Process cartridge and electrophotographic image forming device

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD [Detailed description of the invention]

【0001】

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

The present invention relates to a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which the process cartridge can be attached and detached. Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an device that forms an image on a recording medium by using an electrophotographic image forming method. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include, for example, an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, a laser beam printer, an LED printer, etc.), a facsimile machine, a word processor, and the like.

【0002】

Further, the process cartridge is a device in which the charging means, the cleaning means, and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge, and the cartridge can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body. The cleaning means and the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally formed into a cartridge so that they can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body. Since the user can attach / detach the device to / from the device, maintenance of the device can be easily performed.

【0003】

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

The present invention is a further development of the conventional technique described later.

【0004】

The present invention provides electricity that does not cause electrical damage or electromagnetic influence due to handling when the storage member is provided with a ground contact, a charging bias contact, or a storage member that does not wander the electric wire and has no possibility of short circuit. It is an object of the present invention to provide a process cartridge and an electrophotographic image forming apparatus provided with a connecting member.

【0005】

[Means for solving problems]

The first invention according to the present application is a process cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the main body of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, wherein an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging member for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and the process cartridge are attached to the main body of the apparatus. One end side of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the longitudinal direction for grounding the electrophotographic photosensitive member with the apparatus main body when mounted, and coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive member. At one end side in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member for receiving the charging bias applied to the charging member when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body and the ground contact provided on the apparatus main body. The process cartridge is characterized by having a charging bias contact arranged on a surface located on an upper surface when the process cartridge is mounted on the main body of the apparatus.

【0006】

A second invention according to the present application stores information about an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging member for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and the process cartridge in a process cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus. One end side of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the longitudinal direction for grounding the electrophotographic photosensitive member between the storage member and the device main body when the process cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body. This is because the ground contact provided coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the charging bias applied to the charging member when the process cartridge is mounted on the device main body are received from the device main body. The charging bias contact, which is one end side of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the longitudinal direction and is located on the upper surface when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, and the process cartridge are attached to the apparatus main body. A connector provided with a connection terminal for electrically connecting to the device main body in order to transmit information stored by the storage member to the device main body when attached, and the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The process cartridge is characterized by having a connector arranged downward at a portion located below when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, on the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the device.

【0007】

A third invention according to the present application further relates to the electrophotographic photosensitive member for receiving a driving force for rotating a drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member from the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. The process according to the first or second invention, which has a rotating body provided coaxially with the axis of the rotating body, and the earth contact is arranged in the center of the rotating body so as to be recessed from the outer surface of the rotating body. It is a cartridge.

【0008】

In the fourth invention according to the present application, the charging member has a charging roller, and the charging roller is surrounded by a cartridge frame protruding from an upper surface when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. The charge bias contact is the process cartridge according to the first or second invention, which is arranged on the upper surface of the cartridge frame.

【0009】

A fifth invention according to the present application is the process cartridge according to the first or second invention, wherein the cartridge frame has a substantially trapezoidal shape, and the charging bias contact is arranged on a plane at the top of the substantially trapezoidal shape. is there.

【0010】

In the sixth aspect of the present invention, the charging bias contact is in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member with respect to the side end of the cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive member drum in the longitudinal direction. The process cartridge according to the first, second or fourth invention, which is inside and is arranged outside the side end of the photosensitive layer provided on the peripheral surface of the cylinder.

【0011】

A seventh invention according to the present application further includes a cleaning member for removing toner remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and a toner accommodating portion for accommodating toner removed from the electrophotographic photosensitive member by the cleaning member. The process cartridge according to the second invention, wherein the connector is arranged at a side end of the toner storage portion on the outside of the toner storage portion and on the inside of the outer wall of the cartridge frame.

【0012】

The eighth invention according to the present application is the process cartridge according to the second or seventh invention, wherein the connector stores the usage amount of the process cartridge received from the apparatus main body.

【0013】

In the ninth aspect of the present invention, the ground contact is attached to the outer tip surface of a metal rod electrically connected to a ground member electrically connected to the inner surface of the cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive member drum. The process cartridge according to the first or second invention provided.

【0014】

The tenth invention according to the present application is the process cartridge according to the first or second invention, wherein the ground contact and the charging bias contact are made of metal.

【0015】

The eleventh invention according to the present application is the process cartridge according to the first or second invention, wherein the metal is stainless steel, phosphor bronze, or beryllium bronze.

【0016】

In the twelfth invention according to the present application, the charging member has a charging roller, and an AC current and a DC current are applied to the charging roller from the main body of the apparatus via the charging bias contact. The process cartridge according to the second invention.

【0017】

According to the thirteenth invention of the present application, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge is removable and an image is formed on a recording medium, a. Electrophotographic photosensitive member and charging for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member. One end side of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the longitudinal direction for grounding the electrophotographic photosensitive member between the member and the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. The electron for receiving the ground contact provided coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive member and the charging bias applied to the charging member when the process cartridge is mounted on the device body from the device body. To detachably mount a process cartridge having a charging bias contact which is one end side in the longitudinal direction of the photographic photosensitive member and is arranged on a surface located on the upper surface when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. The main body ground contact that electrically connects to the ground contact of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting portion, and c. the charging bias contact of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting portion. The electrophotographic image forming apparatus is characterized by having a main body charging bias contact that is electrically connected, and d. a conveying means for conveying the recording medium.

【0018】

In the fourteenth invention according to the present application, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which a process cartridge is detachable and an image is formed on a recording medium, a. Electrophotographic photosensitive member and charging for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member. The device for grounding the electrophotographic photosensitive member between the member, a storage member that stores information about the process cartridge, and the device body when the process cartridge is mounted on the device body. One end side of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the longitudinal direction, which is provided on the ground contact coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and is applied to the charging member when the process cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body. Charging bias contacts arranged on one end side of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the longitudinal direction for receiving the charging bias from the device body and located on the upper surface when the process cartridge is mounted on the device body. And a connector having a connection terminal for electrically connecting to the device body in order to transmit the information stored in the storage member to the device body when the process cartridge is mounted on the device body. The process cartridge having the connector on the other end side in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, which is arranged downward in the portion located below when the process cartridge is mounted on the main body of the apparatus, is removed. It has a mounting part for mounting, b. a main body ground contact that electrically connects to the ground contact of the process cartridge mounted on the mounting part, and c. a process cartridge mounted on the mounting part. A main body charging bias contact that is electrically connected to the charging bias contact, d. a main body connecting terminal that is electrically connected to the connection terminal of the connector, and e. a carrying means for carrying the recording medium. It is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus characterized by having.

【0019】

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic image forming process, an electrophotographic photosensitive member and a process means acting on the electrophotographic photosensitive member are integrally made into a cartridge, and this cartridge can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body. The process cartridge method is adopted. According to this process cartridge method, the maintenance of the device can be performed by the user himself / herself without relying on a service person, so that the operability can be remarkably improved. Therefore, this process cartridge method is widely used in an image forming apparatus.

【0020】

When the life of the electrophotographic photosensitive member is extended and the number of printable sheets is increased, the developing means that limits the supply capacity is made into an independent unit, and the developing unit, the electrophotographic photosensitive member of the image forming process, the charging means, and the cleaning means are integrated. It is divided into process cartridges, which facilitates attachment / detachment to / from the device body and maintenance, and is being used according to the life of each main component. The waste developing agent (toner) generated by cleaning in this process cartridge is stored in a cleaning container having a volume sufficient to accommodate the life of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and is removed when the process cartridge is replaced. Further, in the cleaning container, a partition wall for dividing the cleaning container into an electrophotographic photosensitive member side and a rear side of the container, an opening provided in the partition wall, and a feed vane rotating in the electrophotographic photosensitive member side cleaning container. It has a developer transporting means composed of.

【0021】

With the extension of the life of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, the waste toner storage portion of the process cartridge must store the residual toner on the electrophotographic photosensitive member after development and transfer generated by a plurality of developing machines, which is a conventional method. It requires a larger capacity than an integrated process cartridge that integrates most of the process means. Therefore, due to the positional relationship with other units, the process cartridge is attached / detached in a substantially horizontal direction parallel to the generatrix direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member by providing a hole in the side plate portion of the image forming apparatus main body.

【0022】

In such a process cartridge, a storage member for storing information about the process cartridge is provided in the process cartridge, and the storage member is connected to the engine controller of the device main body by a connector. Therefore, the connector is attached to the process cartridge in the mounting direction. It is prepared on the front side of.

【0023】

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

[Explanation of Embodiments of the Invention] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

【0024】

In the following description, the lateral direction of the process cartridge B is the direction in which the process cartridge B is attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 14, and coincides with the conveying direction of the recording medium. The longitudinal direction of the process cartridge B is a direction intersecting (a direction substantially orthogonal to) the direction in which the process cartridge B is attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 14, is parallel to the surface of the recording medium, and is a transport direction of the recording medium. It is the direction that intersects (approximately orthogonal) with. Further, with respect to the process cartridge, the left and right are right or left when the recording medium is viewed from above according to the transport direction of the recording medium.

【0025】

(Embodiment 1) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

【0026】

{Overall configuration of the image forming apparatus} FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the entire electrophotographic image forming apparatus (hereinafter, referred to as an image forming apparatus) according to the present invention.

【0027】

First, with reference to FIG. 1, an outline of the entire image forming apparatus A will be described. The image forming apparatus A shown in the figure is a four-color full-color laser beam printer.

【0028】

The image forming apparatus A shown in the figure includes a drum-type electrophotographic photosensitive member (hereinafter referred to as photoreceptor drum) 1 as a first image carrier. The photoconductor drum 1 is rotationally driven counterclockwise in the figure by a driving means (not shown later). Around the photoconductor drum 1, in order according to the rotation direction, a charging device 2 that uniformly charges the surface of the photoconductor drum 1, a laser beam is irradiated based on the image information, and an electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor drum 1 is formed. An exposure means 3 to be formed, a developing device 4 for developing a toner image by adhering toner to an electrostatic latent image, and a transfer unit 5 as a second image carrier on which the toner image on the photoconductor drum 1 is primarily transferred. , A cleaning device 6 or the like for removing the transfer residual toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor drum 1 after the primary transfer is provided.

【0029】

Here, the photoconductor drum 1, the charging device 2, and the cleaning device 6 for removing toner are integrally formed into a cartridge to form a process cartridge B, which is removable from the device main body 14 of the image forming device A.

【0030】

In addition, the recording medium (third image carrier) S is fed toward the transfer unit 5, and the toner image is fixed on the feeding and transporting means 7 for transporting the recording medium S and the recording medium S after the secondary transfer. A fixing device 8 is provided.

【0031】

Hereinafter, the details will be described in order from the photoconductor drum 1.

【0032】

As shown in FIG. 20, the photosensitive drum 1 is formed by coating, for example, an organic photoconductor layer (OPC photoconductor) on the outer peripheral surface of an aluminum cylinder 1c having a diameter of about 47 mm. Both ends of the photoconductor drum 1 are rotatably supported by support members, and the photoconductor drum 1 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow by transmitting a driving force from a drive motor (not shown) to one end. ..

【0033】

As the charging device 2, for example, a so-called contact charging method as shown in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 63-149669 can be used. The charging member is a conductive roller formed in a roller shape, and the photoconductor is brought into contact with the surface of the photoconductor drum 1 and a charging bias voltage is applied to the roller by a power source (not shown). The surface of the drum 1 is uniformly charged.

【0034】

The exposure means 3 has a polygon mirror 3a, and the polygon mirror 3a is irradiated with image light corresponding to an image signal by a laser diode (not shown). The polygon mirror 3a is rotated at high speed by a scanner motor (not shown), and the reflected image light is selectively exposed to the surface of the charged photoconductor drum 1 via the imaging lens 3b, the reflection mirror 3c, etc. to be static. It is configured to form an electro-latent image.

【0035】

The developing device 4 is a rotating body 4A that can index and rotate around the axis 4d, and four developing devices mounted on the rotating body 4A, that is, a developing device that stores toners of each color of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. It has 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4Bk. When developing the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor drum 1, a predetermined developer of a color to be attached to the electrostatic latent image is arranged at the developing position. That is, the predetermined developer stops at the developing position facing the photoconductor drum 1 due to the indexing rotation of the rotating body 4A, and the developing sleeve 4b of the developing device has a minute gap (about 300 μm) with respect to the photoconductor drum 1. After being positioned to face each other, the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor drum 1 is developed. This development is performed as follows. The toner in the container of the developer corresponding to the color to be developed is sent to the coating roller 4a by the feeding mechanism, and the rotating coating roller 4a and the toner regulating blade 4c apply a thin layer of toner to the outer periphery of the rotating developing sleeve 4b. In addition, the toner is charged (triboelectrically charged). By applying a development bias between the developing sleeve 4b and the photoconductor drum 1 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed, a toner image is adhered to the electrostatic latent image and developed as a toner image. Further, the developing sleeve 4b of each developing device 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4Bk is connected to a high-voltage power source for developing each color provided in the image forming apparatus main body 14 when each developing device is arranged at the developing position. Therefore, a voltage is selectively applied for each development of each color. Each developer 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4Bk is detachably attached to the rotating body 4A, and the rotating body 4A is detachably attached to the apparatus main body 14.

【0036】

The transfer unit 5 as the second image carrier transfers a plurality of toner images that are sequentially and stacked from the photoconductor drum 1 to the recording medium S in a batch. The transfer unit 5 includes an intermediate transfer belt 5a traveling in the direction of arrow R5. The intermediate transfer belt 5a of the present embodiment is a belt having a circumference of about 440 mm, and is hung by three rollers, a drive roller 5b, a secondary transfer opposed roller 5c, and a driven roller 5d. It is provided with a presser roller 5j that retracts so that the intermediate transfer belt 5a is pressed against the photoconductor drum 1 in the vicinity of the driven roller 5d and the intermediate transfer belt 5a is in a position away from the photoconductor drum 1. The intermediate transfer belt 5a travels in the direction of arrow R5 by the rotation of the drive roller 5b. Further, a cleaning unit 5e that can be brought into contact with and detached from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 5a is provided at a predetermined position on the outside of the intermediate transfer belt 5a, and the transfer residue remaining after the secondary transfer collectively on the recording medium S described later. Remove the toner. In this cleaning unit 5e, the charging roller 5f is brought into contact with the intermediate transfer belt 5a to give the toner a charge opposite to that at the time of transfer. The toner to which the reverse charge is applied is electrostatically attached to the photoconductor drum 1 and then recovered by the cleaning device 6 described later for the photoconductor drum 1. The cleaning method of the intermediate transfer belt 5a is not limited to the above-mentioned electrostatic cleaning, but may be a mechanical method such as a blade or a fur brush, or a method in which these are used in combination.

