JP2006258926A - Agent storage container, agent supply device, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an agent container which can suppress agent contamination during loading and unloading of the container even when stable agent supply is realized by making an agent discharge hole large and whose discharge hole is hardly opened without using a seal member often left unpeeled, an agent supply device, and an image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: The agent container has a toner discharge hole 21 formed in the bottom plate of the container and a shutter 30 which closes the toner discharge hole 21, and is equipped with an engagement recessed portion 31 which opens and closes the shutter 30, an engagement pin 55, and a blindfold plate 35 which hides the shutter etc. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an agent storage container, an agent supply device, and an image forming apparatus.

  In an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copier, or a facsimile, a toner image is formed by a developing device using a developer generally called toner or carrier to form an image. Since toner is consumed with image formation, in the image forming apparatus, a toner container for storing toner, such as a toner bottle and a toner cartridge, is set in the apparatus main body, and the toner is replenished from the container to the developing device using the toner replenishing apparatus. is doing.

  In such a toner replenishing device that sequentially replenishes toner from the toner container to the developing device, it is practically impossible to completely replenish the toner in the toner container. Will remain. To reduce the residual toner, the toner outlet of the toner container should be made as large as possible. However, if the toner outlet is large, the problem of toner scattering tends to occur.

JP 2002-46843 A JP 2004-333705 A

  Incidentally, the tray swinging system described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 can be used as a toner replenishing system that can stably replenish the above-described toner and reduce the residual toner in the toner container at the time of toner end. Attention has been paid. In this tray swinging system, the toner stored in the tray is moved to the discharge port by inertia force by swinging and suddenly stopping, and the discharge port is dropped to discharge the toner without waste. Can do.

  However, even in this tray swinging system, if the toner fluidity deteriorates, supply becomes insufficient due to clogging or the like, and therefore it is desired to increase the toner discharge opening area as much as possible and to set the toner discharge amount as much as possible. Yes.

  However, the larger the opening area of the toner discharge port in the toner container, the higher the risk of toner contamination, and in particular, toner scattering and toner curling are likely to occur when the toner container is attached to and detached from the apparatus body. Thus, there is a contradictory relationship between taking a large toner outlet so that toner can be stably supplied in the toner container and suppressing the occurrence of contamination due to toner scattering and the like, and it is difficult to satisfy both. It was.

  Furthermore, if the toner outlet is accidentally opened by touching the toner container before the conventional toner container is mounted, problems such as toner spillage may occur. In order to prevent such a problem, many new toner containers have their toner discharge ports sealed by a seal member or the like, but this type of container also has a problem that an erroneous setting due to forgetting to remove the seal is likely to occur.

  The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and can prevent agent contamination at the time of container attachment / detachment even when a large agent discharge port is provided to realize a stable agent supply, and a seal that is liable to forget to peel off. An object of the present invention is to provide an agent storage container, an agent replenishing device, and an image forming apparatus in which the discharge port is not easily opened without using a member.

  In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a developer outlet formed in a bottom plate of a container in a toner storage container for storing a toner or carrier used in an electrophotographic process or a developer composed of toner and carrier. And a shutter that closes the discharge port, and a shutter opening / closing mechanism that opens and closes the shutter, and a concealing unit that hides the shutter opening / closing mechanism.

The present invention is effective when the bottom plate is formed in an elongated rectangular shape and the discharge port is provided on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the bottom plate.
Further, according to the present invention, the shutter opening / closing mechanism opens the discharge port following the operation of mounting the developer container on the apparatus main body, and follows the operation of pulling out the developer container from the apparatus main body. It is effective to close the discharge port.

  Furthermore, the present invention provides that the shutter opening / closing mechanism has an engagement recess formed on the left and right side surfaces in the mounting direction of the shutter, and an engagement member provided on the apparatus main body side and engaged with and disengaged from the engagement recess. The engagement member engaged with the engagement recess is effective when the engagement is held by the engagement holding means.

Furthermore, the present invention is effective when the concealing means includes a blindfold that conceals the shutter opening / closing mechanism.
Furthermore, the present invention is effective when the blindfold also conceals the shutter.

