Image forming apparatus and method of setting up the same

Information

  • Patent Grant
  • 6711375
  • Patent Number
    6,711,375
  • Date Filed
    Monday, December 16, 2002
    22 years ago
  • Date Issued
    Tuesday, March 23, 2004
    20 years ago
Abstract
The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a set-up method for the image forming apparatus for reusing recovered toner collected after toner is used in a developing device of the image forming apparatus by mixing the recovered toner with new toner. Before the image forming apparatus is initially set up, the developing device is in an evacuated state, and a transfer path of the recovered toner is filled with an initial developing agent. Then, when the image forming apparatus is initially set up, the initial developing agent is supplied into the developing device. It is preferable that a recovered toner sub-hopper be filled with the initial developing agent. When the image forming apparatus is initially set up, the initial developing agent is promptly supplied into the developing device by increasing an operation speed.
Description




BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION




The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and method of setting up the same for reusing recovered toner by mixing it with new toner, the apparatus and the method being applicable to an image forming apparatus and the like of, for example, a copying machine, printer, facsimile, and the like.




An image forming apparatus having a toner recycle device executes an image forming process such that the surface of a photosensitive drum is charged negatively, a latent image is formed by exposing the photosensitive drum with laser beams based on an image signal (a surface is charged with a potential), a visible image is formed by causing the latent image to absorb negatively charged toner, and the visible image is transferred onto a positively charged sheet and fixed thereon.




In this case, the toner is stored in a developing device as a developing agent mixed with a carrier. The developing device adheres a suitable amount of the developing agent on the surface of the charged photosensitive drum


2


.




In the above image formation, toner, which was already used for image formation and collected for recycle (hereinafter, referred to as “recovered toner”), and new toner, which is not yet used for image formation (hereinafter, referred to as “new toner”), are used in mixture. That is, the recovered toner is recycled. The recovered toner is recycled by a toner recycle device.




Incidentally, when the image forming apparatus is used for the first time, the developing device must be filled with an initial developing agent. The following way are conventionally available as way for filling the developing device with the initial developing agent.




(1) When a product is shipped, the developing device is previously filled with the initial developing agent.




(2) When the product is shipped, a new toner hopper is filled with the initial developing agent, and the initial developing agent in the new toner hopper is supplied into the developing device when the product is used for the first time.




(3) A vessel (bottle, bag and the like) filled with the initial developing agent is put into the package of an image forming apparatus main body separately therefrom and charged into the developing device when the image forming apparatus is set up.




However, the respective way described above have the following problems.




(1) When the developing device is previously filled with the initial developing agent, there is a possibility that the developing agent leaks due to vibration and the like while it is transported. Since the developing device has a developing roller which ordinarily includes a large opening, the developing agent is apt to leak from the opening in the structure of the developing device. It is very difficult to prevent the leakage of the developing agent from the opening with a simple structure. While there is an example in which a shutter structure is employed to prevent the leakage, this structure is considerably expensive.




There is also a system for entirely sealing the developing roller. This system, however, is time-consuming because the seal member must be removed when the image forming apparatus is set up.




(2) When the new toner hopper is filled with the fresh developing agent, all the initial developing agent in the new toner hopper must be supplied into the developing device when the image forming apparatus is set up. New toner cannot be replenished while the initial developing agent remains in the new toner hoper. This is because when the new toner is resupplied while the initial developing agent remains, the ratio of the toner to the carrier changes.




In this case, the new toner must be naturally replenished after the completion of an automatic toner adjustment, which is time-consuming.




(3) When the vessel is filled with the initial developing agent and put into the package of the image forming apparatus main body, the developing device must be removed from the main body, and the initial developing agent must be charged thereinto, which is considerably time-consuming. Further, since it is difficult for a user to carry out a developing agent charge job, the user cannot set up the image forming apparatus.




SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION




An object of the present invention, which has been made to overcome the problems of the conventional art described above, is to provide a less expensive image forming apparatus and a set-up method for the image forming apparatus which can reliably prevent the leakage of a developing agent without the need of a special seal structure in packaging and permits a user to easily carry out a set-up job in a short time without trouble.




