Patent Grant
9811025
Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developer container, a development device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus. In particular, the present invention is preferably applied to a color electro-photographic image forming apparatus.
The electro-photographic image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material using an electro-photographic image forming method. Examples of the electro-photographic image forming apparatus include an electro-photographic copying machine, an electro-photographic printer (e.g., laser beam printer, light-emitting diode (LED) printer), a facsimile apparatus, and a word processor.
The process cartridge is a unit having at least an image bearing member. Generally, the process cartridge is a cartridge into which a charging unit, a development unit, or a cleaning unit and the image bearing member are integrated, which is attachable to and detachable from a main body of the image forming apparatus.
Further, the development device is a unit including at least a developer bearing member. Generally, the development device is a unit into which a development unit, a development frame member for supporting the development unit, and relative components are integrated, which is attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus.
In addition, the developer container is a container for storing developer.
Description of the Related Art
In the image forming apparatus such as a printer employing an electro-photographic image forming method (i.e., electro-photographic process), an electro-photographic photosensitive member (hereinafter, referred to as “photosensitive member”) serving as an image bearing member is electrically charged uniformly. Then, the charged photosensitive member is exposed selectively, so that an electrostatic image is formed on the photosensitive member. Subsequently, the electrostatic image formed on the photosensitive member is visualized as a toner image with toner serving as developer. Then, the toner image formed on the photosensitive member is transferred onto a recording material such as a recording sheet or a plastic sheet, and then heat and pressure are further applied to the toner image transferred onto the recording material, so that the toner image is fixed onto the recording material and the image is recorded thereon.
Generally, maintenance work for various processing units is necessary for the above-described image forming apparatus. In order to easily execute the maintenance work of various processing units, a photosensitive member, a charging unit, a development unit, and a cleaning unit are collectively mounted within a frame member and practically used as a process cartridge that is attachable to and detachable from an image forming apparatus (i.e., apparatus main body). By employing the process cartridge method, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus excellent in usability.
Such a configuration has been known that the above-described process cartridge includes a cleaning unit having a photosensitive member, a development unit having a development means, and a toner unit for supplying developer.
With respect to a configuration for attaching and detaching the process cartridge (or these units) to and from the apparatus main body, there is provided a method in which the process cartridge is attached to and detached from the apparatus main body in an axis line direction of a photosensitive drum. The process cartridge attached to the apparatus main body is moved upward in a vertical direction, and a position of the process cartridge is fixed when a regulated portion disposed on the process cartridge contacts a regulation portion disposed on the apparatus main body.
In the above-described cartridge method, in order to allow a user to replace a cartridge at proper timing, a function for displaying a number of remaining printable sheets may be added thereto. In order to add such a function, an amount of developer remaining within the cartridge has to be detected or estimated, so that various methods have been provided therefor.
From among the various methods, a light-transmission remaining developer amount detection method has been widely used. In this method, a light path passing through a developer containing chamber is created by a light emitting element such as an LED and a light receiving element such as a phototransistor, and an amount of remaining developer is detected based on a time period during which the light path is blocked by the developer.
In the light-transmission remaining developer amount detection method, as a means for guiding the detection light into the developer containing chamber, a light-emission side light guiding member and a light-reception side light guiding member may be disposed on the developer containing chamber.
The light-emission side light guiding member guides detection light emitted from the light emitting element such as the LED to the inside of the developer containing chamber. The light-reception side light guiding member guides the detection light that has passed through the inside of the developer containing chamber to the light receiving element such as the phototransistor disposed outside the developer containing chamber.
Further, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2010-009021 discusses a method in which a light guiding member integrally configured of the light-emission side light guiding member and the light-reception side light guiding member is arranged in a central region in a lengthwise direction of the developer containing chamber.
Further, the development unit may include a developer bearing member for supplying developer to the photosensitive member, a development chamber provided with a developer supply member for supplying the developer to the developer bearing member, and a developer containing chamber for storing the developer to be supplied to the development chamber. In addition, there may be a case where the developer has to be supplied against a gravitational force because the developer containing chamber is positioned below the development chamber in a gravitational direction.
