JP2017161613A - Powder supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a powder supply device comprising a powder holding part that holds a powder and a supply part that supplies the powder held in the powder holding part to another mechanism, and make it possible to simply and accurately detect the fact that the amount of powder held in the powder holding part has been reduced to a predetermined amount in supplying the powder held in the powder holding part from the supply part to another mechanism.SOLUTION: In a toner supply device 10 that supplies a toner t held in a toner holding part 20 to a developing device 5 through a supply part 40, in detecting the fact that the amount of toner t held in the toner holding part 20 has been reduced to a predetermined amount, the toner t held in the toner holding part 20 is divided by a take-up member 21 into a portion in the predetermined amount and an excess portion, and the excess toner obtained through division performed by the take-up member 21 is detected by detection means 31, 32, and 33.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 3

Description

  The present invention relates to a powder supply apparatus including a powder holding unit that holds powder such as toner and a supply unit that supplies the powder held in the powder holding unit to another mechanism. is there. In particular, when supplying the powder held in the powder holding unit to another mechanism from the supply unit, it is easy and accurate that the amount of the powder held in the powder holding unit has been reduced to a predetermined amount. It is characterized in that it can be detected.

  Conventionally, in image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, printers, facsimiles, and composite machines using toner as a powder, toner is supplied from a developing device to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive member to A toner image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoreceptor.

  Then, when toner is supplied from the developing device to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member in this way and a toner image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive member, the amount of toner in the developing device gradually increases. Therefore, when the amount of toner in the developing device becomes a predetermined amount or less, the toner stored in the toner storage container is supplied to the developing device by the toner supply device.

  Here, as such a toner supply device, as disclosed in Patent Document 1 and the like, toner is temporarily stored in the sub hopper from the toner container, and toner is supplied from the sub hopper to the developing device. In addition, when the amount of toner in the sub hopper decreases, the toner is supplied from the toner container into the sub hopper.

  In the one disclosed in Patent Document 1, at least two level detection means for detecting different remaining amounts of toner in the sub hopper are provided, and the supply means while the different level detection means detect the remaining amount of toner. From the drive amount, the control unit calculates the toner supply amount per unit drive amount of the supply unit, and determines the drive amount of the supply unit with respect to the toner density of the developer.

  However, as disclosed in Patent Document 1, when the level detection means detects the amount of toner in the sub hopper, unevenness occurs in the toner level in the sub hopper, resulting in variations in the detected toner amount. It is easy to make a difference in the toner level depending on the internal shape of the sub hopper, and it is difficult to accurately detect the remaining amount of toner in the sub hopper, and the toner in the sub hopper is reduced to a predetermined amount. This could not be detected easily and accurately.

JP 2011-28027 A

  The present invention provides a powder supply apparatus including a powder holding unit that holds powder such as toner and a supply unit that supplies the powder held in the powder holding unit to another mechanism. When the powder held in the body holding part is supplied from the supply part to another mechanism, it can be easily and accurately detected that the amount of the powder held in the powder holding part has been reduced to a predetermined amount. It is a problem to make.

  In the powder supply apparatus according to the present invention, in order to solve the above-described problems, a powder holding unit for holding powder and the powder held in the powder holding unit are supplied to other mechanisms. In the powder supply apparatus including the supply unit, the powder held in the powder holding unit when detecting that the amount of the powder held in the powder holding unit has decreased to a predetermined amount. A dividing unit that divides the body into a predetermined amount and an excess part, and a detecting unit that detects excess powder divided by the dividing unit are provided.

  In this powder supply apparatus, the powder held in the powder holding unit by the dividing unit is divided into a predetermined amount of portion and an excess portion, and the powder in the divided excess portion is detected. Since the detection is performed by the means, it is possible to easily detect that the amount of the powder held in the powder holding portion has been reduced to a predetermined amount because the excess powder is not detected by the detection means.

  Here, in the powder supply device, as the dividing means, a pumping member for pumping up the powder held in the powder holding unit is provided, and the pumping member is rotated to pump up the powder, and the predetermined amount or more. The excess powder can be dropped from the pumping member, and the dropped excess powder can be detected by the detection means.

  Further, in the powder supply device, during the dividing operation for dividing the powder held in the powder holding unit by the dividing unit into a predetermined amount of part and an excess part, the powder holding unit It is preferable to stop supplying the powder held in the other mechanism. In this way, the amount of the powder held in the powder holding unit changes during the dividing operation in which the powder held in the powder holding unit by the dividing unit is divided into a predetermined amount portion and an excess portion. Thus, the amount of the powder held on the powder holding portion by the detection means can be appropriately detected.

