EP0699971B1 - Toner container - Google Patents
Toner container Download PDFInfo
- Publication number
- EP0699971B1 EP0699971B1 EP19950112954 EP95112954A EP0699971B1 EP 0699971 B1 EP0699971 B1 EP 0699971B1 EP 19950112954 EP19950112954 EP 19950112954 EP 95112954 A EP95112954 A EP 95112954A EP 0699971 B1 EP0699971 B1 EP 0699971B1
- Authority
- EP
- European Patent Office
- Prior art keywords
- toner
- container
- replenishment
- roller
- opening
- Prior art date
- Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
- Expired - Lifetime
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Classifications
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G21/00—Arrangements not provided for by groups G03G13/00 - G03G19/00, e.g. cleaning, elimination of residual charge
- G03G21/10—Collecting or recycling waste developer
- G03G21/12—Toner waste containers
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
- G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
- G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
- G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
- G03G15/0865—Arrangements for supplying new developer
- G03G15/0867—Arrangements for supplying new developer cylindrical developer cartridges, e.g. toner bottles for the developer replenishing opening
- G03G15/0868—Toner cartridges fulfilling a continuous function within the electrographic apparatus during the use of the supplied developer material, e.g. toner discharge on demand, storing residual toner, acting as an active closure for the developer replenishing opening
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
- G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
- G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
- G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
- G03G15/0865—Arrangements for supplying new developer
- G03G15/0875—Arrangements for supplying new developer cartridges having a box like shape
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
- G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
- G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
- G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
- G03G15/0877—Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit
-
- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G15/00—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern
- G03G15/06—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing
- G03G15/08—Apparatus for electrographic processes using a charge pattern for developing using a solid developer, e.g. powder developer
- G03G15/0822—Arrangements for preparing, mixing, supplying or dispensing developer
- G03G15/0877—Arrangements for metering and dispensing developer from a developer cartridge into the development unit
- G03G15/0881—Sealing of developer cartridges
- G03G15/0886—Sealing of developer cartridges by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug
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- G—PHYSICS
- G03—PHOTOGRAPHY; CINEMATOGRAPHY; ANALOGOUS TECHNIQUES USING WAVES OTHER THAN OPTICAL WAVES; ELECTROGRAPHY; HOLOGRAPHY
- G03G—ELECTROGRAPHY; ELECTROPHOTOGRAPHY; MAGNETOGRAPHY
- G03G2215/00—Apparatus for electrophotographic processes
- G03G2215/06—Developing structures, details
- G03G2215/066—Toner cartridge or other attachable and detachable container for supplying developer material to replace the used material
- G03G2215/0685—Toner cartridge or other attachable and detachable container for supplying developer material to replace the used material fulfilling a continuous function within the electrographic apparatus during the use of the supplied developer material, e.g. toner discharge on demand, storing residual toner, not acting as a passive closure for the developer replenishing opening
Definitions
- This invention relates to toner containers particularly for assembly with developing devices employed in image forming apparatus applied as facsimile sets, printers, copiers or composite machines having functions for forming an image by using powder toner.
- electrophotographic apparatuses electrostatic recording apparatuses or like indirect toner image recording systems, in which toner image is formed through development of electrostatic latent image written by exposure means on a photosensitive drum or a photosensitive belt and is transferred via the photosensitive drum or the photosensitive belt onto recording sheet.
- direct toner image recording systems in which toner image is formed directly onto recording sheet from by causing toner to fly out from a toner carrier roller through energization control of a matrix-like mesh electrode according to image information, the mesh electrode being disposed between the toner carrier roller and a back electrode with the recording sheet passed thereby.
- waste toner residual toner (hereinafter referred to as waste toner) remaining attached to the photosensitive drum or the like after the toner image transfer, is scraped off with a cleaning blade to be led by conveying means to a toner recovery vessel disposed on the side of a photosensitive drum shaft end or the like.
- waste toner that remains attached to the mesh electrode is removed electrostatically, hydraulically or with mechanical cleaning means to be led to a toner recovery vessel.
- the toner recovery vessel has to be replaced whenever it becomes full of toner.
- the timing of toner recovery vessel replacement is not shown on any display or the like. Therefore, it is possible that printing is continued without knowing that the toner recovery vessel has become full of toner, thus resulting in overflow of toner and contamination of the machine inside.