【0037】

The cleaning device 6 removes the so-called transfer residual toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 without the primary transfer after the toner developed on the photoconductor drum 1 by the developing device 4 is first transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 5a. To do. In the cleaning device 6 shown in the figure, the transfer residual toner is accumulated in the cleaning container 11a. The inside of the cleaning container 11a is not shown in FIG. 1, and will be described in detail later.

【0038】

The feeding / transporting means 7 feeds the recording medium S to the image forming unit, and includes a paper feed cassette 7a in which a plurality of recording media S are stored and loaded in the lower part of the image forming apparatus main body 14. There is. At the time of image formation, the pickup member 7e and the transport roller 7b are driven and rotated according to the image forming operation, and the recording media S in the paper feed cassette 7a are separated and fed one by one, and guided by the guide plate 7c, and the resist roller 7d It is sent to the intermediate transfer belt 5a through the above.

【0039】

The fuser 8 fixes a plurality of toner images secondarily transferred to the recording medium S. As shown in FIG. 1, the fuser 8 heats the recording medium S by pressing the drive roller 8a that rotates and presses against the drive roller 8a. It consists of a fixing roller 8b to which pressure is applied. That is, the recording medium S that has passed through the secondary transfer roller 5n that collectively transfers the toner on the intermediate transfer belt 5a is conveyed by the drive roller 8a when passing through the fuser 8, and heat and pressure are transferred by the fixing roller 8b. It is applied. As a result, the toner images of a plurality of colors are fixed on the surface of the recording medium S.

【0040】

Next, the image forming operation of the image forming apparatus having the above-described configuration will be described.

【0041】

The photoconductor drum 1 is rotated in the direction of the arrow (counterclockwise) in FIG. 1 in synchronization with the rotation of the intermediate transfer belt 5a, and the surface of the photoconductor drum 1 is uniformly charged by the charging device 2 and is uniformly charged by the exposure means 3. The yellow image is irradiated with light to form a yellow electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor drum 1. At the same time as this electrostatic latent image is formed, the developing device 4 is driven to place the yellow developer 4Y at the developing position, and the photoconductor drum 1 is arranged so that the yellow toner adheres to the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor drum 1. A voltage having the same polarity as the charging polarity and substantially the same potential is applied to adhere the yellow toner to the electrostatic latent image for development. A voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner is applied to the primary transfer roller (driven roller) 5d to primary transfer the yellow toner image on the photoconductor drum 1 onto the intermediate transfer belt 5a.

【0042】

When the primary transfer of the yellow toner image is completed as described above, the next developer rotates and is positioned at the developing position facing the photoconductor drum 1, magenta, cyan, and as in the case of yellow. For each color of black, the electrostatic latent image is formed, developed, and the primary transfer is performed in sequence, and the toner images of the four colors are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 5a. These toner images are collectively secondarily transferred to the recording medium S supplied from the feeding / transporting means 7.

【0043】

Then, the recording medium S after the secondary transfer is conveyed to the fuser 8, where the toner image is fixed, and then the discharge roller driven by the belt 9a moving in the direction of the arrow in the figure and the wound belt 9a. Image formation is completed by discharging onto the output tray 10 outside the image forming apparatus main body 14 according to 9.

【0044】

Next, the mounting of the process cartridge B on the image forming apparatus main body 14 will be outlined.

【0045】

As shown in FIG. 2, the process cartridge B is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 14, and the cartridge guide 50 for guiding the process cartridge B to the image forming apparatus main body 14 has a configuration in which the cartridge guide 50 can be moved in the image forming apparatus main body 14. doing. Then, as shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, the shaft joint member 23 of the process cartridge B is guided along the guide surface 51 of the cartridge guide 50 with respect to the drawn cartridge guide 50, and as shown in FIG. A cylindrical positioning boss 11h parallel to the shaft joint member 23 concentric with the center of the photoconductor drum 1 of the process cartridge B enters the U groove 52 of the cartridge guide 50, and is centered on the U groove 52 in the direction of arrow 53. It swings and is mounted on the cartridge guide 50 as shown in FIG.

【0046】

Further, by housing the cartridge guide 50 in the image forming apparatus A, an image can be formed as shown in FIG.

【0047】

{Process cartridge frame} As shown in FIG. 3, the cartridge frame 11 of the process cartridge B includes a drum support portion 11d extending to both ends of the photoconductor drum 1 and the charging device 2 in the longitudinal direction, and a cleaning member mounting portion. It includes a cleaning container 11a having an 11m and a charging device support portion 11e, and a rear container 11b that is ultrasonically joined to the rear end of the cleaning container 11a. Then, as shown in FIG. 6, a gear cover (one side cover) 11c is fixed on the drive side in the longitudinal direction over the cleaning container 11a and the rear container 11b, and the side cover 11f is on the opposite drive side in the longitudinal direction. It is fixed. A charging device cover 11g that covers the longitudinal direction of the charging device 2 and both ends thereof is attached. Further, a charging device cover 11g that covers the charging device 2 is attached to the cleaning frame body 11a.

【0048】

The cleaning container 11a is provided with a drum shutter 18 in order to protect the photoconductor drum 1 from external light and contact with people when the photoconductor drum 1 is taken out of the apparatus main body 14.

【0049】

{Process cartridge} As shown in FIG. 3, the process cartridge B has a charging device 2 and a cleaning device 6 arranged around the photoconductor drum 1, and these are integrated by the cartridge frame 11 and can be attached to and detached from the cartridge guide 50. It is configured in.

【0050】

As shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the photoconductor drum 1 is rotatably supported by the cleaning container 11a of the cleaning device. The photoconductor drum 1 is fixed by fitting drum flanges 1a and 1b at both ends of the aluminum cylinder 1c and caulking four places around the end of the aluminum cylinder 1c, respectively. The maximum diameter portion of the drum support shafts 1d and 1e is press-fitted and fixed to the center of each of the drum flanges 1a and 1b. The drum support shafts 1d and 1e are fitted to the drum support portion 11d of the cleaning container 11a, respectively, and are fixedly supported by the gear cover 11c and the side cover 11f so as not to escape in the axial direction. It is fitted in and supported rotatably.

【0051】

In order to mount the process cartridge B on the apparatus main body 14, the cleaning container 11a is provided with a cylindrical positioning boss 11h integrally with the gear cover 11c and the side cover 11f, respectively. Further, a rotation stop member 11j is integrally provided on the upper surface portion 11i of the cleaning container 11a (see FIGS. 3, 6, 9, 9 to 11, 13, 13 and 15 to 19).

【0052】

The positioning boss 11h is provided in close proximity to the shaft joint members 23 and 24 attached to the drum support shafts 1d and 1e in the axial direction. The diameter of the positioning boss 11h is slightly larger than that of the shaft joint members 23 and 24. The position of the outer end face of the cylindrical positioning boss 11h in the longitudinal direction is the same as or inward of the position of the outer plate portion of the gear cover 11c and the side cover 11f in the longitudinal direction. On the other hand, the positions of the shaft joint members 23 and 24 in the longitudinal direction are outside the outer plate portion. The relationship between the outer shape D1 of the cylindrical positioning boss 11h and the outer shape D2 of the shaft joint members 23 and 24 is D1> D2.

【0053】

As shown in FIGS. 4 and 10, there is a waste toner transport system drive input means 44 on the upstream side of the shaft joint member 23 in the insertion direction of the process cartridge B. The waste toner transport system drive input means 44 is protected by a second cylindrical boss 45 integrated with a gear cover 11c fixed to the cleaning container 11a. The position of the second cylindrical boss 45 in the longitudinal direction is outside the outer plate portion of the gear cover 11c and inside the outermost portion in the longitudinal direction of the shaft joint member 23. The relationship between the outer diameter D3 of the second cylindrical boss 45 and the outer diameter D2 of the shaft joint members 23 and 24 is D3 <D2.

【0054】

A rough guide 46 is provided integrally with the gear cover 11c on the upstream side in the insertion direction from the shaft joint members 23 and 24 and on the downstream side from the second cylindrical boss 45. The rough guide 46 is located above the axis connecting the center of the shaft joint member 23 and the center of the second cylindrical boss 45. The position of the rough guide 46 in the longitudinal direction is outside the outer plate portion of the gear cover 11c and inside the outermost longitudinal portion of the shaft joint member 23.

【0055】

A rotation stop member 11j is provided on the upper surface portion 11i on the upstream side in the charging direction from the second cylindrical boss 45 of the cleaning container 11a.

【0056】

{Movable body for attaching / detaching a process cartridge} Here, a cartridge guide 50 having a pull-out mechanism used for attaching / detaching a process cartridge will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15.

【0057】

A groove-shaped guide surface 51 for inserting the process cartridge B into the cartridge guide 50 is provided symmetrically on the inner side surface 50b of the side plate portion 50a of the cartridge guide 50. A part of the guide surface 51 on the drive side has a notch 51a that matches the through hole 50c provided in the side plate portion 50a for the drive input from the apparatus main body 14 to the waste toner transfer system drive input means 44. An engaging member 54 that engages with the cylindrical positioning boss 11h is provided downstream of the guide surface 51 in the insertion direction and inside in the longitudinal direction. The engaging member 54 has a half-pipe shape having an opening upward, and a U-groove 52 is formed.

【0058】

When the cartridge guide 50 is inserted into the image forming apparatus main body 14, the rear plate 55 on the most upstream side in the insertion direction presses the rear side surface portion 11D on the most upstream side in the insertion direction of the cartridge frame 11 of the process cartridge B. A member 56 is provided.

【0059】

The pressing member 56 is an elastic member such as a leaf spring provided on the inner surface of an opening / closing member (not shown) that opens / closes the opening 14b provided in the rear side surface portion 14a (see FIG. 19) of the main body 14 of the apparatus main body 14. The cartridge guide 50 is provided with an opening 56a so that the pressing member 56 enters the cartridge 50 and presses the rear container 11b of the process cartridge B mounted on the cartridge 50.

【0060】

Further, the counter-driving side plate portion 50a of the cartridge guide 50 abuts on the side surface portion (side cover 11f) of the process cartridge B from both the longitudinal inner side and the longitudinal outer side of the side plate portion 50a, and the process cartridge B is moved in the longitudinal direction. An urging member 57 having a configuration capable of urging is provided.

【0061】

The biasing member 57 is a plate spring, both ends are fixed by machine screws 57b on both sides of the upper and lower openings 57a formed in the side plate portion 50a of the cartridge guide 50 as shown in FIG. 14, both ends substantially excluding It is crank-shaped, and one corner 57c of this crank protrudes inward from the inner surface of the side plate portion 50a, and the other corner 57d protrudes outward from the outer surface of the side plate portion 50a. Therefore, when the process cartridge B is pushed into the cross-sectional view of the leaf spring shown in FIG. 14 showing the cartridge guide 50 as shown by an arrow a, the longitudinal side surface of the process cartridge B is pressed by the corner 57c side of the pressing member 57. When the process cartridge B is mounted on the cartridge guide 50, the process cartridge B pushes the leaf spring corner 57c, and the process cartridge B is pressed against the inner plate portion 50b on the drive side of the cartridge guide 50. When the cartridge guide 50 is inserted into the device body 14, the member on the device body 14 pushes the leaf spring angle 57d, presses the cartridge guide 50 against the member on the drive side device body 14, and drives the process cartridge B. Further pressing force is applied to the inner side surface 50b on the side. Here, the drive side is the right side when the process cartridge B and the cartridge guide 50 are mounted and inserted when viewed from above, and the shaft joint member on the device main body 14 side is arranged on this side.

【0062】

{Operation of attaching / detaching the process cartridge to / from the movable body} Here, the operation of attaching / detaching the process cartridge B to / from the movable body will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 15 to 18. 15 to 18 are side views of the drive side side plate 50a viewed from the outside.

【0063】

As shown in FIG. 15, the shaft joint member 23 is guided in the insertion direction while the outer diameter portion of the shaft joint member 23 fixed to the photoconductor drum 1 is placed on the guide surface 51 of the cartridge 50. At this time, the drive side guide portion has a notch 51a, but since the notch width D4 is smaller than the outer diameter D2 of the shaft joint member 23, the shaft joint member 23 does not fall off to the notch 51a during insertion. Since there is no notch 51a on the guide surface 51 with which the shaft joint member 24 on the opposite drive side engages, it is necessary to hold the rear and upper handles 11r and 11r1 (see FIG. 3) of the process cartridge B by hand (see FIG. 3). (See Fig. 16) and it is inserted smoothly.

【0064】

When the process cartridge B is inserted to the position shown in FIG. 16, the second cylindrical boss 45 and the rough guide 46 are also guided by the guide surface 51. The second cylindrical boss 45 has a rotation stop function that prevents the rear part of the process cartridge B from rotating downward in the insertion direction around the shaft joint member 23, and the rough guide 46 processes around the shaft joint member 23. Since it has a rotation stop function that prevents the rear portion of the cartridge B in the insertion direction from rotating upward, erroneous insertion of the process cartridge B is unlikely to occur.

【0065】

As the process cartridge B is further inserted, as shown in FIG. 17, the shaft joint member 23 passes through the guide surface 51, and instead, the cylindrical positioning boss 11h engages with the engaging member 54. As a result, the position of the center of the photoconductor drum 1 of the process cartridge B is determined with respect to the cartridge guide 50. At this time, since the outer diameter of the cylindrical positioning boss 11h is larger than the outer diameter of the shaft joint member 23, the engaging member 54 and the shaft joint member 23 may interfere with each other in the longitudinal direction to affect the drive input. Absent.

【0066】

At this time, the second cylindrical boss 45 also engages with the notch 51a in the middle of the drive side guide member, and the posture of the process cartridge B is temporarily positioned with respect to the cartridge guide 50. At this point, the urging member 57 provided on the cartridge guide 50 urges the counter-driving side cover 11f fixed to the cleaning container 11a. As a result, the process cartridge B is urged to the drive side, the gear cover 11c on the drive side is abutted against the inner side surface 50b of the cartridge guide 50, and the position of the process cartridge B in the longitudinal direction is determined.

【0067】

In these cases, since the shaft joint member 23 is located on the outermost side in the longitudinal direction, the drive input stroke from the device main body 14 side may be short. Further, since the shaft joint member 23 is guided by the guide surface 51, it is not necessary to provide a new insertion guide on the side surface portion in the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge B, so that space saving in the longitudinal direction can be achieved. In addition, the cylindrical boss 45 and rough guide 46, which are the second guides, are also guided by the guide surface 51 when the cartridge guide 50 is inserted, so rotation with the shaft joint member 23 as the fulcrum can be regulated and erroneous insertion is prevented. The operability can be improved. Since the engaging member 54 of the cartridge guide 50 is arranged so as to engage with the cylindrical positioning boss 11h located inside the shaft joint member 23 in the longitudinal direction, space saving in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge guide 50 should be achieved. Can be done.

