JP3537645B2 - Developer exchange device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developer exchanging device for collecting and exchanging a developer from a developing device in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, it is necessary to replace a developer containing a toner and a carrier contained in a two-component developing device and a developer contained in a one-component developing device as a toner with the lapse of time. Will occur. In the replacement of the developer, the operation of extracting the developer from the developing device and the operation of filling the developer are both manual operations, and are operations that cannot be performed by the user. Therefore, the replacement of the developer is usually performed by a serviceman, but this work is troublesome and time-consuming, the hands become dirty, and the machine itself and its surroundings become dirty due to the scattering of the developer. Had to work. In addition, the most troublesome work, such as the generation of dust due to the scattering of the developer at the user's site and the storage and disposal of the used developer, have been forced. Therefore, it is desirable to replace the developer at the user's site, which is desirable because it reduces the exchange cost associated with work efficiency and logistics, and reduces the downtime of the machine. Since space is required and there is also a problem of dust such as scattering of the developer, almost all the developer is transferred to a service base or a factory.

[0003]

However, if the developer is transferred to a service base or factory every time the developer is exchanged, the machine becomes unusable during that time, and downtime has become a very serious problem. . In particular,
Downtime is a serious problem for a user who needs a large amount of copying and printing work, and in such a user's machine, the frequency of changing the developer is naturally increased.

The present invention has been made in consideration of the above-described conventional circumstances, and a developer exchanging apparatus which can exchange a developer by a simple operation, has little scattering of the developer and can exchange the developer at a user's site. The purpose is to provide.

[0005]

To achieve the above object, according to an aspect of the present invention, in the developer exchanging apparatus for exchanging a developer loaded in the developing device of the image forming apparatus main body, wherein
Collecting developer for storing a developer collecting means for transferring the developer suction force is loaded to the developing device, the developer collected from the developing device by the developer collecting means
The image forming apparatus includes a storage member, a developer storage member that stores the developer to be filled in the developing device, and a developer supply unit that supplies the developer stored in the developer storage member to the developing device by a suction force. Provided in a separate housing from the device body,
The developer collecting means, the developing device, and the developer supply
Means and the developing device are detachable and flexible
It is characterized by being connected by a simple transfer member .

It is to be noted that the present invention is characterized in that a developer accommodating member for accommodating the developer to be filled in the developing device and a collected developer accommodating member for accumulating the developer collected from the developing device have both an opening at an upper part, It is effective if a developer accommodating section is provided at the lower portion.

Further, according to the present invention, the developer accommodating member for accommodating the developer to be filled in the developing device and the collected developer accommodating member for accumulating the developer collected from the developing device are constituted by substantially the same components. Is effective.

Further, the present invention is effective when the bottom of the developer accommodating portion of the developer accommodating member is formed in an inverted conical shape. Furthermore, the present invention provides
A supply hopper member for opening and closing the opening is provided at the opening of the developer storage member, and the supply hopper member includes a suction unit for sucking and transferring the developer stored in the developer storage unit. Then it is effective.

Further, the present invention is effective when the suction unit is provided with a deaeration member.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an external perspective view showing an example of a developer exchanging device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional explanatory view showing an internal structure of the exchanging device, FIG.
FIG. 4 is a side view of the exchange device.

In FIG. 1 to FIG. 4, the developer exchange device has a supply section for supplying a developer composed of, for example, toner and carrier to a later-described developing apparatus, and a collecting section for collecting the developer of the developing apparatus. The supply unit includes a developer storage member 10 having a developer storage container 10A as a developer storage unit for storing the developer to be supplied, and a developer supply unit 20 configured to supply the developer in the storage container 10A to the developing device. And a hose 40 as a transfer member, and a filling connector 50 connected to the end of the hose 40.

The collecting section is a developer collecting member 11 having a collecting container 110A for storing the collected developer.
0, a developer collecting means 120 for transferring the developer in the developing device to the collection container 110A, and a hose 140 as a transfer member. The developer storage container 10, the developer supply means 20, the recovery storage container 110, and the developer recovery means 120 are provided in an outer case 1 formed in a vertically long box shape as a housing.