- various developing devices which include a toner recovery vessel integral with a toner cartridge for replenishing with toner (a toner cartridge with a toner recovery vessel provided thereto being frequently called toner container) so that the toner recovery vessel can be replaced automatically whenever the toner cartridge is replaced.
- Japanese Patent Laid-Open Publication No. JP-A-2 33168 shows a technique concerning the pertaining type of toner container, in which a toner cartridge having a cylindrical shape is partitioned by a partitioning wall such as to form a waste toner recovery section adjacent a longitudinal end of a replenishment toner accommodating section via the partitioning wall.
- the toner container is divided into two sections, i.e., the replenishment toner accommodating section and waste toner recovery section, if it is desired to provide a volume ratio that waste toner can be recovered in the recovery section without overflow in case when toner attached to the photosensitive drum for development is transferred only very slightly and is thus mostly recovered as waste toner, the volume of the replenishment toner accommodating section is inevitably reduced, thus dictating frequent toner container replacement and maintenance operation.
- a toner hopper is coupled via a toner replenishment roller to the top of a developer container accommodating the developer having a predetermined mixture ratio
- a toner concentration sensor is disposed in the developer container for detecting changes in the mixture ratio between the toner and carrier with consumption of toner from the developer container in predetermined electrophotographic developing operation for replenishing the developer container with toner from toner container by controlling the toner replenishment roller according to a detection signal from the sensor.
- a toner replenishment roller in the toner container, that is, construct a detachable toner hopper having a toner container function, thus attaining the volume increase of the toner container while attaining the size reduction of the overall apparatus.
- a substantially conical toner hopper is used to lead toner to a toner replenishment roller section provided at its bottom.
- Such a structure is not only bulky in consideration of the toner accommodation volume, but also toner agglomeration may easily produced around the toner replenishment roller.
- toner replenishment roller for preventing the scattering of toner from an opening part of toner replenishment roller when mounting and dismounting the toner hopper (i.e., toner container), it is necessary to mount a shutter member in the opening part. However, unless the shutter member is mounted effectively, the scattering of toner still takes place when mounting or dismounting the toner hopper.
- the toner cartridge usually has an opening which is provided on its underside and held closed by a tape seal or a shutter member, and toner replenishment is made by peeling off the tape seal or causing opening and closing operations of the shutter member.
- toner is scattered from the separated tape.
- the opening and closing operations have to be caused in an interlocked relation to the toner container side shutter member, thus leading to structure complications.
- toner replenishment roller with a sponge cover is provided at the bottom of the toner container. Therefore, when mounting and dismounting the toner container, toner may be scattered from the toner replenishment roller section.
- the tape seal or shutter member as noted above may be provided at an outlet opening of the toner replenishment roller section. Even so doing, however, leads again to the complication of the structure and, in vain, to the toner scattering.
- a typical toner container with the problems explained above is disclosed in US-5,260,750. It has a replenishment toner accommodation section and a waste toner recovery section.
- the replenishment toner accommodation section has a spiral shaft to supply toner to an opening at one end of the bottom of the toner container. The opening can be opened or closed by a shutter.
- the capacity of the replenishment toner accommodation section is limited by the height of that space in the electro-photographic machine which is provided for the container.
- US-4,647,180 discloses a developing device having a developer resupplying section with an opening at the top of its side wall to supply toner to a developing section. Means are provided for conveying the developer in the developer resupplying section up to the opening in the side wall.
- JP-A-62-186284 discloses a toner cartridge guided by guide pins when placed in an electro-photographic printer.
- JP-A-2-183285 relates to a shutter for an opening at the bottom of the toner supply unit and JP-A-62-201482 discloses a toner hopper having an opening in its bottom wall and a toner feed roller to convey toner through the opening.
- a first embodiment of the invention is applicable particularly to a toner container used with a developing device composed of a plurality of components, which comprises a replenishment toner accommodating section, a waste toner recovery section formed adjacent a longitudinal end of the replenishment toner accommodating section via a partitioning wall, and a toner replenishment roller disposed such as to face a toner inlet of a developer container, and in which the volume ratio between the replenishment toner accommodating section and the waste toner recovery section is set such that no overflow of waste toner occurs even when toner used for development on a photosensitive drum is transferred only in a very small amount and is mostly recovered as waste toner (hereinafter referred to as first embodiment of the invention).
