JP2001201926A - Developer storing vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a developer storing vessel making the toner dirt possible to be reduced as well as making the sealing property improved at the replacing time, and moreover, making recovery/recycle performance improved by making the space of the vessel reducible. SOLUTION: An open part of the toner storing vessel 20 is covered by plural sealing members 31 and 32 where slits 33 and 34 are respectively formed for pulling out and insertion of a nozzle 51 in order to discharge the toner. Positions of the sealing member 31, the sealing member 32, and slits 33 and 34 are all different from each other.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a container for storing an agent such as a toner or a developer comprising a toner and a carrier, and a developer container having at least one opening in the container. is there.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art It is well known that a toner container, such as a toner bottle or a toner cartridge, for storing toner is set in an image forming apparatus main body, and toner is supplied from the container to a developing unit. In this type of toner container, the toner outlet is closed with a cap or a seal, and the user has to remove the cap or the seal when replacing the container. However, such work has been avoided by the user because it causes toner scattering and toner contamination. Therefore, various measures have been conventionally taken to make the replacement operation of the toner storage container more comfortable. And suggestions have been made.

For example, a container in which a toner outlet of a toner container is provided with a self-closing stopper has already been proposed. In such a toner container, without removing a cap or a seal,
It can be set in the device.

[0004]

However, in the above-mentioned toner container with a self-closing cap, the toner is easily spilled or scattered from the self-closing cap at the time of replacement. And the installation / storage environment is affected by temperature and humidity, and the quality of the stored toner tends to deteriorate.

[0005] The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems,
It is an object of the present invention to provide a developer container capable of reducing toner contamination at the time of replacement and improving the hermeticity of the container, and furthermore, reducing the volume of the container and improving collection / recyclability.

[0006]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a developer container having an opening for discharging a powdery developer contained therein, wherein the opening is provided with a developer. A plurality of seal members are provided with slits through which an insertion member for discharging a sheet is inserted and withdrawn, and one of the seal members is different in position of the slit from at least one other seal member. .

According to the present invention, a slit is formed in the seal member so as to pass through the center of the opening, and at least one other slit is formed.
It is effective if one of the seal members is formed with a slit apart from the center of the opening.

Further, according to the present invention, the plurality of sealing members are formed of foamed sponge, and at least one of the sealing members is provided.
It is effective if one is made of a non-breathable material. Furthermore, the present invention is effective when the seal member made of the non-breathable material is a seal made of a compressed foamed sponge.

Further, the present invention is effective when the sealing member made of the non-breathable material is a seal made of a non-breathable film.

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram showing a toner replenishing mechanism using a toner container as a developer container according to the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a part of a developing device on which the toner is replenished. is there.

Referring to FIG. 1, in an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method, an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier 1 is developed as a toner image by a developing device 10. This developing device 10
The toner is supplied from the toner container 20 containing the toner as the developer container via the powder pump means 40 and the transfer tube 16 as the developer transferring means.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the developing device 10 includes a developing sleeve 11 opposed to the photosensitive member 1.
And the first stirring screw 12 and the second stirring screw 13
And are provided. The developer in the developing device 10 is circulated by the first stirring screw 12 from left to right in FIG. 3 and by the second stirring screw 13 from right to left. During this circulation, the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor 1 is developed by the developer transferred to the developing sleeve 11 in the middle of the transport path. Reference numeral 18
Denotes a toner density sensor.

As shown in FIGS. 2 to 4, the developing device 10 is provided with a powder pump means 40 on the upper part thereof, and the powder pump means 40 is provided with a suction type uniaxial eccentric screw pump 41. . The screw pump 41 has a rotor 42 formed in an eccentric screw shape with a rigid material such as a metal, and an elastic body such as a rubber.
A stator 43 is formed and fixed and installed in the form of a threaded screw, and a holder 44 made of a resin material or the like that wraps the stator 43 and forms a powder conveyance path. In this embodiment, the gear 1 is integrally connected to the first stirring screw 12 and is drivingly connected to a driving device (not shown).
6 and a gear 45 integrally connected to a drive shaft 43a connected to the rotor 42 by a pin joint. The gear 45 is provided with an electromagnetic clutch 46 as an on-off means for interrupting the rotational drive by the gear 16. It is interposed.

Incidentally, the first and second stirring screws 12 and 13 are driven to rotate at all times during image formation. Therefore, the single-axis eccentric screw pump 41 and the first stirring screw 12 are integrally connected and driven. Then, the toner is replenished when the first stirring screw 12 is driven, and cannot be applied to a developing device that replenishes the toner based on the developer density control.