【0068】

Although the drive side has been described above, the shaft joint member 24 on the non-drive side also operates in the same manner. That is, there is no notch 51a on the guide surface 51 with which the shaft joint member 24 on the opposite drive side is engaged. The guide surface 51 has the same shape and the same size on the left and right when viewed from the insertion direction of the process cartridge B, and the shaft joint members 23 and 24 have the same diameter and are on the axis of the photoconductor drum 1, so that they are counter-driven. The shaft joint member 24 on the side moves on the guide surface 51 in which the notch 51a does not exist, and is fitted into the U-groove 52 for positioning at the same time as the shaft joint member 23. The shaft joint member 24 may be a disk because it does not function as a shaft joint as long as only the outer diameter and width are symmetrical with the shaft joint member 24.

【0069】

{Parts related to the process cartridge attachment / detachment of the image forming apparatus main body} Next, the parts related to the process cartridge attachment / detachment of the image forming apparatus main body will be described in detail with reference to FIG.

【0070】

The process cartridge B was placed on the rear side surface portion 14a of the main body, which is parallel to the longitudinal direction of the photoconductor drum 1 and is opposite to the developing device 4 when viewed from the photoconductor drum 1, among the side surfaces of the image forming apparatus main body 14. There is an opening 14b for inserting the cartridge guide 50. Rail members (not shown) are provided on both side surfaces of the opening 14b in the longitudinal direction in the insertion direction, and guide members (not shown) on both side surfaces of the cartridge guide 50 are guided. When the cartridge guide 50 and the process cartridge B are inserted into the predetermined positions in the image forming apparatus main body 14, they are inserted in the positions where they engage with the cylindrical positioning boss 11h provided on the cartridge frame 11 of the process cartridge B in the insertion direction. There is a half-pipe-shaped body engaging member 14c in the opposite opening direction. Further, as a part of the scanner lower cover 3d, the process cartridge B has a rotation stop member 3e for rotation around the photoconductor drum 1.

【0071】

{Detachment of movable body and process cartridge to and from the image forming apparatus main body} From the image forming apparatus main body 14, the cartridge guide 50 is pulled out from the image forming apparatus main body 14 to a position outside the predetermined device main body 14 along a rail member (not shown). The cartridge guide 50 on which the process cartridge B is placed is inserted into the image forming apparatus main body 14 by pushing the rear plate 55 on the upstream side in the insertion direction of the cartridge guide 50. When the cartridge guide 50 reaches a predetermined position, the cylindrical positioning boss 11h of the process cartridge B engages with the half-pipe-shaped main body engaging member 14c that opens facing the insertion direction. In this state, the engaging member 54 of the cartridge guide and the engaging member 14c of the main body are adjacent to each other in the longitudinal direction, and both are in contact with the outer circumference of the positioning boss 11h. As a result, only one position of the process cartridge B is determined with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 14. At this point, the process cartridge B is not positioned in the rotational direction with the center of the photoconductor drum 1 as the fulcrum. Further, in the cartridge guide 50 that has reached a predetermined position, the urging member 57 comes into contact with the counter-driving side inner wall portion (not shown) of the image forming apparatus main body 14 and urges the driving side in the image forming apparatus main body 14. Has been done. As a result, the cartridge guide 50 is urged to the drive side and abuts against the drive side inner wall portion of the image forming apparatus main body 14, and the position of the cartridge guide 50 in the longitudinal direction is determined. At this time, since the position of the process cartridge B in the longitudinal direction with respect to the cartridge guide 50 is also determined, the position of the process cartridge B in the longitudinal direction with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 14 is also determined by the drive side abutting.

【0072】

Further, the rear plate 55 on the upstream side in the insertion direction of the cartridge guide 50 forms a part of the rear side surface portion 14a of the image forming apparatus main body 14 when the cartridge guide 50 is inserted at a predetermined position in the apparatus main body 14. A pressing member 56 provided on a part of the rear side plate 55 on the upstream side in the insertion direction of the cartridge guide 50 inserted into the device main body 14 at a predetermined position in the device main body 14, is a rear side surface portion D on the upstream side in the insertion direction of the process cartridge B. When is pressed, the pressing direction is deviated from the center of the photoconductor drum 1 as shown by the arrow in FIG. 19, so that an upward rotation occurs at the rear portion of the process cartridge B centering on the photoconductor drum 1. Further, since this rotation direction coincides with the drive direction of the photoconductor drum 1, the rotation stop member 11j of the upper surface portion 11i of the process cartridge B is abutted against the rotation stop member 3e in the image forming apparatus main body 14. The posture of the process cartridge B in the device body 14 is determined.

【0073】

In these cases, the main body engaging member 14c for main body positioning engages with the cylindrical positioning boss 11h of the process cartridge B, so that one point is positioned with respect to the cartridge guide 50 that was engaged with the cylindrical positioning boss 11h. It is not necessary to newly provide a positioning member between the apparatus main body 14 and the cartridge guide 50 to determine the same point as the center of the photoconductor drum 1, and space can be saved. .. Further, by one urging member provided on the cartridge guide 50, when the process cartridge B is placed on the cartridge guide 50, the process cartridge B is abutted against the drive side of the cartridge guide 50 to be positioned, and the device main body of the cartridge guide 50 is positioned. By positioning the cartridge guide 50 against the drive side of the main body at the time of internal insertion, the drive input means of the photoconductor drum 1 is urged to the drive side to ensure drive input and minimize the drive input stroke. Therefore, the drive input configuration can be simplified. Further, the pressing member 56 of the cartridge guide 50 causes the process cartridge B to generate a rotational moment in the same direction as the drive rotation direction of the photoconductor drum 1 at the center of the drive input means of the photoconductor drum 1, and the rotation stop member 11j on the upper surface of the process cartridge causes the process cartridge B to generate a rotational moment. By abutting against the device main body 14 and determining the posture, the process cartridge B can be reliably positioned with respect to the device main body 14.

【0074】

In the process cartridge and the cartridge guide, since the input means to the photoconductor drum is on the outermost side in the longitudinal direction, the drive input stroke from the device main body side may be short. Further, since the input means to the photoconductor drum is guided by the cartridge guide, it is not necessary to provide a new insertion guide on the side surface portion in the longitudinal direction of the process cartridge, so that space saving in the longitudinal direction can be achieved. In addition, since the cylindrical boss and rough guide of the second guide part are also guided to the guide surface when the cartridge guide is inserted, rotation with the input means to the photoconductor drum as a fulcrum can be regulated, and operation is prevented by preventing erroneous insertion. The sex can be improved. Since the engaging member of the cartridge guide is arranged so as to engage with the cylindrical positioning boss located inside in the longitudinal direction from the input means to the photoconductor drum, it is possible to save space in the longitudinal direction of the cartridge guide. ..

【0075】

When the process cartridge mounted on the cartridge guide is attached and detached together with the cartridge guide, the engaging member of the device main body positioning member is engaged with the cylindrical positioning boss by engaging with the cylindrical positioning boss of the process cartridge. It is possible to position a single point on the cartridge guide, and it is not necessary to newly provide a positioning member between the apparatus main body and the cartridge guide, so that space can be saved. In addition, one urging member provided on the cartridge guide abuts the process cartridge against the drive side of the cartridge guide when the process cartridge is placed on the cartridge guide, and positions the process cartridge when the cartridge guide is inserted into the main body. By abutting against the drive side and positioning it, the input means of the photoconductor drum is urged to the drive side to ensure drive input and minimize the drive input stroke to simplify the drive input configuration. Can be done. Further, the pressing member of the cartridge guide causes the process cartridge to generate a rotational moment that is the same as the drive rotation direction of the photoconductor drum at the center of the input means of the photoconductor drum, and the rotation stop member on the upper surface of the process cartridge abuts the device body against the posture. By determining the above, the process cartridge can be reliably positioned with respect to the device body.

【0076】

Next, the description of the configuration of the process cartridge will be supplemented.

【0077】

Shaft joint members 23 and 24 are fitted to the shaft ends of the drum support shafts 1d and 1e, respectively. The inner shaft joint member 23 is a force receiving member that receives a rotational force from the device main body 14 side. The shaft joint member 24 uses the same member as the shaft joint member 23, but has nothing to do with the drive means on the device main body 14 side, and functions only as a guide member for the cartridge guide 50 of the process cartridge B. As shown in FIG. 21 (b), the cross section of the fitting portion of the drum support shafts 1d and 1e and the shaft joint members 23 and 24 is both D-cut, and the circumferential direction of the arc portion provided on the drum support shafts 11d and 1e. Protrusions 23a and 24a are provided in the grooves 1d1 and 1e1 of the shaft joint members 23 and 24, respectively, in which a part of the D-cut holes is inserted. The protrusions 23a and 24b are provided on the axial protrusions 23c and 24c formed by providing the grooves 23b and 24b in the axial direction.

【0078】

As shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the charging device 2 uses a contact charging method, and a charging roller 2c having both ends supported and a conductive rubber 2b provided on the outer circumference of a metal shaft 2a parallel to the photoconductor drum 1 is provided. It is used. Both ends of the metal shaft 2a are rotatably fitted to the charged roller bearing 25 which is movably fitted to the bearing guide 11l (L) facing the radial direction of the photoconductor drum 1. The charged roller 2c is pressed against the generatrix of the photoconductor drum 1 by the composite spring 26 contracted between the charged roller bearing 25 and the end of the bearing guide 11l, and is driven to rotate by the photoconductor drum 1. ing.

【0079】

The cleaning device 6 cleans the toner remaining on the photoconductor drum 1 after the toner visualized on the photoconductor drum 1 by the developing device 4 is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 5a, and is cleaned. The waste toner is stored in the cleaning container 11a. The amount of waste toner stored in the cleaning container 11a does not fill the cleaning container 11a earlier than the life of the photoconductor drum 1, and therefore the cleaning container 11a is integrally replaced when the life of the photoconductor drum 1 is replaced.

【0080】

As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning device 6 is provided with the cleaning roller 27 and the cleaning blade 28 adjacent to each other in the moving direction of the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 1 in this order. The cleaning roller 27 is provided with a soft cleaning member 27b such as sponge rubber integrally around the cleaning roller shaft 27a, and the cleaning member 27b is parallel to the photoconductor drum 1 and close to the entire width of the photoconductor drum 1. It is pressure-welded. The cleaning roller shaft 27a protrudes from the cleaning member 27b to both ends, and the protruding portions are rotatably supported by the side plates 11k (see FIGS. 27 and 31) on both sides of the cleaning container 11a in the longitudinal direction. The cleaning roller gear 27c and the journal 27d It is connected to each other by a fitting part with a D-shaped cross section.

【0081】

As shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning blade 28 is parallel to the photoconductor drum 1 and has a plate shape as a whole, and the tip of the cleaning blade 28 faces the counter direction with respect to the moving direction of the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 1 and the photoconductor drum 1 It has a support sheet metal 28b in which a rubber blade 28a and a rubber blade 28a that are pressure-welded to the rubber blade 28a are bonded and welded together. The cleaning blade 28 has approximately the same length as the cleaning member 27b of the cleaning roller 27, and the support sheet metal 28b has an L-shaped cross section, and the notches at both ends are integrally molded into the cleaning container 11a to form a protruding cleaning member mounting portion 11 m. It is fitted and positioned and secured to the cleaning container 11a with a machine screw (not shown).

【0082】

The squeeze sheet 29 is an elastic sheet, and the toner remaining on the photoconductor drum 1 after transfer is passed through, but the residual toner after transfer is passed through between the squeeze sheet 29 and the photoconductor drum 1 from inside the cleaning container 11a. It is lightly pressed against the photoconductor drum 1 to the extent that it does not leak.

【0083】

As described above, the cleaning container 11a is a closed container having a rear container 11b at the rear in the insertion direction into the apparatus main body 14 and an opening 11n facing the photoconductor drum 1. The inside is partitioned by the partition member 41 inside the cleaning container, and when the process cartridge B is mounted on the apparatus main body 14, the toner transport section 11A that comes above and the toner storage section 11B located below it partition the toner transport section. It is partitioned by member 41a. When the process cartridge B is mounted on the apparatus main body 14, the toner transport portion partition member 41a is arranged so as to rise as a whole as the distance from the photoconductor drum 1 increases (FIGS. 3 and 44 (between eros)). reference).

【0084】

The toner transport section 11A is divided into a first toner transport section 11A1, a second toner transport section 11A2, and a third toner transport section 11A3 by a toner transport section partition member 41b. The space between the container 11b and the toner storage portion 11B is a part.

【0085】

The toner storage unit 11B is partitioned by a partition member 41d inside the toner storage unit. The rear side plate 41c of the cleaning container inner partition member 41 is substantially an inner partition member of the toner storage portion. The toner storage section 11B is divided into first, second, and third toner storage sections 11B1, 11B2, and 11B3 by the toner storage section internal partition member 41d and the rear side plate 41c.

【0086】

Rotating plates 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d are provided as feed members for sending toner to each of the toner transport units 11A1, 11A2, 11A3, and each of them rotates counterclockwise around the axis C. ing.

【0087】

The rotating plate 19 (19a, 19b, 19c, 19d) is a partition member 41 in the cleaning container as shown in FIG. 31 obtained by cutting the partition member 41b (see FIGS. 3 and 44) in the toner transport portion 11A. Both ends are rotatably loosely fitted into the round holes 41n drilled in the side plate 41 m. Both ends of the rotating plate 19 have an extension portion 19e that is narrower than the width of the portion that enters between the side plates 41m on both sides, and the drive gear 31 (31a, 31b, 31c, 31d) is attached to the extension portion 19e. When the slits 31s and 32s of the journal 32 (32a, 32b, 32c, 32d) are fitted respectively, the centering protrusion that fits tightly into the hole 30 provided on the back side of the slits 31s and 32s. 19f is provided. Therefore, when the drive gear 31 is fitted into the bearing hole 12 (12a, 12b, 12c, 12d), and the slits 31s and 32s are fitted into the extending portion 19e of the rotating plate 19 and pushed in, the centering protrusion is formed. When the piece 19f is fitted into the holes 30 of the drive gear 31 and the journal 32, the edge of the round hole 41n provided in the side plate 41m of the partition member 41 inside the cleaning container does not come into contact with the extension portion 19e of the rotating plate 19. ing.

【0088】

The rotating plates 19a, 19b, and 19c each have a feed vane 17 made of a flexible sheet having a thickness of about 50 μm at each edge. When the rotary plate 19 (19a, 19b, 19c) rotates on the feed blade 17, the first toner transport portion 11A1 is on the right so as to bend each feed blade 17 and rub the partition member 41a of the toner transport portion. Within the lower quadrant, the second and third toner transfer portions 11A2 and 11A3 are provided with arc portions 41a1, 41a2, 41a3 having a substantially quadrant near the rear part directly below.