The present invention, which has been made to achieve the above object, relates to an image forming apparatus and a set-up method for the image forming apparatus for reusing recovered toner collected after toner is used in a developing device of the image forming apparatus by mixing the recovered toner with new toner. The developing device is in an evacuated state before the image forming apparatus is initially set up, and a transfer path of the recovered toner is filled with an initial developing agent which is supplied into the developing device when the image forming apparatus is initially set up. It is preferable that a recovered toner sub-hopper of the recovered toner transfer path be filled with the initial developing agent.




When the image forming apparatus is initially set up, it is preferable that the initial developing agent be automatically and promptly supplied into the developing device by actuating a toner recycle device independently of the image forming apparatus and increasing the operation speed of the toner recycle device.











BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS





FIG. 1

is a schematic front elevational view showing a main portion of an image forming apparatus of an embodiment of the present invention;





FIG. 2

is a perspective view showing a new toner replenishment device of the embodiment;





FIG. 3

is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus of the embodiment;





FIG. 4

is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus of the embodiment excluding the new toner replenishment device;





FIG. 5

is a perspective view showing a toner recycle device of the embodiment;





FIG. 6

is a perspective view showing the toner recycle device of the embodiment from a view point different from that of

FIG. 5

;





FIG. 7

is a block diagram showing a control arrangement of the image forming apparatus of the embodiment; and





FIG. 8

is a flowchart showing a processing function when the image forming apparatus of the embodiment is set up.











DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS




An embodiment of an image forming apparatus and a set-up method for the image forming apparatus according to the present invention will be described below. In the following description, it is assumed that the image forming apparatus of the embodiment is installed on a copying machine. The image forming apparatus assembled in the copying machine is an apparatus for creating an image and transferring the image onto a sheet by a reverse development system based on a document to be copied. An overall structure of the image forming apparatus will be described based on

FIGS. 1

to


3


.




The image forming apparatus


1


is mainly composed of a photosensitive drum


2


, a discharging unit


3


, an electrifying charger


4


, a developing device


5


, a transfer unit


6


, a cleaner unit


7


, a new toner replenishment device


8


as new toner supply means, and a toner recycle device


9


.




The photosensitive drum


2


is a cylindrical drum rotating in one direction (a clockwise direction, that is, a direction of an arrow B in FIG.


1


). The photosensitive drum


2


has a surface the charged state of which can be arbitrarily adjusted with laser beams. With this arrangement, an image and the like as data to be transferred can be formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


as a latent image by appropriately adjusting the charged state of an arbitrary portion of the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


.




The discharging unit


3


is used to remove charge of the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


. The discharging unit


3


includes a discharging lamp


3


A. The charge remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


is entirely removed by impinging the light from the charge removing lamp


3


A on the surface, thereby the image forming apparatus prepares for the next print.




The electrifying charger


4


is used to charge the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


. The surface of the photosensitive drum


2


negatively charged by the electrifying charger


4


is exposed by the laser beams irradiated from a laser unit (not shown), thereby the latent image is formed on the surface. That is, the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


is exposed with the laser beams based on input information such as an image of a document and the like and a surface potential approaches to zero according to the density of the image and the like, thereby the latent image is formed.




The developing device


5


is a device for adhering a suitable amount of toner onto the surface of the charged photosensitive drum


2


. Since a two-component development system is employed here, a carrier and toner are accommodated in the developing device


5


, and the ratio of the toner to the carrier is adjusted to about 5 wt %:about 95 wt %. Specifically, the new toner replenishment device


8


and the toner recycle device


9


are appropriately controlled so as to adjust the ratio of the toner to the carrier. The amount of the toner in the developing device


5


is monitored by an automatic toner sensor


11


at all times. When the amount of the toner in the developing device


5


is less than 5 wt %, the new toner replenishment device


8


and the toner recycle device


9


are appropriately controlled by a control unit


70


, which will be described later, and a necessary amount of the toner is replenished. The replenished toner and the carrier are stirred by a mixer unit


5


A in the developing device


5


, and the toner is negatively charged by friction charge when it is stirred. The negatively charged toner is transferred onto the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


by a mag-roller


12


and absorbed by the latent image, thereby a visible image is formed.




