JP2011008144A - Toner supply device and toner supply mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toner supply device, which easily suppress, at a low cost, toner leakage when being attached to or detached from a developing device, in the toner supply device for supplying toner from the supplied-toner receiving opening of the developing device.SOLUTION: A film f is disposed along the underside of a shutter S1 provided for a toner supply opening 502 of a toner bottle 501. The film f has a toner passage opening fh which communicates with the toner supply opening 502 via a shutter toner passage hole sh1 when the shutter S1 is in the position where the toner supply opening is opened, and closes the shutter toner passage hole sh1 from below, when the shutter S1 is in the position where the toner supply opening is closed.

Description

  The present invention relates to a copying machine, a printer, and a facsimile machine capable of forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier by an electrophotographic method, an electrostatic recording method, etc., and developing the image with a developing device to form a toner image. Alternatively, the present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a multi-function machine that combines two or more of these, and particularly relates to a toner replenishing mechanism for the developing device.

  An image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a combination machine combining two or more of these, which forms an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier and develops it to form a toner image. In general, the toner is supplied to the developing device when the toner is reduced in the developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image.

  Replenishment of toner to the developing device is performed in various ways depending on the structure of the developing device. Among them, toner is replenished into the developing device from a replenishing toner receiving opening which is provided in the developing device and opens upward. There is something that can be done.

  As a toner replenishing device for such a developing device, the developing device can be detachably mounted and has a downward toner replenishing opening that replenishes toner from the toner receiving opening of the developing device into the developing device in a state of being mounted on the developing device. Those including toner bottles are known.

  Also, a shutter is provided for the toner supply opening of the toner bottle so that the toner supply port can be opened and closed by the shutter. When the toner supply device is stored, transported, or attached to the developing device, There is also known one in which the toner supply opening of the toner bottle can be closed by the shutter.

  However, even if this type of toner replenishing device is provided with a shutter, the toner spills from the shutter structure and the like when the developer is attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus, its surroundings, the user's hands and clothes. May end up.

  In order to solve such a problem, for example, in Japanese Patent No. 3978920 (Patent Document 1), as a shutter for opening and closing a toner supply opening of a toner bottle, a swinging shutter is further combined inside a sliding shutter. It has been proposed to employ a double shutter.

  In Japanese Patent No. 3427299 (Patent Document 2), a shutter guide mechanism is combined with a connecting portion provided in a toner bottle, which is detachable from a developing device, and a part thereof is used as a shutter cover member. There has been proposed one in which a sliding shutter is moved.

Japanese Patent No. 3978920 Japanese Patent No. 3427299

  However, the shutter mechanism for opening and closing the toner replenishing opening in the toner replenishing device described in the above patent document has a complicated structure and is expensive.

  Therefore, the present invention is directed above a developing device used for developing an electrostatic latent image in an image forming apparatus capable of forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier and developing the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image. A toner replenishing device that replenishes toner into the developing device through a replenishing toner receiving opening that is open toward the developing device, and can easily and inexpensively suppress toner spilling when attached to and detached from the developing device. It is a first object to provide a toner replenishing device that can easily and inexpensively suppress contamination such as contamination of the surrounding area, user's hand and clothes.

  The present invention also provides a toner for a developing device used for developing an electrostatic latent image in an image forming apparatus capable of forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier and developing the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image. A replenishing mechanism, including a replenishing toner receiving portion formed in the developing device and having a replenishing toner receiving opening that opens upward; and a toner replenishing device that replenishes toner from the replenishing toner receiving portion into the developing device. Therefore, it is possible to easily and inexpensively suppress toner spillage when the toner supply device is attached to or detached from the replenishment toner receiving portion. As a result, the inside of the image forming apparatus or its surroundings due to toner spillage, the user's hand or clothes A second problem is to provide a toner replenishing mechanism that can easily and inexpensively suppress contamination such as contamination.

In order to solve the first problem, the present invention provides:
In the image forming apparatus capable of forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier and developing the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image, the toner reception opened upward of the developing device used for electrostatic latent image development A toner replenishing device for replenishing toner from the opening into the developing device;
A toner bottle containing replenishing toner, the toner bottle having a downward toner replenishment opening for replenishing toner from a toner receiving opening of the developing device into the developing device;
A shutter provided for a toner replenishing opening of the toner bottle, having a toner passage hole, and a toner replenishment opening opening position at which the toner passage hole faces the toner replenishment opening and the toner passage hole being the toner passage hole. A shutter capable of reciprocating sliding between the toner supply opening closed position removed from the supply opening;
The toner bottle is supported by the toner bottle so as to allow sliding of the shutter along the lower surface of the shutter. When the shutter is in the toner replenishing opening open position, the toner is passed through the toner passage hole of the shutter. A toner replenishing device having a toner passage opening communicating with the replenishment opening, and closing a toner passage hole of the shutter from below when the shutter is in the toner replenishment opening closed position is provided.

