JP3314376B2 - Toner supply device and toner container - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

The present invention relates to a Ru <br/> relates to a toner supply equipment for performing the toner replenishment to the developing unit in the image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a facsimile, a toner storage container has been set in a substantially horizontal state in order to reduce the size, and the toner storage container has been set in a substantially horizontal state. JP-A-3-2881 and JP-A-59-1886 disclose toner supply devices.
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 78 and the like.

In these toner supply devices, a spiral projection is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the toner container, and the toner inside the toner container is rotated by the spiral projection by rotating the toner container around the axial direction. The toner is conveyed to the toner discharge port side, and the toner is discharged from the toner discharge port to supply toner to the developing unit.

[0004]

However, if the toner discharge port is formed at the center of one end of the toner storage container in order to further reduce the size of the toner replenishment unit including the toner storage container, it is difficult to use the toner supply unit. As the amount of toner remaining in the storage container decreases, the amount of toner discharged from the toner discharge port decreases, and toner supply to the developing unit becomes unstable. Further, there is a disadvantage that when the remaining amount of toner is less than a predetermined amount, the toner is not discharged from the toner discharge port, and remains in the toner container, resulting in wasteful toner.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a cylindrical container body, a side plate covering one end of the container body, and one end connected to a peripheral portion of the side plate so as to communicate with the inside of the container body. A cylindrical body having the other end extending toward the axis of the container body, and a toner discharge port formed at the other end of the cylindrical body having a center substantially coinciding with the axis of the container body. And a holding unit for holding the toner storage container in a substantially horizontal direction in a state where the toner storage container is communicated with a toner introduction unit to a developing unit, and the toner storage container held by the holding unit is provided. Rotation driving means is provided for driving to rotate about an axial direction substantially in the horizontal direction.

[0006]

[0007]

[0008]

According to the present invention, the toner storage container is held by the holding means in a substantially horizontal direction, and the toner storage container held by the holding means is rotated by the rotary driving means around the axial direction substantially in the horizontal direction. When the connection between the cylinder and the side plate rotates to the lower position, the toner in the container body enters the cylinder, and this toner is caused by the rotation of the connection between the cylinder and the side plate to the upper position. It moves to the toner discharge port side in the cylinder and is eventually discharged from the toner discharge port,
The toner is supplied to the developing unit via the toner introduction unit.

[0009]

[0010]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 2 is a simplified plan view showing the entire structure of a plain paper copier 1 as an image forming apparatus.
FIG. 1 shows the structure of a toner supply unit in the plain paper copying machine 1. A fixed bracket 2 is fixed to the plain paper copying machine 1. The fixed bracket 2 has a pair of upper and lower movable brackets 4 as holding means for holding a toner container 3 containing toner in a substantially horizontal direction. It is mounted so as to be rotatable in a horizontal plane with the pins 5 and 6 as fulcrums. The movable bracket 4 is provided with a rotation driving means 7 for rotating the toner container 3 held substantially horizontally around the axis thereof. The rotation driving means 7 includes a motor 8 and a motor. A gear group 9 that is driven to rotate by the gear 8, a gear 10 that meshes with the final gear of the gear group 9, and a cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11 into which the leading end side of the toner storage container 3 is inserted are formed. The cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11 is rotatably held in a toner storage container stopper 12 fixedly held by the movable bracket 4.

The toner container 3 has a cylindrical container body 15 whose both ends are covered with side plates 13 and 14, one end of which is connected to the periphery of one side plate 14, and the other end of which is connected to the container body 15. A cylindrical body 16 extending in a curved state toward the axis of the container body, and the other end of the cylindrical body 16 has a container body 15
A toner discharge port 17 having a center substantially coinciding with the axis of is formed. The cylindrical body 16 communicates with the inside of the container body 15 at a connection point with the side plate 14. The diameter “d” of the toner discharge port 17 is formed to be smaller than the diameter “D” of the container body 15, and the diameter of the cylindrical body 16 is changed from the connection point to the side plate 14 to the toner discharge port 17. It is formed smaller gradually as it goes. Further, the portion of the connection of the cylindrical body 16 to the side plate 14 farthest from the axis of the container body 15 is inscribed in the outer diameter of the container body 15 and the container body at the connection of the cylindrical body 16 to the side plate 14. The dimension "H" from the point closest to the axis 15 to the point farthest from the connection point in the toner discharge port 17 is set to be large as shown in FIG. Also, a rear surface 16a of the cylindrical body 16 in the rotation direction (the direction of the arrow R) of the toner container 3
Are formed substantially in a plane.