As a method for conveying the developer from the developer containing chamber to the development chamber disposed above the developer containing chamber, there is provided a method in which a flexible sheet member is attached to an agitation member for agitating the developer within the developer containing chamber with the rotational movement of the agitation member. Further, there is provided a development unit having a deformation position and a restoration position. At the deformation position, a sheet member is elastically deformed by making the sheet member abut on a side wall of the developer containing chamber, and at the restoration position, the elastic deformation of the sheet member is released when the developer from the developer containing chamber to the development chamber is conveyed. Thus, the developer is conveyed by a force generated when the sheet member shifts from a deformation state to a restoration state (Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-253203).
However, according to the configuration described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2011-253203, considering the configurations of other components, a recessed portion extending in a lengthwise direction of the developer containing chamber may be provided on a part of the developer containing chamber. When the sheet member moves from the recessed portion to the deformation position, there is a risk that the developer borne on the sheet member may fall off because of misalignment of the contact position between the sheet member and the side wall. As a result, an amount of developer supplied to the development chamber is decreased, and thus there may be an unfavorable effect on image quality.
According to an aspect of the present invention, a developer container includes a containing chamber having an opening and configured to store developer, a conveyance member having at least a first sheet member and a second sheet member, disposed on the containing chamber, and configured to convey the developer, a deformation portion provided to contact the first sheet member and configured to elastically deform the first sheet member, and a release portion configured to release elastic deformation of the first sheet member to cause the developer on the first sheet member to fly toward the opening, wherein the containing chamber includes a recessed portion as viewed in a lengthwise direction of the containing chamber, wherein a length of the recessed portion is longer than a length of the first sheet member in the lengthwise direction of the containing chamber, and wherein the second sheet member is in contact with a wall inside the recessed portion when the developer on the first sheet member is positioned at the release portion.
Further, the present invention is directed to a development device, a process cartridge, and an image forming apparatus.
Further features of the present invention will become apparent from the following description of exemplary embodiments with reference to the attached drawings.
Exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the appended drawings. However, dimensions, materials, and shapes of the constituent components and relative arrangements thereof described in the exemplary embodiments should be changed as appropriate according to the configurations and various conditions of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied. In other words, the scope of the present invention is not to be limited to the exemplary embodiments described below.
<Electro-Photographic Image Forming Apparatus>
First, an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to
The image forming apparatus 100 includes a first, a second, a third, and a fourth image forming units SY, SM, SC, and SK for forming images in respective colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) as a plurality of image forming units.
In the present exemplary embodiment, configurations and operations of the first to the fourth image forming units SY, SM, SC, and SK are substantially the same except for colors of the images formed thereby. Accordingly, if it is not necessary to distinguish between the first to the fourth image forming units SY, SM, SC, and SK, description thereof will be collectively given while omitting the symbols Y, M, C, and K. However, the exemplary embodiment is not limited thereto, and the image forming apparatus 100 may include image forming units having different configurations or operations. For example, the image forming unit for the black (K) color may have a larger capacity for a longer operation period in comparison to the rest of the image forming units.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the image forming apparatus 100 includes four photosensitive members (i.e., four photosensitive drums) 1 (1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K) serving as image bearing members. Each of the photosensitive members 1 rotates in a direction indicated by an arrow A. A charging roller 2 (2Y, 2M, 2C, 2K) and a scanner unit (exposure device) 3 are disposed around each photosensitive member 1.
The charging roller 2 is a charging member serving as a charging unit that uniformly charges a surface of the photosensitive member 1. The scanner unit 3 is an exposure unit that forms an electrostatic image (electrostatic latent image) on the photosensitive member 1 by emitting a laser beam based on image information. Further, a development device (hereinafter, referred to as “development unit”) 4 (4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K) and a cleaning blade 6 (6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K) serving as a cleaning unit are disposed around the photosensitive member 1.
