Information
-
Patent Grant
-
6385413
-
Patent Number
6,385,413
-
Date Filed
Tuesday, February 13, 200123 years ago
-
Date Issued
Tuesday, May 7, 200222 years ago
-
Inventors
-
Original Assignees
-
Examiners
Agents
- Fitzpatrick, Cella, Harper & Scinto
-
CPC
-
US Classifications
Field of Search
US
- 399 90
- 399 270
- 399 111
- 399 119
- 399 88
-
International Classifications
-
Abstract
A developing device is detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus, which has a developer carrying member, a developer regulating member, a conductive support member, and a driving gear. A first electrode member is provided at a driving side of the developer carrying member. A developing voltage is applied to the first electrode, and which electrically communicates with the conductive support member. A second electrode member electrically communicates between the conductive support member and a nondriving side of the developer carrying member.
Description
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a developing device adapted to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on an image bearing member and used with an image forming apparatus of electrophotographic type or electrostatic recording type such as a copying machine, a printer and the like, and more particularly, it relates to a developing device preferably used with a process cartridge.
2. Related Background Art
An example of an arrangement for applying bias to a developing roller of a developing apparatus is shown in FIG.
9
.
There has been proposed a method in which a flange member F formed from a conductive member is provided at an end of a, developing roller D, and an electrode comprised of a compression coil spring Sp is electrically connected to the flange member F, and one end of the compression coil spring Sp is attached to a housing of the developing apparatus and the spring is slidingly contacted with contact member C which is electrically communicated with a power feeding member V provided in a main body of apparatus when the developing apparatus is mounted to a frame of apparatus.
Further, as another method for applying the bias to the developing roller D as developing means, there has been proposed a method in which, as shown in
FIG. 10
, an elastic abutment portion Cs is provided on a contact member C, and application of bias is effected by abutting the elastic abutment portion Cs against a flange member F formed from conductive member provided at an end of the developing roller D.
In the above-mentioned method, since the compression spring Sp or the flange member F is rotated integrally with the developing roller D to slidingly contact with the contact member C, generally, conductive grease is coated on a sliding portion Cp.
However, when the power feeding member V for feeding power from the electrode member provided at a driving side of the main body of the image forming apparatus to the flange member F at a driving side of the developing roller D is provided, since there are gears G as driving means for driving the developing roller D, an installation position of the power feeding member V is limited, thereby making compactness of the developing apparatus difficult.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
An object of the present invention is to provide a compact developing device.
Another object of the present invention is to provide a developing device in which power can be fed from a nondriving side to a developing roller.
A further object of the present invention is to provide a developing device detachably attachable to an image forming apparatus, comprising a developer carrying member for carrying developer, a developer regulating member for regulating an amount of the developer on the developer carrying member, a conductive support member for supporting the developer regulating member, a driving gear provided on the developer carrying member and adapted to receive a driving force from a main body of the image forming apparatus, a first electrode member which is provided at a driving side of the developer carrying member and to which developing voltage is applied and which is electrically communicated with the conductive support member, and a second electrode member for electrically communicating between the conductive support member and a non-driving side of the developer carrying member.
The other objects and features of the present invention will be apparent from the following detailed explanation referring to the accompanying drawings.
BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS
FIG. 1
is a sectional view showing a contact structure of a developing roller of a developing apparatus according to the present invention;
FIGS. 2A and 2B
are constructural views of a holder showing a fixed electrode structure of the developing apparatus according to the present invention;
FIG. 3
is a side view of a driving side of a developing frame of the developing apparatus according to the present invention;
FIG. 4
is an exploded perspective view showing a method for a first electrode of the developing apparatus according to the present invention;
FIG. 5
is a constructural view of a conductive resin member of the developing apparatus according to the present invention;
FIG. 6
is a sectional view of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus (laser beam printer) having a process cartridge according to the present invention;
FIG. 7
is a sectional view of the process cartridge according to the present invention;
FIG. 8
is a partial perspective view showing a construction of a process cartridge mounting portion of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus having the process cartridge according to the present invention;
FIG. 9
is a sectional view showing a contact structure of a developing roller; and
FIG. 10
is a sectional view showing a contact structure of a developing roller.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS
The present invention will not be fully explained in connection with embodiments thereof with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 6
is a sectional view of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus (laser beam printer) A. In the electrophotographic image forming apparatus A, information light corresponding to image information from an optical system
1
is illuminated onto a drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member (referred to as “photosensitive drum” hereinafter)
7
, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum
7
. The electrostatic latent image is developed with toner as developer to be visualized as a toner image.