In order to solve the second problem, the present invention
A toner replenishment mechanism for a developing device used for electrostatic latent image development in an image forming apparatus capable of forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier and developing the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image;
A replenishment toner receiving portion formed in the developing device;
A toner replenishing device for replenishing toner from the replenishing toner receiving portion into the developing device,
The replenishing toner receiving portion includes a toner receiving opening that opens upward,
A shutter provided for the toner receiving opening, having a toner passing hole, and a toner receiving opening opening position where the toner passing hole faces the toner receiving opening and the toner passing hole from the toner receiving opening. And a shutter capable of reciprocating sliding between the toner receiving opening closed position to be removed,
The toner replenishing device provides a toner replenishing mechanism which is the toner replenishing device according to claim 1.

According to the toner replenishing device according to the present invention,
When storing or transporting the toner bottle before being attached to the developing device, the toner supply opening of the toner bottle is closed by a shutter.

  The toner replenishing device according to the present invention is connected to the developing device in advance when the toner amount is reduced due to consumption or the like in the developing device of the image forming apparatus to which the toner replenishing device is used. Thus, toner can be replenished into the developing device from the replenishing toner receiving opening of the developing device.

  When replenishing toner, the shutter (bottle shutter) that closes the toner replenishment opening of the toner bottle is moved from the toner replenishment opening closed position where the toner passage hole of the shutter is disengaged from the toner replenishment opening. The toner supply opening is opened by sliding to the toner supply opening opening position facing the toner.

  When the toner in the toner bottle is depleted, the toner bottle must be replaced and the toner bottle must be removed from the developing device. In this case, the toner supply opening of the toner bottle is closed with the bottle shutter in advance. In this state, the toner replenishing device is removed from the replenishing toner receiving opening of the developing device, and the next new toner replenishing device may be attached to the developing device as necessary.

At this time, in the toner replenishing device to be removed, the bottle shutter can be slid with respect to the toner receiving film disposed along the lower surface thereof and moved from the toner replenishment opening open position to the closed position. Thus, most of the toner remaining in the toner passage hole of the shutter is supported from below by the toner receiving film and is confined in the toner passage hole, so that the toner is supplied from the toner replenishing device (particularly from the toner passage hole of the shutter). ) Toner spillage due to toner falling, scattering, etc. is suppressed.
Such toner spilling suppression can be easily and inexpensively performed by using a toner receiving film disposed along the lower surface of the shutter.

  The shutter is slidably brought into contact with the lower surface of an elastic toner seal sheet that is provided in the toner bottle and surrounds the peripheral edge of the toner supply opening so that toner spillage from the toner supply device can be more reliably suppressed. May be.

  According to the toner replenishing mechanism according to the present invention, the toner replenishing device constituting the toner replenishing device has its toner replenishing opening closed by a shutter during storage, transportation and the like before mounting on the developing device.

  The toner replenishing device constituting the toner replenishing mechanism according to the present invention is provided in advance when the toner amount decreases due to consumption or the like in the developing device of the image forming apparatus to which the toner replenishing mechanism is applied, or when the toner amount decreases. The toner can be replenished into the developing device through a replenishing toner receiving opening of the replenishing toner receiving portion by being connected to a replenishing toner receiving portion of the developing device.

When supplying toner, the shutter that closes the toner supply opening of the toner bottle is slid from the toner supply opening closed position to the toner supply opening open position to open the toner supply opening.
Further, the shutter in the replenishing toner receiving portion of the developing device is also placed at the toner receiving opening opening position.

  When the toner in the toner bottle is depleted, the toner bottle must be replaced and the toner bottle must be removed from the developing device. In this case, the toner supply opening of the toner bottle is temporarily closed with a shutter. Then, the toner replenishing device may be removed from the replenishing toner receiving portion of the developing device, and a new toner replenishing device may be mounted as necessary.

  Thus, when the toner replenishing device is removed from the replenishing toner receiving portion of the developing device, the toner replenishing device slides the shutter against the toner receiving film disposed along the lower surface of the toner replenishing device before the removal. The supply opening can be moved from the open position to the closed position. Thus, most of the toner remaining in the toner passage hole of the shutter in the toner replenishing device is supported from below by the toner receiving film and confined in the toner passage hole, so that the toner from the toner replenishing device (especially the toner passage of the shutter) Toner spillage due to toner dropping, scattering, etc. from the hole is suppressed.

  Also, at the replenishing toner receiving portion of the developing device, before removing the toner replenishing device, the shutter in the toner receiving portion is slid from the toner receiving opening open position to the toner receiving opening closing position, so that toner spillage is more reliably performed. It can also be suppressed.

  Also in the toner replenishing device in the toner replenishing mechanism according to the present invention, the shutter in the toner replenishing device is provided on the toner bottle so that the toner spillage from the toner replenishing device can be more reliably suppressed. May be slidably contacted with the lower surface of the elastic toner seal sheet surrounding the toner.

  Further, in order to more reliably suppress toner spillage in the toner replenishing mechanism according to the present invention, an elastic toner seal sheet that surrounds the peripheral portion of the toner passage hole of the shutter on the upper surface of the shutter of the replenishing toner receiving portion of the developing device. May be laminated. The elastic toner seal sheet may be slidably brought into contact with the lower surface of the toner receiving film of the toner replenishing device.

