JP2018066856A - Toner container, toner supply device, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toner container that reduces failure in closure of a through hole even when a hook part provided on a shutter is deflected.SOLUTION: A toner container 15 comprises: a storage body 30 that stores a toner inside, is formed with a through hole 50 through which the toner is dropped to the outside, and is provided with a locking part 57 at a portion different from the through hole 50; and a shutter 52 that is arranged outside the storage body 30 and reciprocates in a linear direction to open/close the through hole 50. The shutter 52 is provided with a hook part 52d that extends in the linear direction, and the storage body 30 includes a guide part 58 that guides the hook part 52d to the locking part 57 accompanying a movement of the shutter 52 to move in one direction X to close the through hole 50.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

  The present invention relates to a toner container, a toner supply device, and an image forming apparatus.

  In an image forming apparatus including a developing device for developing an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier into a toner image, a configuration in which toner contained in a toner container is supplied to the developing device is known.

  For example, the toner container described in Patent Document 1 is detachable from the image forming apparatus in order to supply toner to the developing device. The developing device is slidably provided with a first shutter for opening and closing the toner supply port. The developing device includes toner flow rate changing means for making the toner flow rate in the region immediately below the toner replenishing port larger than the toner flow rate in the other regions. A shutter mounting plate is provided below the toner container. A second shutter is slidably provided between the lower portion of the toner container and the shutter mounting plate. A toner discharge port is formed in each of the lower portion of the toner container, the second shutter, and the shutter mounting plate. When the toner container is mounted on the image forming apparatus, the first and second shutters move to open the toner supply port and the toner discharge port. On the other hand, when the toner container is detached from the image forming apparatus, the first and second shutters move to close the toner supply port and the toner discharge port, respectively.

JP 2012-118281 A

  Here, in the state where the second shutter closes the toner discharge port, the hook of the hook portion (locked portion) formed integrally with the second shutter and formed with the hook is provided in the toner container. A configuration in which the hook is hooked on a hook (locking portion) is assumed. In the case of the toner container having this configuration, the rod body is heated when the second shutter which is removed from the image forming apparatus main body and opens the toner discharge port slides to close the toner discharge port. There is a risk that the nail will not be caught by the hook due to bending (deformation) due to aging.

  An object of the present invention is to provide a toner container in which poor closing of a through hole is suppressed even when the hook portion is bent.

  The first toner container contains toner therein, has a through hole for the toner to fall from the inside to the outside, and has a locking portion at a portion different from the portion where the through hole is formed. A shutter which is plate-like and is arranged outside the container and moves in a linear direction to open and close the through hole, and moves in one direction in the linear direction to close the through hole A shutter that moves in the other direction to open the through-hole, and a hook that is integral with the shutter and extends in the linear direction, the shutter moving in the one direction and the through-hole The hook is formed with a hooked portion to be locked with the locking portion, and the container is provided with the hook and moves in the one direction while being in contact with the hook portion. The locked part It is provided with a guide portion for guiding the stop unit.

  The second toner container is a first toner container, wherein the guide portion is a protruding portion that protrudes in a direction intersecting the one direction, and the upper surface of the protruding portion is below the hooking portion. The locked portion is guided to the locking portion while contacting and supporting the hook portion from below.

  In the first toner container, the third toner container is a recessed portion that is recessed along the one direction and in a direction intersecting the one direction, and the hook portion is sandwiched between the recessed portions. Thus, the locked portion is guided to the locking portion while contacting the upper and lower sides of the hook portion and supporting the hook portion from the upper side and the lower side.

  A toner supply device includes: a toner container according to any one of the first to third aspects; and a powder that drops from the through hole connected to the toner container with the lid opening the through hole. And a developing device that develops the latent image carried by the image carrier as a toner image.

  An image forming apparatus includes the developing device, an image carrier that carries a latent image developed as a toner image by the developing device, a transfer unit that transfers a toner image developed on the image carrier to a medium, A fixing device that fixes the toner image transferred to the medium by the transfer unit to the medium.

  In the toner container of the present invention, poor closing of the through hole is suppressed even when the rod is bent.