- a toner accommodation space is formed by an inclined wall extending with a downward slope from a toner replenishment roller mounting portion of the replenishment toner accommodating section such that replenishment toner in the toner accommodation space is capable of being pulled up to the toner replenishment roller mounting portion with the rotation of a toner agitating fin.
- the inner surface of the inclined wall defining the toner accommodation space is formed with a raised portion for providing elastic force to the toner agitating fin such that replenishment toner can be pulled upward by the elastic force provided by the raised portion.
- a toner accommodation space is formed with an inclined wall extending with a downward slope from a toner replenishment roller mounting portion of the replenishment toner accommodating section such that the bottom of the toner accommodation space is found below a toner inlet of the developer container.
- the inclined wall has depending positioning pins to be inserted into positioning holes provided on the side of the developer container.
- the replenishment toner accommodating section having a toner replenishment roller mounting portion concentric with the toner replenishment roller and having an arcuate sectional profile to define an arcuate clearance between the toner replenishment roller mounting portion and the toner replenishment roller
- a shutter is disposed in the arcuate clearance such as to open and close an opening of the toner replenishment roller mounting portion by rotating by a predetermined angle in an interlocked relation to an operation of mounting or dismounting the toner container (hereinafter referred to as fourth embodiment of the invention).
- waste toner recovery section is never erroneously left alone since it is integral with the toner container.
- the structure is extremely simplified.
- the toner replenishment roller mounting portion of the replenishment toner accommodating section can be formed not at the bottom but in a middle or upper portion of the toner container.
- the toner accommodation space can be formed such that it extends with a downward slope from the toner replenishment roller mounting portion. Consequently, it is possible to form a sufficient toner accommodation space even when the height of the toner container is reduced.
- toner found at the bottom of the toner accommodation space is fed to the toner replenishment roller, but only replenishment toner having been agitated by the toner agitating fin is fed to the toner replenishment roller mounting portion.
- replenishment toner having been agitated by the toner agitating fin is fed to the toner replenishment roller mounting portion.
- the bottom of the toner accommodation space extending with a downward slope from the toner replenishment roller mounting portion of the replenishment toner accommodating section is found below a toner inlet of the developer container, it is possible that the developer container and the toner container are level in height and, consequently, it is possible to greatly reduce the height of the overall device.
- the toner container can be readily positioned. Besides, since the positioning is made in the neighborhood of the toner replenishment roller, it is possible to accurately align the developer container side toner inlet and the toner replenishment roller side toner feed port to each other, and thus there is no possibility of contamination with toner.
- the toner container has the positioning pins as noted above, it can be installed at a desired position without possibility of tumbling.
- the shutter is disposed by making effective use of an arcuate clearance defined between the toner replenishment roller mounting portion and the toner replenishment roller, that is, since the shutter is disposed in close contact with the outer periphery of the toner replenishment roller, no toner remains in that portion.
- Another embodiment of the invention is applied to a toner container used as a toner replenishment cartridge with a toner replenishment roller controlled for rotation according to a detection signal from a toner concentration sensor.
- the toner container comprises a shutter, which is provided for rotation along the outer periphery of the toner replenishment roller to open and close the opening at predetermined angular positions.
- the shutter has at least one opening end in frictional contact with the outer periphery of the toner replenishment roller.
- a shutter opening end on the downstream side in the direction of rotation of the toner replenishment roller is pressed against the roller periphery.
- the shutter is capable of rotation by a predetermined angle between a position to close an opening and a position to open the opening in an interlocked relation to the mounting and dismounting of the toner container on or from the developer container side.
- the shutter has a mounting sleeve loosely fitted on a shaft of the toner replenishment roller and provided with a pinion gear, that a rack is provided on the side of the developer container such as to extend in the direction of mounting and dismounting of the toner container, and that the shutter is rotatable by a predetermined angle between a position to close the opening and a position to open the opening with the rack and the pinion gear in mesh with each other.
- the shutter since the shutter is disposed along the outer periphery of the toner replenishment roller, that is, since no clearance is formed between the shutter and the outer periphery of the toner replenishment roller, no scattering of toner occurs when opening or closing the shutter or when mounting or dismounting the toner container in an interlocked relation to the opening or closing operation of the shutter.
