JP6452034B2 - Stirring member and developer container - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a stirring member and a developer container.

  As the stirring member, for example, in Patent Document 1 below, a stirring member that rotates around a rotating shaft and stirs the object to be stirred, protrudes outward from the rotating shaft, and the axis of the rotating shaft. And a second thin wall portion disposed so as to face the stirring thin portion across the rotation shaft and extending along the axis of the rotation shaft. A stirring member is disclosed.

  Further, for example, in Patent Document 1 below, a developer carrying body having a magnetic field generating means therein and carrying and transporting a two-component developer containing toner and a magnetic carrier is carried on the developer carrying body. A regulating member that regulates the layer thickness of the developer, and a toner containing portion that contains toner therein and has a toner replenishing port facing the developer carrying member upstream of the regulating member in the developer transport direction, In the developing device that takes in the toner from the toner replenishing port to the developer by the movement of the developer carried on the developer carrying member, a toner replenishing unit that replenishes the toner replenishing port while stirring the toner in the toner containing portion. In the invention of the developing device, which is composed of a body portion made of a rigid body and a wing portion made of a flexible member, toner replenishing means as a stirring member is disclosed.

JP 2002-132032 A

  If the thickness of the thick portion of the stirring member does not become thinner as it reaches the tip, the stirring member receives all the force from the developer.

  It is an object of the present invention to provide a stirring member and a developer container that can reduce the driving load on the stirring member as compared with the case where the tip of the thick wall portion does not become thin.

  The present invention according to claim 1 is a rotating shaft that is rotated, and a thick portion provided on the rotating shaft along the axial direction of the rotating shaft, the side being opposite to the rotating shaft in the radial direction And a thin portion provided in the radial direction of the rotation shaft from the thick portion and provided downstream from the center of the thick portion in the rotation direction. The stirring member has a thin portion thinner than the thick portion, and the rotating shaft, the thick portion, and the thin portion are integrally molded.

  The present invention according to claim 2 is the stirring member according to claim 1, wherein a tip of the thin portion opposite to the thick portion is curved.

  The present invention according to claim 3 is the stirring member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the thick part is provided with at least one opening.

  The present invention according to claim 4 is a developer container provided with the stirring member according to any one of claims 1 to 3.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the driving load on the stirring member can be reduced as compared with the case where the tip of the thick portion is not thinned.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to disperse the force of pressing the toner against the inner wall of the cartridge as compared with the case where the tip of the thin portion opposite to the thick portion is not curved.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the driving load on the stirring member can be reduced as compared with the case where the thick portion is not provided with the opening.

  According to the fourth aspect of the present invention, the driving load on the stirring member can be reduced as compared with the case where the tip of the thick portion is not thinned.

1 is a side sectional view showing an image forming apparatus according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 2A is a longitudinal sectional view of the developer cartridge according to Embodiment 1, and FIG. 2B is a sectional view taken along the line IIB-IIB in FIG. 2A. 3 is a perspective view of a stirring member according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 4A is a plan view of the stirring member according to Embodiment 1, and FIG. 4B is a side view from one side. FIG. 5A is a side view for explaining a usage mode of the stirring member of Embodiment 1, FIG. 5B is a side view showing another example of the stirring member, and FIG. 5C is a side view showing still another example of the stirring member. It is. FIG. 6A is a side view showing a stirring member according to Embodiment 2, and FIG. 6B is a side view showing another example of the stirring member.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. However, the embodiment shown below exemplifies a stirring member and a developer container for embodying the technical idea of the present invention, and is not intended to specify the present invention. Other embodiments within the scope of the claims are equally applicable.

  FIG. 1 shows an image forming apparatus 10 in which a stirring member 70 according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention is used. The image forming apparatus 10 includes an image forming apparatus main body 12. A paper feeding device 14 is disposed below the image forming apparatus main body 12, and a paper discharge unit 16 is disposed above the image forming apparatus main body 12. Is formed.

  The paper feeding device 14 includes a paper tray 18, and a large number of sheets are stacked on the paper tray 18. A feed roll 20 is disposed on the upper end of the paper tray 18, and a roll 22 is provided facing the feed roll 20. The uppermost sheet on the sheet tray 18 is fed out by the feed roll 20, and the sheet is turned and conveyed by the cooperation of the feed roll 20 and the cutting roll 22.

