JP2019109551A - Powder storage container - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide: a powder storage container into which a conveyance tube is inserted to send internal powder out by the conveyance pipe, the powder storage container being capable of suppressing powder, leaking when the conveyance tube is extracted, from scattering; and an image formation apparatus comprising the powder storage container.SOLUTION: The present invention relates to a toner container 32 mounted on a toner supply device 60 which has a conveyance nozzle 611 having a nozzle opening 610 formed, a nozzle shutter 612, a nozzle shutter spring 613 energizing the nozzle shutter 612, and a nozzle shutter collar part 612a abutting on an inner bottom part of a tip opening 305 to let the nozzle shutter 612 move to open the nozzle opening 610. A nozzle receiving port 331 is arranged at the inner bottom part of the tip opening 305, and when the toner supply device 60 is mounted, the nozzle shutter collar part 612a and nozzle shutter spring 613 are stored in the inner space of the cylindrical tip opening 305.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 1

Description

  The present invention relates to a receiving member and a tube inserting member used for a powder storing container for storing powder such as toner, and a powder storing container and an image forming apparatus provided with the receiving member or the tube inserting member.

  In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile utilizing an electrophotographic process, a latent image formed on a photosensitive member is visualized with toner of a developing device, but the latent image is developed Therefore, since toner is consumed, it is necessary to replenish the toner in the developing device. Therefore, the toner is transported from the toner container as the powder storage container to the developing device by the toner replenishing device as the powder supplying device provided in the device main body, and the toner is replenished into the developing device. Thus, development can be continuously performed by the developing device in which toner replenishment is performed. Further, the toner container is detachable from the toner replenishing device, and when the toner stored inside is exhausted, the toner container is replaced with a toner container for storing new toner.

  As a toner container that can be attached to and detached from the toner replenishing device, there is known one in which a helical protrusion is formed on the cylindrical inner peripheral surface of a toner storage member that stores toner (Patent Documents 1 to 5 and the like). In such a toner container, in a state of being mounted in the toner replenishing device, the toner stored inside is conveyed from one end side to the other end side in the rotation axis direction by rotating the toner storage member. Then, the toner is sent out from the opening provided on the other end side of the toner storage member toward the toner supply device main body.

  According to Patent Document 6, the toner container for transporting the toner stored from one end side to the other end by rotating the toner storage member is fixed to the toner supply device from the opening of the other end of the toner storage member. The arrangement in which the tube is inserted is described. A toner receiving port is formed in the vicinity of the end in the insertion direction of the transport pipe inserted into the toner container, and the transport pipe receives the toner in the toner storage member in a state of being inserted into the toner container. From the inside of the tube and transport it to the toner supply device side. Further, in the toner container, a tube insertion member in which a tube receiving port for inserting a transport tube is formed is fixed in an opening at the other end of the toner storage member. Furthermore, the toner container is provided with an opening and closing member that closes the pipe inlet before the carrier pipe is inserted, and opens the pipe inlet when the carrier pipe is inserted.

  The toner container described in Patent Document 6 can keep the pipe inlet closed until the transport pipe is inserted, and can prevent the toner from leaking or scattering before it is mounted on the toner replenishing device. . When the toner container is attached to the toner replenishing device, the toner in the toner storage member passes from the toner receiving port in the vicinity of the end in the insertion direction of the inserted conveying tube to the toner replenishing device main body side through the conveying tube. It is transported and the pipe inlet is closed by the transport pipe. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the toner from leaking or scattering even when the toner container is mounted on the toner replenishing device.

As described in Patent Document 6, in the case where the toner transport amount in the transport pipe can be controlled, stable toner transport is performed if sufficient toner is present in the vicinity of the opening of the transport pipe. I can do it. However, when the amount of toner in the toner container decreases, the amount of toner to be conveyed may decrease, and stable toner conveyance may not be performed. This is because although the toner can be moved to the vicinity of the entrance by the helical projection provided inside the toner container, the toner slips off before reaching the opening provided in the conveyance pipe, and the conveyance pipe The amount of toner entering the When the amount of toner to be transported decreases and stable toner transport can not be performed, the toner concentration of the developer in the developing device becomes unstable, and it becomes necessary to replace the toner container. In this state, a large amount of toner remains in the container body, resulting in a problem that the amount of remaining toner in the toner container at the time of replacement increases.
On the other hand, it is conceivable to provide a member for bridging the toner from the suction portion of the toner container to the opening of the transport pipe, but the position of the bridging member with respect to the suction portion can not exert the toner bridging function. In the position, there arises a problem that the amount of remaining toner in the toner container is increased. Therefore, it is required to maintain the relative positional relationship between the pumping portion and the bridge member.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide a receiving member and a tube inserting member capable of maintaining the relative positional relationship between the pumping portion of the container body and the bridge member, the receiving member or the tube Abstract: A powder container and an image forming apparatus provided with an insertion member.

  In order to achieve the above object, according to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a container main body which is mounted on a powder conveying device with a horizontal direction being longitudinal, and which accommodates an image forming powder to be supplied to the powder conveying device; Conveying means disposed inside the container body and conveying the powder from the one end side of the longitudinal direction to the other end side provided with the cylindrical container opening, and receiving the powder from the conveying means, and rotating itself The powder is raised from the lower side of the container body to the upper side of the container body, and the suction port for moving the powder to the powder receiving port of the transfer pipe; In a receiving member into which a fixed transfer pipe of a body transfer apparatus is inserted, a pipe receiving port into which the transfer pipe is inserted, a receiving member fixing portion for fixing to the container main body, and the pipe receiving port Opening and closing members for opening and closing, and from the receiving member fixing portion toward one end side A supporting portion which protrudes to movably support the opening / closing member, and a receiving member engaging projection which is provided on an outer periphery of the receiving member fixing portion and is engageable with an engaging hole provided in the container opening portion; And the receiving member engaging projection is provided such that when the receiving member engaging projection is engaged with the engaging hole, the scooping portion and the support portion are adjacent to each other. It is characterized by

  According to the present invention, there is an excellent effect that the relative positional relationship between the pumping portion of the container main body and the projecting portion functioning as the bridging member can be maintained.

Cross-sectional explanatory drawing of the toner replenishment apparatus and toner container before mounting a toner container. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS The whole block diagram which shows the copying machine in embodiment. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing an image forming unit of the copying machine. FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a toner container installed in the toner replenishing device in the copying machine. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a toner container installed in a toner container storage portion of the copying machine. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a toner container. FIG. 7 is an explanatory perspective view of the toner replenishing device and the toner container before mounting the toner container. FIG. 7 is an explanatory perspective view of the toner supply device and the toner container in a state where the toner container is mounted. Sectional explanatory drawing of the toner replenishment apparatus of a state with which the toner container was mounted | worn and a toner container. The perspective explanatory drawing of the toner container of the state which removed the container front end side cover. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the toner container in a state in which the nozzle receiving member is removed from the container body. Sectional explanatory drawing of the toner container of the state which removed the nozzle receiving member from the container main body. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the toner container in a state in which the nozzle receiving member is attached to the container main body from the state of FIG. 12; The perspective explanatory drawing of the nozzle receiving member seen from the container front end side The perspective explanatory drawing of the nozzle receiving member seen from the container rear end side. FIG. 14 is a top cross-sectional view of the nozzle receiving member in the state shown in FIG. 13; FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional view of the nozzle receiving member in the state shown in FIG. 13; The disassembled perspective view of a nozzle receiving member. Explanatory drawing of the state in which the toner container fell toward the back end side downward. Explanatory drawing before setting the toner container provided with a 2nd shutter fall prevention claw in an apparatus main body. Explanatory drawing of the state which set the toner container provided with the 2nd shutter fall prevention nail | claw to the apparatus main body. Cross-sectional explanatory drawing of a nozzle shutter. The perspective explanatory view which looked at the nozzle shutter from the nozzle tip side. The perspective explanatory view which looked at the nozzle shutter from the nozzle root side. Sectional explanatory drawing of the conveyance nozzle vicinity of a toner replenishment apparatus. The perspective view cross-sectional explanatory drawing of the nozzle opening vicinity of a conveyance nozzle. The perspective explanatory view which looked at the conveyance nozzle vicinity of the state which removed the nozzle shutter from the nozzle front end side. The perspective explanatory drawing of the nozzle opening vicinity of the state which removed the nozzle shutter. The timing chart of the composition which rotates a conveyance screw, after making a toner container rotate first. Explanatory drawing of the drive transmission part of a structure which changes rotation timing of a toner container and a conveyance screw with the same drive source, (a) is a front view, (b) is side cross-section explanatory drawing. (A) is an explanatory view of the case where the end face of the tip opening and the end face of the nozzle receiving member have the same position in the rotational axis direction, (b) is a tip opening Explanatory drawing in the case where the end surface of a nozzle receiving member is in the container rear end side rather than the end surface of. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a toner container at the time of storage. Cross-sectional explanatory drawing of the edge part vicinity of the container front end side of the toner container of the state which attached the cap. Sectional explanatory drawing of the 1st example of the toner container which provided the adsorption agent in the cap. Sectional explanatory drawing of the 2nd example of the toner container which provided the adsorption agent in the cap. Sectional explanatory drawing of the 3rd example of the toner container which provided the adsorption agent in the cap. Sectional explanatory drawing of the 1st example of the toner container which provided the toner leak prevention means in the cap. Sectional explanatory drawing of the 2nd example of the toner container which provided the toner leak prevention means in the cap. Sectional explanatory drawing of the 3rd example of the toner container which provided the toner leak prevention means in the cap. Sectional explanatory drawing of the 4th example of the toner container which provided the toner leak prevention means in the cap. Sectional explanatory drawing of the 5th example of the toner container which provided the toner leak prevention means in the cap. The perspective explanatory drawing of the container shutter supporting member used for the nozzle receiving member fixed to a container main body by screwing. Explanatory drawing of the cross section orthogonal to the rotating shaft in the position of a pumping part. Sectional explanatory drawing of the structure which the shutter side support part in the EE cross section in FIG. 9 acts as a bridge means. Explanatory drawing (schematic drawing) in the EE cross section in FIG. 9, (a) is explanatory drawing of the structure which is not acting as a bridge means, (b) is a shutter side support part 335a acting as a bridge means FIG. 6 is a graph showing the relationship between the amount of remaining toner in the container and the replenishment rate in the embodiment and the comparative example. Explanatory drawing of the structure provided with the scooping rib as a scooping part, (a) is a perspective explanatory view of a nozzle receiving member, (b) is a sectional explanation of a state where the nozzle receiving member shown in (a) is assembled to a container main body FIG. 6C is an explanatory side cross-sectional view of the entire toner container in which the nozzle receiving member shown in FIG. 7A is assembled, and FIG. 7D is a perspective view of a container shutter provided in the toner container shown in FIG. (A) is perspective explanatory drawing of the state which removed the nozzle receiving member from the container main body of toner container of Embodiment 14, (b) is an enlarged view of a receiving member engagement protrusion. FIG. 44 is an explanatory perspective view of a tip end side portion of the toner container of the fourteenth embodiment and a container setting portion; FIG. 21 is a cross-sectional view of the toner container of the fourteenth embodiment, (a) is a cross-sectional view in the vicinity of the front end side end portion of the toner container, (b) an enlarged explanatory view of a region 中 in (a). FIG. 46 is an explanatory view of a toner container according to a sixteenth embodiment, (a) is an explanatory perspective view of a nozzle receiving member, and (b) is an explanatory perspective view of a container main body. FIG. 70 is an explanatory view of a toner container according to a seventeenth embodiment, (a) is an explanatory perspective view of a nozzle receiving member, and (b) is an explanatory perspective view of a container main body. FIG. 18 is an explanatory view of a toner container according to Embodiment 18, (a) is an enlarged perspective view of a tip opening, (b) is an enlarged perspective view of a receiving member fixing portion, and (c) is a vicinity of a tip end of the toner container An enlarged sectional view of FIG. 21 is an explanatory view of a toner container according to a nineteenth embodiment, (a) is an enlarged perspective view of a tip opening, and (b) is an enlarged perspective view of a receiving member fixing portion. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a connector fixed to the toner supply device and a container tip end of the toner container. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a container tip end portion of the toner container and a connector in a state where the ID tag holding mechanism is disassembled. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a container tip end portion of the toner container and a connector in a state in which the ID tag is temporarily fixed to the holding member. Three views of an ID tag, (a) is a front view, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a back view. The perspective view which shows the relative positional relationship of ID tag, a holding member, and a connector. The perspective view which shows the state which ID tag engaged with the connector. The circuit diagram which shows the electric circuit of ID tag, and the electric circuit of a connector. (A) is a front view showing a state in which the ID tag is held by the connector, (b) is a state in which the ID tag is pivoted around the ID tag hole for positioning Front view which shows. The figure which shows the ID tag in the state to which the probe of the electricity supply test | inspection apparatus was contact | abutted. An explanatory view of the toner container in which the opening position of the nozzle inlet in the rotational axis direction is the same position as the end of the container at the end of the container, (a) is a perspective view of the vicinity of the end of the container, b) is a cross-sectional explanatory view in the vicinity of the container front end side end. Explanatory drawing of the nozzle shutter which has a cylindrical sealing member, (a) is a perspective view, (b) is sectional drawing. Explanatory drawing which shows the relationship of each diameter of the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of a container opening part, the internal diameter of a receiving member fixing part, and the container setting part of a toner replenishment apparatus.

Embodiment 1
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention in which the present invention is applied to a copying machine (hereinafter, referred to as a copying machine 500) as an image forming apparatus will be described.
FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of the copying machine 500 of the present embodiment common to the first to twenty-first embodiments. The copying machine 500 includes a copying machine main body (hereinafter referred to as a printer unit 100), a sheet feeding table (hereinafter referred to as a sheet feeding unit 200), and a scanner attached on the printer unit 100 (hereinafter referred to as a scanner unit 400). .

  In the toner container accommodating portion 70 provided at the upper portion of the printer unit 100, toner containers 32 (Y, M, C, K) as four powder material accommodating containers corresponding to respective colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, black) ) Is installed in a removable (replaceable) manner. An intermediate transfer unit 85 is disposed below the toner container storage unit 70.

  The intermediate transfer unit 85 includes an intermediate transfer belt 48, four primary transfer bias rollers 49 (Y, M, C, K), a secondary transfer backup roller 82, a plurality of tension rollers, and an intermediate transfer cleaning device (not shown). It consists of The intermediate transfer belt 48 is stretched and supported by a plurality of roller members, and is endlessly moved in the arrow direction in FIG. 2 by rotational driving of a secondary transfer backup roller 82 which is one of the plurality of roller members.

  In the printer unit 100, four image forming units 46 (Y, M, C, K) corresponding to the respective colors are juxtaposed so as to face the intermediate transfer belt 48. Further, four toner replenishing devices 60 (Y, M, C, K) corresponding to the four toner containers 32 (Y, M, C, K) are disposed below the four toner containers 32 (Y, M, C, K). The toner stored in the toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) is transferred to the image forming section 46 (Y) corresponding to each color by the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) corresponding to each toner. , M, C, K) are supplied (supplemented) into the developing device (powder using portion).

  Further, as shown in FIG. 2, the printer unit 100 includes an exposure device 47 which is a latent image forming unit below the four image forming units 46. The exposure device 47 exposes the surface of the photosensitive member 41 described later based on the image information of the document image read by the scanner unit 400 or the image information input from an external device such as a personal computer. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface. The exposure device 47 included in the printer unit 100 uses a laser beam scanner method using a laser diode, but other configurations such as an LED array may be used as the exposure unit.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a schematic configuration of the image forming unit 46Y corresponding to yellow.
The image forming unit 46Y includes a drum-shaped photosensitive member 41Y that is a latent image carrier. Further, the image forming unit 46Y is configured such that a charging roller 44Y that is a charging unit, a developing device 50Y that is a developing unit, a photoconductor cleaning device 42Y, a charge removing device (not shown), and the like are disposed around the photoconductor 41Y. Then, an image forming process (charging step, exposure step, developing step, transfer step, cleaning step) is performed on the photosensitive member 41Y to form a yellow image on the photosensitive member 41Y.

  The other three image forming units 46 (M, C, K) also have substantially the same configuration as that of the image forming unit 46 Y corresponding to yellow except that the color of the toner used is different. An image of a color corresponding to each toner is formed on the photosensitive member 41 (M, C, K). Hereinafter, descriptions of the other three image forming units 46 (M, C, and K) will be appropriately omitted, and only the image forming unit 46 Y corresponding to yellow will be described.

  The photosensitive member 41Y is rotationally driven clockwise in FIG. 3 by a drive motor (not shown). Then, the surface of the photosensitive member 41Y is uniformly charged at a position facing the charging roller 44Y (charging step). Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive body 41Y reaches the irradiation position of the laser beam L emitted from the exposure device 47, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to yellow is formed by exposure scanning at this position (exposure step). Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive member 41Y reaches a position facing the developing device 50Y, the electrostatic latent image is developed at this position, and a yellow toner image is formed (developing step).

  The four primary transfer bias rollers 49 (Y, M, C, K) of the intermediate transfer unit 85 respectively sandwich the intermediate transfer belt 48 between the photosensitive members 41 (Y, M, C, K) to perform primary transfer. It forms a nip. Then, a transfer bias reverse to the polarity of the toner is applied to the primary transfer bias roller 49 (Y, M, C, K).

  The surface of the photosensitive member 41Y on which the toner image is formed in the developing step reaches the primary transfer nip facing the primary transfer bias roller 49Y with the intermediate transfer belt 48 interposed therebetween, and the toner image on the photosensitive member 41Y in the primary transfer nip Is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 48 (primary transfer step). At this time, a slight amount of untransferred toner remains on the photosensitive member 41Y. The surface of the photosensitive member 41Y on which the toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 48 at the primary transfer nip reaches a position facing the photosensitive member cleaning device 42Y. The non-transferred toner remaining on the photosensitive member 41Y at the facing position is mechanically collected by the cleaning blade 42a (cleaning step). Finally, the surface of the photosensitive body 41Y reaches a position facing the charge removing device (not shown), and the residual potential on the photosensitive body 41Y is removed at this position. Thus, a series of image forming processes performed on the photosensitive member 41Y are completed.

  Such an image forming process is performed in the other image forming units 46 (M, C, and K) in the same manner as the yellow image forming unit 46 Y. That is, the laser beam L based on the image information from the exposure device 47 disposed below the imaging units 46 (M, C, K) is a photosensitive member of each of the imaging units 46 (M, C, K) It is irradiated toward 41 (M, C, K). Specifically, the exposure device 47 emits laser light L from the light source, and scans the laser light L with the rotationally driven polygon mirror, while the photosensitive members 41 (M, C, K ) To illuminate on. Thereafter, the toner images of the respective colors formed on the photosensitive members 41 (M, C, K) through the development process are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 48.

  At this time, the intermediate transfer belt 48 travels in the arrow direction in FIG. 2 and sequentially passes through the primary transfer nips of the respective primary transfer bias rollers 49 (Y, M, C, K). As a result, the toner images of the respective colors on the respective photosensitive members 41 (Y, M, C, K) are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 48 and primarily transferred, and a color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 48.

  The intermediate transfer belt 48 on which the toner images of the respective colors are superimposed and transferred to form a color toner image reaches a position facing the secondary transfer roller 89. At this position, the secondary transfer backup roller 82 sandwiches the intermediate transfer belt 48 with the secondary transfer roller 89 to form a secondary transfer nip. Then, the color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 48 is transferred onto the recording medium P such as transfer paper conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer nip. At this time, untransferred toner which has not been transferred to the recording medium P remains on the intermediate transfer belt 48. The intermediate transfer belt 48 having passed through the secondary transfer nip reaches the position of the intermediate transfer cleaning device (not shown), the non-transferred toner on the surface is collected, and the series of transfer processes performed on the intermediate transfer belt 48 is completed. Do.

Next, the movement of the recording medium P will be described.
The recording medium P conveyed to the secondary transfer nip described above is fed from the sheet feeding tray 26 of the sheet feeding unit 200 disposed below the printer unit 100 via the sheet feeding roller 27, the pair of registration rollers 28, and the like. It is transported. Specifically, a plurality of recording media P are stored in the sheet feeding tray 26 in an overlapping manner. Then, when the feed roller 27 is rotationally driven in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 2, the top recording medium P is conveyed toward the roller nip formed by the two rollers of the registration roller pair 28.

  The recording medium P conveyed to the registration roller pair 28 is temporarily stopped at the position of the roller nip of the registration roller pair 28 whose rotational driving has been stopped. The registration roller pair 28 is rotationally driven at the timing when the color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 48 reaches the secondary transfer nip, and the recording medium P is transported toward the secondary transfer nip. Thus, a desired color toner image is transferred onto the recording medium P.

  The recording medium P on which the color toner image is transferred at the secondary transfer nip is conveyed to the position of the fixing device 86. In the fixing device 86, the color toner image transferred onto the surface is fixed on the recording medium P by the heat and pressure of the fixing belt and the pressure roller. The recording medium P having passed through the fixing device 86 passes between the rollers of the discharge roller pair 29 and is discharged to the outside of the apparatus. The recording medium P discharged to the outside of the apparatus by the discharge roller pair 29 is sequentially stacked on the stack unit 30 as an output image. Thus, a series of image forming processes in the copying machine 500 are completed.

  Next, the configuration and operation of the developing device 50 in the image forming unit 46 will be described in more detail. Although the image forming unit 46Y corresponding to yellow is described as an example here, the same applies to image forming units 46 (M, C, and K) of other colors.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the developing device 50Y includes a developing roller 51Y, a doctor blade 52Y, two developer conveying screws 55Y, and a toner concentration detection sensor 56Y. The developing roller 51Y faces the photosensitive member 41Y, and the doctor blade 52Y faces the developing roller 51Y. Also, the two developer conveying screws 55Y are disposed in the two developer containing portions (53Y, 54Y). The developing roller 51Y is configured of a magnet roller fixed inside and a sleeve rotating around the magnet roller. In the first developer storage portion 53Y and the second developer storage portion 54Y, a two-component developer G composed of a carrier and a toner is stored. The second developer storage portion 54Y communicates with the toner drop transport path 64Y through an opening formed above the second developer storage portion 54Y. Further, the toner density detection sensor 56Y detects the toner density in the developer G in the second developer storage portion 54Y.

  The developer G in the developing device 50 circulates between the first developer containing portion 53Y and the second developer containing portion 54Y while being stirred by the two developer conveying screws 55Y. The developer G in the first developer storage portion 53Y is supplied onto the sleeve surface of the developing roller 51Y by the magnetic field formed by the magnet roller in the developing roller 51Y while being transported by one of the developer transporting screw 55Y. Be done. The sleeve of the developing roller 51Y is rotationally driven in the counterclockwise direction as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3, and the developer G carried on the developing roller 51Y moves on the developing roller 51Y with the rotation of the sleeve. At this time, the toner in the developer G is charged to a potential of the reverse polarity to the carrier by the frictional charge with the carrier in the developer G, and is electrostatically attracted to the carrier, and is formed on the developing roller 51Y. It is carried on the developing roller 51Y together with the carrier attracted by the magnetic field.

  The developer G carried on the developing roller 51Y is conveyed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3 and reaches the doctor portion where the doctor blade 52Y and the developing roller 51Y face each other. When the developer G on the developing roller 51Y passes through the doctor portion, the amount of the developer G is adjusted appropriately, and thereafter, the developer G is conveyed to a developing region which is a position opposite to the photosensitive member 41Y. In the development region, the toner in the developer G is adsorbed to the latent image formed on the photoreceptor 41Y by the development electric field formed between the development roller 51Y and the photoreceptor 41Y. The developer G remaining on the surface of the developing roller 51Y which has passed the developing area reaches the upper side of the first developer accommodating portion 53Y as the sleeve rotates, and is separated from the developing roller 51Y at this position.

The developer G in the developing device 50Y is adjusted such that the toner concentration is within a predetermined range. More specifically, the toner contained in the toner container 32Y corresponds to a second developer containing portion via a toner replenishing device 60Y described later according to the consumption amount by the development of the toner contained in the developer G in the developing device 50Y. It is replenished in 54Y.
The toner supplied into the second developer container 54Y is mixed and stirred together with the developer G by the two developer conveying screws 55Y, while the first developer container 53Y and the second developer container 54Y are mixed. Circulate between

Next, the toner replenishing devices 60 (Y, M, C, K) will be described.
FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing a state in which the toner container 32Y is installed in the toner replenishing device 60Y. FIG. 5 is a diagram in which four toner containers 32 (Y, M, C, K) are installed in the toner container accommodating portion 70. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the state which was carried out.

  The toner in each toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) installed in the toner container accommodating portion 70 of the printer unit 100 is consumed for the toner consumption in the developing device 50 (Y, M, C, K) of each color. Accordingly, the developing devices 50 (Y, M, C, K) are appropriately replenished. At this time, the toner in each toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) is replenished by the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) provided for each toner color. The four toner replenishing devices 60 (Y, M, C, K) and the toner containers 32 (Y, M, C, K) have substantially the same structure except that the color of toner used in the image forming process is different. . Therefore, only the toner replenishing device 60Y corresponding to yellow and the toner container 32Y will be described below, and the toner replenishing devices 60 (M, C, K) corresponding to the other three colors and the toner containers 32 (M, C) will be described. , K) will be omitted as appropriate.

The toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) includes a toner container accommodating portion 70, transport nozzles 611 (Y, M, C, K), transport screws 614 (Y, M, C, K), toner drop transport It is comprised by path | route 64 (Y, M, C, K), the container rotation drive part 91 (Y, M, C, K) etc.
When the toner container 32Y moves in the direction of the arrow Q in the figure and is mounted on the toner container accommodating portion 70 of the printer unit 100, the toner replenishing device 60Y is moved from the front end of the toner container 32Y. The transport nozzle 611Y is inserted. Thus, the inside of the toner container 32Y and the inside of the transport nozzle 611Y communicate with each other. Details of the configuration for communicating in conjunction with the mounting operation will be described later.

  As a form of the toner container common to Embodiments 1 to 20, the toner container 32Y is a substantially cylindrical toner bottle. Then, a container front end side cover 34Y held non-rotatably in the toner container housing 70 and a container main body 33Y integrally formed with the container gear 301Y are mainly formed. The container body 33Y is rotatably held relative to the container tip side cover 34Y.

  The toner container accommodating portion 70 mainly includes a container cover receiving portion 73, a container receiving portion 72, and an insertion port forming portion 71. The container cover receiving portion 73 is a portion for holding the container tip side cover 34Y of the toner container 32Y, and the container receiving portion 72 is a portion for holding the container body 33Y of the toner container 32Y. Further, the insertion port forming portion 71 is a portion that forms an insertion port during the mounting operation of the container receiving portion 72 and the toner container 32Y. When the main body cover (not shown) installed on the front side (the front side in the direction perpendicular to the sheet of FIG. 2) of the copying machine 500 is opened, the insertion port forming portion 71 of the toner container accommodating portion 70 is exposed. Then, with the longitudinal direction of each toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) being horizontal, the mounting and demounting operation of each toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) from the front side of the copying machine 500 ( The mounting and demounting operation is performed with the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32 as the mounting and demounting direction. The set cover 608Y in FIG. 4 is a part of the container cover receiving portion 73 of the toner container storage portion 70.

  The container receiving portion 72 is formed such that the length in the longitudinal direction is substantially equal to the length in the longitudinal direction of the container body 33Y. Further, the container cover receiving portion 73 is provided on the front end side of the container in the longitudinal direction (attachment direction) of the container receiving portion 72, and the insertion port forming portion 71 is provided on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the container receiving portion 72. Therefore, with the mounting operation of the toner container 32Y, the container front end side cover 34Y slides on the container receiving portion 72 for a while after passing through the insertion opening forming portion 71, and thereafter is mounted to the container cover receiving portion 73. It will be.

  In a state where the container front end side cover 34Y is mounted to the container cover receiving part 73, the container rotation drive part 91Y configured with a drive motor, a drive gear, etc. is equipped in the container body 33Y via the container drive gear 601Y. The rotational drive is input to the container gear 301Y. Thus, the container body 33Y is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow A in FIG. When the container body 33Y itself is rotated, the toner contained in the container body 33Y is formed along the longitudinal direction of the container body 33 by the helical projections 302Y formed in a spiral shape on the inner peripheral surface of the container body 33Y. It is transported from the left side to the right side. Thus, the ink is supplied from the side of the container front end cover 34Y into the transport nozzle 611Y.

The conveyance screw 614Y is disposed in the conveyance nozzle 611Y, and the conveyance screw 614Y is rotated by the rotational drive input from the container rotation drive unit 91Y to the conveyance screw gear 605Y, and is supplied into the conveyance nozzle 611Y. Transport the toner. The downstream end of the transport nozzle 611Y in the transport direction is connected to the toner drop transport path 64Y, and the toner transported by the transport screw 614Y falls by its own weight in the toner drop transport path 64Y to develop the developing device 50Y (second developer storage Section 54Y).
The toner containers 32 (Y, M, C, K) are replaced with new ones when their lifetimes are reached (when almost all of the contained toner is consumed and emptied). A grip portion 303 is provided at an end opposite to the container tip side cover 34 in the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32. When replacing, the operator holds the grip portion 303 and pulls it out for mounting. The removed toner container 32 can be removed.

The control unit 90 may calculate the toner consumption amount based on the image information used by the exposure device 47 described above, and the control unit 90 may determine that it is necessary to supply the toner to the developing device 50Y. In addition, the control unit 90 may detect that the toner concentration in the developing device 50Y has decreased based on the detection result of the toner concentration detection sensor 56Y. In these cases, the container rotation drive unit 91Y is rotationally driven under the control of the control unit 90, and the container body 33Y of the toner container 32Y and the transport screw 614Y are rotated for a predetermined time to replenish the developing device 50Y with toner. Further, since toner replenishment is performed by rotating the conveyance screw 614Y disposed in the conveyance nozzle 611Y, the amount of toner supplied from the toner container 32Y can be accurately determined by detecting the number of rotations of the conveyance screw 614Y. It can also be calculated. When the toner supply amount calculated cumulatively from the time of mounting the toner container 32Y reaches the amount of toner in the toner container 32Y at the time of mounting, no toner is found in the toner container 32Y. A display is displayed on the illustrated display unit to prompt the user to replace the toner container 32Y.
Also, even if the toner concentration detection sensor 56Y detects a decrease in toner concentration, executes the replenishment operation, and repeats the determination whether or not the toner concentration has recovered a plurality of times, the toner concentration is recovered by the toner concentration detection sensor 56Y It may not be detected. Also in this case, on the assumption that toner is not present in the toner container 32Y, a display (not shown) of the copier 500 is displayed to prompt the user to replace the toner container 32Y.

In the toner replenishing device 60Y common to Embodiments 1 to 20, the amount of toner supplied to the developing device 50Y is controlled by the number of rotations of the conveying screw 614Y. For this reason, the toner having passed through the transport nozzle 611Y is directly transported to the developing device 50Y through the toner dropping transport path 64Y without controlling the supply amount to the developing device 50Y. As in the present embodiment, even in the toner replenishing device 60Y that inserts the transport nozzle 611Y into the toner container 32Y, a toner storage unit such as a toner hopper may be provided. The amount of toner supplied to the developing device 50Y may be controlled by controlling the amount of conveyance of toner from the toner storage portion to the developing device 50Y.
Further, in the toner replenishing device 60Y according to the present embodiment, the toner supplied into the conveyance nozzle 611Y is conveyed by the conveyance screw 614Y. However, the screw that conveys the toner supplied into the conveyance nozzle 611Y is a screw. It is not limited to the members. As in Patent Document 6, a configuration may be employed in which a conveying force is applied by means other than a screw member, such as a configuration in which a negative pressure is generated at the opening of the conveying nozzle 611Y using a powder pump.

  In the configuration in which the toner storage unit is provided, a toner end sensor that detects that the toner stored in the toner storage unit has become equal to or less than a predetermined amount is installed. Then, based on the toner end detection of the toner end sensor, the container body 33Y and the conveyance screw 614Y are rotationally driven for a predetermined time to replenish the toner storage portion with toner. Furthermore, even if such control is repeated a predetermined number of times, if the toner end detection by the toner end sensor is not canceled, it is assumed that there is no toner in the toner container 32Y. Display a message prompting you to replace the As described above, in the configuration where it is detected that the toner in the toner container 32Y has run out based on the toner end detection of the toner end sensor, the toner supply amount from when the toner container 32Y is mounted is cumulatively calculated. There is no need. However, as in the toner replenishing device 60Y of the present embodiment, if the toner storage portion is not provided, the toner replenishing device 60Y can be miniaturized, and the entire copying machine 500 can be miniaturized. .

  Next, the toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) and the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) of the present embodiment common to the first to twenty first embodiments will be described in more detail. As described above, the toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) and the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) have substantially the same configuration except that the color of the toner used is different. It has become. Therefore, in the following description, suffixes indicating colors of toners used, such as Y, M, C, and K, are omitted.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the toner container 32 common to the first to twenty embodiments. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the toner replenishing device 60 before the toner container 32 is attached and the tip end of the toner container 32. FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the toner replenishment with the toner container 32 attached. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the device 60 and the end of the toner container 32 at the end of the container.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the toner replenishing device 60 before the toner container 32 is attached and the end of the toner container 32 at the end of the container. FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of an apparatus 60 and an end of a toner container 32 on the container tip side.

  The toner replenishing device 60 includes a transport nozzle 611 including a transport screw 614 inside. The toner replenishing device 60 also includes a nozzle shutter 612. The nozzle shutter 612 closes the nozzle opening 610 formed in the transport nozzle 611 when the toner container 32 is not mounted (in the states of FIGS. 1 and 7) before the toner container 32 is mounted, and the toner container 32 is mounted. At the time (states of FIGS. 8 and 9), the nozzle opening 610 is opened. On the other hand, at the center of the front end surface of the toner container 32, a nozzle receiving port 331 into which the transport nozzle 611 is inserted at the time of mounting is formed, and a container shutter 332 for closing the nozzle receiving port 331 is provided.

First, the toner container 32 will be described.
As described above, the toner container 32 mainly includes the container body 33 and the container tip side cover 34. FIG. 10 is a perspective view of the toner container 32 with the container front end cover 34 removed. As shown in FIG. 10, the toner container 32 from which the container front end side cover 34 has been removed comprises a container main body 33 and a nozzle receiving member 330 forming a nozzle receiving port 331.
FIG. 11 is a perspective view of the toner container 32 with the nozzle receiving member 330 removed from the container body 33. FIG. 12 is a sectional view of the toner container 32 with the nozzle receiving member 330 removed from the container body 33. FIG. 13 is a sectional view of the toner container 32 in a state in which the nozzle receiving member 330 is attached to the container main body 33 in the state of FIG. 12 (the toner container 32 in a state in which the container tip side cover 34 is removed as in FIG. FIG.

  The container body 33 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and is configured to rotate around a central axis of the cylinder as a rotation axis. Hereinafter, a direction parallel to the rotation axis is referred to as “rotation axis direction”, and in the rotation axis direction, the side in which the nozzle inlet 331 of the toner container 32 is formed (the side where the container tip side cover 34 is disposed) Will be called "container tip side". Further, the side of the toner container 32 on which the handle portion 303 is disposed (the side opposite to the container front end side) will be referred to as “container rear end side”. The longitudinal direction of the toner container 32 described above is the rotational axis direction, and in the state where the toner container 32 is mounted on the toner replenishing device 60, the rotational axis direction is the horizontal direction. The outer diameter of the container rear end side of the container main body 33 than the container gear 301 is larger than that of the container front end side, and a spiral projection 302 is formed on the inner peripheral surface. Then, when the container body 33 rotates in the direction of arrow A in the figure, the toner in the container body 33 is moved from one end side (container rear end side) to the other end side (container front end side) The conveyance force toward) is given.

In the inner wall of the container body 33 on the container tip side, the toner conveyed to the container tip side by the helical projection 302 by the rotation of the container body 33 in the direction of arrow A in the figure is rotated upward by the rotation of the container body 33. A pumping section 304 is formed. The pumping portion 304 is composed of a convex portion 304 h and a pumping wall surface 304 f. The convex portion 304 h is a portion raised to the inside of the container body 33 so as to form a ridge of a mountain toward the rotation center of the container body 33 while forming a spiral. The raised wall surface 304 f is a wall surface on the downstream side as viewed from the container rotation direction among the wall surfaces of the raised portions connected from the convex portion 304 h (ridge line) to the inner wall of the peripheral surface of the container body 33. Then, when the lifting wall 304f is in the lower part, the lifting wall 304f pulls up the toner that has entered the internal space opposite to the lifting part 304 by the conveying force of the helical projection 302 according to the rotation of the container body 33. Thus, the toner can be pumped up above the inserted transport nozzle 611.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 10, etc., a helical raised portion helical protrusion formed on the inner circumferential surface of the raised portion 304 in the same manner as the helical protrusion 302 so as to convey the toner inside. 304a are formed.

  A container gear 301 is formed on the container tip end side further than the pumping portion 304 of the container body 33. The container front end cover 34 is provided with a gear exposure opening 34a so that a part (the back side in FIG. 6) of the container gear 301 is exposed in a state of being attached to the container body 33. Then, by mounting the toner container 32 on the toner replenishing device 60, the container gear 301 exposed from the gear exposure opening 34a is engaged with the container driving gear 601 on the toner replenishing device 60 side.

A cylindrical container opening 33 a is formed on the container tip side of the container body 33 further than the container gear 301. The nozzle receiving member 330 can be fixed to the container body 33 by press-fitting the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330 into the container opening 33a. The method for fixing the nozzle receiving member 330 is not limited to press-fitting, but may be fixing with an adhesive or fixing with screws.
The toner container 32 is configured to fix the nozzle receiving member 330 to the container opening 33a of the container body 33 after the toner is filled into the container body 33 from the opening of the container opening 33a.

  In addition, a cover claw hooking portion 306 is formed at an end of the container opening 33a of the container body 33 on the container gear 301 side. The container front end cover 34 is attached to the toner container 32 (container main body 33) in the state shown in FIG. 10 from the container front end side (lower left side in FIG. 10). As a result, the container body 33 penetrates the container front end side cover 34 in the rotational axis direction, and the cover claw portion 341 provided on the top of the container front end side cover 34 is hooked on the cover claw hooking portion 306. The cover claw hooking portion 306 is formed to go around the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a, and the container main body 33 and the container distal end side cover 34 can be relatively rotated by the cover claw portion 341 being hooked. Installation.

  Moreover, the container main body 33 is shape | molded by the biaxial stretching blow molding method (refer patent documents 1-3). The biaxial stretch blow molding method generally comprises a two-step process of a preform molding step and a stretch blow molding step. In the preform forming step, a test tubular preform is formed by injection molding using a resin. By injection molding at this time, the container opening 33a, the cover claw hooking portion 306, and the container gear 301 are formed in the mouth of the test tube. The stretch blow molding process is cooled after the preform molding process, and after heating and softening the unmolded preform, the preform is blow molded and stretched.

In the container body 33, the container rear end side of the container gear 301 is formed by the stretch blow molding process. That is, the pumping portion 304, the portion where the helical projection 302 is formed, and the handle portion 303 are formed by the stretch blow molding process.
In the container main body 33, since each part on the container tip side from the container gear 301 such as the container gear 301, the container opening 33a and the cover claw hooking part 306 has a shape as an injection molded preform, it is molded with high accuracy. it can. On the other hand, since the pumping portion 304, the portion where the helical projection 302 is formed, and the handle portion 303 are injection molded and then drawn and formed in the stretch blow molding process, the molding accuracy is a preform It is inferior to the molding part.

Next, the nozzle receiving member 330 fixed to the container body 33 will be described.
FIG. 14 is a perspective explanatory view of the nozzle receiving member 330 viewed from the container front end side, and FIG. 15 is a perspective explanatory view of the nozzle receiving member 330 viewed from the container rear end side. 16 is a top cross-sectional view of the nozzle receiving member 330 in the state shown in FIG. 13 as viewed from above, and FIG. 17 shows the nozzle receiving member 330 in the state shown in FIG. Is a cross-sectional view as seen from. Further, FIG. 18 is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle receiving member 330. As shown in FIG.

  The nozzle receiving member 330 includes a container shutter support member 340, a container shutter 332, a container seal 333, a container shutter spring 336, and a receiving member fixing portion 337. The container shutter support member 340 comprises a shutter rear end support portion 335, a shutter side surface support portion 335a and a receiving member fixing portion 337, and the container shutter spring 336 comprises a coil spring.

  The container shutter 332 includes a tip cylindrical portion 332 c, a sliding portion 332 d, a guide lot 332 e, and a shutter slippage preventing claw 332 a. The tip cylindrical portion 332 c is a portion on the tip side of the container in close contact with the cylindrical opening (nozzle inlet 331) of the container seal 333. The sliding portion 332 d is a cylindrical portion which is formed closer to the rear end of the container than the tip cylindrical portion 332 c, has a slightly larger outer diameter than the tip cylindrical portion 332 c, and slides on the inner peripheral surfaces of the pair of shutter side support portions 335 a. is there. The guide lot 332e is a column standing upright from the inside of the cylinder of the tip cylindrical portion 332c toward the rear end of the container, and is inserted into the coil of the container shutter spring 336 to guide the container shutter spring 336 to prevent buckling. It is a part. The shutter slip prevention claws 332 a are a pair of claw parts provided at an end opposite to the raised root of the guide lot 332 e and preventing the container shutter 332 from falling off the container shutter support member 340.

  As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, the tip end of the container shutter spring 336 abuts against the inner wall surface of the tip cylindrical portion 332c, and the rear end of the container shutter spring 336 abuts against the wall of the shutter rear end support 335. At this time, since the container shutter spring 336 is in a compressed state, the container shutter 332 receives an urging force in a direction away from the shutter rear end support portion 335 (right direction in FIG. 16 and FIG. 17; container front direction). However, the shutter slippage prevention claw 332 a formed at the container rear end side end of the container shutter 332 is hooked on the outer wall surface of the shutter rear end support portion 335. Thus, the container shutter 332 is prevented from moving away from the rear end support portion 335 more than in the state shown in FIGS. Positioning is performed by the hooking of the shutter slip prevention claw 332 a with the shutter rear end support portion 335 and the biasing force of the container shutter spring 336. More specifically, the container seal 333 is positioned with respect to the container shutter support member 340 in the axial direction with the tip seal cylinder portion 332 c that exerts the toner leak prevention function of the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333. Positioning is performed in a relationship in which the two are in close contact, and toner leakage can be prevented.

  The receiving member fixing portion 337 has a tubular shape in which the diameters of the outer peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface gradually decrease toward the rear end of the container. The diameter decreases in order from the front end of the container to the rear end of the container. Two outer diameter parts (the outer peripheral surfaces AA and BB in order from the container tip) on the outer peripheral surface, and five inner diameter parts (the outer peripheral surfaces CC, DD, EE, FF and GG in order from the container tip) on the inner peripheral surface There is. The boundary between the outer peripheral surface AA of the outer peripheral surface and the outer peripheral surface BB is connected by a tapered surface. The boundary between the fourth inner diameter portion FF of the inner peripheral surface and the fifth inner diameter portion GG is similarly connected by a tapered surface. The inner diameter portion FF of the inner peripheral surface and the tapered surface connected thereto correspond to a seal member entrapment prevention space 337b to be described later, and the ridge line of those surfaces corresponds to a side of a pentagonal cross section to be described later.

  As shown in FIGS. 16 to 18, a pair of shutter side surface support portions 335 a which are in the form of a piece which is opposed to each other on the container rear end side from the receiving member fixing portion 337 and cuts the cylinder in the axial direction . The container rear end side ends of the two shutter side supports 335a are connected to a cup-shaped shutter rear end support 335 having an oval hole at the center of the bottom. The two shutter side support parts 335a are formed opposite to each other to form a cylindrical space S1 which can be recognized by their inner cylindrical surfaces and their imaginary cylindrical surfaces. The receiving member fixing portion 337 has a fifth inner diameter portion GG from the tip as a cylindrical inner peripheral surface having the same inner diameter as the diameter of the cylindrical space S1. The sliding portion 332 d of the container shutter 332 slides on the cylindrical space S 1 and the cylindrical inner circumferential surface GG. The third inner circumferential surface EE of the receiving member fixing portion 337 is an imaginary circumferential surface passing through the longitudinal tops of the nozzle shutter abutment ribs 337a arranged at equal intervals of 45 °. A cylindrical (circular tubular) container seal 333 having a rectangular cross section (the cross section in the cross sectional views of FIG. 16 and FIG. 17) is arranged corresponding to the inner peripheral surface EE. The container seal 333 is fixed to a vertical surface connected from the third inner circumferential surface EE to the fifth inner circumferential surface FF with an adhesive or a double-sided tape or the like. The exposed surface of the container seal 333 on the opposite side (right side in FIGS. 16 and 17) serves as the inner bottom of the cylindrical opening of the cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 (container opening).

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, a seal member entrapment prevention space 337b (an entrapment prevention space) is formed corresponding to the inner peripheral surface FF of the receiving member fixing portion 337 and the tapered surface connected thereto. The sealing member entrapment prevention space 337b is a ring-shaped enclosed space surrounded by three different members. That is, the sliding portion 332 d from the inner peripheral surface (the fourth inner peripheral surface FF and the tapered surface connected thereto) of the receiving member fixing portion 337, the vertical surface on the sticking side of the container seal 333, and the tip cylindrical portion 332 c of the container shutter 332 It is a ring-shaped space surrounded by the outer peripheral surface up to. The cross section of the ring-like space (the cross section in the cross sectional views of FIGS. 16 and 17) is pentagonal. The angle formed by the inner peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 and the end surface of the container seal 333 and the angle formed by the outer peripheral surface of the container shutter 332 and the end surface of the container seal 333 are both 90 °.

The function of the seal member entrapment prevention space 337b will be described. When the container shutter 332 moves in the direction of the rear end of the container from the state of shielding the nozzle inlet 331, the inner circumferential surface of the container seal 333 slides on the tip cylindrical portion 332 c of the container shutter 332. Therefore, the inner peripheral surface of the container seal 333 is pulled by the container shutter 332 and elastically deformed so as to move in the container rear end direction.
At this time, if there is no seal member entrapment prevention space 337b and the vertical surface (the pasting surface of the container seal 333) connected from the third inner circumferential surface and the fifth inner circumferential surface GG are orthogonally connected, There is a risk of becoming like the That is, the elastically deformed portion of the container seal 333 may be pinched between the inner peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 sliding on the container shutter 332 and the outer peripheral surface of the container shutter 332 to be in a wound state. There is. When the container seal 333 is rolled up between the sliding portion between the receiving member fixing portion 337 and the container shutter 332, that is, the tip cylindrical portion 332c and the inner circumferential surface GG, the container shutter 332 is rotated relative to the receiving member fixing portion 337. Is locked and the nozzle inlet 331 can not be opened or closed.

  On the other hand, in the nozzle receiving member 330 of the present embodiment, a seal member entrapment prevention space 337b is formed in the inner peripheral portion. Since the inner diameter (inner diameter of each inner peripheral surface EE and the tapered surface connected thereto) of the seal member entrapment prevention space 337b is smaller than the outer diameter of the container seal 333, the entire container seal 333 enters the seal member entrapment prevention space 337b There is nothing wrong with it. In addition, there is a limit to the region of the container seal 333 which is elastically deformed by being pulled by the container shutter 332, and it is restored by the elasticity of the container seal itself before reaching the inner circumferential surface GG and being taken up. By this action, it is possible to prevent that the nozzle inlet 331 can not be opened and closed due to the container shutter 332 being locked with respect to the receiving member fixing portion 337.

  As shown in FIGS. 16 to 18, a plurality of nozzle shutter abutment ribs 337 a radially extend on the inner circumferential surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 adjacent to the outer periphery of the container seal 333. Is formed. As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, in the state where the container seal 333 is fixed to the receiving member fixing portion 337, the vertical surface on the container tip side of the container seal 333 is the end portion on the container tip side of the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a. It protrudes slightly more in the direction of the axis of rotation than. As shown in FIG. 9, when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the nozzle shutter flange portion 612 a of the nozzle shutter 612 on the toner replenishing device 60 side is biased by the nozzle shutter spring 613 and the container seal 333 is Crush the protruding part. Further, it enters from the nozzle receiving port 331 of the container seal 333 which abuts on the container tip end side of the nozzle shutter abutting rib 337a to cover the tip end side surface of the container seal 333 and shut off from the outside of the container. Thereby, the sealing property around the transport nozzle 611 in the nozzle receiving port 331 at the time of mounting can be secured, and toner leakage can be prevented.

  The back side of the nozzle shutter spring receiving surface 612f of the nozzle shutter flange 612a urged by the nozzle shutter spring 613 abuts against the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a, whereby the position of the nozzle shutter 612 with respect to the toner container 32 is determined. . Thereby, the end surface of the container seal 333 on the container tip side and the end surface of the container tip 333 on the container tip side (internal space of the cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 disposed in the container opening 33a described later); The positional relationship between the nozzle shutter 612 and the rotational axis direction is determined.

  As shown in FIG. 9 and the like, when the toner container 32 is mounted on the main body of the toner replenishing device 60, the nozzle shutter 612 as a contact member and the nozzle as a biasing member are provided at the tip opening 305 which is a cylindrical internal space. The shutter spring 613 is accommodated. Here, the relationship between the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a, the inner diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337, and the respective diameters of the configuration of the container setting portion 615 of the toner replenishing device 60 explain.