Furthermore, the present invention is effective when the blindfold is opened and closed simultaneously with the shutter by the shutter opening and closing mechanism.
In order to achieve the above object, the present invention supports a toner storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 7 or an agent storage container storing a developer composed of toner and carrier on a tray. The developing agent is replenished with the agent stored by swinging the tray.

  Furthermore, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention is characterized by using the agent replenishing device according to claim 8.

  According to the present invention, even if a large agent discharge port is provided to realize stable agent supply, the discharge port can be reliably opened and closed by the shutter in conjunction with the container attaching / detaching operation, and the shutter and the shutter opening / closing mechanism are made difficult to touch. Inadvertent opening of the shutter can be prevented.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating a color printer which is an example of an image forming apparatus. In the image forming apparatus shown here, an intermediate transfer belt 1 as an image carrier is disposed on the upper part of the apparatus body. The intermediate transfer belt 1 is wound around rollers 2 and 3, and one of the rollers is a driving roller. Is driven in the direction of the arrow by being rotated counterclockwise. On the lower running side of the intermediate transfer belt 1, first to fourth image forming units 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d are opposed to each other. The first to fourth image forming units 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d have drum-shaped photoconductors 5a, 5b, 5c, and 5d as image carriers, and magenta toner images and cyan toners on the photoconductors. An image, a yellow toner image, and a black toner image are formed.

  Since the first to fourth image forming units 4a, 4b, 4c, and 4d have substantially the same configuration and operation as those for forming a toner image on the image carrier, the first image forming unit 4a. Only the configuration for forming a toner image on the photosensitive member 5a will be described. The photosensitive member 5a is driven to rotate clockwise in FIG. 1, and at this time, the surface of the image carrier is uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity by the charging roller 6. Next, the charged surface is irradiated with a light-modulated laser beam L emitted from the laser writing unit 7. As a result, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoreceptor 5a, and the electrostatic latent image is visualized by the developing device 8 as, for example, a magenta toner image. In the magenta toner image formed in this way, a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner is applied to the transfer roller 9 disposed with the photoconductor 5a and the intermediate transfer belt 1 interposed therebetween, whereby the magenta toner image on the photoconductor 5a. Is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 1. Untransferred toner that is not transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 1 and remains on the photoreceptor 5 a is removed by the cleaning device 10.

  In exactly the same manner, a cyan toner image, a yellow toner image, and a black toner image are formed on the photoreceptors 5b, 5c, and 5d of the second to fourth image forming units 4b, 4c, and 4d, respectively. The magenta toner image is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 1 on which the magenta toner image has been transferred. The four color toner images formed on the intermediate transfer belt 1 in this way move to the secondary transfer portion provided with the secondary transfer roller 11 facing the rightmost roller 2 in FIG. 1 as the belt travels. .

  On the other hand, a paper feeding unit 12 is provided at the lower part of the apparatus main body, and a recording material P made of transfer paper, for example, is fed in the direction of the arrow from the paper feeding unit 12 by the paper feeding means 13. The fed recording material P is abutted against the registration roller 14 and then sent to the secondary transfer portion of the intermediate transfer belt 1 at a timing at which the toner image is correctly transferred onto the recording material. A voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner on the intermediate transfer belt 1 is applied to the secondary transfer roller 11, whereby the toner image superimposed and transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 1 is transferred onto the recording material P. The recording material P to which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed upward and passes through the fixing device 15, and after the toner image is fixed, the recording material P is discharged to the paper discharge unit 17 on the upper surface of the apparatus main body via the paper discharge roller 16. . Further, after the secondary transfer, the transfer residual toner that has not been transferred to the recording material P is removed by a belt cleaning device 18 disposed with the roller 3 and the intermediate transfer belt 1 interposed therebetween.

  Toner cartridges 20 a, 20 b, 20 c, and 20 d as developer containers containing toner to be supplied to the developing devices 8 a, 8 b, 8 c, and 8 d are provided in a set unit provided between the paper discharge unit 17 and the intermediate transfer belt 1. It is installed. As shown in FIG. 2, the set unit inserts a toner cartridge 20 formed in an elongated rectangular body from an insertion port 19 provided in the apparatus main body along the longitudinal direction. In the present invention, a tray swinging system is adopted in the toner replenishing device from the toner cartridges 20a, 20b, 20c, and 20d to the developing devices 8a, 8b, 8c, and 8d. The principle of the dynamic method will be described.