【0089】

The centers of members that convey waste toner, such as the rotating plates 19a, 19b, and 19c, are also arranged at higher positions as the distance from the photosensitive drum 1 increases.

【0090】

A transport opening 41e is provided below the inner partition member 41b of the toner transport section between the toner transport sections 11A, and the toner transport sections 11A communicate with each other.

【0091】

The toner transport section partition member 41a is provided with storage openings 41f1, 41f2, 41f3, 41f4, 41f5 through the toner transport section 11A and the toner storage section 11B (see FIGS. 3, 44 and 45).

【0092】

The storage opening 41f1 is higher than the toner transport section partition member 41a in each toner transport section 11A1, 11A2 between the transport openings 41e between the first and second transport sections 11A1 and 11A2 when the rotating plate 19a rotates counterclockwise. It is provided on the opposite side of the ridge line 41g1 (almost directly below the transport opening 41e and the end of the arc portion 41a1), and the waste toner discharged to the first toner transport portion 11A1 is first stored in the toner transport portion 11A1. Is designed to be sent to the first toner storage unit 11B1.

【0093】

The storage openings 41f2, 41f4 in the second and third toner transfer portions 11A2, 11A3 are provided at the lowest portions of the arc portions 41a2, 41a3, respectively, and lead to the first and second toner storage chambers 11B1, 11B2, respectively. .. The storage opening 41f3 provided in the second toner transporting portion 11A2 is opened on the front side of the toner receiving portion 11B2, and this opening is a partition member for the toner transporting portion between the second and third toner transporting portions 11A2 and 11A3. It is opened on the opposite side of the high ridgeline 41g2 of 41a.

【0094】

The storage opening 41f5 of the third toner transport unit 11A3 is the third toner storage unit 11B3 when the rotating plate 19c rotates counterclockwise and the feed vane 17 lifts the waste toner up to the ridgeline 41g3 along the arc portion 41a3. It is in a position to send waste toner to.

【0095】

The toner transport section partition member 41a, the toner transport section inner partition member 41b, the rear side plate 41c, the toner storage section inner partition member 41d, and the upper surface portion 41r described later have both ends in the longitudinal direction of FIG. 31 (toner transport section inner partition member 41b). Is integrally connected by a side plate 41 m as shown in (not shown) to form a partition member 41 inside the cleaning container.

【0096】

As shown in FIG. 31 of the exploded perspective view, there is a large opening between the toner container 11a and the rear container 11b, and the cleaning container inner partition member 41 is inserted into the toner container 11a and assembled.

【0097】

Inside the side plates 11k on both sides of the cleaning container 11a, an in-container guide 11o (O) is provided in parallel. During the insertion of the cleaning container inner partition member 41 into the cleaning container 11a, the guide grooves 41s provided on both lower edges of the toner storage member inner partition member 41d in the longitudinal direction are engaged with the inner container guide 11o (O). The bottom of this guide groove 41s is guided along the upper edge of the guide 11o in the container.

【0098】

As shown in FIG. 3, a mounting plate 41i is provided in the front portion in parallel with the inner partition member 41d of the toner storage portion, and the positioning hole 41j is fitted into the mounting plate 41i in the positioning protrusion 11p integrally formed with the toner container 11a. As a result, the tip is inserted up to the root of the tapered positioning protrusion 11p. Then, the snap-fit positioning portion 41k provided on the upper surface of the partition member 41 inside the cleaning container engages with the inner angle of the position where the upper surface portion 11i of the toner container 11a ends on the front side as shown in FIG. 3 of the vertical sectional view of the process cartridge B. .. In this state, as shown in FIG. 44, the upper end surface 41v of the inner partition wall 41 of the toner transport portion at the rearmost portion is in contact with the inner wall of the upper surface of the cleaning container 11a. As shown in FIG. 31, the snap-fit positioning portion 41k is formed by providing a reverse claw at the tip of a protruding portion that is cut into a U shape on the upper surface portion 41r of the partition member 41 inside the cleaning container.

【0099】

Bearing holes 12a, 12b, 12c, 27e are formed in the side plates 11k on both sides of the toner container 11a on substantially one plane. A bearing hole 12d (see FIG. 42) is also drilled in the side plate of the rear container 11b. The journal portions 31j of the cleaning roller gear 27c and the drive gears 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d (31d is not shown) are rotatably fitted to the bearing holes 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d, 27e on the drive side, respectively. , The gear part is exposed to the outside of the cleaning container 11a. Journals 27d, 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d (32d is not shown) are rotatably fitted on the counter-drive side. Slits 31s and 32s are provided in the axial direction at the tips of the drive gears 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d and the journals 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d, respectively.

【0100】

The side plates 41m on both sides of the partition member 41 inside the cleaning container are rotating plates in line with the bearing holes 12a, 12b, 12c provided in the side plates 11k of the cleaning container 11a and the bearing holes 12d provided in the side plates of the rear container 11b in the assembled state. Support holes 41n are provided respectively, and the rotating plates 19a, 19b, 19c, and 19d are rotatably supported. A slit 41p slightly larger than the plate thickness of the rotary plate 19 is provided upward from the rotary plate support hole 41n, and the rotary plate support hole 41n is an open figure for assembling the rotary plate 19.

【0101】

In addition, a notch positioning guide 41q is provided at the tip of the side plate 41 m near the photoconductor drum 1, and the cleaning roller shaft 27b is fitted and held in the guide 41q to hold the rotating plates 19a, 19b, 19c and the cleaning roller. Assembling is facilitated by inserting the partition member 41 inside the cleaning container to which 27 is assembled into the cleaning container 11a in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 31.

【0102】

The rotating plate 19d is housed in the rear container 11b and is rotatably supported as described above, and is driven to rotate clockwise in FIG. The flexible thin-section break-in blade 17d of the rotating plate 19d hits the light transmission port 33a, and is used to detect the filling of waste toner through the light transmission port 33a by rubbing the inner surface of the light transmission port 33a while bending. It is designed to secure the optical path L of. The break-in blade 17d and the feed blade 17 extend between the side plates 41 m on both sides in the longitudinal direction of the partition member 41 inside the cleaning container.

【0103】

A lamp 34a and a photodetector element 34b that receives light emitted from the lamp 34a are fixedly mounted on the main body 14 of the apparatus, and light transmission ports 33a and 33b are provided on the optical path L through which the light passes. The light transmission ports 33a and 33b have a rib-shaped handle 11r in a part of the rear container 11b, and the rib for the handle 11r is not provided near one of the two recesses 11q provided in the longitudinal direction. A protruding wall surface having an angle is formed between one wall surface of the recess 11q and the wall surface behind the rear container 11b, and a transparent member made of synthetic resin is fitted into this wall surface.

【0104】

Clearly from the above configuration, the light transmission ports 33a and 33b are arranged on the downstream side in the waste toner transport direction of the toner container 11a.

【0105】

When the waste toner stored in the toner storage unit 11B3 is full, even if the rotating plate 19d is rotated, the light transmission ports 33a and 33b are finally covered with the waste toner and the optical path L is blocked, resulting in light. The detection element 34b has received the light from the lamp 34a so far, and the photoelectrically converted H active signal receives the conversion to the L active signal due to the interruption of the light reception, and the engine controller 131 of the device main body 14 (described later). Is designed to notify that the cleaning container 11a of the process cartridge B is filled with waste toner. The rear side plate 41c of the cleaning container 6a is provided with a rib 41u erected toward the rear, and the rear container 41b is provided with a rib 11b1 on the inner side below the rear side plate D. These ribs 41u and 11b1 are arranged in parallel in the longitudinal direction at staggered positions and cooperate with each other to prevent the waste toner from moving in the longitudinal direction. As a result, when the process cartridge B is removed from the apparatus main body 14, the waste toner is biased toward the light transmission ports 33a and 33b due to handling, and when it is reattached as it is, the waste toner is the third toner of the cleaning container 11a. It prevents malfunctions that give a signal that the waste toner is full even though the storage section 11B3 is not full.

【0106】

The photoconductor drum 1, the cleaning roller 27, and the rotating plate 19 receive a driving force and rotate at the same time. The configuration of this drive device will be described later, but the operation of the cleaning device 6 will be described here.

【0107】

{Operation of the cleaning device} The cleaning device 6 stores the toner remaining after transfer on the photoconductor drum 1 as waste toner in the cleaning container 11a by the cleaning roller 27 and the cleaning blade 28.

【0108】

The cleaning roller 27 rotates counterclockwise in the same direction as the photoconductor drum 1 in FIG. 3, and the peripheral surface of the cleaning roller 27 is the photoconductor drum 1 with respect to the moving direction of the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 1. Moves in the opposite direction at the contact portion of, and rubs against the photoconductor drum 1 to remove the toner remaining after transfer on the photoconductor drum 1, and the back side of the first toner transport portion 11A1 (from the photoconductor drum 1). It is scattered and sent as waste toner in the direction away from it), and this waste toner falls in the vicinity of the opening 11n with respect to the photoconductor drum 1 in the toner container 11a in the first toner transport portion 11A1 and on the partition member 41a of the toner transport portion. The toner deposited near the opening 11n does not leak out of the cleaning container 11a through the gap between the squeeze sheet 29 and the photoconductor drum 1 due to the action of the squeeze sheet 29. The waste toner deposited on the partition member 41a of the toner transport section of the first toner transport section 11A1 tries to move toward the second transport section 11A2 by the feed blade 17 of the first rotating plate 19a, but goes to the ridge line 41g1. When it is lifted and reaches the storage opening 41f1 beyond the ridgeline 41g1, it falls from this opening 41f1 to the front side of the first toner storage portion 11B1 in the waste toner transport direction and accumulates. Due to the rotating momentum of the rotating plate 19a and the repulsion of the feed blade 17 that has passed the ridgeline 41g and the elasticity of the feed vane 17 is released, some waste toner is sent to the second toner conveying section 11A2. Since the toner transport section partition member 41a in the second toner transport section 11A2 descends from the ridge line 41 g toward the storage opening 41f2, the waste toner faces the storage opening 41f2, and when it is attempted to accumulate in the middle, the second rotating plate The feed blade 17 of 19b rotates to feed the waste toner into the storage opening 41f2, and drops the waste toner from the storage opening 41f2 into the first toner storage portion 11B1.

【0109】

Thus, waste toner is deposited in the first toner storage portion 11B1 through the storage opening 41f1 which is predominantly input, with the peak directly below the storage opening 41f1 as the peak, and this peak reaches the storage opening 41f1 and is abolished in the storage opening 41f1. After the toner is filled, all the waste toner that has been cleaned and discharged to the first transport section 11A1 is fed to the second toner transport section 11A2 through the transport opening 41e by the feed blade 17 of the first rotating plate 19a. Then, waste toner is sent from the storage opening 41f2 to the space where the first toner storage part 11B1 is open. When the first toner storage unit 11B1 is filled with waste toner, the storage opening 41f2 is blocked, so that the cleaned waste toner is sent to the second toner transfer unit 11A2 through the first toner transfer unit 11A1. Here, the feed blade 17 of the rotating plate 19b lifts the waste toner toward the transfer opening 41e in front of the ridgeline 41g2 between the second and third toner transfer portions 11A2 and 11A3, and the storage opening 41f3 to the second toner storage portion 11 Drop the B2 to the side closer to the photoconductor drum 1. Due to the rotation of the feed blade 17 of the rotating plate 19b and the repulsion due to the release of elasticity due to the passage of the ridge line 41g2, some waste toner is sent to the third toner transport section 11A3.

【0110】

Thus, the waste toner that has fallen into the second toner storage portion 11B2 cannot be deposited in a chevron shape directly under the storage opening 41f3. This is because the storage opening 41f3 is near the inner partition member 41d of the toner storage part that separates the first and second toner storage parts 11B1 and 11B2. Therefore, in the second toner storage portion 11B2, the surface of the waste toner is formed so that the side directly below the storage opening 41f3 is the highest point and the side farther from the photoconductor drum 1 is lowered, and the surface gradually rises, and the highest portion is the storage opening. When it reaches 41f3, the storage opening 41f3 is blocked with waste toner. After that, all the waste toner transported through the first and second transport sections 11A1 and 11A2 crosses the ridgeline 41g2 between the second transport section 11A2 and the third transport section 11A3, and the transport openings 41e to the third transport section Due to the downward slope from the ridge line 41g2 to the storage opening 41f3 and the movement of the feed blade 17 of the third rotating plate 19c, the waste toner is sent from the ridge line 41g2 to the storage opening 41f4 in the third toner transport section 11A3. It moves on the partition member 41a of the toner transport section, and drops waste toner from the storage opening 41f4 at the bottom of the partition member 41a into the second toner storage section 11B2. Thus, when the second toner storage unit 11B2 is filled with waste toner and the storage opening 41f4 is blocked with waste toner, the waste toner sent to the third toner transport unit 11A3 is the first by the feed blade 17 of the rotating plate 19c. The waste toner directed from the ridge line 41g2 on the side closer to the photoconductor drum 1 to the storage opening 41f4 is moved on the arc portion 41a3 and lifted up to the ridge line 41g3 on the toner transfer part partition member 41a in the toner transfer part 11A3 of 3. The ridge line 41g3 forms the lower edge of the storage opening 41f5, and the waste toner lifted up to the ridge line 41g3 falls into the third toner storage portion 11B3. The storage opening 41f5 also serves as a transport opening 41e, and waste toner is sent to the toner storage unit 11B3 and dropped.

【0111】

The waste toner that has fallen into the third toner storage portion 11B3 is deposited in a surface state in which the rear side plate 41c side is the highest point and the back side is lowered. The surface of this accumulated waste toner is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane corresponding to the angle of repose and is flat. When the surface of the waste toner gradually rises and is attracted by the break-in blade 17d of the rotating plate 19d, the waste toner is repelled by the rotational force of the break-in blade 17d and the waste toner is sent to the rear side plate 41c side. Further, the break-in blade 17d has a large radial width, and the portion of the light transmission port 33a at the position where the optical path L crosses is always cleaned by the break-in blade 17d. When the third toner storage part 11B3 is almost full with the waste toner scattered to the rear side plate 41c side of the third toner storage part 11B3, it is no longer always light depending on the break-in blade 17d of the rotating plate 19d. The transmission port 33a cannot be cleaned, the light transmission port 33a is blocked by the waste toner, the optical path L is blocked, and the waste toner filling in the process cartridge B is displayed on the apparatus main body 14.

【0112】

{Drive device for waste toner transport member in process cartridge} Fig. 27 shows a side view of process cartridge B with the gear cover (drive side side cover) 11c removed. FIG. 24 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the driving side of the cleaning container 11a of the photoconductor drum 1 and the first rotating plate 19a.

