JP2015114494A - Toner cartridge and image forming apparatus including the same - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toner cartridge in which toner does not remain outside a toner supply port, after the toner supply port after the supply of the toner is closed by a shutter.SOLUTION: A toner cartridge 20 comprises a cylindrical container body 63 including a first opening 65 in a peripheral surface thereof and storing powder and an outer cylinder 64 being rotatable in a circumferential direction with respect to the container body 63 and including a second opening 66 corresponding to the first opening 65 and is held by a reception part 57 including a powder receiving port 61 corresponding to the second opening 66. The container body 63 is rotationally moved to a position where the first opening 65 coincides with the second opening 66, to open the inside and moved to a position where the first opening 65 does not coincide with the second opening 66, to seal the inside. In sealing, a bellows-like member 73 made of a resin film, partially adhered to a sealing member fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the container body 63 brushes off toner adhered to the second opening 66, into the reception part 57.

Description

  The present invention relates to a toner cartridge used in an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile machine, a printer, and a copying machine, and more particularly, a toner cartridge in which toner does not remain outside the toner supply port after the toner supply port after toner supply is closed by a shutter. About.

  Conventionally, a toner image is formed on a photoreceptor by electrophotography using toner, the toner image is primarily transferred to a belt, the primary transfer image is secondarily transferred to a sheet, and the transferred toner image is transferred by a fixing device. An image forming apparatus that forms a monochrome or full-color image by fixing on a sheet is known.

  In such an image forming apparatus, when the toner stored in the developing tank of the developing device is consumed by printing and the remaining amount of toner in the developing tank falls below a certain level, the remaining amount detection device operates to indicate that there is no toner. The user is notified and the operation of the apparatus is stopped.

  The user removes the toner cartridge from which the toner has become empty from the developing device, replaces it with a new toner cartridge, and restarts the printing operation. In the replacement of the toner cartridge, the front door of the image forming apparatus main body is usually opened, and the toner cartridge is pulled out in the longitudinal direction of the developing device, that is, in the front direction of the opened door, and replaced with a new toner cartridge.

  By the way, there are various types of toner cartridges, which are roughly classified into a box type and a cylindrical type. In any case, when the toner cartridge is taken out from the mounting portion of the developing device, it is necessary to prevent the toner adhering to the vicinity of the toner supply port of the toner cartridge from scattering inside and outside the developing device.

  Therefore, a seal member such as a sponge that is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge with an adhesive or the like is provided between the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge and the inner peripheral surface of the cartridge holder around the toner supply port on the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge. A developing device that prevents toner from adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge has been proposed. (For example, see Patent Document 1.)

JP 05-181362 A

  Incidentally, the cylindrical cartridge holder serves as a shutter that opens and closes the toner supply port by rotation. Therefore, it is necessary to install a seal member at the shutter portion in order to prevent toner from leaking from the gap.

  When closing the toner supply port with the shutter, the cartridge holder is rotated, the toner in the toner supply port is scraped off by the seal member, and the toner remaining outside the toner supply port is connected to the externally connected external device. The toner is removed in the toner conveyance path. However, toner may remain on the seal portion of the shutter of the toner supply port closed by the shutter.

  Conventionally, as a countermeasure against residual toner, the thickness of the seal member is increased, and when the shutter is closed, the seal member is made to travel outside the closed toner supply port, and the residual toner is discharged to the toner receiving and conveying path side. I was trying to drop it.

  By the way, if the thickness of the seal member is not sufficient, the amount of protrusion is insufficient, and toner remains at the end of the toner supply port. On the other hand, if the seal member is made thick in order to obtain a sufficient amount of protrusion, the operating torque between the toner cartridge body that rotates and slides relatively for the shutter and the cartridge holder becomes heavy, and the opening / closing operation of the shutter becomes troublesome. It will occur.

  The present invention solves the above-described conventional problems, and provides a toner cartridge in which toner does not remain outside the toner supply port after the toner supply port after toner supply is closed by a shutter, and an image forming apparatus including the same. The purpose is to do.

  In order to solve the above problems, a toner cartridge according to the present invention includes a cylindrical container body having a first opening on the peripheral surface and containing powder therein, and a circumferential direction with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the container body. An outer cylinder having a second opening corresponding to the first opening, holding the outer cylinder with the second opening facing downward, and The image is to be held by a receiving portion having a powder receiving port provided in an image forming apparatus that holds the container body and receives the powder corresponding to the second opening facing downward. A toner cartridge that is detachably attachable to a forming apparatus, wherein the container body has a first position where the first opening coincides with the second opening, and the first position where the interior is opened with respect to the powder receiving port is inconsistent It is possible to take the second position to seal the interior with respect to the powder receiving port It is rotatable with respect to the outer cylinder, and is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the container body continuously around the first opening and the periphery, and between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder. A sealing member made of a flexible member disposed, and the sealing member has a continuous crease and valley fold in a portion corresponding to the second opening when the container body is in the second position; And a bellows-like member made of a resin film.