  In FIG. 3, in the tray swinging method, the toner cartridge 20 having the toner discharge port 21 formed on the bottom plate is fixed to the swinging tray 50 that can move in the direction of the arrow B-C via the roller 66 on the support base 70. A contraction spring 51 is fixed to the support base 70 of the swing tray 50 and attracts the swing tray 50 in the direction of arrow C. The cam 52 is supported by the support base 70, and by rotating in the direction of arrow A, as shown in FIG. 3, the swing tray 50 is moved in the direction of arrow B as shown in FIG. As the second step, as shown in FIG. 4, the cam 52 is opened when the zenith passes, and the swing tray 50 moves while accelerating in the direction of arrow C by the force of the contraction spring 51. As a third step, the swing tray 50 to which the toner cartridge 20 is fixed collides with the support base 70 at a certain speed and stops. At this time, since the toner cartridge 20 suddenly decelerates, there is a large difference in acceleration between the C direction and the B direction of the toner cartridge 20, so that the internal toner moves in the C direction due to inertial force and is discharged from the toner discharge port 21. . The discharged toner is supplied to the developing device 8 by a transfer means (not shown).

  In this way, in the tray swinging system in which the toner is discharged from the toner cartridge 20, when the toner cartridge 20 is set on the swinging tray 50, the toner cartridge 20 is securely locked to the swinging tray 50, and at the same time the toner cartridge. It is necessary to open the 20 toner discharge ports 21 and communicate with the opening 53 of the swing tray 50 so that the toner can be replenished.

  Next, the toner cartridge 20 used in the tray swinging system will be described. As shown in FIG. 5, the toner cartridge 20 includes a container main body 22 inflating a soft transparent material made of, for example, vinyl chloride or the like into a substantially rectangular parallelepiped shape, and , And a rigid bottom plate member 23 attached to the bottom of the container body 22. As shown in FIG. 6, the container body 22 has a discharge port member 24 having a toner discharge port 21 formed on one end in the longitudinal direction on the bottom thereof, that is, the surface facing the bottom plate member 23, and a bottom plate on the other end. A locking member 25 having a locking claw 26 to be locked to the member 23 is fixed. The discharge port member 24 in which the toner discharge port 21 is formed is a thin plate member made of resin, and an O-ring 27 fitted in a mounting groove is provided around the toner discharge port 21. Further, guide grooves (not shown) for slidably guiding a shutter 30 that opens and closes the toner discharge port 21 are formed on the left and right side portions of the discharge port member 24, that is, the side portions parallel to the longitudinal direction. .

  The shutter 30 is slidable in the direction of arrow D in FIGS. 6A and 6B by fitting a hook-shaped portion (not shown) in the guide groove. At this time, the shutter 30 is moved to the O-ring. 27, a certain amount of sliding contact resistance is received at the position in contact with 27, and a certain amount of force is required for the movement. In addition, on the left and right side portions of the shutter 30, engagement recesses 31 to be engaged with engagement pins 55 described later are formed.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the bottom plate member 23 includes a fitting portion 32 into which the discharge port member 24 of the container body 22 is fitted, and a locking portion 33 to which the locking claw 26 of the container body 22 is locked. A handle portion 34 that is gripped when the toner cartridge 20 is attached or detached is provided. The fitting portion 32 is a recess into which the discharge port member 24 is fitted and fitted. The fitting portion 32 is provided with an opening that constitutes a part of the toner discharge port 21 and a blind plate 35 that covers the shutter 30. Yes. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the blindfold plate 35 is made of, for example, a metal thin plate, is attached to the bottom plate member 23 so as to be slidable in the longitudinal direction of the toner container in the same direction as the shutter 30, and is always closed by a spring 36. Since the elastic force in the direction is biased, it is normally held at the closed position. In addition, the handle portion 34 is provided with an operation plate 37 for releasing a lock claw described later when pushed down.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the swinging tray 50 to which the toner cartridge 20 inserted into the apparatus main body is fixed has engaging pins 55 as engaging members on both sides of the bottom surface near the opening 53. It is attached to a guide-shaped guide hole 54 extending in the direction. Each engagement pin 55 is fixed to both ends of the spring 56, is movable in the width direction of the tray, and is elastically biased by the springs 56 toward each other.

