JPH0433035B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a developing device for an image forming apparatus, and particularly to a developing device that is detachable from the image forming apparatus.

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, image forming apparatuses such as electrophotographic apparatuses have become increasingly multicolored, and developers of colors other than black are increasingly being used. For this reason, a developing device, which has conventionally been built into the main device, can be detached from the main device by a simple operation by the user when necessary. That is, a plurality of developing devices each containing a developer of a different color are prepared in advance, and a color image is obtained by individually mounting these developing devices in the main unit.

Furthermore, while images are becoming more multi-colored, main units are also becoming smaller, and this has led to smaller and smaller developing devices.
There is a growing demand for a developing device that is lightweight and easy to attach and detach from the main device.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object of the present invention is to provide a developing device that is small, lightweight, and easy to attach and detach from an image forming apparatus.

To briefly describe the present invention, the developing device is provided with a handle that is used when attaching and detaching the developing device to the image forming device, and in conjunction with the operation of the handle, the developing device is attached to a predetermined position on the image forming device, and further, It is designed to allow you to leave your position.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

1 to 4 are diagrams showing a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. For example, from an electrophotographic device to a photoreceptor,
An image forming device in which image forming means such as a charging device and a developing device can be pulled out integrally, and the developing device can be attached and detached from above in the pulled out state will be described. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a state in which a developing device is attached to an electrophotographic apparatus main body (hereinafter simply referred to as main body device) to develop a latent image on a photoreceptor. A photoreceptor 1 is rotatable in the direction of the arrow, and although not shown, a latent image is formed on the upstream side of the developing device. The developing device 2 is a frame body 3
The developing sleeve 5 is formed into a container shape by a front plate 4 and a front plate 4, and a developing sleeve 5 rotatably supported at both ends by a frame 3 and having a magnetic member (not shown) inside is disposed below the front plate 4. At both ends of the developing sleeve 5, a fourth
As shown in the figure (top view of the developing device), an abutting roller 6 having a diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter of the developing sleeve 5,
7 is rotatably provided, and the abutting rollers 6 and 7 abut against both ends of the photoreceptor 1, so that the developing sleeve 5 and the photoreceptor 1 are placed facing each other with a constant interval maintained therebetween. A blade 8 is fixed to the front plate 4 above the developing sleeve 5 while maintaining a one-hitter distance from the developing sleeve 5. The developing sleeve 5 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 by being driven by a drive source (not shown) through a coaxially provided drive gear 9 (see FIG. 4). As the developing sleeve 5 rotates, the developer 10 in the developing device is supported on the sleeve surface, and after the layer thickness of the developer is regulated to a constant amount by the blade 8, the developer is conveyed to the photoreceptor 1 side. Ru. As a result, the latent image on the photoreceptor 1 is visualized. Furthermore, inside the developing device 2, there is a stirring rod 1 which is rotated by being driven by a gear 9 that drives the developing sleeve 5.
1 is provided to prevent cross-linking of the developer in the container by rotation of the stirring rod 11, and to prevent the developer from shifting in the direction perpendicular to the drawing shown in FIG. 1, that is, in the longitudinal direction of the developing sleeve 5. There is.

By the way, the developer can be replenished into the developing device by opening and closing the lid 12 at the top of the container. As shown in FIG.
If the lid 12 is placed in the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in the figure, centering on point a, developer can be replenished from the top of the container. After replenishing the developer, the lid 12 may be closed as shown by the solid line. The developer can be replenished even when the developing device 2 is pulled out from the main device, but it is also possible to replenish the developer even when the developing device 2 is removed from the main device (that is, when the developing device is alone).

Furthermore, the developing device 2 has a handle 13, which will be described later, and this handle 13 is used when installing the developing device in a predetermined position on the main device and when removing the developing device from the main device. The structure of the handle 13 will be described below with reference to FIGS. 2 to 4.

