenance-free by the user. Therefore, when considering the developer accommodating section 3 and the bottom plate 15 from the viewpoint of the material, styrene, propylene, and hard PVC can be considered, but these materials have advantages and disadvantages, respectively.

In the case of a styrene-based material such as ABS resin, extrusion molding and welding can be performed, but there is no hinge effect, and the hinge cannot be integrated with the bottom plate 15. Propylene has a hinge effect, and the hinge can be integrated with the bottom plate 15, but the welding of the joint,
Extrusion cannot be performed. In the case of hard PVC, extrusion molding can be performed, but welding at the joint cannot be performed, and the appearance is not clean.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the material of the developer accommodating section 3 and the bottom plate 15 is made of a styrene-based material such as ABS resin, and the bottom plate 15 is connected to the developer accommodating section 3 by a tape 19 as shown in FIGS. doing. Reference numeral 20 denotes a seal for obtaining a sealing property of a portion of the bottom plate 15 other than the tape 19.

According to this configuration, the hinge effect can be obtained by using the tape 19 even when the material of the developer accommodating portion 3 and the bottom plate 15 is made of a styrene-based material such as an ABS resin which can be extruded or welded. If used, the sealing property between the developer accommodating section 3 and the bottom plate 15 becomes good. Therefore, the developer container 3
Out of the magnetic carrier can be prevented.

According to the above configuration, by attaching the developing device to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the toner shielding member moves, the toner can be supplied, and the developer is also supplied to the developing section, so that the operability is greatly improved. In addition, since one end of the shutter member provided in the developer supply port of the developer accommodating portion is taped, the shutter member can be used as a hinge for the shutter member which is inexpensive and has good sealing properties.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic structure of a developing device according to an embodiment;
2 to 4 are views for explaining the movement of the toner shielding member and the accompanying rotation mechanism of the bottom plate. FIG. 2 is an overall perspective view, and FIG. 3 is a perspective view seen from the bottom side. 4 is a sectional view, FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the developing device according to the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an enlarged view thereof. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Development part 2 ... Toner supply part 3 ... Developer storage part 4 ... Cleaning roller 12 ... Toner supply opening 13 ... Toner shielding member 15 ... Bottom plate 19 ... Tape

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A developing device including: a toner replenishing portion that contains toner and has a toner replenishing port provided at a position facing the developing portion; and a toner shielding member that blocks the toner replenishing port of the toner replenishing portion. In the developing device, when the main body is mounted on the image forming apparatus, the toner shielding member is moved relative to the toner replenishing portion to open the toner replenishing port. A developer supply section provided with a developer supply port at a position facing the section, and a shutter member provided at the developer supply port of the developer storage section, and one end of the shutter member is a tape. Is stopped, and the other end is held at a position where the developer supply port is blocked by a toner blocking member. When the toner supply port is opened, the toner blocking member releases the shutter member, and the shutter member is released. A developing device, wherein the developer supply port is opened by rotating around a tape stopper.