JPS589943B2 - Developing device control device - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] The present invention relates to a control device Q for a developing device.

In the developing device, the developer is consumed by repeated developing operations, and the amount of developer in the developer container that stores the developer decreases. It is necessary to replenish the developer from time to time, and as a replenishment method, every time the amount of developer in the developer container decreases below the required amount, a detection device detects this and issues a warning that the developer should be replenished. In some cases, a spare container containing developer for replenishment is provided in advance, and a detection device detects this when the amount of developer in the developer container falls below a certain specified amount. There are cases where new developer is supplied from the spare container.

In the former case, each time the amount of developer decreases below the required amount, it is necessary to replenish the developer container in accordance with the above-mentioned warning display, which is cumbersome.

Further, if the warning display is ignored or ignored and the developing operation of the developing device is continued, it may adversely affect the developed image or cause a failure of the developing device.

In the latter case, while the developer remains in the spare container,
Since replenishment of developer to the developer container is done automatically, there is no need to worry about the troublesome replenishment work as in the former case, and if the spare container becomes empty, the same problem as in the former case may occur. .

In order to solve this problem, I am thinking of detecting when the spare container is empty and replenishing the developer before the amount of developer in the developing container becomes less than the required amount. It will be done.

However, in conventional developing devices, a replenishment device for sending the developer in the spare container to the developer container and a detection device for detecting the developer in the spare container were provided in the spare container itself. It was very inconvenient to replenish the developer and to attach and detach the container.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a control device for a developing device that can overcome the drawbacks of the conventional devices as described above.

It is an object of the present invention to issue a signal that the developer should be replenished before the amount of developer in the developer container decreases to a level that directly interferes with the development operation of the developing device, and also to issue a signal that the developer should be replenished and prevent the developer from directly interfering with the development operation of the developing device. This is achieved by stopping the developing action of the developing device when the amount decreases to approximately the same amount.

The present invention will be explained below with reference to the illustrated embodiments.

In FIG. 1, a developer tank 1 fixed to an immovable member of the developing device main body contains a developer 2, and a reserve tank 4 containing a spare developer 3 is connected to the developing device main body. It is removable.

The developer in the developer tank 1 is supplied to the object to be developed by a liquid supply device (not shown), and the object to be developed is developed.

The lower end of a flexible tube 5 is placed in contact with the bottom of the reserve tank 4, and the other end is connected to a pump 6 fixed to an immovable member. A free end 9a of the tube 9 connected at one end corresponds to the liquid level of the developer tank 1.

The support 116 floating in the developer 2 is attached to the hook 12a.
, 12b are fixedly provided, and are held so as to be movable up and down by a guide member (not shown) fixedly provided to the stationary member C.

Therefore, when the developer 2 increases or decreases, the actuating member 12
Correspondingly, it moves up and down,
Moreover, the movement passages 6 of the hooks 12a and 12b are connected to a first float switch 13 and a second float switch 13, which are fixed to a fixed member.
Each actuator of the float switch 14 = 13a, 1
4a are arranged respectively.

Now, as the number of repetitions of the developing operation increases, the amount of developer 2 decreases, and when the amount of liquid 22 (Figure 2) reaches 4, hook 1 2a #
This pushes the actuator 13a and turns the first float switch 13 on.

At this time, that is, in FIG.
(The pump 6 is then connected to the power source 16 and operates to replenish the developer 3 in the reserve tank 4 to the developer tank 1.

When the first float switch 13 is turned on, a timer 17 is set, and when the first float switch 13 is operated after a preset time T', the movable contact T is opened.

When the developer 3 is replenished into the developer tank 1 and the actuating member 12 is replenished, the actuating member 12 moves upward, and when the developer 2 increases to the liquid level 21 (Fig. 2), the first float switch 13 is turned off. Then, the operation of the pump 6, that is, the supply of the developer 3 to the developer tank 1 is stopped.

Assuming that the time from the start to the stop of replenishing the developer to the developer tank 1 is t, the operating time T' of the timer 17 is set in advance so that it operates slightly later than the time t, as shown in FIG. has been done.

In Figure 3C, the developer solution 2 in the developer tank 1 or the curve 1
As it decreases as shown by 8, the first float switch 1
3 is turned on, the developer is replenished, and the developer 2 increases as shown by the chain line 19 until it reaches a predetermined first specified amount 21.
When the first float switch 13 is turned off, replenishment of the developer is stopped as described above.

When the first float switch 13 is turned off, the contact piece 13b returns to state C shown in FIG. 2, and the timer 17 is reset.

Therefore, while the developer 3 is present in the reserve tank 4, the developer 2 is turned on or off by the first float switch 13.
The amount is repeatedly increased or decreased during the off period, that is, during the period indicated by reference numeral 2L22 in FIG. 3C.

Note that the developer may be replenished continuously until the first float switch 13 is turned off, or may be replenished intermittently by a predetermined amount of the developer.

As shown in FIG. 3, the time T' from when the timer 17 is set until it starts operating is set to be slightly longer than the time t from when replenishment of the developer 3 is started until it is stopped. , while the developer 3 is present in the reserve tank 4, the output operation of the timer 17 is not performed due to the elapse of the set time T'.

C while the developer replenishment operation to the developer tank 1 is being carried out.
When the developer 3 in the reserve tank 4 runs out, the first
The float switch 13 cannot be released and the pump 6 runs idly.