FIG. 2 is a front view, FIG. 3 is a rear view, and FIG. 4 is a top view of a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

As shown in FIG. 4, the handle 13 is rotatably arranged around support shafts 14a and 14b that are integral with the frame 3. Fitting portions 13a and 13b (13b is not shown) of the handle 13 that fit into the support shafts 14a and 14b are shaped with a play that is slightly larger than the diameter of the support shafts 14a and 14b. Handle 13
Links 15 and 16 are arranged on the outside of the handle 13 so as to cover the handle 13. Elongated holes 15a, 15b, 16a, and 16b are formed in the links 15 and 16, and the tips of the support shafts 14a and 14b are attached by retaining rings T so as to be movable within the elongated holes 15a and 16a. On the other hand, the shaft portion 1 integrated with the handle 13
3c and 13d are attached by retaining rings T so as to be movable within the elongated holes 15b and 16b of the links 15 and 16. Furthermore, dowels 15c and 16c are formed integrally with the links 15 and 16, and on the back sides of these dowels 15c and 16c, there are spring-loaded dowels whose centers are approximately on the same center line as the dowels 15c and 16c. 15d and 16d
(The spring dowel 16d is omitted from the figure). Tension springs 17 and 18 (spring 18 is omitted in the figure) as biasing means are hung between the shaft portion 13c and the spring dowel 15d, and between the shaft portion 13d and the spring dowel 16d, and the links 15 and 16
is always pulled in the direction A in Figures 2, 3, and 4. For this reason, the support shafts 14a and 14b moving within the elongated holes 15a and 16a of the links 15 and 16 are
It is in contact with one end of a. In this state, the shaft portions 13c and 13d of the handle 13 are connected to the link 1.
Since the links 15 and 16 are not in contact with both ends of the elongated holes 15b and 16b, if an external force is applied to the developing sleeve 5 side (the direction opposite to the A direction), the links 15 and 16 will develop within the range of the elongated holes. It is movable to the sleeve 5 side. If no external force acts on the links 15 and 16, even if the handle 13 is rotated around the support shafts 14a and 14b to the position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. The positional relationship remains unchanged, and the links 15 and 16 are moved together with the handle 13 to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line. In this way, by rotating the handle 13 to the position indicated by the two-dot chain line in the second figure and holding the handle 13, the developing device can be easily carried.

Next, a method for attaching the developing device to the main unit will be described based on FIGS. 5 and 6. Note that FIGS. 5 and 6 show a state in which the photoreceptor, the developing device, etc. are pulled out from the main unit together with the frame (not shown).

Dowels 19 and 20 (see FIGS. 2, 3, and 4) integrally formed with the frame 3 are provided below the developing device 2, and these dowels are on the same axis.
These dowels 19 and 20 serve as guides when the developing device 2 is installed in a predetermined position of the main device.
Note that the lengths of the dowels 19 and 20 are slightly longer than the dowels 15c and 16c of the links 15 and 16 described above.

On the other hand, developing device guide grooves 21 and 22 are formed in the frame on the side of the main device as fixing members that do not change their position with respect to the photoreceptor and have exactly the same shape. The dowels 20 and 19 are guided (the guide groove 21 is omitted from the figure). The relationship in which the dowel is guided to the guide groove is exactly the same on both sides of the developing device, so here, the guide groove 22 on one side is
I will only talk about this. When the developing device 2 is held by the handle 13 and installed so that the dowel 19 goes downward along the guide groove 22, the dowel 19 stops at the lowermost end 22a of the guide groove 22. At this time, since the center of gravity of the developing device 2 is on the opposite side of the developing sleeve 5, the dowel 15c of the link 15 that engages with the guide groove comes into contact with the surface 22b near the entrance of the guide groove 22. This state is shown in FIG. In the state shown in FIG. 5, the photoreceptor and the developing sleeve of the developing device are separated. When the handle 13 is pushed in the direction of arrow B shown in FIG. 5, the handle 13 tends to rotate clockwise around the support shaft 14b, and the link 15, which is apparently integrated with the handle, also rotates around the support shaft 14b. Attempts to rotate clockwise around the center. However, the dowel 15c of the link 15 is attached to the surface 22 near the entrance of the guide groove 22.
b, so the link 15 cannot rotate if the relative positional relationship between the handle 13 and the link 15 remains as it is. However, a tension spring 17 is provided between the link 15 and the shaft portion 13c of the handle 13, and the biasing force of this tension spring 17 causes the link 1
5 is always pulled toward the handle side (direction A in Figure 4), so the handle 1
3 in the direction of arrow B, the dowel 15c
moves downward along the entrance-proximal surface 22b of the guide groove 22, that is, in a direction opposite to the direction A, as the guide groove surface 22b pushes the dowel 15c against the urging force. Due to this operation, the distance between the dowel 15c and the support shaft 14b is relatively reduced. As the handle continues to be rotated clockwise, the dowel 15c will go over the convex surface 22c on the entrance side of the guide groove 22. On the other hand, in the developing device 2, since the dowel 19 is restricted from moving further downward at the lowest end 22a of the guide groove 22, the dowel 19 shown in FIG.
It begins to rotate counterclockwise around the position. That is, the developing device 2 receives a moment force with the dowel 15c of the link 15 as a fulcrum and the support shaft 14b as a point of action due to the rotation of the handle 13.
The developing device 2 rotates counterclockwise about the fulcrum. By rotating the handle 13 in this way, the developing device 2
can be attached to a predetermined position on the main unit.