- the shutter opening end since the shutter opening end is in frictional contact with the roller periphery, toner having been attached to the roller periphery can be reliably scraped off when opening and closing the shutter.
- the toner replenishment roller is suitably a sponge roller with a sponge cover.
- the developer container side is provided with the rack extending in the direction of mounting and dismounting the toner container and that the shutter is rotatable by a predetermined angle between a position to close an opening and a position to open the opening with the rack and the pinion gear in mesh with each other, in an interlocked relation to the operation of mounting the toner container on the developer container, the pinion gear which is provided coaxially with the shutter is meshed with the developer container side rack and rotated from a shutter closing position to a position permitting replenishment of the developer container with toner.
- replenishment with toner can be made.
- the pinion gear is rotated in mesh with the rack, and the shutter is thus rotated and brought back to the initial closing position.
- the toner container according to the invention may also function as toner hopper, or it may function as a replaceable toner cartridge.
- Fig. 1 schematically shows the structure of developing device in an embodiment of the invention.
- Reference numeral 1 designates a photosensitive drum, 2 a developer container, and 3 a toner container having a toner hopper function which is capable of being mounted on and dismounted from the developer container 2.
- a developing sleeve 12 having an inner magnet assembly roller 11 is supported such that it faces the photosensitive drum 1 and can be rotated in the direction shown by arrow.
- a doctor blade 13 is further provided in the developer container 2 on an upstream wall portion thereof in the direction of rotation of the developing sleeve 12.
- a mixer 14 for mixing and agitating carrier and toner is further disposed in the developer container 2.
- a toner concentration sensor 15 is further disposed in the developer container 2 on a lower wall portion thereof facing the mixer 14.
- a toner inlet 16 is formed, which is slit-like and has a length substantially equal to the length of a toner replenishment roller 21 provided in the toner container 3.
- the toner inlet 16 as shown in Fig. 3, has a length equal to about one-fourth of the length dimension of the developer container 2.
- a rack 17 is provided on the side of one end of the toner inlet 16 nearer a toner recovery section 3B.
- a toner replenishment roller drive motor 49 and a drive gear 48 thereof are provided on the opposite side, i.e., on the side of the other end of the toner inlet 16.
- the rack 17 is shown in detail in Fig. 4(A).
- a pinion gear 22 provided in the hopper 3 is meshed with the rack 17, whereby a shutter member 30 provided in the hopper 3 is rotated by a predetermined angle from its position closing a toner feed port 23 to its position with its opening 31 aligned to the toner feed port.
- the developer container 2 has its back formed with a hopper mounting section 19, which is gently inclined downward from the toner inlet 16.
- the hopper mounting section 19 has its intermediate portion formed with a pair of positioning holes 18.
- the hopper 3 has a pair of positioning pins 24 which can be inserted into the positioning holes 18, whereby the hopper 3 is positioned.
- the toner container 3 has a replenishment toner -accommodating section 3A and a waste toner recovery section 3B, these sections 3A and 3B being integral with each other and defined by a partitioning wall 3C, the replenishment toner accommodating section 3A being defined substantially in its longitudinally central portion, the waste toner recovery section 3B being defined adjacent one of its longitudinal ends.
- the top wall of the waste toner recovery section 3B is provided adjacent the end of the toner container 3 with a waste toner recovery port 3D, through which waste toner can be recovered by waste toner recovery mechanism (not shown) provided in the device body.
- the waste toner recovery port 3D may be manually closed with a lid when mounting and dismounting the toner container.
- a lid structure may be provided, which can automatically close the waste toner recovery port 3D at the time of mounting and dismounting operations of the waste toner recovery mechanism.
- Such a structure may be provided by utilizing, for instance, a technique disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 186182/1992 published as JP-A-6 3887.
- the waste toner recovery section 3B is of a volume ratio which is set such that all waste toner can be recovered in it even in case when replenishment toner is used only in a very small amount and mostly deemed to be waste toner.
- the replenishment toner accommodating section 3A as shown in Fig. 1, has a recessed portion 29 having an arcuate sectional profile and constituting the bottom of the hopper 3.
