JPS63163381A - Developing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To simplify the structure of a developing device by supplying toner into a developing device housing through fine holes of an elastic member by the vibration of a toner cartridge excited by an exciting means arranged in the developing device housing. CONSTITUTION:The toner cartridge is equipped with the elastic member which have plural fine holes at a toner supply opening part 12 and the exciting means 23 is provided in the developing device housing and serves as a toner supply means which supplies toner by vibrating the toner cartridge 10. The elastic body with the fine holes at the opening part 12 uses, for example, metallic meshes 13, which are large enough to make toner placed on the meshes 13 fall in a vibration state although the toner does not fall in a stationary state. Consequently, the constitution of the toner cartridge 10 is simplified and reduced in cost and the dedicated space for the toner cartridge 10 is reduced.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Object of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a developing device used in an image forming apparatus such as an electronic copying machine or a laser beam printer.

(Prior Art) A conventional removable and disposable cartridge-type toner supply device (hereinafter referred to as a toner cartridge), which is referred to as a cartridge-type toner hopper or a toner cartridge, supplies the toner stored inside to a toner supply opening. As a means of easily guiding the toner, the bottom surface is inclined at an angle (approximately 60 degrees) that allows the toner to fall naturally, and a member for applying vibration to the stored toner, a stirring member, a toner feed roller, and other forced feeding members are installed. It is located inside the toner cartridge.

4 and 5 show a conventional developing device using a toner cartridge provided with a toner feed roller 4. As shown in FIG.

An opening 2 for toner supply is provided on the bottom surface of the toner cartridge 1, and a toner feed roller 4, which has a shaft 3 and a cylinder-sized polyurethane foam bonded to it, is rotatably provided at the upper end of the opening. The roller 4 is rotated by a drive means (not shown) via a gear 5 as necessary. Due to this rotation, the toner t trapped in the toner cartridge 1 is guided to the opening 2 and falls into the developing device 6.
The toner is mixed with the developer by the first stirring means 7 and the second stirring means 8.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, if the inclination angle of the bottom surface of the toner cartridge is increased, the toner storage capacity of the toner cartridge will be reduced. In addition, using a member for applying vibration, a stirring member 9, and a force-feeding member in a disposable toner cartridge has drawbacks such as a complicated structure and an increase in manufacturing costs due to an increase in the number of parts. This was made for the above-mentioned reason, and the object thereof is to provide a developing device for an image forming apparatus with a simple configuration.

[Structure of the invention]

(Means for Solving the Problems) A developing device according to the present invention includes a toner cartridge equipped with an elastic member having a plurality of microholes in a toner supply opening, and a toner cartridge provided in a developing device housing to vibrate the toner cartridge. and a vibrating means as a toner supplying means, which supplies toner by giving the toner.

(Function) In the present invention, the vibration excitation means disposed inside the image device '5A applies vibration to the toner cartridge to cause the toner to pass through the micro holes of the elastic member and to be supplied into the developing device 6. .

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

A toner supply opening 12 is provided on the lower surface of the holder 11 of the toner cartridge 10, and the opening 12&'! It is covered with a metal mesh as an elastic body having micropores. It is sufficient to use a mesh having such a roughness that the toner t placed four times on the mesh 13 does not fall when it is in a stationary state, but passes through the mesh and falls when vibration is applied. This varies depending on the particle size and fluidity of the toner used, but
0 metsu 7yu to 100 metushiyu (eye opening 300 to 1
50 μm) @ degree is common.

A toner cartridge mounting portion 22 to which the toner cartridge 10 is mounted is attached to the lid 21 of the developing device 20.
A rotary shaft 23 as a vibration excitation means is rotatably constructed below the rotating shaft 23 by a drive means (not shown) and a gear 24, and its blades 26 and a developing row 227 (a means for developing the developer) are rotated by a drive mechanism (not shown). rotatably arranged and further includes a doctor blade 28. Scraping board 29,
An auto toner sensor 30 is provided as a means for detecting the specific toner density of the developer.

Here, since the developer used is a two-component developer that is a mixture of a magnetic carrier and toner t, only the toner t is reduced by image formation, as is well known. The toner specific density of the developer is detected by the auto toner sensor 30, and toner t is supplied from the toner cartridge 10 according to the core thickness. When the auto toner center t30 detects that the specific toner density of the MHIJ has become lower than the reference value, the control device (not shown) drives the driving means (not shown) to rotate the rotating shaft 23 via the gear 24. Rotating axis 2
3 rotates while flipping the edge 14 of the toner cartridge housing 11 with the protrusion 23g.
As a result, the toner 1 accommodated in the container 11 is caused to fall little by little into the casing 25, and the toner t that has fallen into the casing 2s from IJ Tsuji 0 is stirred. It is sufficiently mixed with the developer by the blade 26. The developer adheres to the surface of the developing roller 27 due to the magnetic force of a magnet (not shown) built into the developing roller 27.
It is conveyed by the rotation of the developing roller 27, its thickness is regulated by the doctor blade 28, and it is exposed to the developing opening 31. After the development is performed here, the scraping plate 29
It is scraped off from the developing row 227 by the stirring blade 26 again.
The toner t is mixed with the toner t.

In addition, in the above-mentioned example, a metal mesh was used as the net body, but the mesh is not limited to this, and a resin-? A mesh made of fibers or foam polycrethane with a notebook cover may also be used.

In addition, a rotating shaft with a protrusion was used as the vibration excitation means, but
This shape is also based on, for example, the method f1 of reciprocating the rod-shaped body having a polygonal cross-section, and the same effect can be obtained also at °C.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As detailed above, according to the present invention, a toner car) I
The structure of the J-type is simplified and becomes less expensive, and the space occupied by the toner cartridge can be made smaller than before.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1 to 3 show one embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a side sectional view showing a toner cartridge;
4 and 5 are side sectional views showing a conventional example. Agent Patent Attorney Norio Ken Chika Yudo Norio Ogo Figure 1 Figure 4 Figure 2 Figure 3

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1) A device housing containing a two-component developer consisting of toner and a carrier therein, a toner container configured to be detachably attached to the device housing, and a toner container provided at the bottom of the toner container. a toner supply opening, a supply means for supplying toner from the toner container into the apparatus housing through the toner supply opening, and agitating the toner supplied by the toner supply means with a developer. A stirring means, a means for detecting the toner specific concentration of the developer stirred by the stirring means, a means for subjecting the developer to development, and an elastic member having a plurality of micropores in the toner supply opening. Developing device for an image forming apparatus characterized in that 2) the toner supply means is provided within the device housing,
The developing device for an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, characterized in that the developing device is a vibration means for applying vibration to the toner container.