Further, an intermediate transfer belt 5 serving as an intermediate transfer member for transferring toner images formed on the four photosensitive members 1 onto a recording material 12 is disposed to face the photosensitive members 1.
Further, in the present exemplary embodiment, the development unit 4 uses toner T (TY, TM, TC, and TK) as developer, which is nonmagnetic mono-component developer. In the present exemplary embodiment, the development unit 4 executes contact development by causing a development roller 17 serving as a developer bearing member to contact the photosensitive member 1. However, the developer is not limited to the nonmagnetic mono-component developer, and magnetic developer or two-component developer may be used according to the configuration.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the photosensitive member 1, the charging roller 2, the cleaning blade 6, and a waste toner containing portion 14a for storing transfer residual toner (waste toner) on the photosensitive member 1 constitute a photosensitive unit 13.
Further, in the present exemplary embodiment, the development unit 4 and the photosensitive unit 13 are integrated into a cartridge to constitute a process cartridge 7 (7Y, 7M, 7C, 7K). The process cartridge 7 is attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus 100 via an attachment means such as an attachment guide and a positioning member (not illustrated) disposed on the image forming apparatus 100.
In the present exemplary embodiment, “apparatus main body” refers to a configuration portion of the image forming apparatus 100 excluding at least the process cartridge 7 from the configuration of the image forming apparatus 100. Further, the development unit 4 may be configured to be attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body independently. In such a case, “apparatus main body” refers to a configuration portion of the image forming apparatus 100 excluding the development unit 4 from the configuration thereof.
In the present exemplary embodiment, all of the process cartridges 7 of respective colors have a same shape. In addition, the toner T in respective colors of yellow (TY), magenta (TM), cyan (TC), and black (TK) are stored within the process cartridges 7 of respective colors.
The intermediate transfer belt 5 abuts on all of the photosensitive members 1 and rotates in a direction indicated by an arrow B in
On the inner circumferential surface side of the intermediate transfer belt 5, four primary transfer rollers (8Y, 8M, 8C, and 8K) serving as primary transfer units are arranged side by side to face the respective photosensitive members 1. Further, a secondary transfer roller 9 serving as a secondary transfer unit is disposed on the outer circumferential surface side of the intermediate transfer belt 5, at a position facing the secondary transfer counter roller 52.
<Image Forming Processing>
When image formation is executed, at first, a surface of the photosensitive member 1 is uniformly charged by the charging roller 2. Next, the charged surface of the photosensitive member 1 is subjected to a scanning-exposure with laser light emitted from the scanner unit 3 according to image information, so that an electrostatic latent image according to the image information is formed on the photosensitive member 1. Then, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member 1 is developed as a toner image by the development unit 4. The toner image formed on the photosensitive member 1 is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 5 through an operation of the primary transfer roller 8.
For example, when a full-color image is formed, the above-described process is sequentially executed by the first to the fourth image forming units SY, SM, SC, and SK, so that the toner images in respective colors are sequentially superimposed and primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 5. Thereafter, a recording material 12 is conveyed to a secondary transfer portion in synchronization with the movement of the intermediate transfer belt 5. Then, through the operation of the secondary transfer roller 9 abutting on the intermediate transfer belt 5 via the recording material 12, a four-color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 5 is secondarily transferred collectively onto the recording material 12.
The recording material 12 on which the toner image is transferred is conveyed to a fixing device 10 serving as a fixing unit. The fixing device 10 applies heat and pressure onto the recording material 12, so that the toner image is fixed to the recording material 12.
The primary transfer residual toner remaining on the photosensitive member 1 after the primary transfer process is removed by the cleaning blade 6. Further, the secondary transfer residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 5 after the secondary transfer process is removed by an intermediate transfer belt cleaning device 11.
Although the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present exemplary embodiment includes four image forming units, the image forming processing can be executed by only one of these image forming units. Further, a multi-color image can be formed by using only two or three image forming units.