66 is an explanatory view showing the relationship between the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a, the inner diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337, and the diameter of the configuration of the container setting portion 615 of the toner replenishing device 60.
As described later, the container setting portion 615 is provided with an inner peripheral surface 615a of the container set portion fitted with the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 when the toner container 32 is set. I assume. Then, the diameter of the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 is d1.
The nozzle shutter 612 provided in the transport nozzle 611 has a nozzle shutter flange 612a, and the outer diameter of the nozzle shutter flange 612a is D2. The inner diameter (inner diameter of the second inner circumferential surface from the tip of the container) of the inner diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337 which is located axially outside the container seal 333 is d2, and the outer diameter of the container seal 333 is d3. In addition, the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a is in contact with the outer peripheral surface of the container seal 333 and is disposed between the outer peripheral surface of the container seal 333 and the second inner peripheral surface from the tip of the container of the receiving member fixing portion 337 . Then, the outer diameter of the nozzle shutter 612 (the outer diameter of the nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612e described later) is D3, and the inner diameter of the container seal 333 is d4.

  At the time of mounting the toner container 32, the transport nozzle 611 enters the nozzle receiving port 331 while the nozzle opening 610 is closed by the nozzle shutter 612. Then, after the nozzle shutter flange portion 612 a comes in contact with the container seal 333, the nozzle shutter flange portion 612 a is crushed. Thereafter, the nozzle shutter flange portion 612a abuts against the end portion of the nozzle shutter abutting rib 337a on the container tip end side so that the nozzle opening 610 is opened, and the inside of the toner container 32 and the inside of the transport nozzle 611 are communicated. At this time, the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 and the inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion are fitted, and the container body 33 is rotatably held at this fitting portion.

  The diameter d1 of the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 and the inner peripheral surface of the container setting portion so that the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 and the container setting portion inner peripheral surface 615a are rotatably fitted. The inner diameter D1 of 615a is set to satisfy the relationship of “d1 <D1”. Further, d1 and D1 are set to a fitting tolerance of about 0.01 to 0.1 [mm]. As described above, by having the relationship of “d1 <D1,” the container main body 33 can be rotationally driven in a state of being held by the container setting portion 615.

The transport nozzle 611 and the nozzle shutter 612 are configured to enter the nozzle inlet 331 while the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 is closed by the nozzle shutter 612. In order to realize this configuration, the inner diameter of the outer diameter D2 of the nozzle shutter collar portion 612a and the inner diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337 that is axially outside the container seal 333 (second inner circumferential surface DD from the container tip The inner diameter of d) is set to satisfy the relationship of “D2 <d2”.
In addition, after the nozzle shutter flange 612a contacts and squeezes the container seal 333 and the outer diameter D2 of the nozzle shutter flange 612a is abutted against the end of the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a on the container tip side. It is set to satisfy the relationship of D2> d3. That is, between the outer diameter D2 of the nozzle shutter collar portion 612a and the inner diameter d2 of the receiving member fixing portion 337 which is axially outside the container seal 333 among the inner diameters of the container seal 333 and the outer diameter d3 of the container seal 333 The relationship of d3 <D2 <d2 is set.

  By setting in this manner, the nozzle shutter 612 can be accommodated in the tip end opening 305 of the toner container 32 (inside of the receiving member fixing portion 337). Then, the container seal 333 and the nozzle shutter flange portion 612 a slide along with the rotation of the container body 33, but the deterioration of the container seal 333 due to the sliding can also be suppressed. This is because the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a is in contact with the nozzle shutter flange portion 612a so as not to crush the container seal 333 excessively, so that the sliding load can be suppressed. Furthermore, since the nozzle shutter flange 612a squeezes the container seal 333 and adheres appropriately, it is possible to reduce toner scattering that occurs when the toner container 32 is attached.

Further, the outer diameter D3 of the nozzle shutter 612 and the inner diameter d4 of the container seal 333 of the nozzle receiving member 330 are set to satisfy the relationship of “d4 <D3”. By setting in this manner, the container seal 333 can be expanded in inner diameter as the transfer nozzle 611 enters and can be in close contact with the nozzle shutter 612 appropriately. Therefore, it is possible to prevent toner leakage from the toner container 32 to the outside when the transport nozzle 611 is inserted.
To summarize the relationship described above, each part of the toner container 32 is set so as to satisfy the relationship of diameter “d4 <D3 <d3 <D2 <d2 <d1 <D1”. By setting in this way, it is possible to have a sealing property that does not cause toner scattering and toner leakage from the toner container 32, and a storage property that accommodates the nozzle shutter 612 and the nozzle shutter spring 613. it can.

  Further, as described later, when the toner container 32 is attached, the nozzle shutter flange portion 612a of the nozzle opening 610 abuts against the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a, and the relative position of the nozzle shutter 612 to the toner container 32 is fixed. Start to open from. On the other hand, when the toner container 32 is removed, even if the transport nozzle 611 starts to come off the toner container 32, when the nozzle opening 610 is open, the nozzle shutter spring 613 biases the nozzle shutter 612 against the toner container 32. Position does not change.

  When the toner container 32 is pulled out, the relative position of the toner container 32 relative to the transport nozzle 611 changes, so the relative position of the nozzle shutter 612 relative to the transport nozzle 611 also changes, and the nozzle shutter 612 closes the nozzle opening 610. Begin to. At this time, as the toner container 32 is pulled out, the distance between the toner container 32 and the container setting portion 615 is separated. As a result, as the nozzle shutter spring 613 starts to return to its natural length by its own restoring force, the biasing force on the nozzle shutter 612 starts to decrease.

Furthermore, when the toner container 32 is pulled out and the nozzle shutter 612 completes closing the nozzle opening 610, a part of the nozzle shutter 612 (the “shutter inner peripheral first rib 612 b” described in detail later) Hit against the department. By this abutment, the relative position of the nozzle shutter 612 with respect to the transport nozzle 611 is fixed, and the abutment of the nozzle shutter flange 612a against the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a is released.
After that, when the toner container 32 is further pulled out, the nozzle shutter 612 is separated from the toner container 32 together with the transport nozzle 611.

  In a state where the nozzle shutter flange portion 612a abuts against the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a, the portion where the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 is formed is sufficiently inside the toner container 32 than the inlet portion of the nozzle inlet 331 It is located at the rear end side and the back side). Specifically, the nozzle opening is disposed at a position where the rotational axis direction is directed to the rear end side of the container, the container gear 301 is crossed, and the nozzle opening is opposed to the pumping portion 304. Since the nozzle opening 610 is opened and closed from the state of being sufficiently located inside the toner container 32, toner leakage from the nozzle opening 610 to the outside can be prevented.

Further, in the shutter side support portion 335a and the shutter support opening 335b, the two shutter side support portions 335a facing each other form a part of a cylindrical shape, and the cylindrical shape is enlarged at a part (two places) of the shutter support opening 335b. It has a cut-off shape. With such a shape, the container shutter 332 can be guided to move in the rotational axis direction in the cylindrical space S1 formed inside the cylindrical shape.
The nozzle receiving member 330 fixed to the container body 33 rotates with the container body 33 when the container body 33 rotates. At this time, the shutter side support portion 335 a of the nozzle receiving member 330 is a transport nozzle on the toner replenishing device 60 side. Rotate around 611. For this reason, the rotating shutter side support portion 335 a passes a space immediately above the nozzle opening 610 formed in the upper part of the transfer nozzle 611. As a result, even if toner is instantaneously deposited above the nozzle opening 610, the deposited toner is broken across the shutter side support portion 335a, and the deposited toner is aggregated when it is left, and the toner is transported when it is restarted. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of defects. On the other hand, at the timing when the shutter side support portion 335a is located to the side of the transport nozzle 611 and the nozzle opening 610 and the shutter support opening 335b face each other, as shown by the arrow β in FIG. Are fed into the transport nozzle 611.

  As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, in the middle of the rotational axis direction of the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330, the outer peripheral diameter becomes smaller at the rear end of the container. The second step of the outer peripheral surface BB is formed. Further, as shown in FIG. 13, the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a of the container body 33 is shaped along the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 so that the inner peripheral diameter of the container rear end side becomes smaller. A step is formed. And the level | step difference of the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing | fixed part 337 collides with the level | step difference of the inner peripheral surface of the container opening part 33a in the whole region of the circumferential direction. As a result, the axial inclination of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the container main body 33 (the state in which the central axis of the cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 is inclined with respect to the central axis of the cylindrical container opening 33a) is prevented.

Second Embodiment
Next, the toner container 32 according to the second embodiment in which the container shutter 332 is improved with respect to the toner container 32 according to the first embodiment will be described.
The toner container 32 is detachable from the copying machine 500 in the state shown in FIG. 6, but the toner container 32 may be dropped during transportation of the toner container 32 alone or when the user sets it on the main body. .
FIG. 19 is an explanatory view of a state in which the toner container 32 is dropped downward at the rear end side, and the arrow δ1 in FIG. 19 indicates the dropping direction.

  As shown in FIG. 19, when the toner container 32 is dropped and collides with the floor surface, the inertial force of the container shutter 332 acts in the same direction as the dropping direction as shown by the arrow δ2 in FIG. The greater the impact of the fall, the greater the inertial force, and when the inertial force exceeds the pressure of the container shutter spring 336, the container shutter 332 moves in the direction in which the inertial force acts (the direction of arrow δ2 in FIG. 19). At this time, when the movement amount of the container shutter 332 becomes equal to or more than the thickness of the container seal 333, a gap may be instantaneously formed between the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333 and the toner may be scattered. In the case where the container body 33 of the toner container 32 is a blow molded hollow resin product, the impact may be converted into an impact at the time of a collision, and the inertial force may be increased.

In order to reduce the amount of movement of the container shutter 332 caused by the inertial force at the time of falling, it is effective to use a container shutter spring 336 with a large pressing force. However, if the pressure of the container shutter spring 336 is increased, the following side effects occur.
That is, when the pressing force of the container shutter spring 336 is increased, the contact pressure between the container shutter 332 and the transport nozzle 611 in the state where the toner container 32 is mounted on the toner replenishing device 60 is increased. As the contact pressure increases, the drive torque for rotating the toner container 32 increases, and the drive motor 603 needs to have a large output, and the cost of the drive motor 603 increases. In addition, as the contact pressure becomes higher, the wear on the contact surfaces of both the container shutter 332 and the transport nozzle 611 increases and the life becomes shorter.

In addition, when the pressing force of the container shutter spring 336 is increased, a large force is required to set the toner container 32 in the main body of the toner replenishing device 60, and the operability is impaired.
Further, the pressing force of the container shutter spring 336 acts in the direction of pushing the toner container 32 out of the toner replenishing device 60 main body. For this reason, if the pressure force of the container shutter spring 336 is increased, there is a risk that the toner container 32 will pop out. Specifically, there is a risk that the toner container 32 may jump out of the toner replenishing device 60 at the moment when the coupling (locking device side locking member 609 and container locking portion 339) for locking the toner container 32 to the toner replenishing device 60 is released. is there.

  FIGS. 20 and 21 are explanatory views of a configuration in which the second shutter slippage prevention claw 332b is provided on the container tip end side a little more than the shutter slippage prevention claw 332a in the guide rod 332e of the container shutter 332. FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the toner replenishing device 60 before the toner container 32 is attached and the end of the toner container 32 at the end of the container, and FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of an apparatus 60 and an end of a toner container 32 on the container tip side.

  In the configuration shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, the container shutter 332 of the toner container 32 is pressurized by the container shutter spring 336 in the direction in which the nozzle inlet 331 is closed (left direction in FIG. 20). Then, a pair of a shutter slip preventing claw 332a and a second shutter slip preventing claw 332b, which are two pairs of hook-shaped slip preventing claws, are provided on the container rear end side of the guide rod 332e.

  The container rear end side of the guide rod 332e is bifurcated to form a pair of cantilevered beams 332f. The shutter slippage prevention claw 332a and the second shutter slippage prevention claw 332b are disposed on the outer peripheral surface of each beam. As shown in FIG. 20, when the container shutter 332 closes the nozzle inlet 331, there is a vertical surface of the rear end support portion 335 between the shutter slippage prevention claw 332a and the second shutter slippage prevention claw 332b. It is arranged as. On the vertical surface of the shutter rear end support portion 335, a hole smaller than the axial projection area of the shutter slippage preventing claw 332a is formed. The guide rod 332e is passed through the container shutter spring 336, and the pair of cantilevered beams 332f of the guide rod 332e is flexed toward the axial center of the guide rod 332e, so that the shutter comes off from the hole of the vertical surface of the shutter rear end support 335 Pass the preventing claw 332a. As a result, the guide rod 332e is assembled to the nozzle receiving member 33 as shown in FIG. The guide rod 332 is molded of a resin such as polystyrene so that the cantilever 332f has elasticity to bend.

The state shown in FIG. 20 is a state before the toner container 32 is set in the main body of the toner replenishing device 60 at the time of shipping of the toner container 32 or the like (when not used).
When the toner container 32 is set in the main body of the toner replenishing device 60 from the state of FIG. 20, the toner container 32 is pushed into the main body of the device, and the tip of the transport nozzle 611 Push inside. At this time, the shutter slippage prevention claw 332 a at the end of the guide rod 332 e is pushed out toward the container rear end side of the shutter rear end support portion 335. Then, the second shutter slippage preventing claw 332 b, which is the second hook, is engaged with the hole of the vertical surface of the shutter rear end support portion 335.

Since the hole on the vertical surface is smaller than the axial projection area of the second shutter slip prevention claw 332b, the second shutter slip prevention claw 332b does not slip off when it contacts the vertical surface. However, when the user further intensifies the force for pushing the toner container 32, a force for acting on the contact portion between the second shutter detachment prevention claw 332b and the vertical surface acts. By the action of this pushing force, both of the pair of cantilevered beams 332f having the second shutter slippage prevention claw 332b on the outer peripheral surface thereof are bent toward the axial center of the rod 332e, and thereby the second shutter slippage prevention claw 332b passes through the hole in the vertical plane. As a result, as shown in FIG. 21, the second shutter slippage prevention claw 332 b is positioned on the inner side of the toner container 32 than the shutter rear end support portion 335.
The container shutter 332 of the toner container 32 once set, the second shutter slippage prevention claw 332 b functions as a retainer of the container shutter 332 thereafter.

  As described above, the toner container 32 may be dropped during transportation of the toner container 32 alone or when the user sets the toner container 32 on the main body. At this time, as described with reference to FIG. 19, a force may be applied to the container shutter 332 in a direction in which the container shutter 332 is opened by an inertial force of itself. As in the configurations shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, with the configuration provided with the second shutter slippage preventing claw 332b, it is possible to prevent the toner scattering when the toner container 32 is dropped for the following reason. That is, when the container shutter 332 tries to move in the opening direction, the pressure required by the container shutter spring 336 and the force necessary to pass the hole by the second shutter detachment prevention claw 332 b (= force to bend the cantilever 332 f ) Prevent the container shutter 332 from moving in the opening direction. Unlike the user's pushing force, the inertial force due to the impact at the time of falling does not increase, so the second shutter detachment preventing claw 332 b is engaged with the hole of the vertical surface of the shutter rear end support portion 335 and the container It is possible to suppress the shutter 332 from opening. As a result, the occurrence of toner scattering when the toner container 32 is dropped can be prevented.

  According to the configuration of the toner container 32 shown in FIGS. 20 and 21, since the shutter movement at the time of the toner container drop collision can be suppressed without increasing the pressure force of the container shutter spring 336, the occurrence of the above-mentioned side effect occurs. It is possible to prevent toner scattering at the time of a drop collision. In addition to the configuration described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 9, the second shutter drop prevention claw 332b may be simply added to the container shutter 332, and no additional parts are required. The change makes it possible to prevent toner scattering at the time of a drop collision.

Next, the configuration of the container front end side cover 34 common to the first to twenty first embodiments will be described with reference to FIGS.
The container front end side cover 34 of the toner container 32 slides on the container receiving portion 72 of FIG. In FIG. 5, grooves extending from the insertion opening forming portion 71 to the container cover receiving portion 73 are respectively formed immediately below the four toner containers 32 with the axial direction of the container body 33 as the longitudinal direction. A pair of slide guides 361 are provided on both side surfaces of the lower portion of the container front end side cover 34 so as to be fitted in the groove to enable sliding movement. More specifically, the groove of the container receiving portion 72 has a pair of slide rails projecting from both sides thereof. A slide groove 361 a is formed in parallel with the rotation axis of the container main body 33 so that the slide guide 361 is sandwiched by the pair of slide rails from above and below. The container front end cover 34 further includes a container lock portion 339 coupled to the replenishing device side lock member 609 provided on the set cover 608 when mounted on the toner replenishing device 60.

  Further, an ID tag (ID chip) 700 in which data such as the usage condition of the toner container 32 is recorded is provided on the container front end side cover 34. Furthermore, the container leading end side cover 34 is provided with a color incompatible rib 34 b for preventing the toner container 32 having a different color of toner to be stored from being attached to the set cover 608 of another color. As described above, when the slide guide 361 is engaged, the posture of the container front end cover 34 on the replenishment device 60 is determined by engaging with the slide rail of the container receiving portion 72. Then, alignment between the container lock portion 339 and the replenishment device side lock member 609, and alignment between the ID tag 700 described later and the connector 800 on the main body side can be smoothly performed.

Next, the toner replenishing device 60 common to the first to twenty embodiments will be described.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the toner replenishing device 60 includes a nozzle holder 607 for fixing the transport nozzle 611 to the frame 602 of the copying machine 500 main body, and the set cover 608 is fixed for the nozzle holder 607. It is done. Further, the toner drop transport path 64 disposed so as to communicate with the inside of the transport nozzle 611 from the lower side of the transport nozzle 611 is fixed to the nozzle holder 607.

As the toner dropping and conveying path 64, a swinging spring 640 may be disposed inside as shown in FIG. 20 and FIG.
The swing spring 640 is engaged at one end with the rotation shaft of the conveyance screw 614 and is configured to move up and down with the rotation of the conveyance screw 614. The swinging spring 640 scrapes off the toner stagnating / adhering in the vicinity of the inner wall surface of the toner dropping and conveying path 64 which is a tubular member by the up and down movement. In order to improve the blocking effect of the toner drop transport path 64, it is desirable to move the swinging swinging spring 640 closer to the inner wall surface of the toner drop transport path 64. Further, in the configuration of the present embodiment, since the toner drop transport path 64 is a cylindrical member, the swing spring 640 (a spring member having a diameter slightly smaller than the diameter of the inner wall of the toner drop transport path 64) It is used as a moving scraper. However, it is preferable to adjust the shape of the swing scraping member together with the cross-sectional shape of the toner drop conveyance path 64 so that the cross-sectional shape of the toner drop conveyance path 64 is other than circular.

  Further, the container rotation drive unit 91 is fixed to the frame 602. The container rotation drive unit 91 includes a drive motor 603 and a container drive gear 601, and further includes a worm gear 603a that transmits the rotational drive of the drive motor 603 to the rotation shaft of the container drive gear 601. A drive transmission gear 604 is fixed to the rotation shaft of the container drive gear 601 and is in mesh with the conveyance screw gear 605 fixed to the rotation shaft of the conveyance screw 614. With such a configuration, the toner container 32 can be rotated via the container drive gear 601 and the container gear 301 by rotationally driving the drive motor 603. Further, the toner container 32 can be rotated, and the conveyance screw 614 can be rotated via the drive transmission gear 604 and the conveyance screw gear 605.

  A clutch may be provided in the drive transmission path from the drive motor 603 to the container gear 301 or in the drive transmission path from the drive motor 603 to the conveying screw gear 605. By providing such a clutch, it is possible to realize a configuration in which only one of the toner container 32 and the transport screw 614 is rotated when the drive motor 603 is rotationally driven.

Next, the transport nozzle 611 of the toner replenishing device 60 will be described.
FIG. 22 is a sectional view of the nozzle shutter 612. As shown in FIG. FIG. 23 is a perspective view of the nozzle shutter 612 as viewed from the side where the toner container 32 is attached (nozzle tip side), and FIG. 24 is a side view of the nozzle shutter 612 from the toner replenishment device 60 side It is the perspective explanatory view seen. FIG. 25 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the vicinity of the transport nozzle 611 of the toner supply device 60, and FIG. 26 is a perspective cross-sectional explanatory view of the vicinity of the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611. 27 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the transport nozzle 611 with the nozzle shutter 612 removed, as viewed from the tip of the nozzle. FIG. 28 is a perspective view of the vicinity of the nozzle opening 610 with the nozzle shutter 612 removed. FIG. In FIG. 25, FIG. 26 and FIG. 28, the illustration of the conveyance screw 614 disposed in the conveyance nozzle 611 is omitted.

  At the root of the transport nozzle 611, a container setting portion 615 is formed in which the container opening 33a is fitted in a state in which the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60. The container setting portion 615 has a cylindrical shape, and the inner peripheral surface 615a and the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a are fitted in a slidable state. By this fitting, positioning of the toner container 32 relative to the toner replenishing device 60 in a plane direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the toner container 32 is performed. Further, when the toner container 32 is rotated, the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a functions as a rotating shaft, and the container setting portion 615 functions as a bearing. The position where the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a slidably contacts the container setting portion 615 and the toner container 32 is positioned with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 is indicated by α in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 22 and the like, the nozzle shutter 612 is composed of a nozzle shutter flange portion 612a and a nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612e. A shutter inner peripheral first rib 612b is formed on a part of the upper part of the inner peripheral surface near the end on the nozzle tip side of the nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612e. On the other hand, on the inner peripheral surface near the nozzle root side end of the nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612e, the shutter inner peripheral second rib 612c and the shutter inner peripheral third rib 612d are formed so as to respectively go around the inner peripheral surface. It is done.
The circumferential length of the inner circumferential surface of the shutter inner circumferential first rib 612b is a length that can fit within the circumferential width of the nozzle opening 610 in a state where the nozzle shutter 612 is attached to the transport nozzle 611. .

  As shown in FIG. 1 and FIG. 25, the end on the nozzle root side of the nozzle shutter spring 613 abuts on the end face 615 b of the container setting portion 615. The end of the nozzle shutter spring 613 on the nozzle tip side abuts against the nozzle shutter spring receiving surface 612f of the nozzle shutter flange 612a. At this time, since the nozzle shutter spring 613 is in a compressed state, the nozzle shutter 612 receives an urging force in a direction (left direction in FIG. 25) falling off from the nozzle tip side. However, the shutter inner peripheral first rib 612 b abuts on the edge of the nozzle tip end side of the nozzle opening 610, that is, the upper part of the inner wall surface of the nozzle tip end part 611 a of the transport nozzle 611. As a result, the nozzle shutter 612 is prevented from moving in the direction of falling off the transport nozzle 611 more than in the state shown in FIG. 25 or 26. The positioning of the nozzle shutter 612 with respect to the transport nozzle 611 in the rotational axis direction is performed by the abutment of the shutter inner peripheral first rib 612 b and the biasing force of the nozzle shutter spring 613.

Further, the inner peripheral first rib leading end 612g, which is the circumferential end of the shutter inner peripheral first rib 612b, has a shape that abuts on the nozzle opening lateral edge 611s, which is the lateral end of the nozzle opening 610. There is. This is a shape in which the inner peripheral first rib leading end portion 612g abuts against the nozzle opening lateral edge portion 611s when the nozzle shutter 612 tries to rotate in the direction of arrow A in FIG.
When the toner container 32 rotates, the nozzle shutter 612 contacts the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612e with the inner peripheral surface of the container seal 333 fixed to the toner container 32, as shown by arrow A in FIG. Force to try to rotate is acting. At this time, if the nozzle shutter 612 is rotated with respect to the transport nozzle 611 and the shutter inner peripheral first rib 612 b is at a position out of the nozzle opening 610, the following problem may occur. That is, when the toner container 32 is removed from the toner replenishing device 60, there is a possibility that the nozzle shutter 612 may fall out of the transport nozzle 611 due to the biasing force of the restoring action of the nozzle shutter spring 613.

  Further, depending on the elasticity of the nozzle shutter 612, the shutter inner peripheral first rib 612b removed from the nozzle opening 610 may strongly clamp the outer peripheral surface of the transport nozzle 611 and the nozzle shutter 612 may not be able to move relative to the transport nozzle 611 . In any case, when the toner container 32 is removed from the toner replenishing device 60, the nozzle opening 610 remains open, which causes toner leakage.

  On the other hand, in the toner replenishing device 60 of the present embodiment, when the nozzle shutter 612 tries to rotate in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 26, the inner peripheral first rib tip 612g abuts the nozzle opening lateral edge 611s. This prevents the nozzle shutter 612 from rotating relative to the transport nozzle 611 more than in the state shown in FIG.

  Further, the inner diameter of the shutter inner peripheral second rib 612c and the shutter inner peripheral third rib 612d is formed to be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the cylindrical transfer nozzle 611. The nozzle shutter 612 can be attached to the transport nozzle 611 by elastically deforming the shutter inner peripheral second rib 612 c and the shutter inner peripheral third rib 612 d which are molded of resin. The two ribs (612 c and 612 d) whose inner diameters are smaller than the outer diameter of the transfer nozzle 611 contact the outer peripheral surface of the transfer nozzle 611 in a state where they are elastically deformed. Sealing with the outer peripheral surface can be enhanced. Therefore, toner leakage from between the nozzle shutter 612 and the transport nozzle 611 can be prevented.