  The sheet conveyed from the sheet tray 18 is temporarily stopped by the registration roller 24, and discharged at a predetermined timing between a photosensitive unit 26 and a transfer unit 28, which will be described later, and through a fixing device 30 by a discharge roller 32. 16 is discharged.

  In the image forming apparatus main body 12, a photosensitive unit 26, a transfer unit 28, a power supply unit 34, and a control unit 36 are arranged. For example, four photoreceptors 40 are rotatably supported in the photoreceptor unit 26. Around each photoconductor 40, a charging device 42 as a charging means provided with a charging roll for uniformly charging the photoconductor 40, and a latent image written on each photoconductor 40 is developed with a developer (toner). A developing device 44 as a developing means, a static eliminating device 46 for neutralizing the photoreceptor 40 after transfer, and a cleaning device 48 as a developer removing means for removing the developer remaining on the photoreceptor 40 after the transfer. Have

  Developer cartridges 50 as four developer containers are connected to the back side of the photosensitive unit 26. Each developer cartridge 50 is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus main body 12 on the side surface of the image forming apparatus main body 12. Each developer cartridge 50 is for magenta (M), yellow (Y), cyan (C), and black (B), and a developer supply section 52 and a developer collection section 54 are integrated. Has been. The developer supply unit 52 is connected to the developing device 44 to supply each color developer to the developing device 44, and the developer collecting unit 54 is connected to the cleaning device 48 to collect each color developer.

  Each of the optical writing devices 56 is composed of a laser exposure device, and is arranged at a position corresponding to each photoconductor 40 on the back side of the photoconductor unit 26, and irradiates the uniformly charged photoconductor 40 with a laser. Thus, a latent image is formed.

  The transfer unit 28 is on the front side of the photoconductor unit 26 and is arranged in the vertical direction facing the photoconductor unit 26. In the transfer unit 28, a conveyance belt 60 is hung on two support rolls 58 provided in the vertical direction. Further, a transfer roll 62 is provided so as to face each photoconductor 40 with the conveyance belt 60 interposed therebetween. The photosensitive unit 26 can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus main body 12 by tilting the transfer unit 28.

  Therefore, each photoconductor 40 is uniformly charged by the charging device 42, a latent image is formed by the optical writing device 56, and the latent image is visualized by the developer by the developing device 44. The developer images formed on the respective photoreceptors 40 are transferred onto the conveyed paper by the transfer roll 62 of the transfer unit 28 in order from below, and are fixed on the paper by the fixing device 30.

  Next, the developer supply unit 52 of the developer cartridge 50 will be described with reference to FIG. The developer supply section 52 of the developer cartridge 50 has a cartridge main body 64. The cartridge main body 64 is made of, for example, a resin and has an outer shape of, for example, a cylindrical shape. In the direction of the central axis of the developer supply unit 52, a rotating shaft 72 that constitutes the stirring member 70 is rotatably supported on both sides of the cartridge main body 64. The rotating shaft 72 receives a driving force from a driving source, and the stirring member 70 rotates counterclockwise as indicated by an arrow in FIG. 2B. A discharge port 68 is formed in the vicinity of one end of the cartridge body 64. When the developer cartridge 50 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 12, the discharge port 68 opens a shutter (not shown) and communicates with the developing device 44 described above, so that the developer cartridge 50 is connected to the image forming apparatus main body. When it is pulled out from 12, it is closed by the shutter so that the developer does not leak outside.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the stirring member 70 according to the first embodiment is formed by integrally forming a resin material such as polypropylene (PP) by a molding method such as injection molding. The rotating shaft 72 is configured to receive a driving force, a thick portion 78 provided in the radial direction of the rotating shaft 72, and a thin portion 86 provided in the thick portion 78.

  As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the rotary shaft 72 is long and has a cylindrical shape having a predetermined diameter, and is supported by the cartridge main body 64 at both ends of the rotary shaft main body 74. It is comprised by a pair of support part 76 made. A thick portion 78 is provided on a part of the outer periphery of the rotary shaft main body 74 of the rotary shaft 72. Note that the entire rotation shaft 72 or the rotation shaft main body 74 is not limited to a cylindrical shape, and may be a polygonal shape such as a square shape as long as it is rotatable.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the thick portion 78 has a rectangular shape and a rectangular parallelepiped shape with a thickness narrower than the diameter of the rotating shaft main body 74 of the rotating shaft 72. One long side of the rectangular parallelepiped shape of the thick portion 78 is provided along the axial direction of the rotary shaft main body 74. That is, the thick portion 78 is provided perpendicular to the axial direction of the rotating shaft. A thin portion 86 is provided on the other long side of the thick portion 78.

  The thick portion 78 has at least one opening 80 (three in the first embodiment), and the rotary shaft main body 74 and the thin portion 86 are connected between the openings 80. A plurality of column bodies 82 are provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the thin-walled portion 86 has a rectangular surface and a rectangular parallelepiped shape that is thinner than the thick-walled portion 78. The long side of one side of the rectangular parallelepiped shape of the thin portion 86 is provided along the length direction of the thick portion 78, and is provided along the upstream surface side of the thick portion 78 in the rotation direction. Yes. The thin portion 86 is provided horizontally with respect to the thick portion 78. The long side of the other side of the thin portion 86 is a free end, and the end 88 is formed in a curved surface.

Further, the thin portion 86 is formed with a notch 90 across a portion that becomes a boundary with the thick portion 78. The notches 90 are formed so as to be inclined in the direction in which the developer is conveyed to the discharge port 68 by rotating the stirring member 70. That is, when the stirring member 70 is attached to the cartridge main body 64, the stirring member 70 is inclined with respect to the discharge port 68 provided in the cartridge main body 64 so as to approach the side where the discharge port 68 is provided as the distance from the rotation shaft 72 increases. Yes.

  In addition, the portion that becomes the boundary between the thick portion 78 and the thin portion 86 is gradually upstream from the portion where the thin portion 86 is provided on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the thick portion 78 toward the rotating shaft 72. A chamfered portion 84 is formed so that the thickness of the thin portion 86 is increased to the thickness of the thick portion 78. In the first embodiment, the chamfered portion 84 is formed to be inclined.

  A usage mode of the stirring member 70 will be described. In the developer cartridge 50, as shown in FIG. 2B, the stirring member 70 rotates in a state where the long side opposite to the rotation shaft hits the inner surface of the cartridge body 64 and is deformed. The cross section of the cartridge body 64 in a direction orthogonal to the axial direction is circular.

  The deformation when the stirring member 70 rotates in the cartridge main body 64 is not limited to the deformation as shown in FIG. 2B, and the length of the stirring member 70 in the radial direction is longer than that shown in FIG. 2B. Further, a part of the stirring member 70, for example, the upstream side in the rotation direction of the thin portion may be rotated so as to stick to the inner periphery of the cartridge main body 64.

  When the stirring member 70 according to the first embodiment is rotated in the cartridge main body 64, the developer in the cartridge main body 64 is stirred by the thick portion 78 and the thin portion 86 of the stirring member 70. At this time, in the stirring of the stirring member 70, the thickened portion 78 stirs the developer that has been largely solidified by the column 82 and the opening 80 while crushing, and the thinned portion 86 stirs the developer as the rotary shaft 72 rotates. Stir in the circumferential direction.

  At this time, since the boundary between the thick wall portion 78 and the thin wall portion 86 is an inclined chamfered portion 84, the developer flows along the inclined chamfered portion 84, so that the downstream side of the rotating shaft 72 in the rotation direction is rotated. The resistance received is reduced (see FIG. 5A). Further, since the end portion 88 of the thin portion 86 is formed in a curved shape, the pressure in the portion in contact with the inside of the cartridge main body 64 is dispersed.

  Further, due to the cut 90 formed in the thin portion 86, the developer is conveyed toward the discharge port 68 provided in the cartridge main body 64 as the rotating shaft 72 rotates.

  In the stirring member 70 of the first embodiment, the chamfered portion 84 has an inclined linear shape. However, the shape is not limited to this, and a shape that reduces the resistance of the developer on the downstream side in the rotation direction during stirring, for example, FIG. A curved chamfered portion 84 ′ may be formed in the thick portion 78 ′ of the stirring member 70 ′ shown (see FIG. 5B).

  Moreover, in Embodiment 1, although the front-end | tip 88 of the thin part 86 formed in the curved surface shape demonstrated the case where it was made into semicircle shape as shown in FIG. 4B, not only this but as shown to FIG. The tip 88 ″ upstream of the thin portion 86 ″ of the stirring member 70 ″ in the rotational direction may be curved. In FIG. 5C, the tip 88 ″ is curved by 90 degrees upstream of the rotational direction. Yes.

  Furthermore, the height in the radial direction of the rotating shaft of the thick part and the thin part can be changed according to the size of the cartridge body to which the stirring member is attached. Therefore, the height of the thin portion may be lower than that of the thick portion, and the height of the thin portion may be higher than that of the thick portion.

  Next, the manufacturing method of the stirring member 70 of Embodiment 1 is demonstrated. In the manufacturing method of the stirring member 70 according to the first embodiment, for example, a mold in which the shape of the stirring member is cut is filled with a resin material, and the rotating shaft, the thick portion, and the thin portion constituting the stirring member are integrated by injection molding To form.

  As an example of the manufacturing method, first, a die cut into a shape of a stirring member to be molded is prepared. The die cutting of the mold has a rotating shaft molding region where the rotating shaft of the stirring member is molded, a thick portion molding region where the thick portion is molded, and a thin portion molding region where the thin portion is molded. The rotating shaft molding region and the thick portion molding region, and the thick portion molding region and the thin portion molding region are connected to each other. At this time, the upper mold and the lower mold are formed so that the mold is divided into upper and lower parts, and when the upper mold and the lower mold are combined, the shape of the stirring member It is die-cut to be

  Next, a resin material is injected into the die-cut region of the mold that combines the upper side and the lower side. Then, it cools and removes a metal mold | die and takes out the shaping | molding stirring member. In this way, a stirring member in which the rotating shaft, the thick part, and the thin part as shown in FIG. 3 are integrated is manufactured.

[Embodiment 2]
In the stirring member 70A of the second embodiment, the rotating shaft 72, the thick portion 78A, and the thin portion 86A are integrally formed as in the stirring member 70 of the first embodiment. However, as shown in FIG. 6A, the thin portion 86A. Is provided at the central portion in the thickness direction of the long side of the thick portion 78A. That is, the thin portion 86A is provided at a position away from the upstream surface in the rotation direction of the thick portion 78A and the downstream surface in the rotation direction.

  Then, as shown in FIG. 6A, the stirring member 70A according to the second embodiment is arranged in the direction of the rotation axis 72 from the portion where the thin portion 86A is provided on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the thick portion 78A of the stirring member 70A. A first chamfered portion 84Aa is formed so as to gradually increase in thickness toward the thick portion 78A. At this time, the first chamfered portion 84Aa of the second embodiment is formed to be inclined. Note that the opposite side of the first chamfered portion 84Aa across the thin portion 86A, that is, the upstream side in the rotational direction is stepped.

  As another example of the stirring member 70A of the second embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6B, the thin portion of the first chamfered portion 84Aa provided on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the thick portion 78A ′ of the stirring member 70A ′. A second chamfered portion 84Ab symmetrical to the first chamfered portion 84Aa may be formed on the opposite side across 86A ′, that is, on the upstream side in the rotational direction. At this time, the second chamfered portion 84Ab is formed to be inclined.

  Further, the first chamfered portion 84Aa is not limited to a linear shape, and may be formed in a shape that reduces the resistance of the developer on the downstream side in the rotation direction, for example, a curved shape (see FIG. 5B of Embodiment 1).

  Moreover, although the stirring member of Embodiment 2 showed the case where a thin part was formed in the center part of the thickness direction of a thick part, as shown in FIG. 5, it is not restricted to this, The rotation direction of a stirring member It may be shifted to the upstream side or downstream side of the.