The developer supply means 20 has a suction type powder pump 21 in the outer case 1 as shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, and the developer recovery means 120 similarly has the outer case 1.
A suction type powder pump 121 is provided therein. The suction type powder pumps 21 and 121 are, as shown in FIGS.
The same suction type single-axis eccentric screw pump,
The configuration is such that the rotors 22 and 122 are formed in eccentric screw shape with a rigid material such as metal, and the stator is formed and fixed and installed in a double-screw shape made of an elastic body such as rubber. 23, 123 and wrap these,
And holders 24 and 124 formed of a resin material or the like forming a powder conveying path. The rotor 22, 1
Reference numeral 22 denotes drive motors 30 and 130 and drive transmission gear group 3
1, 131, and are rotationally driven via the shaft couplings 25 and 125. The suction type powder pumps 21 and 121, the drive motors 30 and 130, and the drive transmission gear groups 31 and 131 are shown in FIG.
8 and a bracket 32 shown in FIG.

The single-shaft eccentric screw pump configured as described above can perform a constant quantitative transfer at a high solid-gas ratio,
It is known that an accurate amount of developer transfer proportional to the number of rotations of the rotors 22 and 122 can be obtained. Therefore, the amount of the developer to be transferred may be controlled by controlling the driving time of the powder pump. In addition, the transfer path of the hoses 40 and 140 can be freely set, and the hoses 40 and 140 can be transferred freely in a high position or in any direction of up, down, left and right.

Next, the developer accommodating member 10 and the collected developer
The storage member 110 will be described. In FIG. 5, the developer accommodating member 10 is a bag-shaped developer accommodating container 10A made of resin such as polyethylene or nylon.
The base member 10B, the support member 10C, and the shutter member 10D are attached to the opening of the developer storage container 10A.

The base member 10B is composed of a cylindrical member having a male screw portion 10B1 and a locking projection 10B2 formed on the outer periphery from the upper end side, and is thermally welded to the lower end side with the opening edge of the developer accommodating container 10A by applying a high frequency or the like. The joint 10B3 is provided. The joining portion 10B3 has the above-described cylindrical portion at the center, and is formed of a flange hanging down from the cylindrical portion.
The joining portion 10B3 expands the central portion of the opening edge of the developer storage container 10A, and closes the opening edge from the center to both ends of the opening edge so as to be in close contact with the developer storage container 10A. It is designed to be integrated. The locking projections 10B2 are formed by saw teeth that radially protrude at equal intervals along the outer peripheral direction of the base member 10B.

The support member 10C is a cylindrical member having an upper end formed to have a smaller diameter than a lower end in a cross-sectional shape viewed from the side, and has an upwardly facing funnel shape. The support member 10C is provided with a support part for the base member 10B and a developer introduction part. The support part of the base member 10B is formed by a female screw part formed on the inner peripheral surface of the lower cylindrical part and the base member 10B.
And a mating projection (both not shown) formed in the same phase as the locking projection 10B2 provided in the first embodiment, and the developer introduction portion is formed in the semicircular opening 1 formed in the upper cylindrical portion.
0C1 is provided.

The female screw portion formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion at the lower end is where the male screw portion 10B1 of the base member 10B is screwed.
When the locking projection 10B2 of B is abutted, rotation in the direction opposite to the direction in which the screw is screwed is prevented, so that the connection between the screws is prevented from loosening.

A projection 10C2 projecting radially is provided on a part of the outer peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion at the upper end of the support member 10C. Ribs 10C3 formed at intervals are provided. The rib 10C3 is a portion that is gripped when the support member 10C is screwed into the male screw portion 10B1 of the base member 10B, and forms a non-slip portion when the support member 10C is rotated for screwing.