  Further, the toner replenishing device 60 of the present embodiment uses a conical spring as the nozzle shutter spring 613. The conical spring can overlap at least a part of adjacent coils when fully compressed, and the axial length in the state of being fully compressed than a cylindrical spring of the same spring length Can be shortened. Therefore, it is possible to save space in the winding axis direction of the nozzle shutter spring 613 in the compressed state.

Next, the process of attaching the toner container 32 to the toner replenishing device 60 will be described.
By moving the toner container 32 in the direction of the toner supply device 60 as shown by the arrow Q in FIGS. 7 and 1, the nozzle tip end portion 611 a of the transport nozzle 611 contacts the end face of the container shutter 332 at the container tip end Do. Further, by moving the toner container 32 in the direction of the toner replenishing device 60, the transport nozzle 611 presses the end face of the container shutter 332 on the container tip side. When the container shutter 332 is pressed, the container shutter spring 336 is contracted, and along with this, the container shutter 332 is pushed to the inner side (the container rear end side) of the toner container 32, and the nozzle tip end of the transport nozzle 611 receives the nozzle It is inserted into the inlet 331. At this time, the nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612 e on the nozzle tip side of the nozzle shutter collar 612 a in the nozzle shutter 612 is also inserted into the nozzle inlet 331 together with the transport nozzle 611.

Further, by moving the toner container 32 in the direction of the toner replenishing device 60, the surface of the nozzle shutter collar 612a opposite to the nozzle shutter spring receiving surface contacts the end surface of the container seal 333 on the container tip side. Further, by slightly squeezing the container seal 333 abuts against the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a. Thus, the relative position of the nozzle shutter 612 with respect to the toner container 32 in the rotational axis direction is fixed.
Further, by moving the toner container 32 in the direction of the toner replenishing device 60, the transport nozzle 611 is further inserted into the inside of the toner container 32. At this time, the nozzle shutter 612 abutted against the nozzle shutter abutting rib 337 a is pushed back to the nozzle root side with respect to the transport nozzle 611. As a result, the nozzle shutter spring 613 is contracted, and the relative position of the nozzle shutter 612 with respect to the transport nozzle 611 moves to the nozzle root side. With the movement of the relative position, the nozzle opening 610 covered by the nozzle shutter 612 is exposed inside the container body 33, and the inside of the container body 33 and the inside of the transport nozzle 611 communicate.

  In a state where the transport nozzle 611 is inserted into the nozzle receiving port 331, the urging direction of the container shutter spring 336 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 in a contracted state causes the toner container 32 to be pushed back to the toner replenishing device 60 (arrow in FIG. The force in the opposite direction to Q acts. However, when mounting the toner container 32 in the toner replenishing device 60, the toner container 32 is directed toward the toner replenishing device 60 to a position where the container lock portion 339 is coupled to the replenishing device side locking member 609 against this force. Move it. As a result, the biasing force of the container shutter spring 336 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 and the hooking of the container lock portion 339 on the replenishing device side lock member 609 act. By the action of the biasing force and the hooking, positioning of the toner container 32 in the rotational axis direction with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 is performed in the state shown in FIGS. 8 and 9.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the container lock portion 339 includes a guide protrusion 339a, a guide groove 339b, an overpassing portion 339c, and a square locking hole 339d. A set of lids is arranged such that these are combined as a pair, and the vertical line passing through the nozzle inlet 331 is paired on both sides of the container end cover 34. The guide protrusion 339 a is disposed on a vertical surface on the tip side of the container tip side cover 34 and on a horizontal line passing through the center of the nozzle inlet 331. The guide protrusion 339a is provided with an inclined surface connected to the guide groove 339b so as to contact the replenishment device side lock member 609 at the time of mounting the toner container 32 and guide it to the guide groove 339b. The guide groove 339 b is a groove one step lower than the side peripheral surface of the container front end side cover 34.

The width of the guide groove 339 b is slightly wider than the width of the replenishment device lock member 609, and is set to an extent that the replenishment device lock member 609 does not fall out of the groove.
The container rear end side of the guide groove 339b does not have a shape directly connected to the locking hole 339d but has an end, and has a height of the side peripheral surface of the container front end side cover 34. That is, there is an outer peripheral surface of the container front end side cover 34 having a width of about 1 [mm] between the guide groove 339b and the locking hole 339d, which corresponds to the overpassing portion 339c. The replenishing device side locking member 609 passes over the raised portion 339c and falls into the locking hole 339d, whereby the connection between the toner container 32 and the toner replenishing device 60 is achieved.

The toner container 32 is configured such that the container shutter 332 is positioned at the center of a line connecting the two container lock portions 339 on a virtual plane orthogonal to the rotation axis. If the container shutter 332 is not on the line connecting the two container locks 339, the following may occur. That is, the distance from the line segment to the container shutter 332 serves as a lever, and the biasing force of the container shutter spring 336 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 acting at the position of the container shutter 332 causes the toner container 32 to rotate about the line segment. A moment acts. The action of the moment of this force may cause the toner container 32 to tilt relative to the toner replenishing device 60. In that case, the mounting load of the toner container 32 is increased, and a load is applied to the nozzle receiving member 330 for holding and guiding the container shutter 332.

  In particular, in the case where the toner container 32 is a new product containing a sufficient amount of toner, the toner weight is also taken into consideration when it is pushed from the rear end side of the toner container 32 so that the transport nozzle 611 protruding from the horizontal direction is inserted. A moment of force for rotating the toner container 32 acts. As a result, a load is applied to the nozzle receiving member 330 into which the transfer nozzle 611 is inserted, and the nozzle receiving member 330 may be deformed or damaged in the worst case. On the other hand, in the toner container 32 of the present embodiment, the container shutter 332 is positioned on a line segment connecting the two container lock portions 339. Therefore, the biasing force of the container shutter spring 336 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 acting at the position of the container shutter 332 can prevent the toner container 32 from being inclined with respect to the toner replenishing device 60.

  As shown in FIG. 31B, with the toner container 32 mounted on the toner replenishing device 60, the circular end face of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 is on the end face 615b of the container setting portion 615. It does not contact. This is due to the following reasons. Temporarily, the circular end surface of the container opening 33a is in contact with the end surface 615b of the container setting portion 615. With such a configuration, the circular end face of the container opening 33a may abut the end face 615b of the container setting portion 615 before the locking hole 339d of the container lock portion 339 is caught by the replenishment device side lock member 609. . When the toner container 32 abuts in this manner, the toner container 32 can not be moved further to the toner replenishing device 60 side, and positioning in the rotational axis direction can not be performed. In order to prevent this, when the toner container 32 is mounted on the toner replenishing device 60, there is a slight gap between the circular end face of the container opening 33a and the end face 615b of the container setting portion 615. It becomes a state.

  Further, in the state in which the positioning in the rotational axis direction is performed as described above, the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a is fitted to the inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 in a slidable manner. Therefore, as described above, the toner container 32 is positioned with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 in the plane direction orthogonal to the rotation axis. Thereby, the mounting of the toner container 32 to the toner replenishing device 60 is completed.

When the mounting of the toner container 32 is completed, the drive motor 603 is driven to rotate, whereby the container body 33 of the toner container 32 and the transport screw 614 in the transport nozzle 611 are rotated.
By rotating the container main body 33, the toner in the container main body 33 is conveyed to the container tip end side of the container main body 33 by the helical protrusion 302. The toner that has reached the pick-up portion 304 by this conveyance is lifted up above the nozzle opening 610 by the pick-up portion 304 as the container body 33 rotates. The toner lifted to the upper side of the nozzle opening 610 falls into the nozzle opening 610, whereby the toner is supplied into the transport nozzle 611. The toner supplied into the transport nozzle 611 is transported by the transport screw 614, and is supplied to the developing device 50 through the toner dropping transport path 64. The flow of toner from inside the container body 33 to the toner dropping and conveying path 64 at this time is indicated by an arrow β in FIG.

Embodiment 3
The improvement of the rotation timing of the toner container 32 and the like will be described as the third embodiment.
In the configurations of Embodiments 1 and 2 described above, the configuration in which the toner container 32 and the transport screw 614 are simultaneously rotated has been described. As the timing for rotating these, the toner container 32 may be driven to rotate first when toner replenishment is started, and the conveyance screw 614 may be rotated after a predetermined time. In addition, the toner container 32 may be stopped first when the toner replenishment is stopped, and the conveyance screw 614 may be stopped after a predetermined time. The timing chart of the configuration of such rotation timing is shown in FIG.

  In the configuration of the rotation timing shown in FIG. 29, the rotational driving of the toner container 32 is stopped before the rotational driving of the conveying screw 614 in the conveying nozzle 611 is stopped when the toner replenishment is stopped. With such a configuration of the rotation timing, conveyance by the conveyance screw 614 is continued in a state where supply of new toner is stopped at the nozzle opening 610, and rotation of the conveyance screw 614 is also stopped after a predetermined time. Therefore, the toner T present in the vicinity of the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 when the rotational drive of the toner container 32 is stopped can be transported by the transport screw 614 to the toner drop transport path 64 side. As a result, the amount of toner T that remains on the transport nozzle 611 near the nozzle opening 610 can be reduced. Thereafter, when the toner container 32 is removed from the apparatus main body, the amount of toner on the conveyance nozzle 611 is reduced, so the conveyance nozzle 611 can be easily cleaned by the container seal 333 provided on the nozzle receiving member 330. it can. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the toner scattering and the toner falling accompanying the mounting and demounting of the toner container 32 with respect to the apparatus main body.

Further, in the configuration of the rotation timing described above, the toner container 32 starts rotational driving earlier than the conveyance screw 614 at the time of toner replenishment start. Therefore, the rotational driving of the conveying screw 614 can be started in a state where the vicinity of the nozzle opening 610 of the conveying nozzle 611 is filled with the toner. As a result, the amount of toner conveyed by one rotation of the conveyance screw 614 is stabilized from the start of the rotational drive of the conveyance screw 614, and the stability of the toner replenishment amount is improved.
As described above, the configuration in which the rotation timings of the toner container 32 and the conveyance screw 614 are different from each other can be easily realized by using separate drive sources as drive sources for rotationally driving the respective ones.

Fourth Preferred Embodiment
As the fourth embodiment, an improvement in which the change of the rotation timing of the toner container 32 and the like of the third embodiment is realized by the same drive source will be described.
The same drive source can be realized by providing a clutch. By using the same drive source, the above-described configuration in which the rotation timings are different can be realized at low cost.

FIG. 30 shows an example of a drive transmission unit having a configuration in which rotation timings can be made different by the same drive source. Fig.30 (a) is a front view of a drive transmission part, FIG.30 (b) is side cross-section explanatory drawing of the HH cross section in FIG.30 (a) of a drive transmission part.
The drive transmission unit shown in FIG. 30 includes a container drive gear 601 fixed to the toner container drive shaft 650, and an idler gear 653 rotatably disposed with respect to the toner container drive shaft 650. A gear surface hole 653a is formed in the idler gear 653 along a half circumference along the rotation direction. Furthermore, a drive pin 652 fixed to the container drive gear 601 and provided to engage with the gear face hole 653a is provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 30A, it includes a delayed rotation generating spring 651 having one end fixed to the idler gear 653 by the spring fixing pin 651a and the other end fixed to the drive pin 652.

Further, a spring guide circle is disposed on the front side of idler gear 653 so as to be concentric with idler gear 653 and to be inside gear plane hole 653a, and delay rotation generating spring 651 is extended along the outer peripheral surface thereof. A plate 655 is provided.
In addition, a conveyance screw gear 605 is fixed to the rotation shaft of the conveyance screw 614, and is geared to the idler gear 653, and transmits the rotation of the idler gear 653 to the conveyance screw 614.

In the drive transmission unit shown in FIG. 30, when the drive motor (not shown) rotates the toner container drive shaft 650 in the direction of arrow I in the drawing, the container drive gear 601 also rotates. Then, a drive pin 652 integrally formed with the container drive gear 601 rotates along a gear surface hole 653 a provided in the idler gear 653.
Then, when the container drive gear 601 rotates about 180 [°] from the position where the drive pin 652 is in the position shown by the solid line in FIG. 30A, the drive pin 652 is as shown by the broken line in FIG. It strikes the end of the gear face hole 653a. When the container drive gear 601 is further rotated from the abutting state, the idler gear 653 is rotated. As a result, the conveying screw gear 605 is rotated via the idler gear 653, and the conveying screw 614 starts to rotate.

As described above, the time for the drive pin 652 to move in the gear plane hole 653a after the toner container drive shaft 650 starts to rotate is the time difference from when the toner container 32 starts rotational drive until the transport screw 614 starts rotational drive. become.
At this time, the delayed rotation generating spring 651 is extended along the outer periphery of the spring guide disc 655 by about half a circumference.

On the other hand, when the drive motor stops the rotational drive of the toner container drive shaft 650, the rotation of the drive pin 652 stops. At this time, a force is exerted to return the natural length of the delayed rotation generating spring 651 in which one end is fixed to the drive pin 652 and extends longer than the natural length, and the spring fixing pin 651 a is brought closer to the drive pin 652 The idler gear 653 rotates. Then, the idler gear 653 rotates by an amount corresponding to the gear plane hole 653a (about half a turn). Therefore, after stopping the rotational drive of the toner container 32, the transport screw 614 can be rotationally driven by an amount corresponding to the rotation of the idler gear 653 by the above-described delayed rotation generating spring 651.
At this time, it is possible to set a target driving time difference by appropriately setting various parameters. The various parameters include the number of teeth of the idler gear 653 and the conveying screw gear 605, the movable range of the drive pin 652 (the opening range of the gear surface hole 653a of the idler gear), the pitch of the conveying screw 614, the width of the nozzle opening 610, and the like.

  In addition, after the rotational driving of the toner container 32 is stopped, the conveying screw 614 is rotationally driven by an amount equivalent to at least the width of the nozzle opening 610 of the conveying nozzle 611 in the longitudinal direction. Desirable. Thus, the toner T present in the vicinity of the nozzle opening 610 of the conveyance nozzle 611 can be conveyed to the toner drop conveyance path 64 side from the position facing the nozzle opening 610. By this conveyance, it is possible to more reliably prevent toner scattering and toner falling accompanying attachment / detachment of the toner container 32 to / from the apparatus main body.

  Also, after the toner container 32 starts rotating, the toner container 32 is rotationally driven by a transport amount at which the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 is at least filled with the toner T, and then rotation driving of the transport screw 614 is started. Is desirable. This further improves the stability of the toner replenishment amount.

The fitting position between the toner container 32 and the container setting portion 615 common to the first to twenty embodiments and the peripheral configuration thereof will be described.
As described above, the position where the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a slidably contacts the container setting portion 615 and the toner container 32 is positioned with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 is indicated by α in FIG. Here, the position of α in FIG. 9 is not limited to the configuration having both functions of the sliding portion and the positioning portion, and may be a configuration having either one of the sliding portion and the positioning portion. .

  The toner container 32 of the present embodiment is disposed at the opening of the container body 33, and has a nozzle receiving member 330 that forms a nozzle inlet 331 and a shutter support opening 335b. The nozzle receiving port 331 is a portion into which the transport nozzle 611 having the nozzle opening 610 which is a powder receiving port is inserted, and the shutter support opening 335 b supplies toner, which is powder in the container body 33, to the nozzle opening 610. It is a supply port. Further, the toner container 32 is supported by the nozzle receiving member 330, and the opening / closing member which slides in the rotational axis direction and opens and closes the nozzle inlet 331 by the operation of the transport nozzle 611 inserting or removing the nozzle receiving member 330. As a container shutter 332. With such a configuration, the toner container 32 maintains the nozzle receiving port 331 in a closed state until the transport nozzle 611 is inserted, and the toner leaks in a state before being mounted on the toner replenishing device 60 or the like. Scattering can be prevented.

In addition, when the transport nozzle 611 is inserted into the nozzle receiving port 331 and the container shutter 332 pushed by the transport nozzle 611 slides toward the back of the container, the toner accumulated in the vicinity of the shutter support opening 335b is pushed away. For this reason, the space which the conveyance nozzle 611 of the part in which the nozzle entrance 331 was formed around the shutter support opening 335b can enter, and the supply of the toner from the shutter support opening 335b to the nozzle entrance 331 can be performed reliably.
As described above, in the state before the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the toner container 32 reliably prevents leakage and scattering of the toner stored in the container main body 33, and when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60 The toner can be discharged to the outside of the main body 33.

Furthermore, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 7, in the toner container 32, the nozzle inlet 331 is formed by the rear end side of the container, that is, the cylindrical front end opening 305 than the end of the front end opening 305. It is formed in the back side of the opening to be made.
Here, FIG. 64 is an explanatory view of a toner container 32 as a comparative example in which the opening position of the nozzle receiving port 331 in the rotational axis direction is the same position as the end of the tip end opening 305 on the container tip side. FIG. 64 (a) is a perspective explanatory view of the vicinity of the end portion of the toner container 32 on the tip side, and FIG. 64 (b) is a sectional view of the vicinity of the end portion of the toner container 32.

The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 64 is in a state in which the nozzle inlet 331 is closed until the transport nozzle 611 is inserted, as in the toner container 32 of the embodiment described above with reference to FIGS. Maintain. For this reason, it is possible to prevent the leakage and scattering of the toner in a state before being attached to the toner replenishing device 60. Further, when the transport nozzle 611 is inserted into the nozzle receiving port 331 and the container shutter 332 pushed by the transport nozzle 611 slides toward the back of the container, the toner accumulated in the vicinity of the shutter support opening 335b is pushed away. Therefore, when the toner supply device 60 is mounted, the toner can be reliably discharged to the outside of the container main body 33.
The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 64 is configured to supply the toner in the container body 33 to a nozzle opening 610 provided in a portion inserted into the container body 33 of the transport nozzle 611. In such a configuration, the contact portion between the container seal 333 which is the seal portion of the container main body 33 which is likely to cause toner leakage and the conveyance nozzle 611 passes the nozzle opening 610 for supplying the toner into the conveyance nozzle 611 from the container main body 33. is seperated. Therefore, during the toner replenishing operation completely attached to the toner replenishing device 60, even with the toner container 32 as a comparative example shown in FIG. 64, the contact between the container seal 333 separated from the nozzle opening 610 and the transport nozzle 611 It is possible to prevent the toner leakage from the unit.

  However, when the transport nozzle 611 is inserted into the container body 33, the outer peripheral surface of the transport nozzle 611 is in contact with the toner in the container body 33 by the toner replenishment operation. Even when part of the contacted toner is removed from the toner container 32 (when removed from the toner replenishing device 60), it remains attached to the transfer nozzle 611. Most of the toner that remains attached to the transport nozzle 611 is scraped off to the container seal 333 when the transport nozzle 611 passes the contact portion with the container seal 333. However, a small amount of toner may pass through the contact portion with the container seal 333 together with the transport nozzle 611, resulting in toner leakage. The leaked toner penetrates the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33 a of the toner container 32 or adheres to the inner peripheral surface 615 a of the container setting portion 615. Then, there may be a setting defect when the toner container 32 is re-mounted due to a replacement or the like, or the aggregated adhering toner may be developed to cause an image defect.

  On the other hand, in the toner container 32 according to the first to twentieth embodiments, as shown in FIG. 1 and the like, the end surface of the container tip 33 on the container tip side is the container tip side where the nozzle inlet 331 of the nozzle receiving member 330 is open. It protrudes in the direction of the rotation axis than the end face. That is, the toner container 32 is provided with the opening position of the nozzle receiving port 331 closer to the rear end of the container than the end of the front end opening 305 which is the opening position of the container body 33.

  As described above, since the opening position of the nozzle receiving port 331 is located at the back of the opening position of the container main body 33, the toner can be prevented from adhering to the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a. This is because even if toner leakage occurs when the transport nozzle 611 is extracted from the toner container 32, it is difficult for the toner that has leaked from the nozzle inlet 331 to flow around the end of the container opening 33a on the container tip side. . Further, the toner leaking and falling from the nozzle receiving port 331 is caught on the inner peripheral surface below the tip opening 305, so that the toner can be prevented from adhering to the inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615. As described above, the toner leaked from the nozzle inlet 331 can be retained in the area surrounded by the inner peripheral surface on the rear end side of the container opening 33a with respect to the end face of the container front end. It is possible to suppress the toner from being scattered outside.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 9, in the first to twentieth embodiments, the positioning portion of the toner container 32 and the container setting portion 615 serving as the rotary bearing are more than the case where the toner container 32 of the comparative example of FIG. There is a space apart from the nozzle opening 610 where toner scattering may occur. Further, the container tip end of the container opening 33a on the side of the toner container 32 which also serves as the positioning portion of the toner container 32 and the rotation shaft protrudes from the nozzle opening 610 which may cause the toner scattering. In the space between the container setting portion 615 and the nozzle inlet 331, there is a nozzle shutter flange 612a and a nozzle shutter spring 613. Therefore, the toner adhesion to the inner peripheral surface 615b of the container setting portion 615 and the container tip end of the container opening 33a can be suppressed even during dismounting and mounting.

  A container shutter 332 for sealing the nozzle inlet 331, which is a toner discharge part in the toner container 32, is disposed on the rear end side (rear side) of the container front end side of the front end opening 305 of the container body 33. . By arranging in this manner, a certain distance from the container shutter 332 can be secured with respect to the container tip end of the tip opening 305. As a result, toner is prevented from reaching the outer peripheral surface side of the container opening 33a by the toner moving around the opening position of the container body 33 from the nozzle receiving port 331 which is on the back side of the opening position of the container body 33. And the occurrence of toner scattering can be suppressed.

  As described above, the fitting of the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a and the cylindrical inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 allows the toner supply device 60 to be positioned in the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the toner container 32. It is done. That is, the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a of the container body 33 which is a powder storage member is a positioning portion with the toner replenishing device 60 which is a powder conveyance device. For this reason, if toner contamination occurs on the outer peripheral surface side of the container opening 33a, the fitting state with the inner peripheral surface of the container setting portion 615 may change, and the positioning accuracy may be lowered. On the other hand, in the toner container 32 of the present embodiment, the toner can be prevented from reaching the outer peripheral surface side of the container opening 33a, so the positioning accuracy of the toner container 32 with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 is stabilized.

  Furthermore, the contact portion between the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a and the inner peripheral surface of the container setting portion 615 is also in a sliding relationship when the toner container 32 rotates. That is, the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a of the container body 33 which is a powder storage member is a sliding portion with the toner replenishing device 60 which is a powder conveyance device. When the toner enters the sliding portion, the sliding load may increase and the rotational torque of the toner container 32 may increase. On the other hand, in the toner container 32 of this embodiment, the toner is prevented from reaching the outer peripheral surface side of the container opening 33a, and the toner enters the contact portion with the inner peripheral surface of the container setting portion 615. Can be suppressed. Therefore, the increase in the sliding load is suppressed, and the sliding property is stabilized, so that the increase in the rotational torque of the toner container 32 can be suppressed. Further, since the toner can be prevented from entering the sliding portion, it is possible to suppress the generation of toner aggregates due to the toner being pressed and solidified in the sliding portion.

  Further, as described above, when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the container seal 333 is crushed by the nozzle shutter flange portion 612a. As a result, the nozzle shutter flange 612a is in a state in which the container shutter 333 is in close contact and pressurized, and toner leakage can be prevented more reliably. By arranging the container shutter 332 longitudinally inward of the opening position (container rear end side), a cylindrical shape is formed from the tip of the toner container 32 to the end surface of the container shutter 332 and container seal 333 on the container tip side. Space part is formed.

A toner container common to the first to twenty embodiments of FIG. 1 will be described with reference to the schematic view of FIG.
31 shows the case where the position in the rotational axis direction of the end surface 330f of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the end surface 305f of the container opening 33a with respect to the end 305f of the container tip is the same position. It is explanatory drawing which compares with the case. Here, the end face 330 f on the container tip side of the nozzle receiving member 330 is an end face where the nozzle inlet 331 is open. FIG. 31A is an explanatory view in the case where the positions of the end surface 330f of the nozzle receiving member 330 in the rotation axis direction with respect to the end surface 305f of the container opening 33a are the same. FIG. 31 (b) is an explanatory view in the case where the position in the rotation axis direction of the end face 330f of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the end face 305f of the container opening 33a is the position on the container rear end side.

  In the toner replenishing device 60 shown in FIGS. 31A and 31B, in a state before the transport nozzle 611 is inserted into the nozzle receiving port 331 of the nozzle receiving member 330, the nozzle shutter 612 is It is biased in the insertion direction (rightward in the figure). Thereby, the nozzle shutter 612 is located in the vicinity of the tip end of the transfer nozzle 611, and closes the nozzle opening 610. At this time, one end of the nozzle shutter spring 613 abuts on the back side of the nozzle shutter flange 612 a which is the abutting portion of the nozzle shutter 612, and the other end of the nozzle shutter spring 613 abuts on the end face 615 b of the toner replenishing device 60.

