JPH086397A - Developer stirring/conveying member - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a bucket roller simple to assemble and having high assembly accuracy and a very low manufacturing cost. CONSTITUTION:Multiple buckets 5a, 5b are suspended on a pair of support plates 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b located at both ends, and a developer is stirred and conveyed by the buckets 5a, 5b rotated around the center line X penetrating a pair of support plates 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b. This bucket roller 1 is constituted of two integrally molded parts 1a, 1b divided into two by the plane 30 containing the center line X.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developer stirring / conveying member used in a developing device such as a copying machine or a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As a developing device using a powder developer, such as a copying machine or a printer, a stirring member called a bucket is bridged around a pair of substantially circular support plates facing each other at a predetermined interval. , A bucket including a developer stirring / conveying member that stirs and conveys the developer based on the rotation of a shaft that penetrates the support plate.

[0003]

However, the conventional bucket roller is composed of a sheet metal part, a resin part, or a combination thereof, and is constituted by assembling a relatively large number of several parts by screwing or the like. For this reason, high dimensional accuracy is required for each component in order to improve the assembly accuracy, and it takes time to assemble because there are many screw fastening parts,
There is a problem that the manufacturing cost becomes high.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, the present invention provides a developer stirring and conveying member which is easy to assemble, has a high assembling accuracy, and can be manufactured at a very low cost. A plurality of stirring members are bridged to the above, and the stirring member that rotates around the center line that penetrates the pair of support plates as an axis stirs and conveys the developer.
It is composed of two integrally molded parts which are divided into two parts by a plane including the center line.

[0005]

The developer agitating / conveying member of the present invention has two parts, which are divided into two parts on the surface including the center line, overlapped with each other and screwed,
Assembly can be completed very simply and with high precision simply by fixing them by gluing or the like.

[0006]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of the bucket roller 1 of the first embodiment, FIG. 2 is a plan view of one component forming the bucket roller 1 as seen from the dividing surface side, and FIG. 3 is one part III- shown in FIG. It is a III sectional view. This bucket roller 1
As shown in FIG. 1, it is composed of two parts, a first part 1a and a second part 1b, which are divided into two along a dividing surface 30 including the center line X.

The first part 1a is integrally molded by injection molding, and a pair of semi-circular support plates 3 are provided at both ends thereof.
a and 4a are provided at a predetermined distance, and these support plates 3
A plurality (three in this embodiment) of buckets 5a are laid in parallel on the outer peripheral circular portions of a and 4a. The support plate 3
In the center of the region between a and 4a, as shown in FIG. 2, the half-divided elliptical blade 6a is in a direction orthogonal to the center line X (hereinafter, Y
Called direction. ) Is inclined clockwise by an angle α. Also, the elliptical blade 6a and the support plate 3 are
In the region between a and 4a, a plurality of axial conveying blades 7a are arranged at regular intervals in the axial direction, and the elliptical blade 6a is provided.
In the right side region of the elliptical blade 6a, an inclination of β is provided in the clockwise direction, and in the left side region of the elliptical blade 6a, the inclination of the same angle β is provided in the counterclockwise direction of the Y direction.

A rotary shaft 1 to be described later is provided on the outer peripheral straight line portions of the support plates 3a and 4a, that is, in the central portions of the divided surfaces 30a and 31a.
5, the recesses 8a, 9a having a semicircular cross section for mounting 5, and the insertion holes 10a, 11a penetrating the support plates 3a, 4a from the inner peripheral surfaces of these recesses 8a, 9a at right angles to the dividing surfaces 30a, 31a.
Are formed respectively. In addition, a semi-elliptical recess 12a for mounting the rotary shaft 15 is also formed in the center of the split surface 32a of the elliptical blade 6a.

The bucket 5a is, as shown in FIG.
It has a substantially U-shaped cross section, and by its rotation, the developer can be scooped and conveyed in the circumferential direction. Further, both the arcuate peripheral edges of the elliptical blades 6a and the axial conveying blades 7a are integrally connected to the back portions of the plurality of buckets 5a, whereby the elliptic blades 6a and the axial conveying blades 7a are buckets. It plays the role of a rib that reinforces 5a.

Next, the second part 1b forming the bucket roller 1 together with the first part 1a will be described with reference to FIG.
Will be described with reference to. FIG. 4 is a plan view of the second part 1b as seen from the side of the dividing surface. The second part 1b is also integrally formed by injection molding, like the first part 1a. Further, in the configuration of the second part 1b, the half-divided elliptical blade 6b arranged in the central portion thereof is in the direction opposite to the elliptical blade 6a of the first part 1a, that is, in the counterclockwise direction with respect to the Y direction. The structure is the same as that of the first part 1a except for the difference that they are provided with the same angle α. Therefore, with respect to the configuration of the second part 1b, the reference numeral in which b is added instead of the reference numeral a given to each member of the first part 1a is given to the same member, and the description thereof will be omitted.

As the material for the first part 1a and the second part 1b, for example, synthetic resin such as ABS is preferably used, and other metals such as aluminum alloy may be used.