Further, in synchronism with the formation of the toner image, a recording media P such as recording sheets, OHP sheets or the like from a cassette
3
a
are separated one by one by means of a pick-up roller
3
b
and an urging member
3
c
urged against the pick-up roller, and the separated recording medium is conveyed by conveying means
3
comprised of a conveying roller pair
3
d
and a registration roller pair
3
e
. The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum
7
constituted as a cartridge unit as a process cartridge B is transferred onto the recording medium
2
by applying voltage to a transfer roller
4
as transferring means, and the recording medium
2
to which the toner image was transferred is conveyed to a fixing apparatus
5
by a conveying belt
3
f
. The fixing apparatus
5
comprises a driving roller
5
a
, and a fixing rotary member
5
d
comprised of a tubular sheet rotatably supported by a support
5
c
and including a heater
5
b
therewithin and serves to fix the toner image onto the recording medium
2
by applying heat and pressure to the recording medium
2
passing through the fixing apparatus. The recording medium
2
to which the toner image was fixed is conveyed by discharge roller pairs
3
g
,
3
h
and is discharged onto a discharge portion
6
through a reverse rotation conveying path. Incidentally, in the image forming apparatus A, a recording medium can be supplied by a manual insertion tray
3
i
and a roller
3
j.
On the other hand, the process cartridge B includes the photosensitive drum
7
and at least one process means. The process means may include a charging roller
8
for charging the photosensitive drum
7
, a developing apparatus
10
for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum
7
, and a cleaning apparatus
11
for cleaning toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum
7
.
As shown in
FIG. 7
, the process cartridge B according to the illustrated embodiment is designed so that the photosensitive drum
7
as an electrophotographic photosensitive member having a photosensitive layer is rotatingly driven, and the surface of the photosensitive drum
7
is uniformly charged by applying voltage to the charging roller
8
as charging means, and the electrostatic latent image is formed by exposing a light image from the optical system
1
on the charged photosensitive drum
7
through an opening portion
9
, and the electrostatic latent image is developed as the toner image by the developing apparatus
10
.
The developing device
10
serves to feed out the toner in a toner containing portion
10
a
by means of a rotatable first feeding member
10
b
1
and a second feeding member
10
b
2
as feeding means. A developing roller
10
d
as a toner carrying member including a fixed magnet
10
c
therein is rotated, and a triboelectrically charged toner layer is formed on a surface of the developing roller
10
d
by a developing blade
10
f
made of elastic rubber. By applying developing bias, the toner on the developing roller is transferred onto the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum
7
, thereby visualizing the electrostatic latent image as the toner image.
After the toner image is transferred to the recording medium
2
by applying, to the transfer roller
4
, voltage having polarity opposite to that of the toner image, the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum
7
is scraped off by a cleaning blade
11
a
of the cleaning apparatus
11
, and the scraped toner is received by a dipping sheet
11
b
and is collected into a waste toner containing portion
11
c
. In this way, the residual toner on the photosensitive drum
7
is removed.
In the process cartridge B according to the illustrated embodiment, a toner developing frame
12
as a frame of the developing apparatus
10
is formed by integrally welding a developing frame
12
a
having the toner containing portion
10
a
and a developing lower frame
12
b
and a lid member
12
c
, and various members such as the developing roller
10
d
and the developing blade
10
f
are contained within the toner developing frame
12
. The process cartridge B is constituted as a cartridge unit by bonding the toner developing frame
12
to a cleaning frame
13
containing various members such as the photosensitive drum
7
, charging roller
8
and cleaning apparatus
11
, which cartridge unit can detachably be mounted to cartridge mounting means of the main body
14
of the image forming apparatus.
That is to say, as shown in
FIG. 6
, the mounting and dismounting of the process cartridge B is performed after an opening/closing member
15
is opened around an axis
15
a
. When the opening/closing member
15
is opened, a cartridge mounting space within the main body
14
of the apparatus is exposed. As shown in
FIG. 8
, cartridge mounting guide members
17
are formed on both left and right side frames
16
of the cartridge mounting space in an opposed relationship (only one of the guide members is shown in FIG.
8
).