1 is a schematic view (front view) of an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. FIG. 3 is a block diagram illustrating a relationship between a control unit configuring the image forming apparatus of the present embodiment and each component configuring the image forming apparatus. 1 is a perspective view of a toner supply device that constitutes an image forming apparatus according to an exemplary embodiment. It is IV-IV sectional drawing of FIG. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a developing device that constitutes a toner supply device according to the exemplary embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram (cross-sectional view) of a part of the developing device of the present embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a toner container that constitutes the developing device according to the present exemplary embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a toner discharge mechanism that constitutes a toner container of the present embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a discharge port shutter of the toner container according to the exemplary embodiment is positioned at a closed position. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which a discharge port shutter of the toner container according to the exemplary embodiment is positioned at an open position. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a part of the toner discharge mechanism of the present embodiment, and is a side view as viewed from the right side in the apparatus width direction in a state where the discharge port is open. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a part of the toner discharge mechanism of the present embodiment, from the right side in the apparatus width direction when the discharge port shutter is moving to close the discharge port or moving to open. FIG. FIG. 6 is a side view of a part of the toner discharge mechanism of the present embodiment, viewed from the right side in the apparatus width direction in a state where the discharge port is closed. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a toner discharge mechanism that constitutes a toner container of a comparative form. It is a figure which shows a part of toner discharge mechanism of a modification, Comprising: It is the side view seen from the apparatus width direction right side.

≪Overview≫
Hereinafter, the overall configuration of the image forming apparatus 1 (see FIG. 1) of the present embodiment, the image forming operation by the image forming apparatus 1, and the configuration of the toner supply device 12 (see FIGS. 3 to 10), which is the main part of the present embodiment. The toner supply operation by the toner supply device 12 of this embodiment and the effects of this embodiment will be described in the order of description with reference to the drawings.

  In the following description, the directions indicated by arrows X and -X in the figure are the front and back sides of the apparatus depth direction, respectively, the directions indicated by arrows Y and -Y are the right and left sides of the apparatus width direction, arrows Z and arrows, respectively. The directions indicated by −Z are the upper side and the lower side in the apparatus height direction, respectively. In the present specification, a state in which the image forming apparatus 1 is viewed from the front side in the apparatus depth direction will be described as the front of the image forming apparatus 1.

<< Overall configuration of image forming apparatus >>

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an apparatus main body 2, a paper feed cassette 3, a paper discharge tray 4, an image reading unit 5, an image forming unit 6, a fixing device 7, and a control unit. It is an electrophotographic apparatus including a CU.

  The apparatus main body 2 has a function of accommodating therein a paper feed cassette 3, an image forming unit 6, a fixing device 7, and a control unit CU. The paper feed cassette 3 has a function of accumulating and accommodating the medium S on which an image is formed in a later process. The image reading unit 5 is a so-called scanner and has a function of reading an image formed on the medium S.

  The image forming unit 6 includes a photosensitive drum 10 (an example of an image carrier), a transfer roller 11 (an example of a transfer unit), a toner supply device 12, and an exposure device 13. In the image forming unit 6 of the present embodiment, the photosensitive drum 10 rotating around the axis is charged by a charging device (not shown), the photosensitive drum 10 is exposed by the exposure device 13 to form a latent image, and toner is supplied. The latent image is developed as a toner image by the device 12, and the toner image is transferred to the medium S by the transfer roller 11. That is, the photosensitive drum 10 has a function of carrying a latent image. The fixing device 7 has a function of fixing the toner image on the medium S on which the toner image is transferred by the transfer roller 11. The toner used by the toner supply device 12 to develop the toner image is a so-called one-component developer composed of magnetic toner as an example.

  The control unit CU has a function of receiving image data from an external device (not shown) and controlling each element constituting the image forming apparatus 1 based on the image data. Specific functions of the control unit CU will be described in the description of an image forming operation and a toner replenishing operation described later.

≪Image formation operation≫
Next, an image forming operation by the image forming apparatus 1 of the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

  First, the control unit CU that has received image data from an external device (not shown) operates the image forming unit 6. Then, the charging device charges the photosensitive drum 10, the exposure device 13 exposes the photosensitive drum 10 to form a latent image, and the toner supply device 12 develops the latent image as a toner image. A toner image is formed at 10.

  Further, the control unit CU operates the transport device so that the toner image formed on the photoconductive drum 10 is brought into contact with the transfer position (the photoconductive drum 10 and the transfer roller 11 are in contact with each other by rotation around the axis of the photoconductive drum 10. The medium S is sent to the transfer position in accordance with the timing of reaching the (part). Then, the transfer roller 11 transfers the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 10 to the medium S, and the toner image is formed on the medium S.

  Next, the fixing device 7 fixes the toner image transferred to the medium S by the transfer roller 11 on the medium S. Then, the medium S on which the toner image is fixed, that is, the medium S on which the image is formed, is further transported downstream in the transport direction by the transport device, and is discharged to the paper discharge tray 4 of the apparatus main body 2 for image forming operation. Ends.

≪Configuration of main part (developing device) ≫
Next, the configuration of the toner supply device 12 which is a main part of the present embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings. As shown in FIGS. 1, 3, and 4, the toner supply device 12 includes, for example, a developing device 14 and a toner container 15 (an example of a toner container). The toner container 15 can be attached to and detached from the apparatus main body 2.

<Developing device>

  The developing device 14 has a function of developing a latent image carried on the photosensitive drum 10 as a toner image. In this case, the developing device 14 is connected to a toner container 15 described later (see FIGS. 1, 3, and 4), and uses toner that falls from the discharge port 50 (see FIGS. 4 and 8) of the toner container 15. The toner image is developed.

  As illustrated in FIGS. 3 to 5, the developing device 14 includes a housing 20, a developing screw 21, a developing roller 22, and a developing drive mechanism 23.

[Case]
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 5, the housing 20 has a box shape that is long in the front-rear direction. The toner supplied from the toner container 15 is accommodated in the housing 20. A rear convex portion 20a and a right convex portion 20b are formed on the upper portion of the housing 20. As shown in FIG. 5, a connection surface 20 c is formed on the upper left surface of the housing 20 so as to be one step lower than the convex portions 20 a and 20 b. Further, a supply port 24 for supplying toner from the toner container 15 is formed on the connection surface 20 c of the housing 20. For example, a rubber seal (not shown) is disposed around the supply port 24. Further, as shown in FIG. 5, a protruding portion 29 that protrudes upward is provided on the front side in the front-rear direction (on the front side in the apparatus depth direction) of the connection surface 20 c.

  A supply port shutter 25 that opens and closes the supply port 24 is disposed above the connection surface 20c. The supply port shutter 25 is supported by the housing 20 so as to slide in the front-rear direction. The supply port 24 is opened and closed by sliding the supply port shutter 25 in the front-rear direction. The supply port shutter 25 is always urged in a direction to close the supply port 24 by an urging member (not shown) such as a spring.

[Development screw]
As shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the two developing screws 21 are each formed by fixing a helical developing blade 21 b to the peripheral surface of the developing shaft 21 a extending in the front-rear direction. The two developing screws 21 are arranged in the left-right direction inside the housing 20. Each developing shaft 21 a is rotatably supported by the housing 20. The two developing screws 21 have a function of circulating the toner in the housing 20 along the arrow direction in FIG. The developing screw 21 disposed below the connecting surface 20c is formed with a small-diameter blade 21c having a smaller diameter than the other portions of the developing blade 21b. The small-diameter blade 21 c is located directly below the supply port 24.

[Development roller]
As shown in FIGS. 3 to 5, the developing roller 22 has a cylindrical shape that is long in the front-rear direction. The developing roller 22 is rotatably supported in the right convex portion 20b with a part thereof exposed. The toner in the housing 20 adheres to the surface of the developing roller 22 and then moves to the photosensitive drum 10 to develop the latent image on the photosensitive drum 10 as a toner image.

[Development drive mechanism]
As shown in FIG. 5, the development drive mechanism 23 includes a drive shaft (not shown), a drive motor 26, and a development side joint 27.

  The drive shaft is rotatable within the rear convex portion 20a. The drive motor 26 is connected to the drive shaft via a gear train or the like (not shown). The driving force (rotation) of the driving motor 26 is transmitted to the developing roller 22 and the developing screw 21 via a plurality of gears (not shown). The development side joint 27 is attached to the front end portion of the drive shaft. Although a detailed description is omitted, the development side joint 27 is connected to the drive shaft in a state where the inclination is allowed with respect to the rotation center of the drive shaft.

<Toner container>
The toner container 15 has a function of supplying toner to the inside of the developing device 14 while accommodating toner for developing the latent image carried by the photosensitive drum 10 as a toner image in the developing device 14.

  3, 4, and 7, the toner container 15 includes a container main body 30 (an example of a container), two stirring members 31, a transport screw 32, a container side joint 33, and toner discharge. The mechanism 34 is comprised. Note that the toner container 15 is a concept including a toner container 15 in which toner is contained.

[Container body]
The container main body 30 is made into the box shape as an example (refer FIG.3 and FIG.6). The container main body 30 is detachable from the apparatus main body 2 while containing toner to be supplied to the developing device 14. The container body 30 includes a case part 35 and a lid part 36.

  The case portion 35 has a bathtub shape that is long in the front-rear direction (see FIG. 7). A toner storage chamber R1 for storing toner is formed inside the case portion 35 (see FIG. 4). An annular case-side adhesive portion 40 is formed on the periphery of the upper surface opening of the case portion 35 (see the broken line in FIG. 6). The case-side adhesive portion 40 is formed in a flange shape that spreads outward from the four sides of the upper end portion of the case portion 35. The right case-side adhesive portion 40 is formed on the distal end side of the connection flange portion 41 that extends rightward from the right side of the upper end portion of the case portion 35 (see FIG. 4). From the above, the flange shape formed on the right side is wider than the flange shape on the other side.

  In a state where the container main body 30 is attached to the apparatus main body 2, the right case side adhesive portion 40 and the connection flange portion 41 are overlapped with the connection surface 20c of the developing device 14 (see FIGS. 3 and 4). ).

  The lid portion 36 is in close contact with the opening edge of the case portion 35 so as to cover the upper surface opening portion of the case portion 35. An annular lid-side adhesive portion 45 that is ultrasonically welded to the case-side adhesive portion 40 is formed on the outer peripheral portion of the lid portion 36 (see the broken line in FIG. 7).

  The lid portion 36 is integrally formed with a rotating body housing portion 43 and a joint housing portion 44. The rotating body accommodating portion 43 is formed to bulge upward on the right side of the lid portion 36. As shown in FIG. 4, the lower surface of the rotating body accommodating portion 43 is open. A screw arrangement chamber R <b> 2 for accommodating the conveying screw 32 is formed on the inner right side of the rotating body accommodating portion 43. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the joint housing portion 44 is provided at the rear end portion of the rotating body housing portion 43. A container side joint 33 described later is accommodated in the joint accommodating portion 44.

  The rotating body accommodating portion 43 and the joint accommodating portion 44 are formed inside the peripheral edge portion of the lid portion 36 so as to avoid the lid-side adhesive portion 45 (see FIG. 6). In a state where the lid portion 36 is bonded to the case portion 35, the rotating body housing portion 43 and the joint housing portion 44 are disposed on the upper surface of the connection flange portion 41. The screw placement chamber R2 is connected to the toner storage chamber R1 (see FIG. 4).

[Stirring member]
The two stirring members 31 are each formed by fixing a stirring piece 31b having flexibility to a stirring shaft 31a extending in the front-rear direction. Each stirring member 31 is rotatably supported in the case portion 35. Each stirring piece 31b is fixed to the stirring shaft 31a in a state of being directed radially outward from the stirring shaft 31a so as to be in sliding contact with the inner wall surface of the container body 30. An intermediate gear G1 connected to the drive motor 26 is provided on the rear side surface of the case portion 35 (see FIG. 7). The rear end portion of each stirring member 31 passes through the case portion 35. Two output gears G2 and G3 meshing with the intermediate gear G1 are fixed to the rear end portions of the two stirring members 31 (see FIG. 7).

[Stirring screw]
As shown in FIG. 4, the conveying screw 32 is formed by fixing a helical conveying blade 32 b to the peripheral surface of the conveying shaft 32 a extending in the front-rear direction. The conveying screw 32 is rotatably supported in the rotating body accommodating portion 43 in a posture parallel to the case side adhesive portion 40 and the like. The rear end portion of the transport shaft 32 a extends into the joint housing portion 44.

(Container joint)
As shown in FIG. 7, the container side joint 33 is detachably provided at the rear end portion of the conveying screw 32 in the joint housing portion 44. Although the detailed description is omitted, the container side joint 33 is fitted to the developing side joint 27 so that the drive shaft and the conveying screw 32 are connected. As a result, the driving force of the driving motor 26 is transmitted to the conveying screw 32.

[Toner discharge mechanism]
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the toner discharge mechanism 34 is fixed to a connection flange portion 41 for discharging (in other words, dropping) the toner in the container main body 30 toward the developing device 14. Yes. The toner discharge mechanism 34 includes a shutter mount 51 and a discharge port shutter 52. As shown in FIG. 3, the connection flange portion 41 is a part of the portion of the case portion 35 forming the screw placement chamber R <b> 2 and is a lower portion (wall) in the apparatus height direction. ing.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the connection flange portion 41 has a discharge port 50 (an example of a through hole) at a position corresponding to the supply port 24 of the developing device 14 with the container main body 30 mounted on the apparatus main body 2. It is formed (see FIGS. 4 and 10). The discharge port 50 is, for example, a rectangular opening when viewed from the device height direction. That is, the discharge port 50 is an opening through which the toner accommodated in the container body 30 falls from the inside of the container body 30 to the outside.

(Shutter mount)
The shutter mount 51 is separated from the lower surface 41F (opening surface of the container body 30) of the connection flange portion 41 in which the discharge port 50 is formed. The shutter mount 51 includes a mount frame portion 53 and a film 54.

  As an example, the mount frame 53 is made of ABS (acrylonitrile, butadiene, styrene) resin and has an annular shape. The mount frame portion 53 is provided on the lower surface of the connection flange portion 41 so as to surround the discharge port 50.

  As an example, the film 54 is made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) resin and has a rectangular shape when viewed from the height direction of the apparatus. The film 54 is disposed so as to close the hollow portion of the mount frame portion 53. For example, the film 54 is fixed to the mount frame 53 using a double-sided tape or the like.

(Discharge shutter)
As shown in FIG. 8, the discharge shutter 52 includes a base 52a, a plate 52b (an example of a shutter), a first protrusion 52c, a hook 52d, and a second protrusion 52e. Has been. Note that the base 52a, the plate 52b, the first protrusion 52c, and the hook 52d are integrated as an example. Further, the discharge port shutter 52 is made of ABS resin as an example, that is, has thermoplasticity.

  The base 52a is a rectangular member along the apparatus width direction when viewed from the apparatus height direction. The base 52a connects the plate 52b, the first protrusion 52c, and the hook 52d.

  The plate portion 52b is a plate-like member having a rectangular shape when viewed from the apparatus height direction. The plate portion 52b is slidable along the apparatus depth direction (an example of a linear direction) between the lower surface 41F of the connection flange portion 41 and the shutter mount 51 (film 54) (see FIGS. 9 and 10). . That is, the plate part 52b is arranged so as to slide on the upper surface of the film 54. The plate portion 52b is movable along an apparatus depth direction between an open position P1 for opening the discharge port 50 and a close position P2 (see FIG. 9) for closing the discharge port 50. The outlet shutter 52 is biased toward the closing position P2 by a biasing member (not shown) such as a spring.

  The plate portion 52b is formed with a shutter-side opening 56 that overlaps the discharge port 50 in a state where the plate portion 52b is moved to the open position P1 (see FIGS. 8 to 10). The shutter side opening 56 is a rectangular opening when viewed from the height direction of the apparatus. The above-described mount side opening 55 of the film 54 is formed at a position overlapping the shutter side opening 56 in a state where the discharge port shutter 52 is moved to the open position P1. In the present embodiment, the near side direction of the apparatus depth direction is an example of one direction of the linear direction, and the far side direction is an example of the other direction. That is, the discharge port shutter 52 moves from the front side in the apparatus depth direction to the back side to close the discharge port 50, and moves from the back side in the apparatus depth direction to the front side to open the discharge port 50. . In other words, the plate portion 52b is disposed outside the container main body 30, and moves in the apparatus depth direction to open and close the discharge port 50.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the first protrusion 52c is a member that protrudes downward from the base 52a in the apparatus height direction. The first protrusion 52c hits the developing device 14 when the toner container 15 is attached or detached. The first protrusion 52c will be described in the description of the toner supply operation.

  The hook portion 52d has a function of being hooked on a hook 57 (see FIG. 8) to be described later when the plate portion 52b moves to the near side in the apparatus depth direction to close the discharge port 50. As shown in FIG. 8, the hook portion 52d is a rod-like member extending from the base portion 52a toward the back side in the apparatus depth direction. A hook 52d1 (an example of a locked portion, FIG. 11A, FIG. 11B, and FIG. 11B) is provided on a tip side portion of the hook portion 52d and a portion opposite to the base portion 52a side. 11C). In addition, the 2nd protrusion part 52e protrudes toward the lower side from the lower surface in the center of the length direction of the hook part 52d, as FIG. 8 shows. The second projecting portion 52e has an inverted triangular shape when viewed from a direction orthogonal to the length direction of the hook portion 52d (that is, the device width direction). The function of the second protrusion 52e will be described in the description of the replenishment operation.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the connection flange portion 41 of the case portion 35 has a step in the device width direction on the right side of the discharge port 50 in the device width direction, and a hook 57 on which the claw 52d1 is hooked. (An example of a locking part) is provided. That is, the hook 57 is provided in a portion of the container body 30 that is different from the portion where the discharge port 50 is formed.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 8 and FIGS. 11A, 11B, and 11C, the connection flange portion 41 of the case portion 35 is a portion on the right side in the device width direction of the discharge port 50 and is closer to the device depth direction than the hook 57. A protruding portion 58 (an example of a guide portion) is formed on the front side portion. Specifically, the protrusion 58 protrudes in a direction intersecting the front side direction of the apparatus depth direction (as an example, the right side direction of the apparatus width direction) (see FIG. 8), and the upper surface of the hook portion 52d The claw 52d1 is guided to the hook 57 while coming into contact with the lower portion and the hook portion 52d (see FIGS. 11B and 11C).

≪Replenishment action≫
Next, a toner replenishing operation by the toner supply device 12 of this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 9 and 10. In the description of the toner replenishment operation, the operation of attaching and detaching the toner container 15 will be described.

  First, the case where the toner container 15 is attached to the apparatus main body 2, in other words, the case where the toner container 15 is connected to the developing device 14 will be described. The operator pushes the toner container 15 (container main body 30) backward from the front side of the apparatus main body 2 and attaches it to a predetermined position of the apparatus main body 2 (see the white arrow (solid line) in FIG. 9). In this case, in the process in which the toner container 15 is mounted on the apparatus main body 2, the rear end portion of the shutter mount 51 contacts the supply port shutter 25 of the developing device 14 (not shown). Then, as the toner container 15 is pushed, the supply port shutter 25 slides backward. That is, the replenishing port shutter 25 moves rearward relative to the container body 30 so as to open the replenishing port 24.

  Further, when the toner container 15 is pushed in, the first protrusion 52c formed at the front end portion of the outlet shutter 52 contacts a part of the connection surface 20c of the developing device 14 (see FIG. 9). Further, when the toner container 15 is pushed, the discharge port shutter 52 slides relatively forward. That is, the discharge port shutter 52 moves from the closed position P2 to the open position P1, and the discharge port 50 is opened (see FIG. 10).

  As the container body 30 is pushed, the hook 52d1 of the hook 52d of the outlet shutter 52 comes off from the hook 57, and the hook 52d from which the hook 52d1 comes off the hook 57 is the lower part, that is, The claw 52d1 is slid rearward while contacting the upper surface of the protrusion 58. Specifically, when the container body 30 is pressed rearward, the second protrusion 52e rides on the raised portion 29 (see FIG. 5) provided on the connection surface 20c of the housing 20. Accordingly, the hook portion 52d is pushed upward by the raised portion 29 and elastically deformed, and the claw 52d1 also moves upward. As a result, the claw 52d1 is detached from the hook 57.

  As described above, the toner container 15 is attached to the apparatus main body 2. In this state, the discharge port 50, the shutter side opening 56, and the mount side opening 55 overlap in the apparatus height direction (see FIG. 10). In this state, the container side joint 33 of the toner container 15 is connected to the developing side joint 27 of the developing device 14 (see FIG. 3).

  Next, the toner supply operation will be described. In a state where the toner container 15 is connected to the developing device 14, that is, in a state where the plate portion 52 b opens the discharge port 50, the control unit CU starts driving the drive motor 26. The drive motor 26 rotates the conveying screw 32 through the joints 28 and 33, and rotates the two stirring members 31 through the plurality of gears G1 to G3 and the like (see FIG. 4). Each stirring member 31 blows off the toner stored in the toner storage chamber R1 toward the screw placement chamber R2. The transport screw 32 transports the toner in the screw placement chamber R2 toward the discharge port 50. The toner drops in the discharge port 50 and the supply port 24 and is supplied into the developing device 14 (see FIG. 4).

  Next, a case where the toner container 15 (container main body 30) is removed from the apparatus main body 2 will be briefly described. The removal of the toner container 15 is realized by performing the reverse process of the mounting operation of the toner container 15 described above. That is, the toner container 15 is pulled out to the front side and is detached from a predetermined position of the apparatus main body 2 (see a white arrow (solid line) in FIG. 10).

  When the toner container 15 is pulled out from the apparatus main body 2, the connection between the container side joint 33 and the development side joint 27 is released. Further, the discharge port shutter 52 is urged by the discharge side urging member and slides relatively rearward. That is, the discharge port shutter 52 moves from the open position P1 to the close position P2, and closes the discharge port 50 (see FIG. 9). At this time, the discharge port shutter 52 relatively moves so as to slide on the upper surface of the film 54.

  As the toner container 15 is removed from the apparatus main body 2, the hooking portion 52d of the discharge port shutter 52 slides with its lower portion in contact with the upper surface of the protruding portion 58 (see FIG. 11B). That is, the protrusion 58 supports the sliding hook 52d from below (see FIG. 11B). As a result, the claw 52d1 is guided to the hook 57 (see FIG. 11C).

  When the claw 52d1 is hooked on the hook 57 and the discharge port 50 is closed (closed) by the plate portion 52b of the discharge port shutter 52, the removal operation of the toner container 15 is completed.

≪Effect≫
Next, the effect of this embodiment will be described with reference to the drawings.

  For example, as shown in FIG. 12, in the case of a toner container 15A (toner supply device 12A, image forming apparatus 1A) that does not include the protrusion 58, the toner container 15A is removed from the apparatus main body 2 (in other words, When the discharge port shutter 52 is slid to close the discharge port 50), the discharge port shutter 52 or the hook 52d is bent due to heat (for example, heat by the fixing device 7 in the apparatus main body 2) or a change with time. There is a possibility that the claw 52d1 is not caught by the hook 57 (deformed). As a result, toner may spill from the discharge port 50.

  On the other hand, the toner container 15 of the present embodiment includes a protrusion 58 that guides the hook 57 while supporting the hook 52d when the hook 52d of the discharge port shutter 52 slides. Therefore, even if the outlet shutter 52 or the hooking portion 52d is bent (deformed) due to heat or a change with time, the hooking portion 52d is guided to the hook 57 while its bending is corrected by the protruding portion 58.

  Therefore, in the toner container 15 of the present embodiment, poor closing of the discharge port 50 is suppressed even when the hook portion 152d is bent. Accordingly, the toner supply device 12 of the present embodiment hardly spills toner from the discharge port 50 when the toner container 15 is separated from the developing device 14 (the toner container 15 is removed from the apparatus main body 2). Further, in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, when the toner container 15 is separated from the developing device 14 (the toner container 15 is removed from the apparatus main body 2), the toner in the apparatus main body 2 is toner due to toner spilled from the discharge port 50. It is hard to get dirty.

  In the present embodiment, the configuration for guiding the claw 52d1 of the hook 52d to the hook 57 is the protrusion 58. That is, in this embodiment, the closing failure of the discharge port 50 is suppressed with a relatively simple configuration.

  As described above, the present embodiment has been described as an example of the present invention, but the technical scope of the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment. For example, the following forms are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

  For example, in the present embodiment, the protruding portion 58 has been described as an example of a guide portion. However, as long as the hook 52d of the outlet shutter 52 slides and the hook 52d can be supported and the claw 52d1 can be guided to the hook 57, an example of the guide may not be the protrusion 58. For example, as shown in FIG. 13, a recess 58B is formed in the toner discharge mechanism 34B of the toner container 15B in place of the protrusion 58, and a part of the hook 52d is fitted into the recess 58B to be supported. Also good. In this case, the recess 58B is an example of a guide part and a recess part. The recess 58B of the modification shown in FIG. 13 is a recess that is recessed along the device depth direction and in the direction intersecting the device depth direction (for example, the device width direction). The nail 52d1 is guided to the hook 57 while contacting the upper and lower sides of the hook portion 52d with the hook portion 52d interposed therebetween and supporting the hook portion 52d from the upper side and the lower side.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 7 Fixing apparatus 10 Photosensitive drum (an example of an image carrier)
11 Transfer roller (an example of a transfer section)
12 Toner Supply Device 14 Developing Device 15 Toner Container (Example of Toner Container)
30 Container body (an example of a container)
50 Discharge port (example of through hole)
52b Plate (an example of a shutter)
52d hook 52d1 claw (an example of a locked part)
57 Hook (an example of a locking part)
58 Projection (an example of a guide)
58B dent (an example of a dent part, an example of a guide part)

Claims (5)

A container in which a toner is accommodated inside, a through hole for the toner to fall from the inside to the outside is formed, and a locking portion is provided in a part different from the part in which the through hole is formed;
It is a plate-shaped shutter that is arranged outside the container and moves in a linear direction to open and close the through hole, and moves in one direction in the linear direction to close the through hole and in the other direction A shutter that moves to open the through hole;
A hook that is integrated with the shutter and extends in the linear direction, and the hook is locked in the locking portion as the shutter moves in the one direction to close the through hole. A hook portion on which a locking portion is formed;
A guide portion that is provided in the container and guides the locked portion to the locking portion while contacting the hook portion that moves in the one direction;
A toner container. The guide portion is a protrusion that protrudes in a direction intersecting the one direction, while contacting the lower side of the hook portion on the upper surface of the protrusion portion and supporting the hook portion from below, Guiding the locked portion to the locking portion;
The toner container according to claim 1. The guide portion is a recess portion that is recessed along the one direction and in a direction intersecting the one direction, and the upper and lower sides of the hook portion with the hook portion sandwiching the hook portion. While guiding the hooked portion to the locking portion while supporting the hooking portion from above and below,
The toner container according to claim 1. Toner container according to any one of claims 1 to 3,
A developing device that develops a latent image carried by the image carrier as a toner image by using the toner that is connected to the toner container in a state where the through-hole is opened and falls from the through-hole;
A toner supply device. Toner supply device according to claim 4,
An image carrier for carrying a latent image developed as a toner image by the toner supply device;
A transfer unit that transfers a toner image developed on the image carrier to a medium;
A fixing device for fixing the toner image transferred to the medium by the transfer unit to the medium;
An image forming apparatus.

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