As shown in FIG. 5, the first part 1a and the second part 1b having the above-mentioned structure are assembled between the first part 1a and the second part 1b by supporting plates at both ends. 3a, 3
The rotary shaft 15 is fitted and held in the recesses 8a, 8b, 9a, 9b formed in b, 4a, 4b respectively, and the insertion holes 10a, 10b and 11a, 11b formed in the respective support plates and corresponding to these The holes 16 formed in the rotary shaft 15 are made to communicate with each other, the bolts 17 are inserted from one side and tightened with the nuts 18, and the first part 1a, the second part 1b and the rotary shaft 15 are integrally fixed. Complete. In this way, the bucket roller 1
Is composed of the first part 1a and the second part 1b, it is possible to easily assemble, the assembly accuracy is high, and the manufacturing cost is extremely low. Further, as described above, at the same time as the bucket roller 1 is assembled, the rotating shaft 15
Can be fixed, and the assembly can be made easier. The first part 1a and the second part 1b are preferably assembled by bonding the contact surfaces of the two parts 1a and 1b.

As shown in FIG. 1, the bucket roller 1 assembled as described above is provided with a single elliptical blade 6 formed by combining the half-divided elliptical blades 6a and 6b at the center thereof. The elliptical blade 6 has a function of stirring the developer supplied to the center of the bucket roller 1 and distributing it to the left and right based on the rotation of the bucket roller 1 in the direction of arrow c. Further, the axial conveying blades 7a, 7b are in a positional relationship of crossing each other, and a constant gap is formed between the surfaces of the axial conveying blades 7a, 7b facing each other. A space is formed from the elliptical blade 6 to the support plates 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b at both ends. As a result, when the bucket roller 1 is mounted on the developing device and driven to rotate, the developer is agitated based on the carrying action of the axial carrying vanes 7a and 7b while moving from the central portion toward both end portions of the bucket roller 1. Be transported through the internal space of.

In the bucket roller 1, as described above, the elliptical blades 6a, 6b and the axial conveying blades 7a, 7b are integrally connected to the buckets 5a, 5b, respectively.
Since these blades serve as ribs that reinforce the buckets 5a and 5b, the strength of the buckets 5a and 5b is structurally increased. Therefore, when the conventional bucket roller is mounted on the developing device and rotated at a high speed, the central portion of the bucket swells outward due to the centrifugal force and the resistance of the developer, resulting in a large outer diameter. According to the bucket roller 1 having the above structure, this problem can be solved.

Next, a second embodiment according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 6 is an overall perspective view of the bucket roller 21 of the second embodiment.
Similarly to the bucket roller 1, the first part 21a and the second part 21a are divided into two along the dividing surface 33 including the center line X.
It is composed of two parts 21b.

However, the elliptical blade 6a at the center of the first part 1a of the bucket roller 1 is not provided on the first part 21a, and a plurality of axial conveying blades 27a are provided on the first part 21a. The parts 21a are arranged at regular intervals over the entire length of the part 21a, and are all inclined in the same direction and at the same angle. The same applies to the second part 21b, which has the same configuration as the first part 21a. Therefore, in the bucket roller 21 of the second embodiment, when the two first parts 21a are overlapped, the state shown in FIG. 6 is obtained, so that the first part 21a and the second part 21b can be shared. The manufacturing cost can be further reduced.

When the bucket roller 21 is attached to the developing device and is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow c, the developer is
While being scooped by the bucket 25a and conveyed in the circumferential direction, the bucket roller 21 is conveyed from the right end portion to the left end portion by the conveying action of the axial conveying blade 27a.

The bucket roller 21 is also composed of two parts integrally molded by injection molding, and the axial conveying blade 27a is integrally connected to the bucket 25a and functions as a reinforcing rib. Easy to assemble,
The same effect as that of the bucket roller 1 can be obtained in that a product with high assembly accuracy can be obtained and the change in outer diameter during high-speed rotation can be prevented.

[0019]

As is apparent from the above description, the bucket roller, which is the developer stirring / conveying member according to the present invention, is composed of two parts which are divided into two parts on the plane including the center line thereof.
Therefore, it is possible to obtain a product that is easy to assemble and has a high assembly precision, and to make the manufacturing cost extremely low.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a bucket roller that is a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view of one component that constitutes the bucket roller of FIG.

3 is a view showing a cross section taken along the line III-III of the component shown in FIG.

4 is a plan view of the other component of the bucket roller of FIG. 1. FIG.

5A and 5B are views for explaining the assembly of the bucket roller and the rotating shaft of FIG.

FIG. 6 is an overall perspective view of a bucket roller that is a second embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

1, 21 ... Bucket rollers, 3a, 3b, 4a, 4b ... Support plate,
5a, 5b, 25a ... Bucket, 7a, 7b, 27a ... Axial conveying blade, 6a, 6b ... Elliptical blade, 30, 31, 32, 33 ... Dividing surface, X ... Center line

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A plurality of stirring members are bridged over a pair of support plates located at both ends, and the developer is stirred by the stirring members rotating about a center line passing through the pair of support plates.
A developer stirring / conveying member to be conveyed, wherein the developer stirring / conveying member is composed of two integrally molded parts which are divided into two parts by a plane including the center line.