JP2000305344A - Developer accommodating device, developing device, and image forming apparatus including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) Abstract: An object of the present invention is to prevent the occurrence of solidification of a developer in a developer container due to a rise in temperature in an apparatus or frictional heat with a developer stirring means or a developer conveying means. An object of the present invention is to provide a developer accommodating device, a developing device, and an image forming apparatus including the same. SOLUTION: In a developer accommodating device having a developer container 2 for accommodating a developer d and a second stirring means 6 for agitating the developer d in the developer container 2, a third container is provided so as to cool the developer d. This is achieved by having a cooling fan 9 for cooling the two stirring means 6.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developer storage device,
The present invention relates to a developing device and an image forming apparatus including the same.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in such an image forming apparatus,
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, there is known an image forming apparatus which is provided near a photosensitive drum 111 serving as a latent image carrier for carrying a latent image and includes a developing device 101 for visualizing the latent image. , Has been put to practical use.

A developing device 101 includes a developer container 102 containing a toner t as a developer, a developing sleeve 104 which is arranged opposite to the photosensitive drum 111, carries the developer, and is driven to rotate in the direction indicated by an arrow in FIG. Developing blade 108 for regulating the layer thickness of toner t carried on 104
Stirring means 105 and 106 as developer stirring means for stirring the toner t in the developer container 102;
The transfer screw 107 is a developer transfer unit that transfers the toner t replenished in the developing unit 2 in the longitudinal direction of the developing sleeve 104 (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 6).

In the developing device 101, a toner supply port 103a is opened at one end in the width direction of a cover 103 which covers the upper portion of the developer container 102.
When the toner t in the toner container is consumed and its remaining amount is reduced, the toner t is supplied to the developer container 102 from the hopper 116 through the toner supply port 103a.

[0005]

However, in such an image forming apparatus, heat from a fixing device or the like provided inside the image forming apparatus is stored in the image forming apparatus.
The temperature inside the developer container 102 rises.

Further, in such an image forming apparatus, the toner t in the developer container 102 generates frictional heat due to stirring by the stirring means 105 and 106 and conveyance by the conveyance screw 107, and a part t 'of the toner t is removed. As shown in FIG. 5, the toner is fused to the screw wall 109 or solidified in the form of a cluster in the developer container 102, so that the distribution of the toner in the developer container 102 becomes non-uniform and causes a poor image density. Or the worst combination screw 107 may be locked to damage the apparatus.

In view of the above, the present invention is directed to a developer container capable of preventing the occurrence of solidification of a developer in a developer container due to a temperature rise in the apparatus and frictional heat with a developer stirring means or a developer conveying means. It is an object to provide an apparatus, a developing apparatus, and an image forming apparatus including the same.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention mainly relates to a developer accommodating apparatus having a developer container for accommodating a developer and a developer agitating means for agitating the developer in the developer container. , A cooling device for cooling the developer stirring means to cool the developer.

Another main aspect of the invention of the present application is a developing device for visualizing a latent image by applying a developer to a latent image carrier for carrying the latent image. A developing device comprising:

[0010] Further, the invention according to another main application of the present invention is:
An image forming apparatus that records an image formed by a series of image forming processes on a recording medium, the image forming apparatus including the developer accommodating device or the developing device.

Another main aspect of the invention of the present application is a developer container having a developer container for storing a developer and a developer conveying means for conveying the developer in a predetermined direction in the developer container. The developer accommodating device, further comprising a cooling unit that cools the developer conveying unit so as to cool the developer.

Further, the invention according to another main application of the present invention is:
A developing device that visualizes the latent image by applying a developer to a latent image carrier that holds the latent image, the developing device including the developer accommodating device.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus for recording an image formed by a series of image forming processes on a recording medium, wherein the developer accommodating device or the developing device is provided. An image forming apparatus comprising:

[0014]

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

(First Embodiment) First, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described.

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an electrophotographic copying machine as an example of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a developing device provided in the electrophotographic copying machine of FIG. FIG.
FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a developer stirring unit and a developer conveying unit provided in the developing device of FIG. 2.