A half-moon-shaped opening 10C1 formed in the cylindrical portion at the upper end is a portion where a developer introduction state and a non-introduction state are set by being opened and closed by a shutter member 10D described later. At the time of introduction, a passage for the developer is formed between the developer storage container 10A and the developer storage container 10A, so that the developer can be introduced into the developer storage container 10A.

The shutter member 10D includes a base member 10C.
Is a cylindrical member having a rotatable lower end fitted to the upper end cylindrical portion, and having a semicircular opening 10D1 at the upper end, and a disk-shaped flange 10D2 integrally formed in the axial direction thereof. I have.

A peripheral groove 10D3 having a vertical groove into which the projection 10C2 of the support member 10B can be inserted from below is formed on the outer peripheral wall of the cylindrical portion on the upper end side with respect to the flange 10D2. The circumferential groove 10D3 is 180 ° along the circumferential direction starting from the position of the vertical groove into which the protrusion 10C2 can be inserted from below.
In the vicinity of the end of the main groove 10D3, there is provided a radial projection 10D4 that protrudes in the radial direction with a phase relationship of approximately 120 ° with the start position of the peripheral groove 10D3.

The circumferential groove 10 in the circumferential direction of the flange 10D2
A notch 10D5 having a concave shape is formed near the end of D2, and a drive pin 12 attached to a supply hopper 11 as a hopper member described later enters into the notch 10D5.

The shutter member 10D includes a support member 10C.
Can be rotated while fitted to the upper end cylindrical portion of the support member 10C.
Is 18 between the start position and the end position of the circumferential groove 10D3.
It is set to 0 ° and can rotate half a turn. Thus, the half-moon-shaped opening 10C1 of the supporting member 10C can be opened and closed, and the opening 10C2 can be opened and closed.
1 and 10D1, the developer container 1
0A and allow opening 10
When the positions of C1 and 10D1 are shifted with a phase of 180 °, the opening 10C1 on the support member 10C side can be closed. When the opening 10C1 on the support member 10C side is closed, the scattering of the developer from the developer storage container 10A side can be prevented.

On the other hand, the supply hopper 11 is provided with an engaging portion 13 having an opening communicating with the opening 10D1 of the shutter member 10D at the upper end thereof. The engaging portion 13 is provided with a detachable portion 13A. The holder 1 is attached to the detachable portion 13A.
4 is detachably engaged. The holder 14 has an opening 14A at the upper end, and a cap 15 to be removed when the pipe is clogged or the like is loaded in the opening 14A. Further, a suction guide member 16 formed in a pipe shape is attached to a lower end of the holder 14, and the suction guide member 16 has a length whose lower end reaches near the bottom of the developer accommodating container 10A. Furthermore, the holder 14
Connecting section 1 to which the transfer tube 26 is connected to the side wall of
7 are provided.

On the other hand, the recovery developer accommodating member 110 is also configured in the same structure as the developer accommodating member 10, the recovered developer storing portion
The material 110 is different from the developer accommodating member 10 in that a collecting popper 111 is provided instead of the supply hopper 11. Therefore, the developer collection container 110A, the base member 1
10B, support member 110C and shutter member 110
Description of D is omitted. In FIG. 6, members corresponding to those in FIG. 5 are denoted by reference numeral 110.

The collection hopper 111 is a member for introducing the developer collected from the developing device into the developer collection container 110A, and is provided detachably with respect to the upper end of the shutter member 110D. This recovery hopper 111
Is provided with a recovery section 113 at the upper end thereof, an opening 114 is formed at the upper end of the recovery section 113, and an air filter 115 for deaeration is loaded in the opening 114. Further, a connecting portion 117 to which a transfer tube 126 is connected is provided on a side wall of the collecting portion 113.