On the other hand, bosses (not shown) are formed on both longitudinal outer side surfaces of the process cartridge B. The process cartridge B is inserted by guiding these bosses along guide grooves
19
defied between the left and right guide members
17
and frames
16
. Recessed portions
19
a
reformed in terminal ends of the guide grooves
19
, and, the process cartridge B is mounted by fitting shaft portions of the bosses into the recessed portions
19
a
. In this case, a drum gear (not shown) provided at one longitudinal end of the photosensitive drum
7
is engaged by a driving gear (not shown) provided in the main body
14
of the apparatus, thereby permitting transmission of a driving force to the photosensitive drum
7
.
Next, a contact arrangement for applying the developing bias to the developing roller
10
d
will be explained with reference to
FIGS. 1
to
5
. Incidentally,
FIG. 1
is a sectional view showing a contact structure of the developing roller,
FIGS. 2A and 2B
are constructural views of a holder showing a fixed electrode structure,
FIG. 3
is a side view of a driving side of the developing frame,
FIG. 4
is an exploded perspective view showing a method for assembling a first electrode, and
FIG. 5
is a constructural view of a conductive resin member.
As shown in
FIG. 1
, the developing roller
10
d
is constituted by a conductive and nonmagnetic cylindrical member made of an aluminium or stainless steel, and flange members
20
a
,
20
b
are fitted into both left and right ends of the developing roller. The right flange member
20
a
made of metal such as aluminium or stainless steel is press-fitted into a right end portion
10
d
R of the developing roller
10
d
and is secured thereto by mechanical means such as caulking, and the flange member
20
a
has a shaft portion
20
a
1
protruding outwardly from the right end portion
10
d
R along a longitudinal direction of the developing roller
10
d
. A circumference of the shaft portion
20
a
1
is rotatably supported by the toner developing frame
12
and a bearing
21
a
secured to a holder
24
a.
On the other hand, the flange member
20
b
made of metal such as aluminium or stainless steel is press-fitted into a left end portion
10
d
L of the developing roller
10
d
and
i
secured thereto by mechanical means such as caulking, and the flange member
20
b
has a shaft portion
20
b
1
protruding outwardly from the left end portion
10
d
L along the longitudinal direction of the developing roller
10
d
. A circumference of the shaft portion
20
b
1
is rotatably supported by the toner developing frame
12
and a bearing
21
b
secured to a holder
24
b.
A developing roller gear
22
is secured to the shaft portion
20
b
1
by means such as keys or set screws, so that the driving force is transmitted from the drum gear (not shown) provided on the photosensitive drum
7
to the developing roller gear
22
, thereby rotating the developing roller
10
d
at a predetermined rotational speed. In the illustrated embodiment, a side including the developing roller gear
22
is called as a driving side, and the other side is called as a nondriving side.
In the illustrated embodiment, since the shaft portions
20
a
1
,
20
b
1
are formed from metal such as aluminium or stainless steel, supporting rigidity for the developing roller
10
d
is enhanced, with the result that rotational accuracy of the developing roller
10
d
can be increased.
Further, the developing roller
10
d
includes therein a magnet roller
10
c
having a plurality of magnetic poles, and the magnet roller
10
c
is provided at its both left and right ends with shaft portions
10
c
1
. The left and right shaft portions
10
c
1
extend through central holes
20
a
2
,
20
b
2
, of the flange members
20
a
,
20
b
and are fixedly supported by support holes
24
a
1
,
24
b
1
of the holders
24
a
,
24
b
secured to the toner developing frame
12
.
When the process cartridge B incorporating the developing apparatus
10
is mounted to the image forming apparatus A, an exposed portion
25
a
of a fixed electrode member
25
exposed out of the process cartridge B is contacted with an apparatus side contact
26
connected to a power supply
27
of the main body
14
of the apparatus.
The fixed electrode member
25
is constituted by a spring stainless plate or a spring bronze phosphide plate and is secured to the holder
24
b
by bent connections
25
c
or heat caulking (refer to FIGS.
2
A and
2
B). When the holder
24
b
is assembled to the developing frame
12
, a contact portion
25
b
at the other end of the fixed electrode member
25
extends through a hole
12
a
1
(refer to
FIG. 3
) of the developing frame
12
and is contacted with a driving side surface
10
e
2
(refer to
FIG. 1
) of a support member
10
e
supporting a developing blade
10
f
made of urethane rubber or the like. Since the contact portion
25
b
of the fixed electrode member
25
is contacted with the driving side side surface
10
e
2
of the developing blade
10
f
with proper contact pressure, a distal end portion of the electrode member acts as a spring portion R.