- the slit-like toner feed port 23 is formed in the recessed portion 29.
- Shutter member 30 and toner replenishment member 21 are provided coaxially such that they face the port 23.
- the toner container 3 as shown in Fig. 1, has an inclined wall 35 which extends downward from the end of the arcuate profile of the recessed portion 29 along the hopper mounting section 19, the inclined wall 35 having the pair positioning pins 24 extend downward such as to correspond to the positioning holes 18.
- the positioning pins 24 depend from positions which substantially tri-sect the length of the toner container 3, and their lower end is substantially in level with the lowermost portion of the bottom of the toner container 3.
- the inclined wall 35 defines a toner accommodation space 35A.
- the bottom of the toner container 3 is found below the toner inlet 16 of the developer container 2. Consequently, the developer container 2 is disposed in a substantially triangular front space defined by the inclined wall 35 of the toner container 3, thus providing for substantial height reduction of the device and reduction of ineffective space.
- Toner agitating fins 28a and 28b are disposed in the toner container 3. They each have a fin section 281 having elasticity and a shaft section 282 supporting the fin section 281. They are driven in an interlocked relation to the rotation of the toner replenishment roller 21 via a gear train (not shown).
- the toner agitating fins 28a and 28b are disposed at a lower position and at an upper position along the inclined wall 35.
- the inner surface of the inclined wall 35 is formed with a staircase-like raised portion 36 such as to face the fins 28a and 28b.
- the raised portion 36 has a vertical surface 36a which is found within the radius of rotation of the downstream side toner agitating fin 28a.
- the toner replenishment roller 21 is enclosed by a sponge cover, and it has opposite end shafts 211 and 212.
- the end shaft 211 penetrates a hopper support wall, and its projecting end portion has a driven gear 26 secured thereto.
- the driven gear 26 is meshed with a device body side drive system when the hopper 3 is mounted.
- the other end shaft 212 is rotatably inserted in a crown-like sleeve 301 of the shutter member 30.
- the toner replenishment roller 21 thus can be rotated independently of the shutter member 30.
- the shutter member 30 has a substantially arcuate sectional profile. Its longitudinally central portion has an opening or slit 31 corresponding to the toner feed port 23. It further has opposite end sleeves 301 and 302 having a cylindrical and crown shape, respectively. The end shafts of the toner replenishment roller 21 are rotatably supported in the end sleeves 301 and 302.
- the end sleeves 301 and 302 are rotatably supported in support walls 391 and 392 of the hopper 3.
- the end sleeve 301 of the toner replenishment roller 21 on the side opposite the mounting position of the driven gear 26, which penetrates the support wall 391 of the hopper, has a projecting portion provided with pinion gear 22 secured thereto for meshing with rack 17.
- the pinion gear 22 which is meshed with the rack 17 has a tooth face formed only in an angle range of swinging of the shutter opening 31 from the position, at which the toner feed port 23 is closed, to the position to open the toner feed port or vice versa.
- the inner periphery 303 of the shutter member 30 on the left side of the opening 31, i.e., on the upstream side thereof in the direction of rotation of the toner replenishment roller 21, is formed such that it becomes gradually narrower with the rotation of the toner replenishment roller 21, and its end 31a at the opening 31 is substantially in contact with the toner replenishment roller 21.
- the inner periphery of the shutter member 30 on the right side of the opening 31, i.e., on the downstream side thereof in the direction of rotation of the toner replenishment roller 21, is formed with a protuberance 304 which wedges in the outer periphery of the toner replenishment roller 21 at the end 31b of the opening 31.
- the shutter member 30 has its outer periphery 305 formed along and defining a clearance with the inner periphery of the recessed portion 29 of the hopper bottom such that it is rotatable but as less toner as possible enters the clearance.
- the rack 17 has a number of teeth and a tooth angle necessary for the rotation of the pinion gear 22 by about 90 degrees.
- the pinion gear 22 is rotated clockwise by about 90 degrees, thus bringing the shutter opening 31 into a lower position in alignment with the toner feed port 23 as shown in Fig. 1(B).
- the driven gear 26 of the toner replenishment roller 21 is meshed with the device body side drive system.
