JP2851929B2 - Toner supply device - Google Patents

Description

Description: BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner supply device provided in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, and more particularly, to a toner supply device applied to a full-color copying machine.

[Conventional technology]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus, particularly a full-color copying machine, etc., a plurality of developing units corresponding to respective colors of yellow, magenta, cyan and black are arranged at high density around a photoreceptor, and these developing units are downsized. Therefore, there is an image forming apparatus in which toner is supplied from a toner supply device outside the developing unit to a toner chamber in the developing unit as needed.

As a conventional toner supply apparatus of this type, the present applicant has previously filed Japanese Utility Model Application No. 2-33383. In this apparatus, a plurality of supply units are detachably engaged with a developing unit, and toner is supplied from the supply unit to the developing unit through the cylindrical toner supply opening of the supply unit and the cylindrical toner receiving opening of the development unit. The toner supply opening is inserted into the toner receiving opening when the supply unit is engaged with the developing unit. With the above-described configuration, the supply unit is completely separated from the developing unit to eliminate any connection relationship, and a sufficient working space for maintenance work, assembly work, and the like can be secured.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, in such a toner supply device, the toner supply opening of the supply unit is inserted into the toner receiving opening of the development unit, and the supply unit is engaged with the development unit. When at least a part of the supply opening is in the state of being inserted into the toner receiving opening, that is, when the toner supply opening is in the state of being inserted, in the fully inserted state, and in the state of being inserted or removed, the toner receiving opening There was a possibility that the toner scattered from the portion to the outside. On the other hand, when the supply unit is separated from the developing unit, there is a possibility that toner or the like attached to the outer peripheral surface of the opening may be scattered even if the opening end of the toner supply opening is sealed. Therefore, it is insufficient from the viewpoint of preventing toner scattering.

[Object of the invention]

Accordingly, the present invention provides a locking means for locking the toner receiving member to the supply unit at two predetermined positions, so that the toner scattered from the toner receiving opening, the toner supply opening and the like is collected by the toner receiving member. The purpose of the present invention is to prevent toner from scattering.

[Configuration of the invention]

In order to achieve the above object, a toner supply device according to the present invention includes a supply unit that is detachably engaged with a developing unit of an image forming apparatus, and a toner supply opening of the supply unit is provided at a toner receiving opening of the developing unit. In the toner supply device that inserts and supplies toner from the supply unit to the development unit, when the supply unit is separated from the development unit, the toner receiving member supported by the supply unit to collect the toner is disposed immediately below the toner supply opening. Locking means for locking the toner receiving member in the vicinity of the toner receiving opening when the toner supply opening is inserted into the toner receiving opening; is there.

 Hereinafter, the present invention will be described based on examples.

 1 to 7 show an embodiment of the present invention.

 First, the configuration will be described.

1 and 2, reference numeral 10 denotes a color copying machine as an image forming apparatus. The color copying machine 10 electrically scans a scanner unit 11 for reading an image and an image signal output from the scanner unit 11 as a digital signal. Image processing unit
And a printer unit 13 for forming an image on recording paper based on image recording information of each color from the image processing unit 12. Each of the developing units 26BK, 26C, 26M, and 26Y (hereinafter, also simply referred to as the developing unit 26, BK: black, C: cyan, M: magenta, Y: yellow) includes a first screw 41 and a second screw 41. 42, developing sleeve 43
a, fixed magnet group 43b, supply roller 44, screw case 4
5, a blade 46, a toner tank unit 47 (toner chamber) and a doctor blade 48 are provided.
The toner inside (not shown) is supplied by its own weight.
The toner adheres onto the transfer roller 44, passes through the space between the blade 46 and the supply roller 44 by the rotation of the supply roller 44, and is sent to the developing sleeve 43a side while being charged.The doctor blade 48 rotates the developing sleeve 43a to a predetermined layer thickness. The photoreceptor drum 24BK,
Approach 24C, 24M or 24Y. Further, a reservoir of toner is formed in front of the doctor blade 48 in the developing unit 26, and the first screw 41 rotates at the position of the reservoir to mix and stir the toner and at the same time, move the toner to one end thereof,
When the second screw 42 rotates, the toner that has entered the screw case 45 from the notch on the one end side is moved in the opposite direction, and is discharged from the other end side. The first screw 41
Is composed of a spiral part 41a, a stirring part 41b, and a shaft part 41c, and the stirring part 41b stirs the toner in the toner pool up and down during rotation.