  In this case, the inner edge on the downstream side of the toner passage opening of the toner receiving film in the toner replenishing device in the moving direction from the closed position of the toner receiving opening of the shutter in the replenishing toner receiving portion on the developing device side to the open position is in the moving direction. You may form so that it may incline and extend with respect to a right angle direction.

  By doing so, when the shutter in the replenishing toner receiving portion of the developing device slides from the toner receiving opening closed position to the open position, the elastic toner seal sheet stacked on the shutter moves to the inner edge of the toner receiving opening of the toner receiving film. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the toner from being easily moved by being caught by the toner, and to smoothly open the shutter in the replenishing toner receiving portion of the developing device.

  As described above, according to the present invention, an electrostatic latent image is formed on an electrostatic latent image carrier, and the electrostatic latent image is developed to form a toner image. A toner replenishing device that replenishes toner into the developing device through a replenishing toner receiving opening that opens upward from the developing device, and can easily and inexpensively suppress toner spilling when the developing device is attached to and detached from the developing device. Thus, it is possible to provide a toner replenishing device that can easily and inexpensively suppress contamination such as contamination in and around the image forming apparatus and user hands and clothes.

  Further, according to the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus capable of forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier and developing the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image. A toner replenishing mechanism, a replenishing toner receiving portion formed in the developing device and having a replenishing toner receiving opening that opens upward; and a toner replenishing device that replenishes toner into the developing device from the replenishing toner receiving portion. The toner spillage when the toner supply device is attached to and detached from the replenishment toner receiving portion can be easily and inexpensively suppressed. As a result, the inside of the image forming apparatus and its surroundings due to toner spillage, the user's hand and It is possible to provide a toner replenishing mechanism that can easily and inexpensively suppress dirt such as dirt on clothes.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating an outline of a configuration of an example of an image forming apparatus including a developing device to which a toner supply mechanism and a toner supply device according to the present invention are applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically illustrating a cross-sectional structure of an example of a developing device to which the toner supply mechanism and the toner supply device according to the present invention are applied in the image forming apparatus of FIG. 1. FIG. 3 is a diagram schematically showing the developing device shown in FIG. 2 as viewed from the right side in FIG. 2, but the developing roller and the supply roller are only indicated by their positions with broken lines. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an example of a toner supply mechanism and a toner supply device according to the present invention applied to a developing device. 5A is a diagram illustrating a state where the toner replenishing opening of the toner bottle is closed (shutter closed state) in the toner replenishing mechanism and the toner replenishing device illustrated in FIG. 4, and FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state where the toner supply opening of the toner bottle is opened (the shutter is open) in the toner supply mechanism and the toner supply device shown in FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state when the toner supply device is removed from the supply toner receiving portion of the developing device in the toner supply mechanism illustrated in FIGS. FIG. 10 is a diagram showing that the toner seal sheet on the shutter of the replenishing toner receiving portion of the developing device may be caught on the toner passage opening edge of the toner receiving film of the toner replenishing device. FIG. 8A shows that the toner seal sheet on the shutter of the replenishing toner receiving portion of the developing device may be caught by the toner passage opening edge of the toner receiving film of the toner replenishing device as viewed from the lower surface side of the seal sheet. FIG. 8B is a diagram showing that the risk is reduced or eliminated by devising the shape of the inner edge of the toner passage opening of the film. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating a mechanism in which a toner receiving film is omitted in the mechanism of FIG. 7. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating that toner spillage occurs when there is no toner receiving film in the toner replenishing device.

Hereinafter, an example of a toner supply mechanism according to the present invention and a toner supply device employed in the mechanism will be described with reference to the drawings.
Before that, an example of an image forming apparatus in which a developing device to which the toner supply mechanism according to the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG.

  FIG. 1 schematically shows the configuration of an example 100 of an image forming apparatus. The image forming apparatus 100 is a tandem type full color printer.

  The printer 100 includes an endless intermediate transfer belt 7 wound around a driving roller 71 and a roller 72 facing the driving roller 71. The transfer belt 7 is rotated in the counterclockwise direction (arrow direction in the figure) CCW by a driving roller 71 driven by a belt driving unit (not shown).

  A cleaning device 73 that cleans secondary transfer residual toner and the like on the transfer belt 7 faces the roller 72, and a secondary transfer roller 8 faces the drive roller 71.

  The secondary transfer roller 8 is pressed against a portion of the intermediate transfer belt 7 supported by the driving roller 71 by a pressing unit (not shown), forms a nip portion with the intermediate transfer belt 7, and rotates the intermediate transfer belt 7. It can be rotated by being driven or driven or driven by the movement of the recording medium S fed into the nip as will be described later. A secondary transfer bias can be applied to the secondary transfer roller 8 from a power supply (not shown).

  A fixing device 9 is disposed above the intermediate transfer belt 7 and the secondary transfer roller 8, a timing roller pair 11 is disposed below, and a recording medium S such as recording paper is accommodated below the fixing device 9. The recording medium storage cassette 10 is disposed.