The transfer unit


6


is used to transfer the toner, which is absorbed by the latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


, onto a sheet. The transfer unit


6


is mainly composed of a transfer belt


13


and a sheet supply unit


14


. The transfer belt


13


transfers and supports the sheet so that sheet comes into contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


and transfers the visual image onto the sheet. The sheet supply unit


14


is disposed so as to face a portion where the transfer belt


13


is in contact with the photosensitive drum


2


. The sheet, which is supplied from the sheet supply unit


14


to the portion where the transfer belt


13


is in contact with the photosensitive drum


2


, is positively charged and absorbs the negatively charged toner forming the visual image. The sheet onto which the toner has been transferred is supplied to a fixing unit (not shown), and the toner is fusion bonded onto the sheet by thermo compression.




The cleaner unit


7


is used to clean the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


. The cleaner unit


7


removes the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


after the toner has been transferred onto the sheet by the transfer unit


6


. The cleaner unit


7


includes a toner receiver


15


and a discharge auger


16


for discharging the toner removed from the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


to the outside. The toner having been removed from the surface of the photosensitive drum


2


drops onto the toner receiver


15


and is discharged to the toner recycle device


9


side by the discharge auger


16


.




The new toner replenishment device


8


is a device for replenishing new toner into the developing device


5


. As shown in

FIGS. 2 and 3

, the new toner replenishment device


8


is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the developing device


5


. In this state, the new toner replenishment device


8


is disposed forward of a front surface a main body of the copying machine. The new toner replenishment device


8


is composed of a new toner hopper


18


, stir and transfer paddles


19


, a remaining toner detection sensor


20


, and a conveying unit


21


.




The new toner hopper


18


is a vessel for storing new toner. The new toner hopper


18


is composed of an approximately semi-circular vessel having an upper open side. The semicircular new toner hopper


18


is divided into a shallow bottom section


18


A and a deep bottom section


18


B at the center of a longitudinal direction. Two sets of the stir and transfer paddles


19


are disposed in the shallow bottom section


18


A in parallel with each other. The remaining toner detection sensor


20


and the conveying unit


21


are disposed in the deep bottom section


18


B.




The stir and transfer paddles


19


are devices for transferring the new toner stored in the new toner hopper


18


to the conveying unit


21


while stirring it. As described above, the two sets of the stir and transfer paddles


19


are disposed in the shallow bottom section


18


A in parallel with each other. When the two stir and transfer paddles


19


rotate, the new toner in the new toner hopper


18


is transferred to the conveying unit


21


in the deep bottom section


18


B. The respective stir and transfer paddles


19


are driven by a drive unit (not shown).




The remaining toner detection sensor


20


is a sensor for detecting the remaining amount of the new toner stored in the new toner hopper


18


. Since an image cannot be formed if the toner is exhausted, the remaining amount of the toner is detected by the remaining toner detection sensor


20


at all times. Any know sensors such as a magnetic sensor, optical sensor, and the like can be applied to the remaining toner detection sensor


20


. They are appropriately selected depending on an accuracy with which the remaining toner is detected.




The conveying unit


21


is used to supply the new toner stored in the new toner hopper


18


into the developing device


5


. The conveying unit


21


is composed of a toner transfer auger


23


and an auger drive unit


24


. The toner transfer auger


23


is composed of a screw conveyer and disposed on the bottom of the deep bottom section


18


B in parallel with the new toner hopper


18


. The toner transfer auger


23


is disposed to face a toner receiving plate


64


, which will be described later, and supplies the new toner stored in the new toner hopper


18


. The auger drive unit


24


is composed of a drive motor (hereinafter, referred to as a “toner hopper motor”)


26


and a reducer


27


. The toner hopper motor


26


is composed of, for example, a stepping motor. The amount of the new toner to be supplied is accurately controlled by controlling the number of rotation and the period of time of rotation of the toner transfer auger


23


by the toner hopper motor


26


. The reducer


27


is composed of a belt


28


, a pulley


29


, and gears


30


to


36


. The gears


30


to


36


are appropriately regulated according to a speed reduction ratio. Stirring bars (not shown) disposed in the deep bottom section


18


B are attached to a rotating shaft of the gear


32


.