On the other hand, each of the developing units 26 includes a toner remaining amount sensor 52 for detecting a remaining amount of toner in the toner tank portion 47, and a toner supply device based on detection information of the toner remaining amount sensor 52. A carry-in passage portion 53 for carrying in each color toner and a carry-in screw 54 are provided. As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the carry-in passage member 53 has a cylindrical toner receiving opening 91.

Here, in FIGS. 3 to 5, the toner supply device is detachably engaged with the developing unit 26 and supplies toners 61BK, 61C, 61M, and 61Y (hereinafter, simply referred to as the supply unit 61) containing toner. With a supply unit
Numeral 61 denotes a toner hopper 71, a delivery pipe 72 provided below the toner hopper 71, a transport screw 73 inserted into the delivery pipe 72 and transporting the toner in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3 when rotating, and a delivery pipe 72. An outer cylinder 74 slidably mounted on the outer periphery, a packing member 75 formed to have a slightly smaller diameter than the outer cylinder 74 and attached to the tip of the transport screw 73 so as to be able to abut the outer cylinder 74, and a transport screw A drive means 76 (which comprises a drive motor, a worm gear, a worm wheel, and various gears not shown but not shown in detail is omitted), and a spring 77 for urging the outer cylinder 74 against the packing member 75 are provided. . Therefore, the outer cylinder 74 forms a cylindrical toner supply opening 92 of the supply unit 61.

Further, the supply unit 61 is moved by a moving unit described later, and is adapted to engage with and disengage from the developing unit 26. When the supply unit 61 engages with the developing unit 26, the supply unit 61 The toner supply opening 92 is inserted into the toner receiving opening 91 of the developing unit 16, and the toner is supplied from the supply unit 61 to the developing unit 26 through the toner supply opening 92 and the toner receiving opening 91. For details, see Developing Unit 26
When the supply unit 61 and the supply unit 61 approach each other, the outer cylinder 74 abuts against the inner protrusion 53a of the carry-in passage member 53 of the developing unit 26, separates from the packing member 75, and the delivery pipe 72 communicates with the carry-in passage member 53. Thus, a toner supply path from the supply unit 61 to the developing unit 26 is connected (see FIG. 3).

On the other hand, a box-shaped toner receiving member 93 is supported by the toner hopper 71 of the supply unit 61, and the toner receiving member 93 collects the scattered toner. For details, the guide bracket 94 and the stopper
95 is supported, and the toner receiving member 93 is supported and guided by the guide bracket 94 and slides in the directions of arrows A and B in FIG.
It is configured to be locked by a stopper 95. Also,
A magnet 96 is attached to the tip of the toner receiving member 93.

Further, an iron stud 97 is attached below the carry-in passage member 53 of the developing unit 26.

FIG. 3 shows a state in which the supply unit 61 is engaged with the developing unit 26. In this state, as described above, the delivery pipe 72 and the carry-in passage member 53 communicate with each other, and 26 is connected to the toner supply path, and the magnet 96
And the toner receiving member 93
Is slid relative to the toner hopper 71 in the direction of arrow B in FIG. In this state, the toner receiving member 93 is located immediately below the opening end of the toner receiving opening 91.

FIG. 4 shows a state in which the engagement between the supply unit 61 and the developing unit 26 is being released. In this state, the packing member 75 seals the open end of the outer cylinder 74 by the urging force of the spring 77. At the same time, the supply unit 61 moves in the direction away from the developing unit 26, but the toner receiving member 93 is locked in the vicinity of immediately below the opening end of the toner receiving opening 91 by the suction action of the magnet 96 and the tack 97. It is kept in the state.