The fixing device 9 includes a fixing heating roller having a heat source such as a halogen lamp heater and a pressure roller pressed against the fixing heating roller.
The recording medium S accommodated in the recording medium accommodating cassette 10 can be pulled out one by one by the medium supply roller 101 and supplied to the timing roller pair 11.

  Between the rollers 71 and 72 around which the intermediate transfer belt 7 is wound, the yellow image forming unit Y, the magenta image forming unit M, and the cyan image forming unit C are arranged along the transfer belt 7 from the roller 72 toward the roller 71. And the black image forming portion K are arranged in this order.

  Each of the image forming units Y, M, C, and K includes a drum-type photosensitive member 1 as an electrostatic latent image carrier, and a charger 2, an exposure device 3, a developing device 4 and the like around the photosensitive member. The cleaning devices 5 are arranged in this order.

  A primary transfer roller 6 is disposed opposite to the photoreceptor 1 of each image forming unit with a belt 7 therebetween. The primary transfer roller 6 is pressed in the direction of the photosensitive member 1 by a pressing unit (not shown), contacts the belt 7 and rotates in a driven manner, and can bring the belt 7 into contact with the photosensitive member 1.

  A primary transfer bias for primary transfer of the toner image formed on the photoreceptor 1 to the belt 7 can be applied to the primary transfer roller 6 from a power supply (not shown).

  The exposure device 3 can perform image exposure by dot (point) exposure on the photosensitive member 1 by blinking of a laser beam in accordance with image information provided from a personal computer (not shown), an image reading device, or the like.

  The photoconductor 1 in each image forming unit is a negatively chargeable photoconductor here, and can be driven to rotate clockwise in the drawing by a photoconductor drive motor (not shown).

  The charger 2 in each image forming unit is a scorotron charger in this example, and a charging voltage is applied from a power supply (not shown) at a predetermined timing. The charger 2 may be one using a charging roller.

  In this example, the developing device 4 in each image forming unit applies a developing bias to an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor 1 using a one-component developer mainly composed of toner from a power supply (not shown). The developer carrying rotating body (hereinafter referred to as “developing roller”) 41 (see FIG. 2) in the form of a roller can be used for reversal development. The developing device 4 will be further described later.

According to this printer, an image can be formed using one or more of Y, M, C, and K image forming units.
Taking a case where a full color image is formed using all of the image forming portions Y, M, C, and K as an example, first, a yellow toner image is formed in the yellow image forming portion Y, and this is formed on the transfer belt 8 as a primary. Transcript.

  That is, in the yellow image forming portion Y, the photosensitive member 1 is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction in the drawing, and the surface is uniformly charged to a predetermined potential by the charger 2, and the exposure device 3 corresponds to the yellow image in the charged area. Thus, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the yellow image is formed on the photoreceptor 1. This electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing roller 41 to which a developing bias of the developing device 4 having yellow toner is applied, and becomes a visible yellow toner image. The yellow toner image is primarily transferred onto the transfer belt 7 by the primary transfer roller 6. At this time, a primary transfer bias is applied to the primary transfer roller 6 from a power supply (not shown).

  Similarly, a magenta toner image is formed in the magenta image forming unit M and transferred to the transfer belt 7. A cyan toner image is formed in the cyan image forming unit C and transferred to the transfer belt 7. In the black image forming unit K. A black toner image is formed and transferred to the transfer belt 7.

Yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toner images are formed at a timing when these toner images are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 7 in an overlapping manner.
Thus, the multiple toner image formed on the transfer belt 7 moves toward the secondary transfer roller 8 by the rotation of the transfer belt 7.

  On the other hand, the recording medium S is pulled out from the recording medium accommodation cassette 10 by the medium supply roller 101 and is supplied to the timing roller pair 11 and is on standby.

  Thus, the recording medium S waiting at the timing roller pair 11 is supplied to the nip portion between the transfer belt 7 and the secondary transfer roller 8 in accordance with the multiple toner image sent by the intermediate transfer belt 7. . The multiple toner image is secondarily transferred onto the recording medium S by a secondary transfer roller 8 to which a secondary transfer bias is applied from a power supply (not shown).

  Thereafter, the recording medium S is passed through the fixing device 9 where the multiple toner images are fixed on the recording medium S under heat and pressure. The recording medium S is continuously discharged to the discharge tray 13 by the discharge roller pair 12.

  In the primary transfer of the toner image to the belt 7, transfer residual toner or the like remaining on the photoreceptor 1 is cleaned by the cleaning device 5, and secondary transfer residual toner or the like remaining on the belt 7 by the secondary transfer is cleaned by the cleaning device 73. It is cleaned with. Each of these cleaned and removed toners is sent to a waste container by a conveying means (not shown).

  Although the image is formed as described above, the developing device 4 will be further described. The developing device 4 is shown in FIGS. 2 and 3 and is an example of a developing device to which the toner replenishing mechanism according to the present invention is applied.