Further, a number of image forming units is not limited to four, and may be increased to five to ten as necessary. In this case, the image forming apparatus 100 may include image forming units of the same color. Further, the image forming apparatus 100 may include only one image forming unit.
<Process Cartridge>
Next, an overall configuration of the process cartridge 7 attached to the apparatus main body of the image forming apparatus 100 according to the present exemplary embodiment will be described with reference to
The photosensitive unit 13 includes a cleaning frame member 14 serving as a frame member for supporting various components within the photosensitive unit 13. The photosensitive member 1 is attached to the cleaning frame member 14 via a shaft bearing member, to be rotatable in a direction indicated by an arrow A in
Further, a charging roller shaft bearing 15 is attached to the cleaning frame member 14 along a line passing through the rotation centers of the charging roller 2 and the photosensitive member 1. The charging roller shaft bearing 15 is movably attached thereto. The charging roller 2 is rotatably attached to the charging roller shaft bearing 15. Then, the charging roller shaft bearing 15 is urged toward the photosensitive member 1 by a charging roller pressure spring 16 serving as an urging means.
Further, the cleaning blade 6 is integrally formed of an elastic member 6a for removing the transfer residual toner (waste toner) remaining on a surface of the photosensitive member 1 after the primary transfer process and a supporting member 6b for supporting the elastic member 6a.
The waste toner removed from the surface of the photosensitive member 1 by the cleaning blade 6 falls in a gravitational direction through a space formed by the cleaning blade 6 and the cleaning frame member 14, so as to be stored in the waste toner containing portion 14a.
The development unit 4 includes a development frame member 18 for supporting various components within the development unit 4. The development roller 17 serving as a developer bearing member, which contacts the photosensitive member 1 to rotate in a direction indicated by an arrow D (i.e., counter-clockwise direction) in
Further, the development unit 4 includes a developer containing chamber (hereinafter, referred to as “toner containing chamber”) 18a and a development chamber 18b in which the development roller 17 is arranged.
A toner supply roller 20 serving as a developer supply member contacting the development roller 17 to rotate in a direction indicated by an arrow E, and a development blade 21 serving as a developer regulation member for regulating a toner layer on the development roller 17 are arranged in the development chamber 18b.
Further, a toner conveyance member 30 (see e.g.,
Further, the development unit 4 is coupled to the photosensitive unit 13, so as to be freely rotatable about a fitting shaft 22 that is fixed and supported by the cleaning frame member 14. Further, the development unit 4 is urged by a pressure spring (extension spring) 23. Therefore, when the process cartridge 7 performs an image forming operation, the development unit 4 rotates about the fitting shaft 22, and the photosensitive member 1 and the development roller 17 abut on each other.
<Toner Conveyance Configuration>
In the present specification, terms such as “upper”, “lower”, “vertical”, and “horizontal” that express directions of the configurations and the operations of the development unit (development device) and the process cartridge are used to express directions thereof when the development unit or the process cartridge is viewed in the normal use state unless otherwise specified in particular. In other words, in the normal use state of the development unit (development device) or the process cartridge, the development unit or the process cartridge is properly attached to the apparatus main body of the properly-installed image forming apparatus, so as to be capable of executing the image forming operation.
Subsequently, a toner conveyance configuration within the development unit 4 of the process cartridge 7 according to a first exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail.
The development unit 4 includes the development chamber 18b and the toner containing chamber 18a. The development roller 17, the supply roller 20, and the development blade 21 are disposed in the development chamber 18b. Toner that is to be supplied to the development chamber 18b is stored in the toner containing chamber 18a, and the toner conveyance member 30 for supplying the toner to the development chamber 18b is disposed in the toner containing chamber 18a. Then, the toner containing chamber 18a is disposed below the development chamber 18b in a vertical direction. Accordingly, the toner has to be conveyed against the gravitational force, from the toner containing chamber 18a to the development chamber 18b.