  With respect to the toner replenishing device 60 shown in FIGS. 31 (a) and 31 (b), the toner container 32, which is a powder container, is slid in the arrow Q direction (container mounting direction) in FIG. When mounted in this manner, the nozzle shutter 612 biased by the nozzle shutter spring 613 in the direction opposite to the Q direction is the container body 33 in which the nozzle inlet 331 of the nozzle receiving member 330 is open. Abuts on the end face 330f on the container tip side. Thereafter, when the toner container 32 is further slid in the Q direction, the nozzle shutter 612 moves in the Q direction with respect to the transport nozzle 611 which is inserted into the toner container 32. As a result, the nozzle shutter 612 moves to the root side of the transport nozzle 611, and the nozzle opening 610 is opened. Then, as shown in FIGS. 31A and 31B, after the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the entire nozzle opening 610 is in an open state.

  The nozzle shutter spring 613 is compressed as the nozzle shutter 612 moves to the root side of the transport nozzle 611. Then, as shown in FIGS. 31A and 31B, after the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the length in the rotational axis direction of the nozzle shutter spring 613 becomes the shortest, but at this time The nozzle shutter spring 613 also has a certain contact length in the rotational axis direction. Therefore, a retraction space (the length in the rotational axis direction is W) is required between the end surface 330 f of the nozzle receiving member 330 and the end surface 615 b of the toner replenishing device 60. Here, the retraction space (the length in the rotation axis direction is W) is a space in which the nozzle shutter spring 613 and the portion at the container tip end side of the nozzle shutter flange portion 612 a in the nozzle shutter 612 are accommodated.

  Further, the nozzle opening 610 needs to reach a position where it can receive the toner, which is the powder in the container body 33 which is the powder storage member, and the optimum position of the nozzle opening 610 is the shape of the container body 33 It depends on For this reason, if the shape of the container body 33 is the same, the distance in the rotation axis direction from the end surface 305f of the container opening 33a of the container body 33 to the optimum nozzle opening 610 is constant.

  In such a configuration, if the toner container 32 has a structure shown in FIG. 31A, the following problems occur. In the structure shown in FIG. 31 (a), the position of the end face 305f of the container opening 33a on the container tip side in the rotational axis direction and the end face 330f on the container tip side where the nozzle inlet 331 in the nozzle receiving member 330 is open. The position in the rotation axis direction is the same position.

Therefore, the distance (L1) from the end face 615b of the toner replenishing device 60 to the fitting portion 615s is longer than the length (W) of the retraction space in the rotational axis direction, which leads to the enlargement of the toner replenishing device 60.
In addition, if the shape of the container body 33 is the same, the distance in the rotational axis direction from the end surface 305f of the container opening 33a of the container body 33 to the optimum nozzle opening 610 is constant. The position of the end face 305f of the container opening 33a on the container tip side, which is the starting point for determining the position of the nozzle opening 610 in the rotational axis direction, is the length of the retraction space from the end face 615b of the toner replenishing device 60 ) It becomes a position far away. Therefore, the distance (L2) from the end face 615b of the toner replenishing device 60 to the tip of the conveyance nozzle 611 becomes long, which leads to the enlargement of the toner replenishing device 60.
Further, the position of the end face 305f of the container opening 33a, which is the end of the toner container 32 at the container tip, is separated from the end surface 615b of the toner replenishing device 60 by the length W of the retraction space in the rotational axis direction. It becomes a position. Therefore, the distance (L3) from the end face 615b of the toner replenishing device 60 to the one end side end portion of the toner container 32 becomes long, which leads to the enlargement of the toner replenishing device 60 for holding the toner container 32.

  On the other hand, in the configuration shown in FIG. 31 (b), the nozzle receiving port 331 of the nozzle receiving member 330 opens on the container rear end side (right side in FIG. 31) than the end 305f of the container opening 33a on the container tip side. An end face 330f on the front end side of the container is provided. Therefore, when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the nozzle shutter 鍔 of the nozzle shutter 612 is located at the tip end side of the transport nozzle 611 with respect to the end face 305f of the container tip 33 The part 612a abuts. Thus, at least a part of the retraction space is closer to the rear end of the container (the tip of the transport nozzle 611) than the end face 305f of the container opening 33a on the container tip side. Therefore, the distance (L1) from the end face 615b of the toner replenishing device 60 to the fitting portion 615s can be made shorter (by the amount of La in FIG. 31) than the configuration shown in FIG. 31 (a). Further, the distance (L2) from the end face 615b of the toner replenishing device 60 to the tip of the conveyance nozzle 611 can be made shorter (by the amount of La in FIG. 31) than the configuration shown in FIG. Further, the distance (L3) from the end face 615b of the toner replenishing device 60 to the one end side end of the toner container 32 can be shorter than that of the configuration shown in FIG. 31A (by La in FIG. 31). Therefore, the enlargement of the rotation shaft direction of the toner replenishing device 60 which is a powder conveyance device can be suppressed.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 31 (b), the end face on the container tip end side where the nozzle receiving port 331 in the nozzle receiving member 330 is opened is the end (305f in FIG. 31) of the container tip end side of the container opening 33a. Is also provided on the rear end side of the container (right side in FIG. 31). Here, the end face on the container tip end side where the nozzle receiving port 331 in the nozzle receiving member 330 is open is 330f in FIG. 31, and the end face on the container tip end side of the container seal 333 in the embodiment or the nozzle shutter thrust It is a container front end side end portion of the contact rib 337a. Therefore, when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the nozzle shutter flange 612a of the nozzle shutter 612 is located at the rear end of the container opening 33a in the container rear end than the container tip 33 bump into. As a result, at least a part of the retraction space is in a cylindrical space formed between the opening position (container tip end) of the tip opening 305 and the end surface of the container seal 333 on the container tip side. Therefore, the distances L1, L2 and L3 in FIG. 31 can be made shorter (by the amount of La in FIG. 31) than the configuration shown in FIG. 31A, and the enlargement of the toner supply device 60 in the rotational axis direction Can be suppressed. Here, L1 is the distance from the end surface 615b of the toner supply device 60 to the fitting portion 615s, and L2 is the distance from the end surface 615b of the toner supply device 60 to the tip of the transport nozzle 611. L3 is the distance from the end face 615b of the toner replenishing device 60 to the rear end of the toner container 32.
If the toner replenishing device 60 is not miniaturized, the container main body 33 can be made longer by La in the rotation axis direction, and the amount of toner that can be stored in the toner container 32 can be increased.

When the toner container 32 is not attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the nozzle shutter 612 of the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 is closed. Further, in a state where the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, it is necessary to open the nozzle shutter 612 to make it possible to receive the toner.
In the toner replenishing device 60, a cylindrical space (tip opening 305) is formed between the end of the container opening 33a on the container tip end and the end of the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333 on the container tip. In this space portion, a retraction space is configured such that all or a portion of the retraction space of the nozzle shutter 612 when the nozzle shutter 612 is opened is accommodated. Further, all or part of the nozzle shutter spring 613 for closing the nozzle shutter 612 is also accommodated in the retraction space. With such a configuration, space for arranging the nozzle shutter 612 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 can be saved.

As shown in FIG. 9, in the present embodiment, in the state where the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the retracted position of the nozzle shutter 612 is closer to the nozzle seal 333 than the nozzle shutter flange portion 612a. Located inside The nozzle root side of the nozzle shutter flange 612a substantially fits in a cylindrical space formed between the opening position (the container tip end) of the tip opening 305 and the end surface of the container seal 333 on the container tip . Furthermore, the nozzle shutter spring 613 in a compressed state is also substantially accommodated in the cylindrical space.
With such a configuration, it is from the opening position of the tip end opening 305 which is the most front end portion of the toner container 32 to the toner dropping portion of the toner replenishing device 60 (a position where the toner dropping transport path 64 is connected to the transport nozzle 611). It is possible to shorten the distance. As a result, the device body can be miniaturized.

  As described with reference to FIGS. 22 to 28, the shutter inner peripheral first rib 612 b is an edge of the nozzle tip side of the nozzle opening 610, that is, the nozzle tip of the transport nozzle 611 when the nozzle shutter 612 is closed. It strikes the upper part of the inner wall surface of the part 611a. Thus, the nozzle shutter 612 has a retaining function. Further, in the shutter inner peripheral first rib 612b, the inner peripheral first rib front end 612g which is the end in the circumferential direction abuts against the nozzle opening lateral edge 611s which is the lateral edge of the nozzle opening 610, and the nozzle shutter It has an anti-rotation function 612. The rotation stopping function of the nozzle shutter 612 functions in the same manner even when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60.

Further, as described above, the inner diameter of the shutter inner peripheral second rib 612 c and the shutter inner peripheral third rib 612 d is formed to be slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the transport nozzle 611. As an example, when the outer diameter of the transfer nozzle 611 is φ 15 [mm], the inner diameters of the shutter inner peripheral second rib 612 c and the shutter inner peripheral third rib 612 d are φ 14.8 [mm] to 14.9 [mm] ] It is good to set it to a degree. Thus, the circumferential shutter inner peripheral second rib 612c and the shutter inner peripheral third rib 612d having an inner diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the transfer nozzle 611 are formed on the inner peripheral surface of the nozzle shutter 612. As a result, the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the nozzle shutter 612 and the outer peripheral surface of the transport nozzle 611 can be shielded, and the toner sealing function can be obtained without the sealing member, so that sealing members such as sponge and rubber are unnecessary. become. Since it is not necessary to use a seal member separate from the nozzle shutter 612, cost reduction can be achieved while preventing toner leakage.
As a configuration for preventing toner leakage, an annular seal member may be disposed instead of the shutter inner peripheral second rib 612c and the shutter inner peripheral third rib 612d. However, since the gap between the inner peripheral surface of the nozzle shutter 612 and the outer peripheral surface of the transport nozzle 611 is a very narrow gap, the annular seal member does not enter. Therefore, when the annular seal member is disposed, the annular nozzle shutter seal member 612h is disposed as shown in FIG. At this time, the outer diameter of the nozzle shutter seal receiving portion 612j is set smaller than the diameter of the nozzle shutter spring 613, and the nozzle shutter spring 613 is set to abut on the nozzle shutter spring receiving surface 612f.

In order to assemble the nozzle shutter 612 into the transport nozzle 611, the nozzle shutter 612 needs to be elastically deformed to some extent in order to temporarily deform the nozzle shutter 612. If a material that is hard and not easily elastically deformed is used, it will be broken without being elastically deformed during assembly. The nozzle shutter 612 is formed of a material having appropriate elasticity. For example, when the outer shape of the transfer nozzle 611 is cylindrical, the nozzle shutter 612 is cylindrical with an inner diameter slightly larger than the outer diameter thereof. Then, on the inner diameter portion of the nozzle shutter 612, a shutter inner peripheral first rib 612b which is a projection toward the inside is formed. The shutter inner peripheral first rib 612 b is made to face the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611, whereby the nozzle shutter 612 can function as a retainer and a rotation stopper. The portion of the transport nozzle 611 with which the projection of the nozzle shutter 612 is engaged is not limited to the nozzle opening 610, but any portion of the transport nozzle 611 if it can obtain the retaining function and the detent function by the projection. It may be
According to the experiments of the present inventors, it is preferable to select a resin material having a tensile modulus of elasticity of 500 [MPa] to 2000 [MPa] as the material of the nozzle shutter 612. When the nozzle shutter 612 is assembled to the transport nozzle 611, three ribs (612 b to 612 d) formed on the inner peripheral surface of the nozzle shutter 612 provide resistance when the transport nozzle 611 is inserted into the nozzle shutter 612. This resistance is particularly large when the shutter inner circumferential first rib 612 b passes over the nozzle tip portion 611 a and enters the nozzle opening 610.

At this time, if the nozzle shutter 612 is a material having a certain degree of elasticity, the nozzle shutter 612 is deformed and can be easily assembled. Furthermore, there is an advantage that the sliding load due to the shutter inner peripheral second rib 612c and the shutter inner peripheral third rib 612d tightening the transport nozzle 611 does not increase.
In addition, if the nozzle shutter 612 is too easily deformed, the retaining function and the rotation preventing function of the shutter inner peripheral first rib 612b are impaired.
By selecting polyethylene or polypropylene as the material having a certain degree of elasticity used for such a nozzle shutter 612, the merit described above can be stably obtained. The thickness of the nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612e of the nozzle shutter 612 is preferably 0.3 mm to 0.5 mm.
The cost reduction of the shutter mechanism which opens and closes the nozzle opening 610 is achieved by the nozzle shutter 612 having the material characteristics and the shape as described above.

Next, the cap 370 common to the first to fourth embodiments will be described in relation to the toner container 32 at the time of storage.
32 is a perspective view of the toner container 32 at the time of storage, in which a cap 370 as a sealing member for sealing the opening of the tip opening 305 of the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 6 is attached. Further, FIG. 33 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the vicinity of the end portion on the front end side of the toner container 32 in a state where the cap 370 is attached.

  Further, the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 32 includes the following invention. That is, the toner container 32 stores the toner as a powdery developer inside, and a cap 370 as a sealing member for sealing the nozzle inlet 331 serving as a developer discharge port at the container opening 33a. It is a powder container that can be attached. As described above, the container opening 33a is a part of the container body 33, and the container body 33 fixes the toner container 32 to the toner replenishing device 60 as shown in FIGS. The container opening 33a is formed so as to penetrate the container front end side cover 34 necessary for the above. Thus, the container opening 33a of the container body 33 can be exposed from the container tip side cover 34. Further, since the container opening 33a which is a part of the container main body 33 in which the toner is stored can be directly sealed by the cap 370, the sealing effect is enhanced, and the toner leakage can be more reliably prevented.

In the toner container 32 common to Embodiments 1 to 20, the cap 370 is provided with the cap flange 371. In the state where the cap 370 is attached to the toner container 32, as shown in FIG. 32, the cap collar 371 is configured to hide the ID tag 700 provided on the container front end cover 34. As a result, it is possible to prevent external contact and impact on the ID tag 700 when the toner container 32 is stored, and to protect the ID tag 700.
Further, in the toner container 32 of the first to fourth embodiments, the cap flange 371 of the cap 370 is made larger than the outer diameter of the container front end side cover 34 and the container body 33. As a result, the toner container 32 can be prevented from being damaged when it is dropped or the like, and the toner container 32 can be protected.

  Furthermore, the container opening 33a which is a part of the container body 33 is directly sealed by the cap 370, and sealed via a member (for example, the container tip side cover 34) separate from the container body 33. The sealing effect is high compared to And, if the container opening 33a is directly sealed, the container body 33 can be sealed, and if it can be sealed, intrusion of air and moisture into the container body 33 can be prevented, and storage is possible. It is possible to reduce the amount of packaging material for the toner container 32 at that time.

When the toner container 32 is used (mounted to the toner supply device 60), the cap 370 is removed and used. As a method of attaching the cap 370 to the toner container 32, any method may be used as long as it can be fixed by a screw method or a hook method. At this time, a fixing portion on the toner container 32 side such as a screw type screw thread or a hooking type hooking portion is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a exposed from the container leading end side cover 34. In the toner container 32 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 33, a cap fixing screw thread 309 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a, and a screw method is adopted as a fixing method of the sealing member.
The configuration for sealing the opening formed by the tip opening 305 is not limited to fixing the cap 370 by a screw method, and the opening is sealed by pressure bonding the film member to the end of the container opening 33a. You may

The Fifth Preferred Embodiment
As Embodiment 5, a cap 370 provided with an adsorbent will be described.
First, the toner container 32 using an adsorbent such as a desiccant during storage will be described. The adsorbent is not limited to moisture, but adsorbs various things (such as gas). Thus, the desiccant is included in the adsorbent. Further, as the adsorbent, silica gel, aluminum oxide, zeolite and the like can be mentioned, but any adsorbent having adsorption performance can be used.

Here, when the container body 33 is completely sealed by the cap 370, since the infiltration of air and moisture can be prevented, the adsorbent becomes unnecessary, and accordingly, the packaging material becomes unnecessary. In this method, environmental burden can be reduced by reducing materials used by reducing packaging materials such as bags for packing the toner container 32, cushioning materials, individual packaging boxes and the like and reducing the size of the packaging.
However, the inventors of the present invention have confirmed that although the powdery toner itself generates a gas and does not reach aggregation or solidification, it generates aggregates that are small lumps of toner. Such aggregates need to be suppressed because they lead to the generation of abnormal images such as white spots and spots of each color. As long as the toner itself does not generate a gas, as shown in FIG. 33, it may be configured to be sealed without providing an adsorbent, but the toner container 32 containing the toner that generates a gas from the toner itself uses this gas. It is desirable to have an adsorbent that adsorbs.

FIG. 34 is a cross-sectional view of the first example of the toner container 32 in which the cap 370 is provided with the adsorbent 372. The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 34 includes the following invention. That is, in the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 34, an adsorbent 372 is provided on the cap 370 of the toner container 32 shown in FIG. In the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 34, by removing the cap 370 at the time of use, the adsorbent 372 can be removed together with the cap 370, so operability is enhanced.
However, in the configuration shown in FIG. 34, since the adsorbent 372 is exposed to the ambient air around the toner container 32, a packing material is required.

Embodiment 6
As a sixth embodiment, a second example of the cap 370 provided with an adsorbent will be described.
FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view of the second example of the toner container 32 in which the cap 370 is provided with the adsorbent 372. The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 35 includes the following invention. That is, the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 35 stores toner as a powdery developer inside. Then, a cap 370 as a sealing member for sealing the nozzle inlet 331 serving as the developer discharge port is attached to the container opening 33a forming the tip opening so that the inside of the container body 33 is in a sealed state. It is a powder container that can be used. Furthermore, in the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 35, an adsorbent 372 is provided on the inside of a cap 370 that seals the tip opening.

The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 35 includes the adsorbent 372 in the cap 370, and similarly to the toner container 32 shown in FIG. Because it can be removed, operability is enhanced.
Further, by completely sealing the space for housing the toner (the inner space of the container body 33) by the cap 370, it is possible to prevent the entry of air or moisture into the space for containing the toner. Furthermore, since the adsorbent 372 is provided inside the sealed space, the gas generated from the toner itself can be adsorbed, and the adsorption performance is improved as compared with the toner container 32 shown in FIG. Further, since the space for accommodating the toner (the internal space of the container body 33) is sealed, and the adsorbent 372 is provided in the sealed space, both the toner and the adsorbent 372 are outside air around the toner container 32. Not affected For this reason, a packing material becomes unnecessary.

Seventh Embodiment
As a seventh embodiment, a third example of a cap 370 provided with an adsorbent will be described.
FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view of a third example of the toner container 32 in which the cap 370 is provided with the adsorbent 372. The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 36 includes the following invention. That is, the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 36 contains toner as a powdery developer inside. Then, a cap 370 as a sealing member for sealing the nozzle inlet 331 serving as the developer discharge port is attached to the container opening 33a forming the tip opening so that the inside of the container body 33 is in a sealed state. It is a powder container that can be used. Further, in the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 36, an adsorbent 372 is provided inside a cap 370 that seals the tip opening. Further, the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 36 is arranged such that at least a part of the adsorbent 372 is accommodated in the concave portion at the tip of the toner container 32. Here, the concave portion at the tip of the toner container 32 is a cylindrical space formed between the opening position of the tip opening 305 and the end face of the container seal 333 on the tip side of the container.

In the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 36, the cap 370 is provided with an adsorbent 372. Thus, as in the case of the toner container 32 shown in FIGS. 34 and 35, by removing the cap 370 when in use, the adsorbent 372 can be removed together with the cap 370, so that the operability is enhanced.
Further, as in the case of the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 35, the space for containing the toner (the internal space of the container main body 33) is completely sealed by the cap 370, whereby air and moisture enter the space for containing the toner. It can prevent. Furthermore, since the adsorbent 372 is provided inside the sealed space, the gas generated from the toner itself can be adsorbed, and the adsorption performance is improved as compared with the toner container 32 shown in FIG. Further, since the space for accommodating the toner (the internal space of the container body 33) is sealed, and the adsorbent 372 is provided in the sealed space, both the toner and the adsorbent 372 are outside air around the toner container 32. Not affected For this reason, a packing material becomes unnecessary.

  In addition to the same function as the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 35 described above, the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 36 is disposed so that at least a part of the adsorbent 372 is accommodated in the recess of the tip of the toner container 32. Therefore, the length of the cap 370 in the rotational axis direction can be shortened. Thereby, the toner container 32 at the time of storage can be miniaturized.

When the toner container 32 is sealed by the cap 370, a packing material or the like may be used to improve the adhesion between the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 and the cap 370.
Further, as a configuration in which the adsorbent 372 is provided on the cap 370, the adsorbent 372 may be provided integrally with the cap 370 (fixed to the cap 370) or separately (not fixed to the cap 370). However, when the adsorbent 372 is fixed to the cap 370 and integrally provided, the cap 370 and the adsorbent 372 can be taken out together, so there is no forgetting to take out the adsorbent 372 and the operability also becomes good.

Here, the problem of the conventional toner container in which the space (container body) for containing the toner can not be directly sealed by the sealing member will be described.
In recent years, toners used in image forming apparatuses tend to be degraded in low temperature fixing and particle size reduction, and heat resistance performance tends to be poor. The supply to the image forming apparatus may be impossible. It is known that the aggregation and solidification of the toner are significantly more likely to occur if the humidity is high under the same temperature environment. There are various routes for supplying the toner container to the user, and the environment can not be managed. For example, there are transportation by land, air and sea, but it is difficult to control their temperature and humidity.

  Although there is also a method of using a container for controlling the transport environment as a countermeasure against such background, it is impossible to cope with all transport routes, and there is a problem of cost. To address such a problem, the toner container 32 according to the first to seventh embodiments can directly seal the container opening 33a, which is a part of the container main body 33 for containing toner, by the cap 370. The sealing effect is improved, and toner leakage can be prevented more reliably. In addition, since the sealing effect is improved, the toner container 32 is unlikely to be affected by the external environment during storage.

In addition, since the cap 370 can be removed from the toner container 32 to enable attachment to the toner replenishing device 60, it is possible to provide a powder container that is easy to use when used.
Furthermore, since the cap 370 has a shape for protecting the ID tag 700 and the toner container 32, it is possible to reduce the number of cushioning materials and individual packaging boxes for packaging the toner container 32, and reduce the size of the package, thereby reducing the materials used. Environmental impact can be reduced.

Embodiment 8
As the eighth embodiment, a first example of the toner container 32 having a cap 370 provided with toner leakage preventing means will be described.
After the toner container 32, which is a powder storage container, is supplied to the user, it is often handled by the user, and the method of handling at this time can not be particularly restricted, and therefore it may be roughly handled. For this reason, the toner container 32 needs sufficient measures against vibration and dropping so that toner leakage does not occur even if it is roughly handled.
The toner leak needs to be prevented from leaking from the nozzle inlet 331. Then, in order to prevent the leakage, the toner leaks when a gap is generated between the container seal 333 forming the nozzle inlet 331 and the container shutter 332 shielding the nozzle inlet 331. Need to prevent.

  FIG. 37 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a first example of the toner container 32 in which the toner leak preventing means is provided in the cap according to the eighth embodiment. The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 37 includes the following invention. That is, in the powder container having the container body 33, the container seal 333, the container shutter 332, and the cap 370, the toner container 32 shown in FIG. It is a body storage member. Here, the container body 33 is a powder storage member for storing the toner which is powder inside, and the container seal 333 is a nozzle which is a tube receiving port provided at an opening on the container tip end side of the container body 33 The receiving port 331 is formed. Further, the container shutter 332 is an opening and closing member of the nozzle inlet 331, the cap 370 is a sealing member for the opening on the container tip end side on the powder discharge side in the container body 33, and the cylindrical member 373 is It is a toner leakage prevention means.

  In the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 37, the cylindrical member 373 is formed of a material different from that of the cap 370, and the end of the toner container 32 in the rotational axis direction (left side in FIG. It is fixed by etc. Further, as shown in FIG. 37, in the state where the cap 370 is attached, the end face of the cylindrical member 373 on the one end side (right side in FIG. 37) of the toner container 32 in the rotational axis direction Contact with the end face of the The end face on one end side of the cylindrical member 373 is circular, the diameter is larger than the end face on the container tip side of the container shutter 332, and the diameter is smaller than the annular outer periphery of the end face on the container tip side of the container seal 333.

  With such a configuration, in the toner container 32 with the cap 370 attached, the end face on one end side of the cylindrical member 373 simultaneously contacts the end face on the container tip side of the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333. At this time, the end face on the container rear end side of the cylindrical member 373 contacts the boundary between the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333 so as to straddle the boundary. Thereby, the nozzle inlet 331 can be directly sealed, and even if a gap is generated between the container seal 333 and the container shutter 332 due to an impact due to vibration or dropping, the toner is prevented from leaking out. be able to. As described above, the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 37 can prevent the occurrence of toner leakage, which is advantageous against vibration and dropping, and the toner leakage is caused even if the toner container 32 is roughly handled during transportation or the like. Can be prevented.

