Developing unit capable of reducing noise and processing box

Abstract

According to the processing box and the developing unit capable of reducing noise in the processing box, the developing unit comprises the developing shell and the stirring assembly, the developing shell comprises the bottom shell, the surface cover, the developing bin and the developing agent containing cavity, the developing bin and the developing agent containing cavity are formed between the bottom shell and the surface cover, and the developing agent containing cavity is used for containing the developing agent. The stirring assembly comprises a stirring roller shaft rotatably arranged in the developer accommodating cavity and a stirring blade mounted on the stirring roller shaft, and the stirring blade is used for stirring the developer and conveying the developer to the developing bin; the developing shell is also provided with a spacing part for separating the developing agent accommodating cavity from the developing bin; the spacing part is intersected with the bottom shell and the surface cover at the same time; the developing unit further comprises at least one buffer part used for abutting against the stirring blade, and the buffer parts are located on at least one of the intersection of the interval part and the face cover and the intersection of the interval part and the bottom shell. Therefore, in the stirring process of the stirring assembly, the stirring blades can be stably transited between the separator and the surface cover / bottom shell.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of electronic photographic imaging, in particular to a processing box detachably installed in an electronic photographic imaging device and a noise-reducing developing unit located in the processing box. Background Art

[0002] A processing cartridge is a consumable material that is detachably installed in an electronic photographic imaging device (hereinafter referred to as the "imaging device"). The processing cartridge includes a developing unit and a photosensitive unit. The developing unit includes a developing housing and a developing roller rotatably arranged in the developing housing. The developing housing is used to accommodate the developer, and the developing roller is used to carry the developer. The photosensitive unit includes a photosensitive housing and a photosensitive drum rotatably arranged in the photosensitive housing. The surface of the photosensitive drum is used to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing roller is used to transport the developer to the photosensitive drum to develop the electrostatic latent image.

[0003] The developing unit also includes a stirring assembly for stirring the developer, the stirring assembly includes a stirring roller and a stirring blade installed on the stirring roller, the stirring roller rotates around the rotation axis and drives the stirring blade to rotate together, and the stirring blade is usually made of a sheet material with a certain hardness; a spacer is provided in the developing shell, and the spacer divides the space in the developing shell into a developing chamber and a developer accommodating chamber that are interconnected; in the process of the stirring assembly stirring the developer, the stirring blade and the spacer have an interference fit, and when the stirring blade is out of contact with the spacer, the stirring blade will directly contact the inner wall of the developing shell, thereby emitting an abnormal noise, and the abnormal noise will affect people's judgment of the working status of the processing box. At the same time, the abnormal noise will also reduce the user experience. Utility Model Content

[0004] The processing cartridge and the noise-reducing developing unit located in the processing cartridge provided by the present invention can solve at least one of the above-mentioned technical problems. The specific technical solutions are as follows:

[0005] A noise-reducing developing unit includes a developing shell, a developing roller and a stirring assembly. The developing shell includes a bottom shell, a surface cover, and a developing bin and a developer accommodating chamber that are interconnected and formed between the bottom shell and the surface cover. The developing roller is rotatably arranged in the developing bin. The developer accommodating chamber is used to accommodate developer. The developing roller is used to carry developer and supply developer to the outside of the developing unit. The stirring assembly includes a stirring roller shaft rotatably arranged in the developer accommodating chamber and a stirring blade mounted on the stirring roller shaft. The stirring roller shaft rotates around a first rotation axis and drives the stirring blade to rotate together. The stirring blade is used to stir the developer and transport the developer to the developing roller.

[0006] The direction parallel to the rotation axis of the developing roller is the left-right direction, the direction intersecting the left-right direction is the up-down direction, and the bottom shell and the surface cover are combined along the up-down direction; a spacer is also provided on the developing shell, and in the direction intersecting the left-right direction, the spacer is used to separate the developer accommodating chamber and the developing bin from each other, and the spacer intersects with the bottom shell and the surface cover at the same time; the developing unit also includes at least one buffer for abutting against the stirring blade, and the buffer is located at at least one of the intersection of the spacer and the surface cover and the intersection of the spacer and the bottom shell.

[0007] The buffer component has a first surface facing the developer accommodating chamber. The buffer component is configured to be in an arc shape. The first surface is an arc surface and is concave in a direction away from the developer accommodating chamber.

[0008] The buffer member has a first surface facing the developer accommodating chamber, the first surface is an inclined surface, and a vertical distance between the first surface and the spacer gradually increases along a direction from back to front.

[0009] The spacer includes at least one partition and at least one flow port, the partition and the flow port are adjacently arranged, the developer is transported to the developing roller through the flow port, at least a portion of the buffer is located on the partition, and in the left and right directions, the size of the buffer is smaller than or equal to the size of the partition.

