JP3343471B2 - Toner supply device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner replenishing apparatus used for a copying machine, a printer, and the like, for supplying toner to an electrophotographic developing unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a toner replenishing apparatus has been used in which toner is replenished by scraping toner from a toner discharge port over an entire image width. When toner is scraped out over the entire image width, the amount of toner that escapes from both ends of the replenishing member has a sufficiently large replenishing width, and thus has little effect on the entire scraping.
There are blades for collecting toner at both ends of the central replenishing member.The blades are provided as a means for transferring the toner in the cartridge. It is not provided. Even in an actual product, there is a position where toner that escapes from both ends of the replenishing member can be prevented, that is, the toner is not provided near the same surface as the replenishing member, and the toner may escape from between the replenishing member and the blade. However, there is almost no effect because the supply width is large enough. Further, although not publicly known, there is a type of toner replenishing device filed by the Company in which a toner replenishing port is provided at an end portion and a toner is scraped by a replenishing member (supply mylar).

[0003]

However, in the above-mentioned conventional toner replenishing device, the width of the replenishing member is smaller than that of the conventional replenishing device in which toner is replenished over the entire image width. When rotating along the inner wall of the toner container, the toner escapes from both ends of the replenishing member, and the ratio of the relieving amount to the amount of the replenishing member scraped out is smaller than the conventional method of replenishing the entire image width. The effect on the supply amount is large. Since the amount of the escaped toner varies depending on the remaining amount of the toner in the toner container, there is a problem that the toner supply amount is not stable. In the case of this toner replenishing device, particularly, when the remaining amount of toner in the device becomes small, the amount of toner scraped out becomes insufficient, and the replenishing amount decreases.

Further, the toner escaping from both ends of the replenishing member becomes residual toner in the apparatus as it is, and the residual toner is discarded when the toner replenishing apparatus including the toner container is replaced as a cartridge. The number of copies that can be made per copy is reduced. In view of the above, the present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and in a type in which toner is replenished at an end of the apparatus, the toner can be efficiently scraped out and a stable toner replenishment can be performed. It is an object to provide a toner replenishing device having a simple configuration at a low cost.

[0005]

According to a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toner supply container provided at one end in a longitudinal direction of a toner container, and a tip for scraping toner from the toner supply port. has a toner supply member fitted with a reinforcing member made of an elastic material, and a rotary drive means for rotating the toner supply member, the toner scraping of the toner supply member is restricted by the opening area of the toner supply port in the toner replenishing device is set larger than the toner discharge amount, on both sides of the reinforcing member, the toner complement
Replenishment auxiliary member for scraping toner from said toner accommodating container the inner wall of the feed member near provided, the supply assisting member,
The scraping surface of the toner is in the
Provided so that it is located ahead of the scraping surface of the feeding member.
The supply member and the supply auxiliary member have flexibility.
And the inner wall of the toner supply port is bent.
The auxiliary supply member is provided so as to be in sliding contact with the
Is shorter than the supply member.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the replenishing auxiliary member is provided such that the toner scraping surface precedes the scraping surface of the replenishing member in the moving direction and is inclined so that the toner flows toward the replenishing member. That in claim 3
The replenishing member and the replenishing auxiliary member are made of a flexible plate material, and are provided so as to slidably contact the inner wall of the toner replenishing port in a bent state. The side on the replenishing member side is longer than the opposite side, and the tip side is inclined. According to claim 4, the replenishing member and the replenishing auxiliary member are parallel to one flexible plate. It is formed by making two cuts, with the central portion serving as a replenishing member and the two side portions serving as replenishing auxiliary members.

[0007]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. In FIG. 1, a developing roller 2 for adhering toner to a photoreceptor drum (not shown), a first stirring screw 4 for circulating and stirring a developer in the developing unit 1, and a second stirring screw are provided in a developing unit 1. 3 are provided. Reference numeral 44 denotes a toner supply position. The toner is
As shown in FIG. 2, the toner is supplied from a toner cartridge 5, which is a toner replenishing device, to a replenishing position 44 (FIG. 1), and is transported to the back side while being stirred by a first stirring screw 4 (FIG. 1). It is delivered to the stirring screw 3 (FIG. 1).

The toner cartridge 5 is shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 7, the drive of a toner supply motor, which is a rotation drive unit of a copying machine main body (not shown), is transmitted to a toner case 11 serving as a toner storage case via a coupling 34 and a front flange 35, and the other of the toner case 11 The toner is supplied from the toner supply port 6 of the inner case 40 attached to the end. The inner case 40 is further fitted in the outer case 41, and a joint between the inner case 40 and the toner case 11 is sealed by attaching a sponge seal 42 with double-sided tape.