【0113】

The drum support shaft 1c of the photoconductor drum 1 is provided with a shaft joint member 23 having a groove 23a into which one round pin 35a can be fitted from the axial direction by arranging four equal parts in the circumferential direction. Is provided with a drive-side shaft joint member 35 provided with a pin 35a so as to move forward and backward in the axial direction and take a position where the pin 35a enters the groove 23a and a position where the pin 35a leaves the groove 23a. The shaft joint member 35 is fixed to the drive shaft 36, and the drive shaft 36 moves forward and backward in the axial direction concentrically with the drum support shaft 1c. The drive shaft 36 is supported by the frame body 14d of the apparatus main body 14 so as to be rotatable and axially movable. The groove 23a has a shape in which the pin 35a can move in the radial direction, for example, a groove having an equal width.

【0114】

As described above, the end of the first rotary plate 19a is fitted into the slit 31s of the drive gear 31a, and the drive gear 31a is rotatably fitted with the journal portion 31j into the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a. There is. A plate-shaped rib is provided in a cross shape in the radial direction on the end surface of the drive gear 31a to form a convex clutch 31a1, and the concave clutch 37 has a cross groove that fits into the rib of the convex clutch 31a1. The drive shaft 37a is supported by the frame body 14d of the apparatus main body 14 so as to be movable in the axial direction and rotatably. The concave clutch 37 engages with and disengages from the convex clutch 31a1 by inserting a through hole 50c leading to a notch 51a provided on the guide surface 51 of the cartridge guide 50. The drive shafts 36 and 37a on the device main body 14 side with respect to the drive unit of the photoconductor drum 1 and the waste toner transfer system drive input means 44 are urged by spring forces (not shown) in the directions shown by arrows a, respectively. Although the explanation is omitted in the opposite direction, it is designed to retreat by the releasing means.

【0115】

As shown in FIG. 27, the drive gear 31a provided with the convex clutch 31a1 meshes with the cleaning roller gear 27c via the idler gear 38a and also meshes with the drive gear 31b via the idler gear 38b. The drive gear 31b meshes with the drive gear 31c via the idler gear 38c. The drive gear 31c meshes with the drive gear 31d via two idler gears 38d and 38e that mesh with each other.

【0116】

As shown in FIG. 43, the dowels 11c1 to 11c3 projecting from the back surface of the gear cover 11c are fitted into the center holes of the cleaning roller gears 27c and the drive gears 31b and 31c, respectively, and the cleaning roller gears 27c and the drive gears 31b and 31c are inserted. It supports rotatably. The dowels 11c2 and 11c3 are stepped, and the stepped portion prevents the drive gears 31b and 31c from moving outward in the axial direction. Each idler gear 38a to 38e is rotatably supported by a dowel 11k1 projecting from the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a (see FIG. 4). This dowel 11k1 is fitted into each of the holes 11c4 provided in the gear cover 11c. The drive gear 31d connecting the rotating plate 19d having the break-in blade 17d is rotatably fitted to the outer circumference of the hollow cylindrical dowel 11c7 provided on the back surface of the gear cover 11c.

【0117】

The photoconductor drum 1 and the drive gear 31a, in which the process cartridge B is mounted on the apparatus main body 14 via the cartridge guide 50, are provided on the drive shafts 36 and 37a ends from the apparatus main body 14 side, respectively. The clutch 37 receives a driving force separately by engaging with the shaft joint member 23 and the convex clutch 31a1.

【0118】

In the cleaning device 6 described above, the residual toner after transfer removed from the photoconductor drum 1 by the cleaning roller 27 and the cleaning blade 28 is conveyed as waste toner into the cleaning container 11a, and the first to third toner storage portions are one after another. To drive the operation of filling 11B1 to 11B3 with waste toner, a rotational force is transmitted from a drive source (not shown) on the device main body 14 side to the concave clutch 37, and the concave clutch 37 drives the drive gear 31a.

【0119】

As a result, the cleaning roller gear 27c is rotated from the drive gear 31a via the idler gear 38a, and as described above by the cleaning roller 27, the photoconductor drum 1 rotates in the same direction as the photoconductor drum 1 during rotation. On the other hand, the drive gear 31a, idler gear 38b, drive gear 31b, idler gear 38c, drive gear 31c, idler gear 38d, 38e, and drive gear 38d that mesh with each other rotate at the same time, and the cleaning roller gear 27c and drive gears 31a to 31c are in the same direction. The drive gear 31d rotates in the opposite direction to these gears 27c, 31a to 31c.

【0120】

{Assembly method of cleaning device} Assembling the cleaning device 6 having the above configuration will be described.

【0121】

At the time of assembly, as shown in FIG. 31, first, the opening for the cleaning roller 27 of the notch provided in the side plate 41 m of the partition member 41 inside the cleaning container is narrower than the diameter of the cleaning roller shaft 27a, and the back is the loose fitting of the shaft. Insert the cleaning roller 27 into the positioning guide 41q of the size to be used.

【0122】

Next, the rotating plates 19a, 19b, 19c are inserted into the holes 41n through the slits 41p, and the cleaning container inner partition member 41 is assembled to the cleaning container 11a.

【0123】

Next, the journal 27d of the cleaning roller 27 and the cleaning roller gear 27c for driving are inserted from both side surfaces of the cleaning container 11a.

【0124】

At this time, the cleaning roller 27 is temporarily positioned on the partition member 41 inside the cleaning container and inserted into the cleaning container 11a, and is substantially coaxial with the journal 27d to be attached and the gear 27c, so that the journal 27d and the gear 27c are easy to install. Can be engaged with the shaft 27a of the cleaning roller 27.

【0125】

As a result, the cleaning roller 27 is positioned in the proper position. At this time, the cleaning roller shaft 27a comes into contact with a part of the temporary positioning guide 41q of the partition member 41 inside the cleaning container, and the cleaning roller 27 receives the reaction force pressed against the photoconductor drum 1. It has become. With such a configuration, the deflection of the cleaning roller 27 can be suppressed without thickening the shaft 27a of the cleaning roller 27.

【0126】

Next, align the positioning holes 11b1 and 11b2 having the same shape with the round dowels 11a1 and the square dowels 11a2 of the cleaning container 11a, and join the flanges around the openings of the rear container 11b having these positioning holes and the cleaning container 11a. High frequency welding.

【0127】

Before assembling by screwing the gear cover 11c and the side cover 11b to cover both sides of the integrated cleaning container 11a by welding the rear container 11b, the photoconductor drum 1, the charging device 2, and the cleaning blade 28 Assemble to the cleaning container 11a, and attach the charging device cover 11g.

【0128】

Further, another embodiment 2 of the cleaning device 6 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 28. The cleaning device 6 stores the toner remaining after transfer on the photoconductor drum 1 by the cleaning blade 28 as waste toner in the cleaning container 11a. The waste toner removed from the top of the photoconductor drum 1 first falls and accumulates near the opening 11n on the photoconductor drum 1 side of the first toner transport unit 11A1. Below the opening 11n, a squeeze sheet 29 is brought into contact with the photoconductor drum 1 at a certain angle and pressure. The toner remaining after the transfer on the photoconductor drum 1 passes through the squeeze sheet 29 that has come into contact with the photoconductor drum 1 and enters the first toner transport unit 11A1. However, the waste toner scraped off and accumulated by the cleaning blade 28 passes through the gap between the squeeze sheet 29 and the photoconductor drum 1 and accumulates without falling. In the first toner transport unit 11A1, the toner feed vane 17 rotates together with the rotating plate 19 in the counterclockwise rotation direction in the figure. The driving force of the toner feed vanes 17 is directly received from the drive shaft of the apparatus main body 14 (not shown) at the rear of the drawing and rotates, and the waste toner accumulated in the first toner transport unit 11A1 is fed to the rear of the container. And lift it up the container. At the center of the container, there is a toner transport section partition member 41a that divides the cleaning container 11a into the toner transport section 11A1, 11A2 and the toner storage section 11B. There is a storage opening 41f that sends the exposed waste toner to the toner storage unit 11B. The partition member 41a is a waste toner transport unit 11A1, It also serves as the bottom of 11A2, and the bottom is configured to be relatively higher than the photoconductor drum 1 side as it goes to the rear of the container. As a result, the storage opening 41f can be provided near the upper part of the central portion of the toner storage portion 11B, and the waste toner sent from the storage opening 41f can be uniformly accumulated to prevent dead space from being generated. Further, since the storage opening 41f is located at the upper part of the container, even if the user attaches / detaches the process cartridge B from the apparatus main body 14 and handles it, for example, holding the photoconductor drum 1 side downward, the waste toner remains in the cleaning container 11a. Without entering the toner transport section 11A2 from the toner storage section 11B, the vicinity of the opening 11n on the photoconductor drum 1 side of the toner transport section 11A1 can always be maintained in a state where there is no waste toner and no powder pressure is applied. Thereby, proper cleaning performance can be guaranteed during the life of the photoconductor drum 1.

【0129】

Next, another embodiment 3 of the cleaning device 6 will be described. Only the points different from the above-described second embodiment will be described.

【0130】

As shown in FIG. 29, a plurality of storage openings 41f1, 41f2, 41f3 are provided in the toner transport section partition member 41a of the cleaning container 11a. These openings have approximately the same length as the feed vanes 17, and the waste toner conveyed by the feed vanes 17 first falls from the first storage opening 41f1 to the toner storage portion 11B and accumulates. Then, when the waste toner is deposited to the extent that it reaches the waste toner storage opening 41f1, the waste toner to be conveyed thereafter is further conveyed to the rear of the container through the first storage opening 41f1. Then, when it is conveyed to the second storage opening 11f2, it falls to the toner storage portion 11B and accumulates. As in the case of the first storage opening 41f1, when the waste toner that has fallen and accumulated reaches the second storage opening 11f2, the waste toner that is subsequently transported is further transported to the rear of the container and is sent to the third storage opening 41f3. , It falls into the toner storage part 11B. As a result, the waste toner can be sequentially sent to the photoconductor drum 1 side, the central portion, and the rear side of the container of the toner storage portion 11B to be uniformly deposited, and dead space is less likely to occur. From this, the amount of waste toner in the toner transport unit 11A1 can always be maintained in a small amount, and stable cleaning performance can be maintained even during the life of the photoconductor drum 1, which has a longer life, and easy maintenance is provided to the user. can do.

【0131】

Further, another embodiment 4 of the cleaning device 6 will be described with reference to FIG. Only the points different from the above-described second embodiment will be described.

【0132】

As shown in FIG. 30, each of the toner transporting portions 11A1 and 11A2 has rotary plates 19a and 19b with feed vanes 17 as toner transporting means. The driving force of the rotating plate 19a is directly received from the driving shaft of the device main body 14 (not shown) at the rear of the figure to rotate, and the driving of the rotating plate 19b is transmitted by gear connection with the feed blade 19a, both counterclockwise. Rotates in the direction of rotation. Further, the second rotating plate 19b behind the container is located at a position where the center of rotation is relatively higher than the rotating plate 19a on the photoconductor drum 1 side, and the waste toner conveyed by the first rotating plate 19a is the second rotating plate. The structure is such that it is sent to the 19b section and then lifted to the upper part of the toner storage section 11B2 in the process of being conveyed to the rear of the container. As a result, the ability of the toner transport units 11A1 and 11A2 to transport waste toner to the rear of the container is improved, waste toner is less likely to accumulate behind the photoconductor drum 1, and stable cleaning is performed during the life of the photoconductor drum 1. Performance can be maintained. The action of dividing the toner storage section 11B into the first and second toner storage sections 11B1 and 11B2 by the toner storage section internal partition member 41d is the same as that of the first embodiment, and exhibits the same action. is there. As shown in FIG. 46, the toner storage chamber 11B may not be partitioned by the toner storage unit internal partition member 41d.

【0133】

As explained above, unlike the conventional cleaning container that can maintain the cleaning performance up to a certain number of prints, the inside of the cleaning container is a process cartridge that has a photoconductor drum with an extremely increased number of prints and a cleaning part. A partition member for dividing the waste toner into two parts is provided in the upper part of the waste toner toner transport part and the lower part of the waste toner storage part, and further, the waste toner storage part is divided into two or more according to the toner transport direction. By arranging the internal partition member, the toner transfer part partition member that divides the toner transfer part into two or more toner transfer directions, and the toner transfer means that is a rotating plate, the process cartridge can be attached / detached and moved during maintenance during use. However, the waste toner does not shift to the opening with respect to the photoconductor drum 1, and the opening can always maintain appropriate cleaning performance. In addition, it is possible to prevent toner from leaking from the opening during handling and to continue comfortable use.

【0134】

Further, by providing a plurality of storage openings having the same length in the longitudinal direction as the longitudinal width inside the container in the partition member of the toner transport section that divides the cleaning container into upper and lower halves, waste toner is discharged from the toner transport section to the toner storage section. There are multiple places to send the toner, and it is possible to reduce the unevenness of the waste toner accumulation rather than dropping the waste toner from one place. As a result, a dead space is less likely to occur in the waste toner storage portion, and the waste toner can be efficiently stored in the limited space.

【0135】

In addition, the rearmost part of the toner storage part in the cleaning container, which is divided into upper and lower parts by the partition member of the toner transport part, is a light transmission port for a light transmission type full tank (the toner storage part is filled with waste toner) detection mechanism. By having a rotating break-in blade as a means for smoothing the accumulated waste toner, the waste toner is accumulated only in the light transmission port portion, and there is a margin in space. Regardless, there is no risk of malfunction of full tank detection, and the detection accuracy of full tank detection can be improved.

【0136】

By rotating the break-in blade in a direction that keeps the waste toner away from the full tank detection light transmission port, the waste toner does not accumulate in the vicinity of the full tank detection light transmission port unless the tank is full. Waste toner is accumulated only on the detection window portion, and there is no possibility that the full tank detection will malfunction even though there is a margin in space, and the detection accuracy of the full tank detection can be improved.

【0137】

The inside of the cleaning container is divided into upper and lower parts, and the partition member inside the cleaning container for forming the toner transport part and the toner storage part is made a separate member from the cleaning container, and the partition member is a mounting plate for being inserted into the cleaning container. Another feature is that the 41i is provided with an insertion guide, which is a hole provided for fitting into the positioning protrusion 11p. As a result, the shape of the cleaning container is not complicated, and the degree of freedom in design is increased. Further, since the insertion guide provided in the partition member inside the toner container makes it easy to determine the assembly to a predetermined position in the cleaning container and improves the assembling property, it is possible to reduce the assembly error.

【0138】

By providing a temporary positioning mechanism for the rotating shaft of the rotating plate for transporting toner in the cleaning container inner partition member provided as a separate member, the cleaning container inner partition member is assembled in advance when the cleaning container inner partition member is assembled to the cleaning container. The rotating plate temporarily positioned on the member is inserted at the same time, and when the partition member inside the cleaning container is in a predetermined position in the cleaning container, the rotating plate is also temporarily positioned near the predetermined position. Can be done. This facilitates the assembly of the rotating plate to the cleaning container body and improves workability.