However, after the set time T' has elapsed, the timer 17 is activated, and its operating contact T1 opens to cut off the current to the pump and stop it.

The first warning signal is taken out by the operation of the timer 17,
When the pump is stopped, a warning is displayed to the outside.

As a warning to the above, e.g. an indicator light (not shown)
When the first warning signal occurs, Q.
Although this does not directly impede the developing action, since the developer 3 in the reserve tank 4 is empty, the amount of developer 2 in the developing tank 1 has decreased to the extent that it may interfere with the developing action. Before doing so, the reserve tank 4 is removed from the main body of the developing device.
The developer 3 is replenished accordingly.

The above-mentioned attachment/detachment of the preliminary tank 4 is easy since the tank 4 is not equipped with the pump 6 or the first float switch 13. It can also be applied.

If the developing operation is continued further with the preliminary tank 4 empty, the developer 2 in the developing tank 1 will decrease to the second specified amount, that is, an amount that directly interferes with the developing operation. At this point, the hook 12b is the actuator.
Press 14a to activate the second float switch 14.

A second warning signal is output from the function C of the second float switch 14, which causes, for example, a buzzer to sound, to display externally that the developer tank 1 is empty, and to stop the developing action of the developing device. It will be done.

When applied to a developing device that has a spare tank 4 but does not have one, the first float switch 13 is turned on (when it is turned on, the first
It is also possible to generate a warning signal.

4 and 5 show another embodiment of the invention, in which parts that perform the same functions as the device shown in FIG. 1 are designated by the same reference numerals.

In this figure, an actuator 25a of a pressure switch 25, which is fixedly attached to a stationary member, is located below near the leaf outlet 9a of the pipe 9.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 1, when the developer in the preliminary tank 4 becomes empty immediately after the pump 6 is activated and replenishment of the developer 3 is started, the pump 6 is activated for the set time T' of the timer 17. It has the disadvantage that it idles for a relatively long time until it starts operating again.

In the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, when the first float switch 13 and the pump 6 are activated to replenish the developer tank 1 with developer, the actuator 25 is pressed by the developer 3 and the pressure switch 25 is activated. The timer 17 is reset by switching between the movable contact piece 25b and the contacts 27 to 28c.

The set time T of the timer 17 is from the time when the pump 6 starts operating until the developer 3 in the reserve tank 4 or the main switch 2 is released.
The time is set slightly longer than the time required for 5 to work.

Immediately after replenishment of developer starts, reserve tank 4
When the replenishment operation of the developer 3 in the tank becomes empty and the replenishment operation is stopped, the actuator 25a returns to its original position and the function of the pressure switch 25 is released, and its contact piece 25b contacts the contact 27c in FIG. I'm back.

As a result, the timer 17 is set and activated after the set time T has elapsed, causing the movable contact piece T1 to work, thereby substantially preventing the pump 6 from idling.

When the timer 17 is activated, the reserve tank 4 is
When the second float switch 14 is actuated, a second warning signal is generated in the same way as in the previous embodiment. Therefore, a warning device such as a buzzer is activated, and an external display is displayed indicating that the amount of the developer 2 in the developer unit 1 is below the second specified amount which may cause a problem in copying.

According to the present invention, when the amount of developer in the developer container becomes less than the first specified amount, the development action can be continued simply by issuing a signal indicating that development is to be performed or by activating the replenishment means. Therefore, even if developer is not replenished into the developer container because the above signal is ignored or overlooked, or the spare container is empty or not installed in the correct position, development can be performed normally. Since the developer replenishment work can be carried out when the operator is free, the complexity is reduced.

In addition, when the amount of developer in the developing container becomes less than the second specified amount, causing a problem with the developing action, the developing action of the developing device is stopped. It will not cause equipment failure.

Furthermore, by providing the second detection means, it is possible to know when the spare container is empty without installing a special detection device on the spare container, making it easy to attach and detach the spare container from the main body of the developing device. A disposable container can be used as a spare container if necessary.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Fig. 1 is a front view of a control device of a developing device showing an embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 2 is an electric circuit diagram of the same device, and Fig. 3 shows the amount in the developer container and the operating state of the developer replenishing device. FIG. 4 is a front view of a control device for a developing device showing another embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 5 is an electric circuit diagram of the device. 1...Developer tank, 2,3...Developer solution,
4... Spare tank, 6... Pump, 13.
... 1st float switch, 14 ... 2nd
Float switch, 17... Timer, 25.
...Pressure switch.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A developing device having a developing container containing developer, comprising: a first detection means that operates when the amount of developer in the developing container becomes less than a first specified amount; and a second detection means that operates when the amount of developer in the developer container becomes further less than a second specified amount which is less than the first specified amount; A control device for a developing device, comprising: control means for issuing a signal indicating that C should be replenished, and stopping the developing action of the developing device in response to the operation of the second detection device. 2. A developer having a developer container that stores developer, a reserve container that stores spare developer for replenishing this developer container C, and a replenishing means that supplies the developer in this reserve container to the developer container. In the apparatus, a first actuator is activated when the amount of developer in the developer container becomes less than a first prescribed amount.
a second detection means that is activated when the amount of developer in the developer container becomes lower than a second specified amount that is less than the first specified amount; A control device for a developing device, comprising: a control device that operates the replenishing device in response to the replenishment device and stops a developing action of the developing device in response to the operation of the second detection device.