[0010] The spacer portion includes a first connecting portion, a second connecting portion, at least one separator and at least one circulation port. The separator and the circulation port are adjacent to each other, and the developer is transported to the developing roller through the circulation port. The first connecting portion is connected to the surface cover, and the second connecting portion is connected to the bottom shell. In a direction intersecting with the left and right directions, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are spaced apart, and the separator and the circulation port are located between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion.

[0011] At least a portion of the buffer is disposed on at least one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion, and the buffer extends in the left-right direction. In the left-right direction, the buffer is smaller than the first connection portion or the second connection portion.

[0012] In the left-right direction, the size of the buffer member is larger than at least one of the size of the partition member and the size of the flow port.

[0013] The buffer member is configured as an elastic member.

[0014] The buffer is a hollow member, and the stirring blade abuts against the buffer, so that the buffer can be deformed.

[0015] The processing box includes a photosensitive unit and a noise-reducing developing unit that are combined with each other. The photosensitive unit includes a photosensitive shell and a photosensitive drum rotatably arranged in the photosensitive shell. The surface of the photosensitive drum is used to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing roller supplies developer to the photosensitive drum to develop the electrostatic latent image.

[0016] Compared with the prior art, the noise-reducing developing unit provided by the present invention and the processing box having the developing unit are provided with at least one buffer member, and the buffer member is located on at least one of the intersection of the first connecting part and the surface cover and the intersection of the second connecting part and the bottom shell. Through such a setting, during the process of the stirring assembly stirring and transporting the developer, the stirring blade can stably transition between the partition and the surface cover / bottom shell. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0017] Figure 1 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the processing box involved in the utility model.

[0018] Figure 2 It is a three-dimensional diagram of the developing unit involved in the present invention.

[0019] Figure 3A and Figure 3B This is a three-dimensional diagram of the developing unit of the present invention with its cover hidden.

[0020] Figure 4 It is a stereoscopic diagram of a stirring blade in a stirring assembly of a developing unit involved in the present invention.

[0021] Figure 5 It is a three-dimensional diagram of another stirring blade in the stirring assembly of the developing unit involved in the present invention. DETAILED DESCRIPTION

[0022] The embodiments of the present utility model are described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

[0023] The process cartridge 100 can be detachably mounted to an image forming apparatus, such as Figure 1 As shown, the processing box 100 includes a developing unit 10 and a photosensitive unit 20 that are combined with each other. The developing unit 10 includes a developing housing 11 and a developing roller 12 rotatably arranged in the developing housing 11. The developing housing 11 is used to accommodate the developer, and the developing roller 12 is used to carry the developer and supply the developer to the outside of the developing unit 10, for example: the photosensitive unit 20; the photosensitive unit 20 includes a photosensitive housing 21 and a photosensitive drum 22 rotatably arranged in the photosensitive housing 21, the surface of the photosensitive drum 22 is used to form an electrostatic latent image, and the developer supplied to the photosensitive drum 22 by the developing roller 12 can develop the electrostatic latent image.

[0024] The direction parallel to the rotation axis of the developing roller 11 is the left-right direction, the direction intersecting the left-right direction is the up-down direction, the photosensitive unit 20 and the developing unit 10 are arranged along the up-down direction, the direction intersecting both the left-right direction and the up-down direction is the front-back direction, a portion of the developing roller 12 is exposed to the rear outside the developing housing 11, and a portion of the photosensitive drum 22 is exposed to the rear outside the photosensitive housing 21.

[0025] like Figure 2 As shown, the developing housing 11 includes a surface cover 112 and a bottom shell 111, and a developing chamber 113 and a developer accommodating chamber 114 formed between the surface cover 112 and the bottom shell 111. The developing chamber 113 and the developer accommodating chamber 114 are connected to each other, the developing roller 12 is rotatably arranged in the developing chamber 113, the developer accommodating chamber 114 is used to accommodate the developer, and the surface cover 112 and the bottom shell 111 are arranged in the up and down directions.

[0026] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, a spacer 14 and a seal for sealing the spacer 14 are also provided on the developing housing 11. In the direction intersecting with the left and right directions, the spacer 14 is used to separate the developing chamber 113 and the developer accommodating chamber 114 from each other; the spacer 14 includes at least one partition 141 and at least one circulation port 142, and the partition 141 and the circulation port 142 are adjacently arranged. When a plurality of partitions 141 and a plurality of circulation ports 142 are provided, the plurality of circulation ports 142 and the partition 141 are alternately arranged along the left and right directions, and the developer in the developer accommodating chamber 114 is transported to the developing chamber 113 / developing roller 12 through the circulation port 142. The seal is used to seal the circulation port 142 to prevent the developer from leaking to the developing chamber 113 through the circulation port 142 before the processing box 100 is used.