A partition wall 26 having an opening 18c for allowing the toner to pass through is provided between the development chamber 18b and the toner containing chamber 18a. The opening 18c is provided above the toner containing chamber 18a. Further, the toner conveyance member 30 for supplying toner to the development chamber 18b disposed in the toner containing chamber 18a, is rotatably supported by the development frame member 18, which constitutes the toner containing chamber 18a, at both end portions in a lengthwise direction thereof (i.e., rotation axis line direction). The toner conveyance member 30 is rotationally driven in a direction indicated by an arrow K (i.e., clockwise direction) in
A guide portion 18a2 serving as a deformation portion abutting on the first sheet member 32 is disposed below the opening 18c of the toner container chamber 18a. The first sheet member 32 abuts on the guide portion 18a2 along with the rotation thereof. With this configuration, the first sheet member 32 receives force from the guide portion 18a2. As a result, the first sheet member 32 elastically deforms against the elastic force of the first sheet member 32. The first sheet member 32 rotates in a state of contacting the guide member 18a2, so that toner is borne on a surface thereof on the downstream side in the rotation direction. In the present exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in
Accordingly, after a leading end of the first sheet member 32 on a free end side thereof (i.e., an inner wall side of the toner containing chamber 18a) passes by the guide portion 18a2 along with the rotation of the first sheet member 32, the abutment of the first sheet member 32 and the inner wall of the toner containing chamber 18a is released at the release portion. Then, the first sheet member 32 is released from a state of elastic deformation caused by the guide portion 18a2 and restored to a natural state (i.e., an original shape) by its own elastic restoration force.
In the present exemplary embodiment, a recessed portion 19 is provided on the inner wall of the toner containing chamber 18a (i.e., containing chamber) when the toner containing chamber 18a is viewed in a lengthwise direction thereof. As illustrated in
In the present exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in
The recessed portion 19, the deformation portion, and the release portion are provided on one side in a case where the toner containing chamber 18a is viewed in the lengthwise direction thereof while a straight line in a gravitational direction passing through the rotation center of the toner conveyance member 30 is set to be a boundary line. The development roller 17, the supply roller 20, and the photosensitive member 1 are disposed on the opposite side thereof.
In the present exemplary embodiment, the recessed portion 19 is positioned on the upstream side of the deformation portion, the release portion, and the restoration portion in the rotation direction of the first sheet member 32. Further, the recessed portion 19 may preferably be positioned adjacent to the deformation portion. In particular, when the first sheet member 32 is rotating while the leading end portion thereof is in contact with the recessed portion 19, a belly portion of the first sheet member 32 contacts the deformation portion on the way of the rotation. Therefore, an abutment position of the first sheet member 32 and a side wall of the toner containing chamber 18a is changed. Because of the above change, the toner borne on the first sheet member 32 cannot be held as it is, so that a part of the toner on the first sheet member 32 falls off. A second sheet member 33 is provided in order to reduce the amount of the falling off toner. By providing the second sheet member 33, the toner can be held between the first sheet member 32 and the second sheet member 33, and thus it is possible to restrain the toner on the first sheet member 32 from falling off further.
Further, when the toner on the first sheet member 32 is positioned at the release portion where the toner on the first sheet member 32 is likely to fall off, the second sheet member 33 is in contact with the inner wall of the recessed portion 19. With this configuration, the toner borne on the second sheet member 33 is held by the second sheet member 33 without falling off, so that the toner falling off from the first sheet member 32 is reduced.
Further, a remaining amount detection unit 19d that detects the amount of remaining toner (i.e., amount of developer) may be arranged on the toner containing chamber 18a (see
In the present exemplary embodiment, the remaining amount detection unit 19d is positioned on the upstream side of the restoration portion 18a4 in the rotation direction of the toner conveyance member 30. In this case, in a state where the elastic deformation of the first sheet member 32 is released after the first sheet member 32 has passed by the guide portion 18a2, the toner borne on the first sheet member 32 may fall into a region within the recessed portion 19 where the remaining amount detection unit 19d is disposed.