  The present invention can provide a toner cartridge in which toner does not remain outside the toner supply port after the toner supply port after toner supply is closed by a shutter, and an image forming apparatus including the toner cartridge.

1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of a full-color image forming apparatus (printer, apparatus main body) according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. (a) is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the developing device of the printer according to the first embodiment together with the photosensitive drum, and (b) is a drawing of the developing device cut in a direction indicated by an arrow b in (a) to return the internal configuration and developer. It is sectional drawing which shows a path | route. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing only one developer unit and a toner supply container of the printer according to Example 1 in an easy-to-understand manner together with a transfer belt unit. (a)-(d) is a figure explaining the malfunction which the toner of the edge peripheral part of a toner supply port remains when a toner supply port is sealed with a shutter in the conventional cylindrical toner cartridge for reference. FIGS. 4A and 4B are diagrams illustrating a configuration of a toner cartridge having a shutter configuration according to the first embodiment of the present invention that solves the problems described with reference to FIGS. (a)-(d) is a figure explaining the malfunction which arises in the connection part of the supply port and receiving port which are generally comprised between the side which supplies powder, and the receiving side. (a), (b) is an example in which the shutter configuration according to the second embodiment of the present invention is applied to the defective powder supply port / reception port connecting portion described in FIGS. 6 (a) to 6 (d). FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the following description, printing and printing are used as synonymous terms.
[Example 1]

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of a full-color image forming apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as a printer or an apparatus main body) according to the first embodiment.

  A printer 1 (hereinafter also referred to as an apparatus main body 1) shown in FIG. 1 is an electrophotographic secondary transfer tandem type color image forming apparatus, and includes an image forming unit 2, a transfer belt unit 3, and a toner supply unit 4. , A sheet feeding unit 5, a belt-type fixing device 6, and a duplex printing conveyance unit 7.

  The image forming unit 2 is configured by a so-called back transfer system, and in order to transfer a toner image to the lower running surface 8a of the transfer belt 8, it contacts the lower running surface 8a from the upstream side to the downstream side (the right side in the figure). Four image forming units 9 (9k, 9c, 9m, 9y) are arranged in a multistage manner from the left side to the left side.

  Of the four image forming units 9, the three upstream image forming units 9y, 9m, and 9c are subtractive mixed primary color yellow (Y), magenta (M), and cyan (C) color toners, respectively. To form a monocolor image.

  The image forming unit 9k forms a monochrome image using black (K) toner mainly used for characters and dark portions of images. Each of the image forming units 9 has the same configuration except for the color of the toner for developing the image. Accordingly, the configuration of the image forming unit 9y for yellow (Y) toner will be described below as an example.

  The image forming unit 9 includes a photosensitive drum 10 as an image carrier at the top. The photosensitive drum 10 has a peripheral surface made of, for example, an organic photoconductive material. A cleaner 11, a charging roller 12, an optical writing head 13, and a developing roller 15 of the developing device 14 are disposed in contact with or surrounding the periphery of the photosensitive drum 10.

  The cleaner 11 includes a conveyance screw inside, and waste toner that is removed from the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 and stays at the bottom is sent to a waste toner conveyance path, which will be described later, by the conveyance screw, and the waste toner is discharged to waste toner. The transport unit transports the waste toner to the waste toner collecting container 29.

  In FIG. 1, the waste toner conveying unit is disposed behind the transfer belt unit 3, that is, on the other side in the depth direction of the drawing, so that it cannot be seen as a shadow of the transfer belt unit 3.

  The developing device 14 includes a unit housing 16 that covers the outside, a partition wall 17 provided inside, a developing roller 15, a first stirring and conveying screw 18, and a second stirring and conveying screw 19. Although not specifically shown, the first and second agitating and conveying screws 18 and 19 include a screw shaft and a fin that is integrally formed with the screw shaft and rotates.

  The developing unit 14 includes a toner cartridge 20 (20y, 20m, 20c, 20k) of the toner supply unit 4, and yellow (Y) and magenta (M) as indicated by Y, M, C, and K in FIG. , Cyan (C) or black (K) toner is supplied.

  The transfer belt unit 3 includes the above-described endless transfer belt 8 extending in a flat loop shape in the left-right direction in the figure at the approximate center of the apparatus main body, and the transfer belt 8 spanned over the transfer belt 8. A driving roller 21 and a driven roller 22 are provided to circulate and move counterclockwise as indicated by an arrow a in the figure.

  The transfer belt 8 includes a primary transfer roller 23 integrated with the unit. The primary transfer roller 23 is pressed against the photosensitive drum 10 through the transfer belt 8 and directly transfers (primary transfer) the toner image to the lower running surface 8a of the transfer belt 8 that circulates downward.

