DEVELOPING APPARATUS AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20160091823A1
• Filed: 09/25/2015
• Published: 03/31/2016
• Est. Priority Date: 09/25/2014
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Original Assignee: Canon Ayutthaya Limited (Canon Inc.)
• Inventors: Kitajima, Tomoharu, Sadamitsu, Yushi
• Granted Patent: US 10,444,668 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0877 Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0893 in a closed loop within the sump of the developing device

Abstract

A developing device usable with a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus which have image forming process speeds different from each other, includes a developer container configured to accommodate a developer; a feeding member configured to feed the developer in the developer container; a discharge opening provided in the developer container and configured to permit discharging of an excessive developer in the developer container produced with supply of the developer into the developer container; and a switching mechanism configured to selectively switch a condition of an opening area of the discharge opening or a level of a lower end of the discharge opening between a first condition and a second condition.

Claims

1. A developing device usable with a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus which have image forming process speeds different from each other, said developing device comprising:

a developing container configured to accommodate a developer;

a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developing container;

a discharge opening provided in said developing container and configured to permit discharging of an excessive developer in said developing container produced with supply of the developer into said developing container; and

a switching mechanism configured to selectively switch a condition of an opening area of said discharge opening or a level of a lower end of said discharge opening before said developing device is mounted into a main assembly of the image forming apparatus between a first condition and a second condition which is different from the first condition.

2. A device according to claim 1, wherein a position of the lower end of said discharge opening is at a higher level in a downstream side with respect to a feeding direction of said feeding member than in an upstream side.

3. A device according to claim 1, wherein said switching mechanism includes a covering member movable relative to a opening formed on said developer container so as to cover a part of said opening, wherein the condition for said developer discharge opening is switched by changing a position of said covering member relative to said opening.

4. A device according to claim 3, further comprising a cover configured to cooperate with said developer container to nip said covering member, wherein a projection is provided on one of opposing surfaces of said covering member and said cover, a plurality of grooves engageable with said projection is provided on the other.

5. A device according to claim 3, further comprising an operation claw provided on said covering member, said operation claw being operable to change the position of said covering member and being breakable so as to be inoperable after change of the position of said covering member.

6. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image bearing member;

a developing device configured to develop a latent image formed on the image bearing member with a developer;

a mounting and demounting portion to which said developing device is mounted,

wherein said mounting and demounting portion is provided with a sensor configured to detect whether or not a condition of said developer discharge opening corresponds to a process speed of said image forming apparatus.

7. An apparatus according to claim 6, wherein said switching mechanism includes an operating portion configured to switch the condition, said detecting means detects a state of said operating portion.

8. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image bearing member;

a developing device configured to develop a latent image formed on the image bearing member with a developer; and

a mounting and demounting portion to which said developing device is mounted,

wherein said switching mechanism includes an operation projected portion projected from a part of said developer container and configured to switch the condition by changing a position, and said mounting and demounting portion is provided with a groove portion through which said operation projected portion is movable so as to provide the condition corresponding to a process speed of said image forming apparatus, with mounting of said developing device into the apparatus.

9. An apparatus according to claim 8, wherein said groove portion includes a guiding portion, and wherein when said switching mechanism is in a position in which the condition does not correspond to the process speed of said image forming apparatus, said guiding portion is engaged with said operation projected portion to guide it to the position in which the and is in response to the process speed of said image forming apparatus.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image bearing member;

a developing device configured to develop a latent image formed on the image bearing member with a developer;

a mounting and demounting portion to which said developing device is mounted,

wherein said switching mechanism includes an operation projected portion which is switchable between a first position corresponding to the process speed of said first image forming apparatus in the second position corresponding to the process speed of said second image forming apparatus, and

wherein said mounting and demounting portion is provided with a guiding portion switchable between the first guiding position capable of engaging with said operation projected portion placed in the first position to guide said operation projected portion to the second position, and a second guiding position capable of engaging with said operation projected portion placed in the second position to guide said operation projected portion to the first position.

11. A apparatus according to claim 10, wherein said guiding portion includes a rotatable portion supported rotatably relative to said mounting and demounting portion, and a movable portion movable between the first guiding position and the second guiding position by rotation of said rotatable portion.

12. An image forming apparatus usable with a developing device, said developing device being usable with a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus which have image forming process speeds different from each other, and said developing device including a developing container configured to accommodate a developer;

a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developing container;

a discharge opening provided in said developing container and configured to permit discharging of an excessive developer in said developing container produced with supply of the developer into said developing container; and

a switching mechanism configured to selectively switch a condition of an opening area of said discharge opening or a level of a lower end of said discharge opening before said developing device is mounted into a main assembly of the image forming apparatus between a first condition and a second condition which is different from the first condition, said apparatus comprising;

an image bearing member; and

a mounting and demounting portion to which said developing device is mounted,

wherein said mounting and demounting portion is provided with a sensor configured to detect whether or not the condition of said developer discharge opening corresponds to a process speed of said image forming apparatus.

13. An image forming apparatus usable with a developing device, said developing device being usable with a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus which have image forming process speeds different from each other, and said developing device including a developing container configured to accommodate a developer;

a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developing container;

a discharge opening provided in said developing container and configured to permit discharging of an excessive developer in said developing container produced with supply of the developer into said developing container; and

a switching mechanism configured to selectively switch a condition of an opening area of said discharge opening or a level of a lower end of said discharge opening before said developing device is mounted into a main assembly of the image forming apparatus between a first condition and a second condition which is different from the first condition, said apparatus comprising;

an image bearing member; and

a mounting and demounting portion to which said developing device is mounted,

wherein said switching mechanism includes an operation projected portion projected from a part of said developer container and configured to switch the condition by changing a position, and said mounting and demounting portion is provided with a groove portion through which said operation projected portion is movable so as to provide the condition corresponding to a process speed of said image forming apparatus, with mounting of said developing device into the apparatus.

14. An image forming apparatus usable with a developing device, said developing device being usable with a first image forming apparatus and a second image forming apparatus which have image forming process speeds different from each other, and said developing device including a developing container configured to accommodate a developer;

a feeding member configured to feed the developer in said developing container;

a discharge opening provided in said developing container and configured to permit discharging of an excessive developer in said developing container produced with supply of the developer into said developing container; and

a switching mechanism configured to selectively switch a condition of an opening area of said discharge opening or a level of a lower end of said discharge opening before said developing device is mounted into a main assembly of the image forming apparatus between a first condition and a second condition which is different from the first condition, said apparatus comprising;

an image bearing member; and

a mounting and demounting portion to which said developing device is mounted,

wherein said switching mechanism includes an operation projected portion which is switchable between a first position corresponding to the process speed of said first image forming apparatus in the second position corresponding to the process speed of said second image forming apparatus, and

wherein said mounting and demounting portion is provided with a guiding portion switchable between the first guiding position capable of engaging with said operation projected portion placed in the first position to guide said operation projected portion to the second position, and a second guiding position capable of engaging with said operation projected portion placed in the second position to guide said operation projected portion to the first position.