Further, at a nondriving side of the support member
10
e
of the developing blade
10
f
, there is provided a first electrode
30
(refer to
FIGS. 1 and 4
) formed from a piano wire, a spring stainless wire or a spring bronze phosphide wire for electrical communication with the shaft portion
20
a
1
of the flange member
20
a
. Further, compression coil spring portions
30
a
,
30
b
having elasticity are provided on both ends of the first electrode
30
, and an electrode wire
30
c
connecting between these compression coil spring portions
30
a
and
30
b
is pinched and fixed between the bearing
21
a
and the developing frame
12
. Further, the first electrode
30
can be electrically communicated with the support member
10
e
positively by fitting the compression coil spring portion
30
b
onto a positioning boss
31
of the support member
10
e
of the developing frame
12
and by compressing the compression coil spring portion
30
b
between a seat surface
31
a
and the support member
10
e
by tightening the support member
10
e
by means of screws N.
Incidentally, although the compression spring portion
30
a
of the first electrode
30
can be used as a contact by applying conductive grease to a tip end of the compression spring portion
30
a
and by slidingly contacting the compression spring portion
30
a
with the flange member
20
a
directly, in the illustrated embodiment, in order to reduce electrical noise generated at a sliding contact, a conductive resin member
32
is provided between the compression spring portion
30
a
and the shaft portion
20
a
1
of the flange member
20
a
, and the conductive resin member
32
is urged against the shaft portion
20
a
1
. As material for the conductive resin member
32
is urged against the shaft portion
20
a
1
. As material for the conductive resin member
32
, for example, conductive agent (for example, carbon filler) added PPS (polyphenylene sulphide) or POM (polyacetal) is used.
Electrical communication is permitted by fitting and securing a shaft
32
b
of the conductive resin member
32
in and to the compression coil spring portion
30
a
. Further, as shown in
FIG. 5
, a plurality of projections
32
a
-
1
are formed on a sliding surface
32
a
of the conductive resin member
32
contacted with the shaft portion
20
a
1
of the flange member
20
a
. During the injection molding, since conductive material tends to concentrate onto the projections
32
a
-
1
to expose the conductive material outside, good conductivity can be obtained at the contact portions. In order to realize low noise, low wear and good conductivity between the conductive resin member
32
and the shaft portion
20
a
1
of the flange member
20
a
, it is desirable to select spring pressure of the compression coil spring portion
30
a
to 100 to 200 gf (0.98 to 1.96 N). Further, in the illustrated embodiment, while an example that four projections
32
a
-
1
having “R” tip ends are formed on the sliding surface
32
a
of the conductive resin member
32
was illustrated, the number of the projections
32
a
-
1
is not limited to four.
The conductive resin member
32
attached to the compression coil spring member
30
a
is held by a guide
33
(refer to
FIG. 4
) integrally formed with a side surface of the developing frame
12
and abutment is effected from a radial direction of the shaft portion
20
a
1
of the flange member
20
a
. In consideration of assembling convenience of the first electrode
30
, the guide
33
is formed to be substantially perpendicular to the seat surface
31
a
of the support member
10
e
of the developing blade
10
f.
When the holder
24
a
is assembled to the developing frame
12
, an open surface
33
a
of the guide
33
is closed by an inner wall of the holder
24
a
, the conductive resin member
32
is prevented from being disengaged from the guide
33
.
With the arrangement as mentioned above, when the process cartridge B is mounted to the image forming apparatus A, the apparatus side contact
26
connected to the power supply
27
is contacted with the exposed portion
25
a
of the fixed electrode member
25
, with the result that the bias is applied to the developing roller
10
d
from the contact portion
25
b
of the fixed electrode member
25
through the driving side side surface
10
e
2
of the support member
10
e
of the developing blade
10
f
, the support member
10
e
, the compression coil spring portion
30
b
, electrode wire
30
c
and compression coil spring portion
30
a
of the first electrode
30
at the non-driving side of the support member
10
e
, the conductive resin member
32
, and the shaft portion
20
a
1
of the flange member
20
a.
Next, an assembling procedure of the contact portion of the developing roller
10
d
will be described.