The developer storage container 10A and the developer collection container 110A described above are examples using bags made of a resin such as polyethylene or nylon. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and hard bottles such as PET bottles may be used. It is also possible. However, when the containers 10A and 110A are made into a bag shape, the containers can be folded, so that there is an advantage that handling properties during transportation and storage are good. Developer supply means 20
A tube 26 is attached to the suction type powder pump 21 so that the suction side of the powder pump 21 is connected to the developer accommodating member 10. The hose 40 is attached to the discharge side of the suction type powder pump 21. Further, an air supply port 27 is provided on the discharge side of the suction type powder pump 21, and the air supply port 27 is connected to an air pump 28 via a tube 27A. The air pump 28 supplies air at a flow rate of, for example, about 0.5 to 2.0 liters / minute. This air promotes fluidization of the developer, so that the transfer by the suction type powder pump 21 is ensured. The hose 40 is connected to the discharge side of the suction type powder pump 22. The hose 40 is a flexible and excellent developer-resistant material, for example,
It is very effective to use a tube made of soft vinyl chloride, silicone, nylon or Teflon (trade name).

The hose 140 is attached to the developer collecting means 120 on the suction side of the suction type powder pump 121. Further, on the discharge side of the suction type powder pump 121, the collected developer accommodating member 110 is connected via a tube 126.
Is communicated to. Further, an air supply port 127 is provided on the discharge side of the suction type powder pump 121,
The air supply port 127 is connected to the air pump 28 via a tube 127A. Fluidization of the developer is promoted by the air from the air pump 28, and the transfer by the suction type powder pump 121 is ensured. The hose 140 is connected to the suction-type powder pump 12.
It is very effective to use a tube-shaped hose 140 which is connected to the discharge side of No. 2 and is made of a material which is flexible and has excellent developer resistance.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory sectional view showing an example of a developing device for exchanging a developer, and FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram showing a part of the developing device. 10 and 11, reference numeral 200 denotes a photoconductor, and reference numeral 300 denotes a developing device. Inside the developing device 300, a developing sleeve 310, a first stirring screw 320, and a second stirring screw 330 are provided. The developer in the developing device 300 is circulated by the first stirring screw 320 from left to right in FIG. 11 and by the second stirring screw 330 from right to left. During this circulation, the developing sleeve 3
The electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor 200 is developed by the developer transferred to the photoconductor 200.

As shown in FIG. 11, the developing device 300 has a first stirring screw 32 at its front end.
An agent filling unit 321 is provided at a position corresponding to 0, and an agent collecting unit 331 is provided at a position corresponding to the second stirring screw 330. The agent filling section 321 and the agent collecting section 331 are usually closed by a stopper or the like. However, when the developer is filled, the stopper is opened and the hose 4 is inserted into the agent filling section 321.
When the developer is collected and the developer is collected, the stopper or the like is opened to load the hose 140 into the agent collection unit 331. In addition,
The agent filling section 321 is provided with an air filter 322 for removing air sent together with the developer. The thus configured developer exchanging device is a developing device 300
When the used developer is collected from the developing device, the developing device 30
The hose 140 is connected to the No. 0 agent recovery unit 331, and the drive motor 130 and the air pump 28 are turned on. At this time,
The first and second stirring screws 320 of the developing device 300,
330 is also activated. These stirring screws 320, 33
By the operation of 0, the developer in the developing device 300 circulates,
The developer that has reached the agent recovery section 331 is supplied by the suction type powder pump 12.
The developer is sucked by the suction force of No. 1 and collected in the developer collecting container 110A via the suction type powder pump 121.
Then, almost all the developer in the developing device 300 can be collected by the first and second stirring screws 320 and 330.

When the developer is to be filled, the filler 50 attached to the end of the hose 40 is connected to the agent filling section 321 of the developing device 300, and the drive motor 30 and the air pump 28 are turned on. At this time, the first and second stirring screws 320 and 330 of the developing device 300 are also operated. The developer stored in the developer storage container 10 </ b> A is sucked by the operation of the suction type pump 21 and the air pump 28 and transferred to the agent filling section 321 of the developing device 300 via the hose 40. At this time, the air is degassed from the developing device 300 via the air filter 322, so that the developer is prevented from being scattered from the connecting member and the developing device when the agent is filled. The transferred developer is agitated by the stirring screws 320 and 330.
Is uniformly circulated in the developing device 300.

