JP2003107976A - Used/unused discrimination mechanism for detachable unit, and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To always precisely discriminate whether a detachable unit set to a device body is new or used in the used/unused discrimination mechanism of the detachable unit. SOLUTION: A member to be detected 35 moving a detecting position and a non-detecting position is provided at a process cartridge (detachable unit) 22, and a detection means 40 for recognizing that the process cartridge is new by detecting that the member to be detected exists at the detecting position is provided at an image forming device body (device body) for attaching and detaching the process cartridge. Then, after the detection means detects the member to be detected, driving force is transmitted from the side of an image forming device body by fitting of a main body gear 41 and an input gear 32 to move the member to be detected to the non-detecting position. The member to be detected moved to the non-detecting position is held at the non-detecting position by a holding means such as a biasing means 37, etc.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, or a composite machine thereof. More specifically, in such an image forming apparatus, a detachable unit such as a process cartridge, which is detachably attached to the apparatus body such as the image forming apparatus body, automatically determines whether it is new or already used. Regarding a used / unused determination mechanism of a unit

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus, toner images are successively formed on an image carrier by repeating charging, writing, development, transfer, cleaning, etc., and the toner images are sequentially transferred and transferred. There is an electrophotographic type that records on a transfer material such as paper or OHP film.

In many cases, this type of image forming apparatus is integrated with the image carrier or separately from the image carrier in order to reduce the size of the image forming apparatus main body or to improve the maintainability. Some of the charging device, the developing device and the cleaning device were integrated with the body to form a process cartridge.

Then, the process cartridge is replaced with a new one periodically or by detecting that the toner has run out.

However, when exchanging a new one, a used process cartridge may be mistakenly attached.

Therefore, in the conventional image forming apparatus, for example, a used / unused discriminating mechanism as shown in FIG. 9 is provided, and it is automatically discriminated whether the process cartridge is new or already used. No image forming operation was performed.

That is, in the used / unused discriminating mechanism shown in FIG. 9, the process cartridge 101 is provided with a filler-like detected member 102 at the detection position shown in the drawing and an input gear 104 meshing with the gear portion 103 thereof. A detection unit 105 and a main body gear 106 are provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus. As the detection sensor 105, for example, a transmissive or reflective optical sensor is used.

When the process cartridge 101 is set in the direction of the arrow in the drawing with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus, as shown in FIG.
The detected part 107 of No. 02 is detected by the detecting means 105 and the process cartridge 101 is recognized as a new one.

Further, after detecting by the detecting means 105,
The input gear 10 is rotated by rotating the main body gear 106 in the direction of the arrow in the drawing.
4 is rotated in the direction of the arrow in the drawing to transmit a driving force from the image forming apparatus main body side to rotate the detected member 102 to the non-detection position shown in FIG.
When 01 was set again, the image forming operation was not performed.

[0010]

By the way, in such a conventional used / unused discriminating mechanism, a conventional gear unit 1 is used.
03 is made heavier than the detected portion 107 to prevent the detected member 102 from returning to the detection position due to gravity. However, there is a possibility that the detected member 102 once displaced from the detection position may return to the detection position only by gravity.

Therefore, it is a first object of the present invention to make it possible to always accurately determine whether the detachable unit set in the apparatus body is new or used in the unused / unused discriminating mechanism of the detachable unit.

A second object of the present invention is to achieve the first object with a simple structure.

A third object of the present invention is to reliably move the member to be detected from the detection position to the non-detection position.

A fourth object of the present invention is to move the member to be detected from the detection position to the non-detection position by utilizing the driving force for transmitting the rotation from the device body side to the attachment / detachment unit to drive the attachment / detachment unit. It is in.

A fifth object of the present invention is to set the detachable unit in the device body even if the detachable unit is repeatedly set in the device body or the detachable unit once set is repeatedly removed for the purpose of cleaning or the like. It is to always be able to accurately determine whether the detachable unit is new or used.

A sixth object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus having a detachable unit used / unused determining mechanism which achieves the above object.