[0027] The spacer 14 intersects with the bottom shell 111 and the surface cover 112 at the same time. The spacer 14 also includes a first connection portion 143 connected to the surface cover 112 and a second connection portion 144 connected to the bottom shell 111. In a direction intersecting with the left and right directions, the first connection portion 143 and the second connection portion 144 are spaced apart, and the partition 141 and the flow port 142 are located between the first connection portion 143 and the second connection portion 144; the first connection portion 143 intersects with the surface cover 112, and an angle is formed between the two, and the second connection portion 144 intersects with the bottom shell 111, and an angle is formed between the two.

[0028] In some embodiments, the spacer 14 is disposed on at least one of the face cover 112 and the bottom case 111 .

[0029] like Figure 3B 、 Figure 4 and Figure 5As shown, the developing unit 10 also includes a stirring assembly 13 installed in the developer accommodating chamber 114, the stirring assembly 13 is used to stir the developer, the stirring assembly 13 includes a stirring roller shaft 131 and a stirring blade 132, the stirring roller shaft 131 is supported by the developing housing 11 and rotates around the first rotation axis L1, the stirring blade 132 is installed on the stirring roller shaft 131, the stirring roller shaft 131 can drive the stirring blade 132 to rotate together, the stirring blade 132 is used to stir the developer and transport the developer to the circulation port 142, during the rotation of the stirring assembly 13, the stirring blade 132 is interference fit with the partition 141 to ensure that the developer can be transported to the developing roller 12.

[0030] In some embodiments, as Figure 4 As shown, at least one through hole 1321 is provided on the stirring blade 132. The provision of the through hole 1321 can facilitate elastic deformation of the stirring blade 132 to increase the toughness of the stirring blade 132 and avoid breakage of the stirring blade 132. In addition, during the rotation of the stirring assembly 13, the provision of the through hole 1321 can also allow the developer to pass through to reduce the resistance of the stirring blade 132.

[0031] In some embodiments, as Figure 5 As shown, the stirring blade 132 is provided with a slit 1322 extending along a direction intersecting the left and right directions, so that the stirring blade 132 can be prevented from breaking during the rotation process.

[0032] like Figure 3A and Figure 3B As shown, the developing unit 10 is further provided with at least one buffer member 16, which is located at at least one of the intersection of the partition 14 and the surface cover 112 and the intersection of the partition 14 and the bottom shell 111. Specifically, the buffer member 16 is located at at least one of the intersection of the first connecting portion 143 and the surface cover 112 and the intersection of the second connecting portion 144 and the bottom shell 111. When viewed in a direction intersecting with the left and right directions, at least a portion of the buffer member 16 can be projected onto the surface cover 112 or the bottom shell 111; the buffer member 16 has a first surface 161 facing the developer accommodating chamber 114. As the stirring roller shaft 131 rotates, the first surface 161 is used to abut against the stirring blade 132, so that the stirring blade 132 can stably transition between the partition 141 and the surface cover 112 or between the partition 141 and the bottom shell 111, reducing the sound emitted when the stirring blade 132 contacts the surface cover 112 / bottom shell 111, which is beneficial to reducing the noise of the developing unit 10.

[0033] In some embodiments, in a direction intersecting the left-right direction, one end of the buffer member 16 is fixed to the first connection portion 143 or the second connection portion 144 , and the other end of the buffer member 16 is fixed to the face cover 112 or the bottom shell 111 .

[0034] In some embodiments, the buffer member 16 is configured to be arc-shaped, the first surface 161 is an arc surface, and the first surface 161 is concave in a direction away from the developer accommodating chamber 114 .

[0035] In some embodiments, the first surface 161 is an inclined surface, and the vertical distance between the first surface 161 and the spacer 14 / the first connecting portion 143 / the second connecting portion 144 gradually increases from the back to the front.

[0036] In some embodiments, the buffer member 16 is configured as an elastic member.

[0037] In some embodiments, the buffer member 16 is configured as a hollow component, and when the stirring blade 132 abuts against the buffer member 16 , the buffer member 16 can be deformed.

[0038] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the buffer 16 is located on the partition 141. In the left-right direction, the size of the buffer 16 is smaller than or equal to the size of the partition 141. This arrangement will not block the developer passing through the circulation port 142, but can also reduce the material usage of the processing box 100 and save costs.