Further, when loading the developer accommodating member 10 into the exchange device, the shutter member 10D and the supply hopper 11 are engaged and rotated 180 ° in this state. Next, the holder 14
Is attached to the supply hopper 11 and attached to the exchange device, and finally the tube 26 is connected to the holder 14. When the developer accommodating member 10 is taken out of the exchange device, the order may be reversed.

By the way, electrophotographic developers have very poor fluidity. For this reason, in the present embodiment, the developer accommodating member 10A is set vertically, and the suction guide member 16 is arranged near the bottom thereof. Furthermore, by making the bottom of the developer accommodating member 10A an inverted conical shape, even if the amount of the developer for filling becomes small, it can be transferred to the suction port of the suction guide member 16. With these configurations, the developer stored in the developer storage member 10A can be stabilized and the residual can be reduced.

The loading of the recovered developer accommodating member 110 into the replacement device is also performed by the shutter member 110D and the recovery hopper 1.
11 is engaged and rotated 180 ° in this state. Then, in this state, the tube 126 is attached to the exchange device, and finally the tube 126 is connected to the collection unit 113. Also, the collected developer storage member 1
When taking out 10 from the switching device, the order may be reversed.

When the developer is filled, it is desirable to control the filling amount. Although there are various methods for controlling the filling amount, it is one of the preferable methods to control the amount by weight.

As a method of this control, the developing device 300
The method of stopping the supply of the developer by stopping the drive motor of the developer supply means and the air pump when the desired weight is measured before and after filling, and a transfer amount detector between the developer supply means or the transfer member path And a technique such as a method of controlling the developer supply may be diverted.

Regardless of the method used, it is important to drive the powder pump and supply air at the same time in order to ensure the reliability of developer transfer when filling the developer. It is more preferable to drive the body pump 21 before the body pump 21 is driven and supply air for a predetermined time after the drive of the suction type powder pump 21 is stopped. Thereby, the developer is prevented from remaining in the hose 40, and the developer is stably filled.

It is generally known that the developer used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus has very poor fluidity and is difficult to transfer. Originally, when transferring the developer, it is not desirable to apply a large mechanical stress to the developer. When an abnormal stress is applied to the developer, blocking (heat fusion), crushing, and the like of the developer are caused, and not only is the property of the developer deteriorated or the transfer becomes impossible, but also
This causes damage to the developer transfer member such as a coil, a screw, and a pipe, and a drive member. Therefore, when transferring the developer, it is important to devise as little abnormal mechanical stress as possible to the developer.

In the conventional developer transfer device, since the transfer is mainly performed by the screw and the pipe, the mechanical stress due to the screw and the mechanical stress due to the friction generated between the screw and the pipe cannot be very large. Did not get. This becomes worse as the transfer distance becomes longer and the transfer direction is displaced. Further, the required torque for driving the screw becomes very large, so that the cost of the driving member and the power consumption cannot be ignored.

For these reasons, when it is desired to increase the transfer distance or to change the transfer direction, it is necessary to perform multi-stage transfer using a plurality of screws and pipes. This leads to further deterioration of the developer characteristics, an increase in the number of parts, an increase in cost, a decrease in reliability, a decrease in maintenance and productivity of the apparatus, an increase in the installation volume of the developer transfer device, and a decrease in operability. I was

In the present developer exchange device, only a flexible developer transfer member needs to be connected to the developer supply means, and further, the developer is transferred through the developer transfer member in a mixed state with air. Therefore, there is almost no mechanical stress on the developer, and there is no driving load on the transfer member. From these, it is possible to maintain the characteristics of the developer, to ensure the transfer of the developer, and to sufficiently ensure the reliability and durability of the developer exchange device. Further, the structure of the developer exchanging device is simplified, so that low power consumption and low cost can be achieved by low driving.