A toner conveying member 9 and a toner replenishing member 10 are attached to an agitator 7 provided inside the toner case 11. The blade of the toner conveying member 9 is twisted about the rotation axis, and a conveying film 37 is attached to the tip of the blade. The toner conveying member 9 conveys the toner toward the toner supply port 6 by rotation. Toner supply port 6
The toner replenishing member 10 provided at the position (1) scrapes and replenishes the toner transported by the toner transporting member 9 from the toner replenishing port 6. The actual shape of the agitator 7 is, for example, a longer shape as shown in FIGS. 5, 6, and 7, and a transport film 37 is attached to the toner transport member 9 as shown by an arrow. A supply amount regulating film 36 having a slit-shaped hole at the center is attached to the toner supply port 6 with a double-sided tape. As shown in FIG. 8, the replenishing amount regulating film 36 is sufficiently small with respect to the size of the toner cartridge 5 and regulates the amount by which the toner replenishing member 10 scrapes out the toner. Is obtained.

As shown in FIG. 4, a replenishing film 38, which is a replenishing member and is made of a flexible plate material, is attached to the tip of the toner replenishing member 10, and as shown in FIGS. Conveying film 3 of toner conveying member 9
7 and is in contact with the inner wall of the toner case 11 in a bent state. Therefore, even if the dimensional accuracy of the inner wall of the toner case 11, the transport film 37, and the leading end of the supply film 38 is low, the contact state is maintained, and the toner inside the toner cartridge 5 is always scraped and transported to the toner supply port 6. Therefore, the toner in the toner cartridge 5 can be replenished without being left, and the remaining amount of toner at the time of toner end can be reduced.

The supply film 38 of the toner supply member 10
Has a width w smaller than the width W of the toner supply port 6 as shown in FIG. 11, is attached to the toner supply member 10 with a double-sided tape, and is located at a position facing the toner supply port 6. Are located. At both ends of the replenishing film 38, a replenishing auxiliary film 38a made of a flexible plate material, which is a replenishing auxiliary member for scraping the inner wall of the toner case 11 at both ends, is adhered with a double-sided tape. The shaded portion 38e is the surface to which the double-sided tape is attached.

In this configuration, when the replenishing film 38 in contact with the inner wall of the toner case 11 moves while scraping off the toner by rotating the toner replenishing member 10, as shown in FIG. Since the toner T on the inner wall of the case 11 is scraped off,
As shown in FIG. 13, the toner T is also present on both ends of the supply film 8 to prevent the toner T scraped from the supply film 38 from escaping to both ends in the direction of movement of the large arrow. Therefore, the amount of toner supplied from the supply film 38 to the toner supply port 6 does not decrease, and the toner supply port 6
Is supplied in an amount equal to or larger than the toner amount regulated by the above.

Next, another embodiment will be described. This embodiment is the same as the above embodiment, but as shown in FIG.
One flexible plate material, that is, two parallel cuts in the film to form a supply film 38b and a supply auxiliary film 38c, thereby integrating each film into a single point component It is. A hatched portion 38e is a surface to which a double-sided tape is attached. The operation is the same as in the above embodiment, and the description is omitted. In the embodiment shown in FIG. 15, as in the above embodiment, two parallel cuts are made in one film to form a supply film 38b and a supply auxiliary film 38c ', but are different. Sets the length of the supplementary auxiliary film 38c 'to
8b.

In this configuration, as shown in FIG.
When sliding on the inner wall of the toner case 11, the supply film 3
8b, the amount of deflection is greater, and as shown in FIG. 17, in the direction of movement of the large arrow, when these are bent, the scraping surface of the replenishment auxiliary film 38c 'comes ahead of the scraping surface of the replenishment film 38b. Come. Therefore, a part of the toner T scraped by the supplementary auxiliary film 38c 'escapes toward the supplementary film 38b, and the amount of the supplementary film 38b scraped and conveyed increases, so that a sufficient amount of toner is Transported to

In the embodiment shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, similarly to the above embodiment, two parallel cuts are made in one film, and a supply film 38b and a supply auxiliary film 38d are formed.
The difference is that the side of the supplementary auxiliary film 38d on the side of the supply film 38b is longer than the opposite side, and the tip side is inclined. In this configuration, as shown in FIG. 20, when sliding on the inner wall of the toner case 11, the inner tip of the replenishment assisting film 38d scrapes more toner T, so that the resistance is large. In the direction, the scraping surface of the replenishment auxiliary film 38d is inclined toward the replenishment film 38b. For this reason, the toner T scraped from the replenishment auxiliary film 38d flows toward the replenishment film 38b, and the amount of the replenishment film 38b scraped and transported increases, and a sufficient amount of toner is transported to the toner replenishment port 6. You.