  The transfer belt 8 conveys the paper to the secondary transfer unit 24 in order to further transfer (secondary transfer) the toner image to the paper. The secondary transfer unit 24 includes a transfer auxiliary roller 25 disposed on the downstream side (upward in the drawing) adjacent to the drive roller 21, and a secondary transfer roller 26 that is in pressure contact with the transfer auxiliary roller 25 via the transfer belt 8. And is formed.

  A belt cleaner 27 is disposed on the transfer belt 8. The belt cleaner 27 includes a cleaning blade 28 that contacts the surface of the transfer belt 8 that is stretched around the driven roller 22. A waste toner collection container 29 is detachably disposed adjacent to the belt cleaner 27 from the left to the bottom.

  The belt cleaner 27 scrapes off and removes the waste toner remaining on the surface of the transfer belt 8 by the cleaning blade 28 and sends the waste toner to a waste toner collection container 29 via a waste toner conveyance path described later.

  The toner supply unit 4 includes four toner cartridges 20 (20y, 20m, 20c, and 20k) that are detachably disposed above the upper running unit of the transfer belt 8. As described above, the four toner cartridges 20 store yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) toners.

  Although these four toner cartridges 20 are hidden behind the transfer belt unit 3 in FIG. 1 and cannot be seen, the toner cartridges 20 of the image forming units 9 corresponding to the four toner cartridges 20 are respectively connected via the toner supply passages to the toner supply ports of the mounting portions. It is connected to the developing device 14.

  Although not particularly illustrated, the toner supply unit 4 is held on the frame of the main body of the printer 1 through a mounting unit so as to be movable up and down from a printing execution position shown in FIG. 1 to a maintenance position above it.

  The paper feed unit 5 includes two paper feed cassettes 30 (30a, 30b) arranged in two upper and lower stages. A paper take-out roller 31, a feed roller 32, a separating roller 33, and a standby conveyance roller pair 34 are disposed in the vicinity of the paper feed opening (right side in the figure) of the two paper feed cassettes 30, respectively.

  In the paper conveyance direction (vertical upward direction in the drawing) of the standby conveyance roller pair 34, the above-described secondary transfer portion 24 to the paper by the transfer belt 8, the transfer auxiliary roller 25, and the secondary transfer roller 26 is formed.

  A belt-type fixing device (hereinafter simply referred to as a fixing device) 6 is disposed on the downstream side (upward in the drawing) of the secondary transfer unit 24, and the paper after fixing is fixed on the downstream side of the fixing device 6. A pair of unloading rollers 36 that unloads the sheet 6 and a pair of discharge rollers 38 that discharge the unloaded sheets to a sheet discharge tray 37 formed on the upper surface of the apparatus are disposed.

  The conveyance unit 7 for double-sided printing also serves as an opening / closing member whose outer surface (right outer surface in the drawing) opens or shields the inside of the printer 1 from the side surface to the outside.

  The duplex printing transport unit 7 has a return start path 39a that branches rightward in the figure from immediately before the paper discharge roller pair 38, a return intermediate path 39b that bends downward, and a left lateral direction opposite to the above. Thus, a return path 39 including a return end path 39c for finally inverting the return sheet is provided.

  In the middle of the return path 39, five pairs of return rollers 41 (41a, 41b, 41c, 41d, 41e) are arranged. The exit of the return termination path 39c joins a conveyance path to the standby conveyance roller pair 34 corresponding to the sheet feeding cassette 30b below the sheet feeding section 5.

  FIG. 2A is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the developing device 14 of the printer 1 configured as described above together with the photosensitive drum 10, and FIG. 2B shows the developing device 14 in the direction indicated by the arrow b in FIG. It is sectional drawing which cut | disconnects and shows the internal structure and the return route of a developing agent.

  2A and 2B, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG. In FIG. 2B, the cleaning blade 56 shown in FIG. 2A is not shown.

  As shown in FIG. 2A, the developing device 14 includes two developing tanks 42 (an upper developing tank 42a and a lower developing tank 42b) that are partitioned by a unit housing 16 that forms an outer wall and an inner partition wall 17. ing. The developing roller 15 and the second stirring / conveying member 19 described above are disposed in the upper developing tank 42a.

  A doctor blade 43 is in contact with the developing roller 15. The above-described first stirring / conveying member 18 is disposed in the lower developing tank 42b. In the developing tank 42a, a toner concentration sensor 44 is disposed with its detection surface 45 exposed in the tank.

  The second stirring / conveying member 19 includes a rotating shaft 46 and a helical fin 47 that is fixed to the rotating shaft 46 in a spiral shape. The first stirring / conveying member 18 includes a rotation shaft 48 and a helical fin 49 fixed to the rotation shaft 48 in a spiral shape.

  The second agitating / conveying member 19 rotates counterclockwise as shown by the arrow c, and the developer in the developing tank 42a is agitated by the spiral fins 47 as shown in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b). As shown by arrows e (e1, e2, e3) of FIG. 2A, the developer is transported from the near side in the depth direction of FIG. Supply.