  Further, in the powder supply apparatus, as the dividing means, a pumping member for pumping up the powder held in the powder holding unit is provided, and the pumping member is rotated so that a surplus powder of a predetermined amount or more is supplied. The excess powder pumped up by the pumping member can be detected by the detection means.

  In the powder supply apparatus, the pumping member is rotated in the reverse direction when the detection unit detects that the amount of the powder held in the powder holding unit is below a predetermined amount. You can make it. In this case, when the powder pumped up by the pumping member is released from the pumping member, the pumping member is rotated in the reverse direction even if the powder remains in the powder holding unit without being guided to the supply unit. As a result, the powder remaining in the powder holding unit is appropriately guided to the supply unit.

  Further, in the above powder supply apparatus, in order to prevent the powder pumped by the pumping member from remaining in the corner on the rear end side of the pumping member, the corner on the rear end side of the pumping member is set to R. The shape is preferred.

  In the powder supply apparatus, when the powder is held in the powder holding unit, the powder is supplied from the powder supply member containing the powder to the powder holding unit. .

  In the powder supply apparatus, the powder holding unit may be rotated, and the dividing means may be provided on the inner peripheral surface of the powder holding unit.

  Further, in the powder supply apparatus, the detection means includes a contact part that contacts the excess powder inside the powder holding part, and that the excess powder is in contact with the contact part. A transmission unit that transmits to the outside of the powder holding unit and a sensor that is provided outside of the powder holding unit and detects a result transmitted from the transmission unit can be used. And as such a detection means, what was comprised by the rotary blade which contacts and rotates with powder and the sensor which detects rotation of this rotary blade can be used.

  In the powder supply apparatus, toner can be used as the powder.

  In the powder supply apparatus according to the present invention, the powder held in the powder holding part by the dividing means as described above is divided into a predetermined amount of part and an excess part, and the powder in the divided excess part Since the detection means detects the excess powder, it is possible to easily detect that the amount of the powder held in the powder holding portion has been reduced to a predetermined amount by detecting the excess powder by the detection means. Become.

  As a result, in the powder supply apparatus according to the present invention, when the powder held in the powder holding unit is supplied from the supply unit to another mechanism, the amount of the powder held in the powder holding unit is limited. It has become possible to easily and accurately detect the decrease to the fixed amount.

1 is a schematic explanatory view showing an image forming apparatus using a toner supply device using toner as powder as a powder supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional explanatory diagram in the axial direction showing the configuration of the toner supply device according to the embodiment. In the toner supply device according to the above-described embodiment, (A) to (D) are states in which the toner held by the toner holding unit is pumped by the pumping member, and excess toner of a predetermined amount or more is detected by the detection unit. It is a schematic sectional explanatory drawing shown. In the toner supply apparatus according to the above-described embodiment, (A) and (B) are partial explanatory views showing a state in which the presence of excess toner is detected by a detection unit. FIGS. 3A to 3C illustrate a first modification of the toner supply device according to the embodiment, in which toner held in a toner holding unit is pumped up by a pumping member provided with a shutter unit, and a predetermined amount is obtained. It is a schematic cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state in which the above excessive toner is detected by a detection means. In the first modified example, (A) and (B) are schematic cross-sectional views showing a state in which the toner returned from the pumping member into the toner holding unit is pumped up again by the pumping member provided with the shutter unit. FIG. In the first modified example, (A) to (C) show that after returning the toner from the pumping member into the toner holding unit, the pumping member is rotated in the reverse direction to return the toner returned into the toner holding unit. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional explanatory view showing a state of being guided to a guide part under a toner holding part. In the toner supply device according to the above-described embodiment, a second modification example is shown in which the toner holding portion is rotatably held on the inner peripheral side of the ring-shaped shutter member provided with the opening, and (A) Is a schematic cross-sectional explanatory view in the axial direction of the toner supply device, and (B) is a schematic perspective view of a shutter member. In the toner supply device according to the above-described embodiment, there is shown a third modified example in which a measuring container for storing a predetermined amount of toner is provided at the bottom of the toner holding unit, and excess toner is pumped up by a pumping member. FIGS. 4A to 4C are schematic cross-sectional explanatory views showing a state in which excess toner in the toner holding unit is pumped by a pumping member, and excess toner is dropped from the pumping member and detected by a detection unit. FIG. 10 is a schematic cross-sectional explanatory view in the axial direction showing a configuration of a toner supply device according to a third modified example in which a position where a toner holding unit is provided is changed in the toner supply device according to the embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic front view showing a modified example of a rotary blade used in a detection unit that uses excess toner in the toner supply device according to the embodiment.