  When the toner cartridge 20 is mounted, the engagement pin 55 is locked to the engagement recesses 31 provided on both sides of the shutter 30, so that the shutter 30 is automatically opened and closed according to the attachment / detachment of the toner cartridge 20. Configured to do. At this time, the track is guided by the guide groove 38 provided in the bottom plate member 23 so that the engagement pin 55 does not escape from the engagement recess 32.

  Next, an operation mode when the toner cartridge 20 is mounted on the apparatus main body will be described. The user inserts the toner cartridge 20 into the apparatus main body from the insertion port 19 and mounts it on the swing tray 50. At this time, since only the bottom plate member 23 of the toner cartridge 20 is made of a hard material, both sides of the bottom plate member 23 are guided smoothly by the guide walls 60 provided on the swing tray 50 and inserted smoothly. The toner discharge port 21 is automatically opened following the operation of the toner cartridge 20 just before the toner cartridge 20 is set at the proper position.

This opening operation will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 10 is an explanatory view showing the toner cartridge 20 as viewed from below.
In FIG. 10A, when the toner cartridge 20 is inserted to a position close to a predetermined position, the engaging pin 55 provided on the swing tray 50 enters the guide groove 38 provided on the bottom plate member 23. At this time, the engaging pin 55 is urged by the spring 56 in the direction along the inner wall surface of the guide groove 38 and moves relative to the movement of the toner cartridge 20. That is, as the toner cartridge 20 moves in the direction of arrow D, the engagement pin 55 moves relatively in the direction of arrow D ′. An inclined surface 39 for shifting the engaging pin 55 outward is formed in the guide groove 38. When the inclined surface 39 contacts the engaging pin 55, the engaging pin 55 is moved outward as shown in FIG. Moving. Then, an engaging auxiliary protrusion 40 is formed on the outer wall surface of the guide groove 38 at the end point position of the inclined surface 39. When the engaging pin 55 exceeds the inclined surface 39, as shown in FIG. The pin 55 is urged by the spring 56 to move inward, and hits the engagement assisting protrusion 40 to be surely engaged with the engagement recess 31 of the shutter 30. Although the movement of the toner cartridge 20 is continued by this engagement, the movement of the shutter 30 is stopped, whereby the shutter 30 starts to open, and the toner discharge port 21 is eventually opened. The groove width w of the guide groove 38 is preferably set to such a width that the engagement pin 55 engaged with the engagement recess 31 cannot be removed, as shown in FIG. Further, when the engagement pin 55 can be operated with a finger, the shutter 30 moves and the toner discharge port 21 is opened. Therefore, the width w of the guide groove 38 is a width that the finger cannot enter, for example, 10 mm or less, preferably 4 mm. It is preferable to be about ˜6 mm.

  Further, the blind plate 35 is pushed by the engaging pin 55 against the action of the spring 36 by the movement of the toner cartridge 20 and is released simultaneously with the shutter 30. At this time, the engagement pin 55 pushes the blindfold plate 35 before fitting into the engagement recess 31, so that the blindfold plate 35 is opened slightly ahead of the shutter 30 and the toner cartridge 20 is mounted in the proper position. The shutter 30 and the blindfold plate 35 are completely opened. Since the blindfold plate 35 hides not only the shutter 30 but also the guide groove 38, the width w of the guide groove 38 is inadvertently set by the user so that the user cannot carelessly engage the shutter 30 from the engaging recess 31. It is configured so that it is difficult to move.