Further, as described above, in the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 37, the cylindrical member 373 is formed of a material different from the cap 370. Therefore, the cap 370 can be made of an inexpensive resin such as polystyrene resin, and the cylindrical member 373 can be made of a highly flexible material such as rubber or sponge. When the cylindrical member 373 is made of a material having high flexibility, the adhesiveness to these members is improved when the cylindrical member 373 contacts the end face of the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333 on the container tip side. Therefore, it is further advantageous to the prevention of the toner leak due to the impact due to the vibration or the drop.
In addition, by making the cap 370 out of an inexpensive resin such as polystyrene resin which is a material different from the cylindrical member 373, it is possible to achieve cost reduction while maintaining the toner leakage prevention function by the cylindrical member 373. .

<Embodiment 9>
As a ninth embodiment, a second example of the toner container 32 having a cap 370 provided with toner leakage preventing means will be described.
FIG. 38 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a second example of the toner container 32 in which the cap is provided with toner leakage preventing means. The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 38 includes the following invention. That is, the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 38 is a powder storage container having a container body 33, a container seal 333, a container shutter 332, and a cap 370. It is a powder storage member. Here, the cylindrical portion 374 is a toner leakage prevention unit.

  In the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 38, the cylindrical portion 374 formed as a part of the cap 370 comes in contact with the container shutter 332 with the cap 370 attached. At this time, the end face of one end side (right side in FIG. 38) of the cylindrical portion 374 in the rotational axis direction of the toner container 32 is in contact with the end face of the container front end side (left side in FIG. It has become. The end face on one end side of the cylindrical portion 374 is circular, the diameter is larger than the end face on the container tip end side of the container shutter 332, and the diameter is smaller than the annular outer periphery of the end face on the container tip end side of the container seal 333.

  With such a configuration, in the toner container 32 with the cap 370 attached, the end face on one end side of the cylindrical portion 374 simultaneously contacts the end face on the container tip side of the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333. At this time, the end surface on one end side of the cylindrical portion 374 contacts the boundary between the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333 so as to straddle the boundary. Thereby, the nozzle inlet 331 can be directly sealed, and even if a gap is generated between the container seal 333 and the container shutter 332 due to an impact due to vibration or dropping, the toner is prevented from leaking out. be able to. As described above, the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 38 can prevent the occurrence of toner leakage, which is advantageous against vibration and dropping, and the toner leakage is caused even if the toner container 32 is roughly handled during transportation or the like. Can be prevented. Further, since the cylindrical portion 374 can be integrally formed (integrally molded) as a part of the cap 370, cost reduction can be achieved.

<Embodiment 10>
As a tenth embodiment, a third example of the toner container 32 having a cap 370 provided with toner leakage preventing means will be described.
FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a third example of the toner container 32 in which the toner leak preventing means is provided on the cap. The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 39 includes the following invention. That is, in the powder container having the container main body 33, the container seal 333, the container shutter 332, and the cap 370, the toner container 32 shown in FIG. . Further, it is a powder storage member in which a cylindrical tip elastic member 375 is provided on the end face of the cylindrical portion 374 in contact with the nozzle inlet 331. The cylindrical tip elastic member 375 is made of a highly flexible material such as rubber or sponge.

  In the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 39, with the cap 370 attached, the cylindrical tip elastic member 375 in the cylindrical portion 374 contacts the end face of the container shutter 332 on the container tip side (left side in FIG. 39). ing. Here, the cylindrical portion 374 is formed as a part of the cap 370, and the cylindrical tip elastic member 375 is an end face of one end side (right side in FIG. 39) of the cylindrical portion 374 in the rotational axis direction of the toner container 32. Provided in The end face on one end side of the cylindrical tip elastic member 375 is circular, the diameter is larger than the end face on the container tip side of the container shutter 332, and the diameter is smaller than the annular outer periphery of the end face on the container tip side of the container seal 333 .

  With such a configuration, in the toner container 32 with the cap 370 attached, the end face on one end side of the cylindrical tip elastic member 375 simultaneously contacts the end face on the container tip side of the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333. At this time, the end surface on one end side of the cylindrical tip elastic member 375 contacts the boundary between the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333 so as to straddle the boundary. Thereby, the nozzle inlet 331 can be directly sealed, and even if a gap is generated between the container seal 333 and the container shutter 332 due to an impact due to vibration or dropping, the toner is prevented from leaking out. be able to. As described above, the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 39 can prevent the occurrence of toner leakage, which is advantageous against vibration and dropping, and the toner leakage is caused even if the toner container 32 is roughly handled during transportation or the like. Can be prevented. In particular, in the configuration shown in FIG. 39, the cap 370 is attached by providing a cylindrical tip elastic member 375 at the tip of the cylindrical portion 374. Thereby, when the cylindrical tip elastic member 375 contacts the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333, the adhesion to these members is improved as compared with the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 38. Therefore, it is further advantageous to the prevention of the toner leak due to the impact due to the vibration or the drop.

Embodiment 11
As the eleventh embodiment, a fourth example of the toner container 32 having a cap 370 provided with toner leakage prevention means will be described.
FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a fourth example of the toner container 32 in which the toner leak preventing means is provided on the cap. The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 40 includes the following invention. That is, in the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 40, the cylindrical portion 374 is provided on the cap 370 in the powder container having the container body 33, the container seal 333, the container shutter 332, and the cap 370. Further, an adsorbent 372 is provided inside the cylindrical portion 374 in a form open to the outside, that is, exposed to the outside air.

The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 40 has a configuration in which the adsorbent 372 is added to the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 38, and therefore, like the toner container 32 shown in FIG. As a result, even if the toner container 32 is roughly handled during transportation or the like, the occurrence of toner leakage can be prevented. Further, since the cylindrical portion 374 can be integrally formed (integrally molded) as a part of the cap 370, cost reduction can be achieved.
Furthermore, since the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 40 includes the adsorbent 372, it is possible to prevent air and moisture from invading the inside of the toner container 32. Further, since the adsorbent 372 is provided on the cylindrical portion 374 formed on the cap 370, the adsorbent 372 can be removed together with the cap 370 by removing the cap 370 when used, so that the operability is enhanced.

However, in the configuration shown in FIG. 40, the adsorbent 372 is exposed to the ambient air around the toner container 32, and the adsorbent 372 is provided to absorb moisture around the toner container 32, so the storage bag is Packing material is required.
In principle, it is considered that the presence of the cap 370 is sufficient, but if the cap 370 is not provided with a sealing property (if it is used for shock absorption etc.), as shown in FIG. The configuration in which the agent 372 is provided is effective.

<Embodiment 12>
As the twelfth embodiment, a fifth example of the toner container 32 having a cap 370 provided with toner leakage preventing means will be described.
FIG. 41 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a fifth example of the toner container 32 in which the toner leak preventing means is provided on the cap. The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 41 includes the following invention. That is, in the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 41, the cylindrical portion 374 is provided on the cap 370 in the powder container having the container body 33, the container seal 333, the container shutter 332, and the cap 370. Also, the cap 370 can be attached to the container opening 33a forming the tip opening so that the inside of the container body 33 is in a sealed state. Furthermore, inside the cylindrical portion 374, the adsorbent 372 is disposed so as to adsorb the object to be adsorbed in the space sealed by the cap 370.
Further, in the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 41, in order to cause the adsorbent to adsorb a gas or the like generated from the toner itself, an adsorption hole 374a as an opening is provided on the side surface of the cylindrical portion 374. The space sealed with the cap 370 is in communication with the space in which the suction holes 374a are disposed.

The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 41 has a configuration in which the end surface of the cylindrical tip portion 374 of the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 38 is closed and an adsorbent 372 is added thereto. Therefore, as in the case of the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 38, it is advantageous against vibration and dropping, and the occurrence of toner leakage can be prevented even if the toner container 32 is roughly handled during transportation or the like.
Further, in the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 41, since the adsorbent 372 is provided, it is possible to prevent air and moisture from entering the inside of the toner container 32. Further, since the adsorbent 372 is provided on the cylindrical portion 374 formed on the cap 370, the adsorbent 372 can be removed together with the cap 370 by removing the cap 370 when used, so that the operability is enhanced.

  In the toner container 32 shown in FIG. 41, the space (the internal space of the container main body 33) for containing the toner is completely sealed by the cap 370, so that the entry of air or moisture into the space for containing the toner can be prevented. Further, since the space sealed by the cap 370 is in communication with the space in which the suction holes 374a are disposed, the gas generated from the toner itself can also be adsorbed, and the adsorption performance as compared with the configuration shown in FIG. Improve. Further, since the space for accommodating the toner (the internal space of the container body 33) is sealed, and the adsorbent 372 is provided in the sealed space, both the toner and the adsorbent 372 are outside air around the toner container 32. Not affected For this reason, a packing material becomes unnecessary.

In the toner container 32 shown in FIGS. 40 and 41 described above, the configuration in which the adsorbent 372 is provided to the cylindrical portion 374 integrally formed with the cap 370 has been described. However, as a toner leak preventing means for providing the adsorbent 372, as shown in FIG. 37, a cylindrical member 373 provided as a separate member with respect to the cap 370 may be used.
Further, in the toner container 32 shown in FIGS. 37 to 41, a screw method is adopted as a fixing method of the cap 370 which is a sealing member. However, as a method for attaching the cap 370 to the toner container 32, as in the configuration described with reference to FIG.

In the toner container 32 (embodiments 8 to 12) shown in FIGS. 37 to 41, the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333 are held by the cylindrical member 373, the cylindrical portion 374 or the cylindrical tip elastic member 375. As a result, it is advantageous against vibration and drop impact, and it is possible to prevent toner leakage even if it is roughly handled during transport.
Further, since the container shutter 332 and the container seal 333 are held down by the cylindrical member 373, the cylindrical portion 374, or the cylindrical tip elastic member 375, the movement of the container shutter 332 is restricted even when the toner container 32 vibrates or falls. Ru. Further, the container seal 333 is compressed to a certain extent and in contact with the container seal 333 and no gap is generated, so that toner leakage does not occur.
The toner containers 32 shown in FIGS. 36 to 41 (Embodiments 7 to 12) are inventions using the space between the end of the container opening 33 a and the container shutter 332. The space concerned is originally a space intended for the invention for closely storing the nozzle shutter 612 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 when mounted on the toner replenishing device 60, and for the invention for achieving suppression of toner scattering and size saving. The inventions shown in FIGS. 36 to 41 have the further advantage of utilizing the space also in the engagement state with the cap 370 when the toner container 32 is stored as a single item.

The Thirteenth Embodiment
Fixing of the nozzle receiving member 330 to the container body 33 by screwing will be described.
The toner container 32 according to the first to twelfth embodiments described with reference to FIG. 11 and the like has the nozzle receiving member 330 as a container after the toner is filled into the container body 33 from the opening of the container opening 33a in the toner filling factory or the like. It is configured to be pressed into the container opening 33 a of the main body 33.
Therefore, the press-fitting is released, the nozzle receiving member 330 is removed from the container body 33, and the container body 33 is refilled with toner, whereby each member can be reused. Further, by removing the nozzle receiving member 330 from the container main body 33, disassembling and sorting becomes easy, and material recycling becomes possible.

Next, a configuration example will be described in which the nozzle receiving member 330 is fixed to the container body 33 by screwing.
FIG. 42 is a perspective view of a container shutter supporting member 340 used for the nozzle receiving member 330 fixed to the container body 33 by screwing. In the container shutter support member 340 shown in FIG. 42, a thread 337 c is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337. Although not shown, a screw groove used for screwing with the screw thread 337c is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a of the container body 33 of the toner container 32 using the container shutter support member 340 shown in FIG. It is formed.
In the nozzle receiving member 330 using the container shutter supporting member 340 shown in FIG. 42, the container shutter 333 together with the container seal 333 is screwed to the container body 33 while being held by the container shutter supporting member 340. The toner container 32 including the container shutter support member 340 shown in FIG. 42 is the same as the toner container 32 described with reference to FIG. 11 and the like except that the configuration for fixing the nozzle receiving member 330 to the container body 33 is screwing. It is the same composition.

  In the toner container 32 described with reference to FIG. 11 and the like described above, the opening of the container opening 33a to be filled with the toner is closed by the nozzle receiving member 330 press-fitted. For this reason, it may be difficult to remove the nozzle receiving member 330 from the used container body 33, and recycling may be difficult. Here, the recycling includes refilling the toner and refilling it as the toner container 32, and material recycling performed by disassembling the toner container 32 for material sorting.

  With regard to such a problem, in the toner container 32 using the container shutter support member 340 shown in FIG. 42, the nozzle receiving member 330 is rotated in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 42 with the toner container 32 fixed. Alternatively, with the nozzle receiving member 330 fixed, the toner container 32 is rotated in the opposite direction to the arrow A in FIG. By rotating in this manner, screwing of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the container body 33 is released, and the nozzle receiving member 330 can be easily removed from the used container body 33. Therefore, the nozzle receiving member 330 closing the opening of the container opening 33a which is the toner filling port can be easily removed from the container main body. Therefore, with the toner container 32 using the container shutter support member 340 shown in FIG. 42, it is possible to easily refill the toner after use and refill it as the toner container 32 again.

  Further, the nozzle receiving member 330 is configured of a container shutter supporting member 340, a container shutter 332, a container seal 333, a container shutter spring 336 and the like. The container shutter support member 340 and the container shutter 332 are made of resin members such as ABS, PS, POM and the like. The container seal 333 is made of sponge or the like, and the container shutter spring 336 is made of SW-C (hard steel wire), SWP-A (piano wire), SUS304 (spring stainless steel wire) or the like. Thus, the nozzle receiving member 330 is made of different materials. Therefore, by easily removing the nozzle receiving member 330 from the container main body 33 made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or the like, it is possible to easily perform material recycling performed by disassembling the toner container 32 and sorting the material.

Moreover, this embodiment includes the following inventions. That is, in the toner container 32 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6 etc., the spiral projection 302 on the side surface of the container body 33 on the right side seen from the container tip is inclined to be closer to the container tip It is in the direction. Therefore, the toner in the container body 33 is rotated by rotating the container body 33 (rotating in the direction of the arrow A in the figure) so that the side surface of the container body 33 on the right side as viewed from the container tip moves downward from above. Can be transported to the container tip side.
The nozzle receiving member 330 rotates with the container body 33 in the direction A in the figure, but the container seal 333 slides on the transport nozzle 611, so the transport nozzle 611 exerts a frictional force in the direction to stop the rotation. Here, the case where the winding direction of the thread 337c is different from that in FIG. 42 will be described. In such a case, the screw thread 337c is in the same direction as the helical projection 302, that is, the screw thread 337c on the side surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 on the right side viewed from the container tip It becomes the winding direction (the direction of the right screw) which inclines. As described above, when the winding direction of the screw thread 337c is different from that in FIG. 42, when the container body 33 is rotated to the arrow A in the drawing, the rotation direction of the container body 33 is screwed with the receiving member fixing portion 337. It becomes a direction to loosen.

  On the other hand, in the toner container 32 using the container shutter support member 340 shown in FIG. 42, the winding direction of the screw thread 337c is set in the opposite direction to the winding direction of the helical protrusion 302. That is, in the toner container 32 of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 42, a screw thread 337c is formed such that the nozzle receiving member 330 is a left screw. Thus, it is possible to prevent the rotation of the container body 33 in the direction of the arrow A from acting so as to loosen the screwing of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the container body 33.

Next, the positional relationship between the pumping wall surface 304f and the shutter side surface support portion 335, which is the configuration in the container body 33, will be described.
First, I will start with the issues. In a state where toner is sufficiently in the container main body 33, for example, immediately after the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 continues to be supplied with toner that overflows. Therefore, the shutter side supporting portion 335a is rotated so as to cross the upper portion of the nozzle opening 610 to break up the overflow toner, and the rotation amount of the conveying screw 614 is controlled by intermittent rotation to aim at the developing device 50. Amount of toner can be replenished.

  On the other hand, when the amount of toner in the container body 33 decreases with time, the amount of toner from the suction portion 304 toward the nozzle opening 610 can be determined by the rotation center end of the suction wall surface 304 f and the transport nozzle 611. The ratio of the amount of toner slipping through the gap increases. As a result, the amount of toner that can be supplied to the developing device 50 decreases. When the amount of toner that can be supplied to the developing device 50 decreases, the toner concentration of the developer G in the developing device 50 becomes unstable, and it becomes necessary to replace the toner container 32. In this state, a large amount of toner remains in the container body 33. As a result, there arises a problem that the amount of remaining toner in the toner container 32 at the time of replacement increases.

FIG. 43 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the container main body 33 to which the nozzle receiving member 330 is fixed, which is a cross section orthogonal to the rotation axis at which the position in the rotation axis direction is the position of the pumping portion 304.
The present embodiment includes the following inventions. That is, as shown in FIG. 43, in the toner container 32, in the state where the nozzle receiving member 330 is fixed to the container main body 33, the outer peripheral surface of the shutter side surface support portion 335a is on the upstream side of the container main body 33 than the convex portion 304h. Set to face the inner wall surface. Specifically, among the inner wall surfaces divided by the convex portion 304h corresponding to the ridge line of the raised portion that bulges toward the inside of the container body 33, the inner wall surface on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the container body 33 and the shutter side support portion 335a The outer peripheral surface of the is set to face each other. There are the following advantages to setting in this way. That is, among the inner wall surfaces divided by the convex portion 304h of the container body 33, the pumping wall surface 304f, which is the inner wall surface on the downstream side in the rotational direction, as the container body 33 rotates. Can be positioned relative to the shutter support opening 335b. The nozzle opening 610 always opens upward. Therefore, the shutter support opening 335b is also located at the top at the timing when the pumping up section 304 is positioned upward by the rotation of the toner container 32, and the toner pumped up by the pumping up section 304 passes through the shutter support opening 335b and the nozzle opening Provided to 610.

  Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 43, the rotation direction downstream end surface 335c, which is the end surface on the downstream side of the rotation direction of the shutter side surface support portion 335a, is located at a position close to the convex portion 304h projecting to the rotation center side of the container body 33. Arrange as you want. As a result, toner flowing downward along the raised wall surface 304 f falls onto the downstream end surface 335 c in the rotational direction, is repelled, and is supplied to the nozzle opening 610. In other words, the rotation direction downstream end surface 335 c has a function of bridging the toner received from the suction raising wall surface 304 f to the nozzle opening 610.

The bridging function of the shutter side supporting portion 335a common to the first to twentieth embodiments will be described.
FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the pump-up portion 304 of the container body 33 and the nozzle inlet 331 common to the first to twentieth embodiments. FIG. 44 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the container body 33 in the E-E cross section cut at the tip end side of the transport nozzle 611 in FIG. 9 and at the end surface of the bearing of the transport screw 614.
FIG. 45 is a schematic diagram functionally showing a cross-sectional view taken along the line E-E. FIG. 45 (a) is a schematic view of a comparative example functionally, and is an explanatory view of a configuration in which the shutter side supporting portion 335a does not function as a bridging means. FIG. 45B is a schematic view functionally showing FIG. 44, and is an explanatory view of a configuration in which the shutter side supporting portion 335a acts as a bridging means.

  First, I will describe the issues. As described in Patent Document 6, in the case where the toner transport amount in the transport pipe can be controlled, stable toner transport is performed if sufficient toner is present in the vicinity of the opening of the transport pipe. I can do it. However, when the amount of toner in the toner container decreases, the amount of toner to be conveyed may decrease, and stable toner conveyance may not be performed. This is because although the toner can be moved to the vicinity of the entrance by the helical projection provided inside the toner container, the toner slips off before reaching the opening provided in the conveyance pipe, and the conveyance pipe The amount of toner entering the When the amount of toner to be transported decreases and stable toner transport can not be performed, the toner concentration of the developer in the developing device becomes unstable, and it becomes necessary to replace the toner container. In this state, a large amount of toner remains in the container body, resulting in a problem that the amount of remaining toner in the toner container at the time of replacement increases.

In FIG. 9, the transport nozzle (transport pipe) 611 is inserted into the nozzle receiving member (pipe insertion member) 330 in the container body 33. The nozzle opening (powder receiving port) 610 of the transport nozzle 611 inserted into the nozzle receiving member 330 is open, and the toner can be transported to the toner replenishing device.
The suction raising portion 304 partially overlaps the nozzle opening 610 in the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32, and a portion thereof corresponds to the inner wall surface of the container main body 33 on the container rear end side than the nozzle opening 610. Specifically, in the pumping-up portion 304, the inner wall of the container body 33 is raised in the rotational axis direction, and a convex portion 304h corresponding to the ridge line of the ridge part and the inner wall surface divided by the ridge line on the downstream side in the container rotation direction And the pumping up wall surface 304f which is a wall surface of (refer FIG. 44).

  As shown in FIG. 44, the ridgeline of the convex portion 304h is in the shape of a gentle mountain due to the container body 33 being formed by blow molding. In FIG. 9 and the like, the convex portion 304h is represented by a curve for the sake of convenience because it is necessary to distinguish the pumping portion 304f. The raised wall surface 304f is a region represented by a grid as shown in FIG. 9, and as shown in FIG. 44, the convex portion 304h and the inner peripheral surface of the container body 33 are referenced with the rotational axis of the container body 33 as a point target. It consists of a pair of slopes connecting In the E-E cross section, among the inner wall surfaces divided by the ridge line, the wall surface on the upstream side in the container rotation direction has the E-E cross-section cutting direction and the extending direction of the wall surface substantially identical. It appears in a thick state like 44. The convex portion 304 h is also in the place that looks seemingly thick.

  In FIG. 44, the tubular transport nozzle 611 has a nozzle opening 610 that is open at the top. A pair of shutter side support parts 335a fixed to the container main body 33 is provided between the transport nozzle 611 and the convex part 304h, and rotates integrally with the pumping wall surface 304f as the container main body 33 rotates. At the location of the E-E cross section (the tip end side of the transport nozzle 611 and the location of the end surface of the bearing of the transport screw 614), the convex portion 304h and the shutter side surface support portion 335a are located opposite to each other. Then, there are a raised wall surface 304f, a rotational direction downstream end surface 335c of the shutter side surface support portion 335a, and a lateral edge 611s on the upstream side of the nozzle opening 610 in the rotational direction when viewed from the downstream side of the container rotational direction.

  Similarly to the pumping operation described above with reference to FIG. 43, the nozzle opening 610 which is an opening of the transport nozzle 611 which is a transport pipe also by the pumping portion 304 formed by the pumping wall surface 304f of the container body 33 of FIG. The toner moves in the direction of arrow T1. At this time, the outer peripheral surface of the shutter side surface support portion 335a and the downstream end surface 335c in the rotational direction function as a toner bridge portion for bridging the toner from the suction portion 304 to the nozzle opening 610.

  As shown in FIG. 44, the inner diameter of the shutter side support portion 335 a is larger than the outer diameter of the transfer nozzle 611. This prevents the transport nozzle 611 that has passed the area in contact with the container seal 333 from contacting the inner peripheral surface of the shutter side surface support portion 335a, and a load is not easily applied when the transport nozzle 611 is inserted into the container body. doing. Since the container seal 333 having an inner diameter smaller than the outer diameter of the transfer nozzle 611 is formed in the nozzle receiving member 330, the toner in the container body 33 leaks to the outside of the container body 33 along the outer peripheral surface of the transfer nozzle 611 It is preventing you to put out. As a result, the toner is prevented from flowing out of the container other than the toner conveyance path from the container body 33 to the developing device 50 through the conveyance nozzle 611.

The details of the bridging function will be described using the schematic diagrams of FIGS. 45 (a) and 45 (b).
FIG. 45 (a) shows the flow of toner inside the container body 33 when the shutter side support portion 335a is arranged so as not to exhibit the bridging function. By rotation of the container body 33 in the direction of arrow A in the drawing, the toner drawn up along the circumferential direction of the container body by the raising wall surface 304 f flows in the direction of the nozzle opening 610 by gravity (arrow T1 in the drawing). However, some toner may flow from the gap between the transport nozzle 611 and the convex portion 304 h (the convex portion protruding to the rotation center side of the raised wall surface 304 f) (arrow T 2 in the drawing).

  More specifically, the state as shown in FIG. 46 (a) is an instant state in which the raised wall 304f does not come sufficiently upward and the convex portion 304h is around the 9 o'clock position of the watch. At this moment, when viewed from the downstream side of the rotation direction of the container body 33, the nozzle opening side edge 611s on the upstream side, the convex portion 304h of the raised wall 304f, and the downstream side end face of the shutter side surface support 335a. In such a state, the end face of the intermediate shutter side surface support portion 335a is always delayed from the convex portion 304f of the raised wall surface 304f which is trying to deliver the toner, so that the toner bridging function can be exhibited. Can not. For this reason, toner leakage partially occurs from the gap generated by the transport nozzle 611, the convex portion 304h, and the shutter side surface support portion 335a caused by the delay. As a result, the replenishment rate may not be stable, or the amount of toner remaining in the container body 33 may increase when the toner container 32 is replaced.

FIG. 45 (b) shows the flow of toner inside the container main body 33 provided with the shutter side supporting portion 335a functioning as a bridging means.
By the rotation of the container body 33 in the direction of the arrow A in the drawing, the toner drawn up along the circumferential direction of the container body by the drawing up wall surface 304f flows in the direction of the nozzle opening 610 by gravity (arrow T1 in the drawing) Is the same as the configuration shown in FIG. However, in the configuration shown in FIG. 45 (b), the shutter side support portion 335a is disposed so as to close the gap between the transport nozzle 611 and the convex portion 304h (the convex portion protruding to the rotation center side of the raised wall surface 304f). It is done. As such, when viewed from the downstream side in the rotational direction of the container main body 33, the downstream end surface 335c of the shutter side support portion 335a in the rotational direction and the convex portion 304h of the suction raising portion 304 are arranged in this order.

  With such an arrangement, the flow of toner as shown by the arrow T 2 in FIG. 45A is suppressed, and the toner drawn up efficiently enters the nozzle opening 610. Therefore, even when the amount of toner in the container body 33 is reduced, the replenishment rate is stabilized, and furthermore, the amount of toner remaining in the container body 33 when the toner container 32 is replaced can be reduced. In addition, since the amount of toner left in the container body 33 at the time of replacement can be reduced, the running cost can be reduced to improve the economy, and the residual toner to be discarded can be reduced to reduce the environmental impact. it can.

  The degree of closing the gap between the transport nozzle 611 and the convex portion 304h does not exceed the degree to which the shutter side support portion 335a and the convex portion 304h are in close contact. However, if it is possible to inhibit toner flow-off such as T2, as shown in the lower convex portion 304h in FIG. 45B, a slight gap (0.3 mm) between the shutter side support portion 335a and the convex portion 304h. There may be 1 mm or so). If the gap is small, the gap is clogged with toner in the operation when a large amount of toner is present at the start of replenishment, and the seal serves as a seal. Further, since the raised wall surface 304f is formed by blow molding whose dimensional accuracy can not be as high as that of injection molding, it is difficult to make it completely in close contact, and from the viewpoint of mass productivity .

FIG. 46 shows the toner remaining amount and the replenishment rate (toner replenishment per unit time) in the containers of the embodiment (the configurations shown in FIGS. 44 and 45 (b)) and the comparative example (the configuration shown in FIG. 45 (a)) Is a graph showing the relationship with the amount).
According to FIG. 46, in the embodiment, the replenishment rate is stable even if the amount of toner remaining in the container decreases, but in the comparative example, the rate of replenishment decreases as the amount of toner remaining in the container decreases. Recognize. This is because, in the comparative example without the bridging member, the toner passes through the gap formed between the end on the rotation center side of the pumping wall surface 304 f which is a part of the container body 33 and the transport nozzle 611 (slip and escape ). For this reason, it is considered that when the remaining amount of toner decreases, a sufficient amount of toner can not reach the nozzle opening 610, the supply amount to the nozzle opening 610 can not be maintained, and the replenishment rate is reduced.

  The toner container 32 of the example shown in FIG. 9, FIG. 44, and FIG. 45 (b) includes the following invention. That is, the pumping up wall surface 304f is provided at two places of the container main body, and the bridging member (shutter side support part 335a) is provided at two places corresponding to the pumping up wall surface 304f. When the pumping wall surfaces 304f of the container body 33 are provided at three locations, it is effective to provide the same number of the pumping portions 304 and the bridging members as the bridging members are also provided at three locations. Similarly, in the case where four or more pumping parts of the container body 33 are provided, it is effective to provide the same number of bridging members as the pumping parts 304.

Of course, although there are a plurality of shutter side support parts 335a, it is also possible to make the limited part smaller than them correspond to the wall surface 304f as a bridging member. For example, it can be assumed that only one of the two shutter side surface supports 335a is used as a bridge member, and the pumping wall surface 304f is formed in the container body 33 at one place correspondingly.
The cost of parts is higher than that of the toner container 32 of FIG. 1, but the container main body 33 is a cylindrical member made of resin (for convenience to be the container main body 1033 to distinguish it from the container main body of the other embodiments) Consider a configuration in which a part of the transport member has a pumping function.

  FIG. 47A is a perspective view of a nozzle receiving member 330 in which a pumping rib 304g corresponding to the pumping wall surface 304f is integrated (hereinafter referred to as a nozzle receiving member 1330). 47 (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the nozzle receiving member 1330 of FIG. 47 (a) and the conveyance nozzle 611, which is disposed inside the container body 1033. FIG. 47 (c) is an explanatory side sectional view of the entire toner container 1032 mounted with the nozzle receiving member 1330 shown in FIG. 47 (a), and FIG. 47 (d) is a part of the toner container 1032. FIG. 20 is a perspective view of a container shutter 1332;

As described above, the nozzle receiving member 1330 shown in FIG. 47 is integrally formed with the conveyance blade holding portion 1330b to which the conveyance blade 1302 made of a flexible material such as a resin film is fixed. It is configured.
Also, the nozzle receiving member 1330 shown in FIG. 47 has a container seal 1333, a nozzle inlet 1331, a container shutter 1332, and a container shutter spring 1336. The container seal 1333 is a seal member provided with an abutting surface that faces and abuts against the nozzle shutter flange portion 612 a of the nozzle shutter 612 held by the conveyance nozzle 611 when the toner container 1032 is attached to the main body of the copying machine 500. The nozzle receiving port 1331 is an opening into which the transfer nozzle 611 is inserted, and the container shutter 1332 is a shutter member that opens and closes the nozzle receiving port 1331. The container shutter spring 1336 is a biasing member that biases the container shutter 1332 toward the position where the nozzle inlet 1331 is closed.

Furthermore, in the configuration shown in FIG. 47, the nozzle receiving member 1330 is provided with a nozzle receiving member outer peripheral surface 1330 a slidably fitted with the container setting portion inner peripheral surface 615 a on the copying machine 500 main body side. In addition, as shown in FIG. 47 (d), the container shutter 1332 includes an abutting portion 1332a that abuts on the transport nozzle 611, and a shutter support portion 1332b. The shutter support portion 1332b extends from the contact portion 1332a in the longitudinal direction of the container body 1033, and the hook portion 1332c is configured to prevent the container shutter 1332 from falling out of the nozzle receiving member 1330 by biasing of the container shutter spring 1336. Have. The toner container 1032 fixes a separately formed container gear 1301 to the nozzle receiving member 1330 so as to be capable of driving transmission.
In this manner, the configuration in which the toner up to the suction inner wall surface, the bridge portion, and the shutter support opening 1335 b is poured into the nozzle opening 610 can be integrated.

Next, details of the toner container 1032 provided with the pumping rib 304g will be described.
As shown in FIG. 47C, the toner container 1032 is constituted by a container tip end cover 1034, a container body 1033, a bottom cover 1035, a nozzle receiving member 1330 and the like. The container front end side cover 1034 is provided on the front end side of the toner container 1032 in the mounting direction with respect to the main body of the copying machine 500, and the container main body 1033 has a substantially cylindrical shape. The bottom cover 1035 is provided on the rear end side of the toner container 1032 in the mounting direction, and the nozzle receiving member 1330 is rotatably held by the substantially cylindrical container body 1033 described above.

  The container front end cover 1034 is provided with a gear exposure opening 1034a (an opening similar to the gear exposure opening 34a) (not shown) for exposing the container gear 1301 fixed to the nozzle receiving member 1330. The substantially cylindrical container body 1033 rotatably holds the nozzle receiving member 1330, and the container tip side cover 1034 and the bottom lid 1035 are fixed (by a known method such as heat welding or an adhesive). The bottom cover 1035 has a rear end bearing 1035a for supporting one end of the above-described conveying blade holding portion 1330b, and is a grip portion 1303 for holding the toner container 1032 when the user detaches the toner container 1032 from the main body of the copying machine 500. Have.

Next, an assembling method of assembling the container front end side cover 1034, the bottom cover 1035, and the nozzle receiving member 1330 to the container body 1033 will be described.
First, the nozzle receiving member 1330 is made to enter the container main body 1033 from the rear end side of the container, and the nozzle receiving member 1330 is rotatably supported with respect to the tip side bearing 1036 on the tip side of the container main body 1033 . Next, the rear end bearing 1035a provided on the bottom cover 1035 is positioned so as to rotatably support one end of the transfer blade holding portion 1330b of the nozzle receiving member 1330, and the bottom cover 1035 is fixed to the container body 1033. Do. After that, the container gear 1301 is fixed to the nozzle receiving member 1330 from the container tip side. After the container gear 1301 is fixed, the container tip side cover 1034 is fixed to the container body 1033 so as to cover the container gear 1301 from the container tip side.
The fixing of the container body 1033 to the container tip side cover 1034, the fixing of the container body 1033 to the bottom cover 1035, and the fixing of the nozzle receiving member 1330 to the container gear 1301 are appropriately known methods (for example, thermal welding Adhesive etc. can be used.

Next, a description will be given of the configuration for transporting the toner from the toner container 1032 to the nozzle opening 610.
The scooping rib 304g is projected to the vicinity of the inner peripheral surface of the container main body 1033 so that the rib surface is connected from the downstream end 1335c of the shutter side surface support 1335a in the rotational direction. One portion of the rib surface is broken at one point to be close to a curved surface, but this configuration is not necessarily the case depending on the compatibility with the toner, and a simple flat rib without breakage may be used. With such a configuration, it is not necessary to form a raised portion in the container body 1033. Furthermore, since the lifting rib 304g is erected integrally from the shutter support opening 1335b, the effect of bridging can be exhibited as in the case where the shutter side surface support portion 335a and the convex portion 304h are in close contact. That is, when the nozzle receiving member 1330 rotates when the image forming apparatus main body of the toner container 1032 is mounted, the conveying blade rotates, and the toner accommodated in the toner container 1032 is provided with the nozzle receiving member 1330 from the rear end side. Is transported toward the leading end side. Then, the toner conveyed by the conveyance blade 1302 is drawn up and received by the rib 304g, and it is drawn up from the lower side by rotation, and it becomes possible to pour the toner to the nozzle opening 610 by using the rib surface as a slide.

  Next, the configuration for fixing the nozzle receiving member 330 to the container main body 33 in the toner container 32 will be described as the fourteenth to nineteenth embodiments. The container gear 301 shown in FIG. 48, FIG. 49, FIG. 51 (b) and FIG. 52 (b) does not show gear teeth but is shown in a roller form.

Fourteenth Embodiment
48 to 50 are explanatory diagrams of the toner container 32 according to Embodiment 14. FIG. FIG. 48 is a perspective view of the toner container 32 of the fourteenth embodiment with the nozzle receiving member 330 removed from the container main body 33. FIG. 49 is a front end side end of the toner container 32 of the fourteenth embodiment. It is perspective explanatory drawing with the container setting part 615. FIG. 50 is a cross-sectional view of the toner container 32 of Embodiment 14. FIG. 50 (a) is a cross-sectional view in the vicinity of the tip end of the toner container 32, and FIG. 50 (b) is a cross-sectional view of FIG. It is an expansion explanatory view of field eta in a). In FIGS. 48 to 50, the description of the container front end side cover 34 is omitted, and in FIGS. 48 and 49, the description of the container shutter 332 is omitted. Further, in FIG. 50, the description of the nozzle shutter 612 is omitted.

The container body 33 of the toner container 32 of Embodiment 14 is formed by the blow molding method as described in the description of the previous embodiment, but this blow molding is an injection molding used in general resin molding The accuracy tends to be worse than that. For this reason, the roundness of the cylindrical cross section of container opening 33a which is a part of container main part 33 formed by blow molding may worsen.
As described above, the container opening 33a (the container outer peripheral surface in the radial direction of the tip opening 305) is slidably fitted on the inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615. Thus, the toner container 32 is positioned with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 in the plane direction orthogonal to the rotation axis. At this time, if the roundness of the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a contributing to the positioning is bad, there is a possibility that the position of the toner container 32 relative to the toner replenishing device 60 may fluctuate when the toner container is rotated. There is.

On the other hand, since the nozzle receiving member 330 is a general resin molded product by injection molding, it can be molded with higher accuracy than the container body 33, and the receiving member fixing portion 337 which is a part of the nozzle receiving member 330 has roundness. It can be molded into a good cylindrical shape.
In the fourteenth embodiment, the outer diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337 in the nozzle receiving member 330 is larger than the inner diameter of the container opening 33a. With such a configuration, when the nozzle receiving member 330 is attached to the container main body 33, the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a is corrected to follow the receiving member fixing portion 337, and the roundness is improved.
By improving the roundness of the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a, the positioning accuracy of the toner container 32 with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 is improved.

  When the roundness of the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a is poor, the dimension of the inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 needs to be set larger in consideration of the variation in the shape. However, if the dimension of the inner peripheral surface 615a is set larger, the freedom of displacement in the plane direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a with respect to the inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 is increased. Becomes larger. On the other hand, in the fourteenth embodiment, the roundness of the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a is improved, and the dimension of the inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 does not need to be set larger. By thus reducing the backlash, the positioning accuracy of the toner container 32 with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 is improved.

  As shown in FIGS. 48A and 50, in the nozzle receiving member 330, two receiving member engaging projections 3301 are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337. The two receiving member engaging protrusions 3301 are disposed at positions shifted by 180 [°] in the circumferential direction of the outer peripheral surface, that is, at positions opposite to each other on the peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337. The shape is a rectangle extending in the circumferential direction as viewed from the radial direction of the receiving member fixing portion 337 which is a cylinder. As shown in FIG. 48B, the receiving member fixing portion 337 has a trapezoidal shape when viewed from the axial direction. The amount of protrusion (height) is about 0.5 [mm] from the circumferential surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337. The trapezoidal slope is downstream in the rotational direction as viewed from the rotational direction of the container body 33. The surface opposite to the inclined surface stands in the radial direction, and is on the upstream side in the rotational direction of the container body 33.

  On the other hand, in the container body 33, two tip end opening engagement holes 3051 are provided in the container opening 33a. The two front end opening engagement holes 3051 are located at positions shifted by 180 [°] in the circumferential direction of the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a, that is, opposite to the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a. It is provided to communicate with the outer peripheral surface side. The tip end opening engaging hole 3051 is an elongated hole extending in the circumferential direction as viewed from the radial direction of the receiving member fixing portion 337.

With such a configuration, when the nozzle receiving member 330 is attached to the container main body 33, the two receiving member engaging projections 3301 engage with the two tip opening engaging holes 3051 respectively. By this engagement, it is possible to realize the retaining and the retaining of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the container body 33.
The locking means has the effect of maintaining the above-described suction-up inner circumferential surface 304f and the convex portion 304h thereof and the shutter side support portion 335a which is a bridging member in a relative positional relationship in which the toner exerts a bridging effect. Demonstrate. The reason for making the shape of the receiving member engaging projection 3301 trapezoidal in the axial direction is as follows.

  Next, it demonstrates in detail based on FIG.48 (b). The nozzle receiving member 330 can be easily removed from the container main body 33 by rotating the receiving member fixing portion 337 toward the slope side, and toner in the container main body 33 can be easily removed and refilled. On the other hand, when mounted on the toner supply device and the container body 33 is driven, the rotational force transmitted from the container gear 301 is because the surface standing in the radial direction opposite to the slope is on the upstream side of the container body 33 in the rotational direction. Through the contact portion with the tip opening engagement hole 3051. That is, since the vertical surface on the opposite side of the slope of the receiving member engaging protrusion 3301 always rotates so as to bite into the tip opening engaging hole 3051, the nozzle receiving member 330 rotates with respect to the container main body 33 during the replenishment operation. There is no possibility of displacement. If the sloped side of the trapezoid is on the side of the rotational direction, the slope receives the above-mentioned rotational force, which may cause positional deviation.

  Further, an annular receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 is provided at the step portion where the outer diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330 is reduced. The stepped portion faces the stepped portion where the inner circumference of the container opening 33a becomes smaller, and when the nozzle receiving member 330 is attached to the container main body 33, the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 forms two stepped portions. It will be in the state of being pinched. As a result, the toner in the container main body 33 is prevented from leaking out through the gap between the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 and the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a.

  In addition, the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 is compressed by two step portions. Therefore, in a state where the nozzle receiving member 330 is attached to the container main body 33, the restoring force of the compressed receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 acts to push the nozzle receiving member 330 back to the container main body 33. This restoring force is received by the abutment (engagement) of the elevation of the receiving member engagement projection 3301 with the inner surface of the tip opening engagement hole 3051.

As described above, in the fourteenth embodiment, the container opening 33a is corrected to conform to the receiving member fixing portion 337, and the roundness is improved.
The material of the container body 33 provided with the container opening 33a is a PET (polyethylene terephthalate) material, and the thickness W1 of the cylindrical container opening 33a is 1.1 [mm]. On the other hand, the material of the nozzle receiving member 330 provided with the receiving member fixing portion 337 is PS (polystyrene) material, and the thickness W2 of the cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 is 2 [mm]. At this time, assuming that the press-fit margin (the difference between the outer diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337 and the inner diameter of the container opening 33a) is 0.01 [mm] to 0.1 [mm], Favorable results were obtained in terms of the positioning accuracy of the toner container 32 and the toner leakage prevention.

  Generally, a press-fit may be used to fix the parts together, but in the mechanism according to the fourteenth embodiment, the parts tolerance can be set large. As a result, mass productivity can be secured, and the engagement by the receiving member engaging projection 3301 is made of the outer peripheral seal 3302 of the receiving member so that the press-in margin is established even with a very small value of at least 0.01 [mm]. Receive resilience. Furthermore, the receiving member engaging projection 3301 serves to prevent rotation. The press-fit portion is configured to correct the shape of the container opening 33a, and the function of fixing the axial position of the parts and the function of correcting the shape of the container opening 33a are separated. I am doing.

  In the fourteenth embodiment, the nozzle receiving member 330 is fixed to the container main body 33 using the receiving member engaging projection 3301. Here, when the container main body 33 and the nozzle receiving member 330 are to be fixed only by the engagement of the receiving member engaging projection 3301, the nozzle receiving with respect to the container main body 33 in the planar direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the toner container 32. The position of the member 330 may shift. On the other hand, in the fourteenth embodiment, pressing is performed while correcting the container opening 33a, and the position of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the container main body 33 deviates in the planar direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the toner container 32. Can be prevented.

  As described above, in the fourteenth embodiment, both of the engagement using the receiving member engaging protrusion 3301 and the press fitting are used for fixing the container body 33 and the nozzle receiving member 330. The amount of compression of the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 made of rubber packing or the like is determined by the engagement of the receiving member engaging projection 3301 and contributes to the positioning of the toner container 32 in the rotational axis direction. On the other hand, as the shape of the container opening 33a is corrected so as to conform to the shape of the receiving member fixing portion 337 by press-fitting, the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 is in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a. Such press-fit contributes to the positioning in the plane direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the toner container 32.

<Fifteenth Embodiment>
The fifteenth embodiment has a configuration that can be shown in FIGS. 48 to 50 as in the fourteenth embodiment, but the outer diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337 in the nozzle receiving member 330 is larger than the inner diameter of the container opening 33a. Is different from the fourteenth embodiment in that is smaller.
The container opening 33 a and the receiving member fixing portion 337 use a hard material because dimensional accuracy is required for fitting with the toner replenishing device 60. As a specific example, PS (polystyrene) material may be mentioned as the material of the nozzle receiving member 330 having the receiving member fixing portion 337, and PET (polyethylene terephthalate) material may be mentioned as the material of the container body 33 provided with the container opening 33a. it can. When the container opening 33a and the receiving member fixing portion 337 are fixed to each other by press fitting, the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 is closely sealed with the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a. In order to improve the adhesion between the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a and the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337, it is considered to set the outer diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337 larger than the inner diameter of the container opening 33a. Be Here, if the outer diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337 is increased, as in the toner container 32 of the fourteenth embodiment, while the function and effect of correcting the container opening 33a can be exhibited, a large pressure input is required at the time of assembly. become. When the pressure input is large, the container opening 33a and the receiving member fixing portion 337 may be deformed and damaged. Therefore, it is necessary to set the dimensional tolerance of the fitting portion of the both small and control the process strictly.

  On the other hand, if the outer diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337 is simply made smaller than the inner diameter of the container opening 33a, the following problems occur. That is, by installing the engaging portion as the fall prevention, the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330 moves up and down within the container opening 33a within the component tolerance even if positioning in the rotational axis direction is performed. . For this reason, it is difficult to seal between the container opening 33a and the receiving member fixing portion 337.

  Therefore, in the fifteenth embodiment, an annular receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302, which is a sealing member made of an elastic body, seals between the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a and the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337. It has stopped. Specifically, by sandwiching the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 between the container opening 33a and the receiving member fixing portion 337, the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 is elastically deformed and sealed so as to be compressed. Since the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 is elastically deformed, a restoring force acts in the direction in which the receiving member fixing portion 337 is removed from the container opening 33a. However, in the fifteenth embodiment, the engagement portion between the receiving member engaging projection 3301 and the tip end opening engaging hole 3051 restricts the movement of the receiving member fixing portion 337 from the container opening 33a in the direction of removal. There is. Thereby, positioning of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the container body 33 in the rotational axis direction is performed.

  Further, since the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 seals between the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a and the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 in an elastically deformed state, the restoring force against the deformation is It acts on the entire circumferential direction of the circumferential surface and the outer circumferential surface. By the action of the restoring force, the position of the receiving member fixing portion 337 in the plane direction orthogonal to the rotation axis inside the container opening 33a is determined, and the plane direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the container body 33 Positioning is done. This positioning is effective in maintaining the above-described suction inner circumferential surface 304f and the convex portion 304h thereof and the shutter side support portion 335a which is a bridging member in a relative positional relationship in which the toner exerts a bridging effect. Do.

  In the fifteenth embodiment, since the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a and the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 are not sealed, it is possible to increase the dimensional tolerance of the parts. By increasing the dimensional tolerance, mass productivity can be improved. Also, even if the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330 moves up and down within the container opening 33a within the dimensional tolerance, the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 is elastically deformed and sealed, thereby preventing toner leakage. It becomes possible.

  In the fifteenth embodiment, a receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 as a sealing member is compressed by an inner peripheral surface which is a seal receiving surface of the container opening 33a and an outer peripheral surface which is a seal receiving surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337. Seal it. A receiving member engaging projection 3301 which is an engaging portion on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 is engaged with and engaged with a tip end opening engaging hole 3051 which is an engaged portion of the container opening 33a. The repulsive force (restoring force) received from the compressed receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 is received by this engagement, and is prevented from coming off. The axial position of the toner container 32 is determined by the repulsive force received from the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 and the detachment prevention by engagement, and the nozzle receiving member 330 is prevented from being detached from the container main body 33 by an impact caused by an external force or the like. Do.

In addition, since the recovery force of the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 acts on the tip end opening engaging hole 3051 in the container opening 33a when the receiving member engaging projection 3301 engages, a certain degree of strength is required. Therefore, it is desirable that the tip opening engagement hole 3051 utilize the strength of the thick portion of the container opening 33a. In the fifteenth embodiment, as shown in FIG. 50, there is a cap fixing thread 309 on the container tip side (upper side in FIG. 50) than the tip opening engagement hole 3051 and more than other parts of the container opening 33a. It is thick. By utilizing the strength of such a thick portion, it is possible to prevent the container opening 33a from being damaged due to the restoring force of the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302.
In the fifteenth embodiment, the configuration in which the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 as the sealing member is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330 has been described. A sealing member may be provided on the surface.

The Sixteenth Preferred Embodiment
Next, as in the fifteenth embodiment, positioning of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the container main body 33 is performed using elastic deformation of a sealing member for sealing the gap between the container main body 33 and the nozzle receiving member 330. A first modified example (hereinafter referred to as the sixteenth embodiment) will be described.
51 is an explanatory view of the toner container 32 of the sixteenth embodiment, FIG. 51 (a) is a perspective explanatory view of the nozzle receiving member 330, and FIG. 51 (b) is a perspective explanatory view of the container body 33. .

The toner container 32 of the sixteenth embodiment shown in FIG. 51 includes the following invention. That is, the nozzle receiving member 330 is inserted into the container main body 33 at the container rear end side of each of the receiving member engaging projection 3301 which is the engaging portion and the tip opening engaging hole 3051 which is the engaged portion. It has the insertion position control part which controls the insertion position of a rotation direction.
The shape of the sixteenth embodiment shown in FIG. 51 will be described. The receiving member engaging protrusion 3301 is a pentagon as viewed from the radial direction of the nozzle receiving member 330. The amount of protrusion (height) is about 0.5 [mm] from the circumferential surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337. A top portion 3301 a of an engagement projection formed on the rear end side of the container as an insertion position regulating portion of the reception member engagement projection 3301. The tip end opening engagement hole 3051 is a through hole formed by overlapping an oblong hole extending in the circumferential direction of the container opening 33a and the above pentagon as a hole at the center of the oblong hole. An engagement hole top 3051a (the top of a pentagonal hole) formed on the rear end side of the container is provided as an insertion restricting portion of the front end opening engagement hole 3051.