  FIG. 2 schematically shows a cross-sectional structure of the developing device 4. FIG. 3 schematically shows the developing device 4 as viewed from the right in FIG. 2, but the developing roller 41 and the supply roller 42 are only indicated by their positions with broken lines.

The developing device 4 includes a developing roller 41 and a supply roller 42 that supplies developer (toner T in this example) to the developing roller 41.
The developing roller 41 is provided with an elastic layer made of a thermoplastic elastomer or rubber on a conductive shutter, and a surface coat layer having a higher hardness than the elastic layer on the surface thereof.
The supply roller 42 has a conductive foamed material layer (for example, an elastic foamed polyurethane layer imparted with conductivity) having elasticity on the conductive shaft.

  The developing device 4 also includes a first rotary transport body 46 and a second rotary transport body 47 that supply the developer with stirring to the supply roller 42 side. Here, each of the first and second rotary transport bodies is a screw transport member in which screw blades (spiral blades) are provided around the rotation shaft.

  The developing roller 41, the supply roller 42, and the first and second screw conveying members 46 and 47 are accommodated in the developing device housing 40, and are rotatably supported by the housing. A part of the developing roller 41 protrudes outside the housing 40 so as to face the photoreceptor 1 when the developing device 4 is mounted on the image forming apparatus 100. The conveying members 46 and 47 are accommodated in the developing device housing 40.

  A buffer portion 43 is formed in the housing 40 so as to hold a developer (toner T in this example) used for development and to face the supply roller 42 and the development roller 41.

  The first screw conveying member 46 is disposed in the buffer unit 43 above the supply roller 42 and at a position behind the roller 42. The second screw conveying member 47 is disposed above the first screw conveying member 46 and above the supply roller 42 with a plate-like partition member 48 therebetween.

  The first screw conveying member 46 is arranged in parallel with the developing roller 41, and the second screw conveying member 47 is arranged in parallel with the first screw conveying member 46 with the partition member 48 in between.

  The first screw conveying member 46 is rotationally driven by a rotation driving unit (not shown), so that the developer can be conveyed in the rotation axis direction from the right side to the left side in FIG. By being rotationally driven by a rotational drive unit (not shown), the developer can be conveyed in the direction of the rotational axis from the left side to the right side in FIG.

  As the first and second screw conveying members 46 and 47 are driven to rotate as described above, the developer is developed on the right side in FIG. The developer feeding side end (developer feeding side end) is conveyed to the left developer sending side end (developer sending side end), and the left side end of the partition member 48 from the developer sending side end. Through the opening (second opening) 482 of the second conveying member 47, the second conveying member 47 moves upward to the developer feeding side end, and is further conveyed by the second conveying member 47 toward the developer sending side end. Then, the toner drops and moves from the sending side end to the developer feeding side end of the first conveying member 46 through the opening (first opening) 481 at the right end of the partition member 48 while being assisted by gravity.

  In this way, the developer is supplied to the supply roller 42 and, consequently, the developing roller 41 side from the first transport member 46 while being stirred and circulated by the first and second transport members 46 and 47.

  The developing roller 41 and the supply roller 42 are driven to rotate counterclockwise in FIG. 2 by a rotation driving unit (not shown). Accordingly, at the nip portion where the rollers 41 and 42 face each other, both roller surfaces move in opposite directions. As a result, the supply roller 42 scrapes off the developer that returns to the developing device housing 40 without being consumed by the development from the development roller 41 and supplies the developer to the development roller 41 anew.

  When the developer thus supplied passes through the blade-shaped developer regulating member 44 that is in contact with the developing roller 41, the amount of the developer is properly regulated and charged, and the developer faces the photoreceptor 1. It is used for developing the electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor 1 in the developing area (toner is applied to the electrostatic latent image). The developer that has not been consumed by the development returns to the case 40 as the developing roller 41 rotates. At this time, the developer is neutralized by a neutralization member 45 to which a neutralization bias is applied from a neutralization power supply (not shown) in order to facilitate scraping of the development roller 41 by the supply roller 42.

  In addition, the first and second screw conveying members 46 and 47 are arranged at the rotation axis of the developing roller 41 at the developer feeding side end of the conveying member 46 and the developer feeding side end of the conveying member 47 located thereabove. The developer reservoir portion 49 is continuously provided above the extended portion of the second conveying member 47. When the amount of developer (toner in this example) decreases from the state where the developer is consumed by development or the like, toner is supplied from the replenishing toner receiving portion 490 of the developer reservoir 49 by the toner replenishing device 50. Can be replenished.

  The toner replenishing device 50 can be attached to and detached from the replenishing toner receiving portion 490 at the connecting portion 500. The replenishing toner receiving portion 490 and the toner replenishing device 50 in the developing device 4 constitute a toner replenishing mechanism for the developing device 4. This will be further described later.

In FIG. 3, for example, a transparent resin (for example, polystyrene) for detecting the amount of developer (here, the upper surface position of the developer in the reservoir) on each of the front and back walls facing each other of the developer reservoir 49. ), And a developer amount detection device TS is provided for these windows.
When the developer reservoir 49 is made of a transparent material such as transparent polystyrene resin, a part of the developer reservoir 49 can be used as a detection window.