The drive transmission to the screw pump 41 is controlled by the electromagnetic clutch 46, so that the developing device 10
The present invention can be applied to a developing device of a system that controls so as to keep the developer concentration in the inside constant. In the case of this embodiment, the magnetic permeability detector 18 is provided in the developing device 10, and the detector 18 detects a change in the mixing ratio of the toner and the carrier in the developing device 10. Then, the electromagnetic clutch 46 is turned on, and the single-axis eccentric screw pump 41 is operated to supply toner. Then, when the concentration of the developer in the developing device 10 reaches a predetermined concentration, the electromagnetic clutch 46 is turned off, and the screw pump 41 does not operate even if the first stirring screw 12 is driven to rotate, and toner is not supplied. The developing device 10 may employ an appropriate method such as detecting the reflection density of the toner image formed on the photoconductor and controlling the toner replenishment amount.

The screw pump 41 includes a rotor 42
A strong self-suction force is generated by the rotation of, and toner can be sucked from the toner storage container 20. The sucked-in toner is transferred into the developing device 10 by the supply hole 17 formed between the screw pump 41 and the first stirring screw 12, and during the transfer process when the two-component developing system is used. The toner replenished with the developer is mixed with the developer in the developing device 10 with stirring, so that a uniform developer concentration and an appropriate charge amount are obtained. The developing device includes a deaeration hole 14a and the deaeration hole 14a.
The filter 14 is provided so as to deaerate only air from the developing device 10, suppress the pressure increase of the device at the time of development, stabilize toner replenishment, and prevent toner scattering from the developing device. I have. The tube 15 connected to the suction part of the single-axis eccentric screw pump 41 is a flexible tube having a diameter of, for example, 4 to 10 mm and is made of a rubber material having excellent toner resistance (for example, polyurethane, nitrile, EPDM, silicon, etc.). It is very effective to use those that have been used.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory sectional view showing a main part of the toner replenishing mechanism. Reference numeral 50 denotes a set portion in which the toner container 20 provided in the main body of the image forming apparatus is set. The set portion 50 is provided with a nozzle 51 as an insertion member which is inserted into the toner storage container 20 extending almost directly upward and can be integrated or detached, but is fixed in position. The nozzle 51 is formed in a cylindrical shape, is provided with a toner receiving port 53 following a pointed portion 52 provided at an upper portion, the toner receiving port 53 is provided at a shaft core portion, and the tube 15 is provided at a distal end. It continues to the connected toner discharge path 54.

As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, (a), (b), and (c) of FIG. 6, the toner container 20 includes an outer box 21 serving as a protective case, and the toner housed in the outer box 21. It is configured as a back-in-box type having a bag 22. The outer box 21 is made of a rigid material such as paper, cardboard, resin or the like, and has an inner space in which the toner bag 22 can be fitted with almost no gap.

The toner bag 22 has a base member 23 integrally or fixedly provided at the lower center thereof. The toner bag 22 is made of a flexible sheet material (thickness of about 80 to 125 μm) made of resin or paper, such as polyethylene or nylon, in a single-layer or multi-layer configuration, and is made of air made like origami. In the form of a sealed bag-like container with no inflow or outflow.

The toner bag 22 is formed in a shape narrowed down from a suitable middle portion in the vertical direction toward the base member 23 at the bottom in order to facilitate discharge of the toner. If the narrowed portion is broken, a large amount of toner remains. For this reason, a sheet-like reinforcing member 24 having a high rigidity as shown in FIG. 6C is attached to the inclined portion of the toner bag 22 at a position above the base member 23 by bonding or the like. This sheet-like reinforcing member 24
It is advantageous in terms of recycling to use the same material as the toner bag 22 but with the increased thickness or the same material as the outer box 21. Applying an Al vapor deposition treatment to the surface of these sheet materials is effective for measures against static electricity and moisture.

The base member 23 is, as shown in FIG.
The body case 25 is made of a resin such as polyethylene or nylon, and has a funnel shape toward an opening formed substantially at the center thereof. The opening is for discharging toner, and the sealing means 30 is fitted and mounted in this opening. It is desirable that the main body case 25 be made of the same material or the same material as the sheet material of the toner bag 22 from the viewpoint of recycling.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing the structure of the sealing means 30. The sealing means 30 includes a plurality of, in this example, two, disk-shaped sealing members 31 and 32.