In such an electrophotographic copying machine, a photosensitive drum 11 serving as a latent image carrier for carrying a latent image is rotatably disposed in an apparatus main body 10 of the electrophotographic copying machine. Around the periphery, process devices such as a primary charger 12, a developing device 1, a transfer charger 13, a separation charger 14, and a cleaner 15 according to the present invention are arranged.

A hopper 16 for replenishing toner as a developer is provided above the developing device 1.

On one side (right side in FIG. 1) of the apparatus main body 10, paper feed cassettes 17, 18, and 19 each of which contains a plurality of transfer papers P, which are recording media, are stacked in three stages. A paper feed tray 20 for manual feed is provided above the paper feed cassette 17.

Thus, each of the sheet cassettes 17, 18, 19
Or the transfer paper P supplied from the manual paper feed tray 20
Is conveyed from the right to the left in FIG.
A fixing device 23, a paper discharge roller 24, and the like are provided.

On the other hand, a lamp 25, reflection mirrors 26 to 29, an optical system lens 30, and the like, which make up the optical system, are arranged in the upper part of the apparatus main body 10.

A document (not shown) set on a document table 31 provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 10 is read by an optical system, and a photosensitive drum 11 on which a light image corresponding to the document is rotated. When exposed upward, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 11, and this electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing device 1 according to the present invention and visualized as a toner image.

On the other hand, for example, a transfer paper P is supplied from a paper feed cassette 17, and the transfer paper P is sent to a transfer portion between the photosensitive drum 11 and the transfer charger 13 at timing adjusted by a registration roller 21, After receiving the transfer of the toner image formed on the drum 11, the separation charger 14
Is separated from the photosensitive drum 11.

The transfer paper P separated from the photosensitive drum 11 is sent to a fixing device 23 by a conveyor belt 22, and after the toner image is fixed by the heat of the fixing device 23, the paper P is discharged by a discharge roller 24. Is discharged to

Next, the developing device 1 according to the present invention will be described.

As shown in FIG. 2, the developing device 1 constitutes a developer accommodating device, and includes a developer container 2 for accommodating a toner t as a developer.

The upper portion of the developer container 2 is covered by a cover 3.

At the opening of the developer container 2, there is provided a developing sleeve 4 as a developer carrier which is arranged to face the photosensitive drum 11 and is driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow shown in the figure.

As shown in FIG. 3, a first stirring chamber S1 and a second stirring chamber S2 are formed in the developer container 2, and these first stirring chamber S1 and second stirring chamber S2 are formed. Figure 2
The first stirring means 5 driven to rotate in the direction of the arrow and the second stirring means 6, which is a developer stirring means constituted by a hollow member having a hollow portion 6a, are supported by a support member 6c. It protrudes out of the container 2.

Further, as shown in FIG. 2, an end of the developer container 2 on the side opposite to the side where the developing sleeve 4 is disposed is provided with:
The transfer screw 7 serving as a developer transfer means is provided with the developing sleeve 4.
And the conveying screw 7 is provided with a hollow portion 7a.
Are formed at both ends of the developer container 2
It protrudes outside.

The transport screw 7 is provided at a position higher than the developing sleeve 4, the first stirring means 5 and the second stirring means 6.

Further, the second stirring means 6 and the conveying screw 7
Outside the developer container 2 at one end, as shown in FIG. 3, a cooling fan 9 serving as a cooling means for introducing outside air acting as a refrigerant in the direction of an arrow via a duct 8 from outside the image forming apparatus. The other end has a hollow portion 6a,
A discharge section 6b and a discharge section 7b are provided for discharging air that has absorbed heat from the toner t in the developer container 2 through the hollow section 7a in the direction of an arrow, respectively.

Thereafter, the heat is absorbed and the discharge portion 6b and the discharge portion 7 are removed.
The air discharged from b is discharged to the outside of the image forming apparatus.

On the other hand, a developing blade 8 for regulating the layer thickness of the toner t carried on the developing sleeve 4 is attached to the back surface of the cover 3, and one end in the width direction of the cover 3 (that is, the conveying blade). Above the shaft end of the screw 7)
As shown in FIG. 5, a rectangular toner supply port 3a is opened, and above the toner supply port 3a, a toner supply port 16a of the hopper 16 is opened as shown in FIG.

