JPH05107917A - Electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To prevent forgetting to peel off the sealing film that blocks the opening of the toner container in the developing unit of the electrophotographic apparatus. [Structure] The sealing film 41 for closing the opening of the toner container 31 of the developing device 14 is made of a conductive material. The sealing film 41 is attached to the opening of the toner container 31 from one end thereof to close the opening, and then folded back to be drawn out from the side opening of the toner container 31 to form the holding end 41a. Toner of the developing device side terminal 46 that makes electrical contact with the holding end 41a is provided.
It is provided on the side surface of the container 31. On the other hand, the main body side terminal 47 is provided in the main body 10 of the apparatus and is connected to the control means. When the developing device 14 is assembled to the apparatus main body 10 and the sealing film 41 is put into a use state without being peeled off, the developing device side terminal 4
6 and the main body side terminal 47 come into contact with each other, and the control means issues a warning.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention is based on an electrophotographic system (a system for transferring an image formed on a photoconductor to a sheet for recording) using a laser, such as a printer, a copying machine and a facsimile. It can be applied to an electrophotographic apparatus for recording on a sheet.

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a laser printer, a developing device assembled to the apparatus main body is composed of a developing device main body and a toner container, and the opening of the toner container is closed with a sealing film. there were. When the developing device is assembled, the sealing film is peeled off, the toner in the toner container is supplied to the developing device main body, and the toner is removed by the developing roller provided in the developing device main body. It was designed to be attached to make the latent image on the photoreceptor visible.

[0003]

However, in such a laser printer, the main body of the apparatus may be operated without forgetting to peel off the sealing film that closes the opening of the toner container. Then, there is a case that the user thinks that the device is defective or that the device is broken.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to prevent forgetting to peel off the sealing film that blocks the opening of the toner container in the developing device of the electrophotographic apparatus.

[0005]

Therefore, according to the present invention as set forth in claim 1, the developing device 14 is assembled to the apparatus main body 10 and the toner container of the developing device 14 is assembled, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiments. The sealing film 41 that closes the opening 31a of the developing device 31 is peeled off, the toner in the toner container 31 is supplied to the developing device main body 30, and the developing roller provided in the developing device main body 30 is removed.
In an electrophotographic apparatus in which a toner is attached by a toner 36 to visualize a latent image on the photoconductor 12, the developing device 14 is assembled to the apparatus main body 10 and the sealing film 41 is peeled off. When not in use, the film for sealing 4
1 is provided in the apparatus main body 10 in electrical contact with 1 and is provided with control means for issuing a warning when the contact is established.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the sealing film 41 itself is made of a conductive material in the electrophotographic apparatus according to the first aspect, for example, as shown in the following illustrated embodiments. It is characterized by

According to a third aspect of the present invention, a conductive member 48 is attached to the sealing film 41 in the electrophotographic apparatus according to the first aspect, for example, as shown in the following embodiments. It is characterized by

Further, according to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the electrophotographic apparatus according to the second or third aspect, for example, as in the following illustrated embodiment, the sealing film 41 is electrically contacted and conducted. In addition, when the developing device 14 is assembled to the apparatus main body 10 and the sealing film 41 is put into a use state without being peeled off, the developing device side terminal 47 is in electrical contact with the main body side terminal 47, and the developing device side terminal 46. Is provided in the developing device 14.

[0009]

In the invention described in claim 1, the developing device 1
When 4 is attached to the apparatus main body 10 and the sealing film 41 is used without being peeled off, the main body side terminal 47 and the sealing film 41 are brought into electrical contact and conduction, and the control means issues a warning.

According to the second aspect of the invention, when the developing device 14 is attached to the apparatus main body 10 and the sealing film 41 is used without being peeled off, the sealing film 41 itself is electrically connected to the main body side terminal 47. Contact and conduct.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the developing device 14 is attached to the apparatus main body 10 and is used without peeling off the sealing film 41, the conductive member 48 and the main body side terminal 47 are electrically connected. Contact and conduct.