  Next, as a powder supply apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, a toner supply apparatus using toner as powder will be specifically described with reference to the accompanying drawings. The powder supply device according to the present invention is not limited to the toner supply device shown in the following embodiment, and can be implemented with appropriate modifications within a range not changing the gist thereof.

  Here, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 1, a case where the toner supply device 10 is used in the image forming apparatus 1 will be described as an example.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, the surface of the rotating photoreceptor 2 is charged by the charging device 3.

  Then, the surface of the photoreceptor 2 charged in this way is exposed according to image information by a latent image forming apparatus 4 using a laser or the like, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 2. ing.

  Next, the toner t is supplied from the developing device 5 to the portion of the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 2 in this way, and a toner image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 2. I am doing so.

  Then, the toner image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 2 in this manner is guided to a position facing the transfer device 6 in the form of a roller, and the recording sheet S is guided between the photoreceptor 2 and the transfer device 6. The toner image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 2 is transferred from the transfer device 6 to the recording sheet S, and the recording sheet S to which the toner image has been transferred in this way is guided to the fixing device 7. Is fixed to the recording sheet S.

  Further, the remaining device such as the toner t remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor 2 without being transferred to the recording sheet S is removed from the surface of the photoreceptor 2 by the cleaning device 8.

  In the image forming apparatus 1, the toner t is supplied from the developing device 5 to the portion of the electrostatic latent image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 2 as described above, and the electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor 2. As a result of forming a toner image corresponding to the image, when the toner t in the developing device 5 decreases, the toner supply device 10 supplies the toner t to the developing device 5.

  Here, in the toner supply device 10 in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 2, the toner supply container (powder supply member) 11 containing the toner t to be supplied is provided at the tip on the opening 11 a side. A cap-like toner holding part (powder holding part) 20 for holding the toner t is provided, and the toner supply container 11 is rotated by a rotating device (not shown) while the toner holding part 20 is not rotated. The toner t accommodated in the toner supply container 11 is supplied to the toner holding part 20 through the opening 11a by the transport rib 11b spirally provided on the inner peripheral surface of the toner supply container 11. Yes.

  Further, in the toner supply device 10 in this embodiment, the opening of the toner supply container 11 is used as a dividing unit that divides the toner t held in the toner holding unit 20 into a predetermined amount and an excess part. A pumping member that pumps up the toner t in the toner holding unit 20 via an attachment plate 21b provided with an opening 21a communicating with the opening 11a of the toner supply container 11 on the end surface on the toner holding unit 20 side provided with 11a. 21 is provided. Then, the pumping member 21 is rotated together with the toner supply container 11 via the mounting plate 21 b, and the toner holding unit 20 is formed in a space formed by the pumping member 21 and the inner peripheral surface of the toner holding unit 20. The toner t inside is accommodated and pumped up.

  Further, in the toner supply device 10 according to this embodiment, as a detection unit that detects excessive toner t in the toner holding unit 20, a blade portion (contact portion) 31a that contacts the excessive toner t in the toner holding unit 20 is used. The rotating blade 31 provided so as to protrude radially outward from the rotating shaft (transmitting portion) 31b at the center of the toner holding portion 20 is used, and the rotating shaft 31b of the rotating blade 31 is supplied from the toner holding portion 20 with toner. A detection plate 32 is attached to the end of the rotating shaft 31b that protrudes in the opposite direction to the container 11 and is rotated through the rotating shaft 31b along with the blade 31a. An optical sensor 33 that detects the rotation of the plate 32 is provided.

  In the toner supply device 10 in this embodiment, a discharge port 20a is provided at the bottom of the toner holding unit 20, and the toner t held in the toner holding unit 20 is communicated with the discharge port 20a. A supply unit 40 for supplying the developing device 5 is provided.

