摘要:
The process frame body has the guide portion, and the development device has the to-be-guided shaft. When the process frame body is unattached to the apparatus main body, the guide portion of the development device is absent, thus preventing proper attachment and positioning of the development device. The convex engagement portion is formed integrally with the development device so as to jut into the attachment path for the process frame body. This prevents attachment of the process frame body when the development device is attached first. If users try to attach the process frame body after attachment of the development device, the convex engagement portion interferes with the process frame body, thus preventing attachment of the process frame body.
摘要:
A toner cartridge stored in a developer casing includes a biasing force generating device, an actuating rod that switches the biasing device between an active state and a non-active state by one movement of a release member. A developer casing swings by the movement of the actuating rod and presses a developing roller with appropriate pressure to a photosensitive drum. There is a lock member that is restrained from moving by the movement of the actuating rod. The structure recited is capable of inserting and fixing the developer casing to an image forming device. Also, by one restore movement of the release member, the photosensitive drum and the developing roller are separated and the lock is released, thereby enabling removal/exchange of the developer casing.
摘要:
A detection mechanism is provided with a sealing member made of elastic material for preventing toner leakage between (a) a pierced wall surface of a toner tank through which a rotating shaft is inserted and (b) a second side plate provided on the rotating shaft. With this structure, a flat splicing surface of the sealing member is made to closely contact a second side plate that can be coated with a high lubricant member whose frictional forces is small. When a sealing force of the sealing member is strongly compressed, the sealing member prevents toner from coming into the sliding surface.
摘要:
Elastic members are fixed at one end to the housing of an image forming apparatus while their distal ends extend into the framework of the developing unit. When a toner cartridge is fitted to the framework of a developing unit, the distal ends of the elastic members abut the top surface of the toner cartridge, so that the elastic members are compressed to produce repulsive force, which in turn causes the developing unit to rotate clockwise about a support so as to bring the developer roller into pressing contact with a photoconductor.
摘要:
A use status detecting mechanism includes a cover having an edge portion, in a portion of which a notch is formed, a moving member having a rod member, a spring portion, protrusions and grooves, and a shaft having a driving gear and ribs. In the unused state of a developing unit, the rod member is maintained to be exposed by the contact of the protrusions with the edge portion from the outside. When the developing unit is started to be used and rotation is transmitted to the driving gear, the moving member is rotated by the engagement of the ribs and the grooves, and the moving member is moved to the shaft side by the elastic force of the spring portion when the protrusions are opposed to the notches. Thus, the rod member is retreated from the exposed position.
摘要:
A developing apparatus is equipped with a development casing, a development roller, and developer stirring shafts that rotate together with the development roller. In this developing apparatus, the developer stirring shafts are disposed adjacent to each other and are also disposed substantially in parallel with the development roller. Each developer stirring shaft has a rotational axis that rotates together with the development roller and has a plurality of stirring vanes of an approximately elliptic shape laid out at a predetermined angle with respect to the rotational axis. The rotational axis is provided substantially in parallel with the development roller. The stirring vanes are disposed substantially in parallel with each other, with the opposing stirring vanes between the adjacent developer stirring shafts having mutually different installation positions in the axial direction.
摘要:
A developing unit includes a developing hopper, a toner reserve container that incorporates a replenishing roller and a replenishing port forming a toner replenishing portion, arranged adjacent to the developing hopper in order to supply the toner to the developing hopper. The toner reserve container further includes an agitator rotatable about a rotary shaft and a conveying sheet attached to the agitator for conveying the toner to the replenishing roller. The conveying sheet has a bent portion where the conveying sheet is bent in the rotational direction of the agitator at a halfway point thereof with a predetermined angle &agr;. Deformation of the conveying sheet during rotation is absorbed around the position of the bent portion, so that the conveying sheet will not be plastically deformed at the attached part of the conveying sheet joined to the attachment edge of the agitator, whereby long stable toner conveyance by the conveying sheet can be maintained.
摘要:
A developing unit includes a developer hopper, a toner reserve container that incorporates a replenishing roller and a replenishing opening forming a toner replenishing portion, arranged adjacent to the developer hopper in order to replenish the toner to the developer hopper. The toner reserve container further includes an agitator rotatable about a rotary shaft with a conveying sheet for conveying the toner to the replenishing roller. The conveying sheet is attached to the agitator so that it becomes close to the rotary shaft of the agitator. By this configuration, an adequate space can be secured between the top plate, i.e., an operable/closable lid, constituting the toner reserve container and the conveying sheet so that the distal part of the conveying sheet can efficiently retain the toner, thus making it possible to improve the conveyance performance to the replenishing roller and realize an uniform amount of conveyance.
摘要:
A developing device having a reduced size in the horizontal direction and in which a developing agent is transported with stirring along a circulating route inside a developing tank to effectively mix newly added toner therewith and stir the mixture. A developing tank for storing developing agent therein is horizontally divided with a partition member thereby providing an upper chamber and a lower chamber. A developer roller and a stirring roller are disposed in the lower chamber. Two screw rollers are disposed in the upper chamber. An inlet opening is formed between an end of the partition member and a regulating member for restricting a layer if the developing agent adsorbed to the developing roller. A developing agent removed by the restricting member is fed through an inlet opening to the screw rollers in the upper chamber. The developing agent is mixed with fresh toner supplied through a supply inlet and transported with being stirred by the screw roller in its axial direction. Then, the developing agent is transferred to the screw roller disposed parallel to the screw roller and it is further transported and returned to the stirring roller in the lower chamber through a return port provided opposite to the screw roller. The compact construction of the developing device is realized by arranging screw rollers for stirring and transporting toner in the upper chamber.
摘要:
A developer cartridge capable of being fitted to the toner replenishing opening of a developer storage hopper has a sealing member for sealing the toner therein that is bonded to the rim of its replenishing opening to be opposed to the opening of the developer storage hopper. The bottom face of this developer cartridge which constitutes the bottom for supporting the toner stored therein is inclined upwards in the stripping direction of the sealing member, whereby the supplied amount of the toner at the stripping start of the sealing member is regulated when the sealing member is stripped so that the toner can be uniformly supplied across the full length of the developer storage hopper with respect to the stripping direction of the sealing member.