The seal member 31 is formed with a penetrating slit 33 of a cross crossing at the axis. In contrast,
The seal member 32 is formed with a cross-shaped penetrating slit 34 that crosses at a position shifted from the axis, that is, at an eccentric position. The length of the slit 33 of the sealing member 31 is the same as the outer diameter of the nozzle 51 shown in FIG. One of the slits 34 of the seal member 32 is formed to have the same diameter of the circle A as the seal member 31, and the other is inscribed in the circle A but shorter than that. These seal members 31 and 32 are attached at positions shifted in phase so that the respective cross-shaped slits 33 and 34 do not overlap. In this case, the sealing members 31 and 3
2, and the seal member 32 and the case 25 are bonded at positions outside the slit forming circle A by bonding means such as a double-sided adhesive tape. The material of the seal members 31 and 32 is made of an elastic material such as foamed sponge, and a material having excellent toner resistance, very low air permeability, and excellent creep strength is used. Specifically, a polyester-based polyurethane foam ST manufactured by Bridgestone Co., Ltd., and a moltoprene S manufactured by Inoac Co., Ltd.
M65 and SM55 are suitable.

When the toner container 20 is loaded into the set section 50, the slits 33, 3 of the seal members 31, 32 are provided.
4 is pushed out in the axial direction by the nozzle 51. Also,
When the toner storage container 20 is detached from the setting unit 50, the slits 33 and 34 that have been expanded are restored to the original state,
It functions as a self-closing valve that seals the toner bag 22. Since the slits 33 and 34 of the seal members 31 and 32 are out of phase with each other and the slit 34 is eccentric, the slit 33 of the seal member 31 is sealed by the seal member 32. Therefore, the opening for discharging the toner is securely sealed in the toner storage container 20, and the toner does not scatter to the outside from the slit 33 when the toner is not loaded.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, a seal member 35 is provided on the seal member 32.
Is provided. The seal member 35 is formed in a thin disk shape made of a non-breathable material, for example, a polyester film with a thickness of 25 to 50 μm, and is provided with a through slit 36 having the same shape as the slit 33 of the seal member 31. ing. The seal member 35 is attached to the seal member 32 at a position that does not affect the slit by an adhesive means such as a double-sided adhesive tape.

With this configuration, the airtightness of the toner bag 22 and the prevention of toner scattering can be further enhanced. The sealing member 35 made of a non-breathable material includes the sealing member 31,
A compressed foamed sponge made by compressing an ordinary foamed sponge in the thickness direction by using a material 32 can be used, and is effective in improving the airtightness of the toner bag 22 as in the above embodiment. As a specific example of the compression foaming sponge,
Bridgestone Polyester Polyurethane Foam ST or INOAC Moltoprene SM65, SM
55 1/2 compressions were effective.

The toner container 20 constructed as described above
Since the toner container 20 can be replaced by pushing or pulling it into the nozzle 51, the operability at the time of replacement is good. At the same time, at the time of replacement, toner scattering and contamination can be prevented by the effects of the seal members 31, 32, and 35 described above. In addition, since the toner container 20 has a good sealing property, the toner in the toner container is
The protection and maintenance of the toner quality characteristics can be achieved without being affected by the toner. Further, since the sealing method has a simple configuration, it contributes not only to simplification and cost reduction of the toner storage container 20, but also to simplification of the toner replenishing device, cost reduction, and improvement of machine maintenance.

Further, since the outer box 21 has rigidity, the operability when loading / unloading the toner storage container 20 from / to the set portion of the image forming apparatus is facilitated, and the toner characteristics in the toner storage container 20 are damaged. It is also effective for prevention (protection and maintenance of toner quality characteristics).

Further, in the present invention, it is possible to use a flexible toner container in which the base member 23 and the toner bag 22 formed by a blow molding method or the like have an integral structure, and it is not against the intention of the present invention. Needless to say.

FIGS. 6B and 6C show the toner container 2.
The state when the toner is filled in 0 is shown.
When the container in this state is loaded into the set section 50 and the toner replenishing operation is performed, the toner in the toner storage container 20 receives the suction pressure generated by the powder pump means 40 and the gravity of the toner as shown in FIG.
, And is transferred from the toner receiving port 53 provided at the tip of the nozzle 51 to the powder pump 41 via the toner discharge path 54 and the tube 15. Then, the toner is supplied to the developing device 10, and every time this operation is repeated, the internal pressure in the toner container 20 is gradually reduced.

The toner storage container 20 has a toner bag 22
However, if the toner bag 22 is made of a material or a structure that deforms with a pressure smaller than the suction pressure generated by the powder pump means 40, that is, is a flexible bag, the toner bag 22 balances with the atmospheric pressure according to the depressurizing action. To keep it, the volume of the toner bag 22 is reduced. That is, the volume of the toner bag 22 is reduced according to the toner supply.

In the toner container 20 of the present invention, the toner bag 22 is made of a flexible material, and a sheet-like reinforcing member 24 is provided in a part thereof. Therefore, the volume of the toner bag 22 is reduced as the toner is continuously supplied. According to the depressurizing action of the toner storage container, the toner bag 22
As shown in (2), when the volume is reduced from the upper portion and the volume is reduced, the sheet-like reinforcing material 24 moves to the inside of the container while maintaining its shape with the lower portion as a fulcrum.