FIGS. 21 and 22 show a specific part shape in consideration of the actual dimensions of the above embodiment. The material is a PET film, and the unit is mm. The oblique cutout portion on the right end side of the supplementary auxiliary film 38d in the front view is for preventing interference with the inner wall of the toner case 11,
In particular, it has nothing to do with the configuration of the present invention.

Next, another type of toner supply device to which the present invention is applied will be described. This toner replenishing device has already been filed by the Company and is shown in FIG.
Reference numeral 13 denotes a rotation driving unit, which is a toner storage container (hereinafter, referred to as a toner storage container).
A driving unit for driving the toner bottle 14),
It is composed of a joint part 13c as an engagement part, a spring 13d, a motor 13e, and a case part containing a shaft,
It is fixed to the rear plate 31 of the main body of the copying machine or the like (see FIG. 24). The toner bottle 14 has a convex projection 1 at the bottom.
4a and 14b are provided. 14b enters the concave portion 13b of the joint 13c and functions to hold the bottom of the toner bottle 14, and 14a is fitted to the convex side surface 13a of the joint 13c to form the toner bottle 14.
These are projections for rotating. The height H of the projection 14b is higher than the height h of the projection 14a (H>
h) formed. Reference numeral 16 denotes a bottle holding member for holding the head of the toner bottle 14. Reference numeral 17 denotes a supply film of the present invention, which is made of an elastic material such as Mylar, and is attached to a rib 16a as a toner supply member integrally formed with the bottle holding member 16 with a double-sided tape or the like. In this embodiment, four replenishment films 17 are provided, and the replenishment auxiliary films 17a are provided at both ends as in the above-described embodiment.

A spiral projection is provided on the inner wall surface of the toner bottle 14. By rotating this, the toner is discharged from the toner discharge port 14d. A cap 15 for preventing toner from being discharged is fitted into the toner discharge port 14d. The rib 16b provided on the inner wall surface of the bottle holding member 16 is caught by the head flat portion 14c provided on the toner bottle 14, and the bottle holding member 16
And the toner bottle 14 rotate integrally.

Reference numeral 20 denotes a sealing material, and 21 denotes a cap 1
5 is a collet chuck for picking and releasing, and is housed in the cylindrical case 22,
It is integrated with. Reference numeral 25 denotes a sealing member, and reference numeral 28 denotes a coil spring that constantly presses a series of components such as the collet chuck 21, the cylindrical case 22, and the shaft member 23 toward the toner bottle 14; It is held in a case 18a which is container holding means formed integrally with the case 18a. Reference numeral 26 denotes a handle for opening and closing the cap 15.
a into the bearing portion 32 and become rotatable. Reference numeral 27 denotes a slide shaft which enters a hole 23a provided in the shaft member 23, is in contact with a cam portion 26a provided in the handle 26, and rotates the collet chuck 2 when the handle 26 rotates.
1, a series of components such as the cylindrical case 22 and the shaft member 23 can be slid in a direction away from the toner bottle 14.

An opening 18c for communicating the toner discharged from the toner discharge port 14d of the toner bottle 14 provided in the case 18a and supported by the receiving table 18 to the toner introduction section 12 shown in FIG. An elastic member 19 made of an elastic material such as Mylar or rubber and having a slit hole 19a which is a rectangular hole elongated in the horizontal direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the supply film 17 is attached with a double-sided tape or the like. The manner of setting the opening area of the slit hole 19a, that is, as shown in FIG. 26, the horizontal length of the slit hole 19a and the width K in the moving direction of the supply film 17
Is appropriately set, the toner supply amount is set to an appropriate amount. Reference numeral 29 denotes a toner introduction unit 1 of a process cartridge (not shown) for transferring the toner discharged from the slit hole 19a.
The cover 29 is provided with an opening 29 a below the cover 29, and corresponds to the position of the toner introduction unit 12.

FIG. 2 shows a toner replenishing apparatus having such a configuration.
As shown in FIG. 4, it is held by a guide plate (not shown) attached to the main body front side plate 30 and the main body rear side plate 31. Reference numeral 18b, which is integrated with the cradle 18, is a hole which engages with a positioning pin provided on a front plate (not shown). Reference numeral 33 denotes a stopper for preventing the toner replenishing device 41 from shifting. Attached to the guide plate. Therefore, the toner replenishing device of this embodiment includes a mechanism portion including a case 18a and movable parts such as a bottle holding member 16 built therein, a toner bottle 14 detachable from the mechanism portion, and a driving unit. 13.