The toner recycle device


9


is used to transfer the recovered toner collected by the cleaner unit


7


to the developing device


5


in order to reuse it. The toner recycle device


9


is disposed below the new toner replenishment device


8


approximately in parallel with it. As shown in

FIGS. 3

to


6


, the toner recycle device


9


is composed of a recovered toner coupling and transfer auger


41


acting as a coupling and transfer unit, a recovered toner sub-hopper


42


acting as recovered toner accommodation means, and a supply auger


43


.




The recovered toner coupling and transfer auger


41


is used to transfer the toner collected by the cleaner unit


7


to the developing device


5


side. The recovered toner coupling and transfer auger


41


is composed of, for example, a long screw conveyer, the lower end of the auger


41


is coupled with the discharge auger


16


of the cleaner unit


7


, and the upper end thereof is coupled with the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


. A drive unit


45


of the recovered toner coupling and transfer auger


41


is composed of a drive motor


47


disposed adjacent to the upper end of the recovered toner coupling and transfer auger


41


, a pulley


48


coupled with the recovered toner coupling and transfer auger


41


, a belt


49


for coupling the drive motor


47


with the pulley


48


, and the like. The drive motor


47


is controlled in association with a drive motor of the discharge auger


16


of the cleaner unit


7


.




The recovered toner sub-hopper


42


is a vessel for temporarily storing the recovered toner collected by the recovered toner coupling and transfer auger


41


and supplying a necessary amount of it into the developing device


5


. Stirring bars (not shown) are disposed in the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


to stir the recovered toner stored therein. A recovered toner replenishment auger


51


acting as recovered toner replenishment means is disposed to the lower portion in the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


. The rotation of the recovered toner replenishment auger


51


is controlled by a drive unit


52


so that the recovered toner can be supplied to the supply auger


43


in an accurate amount. The drive unit


52


is composed of a drive motor (sub-hopper motor)


53


and a reducer


54


. The sub-hopper motor


53


is composed of, for example, a stepping motor. The reducer


54


is composed of a combination of a belt


55


, a pulley


56


, and gears


57


to


61


. The gears


59


and


60


are disposed on both the sides of the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


across it and coupled with each other through a single rotating shaft, and stir bars (not shown) are attached to the rotating shaft.




The recovered toner sub-hopper


42


is filled with an initial developing agent in a manufacturing process of the copying machine or when the copying machine is shipped. A lid of the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


is removed, and the initial developing agent is filled in the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


. Since the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


has an excellent seal property, the initial developing agent does not leak to the outside due to vibration and the like while it is transported. Note that the new toner replenishment device


8


is filled with new toner in the manufacturing process of the copying machine or when the copying machine is shipped. Since the new toner replenishment device


8


also has an excellent seal property, the new toner does not leak to the outside due to vibration and the like while it is transported.




The supply auger


43


is used to receive the recovered toner from recovered toner replenishment auger


51


and the new toner from the toner transfer auger


23


of the new toner replenishment device


8


and supplies them into the developing device


5


. The supply auger


43


is composed of an auger unit


63


formed by being extended from the mixer unit


5


A of the developing device


5


, the recovered toner replenishment auger


51


of the toner recycle device


9


, and a toner receiving plate


64


that opens toward the toner transfer auger


23


of the new toner replenishment device


8


. A drive motor (not shown) of the auger unit


63


is disposed on the developing device


5


side. The recovered toner replenishment auger


51


is disposed on the developing device


5


side. In the toner receiving plate


64


, the new toner from the toner transfer auger


23


of the new toner replenishment device


8


is supplied upstream of the recovered toner from the recovered toner replenishment auger


51


. The new toner and the recovered toner having been replenished to the toner receiving plate


64


are mixed with a carrier and stirred in the mixer unit


5


A of the developing device


5


.