The toner stored in the toner bag 22 of the toner storage container 20 moves without staying in one place due to the volume reducing action and the gravity of the toner, and the toner is discharged when the toner is replenished. Make up the space inside.

Since a large mechanical stress is not applied to the toner in the bag, toner aggregation does not occur, and even if a toner having poor fluidity is used, the occurrence of a crosslinking phenomenon in the toner container 20 is prevented. Regardless of the amount of toner stored in the toner bag 22, the toner physical properties can always be maintained in a stable state, and stable toner replenishment can be achieved. The stored toner is discharged without being left in the toner bag 22. Further, the toner bag 22 of the toner storage container 20
When the toner has run out, the volume of the toner is greatly reduced as compared to when the toner is full.

As described above, the sheet-like reinforcing member 24 is
Since the lower part is used as a fulcrum to move inside the container while maintaining its shape, the space on the lower toner discharge side is maintained when the container is reduced in volume, and toner discharge is not hindered, so that more reliable toner discharge can be obtained. Since the toner in the toner bag 22 is discharged by the suction-type powder pump, there is almost no residual toner, so that it is economical and the treatment of the used toner container can be performed safely and sanitarily.

The used toner container 20 is placed in an outer box 21.
And the toner bag 22 can be easily disassembled, the outer box 21 can be folded, and the toner bag 22 is flexible, so that the container is less bulky than conventional hard bottles such as cartridges and bottles. Is good,
It has the advantage of not taking up storage space for transportation and storage. Furthermore, the used outer box 21 and the toner bag 22
The toner is taken from the user to the maker and recycled / reused or incinerated. However, the toner storage container 20 can be made very small because the hard material is only the base member 23 as described above, and the container can be arbitrarily rounded or folded. The advantage of good handling during transportation and storage, and the advantage of not taking up storage space during transportation and storage (not bulky) is further increased, and the cost of collection and distribution from the user to the manufacturer can be significantly reduced. Become.

The present toner replenishing device only needs to connect a flexible toner transfer pipe to the developing device of the image forming apparatus, and there is no scattering of toner. In addition, since there is no restriction on the installation position and location of the toner replenishing device with respect to the developing device, the toner replenishing device can be provided in a place where the user can easily operate the toner storage (supply) container at the time of replacement.

Although the preferred embodiment of the present invention has been described above, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, but can be variously modified. For example, the developer storage container is not limited to toner, and may be a developer including a toner and a carrier.
It is a matter of course that one component can be used.

Furthermore, although the nozzle 51, which is the insertion member of the above embodiment, has a circular cross section, the shape may be an ellipse, a polygon, or the like. However, in the case of a polygon, a regular polygon and a rounded corner are used. It is preferable to attach

[0040]

According to the first and second aspects of the present invention, the airtightness of the container can be improved, and the leakage of the agent can be prevented when the insertion member is loaded or unloaded.

According to the third to fifth aspects, the airtightness of the container can be further improved, so that the above-described effects can be obtained more reliably.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a toner replenishing mechanism using an agent container according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a partial plan view of an end of the developing device shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a partial plan view of the developing device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a side view of the developing device shown in FIG.

FIG. 5 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a relationship between a toner storage container and a powder pump unit.

6A and 6B show a toner storage container according to the present invention, wherein FIG. 6A is an external view, FIG. 6B is an explanatory view showing a state where a part of an outer box is removed,
(C) is an external view of the toner bag.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a seal portion showing one embodiment of the toner container according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory plan view of FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a seal portion showing another embodiment of the toner container according to the present invention. .

FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram showing a reduced volume state of the toner container according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 20 toner container 22 toner bag 23 base member 30 sealing means 31, 32, 35 sealing member 33, 34, 36 slit 51 nozzle

Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Junichi Matsumoto 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Nobuo Iwata 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company F term (reference) 2H077 AA03 AA05 AA14 AA15 AA25 AA35 AB02 CA12

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A developer container having an opening for discharging a powdery developer stored therein, wherein the opening is formed with a slit through which an insertion member for discharging the developer is inserted / removed. A developer container covered with a plurality of seal members, wherein one of the seal members has a different slit position from at least one other seal member. 2. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein a slit passing through the center of the opening is formed in the seal member, and a slit distant from the center of the opening is formed in at least one other seal member. A developer accommodating container characterized by being made. 3. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of seal members are made of foamed sponge, and at least one of the seal members is made of a non-breathable material. Developer container. 4. The developer storage container according to claim 3, wherein the seal member made of the non-permeable material is a seal made of a compressed foamed sponge. 5. The developer container according to claim 3, wherein the seal member made of the non-permeable material is a non-permeable film seal.