【0139】

Further, by providing the temporary positioning mechanism of the rotation shaft of the cleaning roller for cleaning the photoconductor drum in the partition member inside the cleaning container provided by the separate member, when the partition member inside the cleaning container is assembled to the cleaning container in advance. A cleaning roller that is temporarily positioned on the partition member inside the cleaning container is inserted at the same time, and when the partition member inside the cleaning container is in a predetermined position, the cleaning roller is also temporarily positioned near the predetermined position. Can be done. This facilitates the assembly of the cleaning roller to the cleaning container body and improves workability.

【0140】

Further, by providing the cleaning container inner partition member provided with the separate member with a positioning mechanism during rotation of the cleaning roller, the contact pressure of the cleaning roller with respect to the photoconductor drum can be kept constant. Moreover, since it is not necessary to newly provide separate parts, the number of parts can be reduced, which leads to simplification of the configuration.

【0141】

{Structure of electrical contacts} Next, when the process cartridge B is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 14, the connection and arrangement of the contacts for electrically connecting the two are described in FIGS. 10 to 12, 20 and 6. This will be described with reference to FIGS. 22 to 24.

【0142】

As shown in FIGS. 10 to 12, the process cartridge B is provided with a plurality of electrical contacts. That is, in order to ground the photoconductor drum 1 to the device main body 14, the drive side drum support shaft 1d (described as the conductive ground contact) is used as a conductive ground contact electrically connected to the photoconductor drum 1. Uses reference numeral 61), stores information about the conductive charging bias contact 63 electrically connected to the metal shaft 2a of the charging roller and the process cartridge B in order to apply the charging bias to the charging roller 2c from the device body 14. It has a process cartridge B side connector 71 for transmitting information from the device main body 14 side to a storage member provided in the process cartridge for storage.

【0143】

The ground contact 61 uses a drum support shaft 1d that forms the axis of the photoconductor drum 1, and is in contact with the main body ground contact 62 on the device main body 14 side on the axis of the photoconductor drum 1. As shown in FIG. 24, the main body ground contact 62 also serves as a drive shaft 36 made of metal.

【0144】

The ground contact 61 is arranged so as to be recessed from the outer surface facing the drive side shaft joint member 35 to which the shaft joint member 23 is connected. As a result, the ground contact 61 is not damaged by attaching / detaching the process cartridge B to / from the cartridge guide 50 and handling after removing the process cartridge B from the cartridge guide 50.

【0145】

As shown in FIG. 20 of the cross-sectional view including the axis of the photoconductor drum 1 and FIG. 21 (a) of the C arrow view of FIG. 20, the ground plate 1f is connected to the ground contact 61 and the aluminum cylinder 1c in the aluminum cylinder 1c. It is elastically fitted.

【0146】

The ground plate 1f has a protrusion 1h with a groove 1g on the side that fits into the aluminum cylinder 1c, and when it is outside the aluminum cylinder 1c, the distance between the tips of the protrusions 1h on both sides across the diameter of the aluminum cylinder 1c is the aluminum cylinder 1c. Slightly larger than the inner diameter of.

【0147】

The ground plate 1f is provided with a hole 1j on the side where it is fitted into the ground contact 61, and a groove 1i is cut from this hole 1j and a protrusion 1k is provided toward the outer circumference of the ground contact. This protrusion 1k is on the diameter connecting the protrusions 1k on both sides in contact with the aluminum cylinder 1c, and the distance between the protrusions 1k on both sides is the ground plate of the ground contact 61 when the ground plate 1f is not fitted to the ground contact 61. It is smaller than the diameter of the fitting part of 1f.

【0148】

The photoconductor drum 1 is attached by fitting the drum flanges 1a and 1b into the end of the aluminum cylinder 1c and caulking 1 m. The ground plate 1f press-fits the ground contact 61 into the drive-side drum flange 1a to a position where it contacts the radial rib 1n of the flange. As a result, the protrusion 1k is tilted from the direction perpendicular to the axis with respect to the ground contact 61, the tip of the protrusion 1k is inserted into the ground contact 61, and the ground plate 1f is fixed to the ground contact 61. After that, when the drive side drum flange 1a with the ground contact 61 and the ground plate 1f is fitted into the aluminum cylinder 1c, the protrusion 1h is tilted in the direction perpendicular to the axis with respect to the aluminum cylinder 1c, and the tip of the protrusion 1h is the aluminum cylinder 1c. It is hard to fit and fixed. After that, crimp 1m at the end of the aluminum cylinder 1c.

【0149】

The ground plate 1f is made of a conductive spring material such as a stainless steel plate, a phosphorus bronze plate, and a beryllium bronze plate, and the aluminum cylinder 1c and the ground contact 61 are electrically conductive with the ground plate 1f.

【0150】

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the external contact portion 63a of the charging bias contact 63 is exposed on the upper surface 11g1 of the charging device cover 11g, which is a part of the cartridge frame. The charging device cover 11g has a trapezoidal cross section perpendicular to the longitudinal direction, and the external contact 63a exists on substantially the same surface as the flat upper surface 11g1 of the charging device cover 11g.

【0151】

As shown in FIG. 3 of the vertical sectional view of the process cartridge B, the charging device cover 11g is provided with a space 1t on the lower outer side of the vertical wall 11s erected upward on the photoconductor drum 1 side of the cleaning container 11a. A cover stop hole 11u is provided on the thinned vertical wall 11s above the space 1t, and a hook 11g2 integrally provided inside the charging device cover 11g is engaged with this hole 11u. The hole 11u is directly above the snap-fit positioning portion 41k that prevents the partition member 41 inside the cleaning container from coming out of the cleaning container 11a. Through this hole 11u, for example, at the tip of a screwdriver, the snap-fit positioning portion 41k The partition member 41 inside the cleaning container can be pulled out from the cleaning container 11a in the state of pressing down. In addition, there are two dowels (not shown) that protrude outward in the longitudinal direction on both end plates in the longitudinal direction of the charging device cover 11g, and these dowels have dead-end holes 11c5 and elongated holes provided inside the gear cover 11c and the side cover 11f. It is fitted to 11c6 respectively (see Fig. 43, this hole 11c5 and slotted hole 11c6 are not shown for the side cover 11f).

【0152】

Details of the charging bias contact 63 are shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, which show bearing portions showing support for the charging roller 2c.

【0153】

The cleaning container 11a is provided with bearing guides 11l (el) on the charging device support portions 1e at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the standing wall 11s above the photoconductor drum 1 described above, and the bearing guide l1l (el) is the drum support portion. It is connected to 11d with an integral mold. The upper part of this bearing guide l1l has a trapezoidal shape when viewed from the axial direction of the photoconductor drum 1, and exactly matches the charging device cover 11g. Further, the cross section perpendicular to this trapezoidal shape is square and serves as a charging bias contact holding portion 11v. However, the upper part of the bearing guide l1l on the opposite drive side is recessed from the trapezoidal shape (not shown). The charging bias contact 63 is provided on one end side in the longitudinal direction.

【0154】

The charging bias contact 63 is made of a metal strip-shaped plate such as a stainless steel plate, a phosphor bronze plate, or a beryllium bronze plate, and is bent in the longitudinal direction of the strip. An upper protrusion 11v1 projects upward from the charging bias contact holding portion 11v corresponding to a hole in which the charging bias contact 63 of the charging device cover 11g is exactly fitted. Further, the charge bias contact holding portion 11v is provided with a dowel 11v2 protruding in the longitudinal direction. Further, a dowel 11v3 is provided on the upper spring seat of the composite spring 26.

【0155】

The charging bias contact 63 is bent along the upper protrusion 11v1 from the end portion in contact with the upper surface of the charging bias contact holding portion 11v to form the external contact portion 63a on the upper protrusion 11v1. Further, the holding portion 11v is bent from the upper surface to the outer surface in the longitudinal direction along the outer surface, and on the outer surface, the charging bias contact 63 is provided with a dowel 11v2 and a notch 63b from the edge of the hole 63c. Has an end hole 63d that is bent from the outer surface to the lower surface of the charge bias contact holding portion 11v to fit into the dowel 11v3.

【0156】

The composite spring 26 is provided with a contact spring 26b that extends diagonally downward in a straight line from the end turn portion of the upper portion of the compression coil spring 26a and is in pressure contact with the charging roller shaft 2a, integrally with the compression coil spring 26a. The contact spring 26b extends further from the contact portion with the charging roller shaft 2a, bends upward along the bearing guide 11l (L), and further bends in a direction away from the bearing guide 11l (L). The compression coil spring 26a is the only spring that urges the charge roller bearing 25 on the counter-drive side toward the photoconductor drum 1.

【0157】

Since the charging bias contact 63 is configured as described above, when both ends are expanded and pushed in against the elasticity from the outside in the longitudinal direction and the mounting hole 63c is inserted into the dowel 11v2, the external contact 63a protrudes upward. It fits into 11v1 and the end hole 63d elastically fits into the dowel 11v3, making it extremely easy to attach the charging bias contact 61 to the cleaning container 11a.

【0158】

The external contact portion 63a is downward when viewed from the horizontal insertion direction of the cartridge guide 50 into the device main body 14, and when the cartridge guide 50 is inserted into the device main body 14, the external contact portion 63a is a spring-loaded plunger. The main body charging bias contact 64 is pushed in against the spring force of the spring 64a to make contact. Alternate voltage and DC voltage are applied to the main body charging bias contact 64 from the power supply controlled by the control device of the device main body 14, and the photosensitive layer on the surface of the photoconductor drum 1 is passed through the charging bias contact 63, the contact spring 26b, and the charging roller 2c. It can be charged uniformly.

【0159】

{Electronic memory such as storage means of process cartridge} In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, for example, when the function of the component incorporated in the process cartridge deteriorates due to long-term use, the entire process cartridge is replaced. This replacement work is an extremely simple operation such as opening the image forming device main body with one touch, taking out the old process cartridge from the inside of the device main body, and attaching a new process cartridge to the device main body, and it is easily carried out by the operator himself. It is possible to realize a maintenance-free image forming apparatus.

【0160】

Further, in the present invention, it is possible to add the following functions in order to further develop the above-mentioned conventional technique and improve the usability of using the image forming apparatus. (1) By mounting an electronic device such as a memory on the process cartridge, data such as manufacturing conditions are written at the time of manufacture and shipment, and when this process cartridge is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body, the image forming apparatus side refers to this data. The image forming operation is performed under the optimum conditions of the process cartridge. (2) For one process cartridge, the cumulative usage time of the process cartridge is known by recording the number of image formations or the time in the memory. (3) Accidents in the image forming device that retain the diagnostic data of the main body of the image forming device in the memory of the process cartridge and enable the service provider to quickly respond to the service by referring to this content when an abnormality occurs or during maintenance. Diagnostic function.

【0161】

When the above-mentioned functions are added to the image forming apparatus, an electronic bias such as EEPROM is mounted on a detachable unit such as a process cartridge.

【0162】

FIG. 39 is a control block diagram of the image forming apparatus main body and the process cartridge in the present invention. This figure shows only the control system excluding the power supply system and the like. First, the basic control of the image forming apparatus will be described.

【0163】

In FIG. 39, the mounting portion of the electronic device on the image forming apparatus main body 14 is surrounded by the alternate long and short dash line 130. The engine controller (MPU) 131 is a device that has arithmetic, memory, internal clock and input / output functions and is usually provided in the form of an application specific integrated circuit (ASiC or the like). The main motor control block 132, the primary charge voltage / current control block 133a, the development bias voltage control block 133b, the primary and secondary transfer voltage control blocks 133c, and the scanner unit control block 133d are connected to the engine controller 131. , Each unit is controlled by the program in the engine controller 131.

【0164】

Various sensor switch groups 137 are installed in each part of the image forming apparatus main body 14, and by connecting the output of the sensor switch group 137 to the engine controller 131, the operation status of each part in the print operation sequence is monitored by the engine controller 131. Will be done. Further, the formatter 134 is connected to the engine controller 131. The formatter 134 is a device that inputs / outputs to / from the I / O port of an external device, incorporates a print format, and expands to image data, and has a function of pre-processing of the engine controller 131.

【0165】

In FIG. 39, the portion surrounded by the two-point chain line of the symbol B'is the portion mounted on the process cartridge B, and at the same time when the process cartridge B is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body 14, the I / O connector portion 149 ( In the connectors 71 and 72), the engine controller 131 of the image forming apparatus main body 14 and the circuit of the mounting portion B'on the process cartridge B are connected, and the engine controller 131 is connected via this I / O connector portion 149. The input / output device (I / O port) 148 and the input / output device (I / O port) 144 on the process cartridge B side are connected, and the process cartridge side arithmetic unit (CPU) 141 and the process cartridge side sensor group are connected. You can see the data from 143.

【0166】

Hereinafter, the function of the device of the process cartridge side mounting portion B'will be described. First, the process cartridge side sensor group 143 detects the electric resistance of the cartridge presence / absence sensor 143a using a limit switch, the waste toner amount detection sensor 143b, and the charging roller 2c when capacitance is used instead of the light amount detection. A charger resistance sensor 143c for checking for dew condensation and short circuit, a temperature sensor 143d for detecting the temperature rise of the process cartridge B, and the like are connected to the input / output device 144 of the process cartridge B.

【0167】

Further, the memory device 142 is mounted on the process cartridge B, and in the present embodiment, a rewritable EP-ROM is used as the memory device 142. Further, in the present embodiment, in order to avoid poor contact of the number of contacts in the input / output device 144 that inputs / outputs between the engine controller 131 of the image forming apparatus main body 14 and the arithmetic unit 141 on the process cartridge B side. In addition, the number of contacts was reduced by using a serial port.

【0168】

The process cartridge mounting portion B'of the control circuit is built in the process cartridge side connector 71 as an IC.

【0169】

As described above, in the present invention, the process cartridge B is provided with an electronic device such as a memory IC, and the detection data in the process cartridge B and the information from the device main body 14 are sent and stored in the memory IC, and the process cartridge is stored in the device main body 14. The state of the process cartridge B can be recognized when B is installed.

【0170】

Here, connectors 71 and 72 are provided between the process cartridge B and the device main body 14 to send and take out information to this memory IC.

【0171】

In the embodiment of the present invention, the first object is to swing the process cartridge around the center of the photoconductor drum and install it on the image forming apparatus main body by this operation to obtain the process cartridge side connector and the image forming apparatus main body connector. Is to make a stable electrical connection.

【0172】

The second purpose is to provide the process cartridge side connector on the cleaning container side plate so as not to affect the waste toner capacity.