  In this example, the developer amount detection apparatus TS includes an optical sensor having a light emitting element (not shown) and a light receiving element (not shown). The light emitting element faces one detection window dw from the outside, and the light receiving element faces the other detection window dw from the outside. When the light receiving element receives a predetermined amount of light from the light emitting element, it is determined that the amount of developer in the developing device 4 is insufficient, and the light from the light emitting element is blocked by the developer and the light receiving element receives a predetermined amount of light. If not, it is determined that the developer amount is sufficient. As described above, the developer reservoir 49 is provided with a replenishment toner receiving portion 490 to which the connecting portion 500 of the toner replenishing device 50 can be detachably attached. When the detection device TS detects a shortage of the developer amount, the toner can be supplied from the toner supply device 50.

  The toner replenishing device 50 can be detachably attached to the developer reservoir 49 of the developing device 4 by the connecting mechanism shown in FIG. That is, a replenishment toner receiving portion 490 is provided on the upper wall 491 (see also FIG. 4) of the left portion in FIG. The toner replenishing device 50 can be attached to and detached from the toner receiving portion at the connecting portion 500. These replenishing toner receiving portion 490 and connecting portion 500 constitute a connecting mechanism.

  The toner receiving portion 490 includes a toner receiving opening 492, a pair of guide walls 493, and a shutter S2 guided by them.

The toner receiving opening 492 is a circular opening here, but is not limited thereto.
The pair of guide walls 493 rises from the upper wall 491 as shown in FIG. 4 on both sides of the toner receiving opening 492 (in FIG. 3, the front side and the back side of the toner receiving opening 492).

  A shutter guide groove 494 is formed inside the lower portion of each guide wall 493, and the shutter S2 is fitted therein. The shutter S2 is guided by the groove, and can be slid relative to the developer reservoir upper wall 491 and manually reciprocated in the longitudinal direction of the developing device (left and right in FIG. 3).

  The shutter S2 has a circular toner passage hole sh2 having the same inner diameter as the toner receiving opening 492 of the upper wall 491, but the outer contour shape is rectangular when viewed from above or below. The shutter S2 can manually slide and reciprocate between a toner receiving opening open position where the hole sh2 coincides with the toner receiving opening 492 and a toner receiving opening closed position where the hole sh2 is out of the toner receiving opening 492.

  An elastic toner seal sheet K2 is stuck on the upper surface of the shutter S2. The sheet K2 has a circular hole with the same inner diameter that matches the toner passage hole sh2 of the shutter S2, and surrounds the peripheral edge of the hole sh2. The sheet K2 reciprocates together with the shutter S2.

  The toner replenishing device 50 includes a toner bottle 501 containing replenishing toner and a connecting portion 500 for mounting the bottle on the replenishing toner receiving portion 490 of the developing device 4 so as to be removable.

  The connecting portion 500 is connected to a toner supply opening 502 formed at the lower end of the bottle 501. In this example, the toner supply opening 502 is a circular opening having the same inner diameter as the toner receiving opening 492 of the developer reservoir 49. Here, the toner supply opening 502 is formed by a cylindrical portion 503 integrated with the bottle 501.

  The connecting portion 500 includes a flange portion 504 having a rectangular outer contour extending from the lower end portion of the cylindrical portion 503 to the periphery, and a pair of shutter guide walls 505 descending from both side edges of the flange portion.

  An elastic toner seal sheet K1 is attached to the lower surface of the flange portion 504. A toner passage opening kh1 having the same inner diameter as the toner supply opening 502 is formed in the seal sheet K1, and surrounds the peripheral edge of the toner supply opening 502.

  The shutter S1 is in contact with the lower surface of the sheet K1. The shutter S <b> 1 is fitted in a shutter guide groove 506 formed on the lower inner side of the pair of shutter guide walls 505. A toner receiving film f made of a synthetic resin (polyethylene terephthalate in this example) is disposed along the lower surface of the shutter S1, and the film f is adhered and fixed to the lower surface of the shutter guide wall 505 to indirectly but not the toner. Supported by a bottle 501.

The shutter S1 is manually guided in the longitudinal direction of the developing device (left and right in FIG. 3) by being guided by the shutter guide groove 506 and sliding with respect to both of them while being sandwiched between the seal sheet K1 and the film f. Can be reciprocated.
The toner receiving film f is located immediately below the toner supply opening 502 of the toner bottle, and has a circular toner passage opening fh having the same inner diameter as the toner supply opening 502.

  Thus, the shutter S1 manually reciprocates between the toner supply opening open position where the toner passage hole sh1 coincides with the toner supply opening 502 via the sheet opening kh1 and the toner supply opening closed position where the hole sh1 is out of the toner supply opening 502. Can be made.

  The elastic toner seal sheets K1 and K2 are not limited thereto, but here are both sheets made of elastic foamed polyurethane.

  In the toner replenishing device 50 described above, the toner replenishing opening 502 of the toner bottle 501 is closed by the shutter S1 during storage, transportation, and the like before being attached to the developing device 4.