Further, the developer exchanging device shown in the above-mentioned embodiment clearly shows a stationary type developer exchanging device having a developer accommodating portion for accommodating a relatively large amount of developer. This system is difficult to carry, but, for example, if the developer is installed at a service person's activity base and the developer is collected from the user, the developer can be replaced immediately. Accordingly, waste such as transporting the developing device to the factory is eliminated, and the operability and filling efficiency of the user / serviceman, the productivity in the factory, and the workability of service maintenance are greatly improved. In addition, this system can be installed and used by the user himself.

Further, it is very easy to set the present developer exchange device to a small and portable size which is a developer storage and supply device for storing medium and small capacity, and it is needless to say that it can be realized. .

If the developer exchange device is set to a small and portable size, the effect will be enormous. For example, if the developer exchange device is portable, a service person or the like can visit the user with the developer exchange device and directly exchange the developer of the development device. As described above, if the exchange apparatus is a stationary type, it is installed at a developer distribution base (a distribution base located between a developer production base such as a sales base and a service and a user) and is a portable type. If there is, it can be carried to the user's machine installation location and the developer can be replaced. In either case, it is possible to promptly respond to the urgent request of the user without transporting the developing device from the user to the factory. Furthermore, developer replenishment and
It is free from collection work and does not require storage and disposal of used developer containers.

[0046]

According to the present invention, the developer can be easily replaced, and the downtime can be reduced. In addition, the stress applied to the developer during the operation can be reduced, and the scattering of the developer can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an external perspective view illustrating an example of a developer exchange device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory sectional view showing an internal structure of a filling section of the exchange device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing an internal structure of a filling section of the exchange device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side view showing an internal structure of a filling section of the exchange device shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing the developer accommodating member shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view showing the recovered developer accommodating member shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a side view of the powder pump.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the powder pump.

FIG. 9 is a sectional view of a powder pump.

FIG. 10 is an explanatory sectional view showing an example of a developing device.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the developing device collects the developer.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Outer case 10 Developer storage member 20 Developer supply means 21 Suction type powder pump 24 Stator 25 Rotor 28 Air pump 40 Hose 50 Filling coupling 110 Recovered developer storage member 120 Developer recovery means 121 Suction type powder pump 123 Stator 124 Rotor 140 Hose

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-61-39061 (JP, A) JP-A-9-197794 (JP, A) JP-A-61-59464 (JP, A) (58) Investigation Field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 15/08 G03G 21/10

Claims (6)

(57) [Claims] 1. A developer exchange device for exchanging a developer loaded in a developing device of an image forming apparatus main body, wherein a developer collecting means for transferring the developer loaded in the developing device by suction force; recovery current of the developer recovering means storing the developer collected from the developing device
An image agent storage member , a developer storage member that stores a developer to be filled in the developing device, and a developer supply unit that supplies the developer stored in the developer storage member to the developing device by a suction force. Installed in a separate housing from the main body of the image forming apparatus
The developer collecting means, the developing device, and the developer
A flexi-removable flexible supply means and the developing device.
A developer exchange device connected by a flexible transfer member . 2. A developer exchange apparatus according to claim 1, storing the developer recovered developer accommodating member for accommodating the developer to be filled in the developing device from the developing device rotary
A developer exchange device, wherein both the collecting developer accommodating member has an opening at an upper portion and a developer accommodating portion at a lower portion thereof. 3. A developer exchange apparatus according to claim 2, storing the developer recovered developer accommodating member for accommodating the developer to be filled in the developing device from the developing device rotary
A developer exchange device, wherein the collecting developer accommodating member is substantially composed of the same component. 4. The developer exchanging device according to claim 2, wherein a bottom of the developer accommodating portion of the developer accommodating member is formed in an inverted conical shape. apparatus. 5. The developer exchange device according to claim 1, wherein a supply hopper member for opening and closing the opening is provided at the opening of the developer accommodating member, and the supply hopper member is provided with a developing hopper. A developer exchange device comprising a suction unit for sucking and transferring a developer stored in a developer storage unit. 6. The developer exchanging device according to claim 5, wherein a deaeration member is provided in the suction unit.