【0173】

The third purpose is to provide a ground connection terminal on the swing center side, so that the connector is connected from the ground connection terminal, so that the memory IC can be reliably protected.

【0174】

The fourth purpose is to cover the connector with the memory IC attached to the side plate of the cleaning container with the side cover, so that the memory IC can be protected because it can be prevented from being easily touched at the time of assembly or by the user.

【0175】

The fifth purpose is to prevent erroneous assembly of the connector with memory IC attached to the side plate of the cleaning container.

【0176】

FIG. 12 is a perspective view in which the process cartridge B is turned upside down and the counter-driving side is viewed from an oblique direction. The process cartridge side connector 71 has an electronic device such as an IC memory, and since input / output to and from this IC memory is exchanged with the device main body 14 side, the process cartridge side connector 71 and the device main body side connector shown in FIGS. The 72 is connected to the 72 by being attached to the cartridge guide 50 before inserting the process cartridge B into the device main body 14.

【0177】

A connector 71 is attached to the side surface of the process cartridge B on the opposite drive side so that the connection terminal 73 is exposed and exposed. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 33, the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a is provided with a mounting seat portion 11w that projects outward.

【0178】

Next, the connector 71 of the process cartridge B will be described.

【0179】

Specifically, the connector 71 is a connector on which an electronic device B'such as a memory chip such as a RAM or a ROM of a non-volatile memory is mounted, and necessary information for this is input in advance or is attached to the device main body 14. It is sometimes used for the purpose of determining the usage status of the process cartridge B by exchanging information with the device main body 14.

【0180】

As shown in FIG. 33, the connector 71 is connected to the connector 72 on the device main body side as shown in FIG. 34 due to the operating force when the process cartridge B swings around the photoconductor drum 1 and the moment of its own weight of the process cartridge B. The electrical connection is stable.

【0181】

Next, the position where the connector 71 is attached will be described.

【0182】

As shown in FIG. 35, the connector 71 is attached to the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a. Then, in order to connect to the connector 72 on the device body side, the connection terminal 73 can be attached with the connection terminal 73 facing downward. By attaching it to the outside of the side plate 11k, which is almost flush with the drum support 11d of the cleaning container 11a, it can be installed without reducing the waste toner storage capacity inside the cleaning container 11a. It is possible to connect the connectors 71 and 72 by the mounting operation.

【0183】

In addition, by attaching the connector 71 to the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a and then covering it with the side cover member 11f, it is possible to prevent the user from touching the connector 71 and protect the electronic device B'such as the IC memory from static electricity. become.

【0184】

At this time, as shown in FIG. 34, the device main body side connector 72 enters the side cover 11f and is connected.

【0185】

Next, the connection between the connector 71 and the connector 72 on the device body side will be described in detail.

【0186】

As shown in FIG. 33, of the connection terminals 73 inside the connector 71, the ground connection terminal 73a is set at the position closest to the center of the photoconductor drum 1.

【0187】

This is because, when mounting the photoconductor drum 1 by swinging it around the center, it can always be connected from the ground connection terminal.

【0188】

As a result, the memory can be reliably protected and the memory can be prevented from being destroyed. Further, it is safer if the ground connection terminal 73a is projected from the other connection terminals 73 by a few millimeters L1.

【0189】

Next, the attachment of the connector 71 to the cleaning container 11a will be described in detail. FIG. 35 shows a perspective view of the mounting portion of the connector 71 of arrow D in FIG. 38. On a plane including the two tapping holes 71c except for the rib 71e, the machine screw holes 71d corresponding to the connector insertion hole 71b, the tapping hole 71c, the connector body 71a, and the tapping hole 71c are made symmetrically. A rib 71e is provided in the connector insertion hole 71b. The rib 71e is on a plane containing two tapping holes 71c. Further, FIGS. 36 and 37 are cross-sectional views of the mounting seat portion 11w, but the connector 71 is provided with a protrusion 71f. The mounting shown in FIG. 36 is in the normal state, but when the protrusion 71f is tried to be mounted upside down as shown in FIG. 37, the protrusion 71f and the rib 71e interfere with each other and cannot be mounted. This prevents the connector 71 from being reversed.

【0190】

As described above, the stable electrical connection of the connector can be made by swinging the process cartridge B around the center of the photoconductor drum and mounting it on the image forming apparatus main body 14. By providing the process cartridge side connector 71 on the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a, it can be configured without reducing the capacity of waste toner.

【0191】

By providing the ground connection terminal 73a at the position closest to the swing center side, the connector 71 is connected from the ground connection terminal 73a, so that the memory IC or the like can be reliably protected.

【0192】

By covering the connector 71 attached to the side plate 11k of the cleaning container 11a with the side cover 11f, it is possible to prevent the user from easily touching the connector 71 and protect the memory IC or the like.

【0193】

The connector 71 can be assembled in the correct direction by assembling so that the connector insertion hole 71b of the connector mounting seat 11w and the protrusion 71f provided on the connector 71 do not interfere with each other, and it is possible to prevent misassembly of the connector 71. ..

【0194】

{Image Density Adjuster} In the present invention, in order to adjust the density and color tone of the image formed on the recording medium, a test pattern of each color based on a developed image is created in advance on the photoconductor drum 1, and the density of this test pattern is adjusted. Is detected and the image density of each color is adjusted by the engine controller 131.

【0195】

As shown in FIG. 40, the surface potential detector 91 that detects the surface potential of the photoconductor drum 1 after primary charging is connected to the engine controller 131 via a surface electrometer 94. A pattern reading device 93 for reading a test pattern 92 based on a toner image formed on the photoconductor drum 1 by any one of the developing devices 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4Bk is arranged on the photoconductor drum 1. The reading device 93 includes a reading sensor 93a, for example, a light receiving member such as a CCD, and a lamp 93b for transmitting the image light of the test pattern 92 to the light receiving member such as a CCD after being reflected by the test pattern 92. The test pattern 92 read by the reading sensor 93a is converted into a density signal via the density conversion circuit 95 and input to the engine controller 131.

【0196】

The detected toner concentration is arithmetically processed by the engine controller 131 to control image forming means, for example, charging potential, LUT toner concentration, transfer current, and the like.

【0197】

As shown in FIG. 12 of a perspective view in which the process cartridge is viewed upside down, the reading device 93 is located at positions of square openings 11x of the same size arranged in almost the entire longitudinal direction of the photoconductor drum 1, respectively. It is provided facing the. This opening 11x is provided on the down wall 11y that hangs diagonally from the portion of the cleaning container 11a to which the squeeze sheet 29 is attached toward the photoconductor drum 1.

【0198】

A part of the image forming apparatus A is shown in FIG. 41 in a vertical cross-sectional view including 93 parts of the pattern reading apparatus.

【0199】

As shown in FIG. 41, the pattern reading device 93 is fixed on both sides of the frame body of the device main body 14 on the bottom plate 58 of the cartridge guide 50 which can be accessed in the direction of the arrow shown in the drawing. The irradiation direction of the lamp 93b of the pattern reading device 93 faces the photoconductor drum 1, and the reading sensor 93a is located at a position where the reflected light of the lamp 93b irradiated on the photoconductor drum 1 is received. The light emitted by the lamp 93b and the reflected light from the photoconductor drum 1 of this light pass through the same opening 11x. The opening 11x is located immediately upstream of the squeeze sheet 29 when viewed in the moving direction of the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 1.

【0200】

The test pattern 92 is a developed image created by the developers 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4Bk on the photoconductor drum 1 uniformly charged by the charging device 2 in the same manner as forming the target image. When this developed image moves on the opposite portion of the photo lab, the presser roller 5j retracts in the direction away from the photoconductor drum 1, and the intermediate transfer belt 5a is stretched so as to be one plane between the drive roller 5b and the driven roller 5d. A gap is provided between the transfer belt 5a and the photoconductor drum 1, and the test pattern 92 passes through this gap and is read by the pattern reader 93, and then passes between the photoconductor drum 1 and the squeeze sheet 29. Then, it is removed from the photoconductor drum 1 by the cleaning roller 27 and the cleaning blade 28. Alternatively, a voltage having the same polarity as the toner of the test pattern 92 is applied to the driven roller 5d so that the test pattern 92 passes through the transfer portion.

【0201】

As described above, since the opening for detecting the image density is arranged immediately above the squeeze sheet with respect to the moving direction of the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum, the test pattern reading device provided on the device main body 14 side is arranged on the photoconductor. Regarding the moving direction of the peripheral surface of the drum 1, the arrangement of the charging device 2, the developing device 4, the transfer unit 5, and the exposure position between the charging roller and the transfer unit 5 is not affected.

【0202】

Further, since an opening for detecting the toner image density is provided along the longitudinal direction of the photoconductor drum in a range having almost the same length as the photoconductor drum, the image density in the range corresponding to the maximum width recording medium can be adjusted. Is possible.

【0203】

{Drum shutter configuration} The drum shutter 18 is used by removing the process cartridge B from the device body 14 and handling it outside the device body 14 by damaging the photosensitive layer of the photoconductor drum 1 or exposing it to external light. To cover the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 1 so as to prevent the photosensitive layer from deteriorating, and to provide the photoconductor drum 1 to the developing device 4 and the transfer unit 5 when the process cartridge B is mounted on the apparatus main body 14. Photoreceptor drum 1 The surface is open.

【0204】

As shown in FIG. 4 showing the side view of the driving side and FIG. 5 showing the side view of the counter-driving side, the gear cover 11c and the side cover 11f are respectively pivotally attached to the root shaft 18b integrated with the arm 18a. The tip of the arm 18a is a shaft 18c connected to one in the longitudinal direction, and the first shutter cover 18d is rotatably fitted to this shaft 18c. The second shutter cover 18f is pivotally attached to the first shutter cover 18d with a pin shaft 18e. The first and second shutter covers 18d and 18f have an arc shape that is concentric with the photoconductor drum 1 and larger than the radius of the photoconductor drum 1 when viewed from the side with the drum shutter 18 closed, and the drum supports on both sides. It also covers the outside of 11d. The lower edge 11d1 of the drum support portion 11d has an arc shape centered on the center of the photoconductor drum 1, and the front end has a linear shape. An arc-shaped shoe 18g is integrally molded at the tip of the second shutter cover 18f so as to be in contact with the outer periphery of the lower edge 11d1 and the end portion of the photoconductor drum 1. The actuating arm 18h is pivotally attached to the fixed shaft 11f1 integrally molded with the side cover 11f on the side surface on the opposite drive side, and the actuating arm 18h is the root side of the second shutter cover 18f with a shaft 18i concentric with the pin shaft 18e. It is pivoted to.

【0205】

As shown in FIG. 11 of the perspective view of the process cartridge B viewed from above, the torsion coil springs 18j whose both ends are in contact with the outer surfaces of the first and second shutter covers 18d and 18f are inserted into the pin shaft 18e, respectively. The 1st and 2nd shutter covers 18d and 18f are urged so that their inner surfaces approach each other.

【0206】

As shown in Fig. 5, a boss (not visible in the figure) is provided at the base of the operating arm 18h, and one end of the torsion coil spring 18m fitted in this boss is stopped by the spring receiver 11f2 integrally molded with the side cover 11f. The other end is stopped by the actuating arm 18h, and the actuating arm 18h is urged counterclockwise around the fixed shaft 11f1 in FIG. 5 of the side view showing the counter-driving side. The operating arm 18h is provided with a cam portion 18n that contacts the fixing member on the device body 14 side when the process cartridge B is housed in the cartridge guide 50 and enters the device body 14 for mounting.

【0207】

When the process cartridge B moves forward for mounting on the device body 14, the cam portion 18n of the operating arm 18h is stopped moving forward, and rotates upward against the spring force of the torsion coil spring 18m around the fixed shaft 11f1 to rotate the shaft. 18i and 18e are lifted upward.

【0208】

As a result, the first and second shutter covers 18d and 18f are urged upward, and the root side of the first shutter cover 18d follows the same locus as the arc locus of the shaft 18c that rotates upward around the root shaft 18b. Draw and rise, and the tip side of the first shutter cover 18d and the root side of the second shutter cover 18f have the same locus as the arc locus centered on the fixed shaft 11f1 of the shafts 18i and 18e due to the upward rotation of the operating arm 18a. The shoe 18g at the tip of the second shutter cover 18f is placed on the lower edge 11d1 of the drum holding portion 11d or on the outer periphery of both ends of the photoconductor drum 1, and the first shutter cover 18d and the second shutter cover 18f are placed inside each other. It rises in contact with the spring force of the torsion coil spring 18j that is about to be folded, and the drum shutter 18 opens the photoconductor drum 1 as shown in FIG. 11 when the process cartridge B is viewed from diagonally above, and then the charging device cover 11g. Stored backwards.

【0209】

In the above, the cleaning container 11a to which the arm 18a, the operating arm 18h, the first shutter cover 18d, the gear cover 11c and the side cover 11f are attached forms a four-node chain mechanism, and the first shutter cover 18d of this four-node chain mechanism is formed. The photoconductor drum 1 is the photoconductor drum 1 because the second shutter cover 18f is urged by the torsion coil spring 18j so that the inner sides of the second shutter cover 18f are closer to each other with respect to the first shutter cover 18d with the shafts 18i and 18e connecting the operating arms 18h as the root side. Despite the large exposure opening of 180 degrees or more at the central angle, it is possible to draw a trajectory that moves near the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 1, and the developing device 4 and transfer unit 5 on the device body 14 side can be drawn. It does not affect the arrangement and can be stored low on the upper surface of the cleaning container 11a even in the stored state.

【0210】

[Example]

It is also described in the description of the embodiment.

【0211】

[Effect of the invention]

As described above, according to the invention of the present application, in a process cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging member for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member, and the process. The electrophotographic photosensitive member is one end side in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member for grounding the electrophotographic photosensitive member with the apparatus main body when the cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. The length of the electrophotographic photosensitive member for receiving the charging bias applied to the charging member when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body and the ground contact provided coaxially with the axis of the apparatus. The process cartridge is visible because it is one end side in the direction and has a charging bias contact arranged on a surface located on the upper surface when the process cartridge is mounted on the main body of the apparatus. The charging bias contact on the device body side, which is not located, is free of dust and foreign matter, so the charging bias contact is securely connected. In addition, since the ground contact can be easily used as the rotating support shaft of the electrophotographic photosensitive member, it is not necessary to wander the electric wire especially for the ground contact, and only the drum cylinder and the support shaft are electrically connected. It has no sliding contacts, is easy to inspect, and has high grounding reliability.