- the toner concentration sensor 15 detects changes in the mixture ratio between toner and carrier as toner is consumed from the developer container 2 via the developing sleeve 12 in a predetermined electrophotographic developing operation, and the developer container 2 is replenished with toner from the toner container 3 through control of the toner replenishment roller 21 according to a detection signal from the sensor 15.
- the toner agitating fins 28a and 28b in the toner container are driven in an interlocked relation to the rotation of the toner replenishment roller 21.
- the lower toner agitating fin 28a is driven in frictional contact with the bottom of the toner accommodation space 35A, it is pressed against the vertical surface 36a of the raised portion 36 to be given elastic force.
- replenishment toner is pulled upward onto the top surface 36b of the raised portion 36.
- the upper toner agitating fin 28b is brought to be in frictional contact with the top surface 36b of the raised portion 36, and the toner having been brought onto the top surface 36b is pulled upward into the recessed portion 29 in which the toner replenishment roller is provided.
- replenishment toner which is found at the bottom of the toner accommodation space can be fed to the side of the developer container by the toner replenishment roller after being agitated in two stages by the lower and upper toner agitating fins 28a and 28b.
- the shutter member 30, with its opening 31 on the upstream side has its inner periphery gradually becoming narrower with the rotation of the toner replenishment roller 21, and its opening end 31a is substantially in contact with the toner replenishment roller 21, thus restricting the amount of replenishment toner.
- the toner remaining attached to the toner replenishment roller 21 is scraped toward the opening 31 by the protuberance 304 at the downstream side opening end 31b.
- the scraped toner is allowed to fall into the developer container 2.
- the shutter member is rotated to the closing position while scraping toner off the outer periphery of the toner replenishment roller 21.
- the structure can be extremely simplified.
- the toner concentration can be controlled accurately.
- the developer container and toner container can be made level in height, even by increasing the toner accommodation space it is possible to greatly reduce the height of the device as a whole, and it is readily possible to attain size reduction of the device.
- the toner container can be simply positioned by the positioning pins.
- the toner container can be installed in a desired position without possibility of tumbling or the like, and ready handling can be attained.
- the toner container in case where the toner container is provided with a function of a cartridge, there is no possibility of contamination by toner or complications of the structure. Besides, the toner container can be mounted on and dismounted from the developer container stably and in simple operations.
- the toner replenishment may be made accurately and stably, and the toner container can be removed without leaving toner on the developer container, thus eliminating the contamination of the inside of the device due to dropping of toner.
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- Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- General Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
- Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
- Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
- Environmental & Geological Engineering (AREA)
- Sustainable Development (AREA)
- Dry Development In Electrophotography (AREA)
Description
When the
Claims (8)
- A toner container (3) comprisinga replenishment toner accommodation section (3A), anda waste toner recovery section (3B) formed via a partitioning wall (3C) adjacent the replenishment toner accommodation section (3A),wherein the replenishment toner accommodation section (3A) has a toner accommodation space (35A) and a toner replenishment roller portion (29) having a toner replenishment roller (21) and an opening (23) for feeding toner out of the toner container,
- A container according to claim 1, having two agitating fins (28a, 28b), the top surface (36b) being within the radius of rotation of one agitating fin (28b) and the side surface (36a) of the staircase-like portion (36) being within the radius of the other agitating fin (28a).
- A container according to claim 1 or 2,
wherein the inclined wall (35) has in the orientation of use of the container a depending positioning pin. (24) for insertion into a positioning hole (18) of a developer container (2), wherein the lower end of the positioning pin is substantially in level with the bottom of the toner container. - A container according to any of claims 1 to 3,
wherein a shutter (30) is provided for rotation along the outer periphery of the toner replenishment roller (21) to open and close the opening (23). - A container according to claim 4, wherein the shutter (30) has an aperture (31) one side (31b) of which has a protuberance (304) which wedges into the outer periphery of the toner replenishment roller (21) for scraping off toner attached thereto.
- A container according to claim 5, wherein the other side (31a) of the aperture (31) is substantially in contact with the toner replenishment roller (21).
- A container according to any of claims 4 to 6, wherein the shutter (30) has a mounting sleeve (301) loosely fitted on a shaft (212) of the toner replenishment roller (21) and is provided with a pinion gear (22) adapted to mesh with a rack (17) extending from the side of a developer container (2) into the direction of mounting or dismounting the toner container such that the pinion gear and pack are meshing with each other to rotate the shutter between closing and opening positions relative to the opening (23) upon mounting or dismounting of the toner container.
- A container according to any of claims 1 to 7, wherein rotation of the toner replenishment roller (21) is controlled in accordance with a detection signal from a toner concentration sensor (15) at a developer container (2).
Applications Claiming Priority (3)
Application Number | Priority Date | Filing Date | Title |
---|---|---|---|
JP6230238A JPH0876577A (en) | 1994-08-31 | 1994-08-31 | Toner container |
JP230238/94 | 1994-08-31 | ||
JP23023894 | 1994-08-31 |
Publications (3)
Publication Number | Publication Date |
---|---|
EP0699971A2 EP0699971A2 (en) | 1996-03-06 |
EP0699971A3 EP0699971A3 (en) | 1998-08-05 |
EP0699971B1 true EP0699971B1 (en) | 2001-06-13 |
Family
ID=16904700
Family Applications (1)
Application Number | Title | Priority Date | Filing Date |
---|---|---|---|
EP19950112954 Expired - Lifetime EP0699971B1 (en) | 1994-08-31 | 1995-08-17 | Toner container |
Country Status (3)
Country | Link |
---|---|
EP (1) | EP0699971B1 (en) |
JP (1) | JPH0876577A (en) |
DE (1) | DE69521251T2 (en) |
Families Citing this family (3)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
JP4735946B2 (en) * | 2005-03-14 | 2011-07-27 | 富士ゼロックス株式会社 | Developer cartridge |
EP1821157A3 (en) * | 2006-02-20 | 2013-08-21 | Konica Minolta Business Technologies, Inc. | Toner cartridge, process cartridge, imaging cartridge, and image forming apparatus to which thoses cartridges are attachable |
KR20090126916A (en) | 2008-06-05 | 2009-12-09 | 삼성전자주식회사 | Image forming apparatus, developing device and developer cartridge thereof |
Family Cites Families (11)
Publication number | Priority date | Publication date | Assignee | Title |
---|---|---|---|---|
US4647180A (en) * | 1984-10-25 | 1987-03-03 | Kabushiki Kaisha Toshiba | Developing device and electronic copying apparatus |
JPS61124972A (en) * | 1984-11-22 | 1986-06-12 | Konishiroku Photo Ind Co Ltd | Toner supplementing device |
JPS62186284A (en) * | 1986-02-10 | 1987-08-14 | Nec Corp | Toner cartridge |
JPS62201482A (en) * | 1986-02-28 | 1987-09-05 | Mita Ind Co Ltd | Toner concentration detector for developer |
JPH0233168A (en) | 1988-07-22 | 1990-02-02 | Konica Corp | Toner cartridge for copying machine |
US4993829A (en) * | 1988-10-24 | 1991-02-19 | Konica Corporation | Developing apparatus for an image forming apparatus |
US5121165A (en) * | 1988-10-28 | 1992-06-09 | Mita Industrial Co., Ltd. | Developer unit and a toner hopper for an image forming device |
JPH02183285A (en) * | 1989-01-09 | 1990-07-17 | Sharp Corp | Image forming device |
JPH0336569A (en) * | 1989-07-04 | 1991-02-18 | Matsushita Electric Ind Co Ltd | Electrophotographic device |
JPH04372967A (en) * | 1991-06-21 | 1992-12-25 | Toshiba Corp | Image forming device |
JP3016963B2 (en) * | 1992-06-19 | 2000-03-06 | 京セラ株式会社 | Replacement method of toner collection container in electrophotographic apparatus |
-
1994
- 1994-08-31 JP JP6230238A patent/JPH0876577A/en active Pending
-
1995
- 1995-08-17 DE DE1995621251 patent/DE69521251T2/en not_active Expired - Fee Related
- 1995-08-17 EP EP19950112954 patent/EP0699971B1/en not_active Expired - Lifetime
Also Published As
Publication number | Publication date |
---|---|
DE69521251T2 (en) | 2002-05-16 |
JPH0876577A (en) | 1996-03-22 |
EP0699971A2 (en) | 1996-03-06 |
DE69521251D1 (en) | 2001-07-19 |
EP0699971A3 (en) | 1998-08-05 |
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