First of all, the shaft portion
32
b
of the conductive resin member
32
is fitted into the compression coil spring portion
30
a
of the first electrode
30
. Then, the compression coil spring portion
30
a
and the conductive resin member
32
are inserted along the guide
33
of the developing frame
12
. Further, the compression coil spring portion
30
b
is fitted onto the positioning boss
31
of the support member
10
e
of the developing frame
12
.
Then, the support member
10
e
is secured to the developing frame
12
by the screws N. In this case, by compressing and fixing the compression coil spring portion
30
b
between the support member
10
e
and the seat surface
31
a
, positive electrical communication with the support member
10
e
can be achieved. Further, since the direction of the guide
33
is substantially perpendicular to the seat surface
31
a
, the assembling of the compression coil spring portions
30
a
and
30
b
of the first electrode
30
can be facilitated.
Then, after the magnet roller
10
c
is inserted into the developing roller
10
d
, the flange members
20
a
,
20
b
are secured to both ends of the developing roller
10
d
, and the bearings
21
a
,
21
b
are fitted onto the shaft portions
20
a
1
,
20
b
1
of the flange members
20
a
,
20
b
, and the developing roller gear
22
is assembled to the driving side shaft portion
20
b
1
. Then, when the bearings
21
a
,
21
b
are secured to the developing frame
12
by the holders
24
a
,
24
b
, the conductive resin member
32
abuts against the shaft portion
20
a
1
of the flange member
20
a
from the radial direction of the shaft portion
20
a
1
. Incidentally, the fixed electrode member
25
is previously secured to the holder
24
b
by the bending connections
25
c
or heat caulking.
When the holder
24
b
is assembled to the developing frame
12
, the contact portion
25
b
of the fixed electrode member
25
extends through the hole
12
a
1
(refer to
FIG. 3
) of the developing frame
12
and is contacted with the driving side surface
10
e
2
of the support member
10
e
. As a result, when the process cartridge B is mounted to the image forming apparatus A, the exposed portion
25
a
of the fixed electrode member
25
is contacted with the apparatus side contact
26
connected to the power supply
27
, thereby establishing a power feeding path in which the bias is applied to the developing roller
10
d
from the contact portion
25
b
of the fixed electrode member
25
through the driving side side surface
10
e
2
of the support member
10
e
of the developing blade
10
f
, the support member
10
e
, the compression coil spring portion
30
b
, electrode wire
30
c
and compression coil spring portion
30
a
of the first electrode
30
at the nondriving side of the support member
10
e
, the conductive resin member
32
, and the shaft portion
20
a
1
of the flange member
20
a.
With the arrangement as mentioned above, since a space W for a driving side coil spring Sp and an elastic abutment portion Cs can be omitted, the developing apparatus
10
and the process cartridge B can be made more compact.
While the embodiment of the present invention was explained, the present invention is not limited to such an embodiment, but, various alternations and modifications can be made within the scope of the invention.
Claims
- 1. A developing device detachably mountable to an image forming apparatus, comprising:a developer carrying member for carrying developer; a developer regulating member for regulating an amount of the developer on said developer carrying member; a conductive support member for supporting said developer regulating member; a driving gear provided on said developer carrying member and adapted to receive a driving force from a main body of said image forming apparatus; a first electrode member which is provided at a driving side of said developer carrying member and to which developing voltage is applied, wherein said first electrode member is electrically communicated with said conductive support member; and a second electrode member for electrically communicating between said conductive support member and a nondriving side of said developer carrying member.
- 2. A developing device according to claim 1, wherein, when said developing device is mounted to a predetermined position of said image forming apparatus, said first electrode member is contacted with a contact portion of said main body of said image forming apparatus.
- 3. A developing device according to claim 1, wherein said developer carrying member includes a developing roller and a conductive flange member secured to an end of said developing roller, and said second electrode member is contacted with said conductive flange member.
- 4. A developing device according to claim 3, wherein said second electrode member includes a conductive resin close contacting with said conductive flange member, and a coil spring fitted onto said conductive resin and for urging said conductive member against said conductive flange member.
- 5. A developing device according to claim 1, wherein said developer regulating member includes a rubber blade.
- 6. A developing device according to claim 1, wherein said developing device is constituted as a process cartridge integrally including at least a photosensitive member.
Priority Claims (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
Kind |
2000-037700 |
Feb 2000 |
JP |
|
US Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
6275668 |
Batori |
Aug 2001 |
B1 |
Foreign Referenced Citations (1)
Number |
Date |
Country |
2000-10387 |
Jan 2001 |
JP |