FIG. 7

is a block diagram showing a control arrangement of the image forming apparatus


1


of the embodiment.




A controller (shown as a CPU in

FIG. 7

)


70


is composed of, for example, a CPU, ROM, RAM, and the like and controls the image forming apparatus


1


in its entirety based on a processing program stored in the ROM, RAM, and the like and according to data stored in the ROM, RAM, and the like and to the outputs from various sensors.




The remaining toner detection sensor


20


and the automatic toner sensor


11


described above are connected to input ports of the controller


70


as well as a front cover switch


71


is connected to the sensor


20


.




The remaining toner detection sensor


20


detects the amount of the new toner remaining in the new toner hopper


18


as described above, and a magnetic sensor composed of a magnet and a lead switch, for example, can be applied to the remaining toner detection sensor


20


. When the new toner remains in a large amount, the new toner enters between the magnet and the lead switch and a gap is formed therebetween, thereby the lead switch is turned off. In contrast, when the new toner remains in a small amount, no gap is formed therebetween, thereby the lead switch is turned on by the attracting force of the magnet. The controller


70


detects the turning-on and the turning-off of the lead switch.




The automatic toner sensor


11


is a toner density ratio sensor for detecting the ratio of the toner (resin) to the carrier (iron) in a developing agent, as described above. The output from the automatic toner sensor


11


is read by the controller


70


. When a toner density drops, the controller


70


drives the toner hopper motor


26


and the like so that the toner is replenished into the developing device


5


and notifies a user of a lack of toner, and the like by displaying it on a control panel (not shown) and the like.




The front cover switch


71


is a switch that is turned on and off by opening and closing a main body cover (here, referred to as a “front cover”) of the copying machine. The output signal from the front cover switch


71


is read by the controller


70


, thereby the controller


70


recognizes a state of the front cover.




The output ports of the controller


70


are connected to the two motor drivers


72


,


73


and a charge transformer


74


.




The photosensitive drum


2


and the cleaner unit


7


are driven by a drum motor


75


, which is driven in rotation by the motor driver


72


, under the control of the controller


70


when a copy or the like is executed.




Likewise, the developing device


5


and the transfer belt


13


are driven by a developing device motor


76


and a transfer belt motor


77


, which are driven in rotation by the motor driver


72


, under the control of the controller


70


when the copy or the like is executed.




Further, likewise, the new toner hopper


18


, the recovered toner coupling and transfer auger


41


, and the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


are driven by the toner hopper motor


26


, the coupling and transfer auger motor


47


, and the sub-hopper motor


53


, respectively, which are driven in rotation by the motor driver


73


.




Note that while the toner hopper motor


26


, the coupling and transfer auger motor


47


, and the sub-hopper motor


53


are connected to the same motor driver


73


, they can be driven individually under the control of the controller


70


.




As described above, the electrifying charger


4


is applied with a high voltage by the charge transformer


74


under the control of the controller


70


and charges the photosensitive drum


2


when the copy and the like are made.




In addition, the controller


70


stores a set-up processing function shown in a flowchart of

FIG. 8

together with the processing function (not shown) for controlling the image forming apparatus


1


in its entirety. The set-up processing function is set as a subroutine which functions only once when the apparatus


1


is setup. Specifically, whether or not set-up processing is to be executed is determined at the beginning of the processing flow for controlling the image forming apparatus


1


in its entirety, and the set-up processing shown in

FIG. 8

is executed only once when the apparatus


1


is set up.




Next, a set-up method the image forming apparatus


1


arranged as described above of the copying machine will be described.




The set-up processing is executed just after the processing for controlling the image forming apparatus


1


in its entirety is started by turning on a main switch for the first time. That is, the copying machine is installed at a predetermined position, power is supplied thereto, and the main switch is turned on. With this operation, the processing flow for controlling the image forming apparatus


1


in its entirety is started as described above, and it is determined that the set-up processing must be executed at the beginning of the processing flow. With this determination, the set-up processing in

FIG. 8

is stated only once when the apparatus


1


is set up.