FIG. 5 shows a state in which the supply unit 61 is separated from the developing unit 26. In this state, the toner supply opening 92 is completely removed from the inside of the toner receiving opening 91, and the toner receiving opening 91 is removed. The member 93 is a stopper 95
And is separated from the developing unit 26 together with the toner hopper 71 against the attraction force of the magnet 96 and the tack 97. The timing at which the toner receiving member 93 is locked by the stopper 95 substantially coincides with the timing at which the toner supply opening 92 is completely removed from the inside of the toner receiving opening 91. Also, a toner receiving member
When 93 is locked by the stopper 95, the toner receiving member
Reference numeral 93 is located immediately below the toner supply opening 92.

Therefore, when the supply unit 61 is separated from the developing unit 26 as shown in FIG. 5, the guide bracket 94, the stopper 95, the magnet 96, and the tack 97 move the toner receiving member 93 immediately below the toner supply opening 92. And at least a part of the toner supply opening 92 is in the third or fourth position.
A locking means for locking the toner receiving member 93 in the vicinity immediately below the toner receiving opening 91 when it is inserted into the toner receiving opening 91 as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, in FIGS.
61BK, 61C, 61M, and 61Y are integrally supported by the moving frame 82. The moving frame 82 detachably supports the supply unit 61, and is supported by a main body frame (not shown) of the color copying machine 10 via a pair of right and left slide mechanisms 83 so as to be movable in the directions of arrows in FIGS. The plurality of supply units 61 together with the moving frame 82 can be removed from the slide mechanism 83. FIG. 6 shows an engagement state between the supply unit 61 and the developing unit 26, and FIG.
Is shown in the state of being separated.

The scanner unit 11, the image processing unit 12, and the printer unit
The detailed configuration and operation description of 13 and the like are described in Japanese Utility Model Application No. 2-33383 filed earlier by the present applicant, and thus description thereof is omitted.

According to the above configuration, the supply unit 61 is engaged with the developing unit, and
Supply unit and toner supply unit 61
During the release of the engagement between the toner receiving member 93 and the developing unit 26, the toner receiving member 93 is locked in the vicinity immediately below the opening end of the toner receiving opening 91, and as shown in FIGS. The toner scattered outside from the opening end of 91 can be reliably collected by the toner receiving member 93.

Further, when the supply unit 61 is detached from the developing unit 26, the toner receiving member 93 is locked immediately below the vicinity of the toner supply opening 92, and as shown in FIG. Even if the toner attached to the surface scatters, the scattered toner can be reliably collected by the toner receiving member 93.

Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the toner from scattering to the outside, and it is possible to solve a problem in which the scattered toner adheres to devices or adheres to the operator or the clothes of the operator. .

〔effect〕

According to the present invention, since the locking means for locking the toner receiving member to the supply unit at two predetermined positions is provided, the toner receiving member is engaged when the supply unit and the developing unit are engaged and when the engagement is being released. The member is locked in the vicinity immediately below the opening end of the toner receiving opening, and when the supply unit and the developing unit are separated from each other, the toner receiving member is locked in the vicinity immediately below the toner supply opening, and the toner receiving opening and The toner scattered from the toner receiving opening or the like can be reliably collected by the toner receiving member, and the toner can be reliably prevented from scattering to the outside.

[Brief description of the drawings]

1 to 7 are views showing an embodiment of a toner supply device according to the present invention. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a color copying machine provided with the toner supply device, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing an engaged state of the supply unit, FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the supply unit is being detached, and FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a detached state of the supply unit. FIG. 6 is a top view showing the engaged state of the supply unit, and FIG. 7 is a top view showing the disengaged state of the supply unit. 10: color copier (image forming apparatus), 26: developing unit, 61: supply unit, 91: toner receiving opening, 92: toner supply opening, 93: toner receiving member, 94: Guide bracket (locking means) 95 Stopper (locking means) 96 Magnet (locking means) 97 Tack (locking means)

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] A supply unit which is detachably engaged with a developing unit of the image forming apparatus, wherein a toner supply opening of the supply unit is inserted into a toner receiving opening of the developing unit;
In a toner supply device for supplying toner from a supply unit to a development unit, when the supply unit is separated from the development unit, a toner receiving member supported by the supply unit to collect toner is connected to a portion immediately below the toner supply opening. And a locking means for locking the toner receiving member immediately below the toner receiving opening when the toner supplying opening is inserted into the toner receiving opening.