  The developing roller 15 supplies only the developer toner to the photosensitive drum 10 to form (develop) the electrostatic latent image on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 10 as a toner image. The developer carrier on the developing roller 15 from which only the toner has been taken up by the photosensitive drum 10 is mixed with the developer in the developing tank 42a.

  Thereafter, the developer is sent back to the developing tank 42b by the second agitating / conveying member 19 as shown by an arrow e4 at the return port 51 at the left end in FIG. It is. A supply port (not shown) through which toner Tn is supplied is opened on the lower side surface of the return port 51. When the toner density falls below a predetermined supply threshold, toner is supplied from the supply port by the supply mechanism of the toner cartridge 20.

  The first stirring / conveying member 18 in the developing tank 42b rotates counterclockwise as shown by an arrow d in FIG. 2A, and the developer in the developing tank 42b is stirred by the spiral fin 49. However, as indicated by arrows f (f1, f2, f3) in FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 (b), from the far side in the depth direction of FIG. 2 (a), to the near side in FIG. 2 (b), from left to right. Transport.

  Then, the developer is sent out from the supply port 53 to the developing tank 42a as indicated by an arrow f4. In this way, the reflux of the developer and the replenishment of the toner are repeated, and the development with the toner proceeds sequentially.

  Since the detection surface 45 of the toner concentration sensor 44 is exposed in the tank, the developer tends to stay on the detection surface 45. If the developer stays on the detection surface 45, the detection accuracy of the toner density sensor 44 is lowered.

  In order to prevent the detection accuracy of the toner density sensor 44 from being lowered, the rotation shaft 48 of the first agitating and conveying member 18 in the developing tank 42b is positioned so as to face the detection surface 45 of the toner density sensor 44. Further, a cleaning blade 56 composed of a blade holding portion 54 and an elastic sheet (blade) 55 held by the blade holding portion 54 is fixed.

  The cleaning blade 56 rotates together with the rotating shaft 48 of the agitating / conveying member 17, and rubs the detection surface 45 of the toner density sensor 44 with the elastic sheet 55 to remove the developer that tends to stay on the detection surface 45. Then, it is replaced with the developer conveyed immediately after.

  This prevents erroneous detection of toner concentration, which may be caused by the developer staying on the detection surface 45 of the toner concentration sensor 44.

  If the toner density of the developer is less than the specified level, the toner density sensor 44 detects a decrease in toner density. When a decrease in toner density is detected, the toner Tn is supplied from the toner cartridge 20 corresponding to the developing device 14 of the toner supply unit 4 through the supply port.

  Next, the basic operation of the printer 1 having the above configuration will be described. In the following description of the basic operation, the operation in the color printing state will be described.

  First, printing (printing) is started when the power is turned on and the number of sheets to be used, the print mode, and other designations are input as keys or as signals from the connected host device.

  That is, the driving roller 21 rotates counterclockwise in FIG. 1 to start the circulating movement of the transfer belt 8 as indicated by an arrow a. The image forming units 9 are sequentially driven, and the photosensitive drum 10 rotates in the clockwise direction in the figure.

  The charging roller 12 is initialized by applying a uniform high negative charge to the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 10, and the optical writing head 13 performs exposure according to the image signal on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 10 to perform initialization. An electrostatic latent image including a high negative potential portion and a low negative potential portion by the exposure is formed.

  The developing roller 15 transfers the toner in the developing unit 14 to the low potential portion of the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image (reverse development) on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 10. The yellow toner image formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 is rotated and conveyed to the surface facing the transfer belt 8 by the image forming unit 9y at the most upstream in the sheet conveying direction.

  The primary transfer roller 23 applies a transfer current output from a transfer bias power source (not shown) to the transfer belt 8. As a result, the yellow toner image on the photosensitive drum 10 is primarily transferred to the transfer belt 8.

  The magenta toner image formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 by the image forming unit 9m is superimposed on the toner image primarily transferred to the transfer belt 8, and then the primary transfer roller corresponding to the image forming unit 9m. 23 is transferred.

  Further, a cyan toner image formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 10 by the image forming unit 9c is transferred and overlaid by the primary transfer roller 23 corresponding to the image forming unit 9c, and finally, by the image forming unit 9k. The black toner image formed on the peripheral surface of the photoconductive drum 10 is transferred onto and over by the primary transfer roller 23 corresponding to the image forming unit 9k.

  In this way, a full-color image in which the toner images of four colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) are sequentially transferred and primarily transferred is the lower running surface of the transfer belt 8. Completed in 8a.

  The lower running surface 9a of the transfer belt 8 on which the four-color toner images are primarily transferred is continuously circulated as it is to transfer the four-color toner images to the second transfer roller 25 and the secondary transfer roller 26 facing each other. It is conveyed to the next transfer unit 24.