When the set-up processing starts, the sub-hopper motor


53


of the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


of the toner recycle device


9


, the drive motor of the auger unit


63


, and the drive motor of the mixer unit


5


A of the developing device


5


are driven (step ST


1


). With this operation, the initial developing agent in the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


is supplied to the auger unit


63


, further supplied into the developing device


5


by the auger unit


63


, and stirred by the mixer unit


5


A of the developing device


5


. At this time, the sub-hopper motor


53


of the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


and the drive motor of the auger unit


63


are driven at a rotational speed higher than an ordinary rotational speed, thereby the initial developing agent in the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


is promptly supplied into the developing device


5


in a short time.




Next, the process waits until all the initial developing agent in the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


is supplied into the developing device


5


(step ST


2


). Specifically, the remaining amount of the initial developing agent in the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


is detected by a recovered toner remaining amount detection sensor (not shown) disposed in the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


, and the process waits until the initial developing agent is exhausted. The initial developing agent supplied into the developing device


5


is stirred by the mixer unit


5


A and reaches the mag-roller


12


.




When the supply of the initial developing agent in the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


is completed, an initial toner density is set (step ST


3


). The toner density of the initial developing agent is detected by the automatic toner sensor


11


and set as preference value for automatic toner adjustment. Here, the reference value is set to 5%.




On the completion of the initial toner density, the process waits that the image forming apparatus


1


is controlled in its entirety. Then, a job for installing the copying machine is finished without the need of filling new toner because the new toner hopper


18


is already filled with the new toner.




Thereafter, the toner recycle device


9


executes an ordinary function. That is, the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


acts as a vessel for temporarily storing the recovered toner. The toner recycle device


9


supplies to the developing device the recovered toner in the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


only in a necessary amount when it is required.




As described above, when the copying machine is packaged, the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


of the toner recycle device


9


is filled with the initial developing agent and the developing device


5


is not filled with it. Accordingly, even if a special seal mechanism is not provided when the copying machine is packaged, the leakage of the developing agent can be prevented with reliability during the transportation, and the like thereof. As a result, the toner recycle device


9


can be provided at a less expensive cost.




Further, since the new toner hopper


18


is not filled with the initial developing agent, it is possible for the new toner hopper


18


to be filled with the new toner when the product is shipped. Accordingly, a new toner filling job is not necessary when the apparatus


1


is set up.




Moreover, since a set-up job can be carried out only by pressing the main switch without the need of filling an initial developing agent and new toner, the set-up job can be easily executed without trouble. As a result, even the user can execute set-up job.




Note that while the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


is filled with the initial developing agent in the above embodiment, other portion may be filled with the initial developing agent, in addition to the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


. As long as a portion filled with the initial developing agent is located within a recovered toner transfer path in the toner recycle device


9


, the initial developing agent can be supplied into the developing device


5


by actuating the toner recycle device


9


, thereby the same operation/working effect as that of the above embodiment can be achieved. For example, the initial developing agent may be stored in the recovered toner coupling and transfer auger


41


, or in the recovered toner coupling and transfer auger


41


and the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


. When the initial developing agent is stored also in the coupling and transfer auger


41


, the initial developing agent in the coupling and transfer auger


41


is supplied into the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


and the initial developing agent in the recovered toner sub-hopper


42


is supplied into the developing device


5


by actuating the overall toner recycle device


9


when the apparatus


1


is set up.




Further, in the above embodiment, the initial toner density is set by executing the set-up processing by turning on the main switch, the set-up processing and the initial set of the toner density may be executed using the selection of an automatic toner adjustment mode as a trigger. That is, when the automatic toner adjustment mode, in which the toner density of the developing agent is automatically set to a set value, can be arbitrarily selected manually, the above processing may be executed using the selection of the automatic toner adjustment mode as the trigger. The same operation/working effect as that of the above embodiment can be achieved also in this case.