In the above configuration, first, the toner bottle 1
The operation at the time of setting 4 will be described. As shown in FIG. 24, when the toner bottle 14 is set on the receiving table 18,
The protrusion 14b at the bottom of the toner bottle 14 is the joint 1
The bottle 14 is positioned by entering the positioning hole 13b of 3c, and the head of the bottle 14 engages with the bottle holding member 16 respectively. At this time, the setting of the toner supply device 41 is completed by the stopper 33 being pressed against the front surface of the receiving table 18.
When the handle 26 is turned in the direction of arrow A (downward), the cam portion 26a pulls the slide shaft 27 in the direction of arrow C as shown in FIG. 25, and the shaft 23 also starts moving in the direction of C. The collet chuck 21 is the cylindrical case 2
As a result, the collet chuck 21 starts closing and the cap 15 is picked. In this state, when the movement in the direction C further proceeds, the cap 15 of the toner bottle 14 is removed by the collet chuck 21, and the toner in the toner bottle 14 flows into the case 18a, as shown in FIG. But,
When the amount of toner in the toner bottle 14 is small, the toner does not flow out at this time. This state is a state where the setting of the toner supply device is completed.

Next, the operation during toner supply will be described. To supply the toner, the toner density in the process cartridge is detected by a magnetic permeability measurement sensor (not shown), and when the toner density falls below the reference density, the drive unit 13 shown in FIGS. 23 and 24 operates to rotate the joint 13c in the B direction. Let it. Then, the joint 13c is connected to the projection 1 at the bottom of the bottle.
4a, the toner bottle 14 rotates. When the toner bottle 14 rotates, as shown by the arrows in FIGS. 25 and 26, the toner is discharged from the toner discharge port 5 and accumulates in the case 18a. At the same time, the rotation of the toner bottle 14 is transmitted to the holding member 16 via a rib 16b integral with the bottle holding member 16, and the replenishment film 17 is slid and rotated on the inner wall surface of the case 18a. As shown in (1), the toner accumulated in the case 18a is scraped up. When the supply film 17 passes through the slit hole 19a of the elastic member 19, the toner is pushed out from the slit hole 19a as shown by an arrow. At this time, when the replenishment film 17 is protruded from the slit hole 19a, the toner accumulated near the end of the slit hole 19a and the end of the opening 18c is pushed out. The extruded toner falls in the cover 29, passes through the opening 29a below the cover 29, and replenishes the toner into the process cartridge from the toner introduction unit 12 of the process cartridge as shown by an arrow in FIG. Is done.

At this time, similarly to the operation of the above-described embodiment, the toner is collected in the central supply film 17, and a sufficient amount of toner is supplied to the opening 18c. Further, since the replenishment auxiliary film 17a scrapes off the area other than the area where the replenishment film 17 is scraped in the case 18a, the replenishment film 17 is efficiently scraped off.

[0025]

As described above, according to the first aspect, the replenishment auxiliary member for scraping the toner from the inner wall of the toner container near the toner replenishing portion is provided at both ends of the replenishing member. By reducing the amount of toner that escapes from both ends of the member, a sufficient amount of toner can be supplied to the toner supply port by the supply member, and the supply amount of toner can be stabilized. Further, since the toner is efficiently scraped off, the remaining toner in the toner container can be reduced.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, in the replenishment assisting member, a toner scraping surface of the replenishing auxiliary member moves in a moving direction.
Since the toner is provided so as to be located forward of the scraping surface of the replenishing member, the toner of the replenishing auxiliary member flows to the replenishing member, and the amount of toner that is regulated by the toner replenishing port is equal to or more than the amount of toner supplied to the replenishing member. And the supply amount can be stabilized. Further, according to the first aspect , the supply member and the supply auxiliary member are made of a flexible plate material, and are provided so as to be in sliding contact with the inner wall of the toner supply port in a bent state. since the length of the supply assisting member is shorter than the reinforcing member, supply assisting member is smaller deflection amount in a state of contact with the inner wall, supply assisting member is now precedes more replenishment member in the direction of movement, replenishing The amount can be stabilized. Further, by using a flexible plate material, the toner can be effectively scraped off.