  On the other hand, slightly earlier than the printing timing on the paper, one of the paper take-out rollers 31 rotates to take out the paper stored in the corresponding paper feed cassette 30a or 30b. In order to prohibit feeding of the lower sheet so as to feed out only the uppermost sheet of the sheet taken out from the sheet feeding cassette 30a or 30b, the separating roller 33 rotates in the reverse direction. The feed roller 32 rotates in the forward direction and feeds the sheet to the standby conveyance roller pair 34.

  The standby conveyance roller pair 34 temporarily stops rotation to stop the paper advance, corrects the conveyance posture such as the skew of the paper, waits for the conveyance timing, and the print start position of the paper is set by the transfer belt 8. In accordance with the timing coincident with the leading end of the four-color toner image conveyed to the secondary transfer position, the conveyance of the sheet is resumed and the sheet is fed to the secondary transfer position.

  At the secondary transfer position, the secondary transfer roller 26 applies a bias voltage supplied from a bias power source (not shown) to the sheet. As a result, the four color toner images on the transfer belt 8 are secondarily transferred to the paper.

  The sheet on which the four color toner images have been transferred is carried into the fixing device 6 as it is. The fixing device 6 is a heat belt type fixing device, and is not particularly shown with a number, but a heat generating roller, a heat conductive belt, and a heat conductive belt with a built-in heat source are hung inside a heat insulating casing. And a pressure roller disposed to face the fixing roller.

  The fixing device 6 presses and holds the paper through a heat conducting belt with an appropriate pressure by a fixing roller and a pressure roller, applies heat and pressure to the paper, fixes the four color toner images on the paper surface, and holds the paper upward. To discharge.

  The sheet discharged from the fixing device 6 is nipped by the conveyance roller pair 36 and is conveyed, and is discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 37 by the sheet discharge roller pair 38 with the image forming surface of the four color toner images facing down. Is done.

  Although the above describes color printing, monochrome printing will be described in detail later, but the transfer belt 8 contacts only the photosensitive drum 10 of the image forming unit 9k and moves to a position away from the other photosensitive drums 10. Except for this point and the point that only the image forming unit 9k is operated, the other operations are almost the same as in the case of color printing described above.

  In the case of double-sided printing, as described above, the paper on which the toner image is formed on the first surface (front surface) and the toner image is fixed on the paper surface by the fixing device 6 is halfway by the paper discharge roller pair 38. Until the sheet is discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 37.

  Then, the conveyance is stopped at the timing when the rear end of the sheet comes to the branch point with the return start path 39a, and then the pair of discharge rollers 38 rotates in the reverse direction. As a result, the sheet is carried into the return start path 39a with the trailing edge so far as the leading edge.

  Subsequently, the sheet is conveyed by the return roller pairs 41a to 41d, and is fed to the standby conveying roller pair 34 with the front and back reversed by the return terminal path 39c. As a result, in the secondary transfer portion, the toner image is secondarily transferred onto the second surface (back surface) of the paper with the front and back sides reversed. Subsequent operations are the same as in the case of color printing described above.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the developing device 14 and the toner cartridge 20 of the printer 1 together with the transfer belt unit 3 by picking up only one each for easy understanding. In FIG. 3, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG.

  The toner cartridge 20 shown in FIG. 3 is detachable from the main body of the printer 1 shown in FIG. Similarly, the transfer belt unit 3 is also detachable from the printer 1 body in the front direction.

  The toner cartridge 20 has a double structure of a cylindrical container main body 63 for containing toner Tn and an outer cylinder 64. A first opening 65 is formed in the container main body 63, and a second opening 66 is formed in the outer cylinder 64.

  A toner replenishment path 57 is disposed between the toner cartridge 20 and the developing device 14 so as to go around the back of the transfer belt unit 3. The toner supply path 57 has a lower discharge port 58 connected to a receiving port 59 of the developing device 14.

  Further, the upper receiving port 61 of the toner supply path 57 is connected to the toner supply port 62 of the toner cartridge 20 when the toner cartridge 20 is mounted on the mounting portion. The toner supply port 62 is opened when the first opening 65 of the container body 63 overlaps the second opening 66 of the outer cylinder 64.

  That is, the container main body 63 also serves as a shutter for the toner supply port 62, and rotates with respect to the outer cylinder 64 to shield the second opening 66 of the outer cylinder 64 from the outside, thereby supplying toner from the toner cartridge 20. The mouth 62 is closed.

  A toner conveying screw 67 is disposed inside the container main body 63, and a gear 68 engaged with an external drive system is engaged with the screw shaft. The toner conveying screw 67 is rotationally driven by the gear 68 and conveys the toner Tn in the container main body 63 to the toner supply port 62 in the direction of arrow A so as to be supplied to the upper receiving port 61 of the toner supply path 57.

  The toner Tn conveyed to the toner supply port 62 is freely dropped from the upper supply port 61 of the toner supply channel 57 through the toner supply channel 57 as indicated by an arrow B, and developed from the lower discharge port 58 of the toner supply channel 57. The developing device 14 is replenished through a receiving port 59 of the device 14.