  Here, the supply unit 40 is provided with a guide unit 43 that guides the toner t discharged from the toner holding unit 20 through the discharge port 20a to the conveyance unit 42 provided with the conveyance screw 41. When the toner t discharged from the discharge port 20a of the toner holding unit 20 through the guide unit 43 is guided and held by the transport unit 42, the amount of toner t in the developing device 5 decreases as described above. In this case, the transport screw 41 is rotated by a rotating device (not shown), and the toner t guided to the transport unit 42 is transported by the transport screw 41 and guided to the developing device 5.

  In the toner supply device 10 according to this embodiment, when detecting the amount of toner t in the toner holding unit 20, the toner supply container 11 is rotated as shown in FIGS. 3 (A) to 3 (D). In addition, the pumping member 21 is rotated together with the toner supply container 11 via the mounting plate 21b.

  Here, as shown in FIG. 3A, when the pumping member 21 is rotated in a state where a predetermined amount or more of toner t is held in the toner holding unit 20, as shown in FIG. A predetermined amount or more of toner t is pumped up by the rotating pumping member 21. In this state, when the pumping member 21 is rotated together with the toner supply container 11 to some extent, as shown in FIG. 3C, the toner t pumped up by the pumping member 21 exceeds a predetermined amount. The toner t is spilled from the pumping member 21, and the toner t thus spilled is brought into contact with the blade portion 31 a of the rotary blade 31 provided in the toner holding unit 20, and the rotation shaft 31 b of the rotary blade 31 is rotated. The

  Here, when the rotary shaft 31b of the rotary blade 31 is rotated in this way, the detection plate 32 attached to the end of the rotary shaft 31b protruding from the toner holding unit 20 rotates along with the rotary shaft 31b. Then, as shown in FIG. 4 (A), the detection plate 32 moves away from between the sensors 33 as shown in FIG. 4 (B) from the state where the detection plate 32 is located between the sensors 33. Thus, it can be detected that a predetermined amount or more of toner t is held in the toner holding unit 20.

  Even after the excessive toner t spills out of the pumping member 21 as described above, the pumping member 21 is rotated together with the toner supply container 11, and as shown in FIG. The toner t pumped up by the toner 21 is returned to the toner holding unit 20.

  Here, in the toner supply device 10 in this embodiment, when the toner t in the supply unit 40 is supplied to the developing device 5 while the toner t in the toner holding unit 20 is being pumped up by the pumping member 21, The toner t that is being pumped up by the pumping member 21 is discharged to the guide unit 43 through the discharge port 20a of the toner holding unit 20, and the amount of toner t in the toner holding unit 20 is appropriately detected. Can not be.

  For this reason, as shown in FIGS. 5A to 5C, the scooping member 21 is provided with an arcuate shutter portion 21c along the inner peripheral surface of the toner holding portion 20, and FIG. As shown in (B), the state in which the toner t in the toner holding unit 20 is pumped up by the pumping member 21 to detect whether the amount of toner t in the toner holding unit 20 is a predetermined amount or more and there is an excess toner t. Then, it is preferable that the discharge port 20a of the toner holding unit 20 is closed by the shutter unit 21c. After the amount of toner t in the toner holding unit 20 is detected in this way, the toner t in the toner holding unit 20 is guided through the discharge port 20a of the toner holding unit 20 as shown in FIG. Guide to part 43.

  When the amount of the toner t pumped up by the pumping member 21 provided with the arcuate shutter portion 21c along the inner peripheral surface of the toner holding unit 20 is less than a predetermined amount. As shown in FIG. 6A, the toner t returned from the pumping member 21 into the toner holding unit 20 remains without being discharged from the discharge port 20a of the toner holding unit 20, and the remaining toner t is Again, the pumping member 21 provided with the shutter portion 21c is pumped up and may remain without being discharged from the toner holding unit 20 indefinitely.

  For this reason, as shown in FIG. 7A, when the toner t returned from the scooping member 21 remains in the toner holding portion 20, the scooping member 21 is rotated in the reverse direction, and FIG. As shown in FIG. 7C, the toner t remaining in the toner holding unit 20 is lifted along the inner peripheral surface of the toner holding unit 20 by the rear end surface of the scooping member 21 as shown in FIG. The raised toner t can be dropped along the rear end surface of the pumping member 21 inclined downward, and the toner t can be guided to the discharge port 20a of the toner holding unit 20.