FIG. 6 shows a state in which the developing device 2 is installed at a predetermined position in the main device. In this state, the dowel 15c of the link 15 is located at the convex surface 22c on the entrance side of the guide groove 22.
Since the link 15 and the shaft portion 13c of the handle 13 are in contact with a stable surface, the tension spring 17 acts between the link 15 and the shaft portion 13c of the handle 13.
is pulled toward the developing sleeve. Since the handle 13 and the developing device 2 are connected at the support shaft 14b, the developing device 2 is subjected to a counterclockwise moment by the tension spring 17 with the dowel 19 as a fulcrum. As described above, abutting rollers are provided at both ends of the developing sleeve, so that these rollers come into contact with the photoreceptor. In this way, the developing device 2 is mounted at a predetermined position in the main device and maintained in a stable state.

On the other hand, when detaching the developing device 2 from the main unit, the operations described above may be performed in reverse. That is, in FIG. 6, the handle 13 is lifted and the handle 1
3 in a clockwise direction around the support shaft 14b. At this time, the dowel 15c of the link 15 is connected to the guide groove 22.
moves upward over the convex surface portion 22c. Along with this, the support shaft 14b also moves counterclockwise using the dowel 15c as a fulcrum, so that the developing device 2 is eventually displaced to the state shown in FIG. When the state shown in FIG. 5 is reached, the developing device 2 can be taken out of the main device by holding the handle 13 by hand.

As explained above, according to the present invention, by rotating the handle of the developing device, the developing device can be attached to and removed from a predetermined position of the image forming device in conjunction with this, and the developing device can be attached to and removed from the image forming device at a predetermined position. The device can be easily attached and detached. Therefore, handling becomes very easy, such as when replacing developing devices containing developers of different colors as necessary.
In addition, since the developing device can be attached to and removed from a predetermined position on the image forming device by rotating the handle of the developing device, the developing device itself can be made smaller and lighter, and after the developing device is removed from the image forming device. You can easily carry the developing device by holding the handle.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a developing device showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a front view thereof, FIG. 3 is a rear view thereof, and FIG.
The figure is a top view, and FIGS. 5 and 6 are explanatory views showing the operation of attaching and detaching the developing device of the embodiment of the present invention to a predetermined position of the main unit. In the figure, 2 is a developing device, 13 is a handle, and 14 is a developing device.
15 and 16 are links, 17 is a tension spring, 19 and 20 are dowels of the developing device, and 22 is a guide groove.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. In a developing device that is removably attached to an image forming apparatus having an electrostatic latent image holder, a first position used when the developing device is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus; a handle pivotally attached to the developing device frame so as to be rotatable between a second position positioned after the image forming device is inserted into the image forming device; and a handle attached to the handle so as to be movable relative to the handle. an engaging member that engages with a fixing member provided on the image forming apparatus when the developing device is inserted into the image forming apparatus; and an engaging member provided between the handle and the engaging member. ,
a spring member that elastically urges the engaging member in one direction on the handle; and a developing device is inserted into the image forming apparatus to engage the engaging member with the fixing member. In this state, the handle is rotated in a direction from the first position to the second position against the elastic force of the spring member, thereby elastically deforming the spring member and statically moving the developing device. A developing device that elastically biases the electrolatent image holder.