  By the way, when the toner cartridge 20 is removed from the mounting portion, the container main body 63 that also functions as a shutter is rotated to close the toner supply port 62 by the outer periphery of the container main body 63 and the sponge body fixed to the outer periphery.

  At this time, in order to remove the toner remaining around the edge of the toner supply port 62, if the sponge body is traveled so as to rise to the outside of the toner supply port 62, the container body 63 and the outer cylinder 64 that slide and rotate. As described above, the friction between and increases the rotational torque and the shutter operation becomes heavy.

  FIGS. 4A to 4D are diagrams illustrating the above problem again for reference. 4 (c) and 4 (d) are cross-sectional views taken along the line AA 'in FIG. 4 (b). 4 (a) to 4 (d) show the conventional configuration. For the sake of clarity, the same components as those in FIG. 3 are given the same reference numerals as those in FIG. Yes.

  In addition, the toner cartridge 20 shown in FIG. 4A actually shows a state in which the toner cartridge 20 is attached to the attachment portion of the apparatus main body, as shown in FIG. Further, the toner supply port 62 is connected to the upper receiving port 61 of the toner supply path 57 shown in FIG.

  Here, in order to remove the toner cartridge 20 from the mounting portion, as shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, a container main body 63 that also serves as a shutter (in FIGS. 4A and 4B, the outer cylinder 64 is removed). The toner supply port 62 (66) is closed by rotating the outer periphery of the container main body 63 and the sponge body 69 fixed to the outer periphery. At this time, although not particularly shown, the toner remains around the edge of the second opening 66.

  Therefore, when the container body 63 is rotated as a shutter, a raised sponge body 69a that rises outside the toner supply port 62 (66) is formed on the sponge body 69 on the outer peripheral surface corresponding to the toner supply port 62 (66). As a result, the toner residue is almost eliminated. However, as described above, the friction between the container body 63 that rotates and slides and the outer cylinder 64 increase, and the rotational torque becomes heavy.

  FIGS. 5A and 5B are views showing a toner cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention that solves the above problem. 5 (a) and 5 (b) are detailed configurations other than the members directly according to the present invention, and the same components as those in FIGS. 3 and 4 (c) and (d) are shown in FIGS. The same numbers as (c) and (d) are given. 5A and 5B also show the upper receiving port 61 of the toner supply path 57.

  As shown in FIG. 5A, for example, an appropriate sponge member is used to prevent the toner Tn supplied from the toner supply port 62 of the toner cartridge 20 from leaking around the upper receiving port 61 of the toner supply path 57. A sealing member 71 is provided.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 5A, the toner supply port 62 of the toner cartridge 20 is filled with toner Tn between the outer peripheral surface of the container main body 63 and the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 64, causing a failure later. A sealing member 72 is provided so as not to cause it.

  The sealing member 72 includes a peripheral sealing portion 72a surrounding the first opening 65 of the container main body 63, and a rotation direction indicated by an arrow g of the container main body 63 that is continuous with the peripheral sealing portion 72a. It is comprised by the opening sealing part 72b extended to the outer peripheral surface of an opposite direction.

  Moreover, this sealing member 72 consists of a flexible member comprised, for example with the appropriate sponge member. And this sealing member 72 is being fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the container main body 63 with the adhesive agent. Further, as shown in FIG. 5B, a bellows-like member 73 made of a resin film in which a mountain fold portion and a valley fold portion are continuous is disposed in the opening sealing portion 72b of the sealing member 72. .

  The bellows-like member 73 has a valley portion fixed to the opening sealing portion 72b. The bellows-like member 73 is moved when the container main body 63 rotates and moves to a position where the toner supply port 62 shown in FIG. 5B, that is, the second opening 66 formed in the outer cylinder 64 is shielded. 2 is formed at a portion corresponding to the opening 66.

  In addition, since the bellows-like member 73 has only a trough part fixed to the opening sealing part 72b, when located between the container main body 63 and the outer cylinder 64 as shown in FIG. In FIG. 5 (a), the mountain-folded portion is pressed against the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder 64 so that most of the portion is crushed and the remaining portion is pushed into the opening sealing portion 72b of the sponge body. 73 cannot be seen.

  As a result, the bellows-like member 73 is moved from the position where the container main body 63 opens the toner supply port 62 shown in FIG. 5A to the position where the toner supply port 62 shown in FIG. 5B is sealed. When the mountain-folded portion goes out from the edge of the second opening 66, the collapsed mountain-folded portion is restored to the original standing position.

  A vibration is generated by the restoring force of the bent portion, and the toner Tn remaining in the peripheral portion of the second opening 66, that is, the toner supply port 62 is supplied from the upper receiving port 61 of the toner supply path 57 by this vibration. It is shaken off in the road 57. Therefore, the toner Tn does not remain on the peripheral edge portion of the toner supply port 62 of the toner cartridge 20.