Next, a spiral projection 18 wound spirally is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the container main body 15, and the spiral projection 18 allows the toner storage container 3 to rotate around the axis thereof. It is formed in such a direction that the toner inside is conveyed toward the side plate 14 with the rotation. A cap inner plug 19 is detachably attached to the toner discharge port 17, and a projection 20 projecting outward is formed at the center of the cap inner plug 19. further,
The movable bracket 4 is provided with a toner introduction unit 21 for supplying the toner discharged from the toner discharge port 17 to a developing unit (not shown).

A ring-shaped engaging projection 22 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the container body 15 on the side plate 14 side, and is engaged with the engaging projection 22 to be held by the movable bracket 4. The engagement claw 23 for controlling the removal of the toner storage container 3 is provided with the toner storage container stopper 1.
2 attached. Further, an engagement convex portion 24 is formed on the side plate 14, and the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical rotation transmission member 11 is engaged with the engagement convex portion 24 so that toner is removed from the cylindrical rotation transmission member 11. An engagement recess 25 for transmitting rotation to the storage container 3 is formed, and the toner storage container 3 is held by the movable bracket 4 and the toner discharge port 1 is formed.
When the distal end side of the toner storage container 3 in which the toner container 7 is formed is inserted into the cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11, the engaging convex portion 24 and the engaging concave portion 25 are engaged.

Next, the cap inner plug is attached to the movable bracket 4 with respect to the toner discharge port 17 of the toner container 3 held by the movable bracket 4 as the movable bracket 4 rotates. A cap inner plug attaching / detaching means 26 is provided for attaching and detaching the ink ejector 19 and holding the internal plug 19 removed from the toner outlet 17 at a position close to the toner outlet 17. The cap inner plug attaching / detaching means 26 includes a collet chuck 27 for picking and releasing the protrusion 20 and a cap inner plug 19 for which the protrusion 20 has been pinched by the collet chuck 27, together with the collet chuck 27. It is formed by a cam mechanism 28 that moves the toner discharge port 17 to the closed position by opening and closing the toner discharge port 17.

Here, the collet chuck 27 has a cylindrical core 29 slidably held by the boss 12a of the toner container stopper 12, and a shaft slidably fitted in the core 29. 30 and the shaft 30
And a flexible knob 31 fixed to the distal end of the head. Further, the cam mechanism 28 includes a stepped portion 12 b of the toner container stopper 12 and the core 2.
9, a conical coil spring 32 for urging the core 29 toward the toner container 3, a roller 33 attached to the rear end of the shaft 30, and the movable bracket 4 A guide cam portion 34 for guiding the roller 33 when it is rotated about the pins 5 and 6 as a fulcrum.
And a bracket hinge 35 fixed to the fixed bracket 2.

First, a procedure for mounting the toner container 3 in the plain paper copier 1 will be described. The movable bracket 4 is rotated about the pins 5 and 6 as a fulcrum to a position shown by a two-dot chain line in FIG. 2 (a mounting / detaching position of the toner storage container 3), and a tip of the toner storage container 3 where the toner discharge port 17 is formed. Side into the toner container stopper 12, the toner container 3 is held by the movable bracket 4, and the engaging claw 23 is
2 is engaged. Here, the toner storage container stopper 12
A cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11 is rotatably held therein, and the engaging projection 24 of the toner storage container 3 is formed into a cylindrical shape by inserting the distal end side of the toner storage container 3 into the toner storage container stopper 12. The rotation transmission member 11 is engaged with the engagement recess 25. When the toner storage container 3 is held by the movable bracket 4, the operation is performed with the cap plug 19 attached.
As shown in (2), the cap is inserted between the knobs 31 of the collet chuck 27, and the cap inner cap 19 is maintained in the closed state.

Next, the movable bracket 4 is rotated to the position shown by the broken line in FIG. 2 (toner supply position) with the pins 5 and 6 as fulcrums. Then, with this rotation operation, the roller 33 moves from the position shown in FIG. 3B to the position shown in FIG. 4B along the guide cam portion 34, and at the same time, the collet chuck 27 moves to the position shown in FIG. From the position shown in FIG.
Slide to the position shown in (a). Here, when the shaft 30 which is a part of the collet chuck 27 and the knob 31 slide slightly toward the position shown in FIG. 4 (a), the outer peripheral portion of the knob 31 comes into contact with the core 29 and becomes inward. Bends,
The knob 31 grips the protrusion 20 of the cap inner plug 19. Then, the shaft 30 and the knob 31 are continuously connected as shown in FIG.
By sliding toward the position (a), the core 2
9 and the cap inner plug 19 pinched by the knob 31 slide together to compress the conical coil spring 32, and eventually,
As shown in FIG. 4A, the cap inner plug 19 moves to the open position, the toner discharge port 17 is opened, and the toner container 3 is moved through the toner discharge port 17 to the toner introduction section 2.
1 and the mounting of the toner storage container 3 is completed.
Therefore, when attaching the toner container 3 to the plain paper copier 1, it is not necessary to open the cap stopper 19 in advance, and the toner is prevented from spilling out of the toner discharge port 17 at the time of attachment. At the same time, it is possible to prevent the spilled toner from contaminating the hands and clothes of the worker and the movable bracket 4. The cap inner plug 19 removed from the toner discharge port 17 is held at a position close to the toner discharge port 17 as shown in FIG.