[0039] In some embodiments, at least a portion of the buffer 16 is not disposed on the partition 141, but at least a portion of the buffer 16 is disposed on at least one of the first connection portion 143 and the second connection portion 144, and the buffer 16 extends in the left-right direction. In the left-right direction, the size of the buffer 16 is slightly smaller than the size of the first connection portion 143 or the size of the second connection portion 144. Specifically, the size of the buffer 16 is larger than the size of the partition 141 and at least one of the sizes of the flow port 142. In this way, in the left-right direction, the area of ​​the stirring blade 132 that can be supported by the buffer 16 is larger, so that the rotation process of the stirring assembly 13 is more stable.

[0040] [Beneficial Effects]

[0041] Compared with the prior art, the noise-reducing developing unit 10 provided by the present invention and the processing box 100 having the developing unit 10 are provided with at least one buffer member 16, and the buffer member 16 is located on at least one of the intersection of the first connecting portion 143 and the surface cover 112 and the intersection of the second connecting portion 144 and the bottom shell 111. Through such a configuration, in the process of the stirring component 13 stirring and transporting the developer, the stirring blade 132 can stably transition between the partition 141 and the surface cover 112 / bottom shell 111, so that the stirring blade 132 will not make a loud abnormal sound when contacting the surface cover 112 / bottom shell 111, so that the noise emitted by the developing unit 10 is reduced, thereby improving the user experience.

Claims

1. A noise-reducing developer unit, comprising a developer housing, a developer roller, and a stirring assembly, the developer housing comprising a bottom housing, a surface cover, and a developer hopper and a developer accommodating chamber formed between the bottom housing and the surface cover and communicating with each other, the developer roller being rotatably disposed in the developer hopper, the developer accommodating chamber being configured to accommodate developer, the developer roller being configured to carry developer and supply the developer to an exterior of the developer unit, the stirring assembly comprising a stirring roller shaft rotatably disposed in the developer accommodating chamber and a stirring blade mounted on the stirring roller shaft, the stirring roller shaft rotating about a first rotation axis and driving the stirring blade to rotate therewith, the stirring blade being configured to stir the developer and convey the developer to the developer roller; The direction parallel to the rotation axis of the developing roller is the left-right direction, the direction intersecting the left-right direction is the up-down direction, and the bottom shell and the surface cover are combined along the up-down direction; The developing housing is further provided with a spacer, which is used to separate the developer accommodating chamber and the developing chamber from each other in a direction intersecting with the left and right directions, and the spacer intersects with the bottom shell and the surface cover at the same time; It is characterized by: The developing unit further includes at least one buffer member for contacting the stirring blade, and the buffer member is located on at least one of the intersection of the partition and the surface cover and the intersection of the partition and the bottom shell.

2. The noise-reducing developing unit according to claim 1, wherein: The buffer component has a first surface facing the developer accommodating chamber. The buffer component is configured to be in an arc shape. The first surface is an arc surface and is concave in a direction away from the developer accommodating chamber.

3. The noise-reducing developing unit according to claim 1, wherein: The buffer member has a first surface facing the developer accommodating chamber, the first surface is an inclined surface, and a vertical distance between the first surface and the spacer gradually increases along a direction from back to front.

4. The noise-reducing developing unit according to claim 1, wherein: The spacer includes at least one partition and at least one flow port, the partition and the flow port are adjacently arranged, the developer is transported to the developing roller through the flow port, at least a portion of the buffer is located on the partition, and in the left and right directions, the size of the buffer is smaller than or equal to the size of the partition.

5. The noise-reducing developing unit according to claim 1, wherein: The spacer portion includes a first connecting portion, a second connecting portion, at least one separator and at least one circulation port. The separator and the circulation port are adjacent to each other, and the developer is transported to the developing roller through the circulation port. The first connecting portion is connected to the surface cover, and the second connecting portion is connected to the bottom shell. In a direction intersecting with the left and right directions, the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion are spaced apart, and the separator and the circulation port are located between the first connecting portion and the second connecting portion.

6. The developing unit capable of reducing noise according to claim 5, wherein: At least a portion of the buffer is disposed on at least one of the first connection portion and the second connection portion, and the buffer extends in the left-right direction. In the left-right direction, the buffer is smaller than the first connection portion or the second connection portion.

7. The noise-reducing developing unit according to claim 6, wherein: In the left-right direction, the size of the buffer member is larger than at least one of the size of the partition member and the size of the flow port.

8. The developing unit capable of reducing noise according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that: The buffer member is configured as an elastic member.

9. The developing unit capable of reducing noise according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein: The buffer is a hollow member, and the stirring blade abuts against the buffer, so that the buffer can be deformed.

10. A process cartridge comprising a photosensitive unit and a developing unit capable of reducing noise according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that: The developing unit and the photosensitive unit are combined with each other. The photosensitive unit includes a photosensitive housing and a photosensitive drum rotatably arranged in the photosensitive housing. The surface of the photosensitive drum is used to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing roller supplies developer to the photosensitive drum to develop the electrostatic latent image.

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