JP2001194879A - Toner replenishing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent an image forming device inside and its peripheral environment from being soiled by toner by preventing the toner from leaking, at the time of attaching a toner replenishing device to the developing device with a simple structure. SOLUTION: In the toner replenishing device, the tip part of a center part of a sealing part 6 is deformed to closely attach to a mouth part 2 of the toner container 1, at the time of attaching the mouth part 2 of the toner container 1 to the container receiving part 4, by forming the sealing part 6 disposed on the container receiving part 4 for attaching the mouth part 2 of the toner container 1 in a disk shape with elastic material, and forming it so as to be furnished with an opening whose diameter is smaller than an outside diameter of the mouth part 2 of the toner container 1 in a center part.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to toner replenishment for supplying toner to a developing device from a toner container containing powder or liquid such as dry toner or wet toner used in an electrophotographic copying machine, printer, facsimile, or the like. BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a device, and more particularly, to preventing toner from spilling outside and soiling the periphery when toner is supplied.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine using an electrophotographic system, a developing device attaches toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive member to visualize the electrostatic latent image. Various toner containers are used to store powder such as toner and various liquids to be supplied to the developing device. In order to prevent the powder or liquid from leaking out of the container during storage or transportation of the toner container storing the powder or liquid, for example, as shown in FIG. The mouth part 2 of the toner container 1 having the above is sealed with an inner cap 3. Then, as shown in, for example, JP-A-7-43999, when the mouth 2 of the toner container 1 is mounted on the container receiving portion 4 of the toner supply unit of the developing device, the inner cap 3 is provided on the developing device. It is moved by a certain distance by grasping with the cap inner plug attaching / detaching means and opening the mouth 2 of the toner container 1,
The toner in the toner container 1 is supplied to the developing device. In order to prevent the toner supplied from the mouth 2 of the toner container 1 from spilling around the toner container 1 or inside the image forming apparatus and becoming contaminated, as shown in FIG. 5 is provided with a seal portion 6 made of, for example, flat rubber, and the tip of the seal portion 6 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1 so that the attachment portion 5 of the container receiving portion 4 and the mouth portion of the toner container 1 are formed. 2 is sealed.

[0003]

However, in order to seal the space between the container receiving portion 4 of the toner replenishing unit and the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1, as shown in FIG. It is not sufficient to seal the front end of the toner container 1 only by pressing the outer peripheral surface of the opening 2. The toner, which is fine particles, leaks out around the toner container 1 and contaminates the inside of the image forming apparatus. I will make it dirty.

[0004] The present invention has improved the disadvantages, and has a simple structure to prevent toner leakage when the toner is mounted on a developing device.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a toner replenishing device capable of preventing the inside of an image forming apparatus and the surrounding environment from being stained with toner.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a toner replenishing apparatus in which a toner container for replenishing toner is mounted and toner is supplied to a developing device. The seal portion is formed in a disc shape with an elastic material in the portion, and a seal portion having a hole having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the mouth of the toner container is provided at the center.

[0006] It is preferable that the thickness of the disk-shaped seal is gradually reduced toward the center.

[0007]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A seal portion provided on a mounting portion of a container receiving portion for mounting a mouth portion of a toner container of a toner replenishing unit of the present invention is formed in a disk shape with rubber or a rubber-based composite material. The hole has a smaller inner diameter than the outer diameter of the mouth of the toner container, and is formed so that the thickness gradually decreases toward the center.

When the mouth of the toner container is inserted into the container receiving portion, the center of the seal provided on the mounting portion of the container receiving portion is pushed by the mouth of the toner container, and the mouth of the toner container is pushed into the container receiving portion. When it is attached to the toner container, the tip of the center of the seal portion is deformed by being in close contact with the tip surface of the mouth portion of the toner container. The area of the seal portion which is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the toner container and in close contact with the mouth of the toner container is increased. By increasing the area of the seal portion in close contact with the mouth portion of the toner container, the sealing property between the seal portion and the mouth portion of the toner container is enhanced, and the toner is reliably shielded. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the toner from adhering around the toner container and leaking to the outside when the toner in the toner container is being supplied.