According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, when the developing device 14 is attached to the apparatus main body 10 and the sealing film 41 is used without being peeled off, the developing device side terminal 46 contacts the sealing film 41. Conductive, this developing device side terminal 46
Is in electrical contact with the main body side terminal 47 to cause a warning by the control means.

[0013]

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

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the entire structure of a laser printer including a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. Reference numeral 10 in the figure denotes the apparatus main body. The device body 10 is composed of an upper structure 10a and a lower structure 10b,
The upper structure 10a is attached to the lower structure 10b by a shaft 11 so as to be openable and closable. A belt-shaped photosensitive member 12 is provided in the main body 10 of the apparatus at substantially the center thereof. Around the photoconductor 12, a charging device 13, a developing device 14, a transfer device 15, and a cleaning device 16 are arranged in this order in the driving direction indicated by the arrow. An optical writing device 18 is arranged below the charging device 13 and the cleaning device 16, and a paper feeding cassette 19 is arranged obliquely above the developing device 14.

Then, the sheet fed from the sheet feeding cassette 19 by the sheet feeding roller 20 is conveyed to the upper side of the photoconductor 12 at a timing by the registration roller pair 21. The photoconductor 12 is driven in the counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow, and at that time, the surface thereof is uniformly charged by the charger 13, and the laser beam from the optical writer 18 is irradiated to the photoconductor 12. Form a latent image. This latent image is developed by the developing device 1.
When passing through No. 4, the toner makes a visible image. Then, this visible image is transferred by the transfer device 15 to the lower surface of the sheet conveyed to the upper side of the photoconductor 12. The transferred sheet
Is conveyed to the fixing device 17 by being guided by the conveyance guide 23,
Fix the visible image. Then, the sheet exiting the fixing device 17 is further conveyed to the paper ejection section 25 by the paper ejection roller 24, guided by the paper ejection guide 26, and stacked on the paper ejection tray 27.

The developing device 14 described above is composed of a developing device main body 30 and a toner container 31, as shown in FIG. The developing device main body 30 has a developing frame 32. The developing frame 32 is provided with a developing chamber 33. A developing roller window 34 is provided on the photoconductor 12 side of the developing chamber 33, and a toner replenishing port 35 is provided on the opposite side of the developing roller window 34. Further, a developing roller 36, a toner replenishing member 37, a thin layer blade 38, and a charge eliminating brush 39 are installed in the developing chamber 33. Then, the tips of the thin blade 38 and the static elimination brush 39 are brought into contact with the surface of the developing roller 36, respectively. In this embodiment, the charger 13 and the optical component 40 that transmits the laser beam are attached to the developing device main body 30.

On the other hand, the toner container 31 is provided with a toner chamber 31b for containing toner. In the toner room 31b,
The agitator 43 is rotatably supported by the support shaft 43a, and the toner end detection sensor 44 is provided on the wall surface thereof. Further, the toner is stored in the toner chamber 31b and the developing device main body 30 is provided.
An opening 31a is provided to supply the The opening 31a
A sealing film 41 made of a conductive material is attached from one end of the opening to close the opening 31a, and then the opening 31a is folded back to the end from the outlet provided on the side surface of the toner container 31. Exposing it as the holding end.

The toner supply port 3 of the developing device main body 30
The opening 31a side of the toner container 31 faces the No. 5 side, and the portion along the peripheral edge of the sealing film 41 is heat-welded by leaving the holding end of the sealing film 41, and the toner container 31 is attached to the developing device main body 30. Are integrally connected by heat welding or the like to form the developing device 14. The developing device 14 is attached to the apparatus main body 10 and the sealing film 41 is removed. Then, when the agitator 42 rotates clockwise as indicated by the arrow, the developing device main body 30 passes through the opening 31a and the toner supply port 35 while stirring the toner.
Supply to. Then, the developing roller 3 that rotates clockwise
Toner 6 is attached with toner by the toner supply member 37. The attached toner is dammed by the tip of the thin layer blade 38 to form a thin layer. Then, toner is attached to the photoconductor 12 through the developing roller window 34, and the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor 12 is visualized.

By the way, the developing device 14 according to the present invention is
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, a guide piece 45 is provided on one side of the outlet 42 provided on the side surface of the toner container 31 so that the holding end 41 a of the sealing film 41 is along the guide piece 45. In addition, a base end of a bent piece-shaped developing device-side terminal 46 is attached to the other side of the outlet 42, and the tip thereof is pressed against the holding end 41a of the sealing film 41. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 1, a main body side terminal 47 is provided in the main body 10 of the apparatus at a position where the main body side terminal 47 comes into contact and conduct with the development side terminal 46 when the development unit 14 is attached. Connect to the means.

When the developing device 14 is assembled to the main assembly 10 of the apparatus and is in a use state, the sealing film 41, the developing device side terminal 46 and the main body side terminal 47 are brought into contact with each other and connected to the control means. The control means issues a warning with, for example, a buzzer to inform that the sealing film 41 is blocking the opening 31a.

Therefore, the holding end 41 of the sealing film 41 is formed.
When a is picked up and pulled out, the opening 31a is opened, the sealing film 41 is separated from the developing device side terminal 46, the conduction between them is cut off, and the warning of the control means is stopped.

Although the sealing film 41 itself is made of a conductive material in the above embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the conductive member 48 is provided on the holding end 41a of the sealing film 41. Is attached and the holding end 41a is temporarily fixed to the side surface of the toner container 31, and the conductive member 48 is directly attached to the main body side terminal 4.
It may be in contact with and electrically connected to 7.

[0023]

Therefore, according to the first aspect of the present invention, when the developing device is attached to the main body of the apparatus and the sealing film is used without being peeled off, the main body side terminal and the sealing film are separated from each other. Since it electrically contacts and makes a warning by the control means, you can prevent forgetting to peel off the sealing film,
It is possible to prevent blank printouts.

According to the second aspect of the invention, since the sealing film itself makes direct electrical contact with the main body side terminal,
The number of parts can be reduced.

According to the third aspect of the invention, since the conductive member and the main body side terminal are in electrical contact and conduction, the material of the sealing film is not restricted.

According to the third aspect of the invention, the main body side terminal and the developing device side terminal are in electrical contact with each other, so that the sealing film can be reliably detected.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a main part of a laser printer according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partially enlarged view of the developing device.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the entire developing device.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a developing device of a laser printer which is another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory view of a contact state of the main body side terminal with the conductive member.

FIG. 6 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of an internal mechanism of such a developing device.

FIG. 7 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of a laser printer including such a developing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 10 Device Main Body 12 Photoreceptor 14 Developing Device 30 Developing Device Main Body 31 Toner Container 31a Opening 36 Developing Roller 41 Sealing Film 46 Developing Device Side Terminal 47 Body Side Terminal 48 Conductive Member

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A developing device is attached to a main body of an apparatus, a sealing film that closes an opening of a toner container of the developing device is peeled off, and a toner in the toner container is supplied to the developing device main body. In an electrophotographic apparatus for visualizing a latent image on a photoreceptor by attaching a toner with a developing roller provided in a developing device main body, the developing device is assembled to the device main body and the sealing film is attached. The electronic device is equipped with a main body side terminal that electrically contacts and conducts with the sealing film when the device is in use without being peeled off, and includes a control unit that issues a warning when the contact is conducted. apparatus. 2. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the sealing film itself is made of a conductive material. 3. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a conductive member is attached to the sealing film. 4. The terminal on the main body side when it is in electrical contact with the sealing film and when the developing device is assembled to the apparatus main body and is put into use without peeling off the sealing film. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 2 or 3, wherein a developing device-side terminal that electrically contacts and conducts is provided in the developing device.