  Further, when the toner cartridge 20 is mounted at the proper position, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the insertion plate 57 provided on the swing tray 50 is attached to the lock claw 41 provided on the handle portion 34. It enters into the handle part 34. By inserting the insertion plate 57, the lock claw 41 made of a resin material is locked in a locking hole 58 provided in the insertion plate 57 by its own elasticity. Thus, even when the toner cartridge 20 is locked and the swing tray 50 is vibrated, the toner cartridge 20 is not detached from the tray.

  Since the engaging pin 55 rotates in contact with the wall surface of the guide groove 38 when the toner cartridge 20 is mounted, there is no possibility that a large load is applied to the movement of the toner cartridge.

  Next, when the toner cartridge 20 is empty and taken out, the user reveals the set portion of the apparatus main body, grasps the handle portion 34 and pulls it out. At this time, when the handle portion 34 is grasped, the operating plate 37 is pushed with a finger almost automatically, so that the lock claw 41 locked in the locking hole 58 is released as shown in FIG. The cartridge 20 can be pulled out. When the toner cartridge 20 is pulled out, the shutter 30 begins to close. When the engagement pin 55 engaged with the engagement recess 31 returns to the position of the engagement auxiliary protrusion 40, the toner discharge port 21 is completely opened. close. Then, after the shutter 30 closes the toner discharge port 21, the engagement pin 55 comes out of the engagement recess 31. Therefore, when the toner cartridge 20 is pulled out, the toner discharge port 21 is completely closed, and there is no possibility of toner scattering or toner leakage at the time of replacement.

  In the above-described embodiment, the agent replenishing device that replenishes toner has been described. However, the present invention can also be applied to replenishment of a carrier and further replenishment of a developer in which toner and a carrier are mixed.

1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view showing a set portion of a toner cartridge of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a toner discharging method from a toner cartridge according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a toner discharging method from a toner cartridge according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating an overall configuration of a toner cartridge according to the present invention. 5A and 5B show a container main body of the toner cartridge of FIG. 5, wherein FIG. 5A is a bottom view and FIG. 5B is a side view. FIG. 6 is a plan view showing a bottom plate member of the toner cartridge of FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a bottom view showing a bottom plate member of the toner cartridge of FIG. 5. It is a top view which shows a rocking | fluctuation tray. (A), (b), (c) and (d) are explanatory views showing the movement of the shutter when the toner cartridge is mounted. (A), (b), and (c) are explanatory views for explaining a locking operation when the toner cartridge is mounted.

Explanation of symbols

8 Developing Device 20 Toner Cartridge 21 Toner Discharge Port 22 Container Body 23 Bottom Plate Member 30 Shutter 31 Engaging Recess 38 Guide Groove 55 Engaging Pin

Claims (9)

In an agent storage container for storing a toner or carrier used in an electrophotographic process, or a developer composed of toner and carrier,
A developer outlet formed on the bottom plate of the container;
A shutter for closing the discharge port;
A shutter opening and closing mechanism for opening and closing the shutter;
An agent storage container comprising concealing means for concealing the shutter opening / closing mechanism.   The agent storage container according to claim 1, wherein the bottom plate is formed in an elongated rectangular shape, and the discharge port is provided on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the bottom plate. The shutter opening / closing mechanism opens the discharge port following the mounting operation of the developer container to the apparatus main body,
The agent storage container according to claim 1, wherein the discharge port is closed to follow the operation of pulling out the developer container from the apparatus main body.   The shutter opening / closing mechanism has an engagement recess formed on the left and right side surfaces in the mounting direction of the shutter, and an engagement member provided on the apparatus main body side and engaged with and disengaged from the engagement recess. The agent storage container, wherein the engaged member is held in engagement by an engagement holding means.   The agent storage container according to claim 1, wherein the concealing means includes a blindfold plate that conceals the shutter opening / closing mechanism.   The agent storage container according to claim 5, wherein the blindfold also hides the shutter.   The agent storage container according to claim 1, wherein the blindfold is opened and closed simultaneously with the shutter by the shutter opening and closing mechanism.   An agent which supports the toner storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 7 or the developer storage container storing the developer composed of the toner and the carrier on the tray, and swings and stores the tray. An agent replenishing device characterized by replenishing the developing part.   An image forming apparatus using the agent replenishing device according to claim 8.

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