  As described above, according to the first embodiment of the present invention, since the sealing portion is vibrated by the interference between the sealed opening and the bellows-like member, the toner attached to the sealed opening can be easily removed. To the main body side opening.

  In addition, since the sealing member has a bellows shape, the pressure and area that cause friction between the container body and the shutter portion can be reduced, the rotational torque of the shutter opening / closing operation can be reduced, and the operability is improved.

Further, since the toner that adheres to the opening portion where the fold-back portion of the bellows-like rising and returning portion of the sealing member is sealed is scraped off, less toner adheres to the subsequent bellows-like portion, and therefore, toner contamination is reduced. .
[Example 2]

  6 (a) to 6 (d) are diagrams for explaining a problem that occurs in a connecting portion between a powder supply port and a powder reception port that are generally configured between a powder supply side and a powder reception side. It is. 6A to 6D show only the configuration near the supply port on the powder supply side.

  FIG. 6A shows a powder supply part 75, a supply port 76 on the lower surface thereof, a sealing sponge body 77, a shutter member 78 and an opening 79 fixed to the peripheral part and the lower surface following the peripheral part. Yes. FIG. 6B shows a state where the shutter member 78 is moved relative to the supply port 76 in the direction of sealing the supply port 76.

  At this time, if the sealing sponge body 77 has a simple planar configuration, as shown in FIG. 6 (c), an adhering powder pool is present in the portion surrounded by the ellipse C in the opening 79 of the shutter member 78. Occur.

  Note that a receiving port of a powder receiving unit (not shown) is connected to the opening 79 of the shutter member 78. Therefore, if the powder supply unit 75 in which the supply port 76 is sealed with the shutter member 78 is removed from the receiving port, the attached powder is scattered.

  In order to solve this problem, as shown in FIG. 6D, a raised sponge body 77a is formed in advance in a portion corresponding to the opening 79 when the sealing sponge body 77 is sealed. However, although the amount of adhering powder is reduced, the adhering powder is generated in the peripheral portion of the raised sponge body 77a, that is, the portion indicated by the circle D.

  FIGS. 7A and 7B are diagrams illustrating an example in which the shutter configuration of the present invention is applied to the connecting portion between the supply port and the receiving port. 7 (a) and 7 (b) also show the receiving port of the powder receiving unit (not shown in FIGS. 6 (a) to 6 (d)). 7 (a) and 7 (b), the same components as those in FIGS. 6 (a) to (d) are given the same numbers as those in FIGS. 6 (a) to (d). .

  7A, the shutter member 78 moves to the left, the opening 79 communicates with the supply port 76 of the powder supply unit 75, and further communicates with the receiving port 82 of the powder receiving unit 81. It shows the state. In the powder receiving unit 81, a sealing member 83 is disposed around the receiving port 82 so that the powder to be received does not leak to the outside.

  The sealing sponge body 77 of the powder supply unit 75 is provided with a bellows-like member 84 made of a resin film in which a fold-folded portion and a valley-folded portion are continuous. Also in this case, the bellows-like member 84 is fixed to the sealing sponge body 77 at the valley portion by an adhesive or the like.

  Further, the bellows-like member 84 has an opening portion of the shutter member 78 when the powder supply portion 75 moves to the left with respect to the shutter member 78 and blocks communication with the receiving port 82 of the powder receiving portion 81. 79 is formed at a position corresponding to 79.

  As shown in FIG. 7B, the bellows-like member 84 has a mountain-folded portion pressed at the right end portion of the shutter member 78 when the powder supply unit 75 blocks the receiving port 82 of the powder receiving unit 81. Most of the parts are crushed, and the remaining part is pushed into the sealing sponge body 77, and then the crushed mountain-folded part is restored to the original standing position when going out from the edge of the opening 79 of the shutter member 78.

  Vibration is generated by the restoring force of the mountain-folded portion, and the powder remaining on the peripheral edge of the opening 79 is shaken off in the receiving port 82 of the powder receiving unit 81 by this vibration. Therefore, even if the powder supply unit 75 whose supply port 76 is sealed with the shutter member 78 is removed from the receiving port, no powder adheres to the opening 79 of the shutter member 78, so that the powder is scattered. It is not.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof. Hereinafter, the invention described in the scope of claims of the present application will be appended.
[Appendix 1]

A cylindrical container body having a first opening on the peripheral surface and containing powder therein, and a first container corresponding to the first opening that is rotatable in the circumferential direction with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the container main body An outer cylinder having two openings,
An image of holding the outer cylinder with the second opening facing downward, holding the container body via the outer cylinder, and receiving the powder corresponding to the second opening facing downward A toner cartridge that is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus to be held by a receiving portion having a powder receiving port provided in the forming apparatus,
The container body is
A first position where the first opening is made coincident with the second opening and the interior is opened with respect to the powder receiving port, and a second position where the inside is sealed with respect to the powder receiving port without matching. Is rotatable with respect to the outer cylinder so as to be able to take
A sealing member comprising a flexible member that is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the container body continuously around the first opening and the outer periphery, and is disposed between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder. Have
The sealing member is
When the container main body takes the second position, the container body includes a bellows-like member made of a resin film in which a mountain fold and a valley fold are continuous in a portion corresponding to the second opening.
A toner cartridge.
[Appendix 2]