【0212】

In a process cartridge that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus, an electrophotographic photosensitive member, a charging member for charging the electrophotographic photosensitive member, a storage member that stores information about the process cartridge, and the above. The electrophotographic photosensitive member is one end side in the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member for grounding the electrophotographic photosensitive member with the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body. The electrophotographic photosensitive member for receiving the earth contact provided coaxially with the axis of the body and the charging bias applied to the charging member when the process cartridge is mounted on the device body from the device body. A charge bias contact located on one end side in the longitudinal direction and located on a surface located on the upper surface when the process cartridge is mounted on the device body, and the memory when the process cartridge is mounted on the device body. A connector provided with a connection terminal for electrically connecting to the device body in order to transmit information stored in the member to the device body, on the other end side of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in the longitudinal direction. In addition to the above-mentioned effects, the charging bias contact is provided by making the process cartridge characterized by having a connector arranged downward in a portion located below when the process cartridge is mounted on the main body of the apparatus. And the connector are far apart, and the charging bias contact is located on the upper surface side of the process cartridge, and the connector is located on the lower surface side. There is almost no risk of causing it. Further, since the charge bias and the development bias position using a relatively high voltage and the storage member of the light electric member are separated from each other, the storage member is not electromagnetically affected.

【0213】

Further, the process cartridge is provided coaxially with the axis of the electrophotographic photosensitive member for receiving a driving force for rotating the drum-shaped electrophotographic photosensitive member from the apparatus main body when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body. The earth contact is protected by having the rotating body and arranging the earth contact in the center of the rotating body so as to be recessed from the outer surface of the rotating body.

【0214】

The charging member has a charging roller, the charging roller is surrounded by a cartridge frame protruding from a surface located above when the process cartridge is mounted on the apparatus body, and the charging bias contact is Since it is arranged on the upper surface of the cartridge frame, the distance between the charging roller shaft and the externally exposed portion of the charging bias contact is short, the wiring does not wander, and the metal plate can be easily conducted. Since this cartridge frame can cover only the charging roller, the charging roller and its surroundings can be easily inspected and repaired.

【0215】

The cartridge frame has a substantially trapezoidal shape, and the charging bias contact is arranged on the top plane of the substantially trapezoidal shape, so that the charging device portion of the process cartridge is less likely to protrude upward and the charging bias contact and the trapezoidal shape. Since the flat surface at the top of the trapezoid can be made substantially the same plane and the charging bias contact does not protrude, there is little risk of damaging the charging bias contact.

【0216】

The charge bias contact is inside the side end of the cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive member drum in the longitudinal direction in a direction intersecting the longitudinal direction of the electrophotographic photosensitive member in a drum shape, and is a peripheral surface of the cylinder. Since it is arranged outside the side end of the photosensitive layer provided in the above, the electrical connection between the charging bias contact and the charging member can be facilitated.

【0217】

Further, it has a cleaning member for removing the toner remaining on the electrophotographic photosensitive member and a storage portion for storing the toner removed from the electrophotographic photosensitive member by the cleaning member, and the connector is on the side of the toner storage portion. Since the end portion is arranged outside the toner storage portion and inside the outer wall of the cartridge frame, there is no risk of damage to the connector and the volume of the toner storage portion is not affected.

【0218】

Since the connector stores the usage amount of the process cartridge received from the apparatus main body, the current state of the process cartridge can be estimated.

【0219】

Since the ground contact is provided on the outer tip surface of the metal rod electrically connected to the ground member electrically connected to the inner surface of the cylinder of the electrophotographic photosensitive member drum, the ground is conductive. There is almost no risk of it disappearing.

【0220】

Since the ground contact and the charge bias contact are made of metal, the contact resistance at the contacts is small and the energization is stable, so that the charge bias and the development bias can be stably applied.

【0221】

When the metal is stainless steel, phosphor bronze, or beryllium bronze, it becomes a suitable contact point.

【0222】

The charging member has a charging roller, and an AC current and a DC current are applied to the charging roller from the main body of the apparatus via the charging bias contact, so that the primary is suitable for the electrophotographic photosensitive member. Charging is performed.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

All drawings show embodiments of the present invention. [Figure 1]

It is a vertical sectional view of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

[Figure 2]

It is a vertical cross-sectional view which shows the process cartridge attachment / detachment of the apparatus shown in FIG.

[Fig. 3]

It is a vertical sectional view of a process cartridge.

[Fig. 4]

It is a right side view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

[Fig. 5]

It is a left side view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

[Fig. 6]

It is a top view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

[Fig. 7]

It is the bottom view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

[Fig. 8]

It is a front view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

[Fig. 9]

It is a rear view of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

[Fig. 10]

It is an external perspective view seen from the front right upper side of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

[Fig. 11]

It is an external perspective view seen from the rear upper right of the process cartridge shown in FIG.

[Fig. 12]

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the process cartridge shown in FIG. 3 turned upside down and viewed from the rear left.

[Fig. 13]

It is a schematic side view for demonstrating the mounting guide part of a process cartridge.

[Fig. 14]

It is a perspective view which added the partial cross section of the cartridge guide.

[Fig. 15]

It is a schematic side view which shows the attachment of the process cartridge to the cartridge guide.

[Fig. 16]

It is a schematic side view which shows the attachment of the process cartridge to the cartridge guide.

[Fig. 17]

It is a schematic side view which shows the attachment of the process cartridge to the cartridge guide.

[Fig. 18]

It is a schematic side view which shows the state which attached the process cartridge to the cartridge guide.

[Fig. 19]

It is a schematic side view which shows the attachment to the apparatus main body of the process cartridge housed in a cartridge guide.

[Fig. 20]

It is a vertical sectional view of a photoconductor drum.

[Fig. 21]

(a) is a view taken along the line C in FIG. 20. (b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E or F-F in FIG.

[Fig. 22]

It is a vertical sectional view which shows the charge roller and the photoconductor drum.

[Fig. 23]

It is a vertical cross-sectional view which shows the support device of the charge roller part.

[Fig. 24]

It is a schematic development sectional view which shows the drive system from the electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body to the process cartridge.

[Fig. 25]

It is a perspective view of the shaft joint member provided in the apparatus main body.

[Fig. 26]

It is a perspective view of the clutch provided in the apparatus main body.

[Fig. 27]

It is a side view which shows the drive transmission device in a process cartridge.

[Fig. 28]

It is a schematic vertical sectional view which shows the other embodiment of a cleaning apparatus.

[Fig. 29]

It is a schematic vertical sectional view which shows still another Embodiment of a cleaning apparatus.

[Fig. 30]

It is a schematic vertical sectional view which shows the other embodiment of a cleaning apparatus.

[Fig. 31]

It is an exploded perspective view which shows the structure of the frame body of a cleaning container.

[Fig. 32]

It is a side view which shows the coupling operation of the connector of a process cartridge and the connector of a device main body side.

[Fig. 33]

It is a side view which shows the coupling operation of the connector of a process cartridge and the connector of a device main body side.

[Fig. 34]

It is a side view which shows the state which the connector of a process cartridge and the connector of a device main body side are connected.

[Fig. 35]

It is a perspective view which shows the connector attachment part of a process cartridge.

[Fig. 36]

It is a vertical sectional view of FIG. 35.

[Fig. 37]

It is a vertical sectional view of FIG. 35.

[Fig. 38]

It is a schematic perspective view which shows the connector position of a process cartridge.

[Fig. 39]

It is a control block diagram of an image forming apparatus.

[Fig. 40]

It is a block diagram which shows the test pattern reading apparatus.

[Fig. 41]

It is a side view which shows the test pattern reading apparatus.

[Fig. 42]

It is a perspective view of a rear container.

[Fig. 43]

It is a perspective view which looks at the gear cover from the inside.

[Fig. 44]

It is a vertical cross-sectional view of the cleaning container part in FIG.

[Fig. 45]

It is a perspective view of the partition member in a cleaning container.

[Fig. 46]

It is a vertical cross-sectional view which shows the modification of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

A ... Image forming device B ... process cartridge B'... Process cartridge mounting part S ... Recording medium R5 ... arrow 1 ... Photoreceptor drum 1a, 1b ... Drum flange 1c ... Aluminum cylinder 1d ... Drum support shaft 1d1 ... Groove 1e ... Drum support shaft 1e1 ... Groove 1f ... Ground plate 1g ... Groove 1h ... Protrusion 1i ... Groove 1j ... Hole 1k ... protrusion 1m ... caulking 1n ... rib' 2 ... Charging device 2a ... Metal shaft (charging roller shaft) 2b ... Conductive rubber 2c ... Charging roller 3 ... Exposure means 3a ... Polygon mirror 3b ... Imaging lens 3c ... Reflective mirror 3d ... Scanner bottom cover 3e ... Rotation stop member 4 ... Developer 4A ... Rotating body 4Y, 4M, 4C, 4Bk ... Developer 4a ... Coating roller 4b ... Developing sleeve 4c ... Developing blade 4d ... Axis 5 ... Transfer unit 5a ... Intermediate transfer belt 5b ... Drive roller 5c ... Secondary transfer Opposing roller 5d ... Driven roller (primary transfer roller) 5f ... Charging roller 5j ... Presser roller 5n ... Secondary transfer roller 5e ... Cleaning unit 6 ... Cleaning equipment 7 ... Feeding and transporting means 7a ... Paper cassette 7b ... Transporting roller 7c ... Guide plate 7d ... Resist roller 7e ... Pickup member 8 ... Fixer 8a ... Drive roller 8b ... Fixer roller 9 ... Discharge roller 9a ... Belt 10 ... Paper output tray 11 ... Cartridge frame 11a ... Cleaning container 11a1,11a2 ... Dowel 11b ... Rear container 11b1, 11b2 ... Positioning holes 11b3 ... Ribs 11c ... Gear cover 11c1 ~ 11c3 ... Dowel 11c4, 11c5 ... Hole 11c6 ... long hole 11d ... Drum support 11d1 ... Lower edge 11e ... Charging device support 11f ... Side cover- 11f1 ... Fixed shaft 11f2 ... Spring receiver 11g ... Charging device cover 11g 1 ... Top surface 11h ... Cylindrical positioning boss 11i ... Top surface 11j ... Rotation stop member 11k ... side plate 11l ... Bearing guide 11m ... Cleaning member mounting part 11n ... opening 11o ... Guide in the container 11p ... Positioning protrusion 11q ... recess 11r, 11r1 ... 11s ... Standing wall 11t ... space 11u ... Cover stop hole 11v ... Conductive bias contact holding part v1 ... Upper protrusion v2, v3 ... Dowel 11w ... mounting seat 11x ... opening 11y ... down wall 11A ... Toner Conveyor 11A1 ... 1st Toner Conveyor 11A2 ... 2nd Toner Conveyor 11A3 ... 3rd Toner Conveyor 11B ... Toner storage 11B1 ... 1st toner storage 11B2 ... 2nd toner storage 11B3 ... 3rd toner storage 11D ... Rear side of process cartridge 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d ... Bearing holes 14 ... Device body 14a ... Rear side surface 14b ... Opening 14c ... Body engaging member 14d ... Frame 17 ... Feed blade 17d ... Break-in blade 18 ... Drum shutter 18a ... Arm 18b ... Root axis 18c ... Axis 18d ... 1st shutter cover 18e ... Pin axis 18f ... 2nd shutter cover 18g ... Shoe 18h ... Actuating arm 18i ... Pin shaft 18j ... Torsion coil spring 18m ... Torsion coil spring 18n ... Cam part 19 ... Rotating plate 19a, 19b, 19c, 19d ... Rotating plate 19e ... Extension 19f ... Mind outburst 21 ... Ball bearings 22 ... Bush 23 ... Shaft joint member 23a ... Protrusion 23b ... Groove 23c ... Protrusion 24 ... Shaft joint member 24a ... Protrusion 24b ... Groove 24c ... Protrusion 25 ... Charged roller bearing 26 ... Composite spring 26a ... Compression coil spring 26b ... Contact spring 27 ... Cleaning Roller 27a ... Cleaning Roller Shaft 27b ... Soft Cleaning Member 27c ... Cleaning Roller Gear 27d ... Journal 27e ... Bearing Hole 28 ... Cleaning blade 28a ... Rubber blade 28b ... Support sheet metal 29 ... Squeeze sheet 31a, 31b, 31c, 31d ... Drive gear 31a1 ... Convex clutch 31s ... Slit 31j ... Journal section 32a, 32b, 32c, 32d ... Journal 32s ... Slit 33a ... Light transmission port 33b ... Light transmission port 34a ... Lamp 34b ... Photodetector 35 ... Drive side shaft fitting 35a ... Pin 36 ... drive shaft 37 ... Concave clutch 37a ... Drive shaft 38a ~ 38e ... idler gear 41 ... Partition member inside the cleaning container 41a ... Partition member for the toner transport section 41a1,41a2,41a3 ... Arc part 41b ... Toner transfer part Partition member 41c6, ... Rear plate 41d ... Inner partition member of toner storage 41e ... Conveyance opening 41f1 ~ f5 ... Storage opening 41g1,41g2,41g3 ... Ridge line 41i ... Mounting plate 41j ... Positioning hole 41k ... Snap-fit positioning part 41m ... Side plate 41n ... Rotating plate support hole 41p ... Slit 41q ... Temporary positioning guide 41r ... Top surface 41s ... Guide groove 41u ... Rear plate rib 44 ... Waste toner transport system drive input means 45 ... Second Cylindrical Boss 46 ... Rough Guides 50 ... Cartridge guide 50a ... Side plate 50b ... Inner side 50c ... Through hole 51 ... Guide surface 51a ... Notch 52 ... U groove 53 ... arrow 54 ... Engagement member 55 ... rear plate 56 ... Pressing member 57 ... Biasing member 57a ... Opening 57b ... Machine screw 57c, 57d ... Corner 58 ... bottom plate 61 ... Earth contact 62 ... Main body ground contact 63 ... Charging bias contact 63a ... External contact 63b ... Notch 63c ... Mounting hole 63d ... End hole 64 ... Body charge bias contact 64a ... Spring 71 ... Process cartridge side connector 71a ... Connector body 71b ... Connector insertion hole 71c ... Tapping hole 71d ... Machine screw hole 71e ... Rib 71f ... Protrusion 72 ... Device body side connector 73 ... Connection terminal 73a ... Ground connection terminal 91 ... Surface potential detector 92 ... test pattern 93 ... Pattern reader 93a ... Reading sensor 93b ... Lamp 94 ... Surface electrometer 95 ... Concentration conversion circuit 130 ... Electronic device mounting part 131 ... engine controller 132 ... Main motor control block 133a ... Primary charge voltage, current control block 133b ... Development bias voltage control block 133c ... Transfer voltage control block 133d ... Scanner voltage control block 134 ... formatter 137 ... Sensor switch group 141 ... Process cartridge side arithmetic unit 142 ... Memory device 143 ... Process cartridge side sensor group 143a ... Cartridge presence / absence sensor 143b ... Waste toner amount detection sensor 143c ... Electric resistance detection sensor 143d ... Temperature sensor 144 ... I / O device 148 ... I / O device 149 ... I / O connector