Next, copying is performed after the toner container 3 has been mounted.
When a sensor (not shown) detects that the amount of toner inside is below a predetermined amount, the motor 8 is driven based on the detection result. When the motor 8 is driven, the cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11 is rotationally driven via the gear group 9 and the gear 10, and the engagement between the engagement projection 24 and the engagement recess 25 causes the toner storage container 3 to move its shaft. A cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11 around the center direction
And is driven to rotate integrally therewith. When the toner container 3 rotates around the axial direction, the toner in the toner container 3 is gradually conveyed toward the side plate 14 by the spiral projection 18. When the connecting portion between the cylinder 16 and the side plate 14 rotates to the lower position, the toner in the container body 15 enters the cylinder 16, and the toner further flows into the cylinder 16 and the side plate 14.
As the connection point with the cylinder rotates to the upper position, the cylinder 1
6 flows toward the toner discharge port 17 side, and is discharged from the toner discharge port 17 soon. The toner discharged from the toner discharge port 17 is supplied to the toner introduction unit 21 through the toner dropping opening 36 formed in the toner container stopper 12, and is further supplied to the developing unit.

Here, since the connection of the cylinder 16 to the side plate 14 is made at the peripheral edge of the side plate 14, the toner enters the cylinder 16 when the connection portion rotates to the lower position. This is performed well even when the remaining amount of toner in the storage container 3 becomes small, and the amount of waste toner that cannot be discharged from the toner discharge port 17 and remains in the toner storage container 3 is greatly reduced. In addition, cylindrical body 1
6 from the connection with the side plate 14 to the toner discharge port 1
7, the dimension “H ₁ ” is increased as shown in FIG. 4, and the rear surface 16 a is formed in a substantially flat surface. The flow of the toner toward the outlet is favorably performed, and the discharge of the toner from the toner discharge port 17 is further favorably performed. Further, the amount of toner discharged per rotation of the toner storage container 3 is the amount that enters the cylindrical body 16 when the connection point between the cylindrical body 16 and the side plate 14 rotates to the lower position.
The amount of toner discharged from the toner discharge port 17 can be easily controlled, and the occurrence of a situation in which a required amount of toner is discharged at a time is prevented.

Next, when there is no more toner in the toner container 3, the toner container 3 is replaced with a new one. In this replacement, the movable bracket 4 is supported by the pins 5 and 6 as fulcrums. In FIG. 2, the toner container 3 is rotated to the attachment / detachment position indicated by a two-dot chain line. Then, with this rotation operation, the roller 33 moves from the position shown in FIG. 4B to the position shown in FIG. 3B along the guide cam portion 34, and at the same time, the collet chuck 27 3 from the position shown in FIG.
The toner discharge port 17 is slid toward the position shown in FIG. Further, the dimensions are set so that the shaft 30 and the knob 31 slide slightly even after the flange 29a of the core 29 abuts on the tip of the toner discharge port 17 to restrict the slide. Immediately after the flange portion 29a comes in contact with the tip of the toner discharge port 17, the knob 31 bends outward, and the state of the knob 20 being held by the knob 31 is released. Therefore, when removing the toner container 3 having run out of toner from the movable bracket 4, the toner discharge port 17 is closed by the cap inner plug 19.
At the time of removal, the toner slightly remaining in the toner storage container 3 does not spill outside, thereby preventing the spilled toner from contaminating the hands and clothes of the worker and the movable bracket 4.