According to the first embodiment having the above configuration,
In order to prevent the developer contained in the developer container 2 or the like from solidifying due to heat inside the image forming apparatus or heat caused by friction with the conveying means and the stirring means, air outside the image forming apparatus is used as a refrigerant to form a hollow. After absorbing heat from the toner t inside the developer container 2 when passing through the portion 6a and the hollow portion 7a, the heat is discharged to the outside of the image forming apparatus.

Accordingly, the temperature of the developer is suppressed to a melting temperature or lower and no solidification occurs, so that an effect of preventing image density defects and the like and preventing damage to the apparatus can be obtained.

(Second Embodiment) Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described. Note that the same components as those of the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof is omitted.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the developing device according to the present embodiment.

In this embodiment, a hollow portion 6a is formed in the second stirring means 6 as in the first embodiment. However, as shown in FIG. For example, water).

Therefore, the pump 5 for circulating the liquid
1, a heat radiating member 50 for releasing the heat collected by the liquid to the outside of the image forming apparatus, and a connecting member 5 for connecting these members
2 is different from the first embodiment in that a cooling means constituted by 2 is provided.

According to the second embodiment having the above structure,
In order to prevent the developer stored in the developer container 2 or the like from solidifying due to heat in the image forming apparatus or heat due to friction with the stirring means, a hollow portion is formed using a liquid refrigerant circulating in the image forming apparatus. After absorbing heat from the toner t inside the developer container 2 when passing through the toner container 6a, the heat is discharged to the outside of the image forming apparatus via the heat radiation member 50.

Thus, since the temperature of the developer is kept below the melting temperature and no solidification occurs, the effect of preventing image density defects and the like and preventing damage to the apparatus can be obtained.

Further, since the cooling fan is not used, the effect that the operation noise can be reduced can be obtained.

In this embodiment, the agitating means has been described. However, it is clear that the present invention can be applied to the conveying means and other containers for storing the toner such as the cleaner 15 (the same applies to the first embodiment). ).

[0045]

As described above, according to the invention of the present application, the developer stored in the developer container or the like is
The temperature of the developer can be suppressed to a melting temperature or less so as not to be coagulated by heat in the image forming apparatus or heat generated by friction with the developer conveying means or the developer stirring means, thereby preventing image density defects and the like. Damage can be prevented.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a longitudinal sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of an electrophotographic copying machine as an example of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a developing device provided in the image forming apparatus of FIG.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a developer conveying unit and a developer stirring unit provided in the developing device of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a schematic configuration of a developing device according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing a schematic configuration of a conventional developing device.

FIG. 6 is a plan view when a cover of a conventional developing device is removed.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Developing device 2 Developer container 4 Developing sleeve 6 2nd stirring means (developer stirring means) 6a Hollow part 6b Heat discharge part 7 Transport screw (developer transfer means) 7a Hollow part 8 Duct 7b Heat discharge part 9 Cooling fan ( Cooling means) 50 heat dissipation member 51 pump 52 connecting member

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A developer accommodating apparatus comprising: a developer container for accommodating a developer; and a developer agitating means for agitating the developer in the developer container. A developer accommodating device having cooling means for cooling the means. 2. The cooling unit is configured to cool the developer in the developer container by introducing a coolant from outside the developer container into a hollow portion formed in the developer stirring unit and flowing the refrigerant. The developer accommodating device according to claim 1, wherein 3. A developer accommodating device having a developer container for accommodating a developer and a developer conveying means for conveying the developer in a predetermined direction in the developer container, wherein the developer is cooled. A developer accommodating device comprising cooling means for cooling the developer conveying means. 4. The cooling means is configured to cool the developer in the developer container by introducing a coolant from the outside of the developer container into the hollow portion formed in the developer conveying means and flowing the refrigerant. The developer accommodating device according to claim 3, wherein 5. A developing device for visualizing a latent image by applying a developer to a latent image carrier for carrying a latent image, wherein the developing device is configured to visualize the latent image. A developing device comprising a developer accommodating device. 6. An image forming apparatus for recording an image formed by a series of image forming processes on a recording medium,
An image forming apparatus comprising: the developer accommodating device according to claim 1; or the developing device according to claim 5.