Therefore, as illustrated in
Further, the second sheet member 33 according to the present exemplary embodiment is formed in such a manner that the leading end thereof is longer than that of the first sheet member 32. In other words, in the present exemplary embodiment, a length from an attachment position to a leading end of the sheet member is longer in the second sheet member 33. In the configuration described below, the above relationship between the lengths of the first and the second sheet members 32 and 33 are reversed.
For example, the first sheet member 32 and the second sheet member 33 can be preferably formed by using a flexible resin sheet such as a polyester film, a polyphenylene sulfide film, or a polycarbonate film. The thicknesses of the first sheet member 32 and the second sheet member 33 may preferably be 50 μm to 250 μm.
Because of the toner conveyance member 30 configured as described above, as illustrated in
Next, a toner conveyance configuration within the development unit 4 of the process cartridge 7 according to a second exemplary embodiment will be described in detail.
In the present exemplary embodiment, as illustrated in
For example, the first sheet member 32 and the second sheet member 33 can be preferably formed by using a flexible resin sheet such as a polyester film, a polyphenylene sulfide film, or a polycarbonate film. The thicknesses of the first sheet member 32 and the second sheet member 33 may preferably be 50 μm to 250 μm.
Because of the toner conveyance member 30 configured as described above, as illustrated in
As another exemplary embodiment, the second sheet member may be provided at a position on an upstream side of the first sheet member in the rotation direction of the toner conveyance member, further than that in the second exemplary embodiment, and a length of the second sheet member may be shorter than that in the second exemplary embodiment. Further, the second sheet member may be provided at a position on a downstream side of the first sheet member in the rotation direction of the toner conveyance member, further than that in the second exemplary embodiment, and a length of the second sheet member may be longer than that in the second exemplary embodiment but shorter than that in the first exemplary embodiment.
Further, in the first and the second exemplary embodiments, configurations of the process cartridges attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body have been described. However, the development device may be configured to be attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body independently. In such a case, the photosensitive member may be fixed to the apparatus main body, or the photosensitive member itself may be configured as a photosensitive device to be attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body. Further, the developer container itself may be configured to be attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body.
Further, in the above-described exemplary embodiments, the toner conveyance member includes the first sheet member and the second sheet member. However, the configuration thereof is not limited thereto, and the toner conveyance member may include a third sheet member or other members. For example, the toner conveyance member may include an electrode member for detecting an amount of remaining toner or a cleaning member for cleaning a surface of the remaining toner amount detection portion.
As described above, even if a container chamber has a recessed portion extending in the lengthwise direction of the container chamber, the toner can be conveyed efficiently with a sheet configuration of the toner conveyance member.
According to the present invention, when the sheet member moves from the recessed portion to the deformation portion, an amount of developer on the sheet member is prevented from being reduced. As a result, the developer is conveyed efficiently, and therefore the image quality can be secured.
While the present invention has been described with reference to exemplary embodiments, it is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the disclosed exemplary embodiments. The scope of the following claims is to be accorded the broadest interpretation so as to encompass all such modifications and equivalent structures and functions.
This application claims the benefit of Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-039427, filed Feb. 27, 2015, which is hereby incorporated by reference herein in its entirety.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2015-039427 | Feb 2015 | JP | national |
| Number | Name | Date | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 7224925 | Sato | May 2007 | B2 |
| 7860437 | Kakuta | Dec 2010 | B2 |
| 20090297178 | Kakuta | Dec 2009 | A1 |
| 20110123205 | Satomura | May 2011 | A1 |
| 20130011163 | Senda | Jan 2013 | A1 |
| 20130259530 | Kato | Oct 2013 | A1 |
| 20140056621 | Hashimoto | Feb 2014 | A1 |
| 20140086599 | Gofuku | Mar 2014 | A1 |
| 20150212451 | Shirakata | Jul 2015 | A1 |
| Number | Date | Country |
|---|---|---|
| 2010-009021 | Jan 2010 | JP |
| 2011-253203 | Dec 2011 | JP |
| Number | Date | Country | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 20160252848 A1 | Sep 2016 | US |