In this embodiment, the container body 15
Container 3 having spiral projection 18 formed on the inner peripheral surface of toner container 3
The spiral projection 18 is not always necessary, and the inner peripheral surface of the container body may be a smooth surface. When the inner peripheral surface of the container body is a smooth surface, the container body is formed into a cylindrical body that gradually expands toward the side plate 14, or the container body is configured such that the side plate 14 is on the lower side. By mounting the toner with a slight inclination, the toner is conveyed to the side plate 14 with the rotation in substantially the same manner as when the spiral projection 18 is formed.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6 are denoted by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted. One end of the toner storage container 37 of this embodiment is
4 and a substantially cylindrical cylinder 38 having a toner discharge port 17 at the other end.
A helical projection 39 continuous with the helical projection 18 formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 38 is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical body 38. The center of the toner discharge port 17 is substantially coincident with the axis of the container body 15.

In such a configuration, when the toner container 37 held by the movable bracket 4 is rotated around the axial direction, when the connecting portion between the cylindrical body 38 and the side plate 14 is rotated to the lower position, the container body 15 is rotated. The toner inside this cylinder 3
Go inside 8. Then, the toner flows inside the cylindrical body 38 toward the toner discharge port 17 as the connection portion between the cylindrical body 38 and the side plate 14 rotates to the upper position, and is discharged from the toner discharge port 17. In addition, since the toner flowing in the cylindrical body 38 to the toner discharge port 17 side is conveyed by the spiral projection 39, the flow thereof becomes good, and the toner discharge port 17
Satisfactorily discharges toner.

By forming the cylinder 38 in a spiral shape along the rotation direction of the toner container 37, the cylinder 3
8, the flow of the toner in the toner outlet 8 is further improved, and the discharge of the toner from the toner discharge port 17 is performed more favorably.

[0025]

As described above, according to the present invention, a cylindrical container main body, a side plate covering one end of the container main body, and one end connected to a peripheral portion of the side plate in a state communicating with the inside of the container main body. A cylindrical body having the other end extending toward the axis of the container body, and a toner discharge port formed at the other end of the cylindrical body having a center substantially coinciding with the axis of the container body. And a holding unit for holding the toner storage container in a substantially horizontal direction in a state where the toner storage container is communicated with a toner introduction unit to a developing unit, and the toner storage container held by the holding unit is provided. Since the rotation driving means for driving the rotation about the axial direction substantially in the horizontal direction is provided, by rotating the toner storage container held by the holding means by the rotation driving means, the connection portion between the cylindrical body and the side plate is formed. Container body when rotated to the lower position Toner enters into the cylindrical body,
This toner moves in the cylinder toward the toner discharge port side as the connecting portion between the cylinder and the side plate rotates to the upper position and is discharged from the toner discharge port, so that the remaining amount of toner is reduced. In this case, it is possible to discharge the toner satisfactorily, reduce the amount of waste toner that remains in the toner container, and reduce the amount of toner entering the cylinder. This is performed only when the connection point between the body and the side plate is rotated to the lower position, so that the amount of toner discharged per rotation of the toner container is stabilized to prevent more than the required amount of toner being discharged at once. And the like.

[0026]

[0027]

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional front view showing a toner supply unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a simplified plan view showing a plain paper copying machine.

FIGS. 3A and 3B are views showing a cap inner plug attaching / detaching means in a state where a movable bracket is rotated to a mounting / removing position of a toner storage container, wherein FIG. 3A is a longitudinal sectional front view, and FIG. FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a cap inner plug attaching / detaching unit in a state where a movable bracket is rotated to a toner supply position;
(A) is a vertical cross-sectional front view, and (b) is a plan view with a partial cross section.

FIG. 5 is a front view of the toner storage container with a part cut away.

FIG. 6 is a side view thereof.

FIG. 7 is a front view showing a toner container according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a side view thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3, 37 Toner storage container 4 Holding means 7 Rotation driving means 14 Side plate 15 Container body 16, 38 Cylindrical body 17 Toner discharge port 21 Toner introduction section 39 Spiral projection

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Seiji Oka 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Junichi Murano 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company, Ltd. (72) Inventor Kazuhisa Sudo 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company, Ltd. (56) References JP-A-4-477 (JP, A) 31864 (JP, U) (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 15/08

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A container body having a tubular shape, a side plate covering one end of the container body, and one end connected to a peripheral portion of the side plate in a state communicating with the inside of the container body, and the other end connected to the container body. A toner container having a cylinder extending toward the axis and a toner outlet formed at the other end of the cylinder having a center substantially coincident with the axis of the container body is provided. Holding means for holding the toner storage container in a substantially horizontal direction in a state where the toner storage container is communicated with a toner introduction section to a developing section, and an axis centering the toner storage container held by the holding means in a substantially horizontal direction. A toner replenishing device provided with a rotation driving means for rotating the toner revolving around a direction.