  The toner replenishing device 50 is connected to the replenishing toner receiving portion 490 of the developing device 4 in advance when the toner amount in the developing device 4 decreases due to consumption or the like, or when the toner amount decreases. The toner can be supplied into the developing device 4 from the receiving opening 492.

  When connecting the toner replenishing device 50 to the replenishing toner receiving portion 490, the flange portion 504 constituting the connecting portion 500 of the toner replenishing device and a pair of shutter guide walls 505 (see FIG. 4) descending from the flange portion 504 are provided. In the engaging groove 495 (see FIG. 4) on the top of the pair of guide walls 493 of the replenishing toner receiving portion 490 of the developing device 4, the toner seal sheet K2 in the longitudinal direction of the developing device (from left to right in FIG. 3). Are engaged and inserted so that they are slightly compressed. By doing so, the toner replenishing device 50 can be detachably attached to the replenishing toner receiving portion 490 through the connecting portion 500.

  FIG. 5A schematically shows a state in which the toner replenishing device 50 and the replenishing toner receiving portion 490 are connected as described above. The upper part UP above the toner receiving film f with the level L in between is the toner replenishing device side part, and the lower part DP below the elastic toner seal sheet K2 is the part on the replenishing toner receiving part side.

  In the state shown in FIG. 5A, the toner supply opening 502 of the toner bottle 501 of the toner supply device 50 is closed by the shutter S1, and the toner reception opening 492 of the supply toner receiving portion 490 is closed by the shutter S2. .

  Here, as shown in FIG. 5B, the shutter S2 is manually moved in the replenishing toner receiving portion 490 to open the replenishing toner receiving opening 492, and also in the toner replenishing device 50, the shutter S1 is manually moved to form a toner bottle. By opening the toner supply opening 502 of 501 and making these openings 492 and 502 communicate with each other, the toner can be supplied from the toner bottle 501 to the developing device 4.

A mechanism is provided so that the shutters S1 and S2 can be interlocked when the connecting part 500 of the toner replenishing device 50 is connected to the toner receiving part 490. After the connection, the shutters S1 and S2 can be interlocked and opened. Also good.
The toner replenishing device 50 is provided with a toner conveying device (not shown) that conveys the toner in the bottle 501 to the opening 502.

  When the toner in the toner bottle 501 is depleted, the toner bottle must be replaced, and therefore the toner bottle must be removed from the developing device 4. In this case, the toner shown in FIG. From the replenishment state, as shown in FIG. 6B, the toner replenishment opening 502 of the toner bottle 501 is once closed by the shutter S1, and then the toner replenishing device 50 is replenished as shown in FIG. 6C. The new toner replenishing device 50 may be attached to the developing device 4 as needed. When the toner replenishing device 50 is removed, the replenishing toner receiving unit 490 may close the toner receiving opening 492 with the shutter S2 in order to suppress toner spillage.

  It should be noted here that when the toner replenishing device 50 is removed from the developing device 4 in this way, in the toner replenishing device 50 to be removed, as shown in FIG. 6B, the shutter S1 is disposed along the lower surface thereof. The toner receiving film f can be slid to be moved from the toner replenishment opening opening position of the toner bottle 501 to the closing position.

Thus, most of the toner T remaining in the toner passage hole sh1 of the shutter S1 is supported from below by the toner receiving film f and is confined in the toner passage hole sh1, so that the toner supply device 50 (particularly the shutter S1). Toner spillage due to dropping, scattering, etc. of the toner T (from the toner passage hole sh1) is suppressed.
Such suppression of toner spilling can be performed easily and inexpensively because the toner receiving film f disposed along the lower surface of the shutter S1 can be used.

  As shown in FIG. 9, if the toner receiving film f is not provided, as shown in FIG. 10 (particularly FIG. 10C), when the toner replenishing device 50 is separated and removed from the developing device 4, the shutter S1. From the toner passage hole sh1, the toner T remaining on the toner drops and scatters.

  The toner passage opening fh of the toner receiving film f of the toner replenishing device 50 in the toner replenishing mechanism described above is circular as described above, but as shown in FIG. 7 and FIG. When the elastic toner seal sheet K2 adhered to the upper surface of the shutter S2 is short in the shutter moving direction, the shutter S2 moves from the closed position to the open position (from left to right in FIGS. 7 and 8). ), There is a possibility that the downstream end K21 in the moving direction of the seal sheet K2 may be caught by the inner edge fh1 on the downstream side of the film opening fh.

  Therefore, when it is difficult to ignore the occurrence of such a catch, instead of the hole fh of the film f, the inner edge of the downstream hole is inclined with respect to the direction perpendicular to the moving direction of the shutter S2, as shown in FIG. Then, a hole fh ′ that is an inner edge fh1 ′ extending may be formed.

  By forming the toner passage opening of the film f in this manner, the elastic toner seal sheet laminated on the shutter S2 when the shutter S2 in the replenishment toner receiving portion 490 slides from the toner receiving opening closed position to the open position. It is possible to prevent K2 from being caught by the inner edge of the toner passage opening of the toner receiving film f and becoming difficult to move, so that the shutter S2 in the replenishment toner receiving portion 490 can be opened smoothly.