When the container body moves from the first position to the second position, the bellows-like member vibrates with the restoring force of the mountain fold when the mountain fold comes out from the edge of the second opening. The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the powder remaining in the second opening is shaken off inside the powder receiving port.
[Appendix 3]

The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the powder is toner, and the receiving portion is a toner cartridge mounting portion having an opening communicating with a developing device disposed in the image forming apparatus.
[Appendix 4]

  An image forming apparatus comprising the toner cartridge according to any one of appendices 1 to 3.

  The present invention is used in a toner cartridge that is used in an image forming apparatus such as a facsimile machine, a printer, and a copier, and in which toner does not remain outside the toner supply port after the toner supply port after toner supply is closed by a shutter. it can.

1 Full-color image forming device (printer, device body)
2 Image forming unit 3 Transfer belt unit 4 Toner supply unit 5 Paper feeding unit 6 Belt type fixing device (fixing device)
7 Transfer unit for double-sided printing 8 Transfer belt 8a Lower running surface 9 (9m, 9c, 9y, 9k) Image forming unit 10 Photosensitive drum 11 Cleaner 11a Housing side surface 11b Housing bottom portion 12 Charging roller 13 Optical writing head 14 Development Device 15 Developing roller 16 Unit housing (engaging part)
17 Bulkhead 18 First stirring and conveying screw 19 Second stirring and conveying screw 20 (20y, 20m, 20c, 20k) Toner cartridge 21 Driving roller 22 Driven roller 23 Primary transfer roller 24 Secondary transfer portion 25 Transfer auxiliary roller 26 Secondary Transfer roller 27 Belt cleaner 28 Cleaning blade 29 Waste toner collection container 30 (30a, 30b) Paper feed cassette 31 Paper take-out roller 32 Feed roller 33 Rolling roller 34 Standby transport roller pair 36 Carry-out roller pair 37 Paper discharge tray 38 Paper discharge roller 39 Return path 39a Return start path 39b Return intermediate path 39c Return end path 40a Front door 40b Opening / closing member 41 (41a, 41b, 41c, 41d, 41e) Return roller pair 42 Developing tank 42a Upper developing tank 42b Lower developing tank 43 Doctor Blade 4 4 Toner concentration sensor 45 Detection surface 46, 48 Rotating shaft 47, 49 Spiral fin 51 Return port 53 Supply port 54 Blade holder 55 Elastic sheet (blade)
56 Cleaning Blade 57 Toner Supply Path 58 Lower Discharge Port 59 Receiving Port 61 Upper Receiving Port 62 Toner Supply Port 63 Container Body 64 Outer Cylinder 65 First Opening 66 Second Opening 67 Toner Conveying Screw 68 Gear 69 Sponge 69a Swelling sponge body 71 Sealing member 72 Sealing member 72a Peripheral sealing portion 72b Opening sealing portion 73 Bellows-like member 75 Powder supply portion 76 Supply port 77 Sealing sponge body 77a Swelling sponge body 78 Shutter member 79 Opening portion 81 Powder Body receiving part 82 Receiving port 83 Sealing member 84 Bellows-like member

Claims (4)

A cylindrical container body having a first opening on the peripheral surface and containing powder therein, and a first container corresponding to the first opening that is rotatable in the circumferential direction with respect to the outer peripheral surface of the container main body An outer cylinder having two openings,
An image of holding the outer cylinder with the second opening facing downward, holding the container body via the outer cylinder, and receiving the powder corresponding to the second opening facing downward A toner cartridge that is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus to be held by a receiving portion having a powder receiving port provided in the forming apparatus,
The container body is
A first position where the first opening is made coincident with the second opening and the interior is opened with respect to the powder receiving port, and a second position where the inside is sealed with respect to the powder receiving port without matching. Is rotatable with respect to the outer cylinder so as to be able to take
A sealing member comprising a flexible member that is fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the container body continuously around the first opening and the outer periphery, and is disposed between the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface of the outer cylinder. Have
The sealing member is
When the container main body takes the second position, the container body includes a bellows-like member made of a resin film in which a mountain fold and a valley fold are continuous in a portion corresponding to the second opening.
A toner cartridge.   When the container body moves from the first position to the second position, the bellows-like member vibrates with the restoring force of the mountain fold when the mountain fold comes out from the edge of the second opening. 2. The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the powder remaining in the second opening is shaken off inside the powder receiving port.   The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the powder is toner, and the receiving portion is a toner cartridge mounting portion having an opening communicating with a developing device provided in the image forming apparatus. An image forming apparatus comprising the toner cartridge according to claim 1.