[0009]

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view showing the structure of an embodiment of the present invention. As shown in the figure, a seal portion 6 provided on a mounting portion 5 of a container receiving portion 4 of a toner supply unit of a developing device is formed of an elastic material such as rubber or a rubber-based composite material in a disk shape. It has a hole 61 with an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the first mouth portion 2 and is formed so that the thickness gradually decreases toward the center side.

In the container receiving portion 4, the opening 2 of the toner container 1 is provided.
Is inserted, the central portion of the seal portion 6 provided on the mounting portion 5 of the container receiving portion 4 is pushed by the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1, and the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1 is attached to the container receiving portion 4. ,
As shown in the cross-sectional view of FIG. 2, the tip of the center of the seal portion 6 is closely attached to the tip of the mouth 2 of the toner container 1 and is deformed.
A portion outside the portion of the seal portion 6 that is in close contact with the tip of the mouth portion 2 is in close contact with the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 2 of the seal portion 6, and the toner container 1
The area of the seal portion 6 that is in close contact with the opening 2 is increased. When the central portion of the seal portion 6 is brought into close contact with the mouth portion of the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1 as described above, the seal portion 6 is formed of an elastic material so that the thickness gradually decreases toward the center side. Therefore, the central portion of the seal portion 6 can be easily deformed, and the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1 is securely sealed by the seal portion 6. The mouth 2 of the toner container 1 of the seal 6
The sealing area between the seal portion 6 and the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1 is enhanced by increasing the area in close contact with the toner container, and the toner is reliably shielded. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the toner from adhering around the toner container 1 and leaking to the outside when the toner in the toner container 1 is being replenished.

In the above embodiment, when the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1 is mounted on the container receiving portion 4, the front end portion of the seal portion 6 provided on the mounting portion 5 at the center side is used as the front end of the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1. Although the case where the sealing is performed by closely contacting the surface and the outer peripheral surface thereof has been described, as shown in FIG.
The central portion of the seal portion 6 is deformed and adheres to the step and the outer peripheral surface of the seal portion 6 to increase the area of the seal portion 6 in close contact with the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1. As shown in FIG. 3B, the central portion of the seal portion 6 is deformed and closely attached to the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1, and the seal portion 6 is formed.
The area in close contact with the mouth 2 of the toner container 1 may be increased.

Further, when the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1 is mounted on the container receiving portion 4, if the outer peripheral surface of the mouth portion 2 of the toner container 1 is coated with silicone oil, the seal portion 6 and the toner container 1 The sealing performance between the opening 2 and the opening 2 can be further improved.

[0013]

As described above, according to the present invention, the seal portion provided on the container receiving portion for mounting the mouth portion of the toner container is formed in a disk shape with an elastic material, and the seal portion is formed at the center portion outside the mouth portion of the toner container. Since it is formed to have a hole with an inner diameter smaller than the diameter, when the mouth of the toner container is attached to the container receiving portion, the tip of the center of the seal portion can be deformed and brought into close contact with the mouth of the toner container. As a result, the area of the seal portion that is in close contact with the mouth of the toner container can be increased to improve the sealing property between the seal portion and the mouth of the toner container. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the toner from adhering around the toner container and leaking to the outside when the toner in the toner container is being supplied.

Further, by forming the seal portion so that the thickness gradually decreases toward the center, the center portion of the seal portion can be easily deformed, and the mouth portion of the toner container can be reliably formed by the seal portion. Can be sealed.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partial sectional view showing the configuration of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial cross-sectional view showing a state where a mouth of a toner container is mounted on a container receiving portion.

FIG. 3 is a partial sectional view showing another sealing state.

FIG. 4 is a side view illustrating a state where the toner container is attached to the toner supply unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

1; toner container, 2; mouth, 4; container receiver, 6; seal.

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A toner replenishing apparatus for replenishing toner to a developing device by mounting a toner container for replenishing toner, wherein a disc-shaped container made of an elastic material is formed in a container receiving portion for mounting a mouth of the toner container. And a seal portion having a hole having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the mouth of the toner container. 2. The toner replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein said seal portion is formed so that a thickness thereof gradually decreases toward a center side.