  The image forming apparatus described with reference to FIG. 1 is a tandem type full-color printer 100. However, the present invention can also be applied to a monochrome image forming apparatus, and also to other types of multicolor image forming apparatuses. it can. Further, in an image forming apparatus provided with a plurality of developing devices, the present invention can be applied to a smaller number of developing devices than the total number of the developing devices.

  The present invention relates to a toner replenishing device that replenishes toner into a developing device through a replenishing toner receiving opening that opens upward from the developing device, and can replenish toner easily and inexpensively when it is attached to and detached from the developing device. The present invention can be used to provide a toner replenishing mechanism for a developing device including the apparatus and the replenishing device.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 100 Printer 4 Developing device 40 Developing device housing 41 Developing roller 42 Developer supplying roller 43 Buffer portion 44 Developer regulating member 45 Static elimination member 46 First screw conveying member 47 Second screw conveying member 48 Partition members 481 and 482 Development of partition members Agent circulation opening 49 Developer reservoir TS Developer amount detection device dw Detection window 490 Replenishment toner receiving portion 491 Upper wall 492 of developer reservoir Replenishing toner receiving opening 493 Guide wall 494 Shutter guide groove 495 Connecting portion guide groove S2 Shutter sh2 Toner passage hole K2 Toner seal sheet kh2 Toner passage opening 50 Toner supply device 500 Connecting portion 501 Toner bottle 502 Toner supply opening 503 Cylindrical portion 504 Flange portion 505 Shutter guide wall 506 Shutter guide groove S1 Shutter sh1 Toner passage hole K1 Toner seal sheet kh1 Toner passage opening f Toner receiving film fh, fh ′ Toner passage openings fh1, fh1 ′ Opening inner edge 5 Cleaning device 6 Primary transfer roller 7 Intermediate transfer belt 71 Drive roller 72 Opposing roller 73 Cleaning device 8 Secondary transfer roller 9 Fixing device 10 Recording medium supply cassette 101 Recording medium supply roller 11 Timing roller pair 12 Recording medium discharge roller pair 13 Recording medium discharge tray S Recording medium T Toner

Claims (6)

Replenishment toner that opens upward from a developing device used for electrostatic latent image development in an image forming apparatus capable of forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier and developing the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image A toner replenishing device that replenishes toner from the receiving opening into the developing device;
A toner bottle containing replenishing toner, the toner bottle having a downward toner replenishing opening for replenishing toner from a toner receiving opening of the developing device into the developing device;
A shutter provided for a toner replenishing opening of the toner bottle, which has a toner passage hole, and has a toner replenishment opening opening position at which the toner passage hole faces the toner replenishment opening and the toner passage hole. A shutter capable of reciprocating sliding between the toner supply opening closed position removed from the supply opening;
The toner bottle is supported by the toner bottle so as to allow sliding of the shutter along the lower surface of the shutter. When the shutter is in the toner replenishing opening open position, the toner is passed through the toner passage hole of the shutter. And a toner receiving film that has a toner passage opening communicating with the replenishment opening, and closes the toner passage hole of the shutter from below when the shutter is in the toner replenishment opening closed position. apparatus.   The toner replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein the shutter is slidably brought into contact with a lower surface of an elastic toner seal sheet which is provided in the toner bottle and surrounds a peripheral portion of the toner replenishing opening. A toner replenishment mechanism for a developing device used for electrostatic latent image development in an image forming apparatus capable of forming an electrostatic latent image on an electrostatic latent image carrier and developing the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image;
A replenishment toner receiving portion formed in the developing device;
A toner replenishing device for replenishing toner from the replenishing toner receiving portion into the developing device,
The replenishing toner receiving portion includes a toner receiving opening that opens upward,
A shutter provided for the toner receiving opening, having a toner passing hole, and a toner receiving opening opening position where the toner passing hole faces the toner receiving opening and the toner passing hole from the toner receiving opening. And a shutter capable of reciprocating sliding between the toner receiving opening closed position to be removed,
The toner replenishing mechanism according to claim 1, wherein the toner replenishing device is a toner replenishing device according to claim 1.   4. A toner replenishing mechanism according to claim 3, wherein an elastic toner seal sheet surrounding a peripheral portion of a toner passage hole of the shutter is laminated on an upper surface of the shutter of the replenishing toner receiving portion.   5. The elastic toner seal sheet surrounding a peripheral edge portion of a toner passage hole of a shutter of the replenishing toner receiving portion is a sheet that is slidably brought into contact with a lower surface of a toner receiving film of the toner replenishing device. Toner replenishment mechanism.   An inner edge on the downstream side of the toner passage opening of the toner receiving film in the toner replenishing device in the moving direction from the toner receiving opening closing position to the opening position of the shutter in the replenishing toner receiving portion of the developing device extends in the moving direction. 6. The toner replenishing mechanism according to claim 5, wherein the toner replenishing mechanism extends at an angle with respect to a direction perpendicular to the right angle.

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