According to the second aspect , the supplementary auxiliary member is
The toner squeezing surface precedes the squeezing surface of the replenishing member in the movement direction, and is inclined so that the toner flows toward the replenishing member. Therefore, the toner is effectively collected toward the replenishing member. And the toner supply amount can be stabilized. According to the third aspect , the replenishing member and the replenishing auxiliary member are made of a flexible plate material, and are provided so as to be in sliding contact with the inner wall of the toner replenishing port in a bent state. The shape of the member is such that the side on the replenishing member side is longer than the opposite side and the tip side is inclined, so that when the replenishing auxiliary member slides with the inner wall of the toner replenishing port bent while sliding, In the direction
Claims that the toner is inclined so as to flow toward the replenishing member.
The same effect as that of No. 2 can be obtained. Further, by using a flexible plate material, the toner can be effectively scraped off. According to the fourth aspect , the replenishing member and the replenishing auxiliary member are formed by making two parallel cuts in one flexible plate, and a replenishing member is provided at a central portion and replenishing both side portions thereof. since the auxiliary member, according to claim one point component
The features 1 to 3 can be achieved, and can be easily assembled, which contributes to simplification of the configuration and cost reduction.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is an internal configuration diagram of a developing unit showing an embodiment to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a relationship between a toner supply device and a developing unit according to the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the structure of the toner supply device.

FIG. 4 is an exploded perspective view of the toner supply device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a plan view showing an agitator of the toner supply device.

FIG. 6 is a side view showing an agitator of the toner supply device.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view taken along line EE of FIG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of the toner supply device.

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a relationship between a toner storage container and a toner supply member.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a relationship between a toner storage container and a toner conveying member.

FIG. 11 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between a supply member and a toner supply port.

FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram showing operations of a supply member and a supply auxiliary member.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an operation in the case of using only a supply member.

FIG. 14 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment in which a replenishing member and a replenishing auxiliary member are integrated.

FIG. 15 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment in which the supply member is longer than the supply auxiliary member.

FIG. 16 is a perspective view showing a state where the embodiment of FIG. 14 is attached to a toner supply member.

FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the embodiment in FIG.

FIG. 18 is an explanatory view showing an embodiment in which the tip of the replenishment assisting section is inclined.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view showing a state where the embodiment of FIG. 17 is attached to a toner supply member.

FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram showing the operation of the embodiment in FIG. 17;

FIG. 21 is a front view of specific components in which a replenishing member and a replenishing auxiliary member are integrated.

FIG. 22 is a side view of a specific part in which a replenishing member and a replenishing auxiliary member are integrated.

FIG. 23 is an exploded perspective view showing another embodiment of the toner supply device.

FIG. 24 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of the toner supply device of FIG. 21;

FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where toner is discharged from a toner storage container by the toner replenishing device of FIG. 21;

FIG. 26 is a sectional view showing the operation of the toner supply device of FIG. 21;

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 5 toner supply device 6 toner supply port 10 toner supply member 11 toner storage container 38 supply member 38a supply auxiliary member

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] A toner supply member provided at one end in a longitudinal direction of the toner storage container; a toner supply member having a supply member made of an elastic material attached to a tip for scraping toner from the toner supply port; A rotation driving unit for rotating the toner replenishing member , wherein a toner scraping amount of the toner replenishing member is set to be larger than a toner discharge amount regulated by an opening area of the toner replenishing port. at both ends of the reinforcing member, the replenishment auxiliary member for scraping toner from said toner accommodating container the inner wall of the toner replenishing member near provided, the supply assisting member, the scraping surface of the toner, the mobile
In the direction, ahead of the scraping surface of the replenishing member
The supply member and the supplementary auxiliary member have flexibility.
It is made of plate material and is bent to the inner wall of the toner supply port.
Is provided so as to be in sliding contact with the
The toner supply device is shorter than the supply member.
Place. 2. The replenishing auxiliary member, wherein a toner scraping surface of the replenishing auxiliary member is provided ahead of the replenishing member scraping surface in a moving direction, and is inclined so that the toner flows to the replenishing member side. The toner replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein: 3. The replenishing member and the replenishing auxiliary member are made of a flexible plate, and are provided so as to slidably contact the inner wall of the toner replenishing port in a bent state. shape, claims that replenishing member side edge is longer than the opposite sides, the tip sides and being inclined
Item 3. The toner supply device according to Item 2 . 4. The replenishing member and the replenishing auxiliary member are formed by cutting two parallel cuts in a single flexible plate material, the central portion being a replenishing member, and the both sides being replenishing auxiliary members. 4. The toner replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein: