JPH0456310B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION <Technical Field> The present invention relates to a shaft drive device for a toner replenishing device that drives the shaft of a toner replenishing device that is detachably attached to a developing tank of a copying machine.

<Prior Art> In a developing device of a copying machine, toner is replenished from a container containing toner to a developing tank as needed. In this case, when the container of the toner replenishing device runs out of toner, the toner storage container is filled with the toner or the toner replenishing device is replaced with a new toner replenishing device. In this case, in order to simplify the filling or replacement of toner, it is possible to provide a toner replenishing device removably with respect to the developer tank, for example.
It is publicly known from Publication No. 36845 and the like.

In such a device, in order to replenish toner, it is necessary to connect the rotational force from the drive unit to a means for replenishing toner, but if this connection is not done properly, not only will toner replenishment be impossible, but
The toner replenishing device is not properly installed, making it impossible to perform copying operations.

As described above, mounting the toner replenishing device has become extremely troublesome.

<Purpose of the Invention> Therefore, in the present invention, in response to the above-mentioned toner replenishing device, the toner replenishing device and the drive unit on the copying machine main body side are easily connected each time it is replaced.
The purpose of the present invention is to provide a device that can perform this process reliably.

<Example> Hereinafter, the configuration of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

First, a toner replenishing device to which the present invention is applied will be explained.

FIG. 1 shows a developing device, in which 1 is a photosensitive drum. A developer tank 2 is installed on the side around the photosensitive drum 1, and one side of the developer tank 2 is open to the photosensitive drum 1. The developer tank 2 is also provided with a hole. The numeral 3 fitted in the hole is a toner supply container, which is hollow inside and filled with toner.

A rotatable shaft 4 is installed at the bottom of the toner supply container 3, that is, the part that fits into the hole, from one end to the other end along the longitudinal direction of the toner supply container 3. The outer periphery of this shaft 4 is formed of a porous material, and the toner in the toner supply container 3 is supplied to the developer tank 2 side by rotation.

Now, the shaft drive device of this embodiment serves to rotationally drive the shaft 4 of the toner supply container 3.

This embodiment will be explained below using FIG. 2.

In the same figure a, 4 is the aforementioned shaft, and an attached shaft 4' protrudes from the tip of one end of the shaft 4 along the insertion direction of the toner replenishing device, and a front side of the attached shaft 4'. Attached is a pin 5 constituting a connecting portion that is connected to the driving device side of the copying machine main body that extends perpendicularly to the axial direction of the attached shaft 4'.

Further, a driving device 6 supported by frames 10, 10' is installed at a distance from the side of the shaft 4.

The drive device 6 has a gear 7 which rotates by engaging a gear 11 connected to a drive motor (not shown). The shaft 4 of the gear 7
A protrusion A protruding from the frame 10 is installed on the side opposite to the frame 10, and a groove K is provided on the front surface of the protrusion A, the size of which allows the pin 5 to fit therein. Further, on the side of the gear 7 on which the protrusion A is not installed, a rod B which is the drive shaft itself is provided.
are connected to each other, and are locked to the frame 10' by a ring 9. Further, a spring 8 is wound around the rod B, and one end of the spring 8 is fixed to the gear 7 and the other end is fixed to the frame 1.
0', and when rotated, it acts to push the gear 7 forward, that is, closer to the shaft 4. Further, as shown in the figure, the rod B, which is the drive shaft itself, is movable in the direction of attaching and detaching the rotating shaft 4 of the toner supply container 3 to the frame 10', and is also movable to some extent in the direction orthogonal thereto. It is installed with a margin of .

Note that when the spring 8 is compressed, it is shortened by a distance l as shown in the figure.

Now, the connection between the shaft 4 of the toner supply container and the drive device 6 after the toner supply container is set will be described.

As described above, the drive device 6 is fixed to the frames 10, 10', and the shaft 4 of the toner supply container is inserted into the drive device 6 in the fixed position (as shown in FIG. 2a). (in the direction of the arrow x).

At this time, the pin 5 of the attached shaft 4' of the shaft 4 comes into contact with the protrusion A of the drive device 6, and if it does not fit into the notch K of the protrusion A (FIG. 2b), the protrusion Press A in the direction of travel.

Therefore, the protrusion A, the gear 7 connected thereto, and the rod B also move by a distance l in the direction of the arrow x. At this time, the spring 8 acts in a direction opposite to the x direction due to its physical elastic force.

In this way, when the toner motor starts rotating and the gear 7 rotates, the protrusion A also rotates, and the notch K of the protrusion A is inserted into the pin 5.
It will rotate to the inserted position. Then, as shown in FIG. 2c, the pin 5 fits into the notch K, and the protrusion A moves forward by the distance l it retreated by the elastic force of the spring 8.

Now, the shafts 4, 4' of the toner supply container and the drive device 6 are engaged, and rotation is transmitted.

In addition, the above embodiment is improved so that the pin 5 is connected to the shaft 4'.
It is also possible to have a structure in which the pin 5 protrudes only on one side, so that the notch K of the protrusion A includes the pin 5 in an upward or downward direction with respect to the running direction of the pin 5.

In addition, the rod B constituting the drive device 6 of this embodiment is attached to the frames 10, 1 as described above.
0', so that the shaft 4 and the drive device 6
Even if the two are connected with their center lines slightly shifted, there will be no problem in transmitting the rotational drive.

<Effects> As explained above, according to the toner replenishing device of the present invention, there is no installation failure and the replenishing device can be replaced very easily. The connection of the two will also be ensured.

In particular, even if the mounting direction of the rotating shaft is slightly misaligned, the drive side can move to compensate for the misalignment, and since the center lines of the rotating shaft and the drive-side shaft are aligned, there is no strain on the connecting part, and transmission is smooth. Become.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a developer tank and a toner replenishment device of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied, and FIGS. 2a, b, and c are explanatory diagrams of a shaft drive device of the toner replenishment device according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is. 2...Developer tank, 3...Toner supply container, 4,
4'... shaft, 5... pin, 6... drive device, 7...
...Gear, 8...Spring, 9...Ring, 1
0,10'...Frame, A...Protrusion, B...
Rod body, K...notch part.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A toner replenishing device that is removably installed in a developer tank disposed at a predetermined position in a copying machine main body and includes a rotating shaft for replenishing toner to the developer tank, a connecting portion provided at the tip of the rotating shaft along the mounting direction of the toner replenishing device and configured to transmit rotational force; and a tip formed in a shape to be coupled to the connecting portion;
A drive unit is provided to be movable in the axial direction on the frame on the side of the copying machine main body, is supported to a certain degree of movement in a direction perpendicular to the frame, and is driven to rotationally drive the rotating shaft via the connecting portion. A drive shaft is integrally provided with a gear that meshes with a gear connected to a motor even during movement, and the drive shaft is biased in the opposite direction to the mounting direction of the toner replenishing device and can be compressed by mounting the toner replenishing device. A shaft drive device for a toner replenishing device, comprising: a biasing means;