  Further, in the toner supply device 10 in the above-described embodiment, the scooping member 21 is rotated together with the toner supply container 11, while the cap-like toner provided at the tip of the toner supply container 11 on the opening 11 a side. Although the holding unit 20 is not rotated, as shown in FIG. 8A, the toner holding unit 20 is fixed to the tip of the toner supply container 11, and the toner holding unit 20 is combined with the toner supply container 11. It can also be rotated.

  Here, when the toner holding unit 20 is rotated together with the toner supply container 11 in this way, the position of the discharge port 20 a provided in the toner holding unit 20 moves as the toner holding unit 20 rotates. Then, the toner t is discharged from the discharge port 20a at a position not communicating with the guide portion 43, and the toner t spills outside.

  Therefore, when the toner holding unit 20 is rotated together with the toner supply container 11 as described above, the toner holding unit 20 is provided with the opening 22a as shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B. The toner holding portion 20 is rotatably held on the inner peripheral side of the ring-shaped shutter member 22 and the shutter 22 has an opening 22a in communication with the guide portion 43. The member 22 is provided on the outer peripheral side of the toner holding unit 20.

  In this way, at the position where the discharge port 20a provided in the toner holding unit 20 does not communicate with the guide unit 43, the discharge port 20a is closed by the shutter member 22 and the toner t in the toner holding unit 20 is removed. Will not spill outside. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 8A, when the discharge port 20 a of the toner holding unit 20 is led to a position where it communicates with the guide unit 43, the discharge port 20 a is communicated with the opening 22 a in the shutter member 22. Thus, the toner t in the toner holding unit 20 is supplied to the guide unit 43 through the communication port 20a and the opening 22a.

  Further, in the toner supply device 10 in the above-described embodiment, the toner t in the toner holding unit 20 is pumped by the pumping member 21, and the excess toner t exceeding a predetermined amount that spills out of the pumping member 21 is detected by the detection unit. However, the method of detecting excess toner t in the toner holding unit 20 is not limited to this.

  For example, in the example shown in FIGS. 9A to 9C, a measuring container 20b for storing a predetermined amount of toner t is provided at the bottom of the toner holder 20, and the toner in the toner holder 20 is provided. As a pumping member 23 that pumps up t, a pumping unit 23a that pumps excess toner t stored in the toner holding unit 20 beyond the measuring container 20b, and a pumping unit 23a at the rear end of the pumping unit 23a. A suppression unit 23b that suppresses the pumped toner t is provided, and a corner portion of the pumping unit 23a and the suppression unit 23b having an R shape is used.

  Then, in the toner supply device 10, as shown in FIG. 9A, the pumping portion 23a of the pumping member 23 is rotated along the inner peripheral surface of the toner holding unit 20, and the toner supply device 23 is shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 9C, surplus toner t accommodated beyond the metering accommodation portion 20b is pumped onto the pumping portion 23a of the pumping member 23, and the pumping member 21 is further rotated. As shown in FIG. 4, the excess toner t pumped on the pumping portion 23a is dropped from the deterring portion 23b of the pumping member 21 onto the blade portion 31a of the rotary blade 31 to rotate the rotary blade 31, thereby the toner. The presence of excess toner t in the holding unit 20 is detected. In this pumping member 21, the corners of the pumping part 23a and the restraining part 23b have an R shape, so that excess toner t is appropriately guided from the pumping part 23a of the pumping member 23 to the restraining part 23b. Thus, the excess toner t is appropriately dropped from the pumping member 23.

  In the toner supply device 10 according to the above-described embodiment, the cap-shaped toner holding unit 20 is provided at the tip of the toner supply container 11 on the opening 11a side. It is not limited to this.

  For example, like the toner supply device 10 shown in FIG. 10, the cap member 12 is provided at the tip of the toner supply container 11 on the opening 11 a side, and the toner holding portion 20 is provided below the cap member 12. can do.

  Here, in the toner supply device 10 shown in FIG. 10, the toner holding unit 20 is accommodated in the toner supply container 11 when the toner holding unit 20 is provided below the cap member 12 provided at the tip of the opening 11 a of the toner supply container 11. The toner t thus supplied is supplied from the supply port 12 a provided at the bottom of the cap member 12 into the toner holding unit 20 through 20 c provided at the upper part of the toner holding unit 20.

  Also in the toner supply device 10 shown in FIG. 10, when detecting the amount of toner t in the toner holding unit 20, as in the above-described embodiment, a predetermined amount or more of toner t is supplied by the rotating pumping member 21. Of the toner t pumped up by the pump-up member 21, a predetermined amount or more of excess toner t is spilled from the pump-up member 21, and the spilled toner t is provided in the toner holding unit 20. The rotary blade 31 is dropped on the blade portion 31 a of the rotary blade 31 to rotate, thereby detecting the presence of excess toner t in the toner holding unit 20.

  In the toner supply device 10 shown in FIG. 10, when the pumping member 21 is rotated, the pumping member 21 is attached to a rotating plate 21 d provided in the toner holding unit 20, and the rotating plate 21 d is attached to the toner holding unit 20. The pumping member 21 is rotated by a rotating device 24 provided outside the rotating member 21 and the pumping member 21 is rotated through the rotating plate 21d.

  Further, in the toner supply device 10 according to the embodiment, as the rotating blade 31 in the detecting unit that detects the excessive toner t in the toner holding unit 20, there is one blade portion 31a from the rotating shaft 31b outward in the radial direction. Although what protruded was used, as shown in FIG. 11, what the some blade | wing part 31a protruded toward the radial direction outward from the rotating shaft 31b can also be used.

1: Image forming apparatus 2: Photoconductor 3: Charging apparatus 4: Latent image forming apparatus 5: Developing apparatus 6: Transfer apparatus 7: Fixing apparatus 8: Cleaning apparatus 10: Toner supply apparatus (powder supply apparatus)
11: Toner supply container (powder supply member)
11a: opening 11b: transport rib 12: cap member 12a: supply port 20: toner holding unit (powder holding unit)
20a: Discharge port 20b: Metering storage portion 20c: Inlet port 21: Pumping member 21a: Opening portion 21b: Mounting plate 21c: Shutter portion 21d: Rotating plate 22: Shutter member 22a: Opening portion 23: Pumping member 23a: Pumping portion 23b: Suppression part 24: Rotating device 31: Rotating blade 31a: Blade part (contact part)
31b: Rotating shaft (transmission unit)
32: Detection plate 33: Sensor 40: Supply unit 41: Conveying screw 42: Conveying unit 43: Guide unit S: Recording sheet t: Toner (powder)

Claims (11)

In a powder supply apparatus comprising a powder holding unit for holding powder and a supply unit for supplying the powder held in the powder holding unit to another mechanism,
In detecting that the amount of the powder held in the powder holding portion has decreased to a predetermined amount, the powder held in the powder holding portion is divided into a predetermined amount portion and an excess portion. A powder supply apparatus comprising: a dividing unit that divides; and a detecting unit that detects surplus powder divided by the dividing unit.   2. The powder supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dividing unit includes a pumping member that pumps up the powder held in the powder holding unit, and rotates the pumping member to exceed a predetermined amount. The powder supply device is characterized in that the powder is dropped from the pumping member, and excess powder dropped from the pumping member is detected by the detecting means.   In the powder supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2, during the dividing operation of dividing the powder held by the powder holding unit by the dividing unit into a predetermined amount portion and an excess portion, A powder supply apparatus that stops supplying the powder held in the powder holding part to another mechanism.   2. The powder supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the dividing means includes a pumping member that pumps up a predetermined amount or more of surplus powder, and the surplus powder pumped up by the pumping member is detected. A powder supply apparatus characterized by detecting by means.   The powder supply apparatus according to any one of claims 2 to 4, wherein the detection unit detects that the powder held in the powder holding unit has become a predetermined amount or less. In this case, the powder supply apparatus is characterized in that the pumping member is rotated in the reverse direction.   6. The powder supply device according to claim 2, wherein a corner on the rear end side of the pumping member for storing the pumped powder has an R shape. Body supply device.   The powder supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 6, further comprising a powder supply member that contains powder to be supplied to the powder holding unit. Body supply device.   The powder supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the powder holding unit is configured to rotate, and the dividing means is provided on an inner peripheral surface of the powder holding unit. The powder supply apparatus characterized by the above-mentioned.   The powder supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the detection means includes a contact portion that contacts excess powder inside the powder holding portion, and the contact portion. A transmission unit that transmits the contact of excess powder to the outside of the powder holding unit, and a sensor that is provided outside the powder holding unit and detects a result transmitted from the transmission unit. A powder supply device.   The powder supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the detection means includes a rotary blade that rotates in contact with the powder, and a sensor that detects the rotation of the rotary blade. The powder supply apparatus characterized by having.   11. The powder supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the powder is toner.

Images