  In addition, since the other structure of the stirring member of Embodiment 2 is common in the structure of the stirring member of Embodiment 1, the same code | symbol is attached | subjected to a common structure and detailed description is abbreviate | omitted.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10: Image forming apparatus 12: Image forming apparatus main body 14: Paper feeding apparatus 16: Paper discharge part 18: Paper tray 20: Feed roll 22: Rolling roll 24: Registration roller 26: Photoreceptor unit 28: Transfer unit 30: Fixing apparatus 32: Paper discharge roller 34: Power supply unit 36: Control unit 40: Photoconductor 42: Charging device 44: Development device 46: Charge removal device 48: Cleaning device 50: Developer cartridge 52: Developer supply unit 54: Developer recovery unit 56: Optical writing device 58: Support roll 60: Conveying belt 62: Transfer roll 64: Cartridge main body 68: Discharge port 70, 70A: Stirring member 72: Rotating shaft 74: Rotating shaft main body 76: Support portion 78, 78A: Thick wall Part 80: Opening part 82: Column body 84, 84 ': Chamfer part 84Aa: 1st chamfer part 84Ab: 2nd chamfer part 6,86A: thin-walled portion 88: end 90: notch

Claims (6)

A rotating shaft to be rotated;
A thick portion provided on the rotary shaft along the axial direction of the rotary shaft, and on the opposite side of the rotary shaft in the radial direction, a thick portion having a thickness that decreases as it becomes a tip,
The thick wall portion is provided in the radial direction of the rotation shaft from the radial tip of the rotation shaft, and the thick wall portion in the rotation direction of the rotation shaft is upstream from the center of the connection surface connected to the rotation shaft. A thin-walled portion that is thinner than the thick-walled portion,
The thin portion has a notch formed in a direction in which the developer is conveyed to the discharge port by rotation of the rotation shaft,
A stirring member in which the rotating shaft, the thick part, and the thin part are integrally molded. A rotating shaft to be rotated;
A thick portion provided on the rotary shaft along the axial direction of the rotary shaft, and on the opposite side of the rotary shaft in the radial direction, a thick portion having a thickness that decreases as it becomes a tip,
The thick wall portion is provided in the radial direction of the rotation shaft from the radial tip of the rotation shaft, and the thick wall portion in the rotation direction of the rotation shaft is upstream from the center of the connection surface connected to the rotation shaft. A thin-walled portion that is thinner than the thick-walled portion,
The thin-walled portion has a notch formed to be inclined so as to approach the side where the discharge port is provided as the distance from the rotation axis increases.
A stirring member in which the rotating shaft, the thick part, and the thin part are integrally molded.   The stirring member according to claim 1 or 2, wherein a tip of the thin portion opposite to the thick portion is curved. The stirring member according to claim 1, wherein the thick portion is provided with at least one opening. A developer container body having a discharge port for discharging the developer;
A stirring member disposed in the developer container body,
The stirring member is
A rotating shaft to be rotated;
A thick portion provided on the rotary shaft along the axial direction of the rotary shaft, and on the opposite side of the rotary shaft in the radial direction, a thick portion having a thickness that decreases as it becomes a tip,
The thick wall portion is provided in the radial direction of the rotation shaft from the radial tip of the rotation shaft, and the thick wall portion in the rotation direction of the rotation shaft is upstream from the center of the connection surface connected to the rotation shaft. A thin-walled portion that is thinner than the thick-walled portion,
The thin portion has a notch formed in a direction in which the developer is conveyed to the discharge port by rotation of the rotation shaft,
A developer container in which the rotating shaft, the thick portion, and the thin portion are integrally molded . A developer container body having a discharge port for discharging the developer;
A stirring member disposed in the developer container body,
The stirring member is
A rotating shaft to be rotated;
A thick portion provided on the rotary shaft along the axial direction of the rotary shaft, and on the opposite side of the rotary shaft in the radial direction, a thick portion having a thickness that decreases as it becomes a tip,
The thick wall portion is provided in the radial direction of the rotation shaft from the radial tip of the rotation shaft, and the thick wall portion in the rotation direction of the rotation shaft is upstream from the center of the connection surface connected to the rotation shaft. A thin-walled portion that is thinner than the thick-walled portion,
The thin-walled portion has a cut formed to be inclined so as to approach the side where the discharge port is provided as the distance from the rotation axis increases.
A developer container in which the rotating shaft, the thick portion, and the thin portion are integrally molded .

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