[0017]

Therefore, in order to achieve the above-mentioned first object, the invention according to claim 1 is provided with a member to be detected which moves between a detection position and a non-detection position in the detachable unit, In the device body that attaches and detaches the detachable unit,
A detection unit is provided to detect when the detected member is at the detection position and recognize that the detachable unit is new, and after detecting the detected member by the detection unit, the driving force is applied from the device body side. In the used / unused determination mechanism of the detachable unit, which transmits the detected member to the non-detected position, the holding unit holds the detected member moved to the non-detected position in the non-detected position. , Is characterized.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned second object, in the unused / unused determination mechanism of the detachable unit according to the first aspect, as a holding means, the detected member is moved to the non-detection position. It is characterized in that a biasing member for biasing is provided.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the third object described above, in the unused / unused determination mechanism of the detachable unit according to the first or second aspect, the gear on the detachable unit side and the device main body side. It is characterized in that the member to be detected is moved to the non-detection position by transmitting the driving force from the device body side by the engagement with the gear.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned fourth object, in the used / unused determination mechanism of the detachable unit according to the third aspect, the driving force is transmitted from the device body side to be detected. The fur brush in the detachable unit is rotated by using a gear that moves the member to the non-detection position.

According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned fifth object, a detection target member that moves between a detection position and a non-detection position is provided in the detachable unit, and at the same time, a device body for detaching the detachable unit. Is provided with a detection means for detecting the detected member when it is at the detection position and recognizing that the detachable unit is new, and after detecting the detected member by the detection means, it is driven from the device body side. In the unused / unused determination mechanism of the detachable unit that transmits force to move the detected member to the non-detected position, the drive force is transmitted from the device body side by the engagement of the gear on the detachable unit side with the gear on the device body side. To move the detected member to the non-detection position and reversely rotate the gear on the detachable unit side so that the reverse rotation is not transmitted to the fur brush in the detachable unit. Formed by providing a play in the side of the gear, characterized in that.

According to a sixth aspect of the invention, in order to achieve the above-mentioned sixth object, the image forming apparatus is provided with a use / non-use determination mechanism of the detachable unit according to any one of the first to fifth aspects. It is characterized by

[0023]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the overall schematic configuration of the internal mechanism of the color image forming apparatus.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 is a photosensitive belt as an image carrier. The photosensitive belt 1 is wound around the rotating rollers 2 and 3 and is conveyed in the direction of arrow A (clockwise direction) in the figure by the rotational drive of one rotating roller 2.

Reference numeral 4 in the drawing is a charging charger as a charging means for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive belt 1. Reference numeral LW in the figure denotes a laser optical device as an electrostatic latent image exposing means. Further, reference numeral 6 in the drawing is a rotary color developing device in which four developing units having yellow, magenta, cyan and black developers (toners) are integrally formed.

Further, reference numeral 10 in the drawing is an intermediate transfer belt as an intermediate transfer member. The intermediate transfer belt 10 is wound around the rotating rollers 11 and 12, and is conveyed in the direction of arrow B (counterclockwise direction) in the figure by the rotational drive of one rotating roller 11. The photoconductor belt 1 and the intermediate transfer belt 10
Contact at the position of the rotating roller 3 of the photosensitive belt 1. A bias roller 13 having conductivity is in contact with the back surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10 on the intermediate transfer belt 10 side at the contact position under a predetermined condition.

When an image forming operation is carried out in this illustrated color image forming apparatus, the photosensitive belt 1 is rotated and is uniformly charged by the charging charger 4 first, and then the laser optical device LW is used based on the image information. Scanning exposure is performed to form an electrostatic latent image on the surface. The image information to be exposed is monochromatic image information in which a desired full-color image is decomposed into yellow, cyan, magenta, and black color information.

The formed electrostatic latent image is monochromatically developed with a predetermined yellow, cyan, magenta, and black toner by a rotary type color developing device 6 to be described later, and each color image is formed on the photosensitive belt 1. Form sequentially.

Photoreceptor belt 1 rotating in the direction of arrow A in the figure
Each monochromatic image formed above is applied to the bias roller 13 for each of the yellow, cyan, magenta, and black monochromatic colors on the intermediate transfer belt 10 that rotates in the direction of arrow B in the figure in synchronization with the photoconductor belt 1. Overlapping transfer is sequentially performed by the predetermined transfer bias.

The yellow, cyan, magenta, and black images superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 10 are fed from the paper feed table (paper feed cassette) 17 to the paper feed roller 18 and the conveyance roller pair 1.
9A and 19B and registration roller pairs 20A and 20B, and the transfer roller 14 collectively transfers to the transfer paper 17A that has been conveyed to the transfer position. After the transfer is completed, the transfer paper 17A fixes the transferred image by the fixing device 80 to complete a full-color image, and discharges it onto the paper discharge stack unit 82 through the paper discharge roller pair 81A and 81B.

In the figure, reference numeral 15 is a cleaning device including a cleaning member 15A which is in constant contact with the photoconductor belt 1 and cleans the toner on the photoconductor belt 1, and reference numeral 15C is a waste toner containing waste toner. It is a collection container. Reference numeral 16 in the figure is a cleaning device for the intermediate transfer belt 10. The cleaning blade 16A of the cleaning device 16 is held at a position separated from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10 during the image forming operation, transfers the formed image onto the above-mentioned transfer paper 17A, and subsequently contacts the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 10. Contact.

The waste toner scraped off from the intermediate transfer belt 10 by the cleaning blade 16A is conveyed in the front direction of the drawing by the auger 16B provided in the cleaning device 16, and is further provided on the front side surface of the process cartridge 22 in the drawing. The waste toner is transported to the waste toner collecting container 15C by the omitted transport unit. By replacing the process cartridge 22 with a predetermined amount or more of waste toner when it is stored in the waste toner collection container 15C, the life of the process cartridge 22 is extended.

Now, the photosensitive belt 1, the charging charger 4, the intermediate transfer belt 10, and the cleaning devices 15 and 16
Is the process cartridge (detachable unit) 2 described above.
2 is integrally configured. Process cartridge 22
The case exterior portion of the registration roller 20B side also has a function as a sheet conveyance guide.

FIG. 2 shows a case where the process cartridge 22 is replaced in the color image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

When the process cartridge 22 is replaced, the lock mechanism (not shown) is released and the front cover 8 is opened around the lower support shaft (not shown) as shown in FIG. The front cover 8 is provided with a pair of conveyance rollers 19A and 19B, a pair of registration rollers 20A and 20B, a transfer roller 14, and the like.

Then, the process cartridge 22 is pivoted about the lower side to stand upright, is lifted upward as indicated by the arrow C in FIG. 3, and is taken out from the image forming apparatus main body which is the main body of the apparatus.

By the way, in the illustrated color image forming apparatus,
As shown in FIG. 1, the process cartridge 22 is provided with a fur brush 30 that comes into contact with the photoreceptor belt 1 and applies a lubricant thereto. A brush gear 31 shown in FIG. 4 is coaxially fixed to the fur brush 30.

As shown in FIG. 4, in the process cartridge 22, the input gear 32 meshes with the brush gear 31,
A filler gear 34 meshes with the input gear 32 via an intermediate gear 33. In addition, the filler gear 34,
The gear portion 36 of the filler-shaped detected member 35 meshes.

The member to be detected 35 is rotatably supported at the detection position and the non-detection position, and is in the detection position shown in the drawing when the process cartridge 22 is new, and one end of the biasing member 37 as the holding means is hooked. Then, the detected member 35 is biased to the non-detected position, but the gear portion 36 causes the filler gear 3 to move.
Since it meshes with 4, the rotation is prevented.

On the other hand, the detecting means 4 is provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus.
0 and a main body gear 41 are provided. As the detecting means 40, for example, a transmission type or reflection type optical sensor, a micro switch, or the like is used as in the conventional case.

The process cartridge 22 is shown in FIG.
When it is inserted as shown by the middle arrow D and inserted into the main body of the image forming apparatus as shown in FIG. 4, and then it is rotated about the rotation center O to be the state shown in FIG. To
The detected member 35 approaches the detecting means 40, and the input gear 32 meshes with the main body gear 41. As a result, the detected portion 38 of the detected member 35 located at the detection position is detected by the detection means 40 and the process cartridge 22 is recognized as a new one.

After detecting by the detecting means 40, the main body gear 41 is rotated in the direction of the arrow to rotate the input gear 32, and the driving force is transmitted from the main body of the image forming apparatus to the process cartridge 22 side. Then, the rotation of the input gear 32 is transmitted through the intermediate gear 33 and the filler gear 34 to rotate the detected member 35. Then, the meshing with the filler gear 34 is eventually released, and the urging force of the urging member 37 acts to move the detected member 35 to the non-detection position, and the stopper 3
9 and hold it in the non-detection position as shown in FIG.

When it is recognized that the process cartridge 22 is new, the start of image formation is permitted, and at this time, the rotation of the main body gear 41 is transmitted to the input gear 32, and the process cartridge 22 is transmitted from the main body of the image forming apparatus. Driving force is transmitted to the brush gear 3 side as shown in FIG. 7 (A).
The fur brush 30 is rotated by rotating 1 to start the application of the lubricant to the photosensitive belt 1. Fur brush 30
In order to easily rotate in the forward direction, as shown in FIG.
Is in contact with.

When the process cartridge 22 in which the detected member 35 is in the non-detected position is mistakenly set in the main body of the image forming apparatus, the detected member 35 is detected by the detecting means 40 from the beginning as shown in FIG. Therefore, the start of image formation is prohibited, and the fact is displayed by displaying it on the display unit.

The process cartridge 22 is shown in FIG.
When the input gear 32 is rotated about the rotation center O from the state shown in FIG. 5 to the state shown in FIG. 5, the input gear 32 meshes with the stopped main body gear 41 and reversely rotates as shown in FIG. 7B.
Then, the fur brush 30, which is in contact with the photoconductor belt 1 due to the trailing direction of the brush bristle tips, also rotates in the reverse direction and stands upright as shown in the drawing.

Thereafter, before the driving force is transmitted from the image forming apparatus main body side to the process cartridge 22 side, the process cartridge 22 is rotated from the state shown in FIG.
4 is returned to the state shown in FIG.
Is rotated in the forward direction by the main body gear 41 that is stopped,
The fur brush 30 also rotates in the forward direction and returns to the state shown in FIG. 7 (A).

However, when the brush which is upright is left a little, the fur brush 3 is pressed by the force of returning the brush.
0 rotates in the forward direction, and the rotation is transmitted through the gear train to slightly rotate the detected member 35. At this time, the amount of rotation depends on the bristle length of the fur brush 30, the hardness of the fur, the amount of bite, and the like.

Therefore, when the process cartridge 22 is repeatedly set in the main body of the image forming apparatus with the power turned off, or when the set process cartridge 22 is repeatedly removed for the purpose of cleaning or the like, the process cartridge 22 gradually shifts. In the worst case, the detected member 35 is displaced from the detection position,
There is a possibility that it may not be recognized as a new product when it is completely set in the image forming apparatus main body.

In the example shown in FIG. 8, the input gear 32 includes the first gear portion 32A meshing with the main body gear 41 and the brush gear 31.
And a second gear portion 32B which meshes with each other, each of which is rotatably provided on the same shaft, and two projections a and two projections b which are engaged with each other are provided on the facing surfaces of the respective gear portions. Is.

In this way, the process cartridge 22 is rotated from the state shown in FIG. 4 to the state shown in FIG. 5, and the first gear portion 32A of the input gear 32 is meshed with the stopped main body gear 41. Even if combined, there is play only by rotating the first gear portion 32A in the reverse direction.
Never rotate backwards.

Therefore, the fur brush 30 is not rotated in the reverse direction, and the process cartridge 22 is repeatedly set in the main body of the image forming apparatus, or the once set process cartridge 22 is repeatedly removed for the purpose of cleaning or the like. Even if the detected member 35 does not deviate from the detection position, it can be reliably recognized as a new product when it is completely set in the image forming apparatus main body.

The intermediate gear 33 may be meshed with the first gear portion 32A of the input gear 32 or may be meshed with the second gear portion 32B. When the main gear 41 is rotated in the forward direction when meshing with the second gear portion 32B, the first gear portion 32A is rotated to eliminate the play and then the second gear portion 32 is rotated.
B is rotated, and the rotation is transmitted to the filler gear 34 via the intermediate gear 33.

Of course, the intermediate gear 33 and the filler gear 3
4, the input gear 32 may be directly meshed with the detected member 35, or the plurality of intermediate gears may be meshed instead of one.

[0054]

As described above, according to the first aspect of the invention, in the used / unused determination mechanism of the detachable unit, when the detected member provided in the detachable unit moves from the detection position to the non-detection position, Since it is equipped with holding means to hold it in the non-detection position, it eliminates the risk of the detected member that once deviated from the detection position returning to the detection position when used, and whether the detachable unit set in the device body is new or used. Can always be accurately discriminated.

According to the invention of claim 2, as the holding means, the urging member for urging the detected member to the non-detection position is provided. Therefore, the effect of the invention of claim 1 is achieved with a simple structure. can do.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, the engagement of the gear on the detachable unit side with the gear on the equipment body side transmits the driving force from the equipment body side to move the detected member to the non-detection position. Therefore, in addition to the effect of the invention according to claim 1, it is possible to reliably move the detected member from the detection position to the non-detection position by meshing the gears.

According to the invention of claim 4, the fur brush in the detachable unit is rotated by using the gear for transmitting the driving force from the device body side to move the member to be detected to the non-detection position. In addition to the effect of the invention according to Item 1, it is possible to move the detected member from the detection position to the non-detection position by using the driving force that transmits the rotation from the device body side to the detachable unit to drive the fur brush. it can.

According to the fifth aspect of the invention, when the gear on the detachable unit side is rotated in the reverse direction, play is provided in the gear on the detachable unit side so that the reverse rotation is not transmitted to the fur brush. Even if you reset the unit many times or repeatedly remove the detachable unit once set for cleaning etc., you can always accurately determine whether the detachable unit set in the device body is new or used. can do.

According to the sixth aspect of the present invention, since the use / non-use determining mechanism according to any one of the first to fifth aspects is provided, the image forming apparatus having the use / unuse determining mechanism having each of the above effects is provided. Can be provided.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is an overall schematic configuration diagram of an internal mechanism of a color image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a state in which a front cover of the image forming apparatus main body is opened in order to replace the process cartridge in the color image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is an explanatory view of a mounting / demounting state of the process cartridge.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory view of a state in which the process cartridge is inserted into the image forming apparatus main body.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram of a state in which the image forming apparatus is rotated and set in the image forming apparatus body after insertion.

FIG. 6 is a state explanatory view when a driving force is transmitted from the image forming apparatus main body side to the process cartridge side after setting.

7A is an explanatory view of a forward rotation transmission state to a fur brush, and FIG. 7B is a reverse rotation transmission state illustration.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing another example in which the input gear is divided.

FIG. 9 is a diagram illustrating a mounting state of a conventional process cartridge.

FIG. 10 is a set state explanatory view of the conventional process cartridge.

FIG. 11 is a state explanatory diagram when a driving force is transmitted from the image forming apparatus main body side to the process cartridge side.

[Explanation of symbols]

22 Process cartridge (detachable unit) 30 fur brush 31 brush gear 32 input gears (gear on detachable unit side) 1st gear of 32A input gear 2nd gear part of 32B input gear 33 intermediate gear 34 Filler gear 35 Detected member 36 Gear part of detected member 37 Biasing member (holding means) 38 Detected part of detected member 40 Detection means 41 Body gear (gear on the equipment body side) a protrusion b protrusion

Claims (6)

[Claims] 1. A detection target member that moves between a detection position and a non-detection position is provided in a detachable unit, and a device body to which the removal unit is attached and detached detects the detection member when the detection member is in the detection position. And a detecting means for recognizing that the detachable unit is new, and after detecting the detected member by the detecting means, the driving force is transmitted from the device body side to non-detect the detected member. In the unused / unused discriminating mechanism of the detachable unit which moves to the position, the detachable unit is in the unused state, which is provided with holding means for holding the detected member moved to the non-detected position at the non-detected position. Discrimination mechanism. 2. The use / unused determination mechanism of the detachable unit according to claim 1, wherein the holding means is provided with a biasing member that biases the detected member to the non-detection position. 3. The engagement between the gear on the detachable unit side and the gear on the device body side transmits a driving force from the device body side to move the detected member to the non-detection position. The unused / unused determination mechanism of the detachable unit according to claim 1. 4. A fur brush in the detachable unit is rotated using a gear that transmits a driving force from the device body side to move the detected member to the non-detection position.
The unused / unused determination mechanism of the detachable unit according to claim 3. 5. A detection target member that moves between a detection position and a non-detection position is provided in a detachable unit, and a device body to which the removal unit is attached and detached detects the detection member when the detection member is in the detection position. And a detecting means for recognizing that the detachable unit is new, and after detecting the detected member by the detecting means, the driving force is transmitted from the device body side to non-detect the detected member. In the unused / unused determination mechanism of the detachable unit that moves to the position, the gear of the detachable unit and the gear of the device body side are engaged to transmit a driving force from the device body side to cause the detected member to move. While moving to the non-detection position,
When the gear on the detachable unit side is reversely rotated, a play is provided on the gear on the detachable unit side so that the reverse rotation is not transmitted to the fur brush in the detachable unit. 6. An image forming apparatus, comprising the unused / unused determination mechanism of the detachable unit according to claim 1.