Also, in the above embodiment, the example in which the new toner replenishment device


8


is used as means for replenishing the new toner, new toner replenishment means using a cartridge may be also applied to the present invention. The same operation/working effect as that of the above embodiment can be achieved also in this case.




Also, while the mixture of the toner and the carrier is used as the developing agent, only the toner may be used. The same operation/working effect as that of the above embodiment can be achieved also in this case.




While the copying machine is described as an example in the above respective embodiments, the application of the image forming apparatus is by no means limited to the copying machine, and the apparatus can be applied to any other equipment for forming an image using toner such as a printer, facsimile and the like.




Further, the image forming apparatus can be also applied to a color copying machine. In this case, the image forming apparatus is applied to each of four sets of the image forming apparatuses


1


for three primary colors and black.



Claims
  • 1. An image forming apparatus having a toner recycle device for supplying recovered toner from a cleaner unit into a developing device through a transfer path and reusing the recovered toner by mixing it with new toner, comprising control means for causing an initial developing agent filled in the transfer path before the image forming apparatus is initially set up to be supplied into the developing device when the image forming apparatus is initially set up.
  • 2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the transfer path comprises recovered toner accommodation means for temporarily storing the recovered toner and coupling and transfer means for transferring the recovered toner from the cleaner unit to the recovered toner accommodation means, and one of the coupling and transfer means and the recovered toner accommodation means is filled with the initial developing agent.
  • 3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the toner recycle device comprises recovered toner supply means, and the control means controls the recovered toner supply means so that the recovered toner is supplied into the developing device when an image is formed as well as the initial developing agent is supplied into the developing device when the image forming apparatus is initially set up.
  • 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the control means increases the operation speed of the recovered toner supply means when the image forming apparatus is initially set up more than when an image is formed.
  • 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, comprising toner density detection means, wherein the control means controls the toner density detection means so that the toner density detection means sets an initial toner density by detecting the toner density of the initial developing agent after the initial developing agent has been supplied into the developing device and by setting the detected toner density as an adjustment reference value.
  • 6. A set-up method for an image forming apparatus having a toner recycle device for supplying recovered toner from a cleaner unit into a developing device through a transfer path and reusing the recovered toner by mixing it with new toner, the method comprising the step of supplying an initial developing agent filled in the transfer path before the image forming apparatus is initially set up into the developing device when the image forming apparatus is initially set up.
  • 7. The set-up method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 6, wherein the transfer path comprises recovered toner accommodation means for temporarily storing the recovered toner and coupling and transfer means for transferring the recovered toner from the cleaner unit to the recovered toner accommodation means, and one of the coupling and transfer means and the recovered toner accommodation means is filled with the initial developing agent.
  • 8. The set-up method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the toner recycle device comprises recovered toner supply means, and the control means controls the recovered toner supply means so that the recovered toner is supplied into the developing device when an image is formed as well as the initial developing agent is supplied into the developing device when the image forming apparatus is initially set up.
  • 9. The set-up method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the control means increases the operation speed of the recovered toner supply means when the image forming apparatus is initially set up more than when an image is formed.
  • 10. The set-up method for an image forming apparatus according to claim 8, comprising toner density detection means, wherein the control means controls the toner density detection means so that the toner density detection means sets an initial toner density by detecting the toner density of the initial developing agent after the initial developing agent has been supplied into the developing device and by setting the detected toner density as an adjustment reference value.
US Referenced Citations (4)
Number Name Date Kind
4894688 Taniguchi et al. Jan 1990 A
5848342 Tanda Dec 1998 A
6526252 Itoh et al. Feb 2003 B1
6553202 Tamaki et al. Apr 2003 B2
Foreign Referenced Citations (3)
Number Date Country
07-181792 Jul 1995 JP
11-95553 Apr 1999 JP
2002-131996 May 2002 JP
Non-Patent Literature Citations (3)
Entry
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/975,975, Itoh et al., filed Oct. 15, 2001.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/975,976, Itoh et al., filed Oct. 15, 2001.
U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/976,147, Itoh et al., filed Oct. 15, 2001.