The tip opening engagement hole 3051 which is an engaged portion is located inside (the side of a portion for storing toner) than the tip (opening end) of the cylindrical tip opening 305. For this reason, when the nozzle receiving member 330 is attached to the container body 33, when the receiving member fixing portion 337 is inserted into the container opening 33a, the receiving member engaging projection 3301 is hidden behind the container opening 33a and can not be seen. Therefore, it is difficult to mount the receiving member engaging projection 3301 at a predetermined position where it engages with the tip end opening engaging hole 3051.
On the other hand, in the case of the shape provided with the tip position for insertion position control as in the sixteenth embodiment, the receiving member engaging projection is formed even when the insertion position in the rotational direction varies in a slight range. The 3301 can be guided to a predetermined insertion position. The presence of the circumferentially extending oblong holes facilitates visual recognition of the receiving member engagement projection 3301 at the shifted position.

  In addition, the provision of the insertion position restricting portion has the following advantages. When rotational drive is input and the container body 33 is rotated, one insertion position restricting portion of the engaging portion and the engaged portion is hooked to a part of the other, and the nozzle receiving member 330 is integrated with the container body 33 It can be rotated. As a result, when the toner container 32 rotates, the nozzle receiving member 330 can be prevented from rotating and shifting in position with respect to the container body 33.

The Seventeenth Embodiment
Next, as in the fifteenth embodiment, positioning of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the container main body 33 is performed using elastic deformation of a sealing member for sealing the gap between the container main body 33 and the nozzle receiving member 330. A second modification (hereinafter referred to as the seventeenth embodiment) will be described.
52 is an explanatory view of the toner container 32 of the seventeenth embodiment, FIG. 52 (a) is a perspective explanatory view of the nozzle receiving member 330, and FIG. 52 (b) is a perspective explanatory view of the container main body 33. .

The toner container 32 of the seventeenth embodiment shown in FIG. 52 includes the following invention. That is, a pair of insertion positioning portions for positioning in the rotational direction when inserting the nozzle receiving member 330 into the container body 33 is provided so as to overlap with at least one of the engaging portion and the engaged portion.
In the seventeenth embodiment shown in FIG. 52, first, as an engaging portion of the receiving member fixing portion 337, there is a receiving member engaging protruding portion 3301 which is a protruding portion extending in the circumferential direction. Furthermore, as one insertion positioning portion that regulates the insertion position of the engaging portion into the engaged portion, the receiving member engaging protrusion 3301 overlaps in the circumferential direction center and extends in the rotational axis direction of the container main body 33 There is a receiving member side positioning groove 3303 formed. Further, as an engaged portion of the container opening 33a, there is a tip opening engaging hole 3051 which is an oblong hole extending in the circumferential direction of the tip opening 305. Further, as the other insertion positioning portion for restricting the insertion position of the engaging portion into the engaged portion, it is formed to overlap at the circumferential center of the tip opening engagement hole 3051 and extend in the rotational axis direction of the container body 33 There is a front end opening side positioning rib 3052.

When the receiving member fixing portion 337 is inserted into the container opening 33a when the nozzle receiving member 330 is attached to the container main body 33, the periphery of the receiving member engaging protrusion 3301 protruding on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 is The container opening 33a is expanded. Therefore, when the insertion positioning portion such as a rib or a groove is provided near the engaging portion or the engaged portion and at a position not overlapping the engaging portion or the engaged portion, the container opening 33a is engaged. It is necessary to expand at both the joint portion and the insertion positioning portion, and the press-in load is increased.
On the other hand, in the seventeenth embodiment, when the pair of insertion positioning portions (3303 and 3052) including the rib and the groove are viewed from the rotational axis direction of the container main body 33, the receiving member engaging projection 3301 which is the engaging portion and the engaged member It is formed in the position which overlaps with the tip opening engagement hole 3051 which is a joint. Thus, by forming the insertion positioning portion, the tip opening side positioning rib 3052 and the receiving member side on the engaging portion (receiving member engaging projection 3301) closely attached to the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a at the time of mounting The positioning groove 3303 is fitted. Thereby, the positioning of the rotational direction at the time of fitting and the nozzle receiving member 330 rotate with respect to the container main body 33 when the toner container 32 rotates while minimizing the location where the container opening 33a is expanded only at the engaging portion. Can be suppressed.

Embodiment 18
Next, as in the fifteenth embodiment, positioning of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the container main body 33 is performed using elastic deformation of a sealing member for sealing the gap between the container main body 33 and the nozzle receiving member 330. A third modification (hereinafter referred to as the eighteenth embodiment) will be described.
53 is an explanatory view of the toner container 32 of the eighteenth embodiment, and FIG. 53 (a) is an enlarged perspective view of the container opening 33a, and FIG. 53 (b) is an enlarged view of the receiving member fixing portion 337. FIG. 53 (c) is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the tip end of the toner container 32. FIG.

  In the eighteenth embodiment, although the receiving member outer peripheral seal 3302 which is a sealing member is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330, the seal is performed on the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33 a of the container body 33. The stop member may be provided.

  Similarly to the fifteenth embodiment, the toner container 32 according to the eighteenth embodiment also has an engagement portion provided on the nozzle receiving member 330 and an engagement hole provided in the container opening 33a for engagement with the engagement portion. is there. In order to more reliably prevent the nozzle receiving member 330 from coming off, it is conceivable to enlarge the engaging portion and to increase the amount of engagement with the engaging hole. However, if the engaging portion provided on the nozzle receiving member 330 is enlarged, the insertion load may become too large, and the container opening 33a may be deformed or damaged. On the other hand, in the eighteenth embodiment, in addition to the receiving member engaging protrusion 3301 of the nozzle receiving member 330, the engaging protrusion 3053 is provided also on the container main body 33 side. Furthermore, in addition to the tip end opening engagement hole 3051 of the container opening 33a, a receiving member engagement hole 3304 which is an engagement hole is also provided on the nozzle receiving member 330 side. This makes it possible to increase the amount of catching overall even if the amount of engagement is small.

Embodiment 19
Next, as in the fifteenth embodiment, positioning of the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the container main body 33 is performed using elastic deformation of a sealing member for sealing the gap between the container main body 33 and the nozzle receiving member 330. A fourth modification (hereinafter referred to as the nineteenth embodiment) will be described.
54 is an explanatory view of the toner container 32 of the nineteenth embodiment, and FIG. 54 (a) is an enlarged perspective view of the container opening 33a, and FIG. 54 (b) is an enlarged view of the receiving member fixing portion 337. It is a perspective view.

  The toner container 32 of the nineteenth embodiment shown in FIG. 54 includes the following invention. That is, in the toner container 32 of the eighteenth embodiment, positioning is performed in the rotational direction when inserting the nozzle receiving member 330 into the container main body 33 so as to overlap with at least one of the engaging portion and the engaged portion. It has a positioning part.

  When the receiving member fixing portion 337 is inserted into the container opening 33a when the nozzle receiving member 330 is attached to the container main body 33, the periphery of the receiving member engaging protrusion 3301 protruding on the outer peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 is The container opening 33a is expanded. Therefore, when the insertion positioning portion such as a rib or a groove is provided near the engaging portion or the engaged portion and at a position not overlapping the engaging portion or the engaged portion, the container opening 33a is engaged. It is necessary to expand at both the joint portion and the insertion positioning portion, and the press-in load is increased.

  On the other hand, in the nineteenth embodiment, a pair of insertion positioning portions (3052 and 3303) consisting of a rib and a groove are viewed from the rotational axis direction of the container main body 33 by the engaging protrusion 3053 and the engaged portion which are engaging portions. It is formed at a position overlapping with a certain receiving member engagement hole 3304. Thus, by forming the insertion positioning portion, the front end opening side positioning rib 3052 and the receiving member on the engaging portion (receiving member engaging projection 3301) closely attached to the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a at the time of fitting The side positioning groove 3303 is fitted. Thereby, the positioning of the rotational direction at the time of fitting and the nozzle receiving member 330 rotate with respect to the container main body 33 when the toner container 32 rotates while minimizing the location where the container opening 33a is expanded only at the engaging portion. Can be suppressed.

  The toner containers 32 of Embodiments 14 to 19 include the following invention in common. That is, a container main body 33 which is a powder containing member for containing toner which is powder to be supplied to the toner replenishing device 60 which is a powder conveying device is provided. The container main body 33 conveys the toner stored therein from the rear end side of the container in the rotational axis direction to the front end side of the container provided with the opening by rotation of the main body 33. Furthermore, a nozzle insertion port 331, which is a pipe receiving port for inserting the transport nozzle 611, which is a transport pipe fixed to the toner replenishing device 60, is formed and is a pipe insertion member attached in the opening of the container body 33. A nozzle receiving member 330 is provided. In such a toner container 32, the nozzle receiving member 330 is an engaging portion that engages with the tip opening engaging hole 3051 which is an engaged portion provided in the container opening 33a forming the opening. A member engaging projection 3301 is provided. Furthermore, with the receiving member engaging projection 3301 engaged with the tip opening engaging hole 3051, the gap between the nozzle receiving member 330 and the container body 33 is interposed between the nozzle receiving member 330 and the container body 33. It has a receiving member outer periphery seal 3302 which is a sealing member to be sealed.

Embodiment 20
The twentieth embodiment of the toner container 32 will be described next. In the toner container 32 according to the twentieth embodiment, there is a device in a portion where the nozzle receiving member 330 is press-fitted to the container main body 33.
Although FIG. 13 was used in the description of the previous embodiment, it can be used because it can be used for the description of the press-fit portion of the nozzle receiving member 330 in the container main body 33 in the twentieth embodiment. One of the regions γ1 and γ2 in the figure is a press-fit portion. The region γ1 is the inner peripheral surface of the container body 33 at the position where the container gear 301 is provided, and the region γ2 is the inner peripheral surface of the container body 33 at the position where the cover claw hooking portion 306 is provided.

  The toner container 32 shown in FIG. 13 includes the following invention. That is, the powder container is a powder container that contains toner as a developer made of powder inside and has a container shutter 332 and a nozzle receiving member 330. The container shutter 332 is a nozzle opening / closing member that opens or closes the nozzle inlet 331 serving as a powder discharge port through which toner discharged from the container body 33 passes. The nozzle receiving member 330 is a container shutter 332. It is an opening and closing member holding member to hold. Further, the toner container 32 has a cylindrical container opening 33a formed at the end of the container front end side, and the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a (corresponding to the rotation shaft of the container body 33) is the container It is fitted to slide on the cylindrical inner circumferential surface 615 a (bearing portion) of the set portion 615. Furthermore, the nozzle receiving member 330 is press-fitted and fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the container main body 33, and the position of the portion to be press-fitted and fixed in the rotational axis direction is the container set of the container opening 33a. It is on the rear end side of the container than the position where it slides with the cylindrical inner peripheral surface of the portion 615.

  As shown in FIG. 13 and the like, the container tip end of the nozzle receiving member 330 and the container tip end of the container opening 33a coincide in position in the rotational axis direction. Therefore, a configuration is conceivable in which the nozzle receiving member 330 is press-fit into the inner peripheral surface near the container tip end of the container opening 33a. However, the vicinity of the container tip end of the container opening 33 a is fitted to the cylindrical inner circumferential surface 615 a of the container setting portion 615. Therefore, when the nozzle receiving member 330 is press-fitted and the press-fit portion of the container opening 33a is expanded, and the outer diameter of the container opening 33a is increased, the toner container 32 can not be fitted to the container setting portion 615. There is a possibility that it can not be attached to the replenishment device 60. In addition, even if the toner can be mounted, the rotational torque of the toner container 32 may be increased.

  In order to prevent such a problem, it is conceivable to set the outer diameter of the container opening 33a at the time of preparation of the toner container 32 by presuming the amount of expansion of the container opening 33a by press-fitting. However, if the outer diameter of the container opening 33a is set in consideration of the amount of swelling due to press-fitting, the following problem may occur. That is, the outer diameter dimension tolerance needs to be set large. If the amount of swelling is small within the tolerance range, the difference between the outer diameter of the container opening 33a and the inner diameter of the cylindrical inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 may be large, and positioning may be insufficient. is there.

  As a configuration for preventing such a problem, in the toner container 32 of the twentieth embodiment, the outer diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330 in the vicinity of the container tip end is the inner peripheral surface of the container opening 33a. It is slightly smaller to the extent that it is not a press fit but a clearance fit. Then, as a press-fit portion, it is set at a position (a position that does not affect the mounting) that is not related to the mounting of the container setting portion 615 and the container main body 33 that are closer to the container rear end. Furthermore, the outer diameter of the receiving member fixing portion 337 at this position is set to a size that allows sufficient press-in to the inside diameter of the container. As an example of the unrelated position, the location corresponding to the thickness portion of the container gear 301 (region γ1 in FIG. 13) or the location where the inner diameter of the container opening 33a is smaller by one step and the thickness of the container opening 33a is larger ( This is the region γ2) of FIG. The portion (area γ2 in FIG. 13) where the inner diameter changes and the step is attached, there is also a cover claw hooking portion 306 formed of a ring-shaped rib on the outer peripheral side.

About the place fitted with respect to the container setting part 615 by forming a place with a large outside diameter which becomes a press-fit place by the container back end side rather than the container tip side end of the receiving member fixing part 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330 The swelling of the container opening 33a can be prevented. As a result, it is possible to prevent the toner container 32 from being unable to be attached to the toner replenishing device 60 and to prevent the rotational torque of the toner container 32 from increasing.
Further, since the container opening 33a has the shape as it is, the injection-molded preform can be molded with high accuracy. Such a position can be used as a positioning portion or a sliding portion without swelling by press-fitting of the nozzle receiving member 330, so that good injection molding accuracy can be maintained, and accurate positioning and good sliding can be realized. it can.

  Further, the toner container 32 formed by press-fitting in the region γ1 includes the following invention. That is, the press-fit portion in the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the resin nozzle receiving member 330 corresponds to the inner peripheral surface of the position where the container gear 301 of the container body 33 is provided. The portion where the container gear 301 is provided has a gear structure on the entire circumference in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, so the strength is higher than the other parts of the container main body 33, and deformation due to press-fitting hardly occurs. Further, since the receiving member fixing portion 337 is strongly tightened, the nozzle receiving member 330 does not easily come off with time, and is suitable as a press-fit position.

  Further, the toner container 32 formed by press-fitting in the region γ2 includes the following invention. That is, the press-fit portion in the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330 is a portion where the inner diameter of the container opening 33a is reduced by one step and the thickness is increased. The portion where the inside diameter of the container opening 33a is one step smaller is higher in strength than the other parts of the container body 33 because the entire circumference in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis is thick, and deformation due to press-in hardly occurs . In addition, since the receiving member fixing portion 337 is strongly tightened, the nozzle receiving member 330 does not easily come off over time, which is suitable as a press-fit position.

  Further, the toner container 32 formed by press-fitting in the region γ2 includes the following invention. That is, the press-fit portion of the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330 corresponds to the inner peripheral surface of the container main body 33 at the position where the cover claw hooking portion 306 is provided. The portion where the cover claw hooking portion 306 is provided has a rib structure on the entire circumference in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis, so the strength is higher than the other portions of the container main body 33, and deformation due to press fitting hardly occurs. In addition, since the receiving member fixing portion 337 is strongly tightened, the nozzle receiving member 330 does not easily come off over time, which is suitable as a press-fit position.

Next, the holding mechanism of the ID tag (ID chip) 700 provided in the toner container 32 which is a configuration common to Embodiments 1 to 20 will be described.
FIG. 55 is a perspective view of the connector 800 fixed to the toner replenishing device 60 and the end of the toner container 32 on the tip end side. As shown in FIG. 55, the toner container 32 is formed on the container main body 33 by exposing the container main body 33 and the container opening 33a provided with the nozzle inlet 331 as the toner discharge port formed in the container main body 33. The container front end cover 34 is provided. Further, the toner container 32 includes an ID tag 700 as an information storage device attached to the tip of the container tip side cover 34, and an ID tag holding mechanism 345 for holding the ID tag 700.

The communication system of the ID tag 700 of this embodiment is a contact system. Therefore, the connector 800 is disposed at a position facing the end surface of the container tip side of the container tip side cover 34 on the main body side of the toner supply device 60.
FIG. 56 is an explanatory perspective view of the container tip end portion of the toner container 32 and the connector 800 in a state in which the ID tag holding mechanism 345 is disassembled. As shown in FIG. 56, an ID tag hole 701 for positioning is formed in the ID tag 700, and when the toner container 32 is mounted on the toner replenishing device 60, the ID tag hole 701 has a connector 800. The positioning pin 801 is inserted.

  The ID tag holding mechanism 345 holds the ID tag 700 movably in the X-Z direction in the drawing and is detachably fitted to the holding portion 343. And a holding member 344 as a mating cover member. The ID tag 700 and its holding mechanism 345 are disposed in the space on the right side of the container tip side cover 34 when the toner container 32 is viewed from the container tip side along the rotation axis. In this case, the holding mechanism 345 is disposed on the container front end side cover 34 by utilizing a space on the right side which is a dead space when the toner container 32 of another color is juxtaposed. As a result, it is possible to provide a compact toner replenishing device in which the cylindrical toner containers 32 can be arranged close to each other. The container gear 301 and the container drive gear 601 on the main body side are disposed in the space on the upper left side of the container front end side cover 34. The ID tag 700, the holding mechanism 345, and the main body side terminal 804 and the container drive gear 601 on the main body side are disposed so as not to interfere with each other so that adjacent toner supply systems do not interfere with each other.

  FIG. 57 is an explanatory perspective view of the container tip end portion of the toner container 32 and the connector 800 in a state where the ID tag 700 is temporarily fixed to the holding member 344. As shown in FIG. 57, the holding portion 343 is formed on the ID tag attachment surface 357 of the container tip end of the container tip side cover 34, and supports four square pillars that support the substrate surface without wiring on the back surface of the ID tag 700. And a pedestal 358 made of Further, the holding member 344 includes a frame 352 and a holding member protruding portion 353. The frame 352 is a frame formed so as to surround the pedestal 358 from the outside and prevent the ID tag 700 from being detached when the holding portion 343 is fitted. The holding member protruding portion 353 is a portion that protrudes from the inner wall surface of the frame 352 so as to cover the area without terminals on the surface of the ID tag 700. With regard to the frame 352 provided in the holding member 344, when the ID tag 700 is set to a size that can accommodate an ID tag having a rectangular outer shape inside the frame shape, the ID tag 700 is X- It is held movably to some extent in the Z direction.

Here, the holding mechanism 345 will be described in more detail.
The frame 352 provided in the holding member 344 is formed to be longer than the length in the Y-axis direction of the pedestal 358 (the height from the ID tag attachment surface 357). Therefore, when the ID tag 700 is installed on the pedestal 358, the ID tag 700 is not fixed to the container front end side cover 34. Furthermore, it is installed with a gap from the frame 352 which is present so as to surround the outside of the ID tag 700 in the X-Z direction. Further, since the ID tag 700 also has a slight gap with respect to the holding member protruding portion 353 of the holding member 344, the ID tag 700 is not fixed to the container front end side cover 34 but is not detached. When the toner container 32 is lightly shaken, the ID tag 700 is held in the holding member 344 so as to make a rattling movement.

  When assembling the ID tag 700, as shown in FIG. 57, the ID tag 700 is hooked on the inner wall rib 351 (see FIG. 56) of the holding member 344 and temporarily fixed on the pedestal 358 of the holding portion 343. It is assembled. At this time, the outside of the pedestal 358 consisting of four prisms serves as a guide for the holding member 344, and the ID tag 700 assembled to the pedestal is placed on the end face of the four pedestals 358 away from the inner wall rib 351. Become so.

Next, attachment of the holding member 344 will be described in detail.
In the toner container 32 of the present embodiment, the holding member 344 is not fixed to the container front end side cover 34 by processing such as heat caulking or fastening with a fastening member, and fixed by a fitting method using a claw member.
As shown in FIG. 56, the holding member 344 is provided with the holding member upper claw 355, the holding member lower claw 354 and the holding member right side claw 356 on the holding member upper portion 350, the holding member lower portion 348 and the holding member right side portion 349. ing.
Around the ID tag mounting surface 357 on the container front end cover 34 side, at positions facing the three claws of the holding member upper claw 355, the holding member lower claw 354 and the holding member right side claw 356, three The hook part of the part is formed. Specifically, a mounting surface hooking portion 359a is formed at a position facing the holding member upper claw 355 around the ID tag mounting surface 357. In addition, a mounting surface lower hooking portion 359b is formed at a position facing the holding member lower claw 354 around the ID tag mounting surface 357, and at a position facing the holding member right side claw 356, the mounting surface horizontal hooking A ridge portion 360 is formed.

When the holding member 344 is set to the container front end side cover 34, the three claws (355, 354 and 356) on the holding member 344 side are three hooking portions (359a, 359a, 351 on the container front end side cover 34). 359b and 360) are engaged and fixed. As for the three hook parts, two parts, the mounting surface hooking part 359a and the mounting surface hooking part 359b, have a hole shape, and one part of the mounting surface cross hooking part 360 has a claw shape. ing.
For the attachment surface upper hooking portion 359a and the attachment surface lower hooking portion 359b of the hole shape, utilizing the inclination of the tip of the two claws of the holding member upper claw 355 and the holding member lower claw 354 and the elasticity of the claw Set. In addition, the claw-shaped mounting surface lateral hooking portion 360 is set using the inclination of the tip of the holding member right side surface claw 356 and the mounting surface lateral hooking portion inclined surface 360a of the mounting surface lateral hooking portion 360. Do.

In such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 57, the ID tag 700 is temporarily set inside the frame 352 of the holding member 344 and the holding member 344 is moved along the pedestal 358 on the container front end cover 34 side. As a result, the claws (355, 354 and 356) formed on the holding member 344 engage with the hooks (359a, 359b and 360) formed on the container tip side cover 34, and the two are fitted together Thus, the holding member 344 can be fixed to the container front end side cover 34.
In the example described with reference to FIGS. 55 to 57, the upper and lower two places and one right place of the holding member 344 are the claws (355, 354 and 356) and the hooking parts (359a, 359b and 360). The fitting place of. The fitting position of the holding member 344 is not limited to the combination of the upper and lower sides and the right, but may be only the upper and lower sides of the holding member 344 or only the left and right or the upper and lower sides and the right, etc. It is not something to do.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the fitting method using the claw members has been described, but in some cases, the holding member 344 is tightened and fixed to the container distal end side cover 34 by processing such as heat caulking or a fastening member. It can also be done. Furthermore, when there is a demand for attaching the ID tag holding member 344 more firmly, or when there is a jig that can be rewritten (rewritten) without removing it from the container front end side cover 34 when recycling the ID tag, etc. Can.

Next, with reference to FIGS. 58 to 63, an ID tag 700 as an information storage device provided in the toner container 32 of the present embodiment will be described.
In the following description, the “substantially rectangular metal plate” is defined to include a substantially rectangular shape in addition to the rectangular shape. Therefore, what chamfered all or one part of the corner | angular part of a rectangular-shaped metal plate, what was made into R shape, etc. will be contained in "substantially rectangular-shaped metal plate."

FIG. 58 is a trihedral view of the ID tag 700. 58 (a) is a front view of the ID tag 700 as viewed from the connector 800 side, and FIG. 58 (b) is an ID tag 700 as viewed in a direction orthogonal to the mounting direction (the upper right direction in FIG. 55). Side view of FIG. FIG. 58C is a back view of the ID tag 700 as viewed from the container front end cover 34 side.
FIG. 59 is a perspective view showing the ID tag 700, the holding member 344 and the connector 800 and is a perspective view showing the relative positional relationship between the three members (700, 344 and 800). In FIG. 59, the holding member upper claw 355 and the holding member lower claw 354 shown in FIGS. 56 and 57 are not shown.
60 is a perspective view showing a state in which the ID tag 700 is engaged with the connector 800. FIG. FIG. 61 is a circuit diagram showing the electric circuit of the ID tag 700 and the electric circuit of the connector 800.

FIG. 62 (a) is a front view showing a state in which the ID tag 700 is held by the connector 800, and FIG. 62 (b) is a view in which the ID tag 700 is rotated around the ID tag hole 701 for positioning. It is a front view which shows the state which exists. FIG. 63 is a view showing the ID tag 700 in a state in which the probe 901 of the conduction inspection apparatus 900 is abutted in the inspection process at the time of factory manufacture.
In the ID tag 700 of the present embodiment, only one ID tag hole 701 is formed in the substrate 702, and the ID tag hole 701 is formed of a rectangular metal plate. A plurality of metal pads 710 (710a, 710b, 710c) Is placed between).

  As shown in FIG. 55, the toner container 32 of this embodiment is disposed such that the long side of the rectangular ID tag 700 is not parallel to the vertical direction, but the long side is oblique. There is. For this reason, the vertical direction in the state of being disposed in the toner container 32 does not coincide with the longitudinal direction of the ID tag 700. However, in the following description, for convenience, the direction parallel to the long side of the ID tag 700 (Z ′ axis direction in FIG. 58) is referred to as the chip vertical direction, and the direction parallel to the short side of the ID tag 700 (FIG. The inside X 'axis direction) is called the chip left and right direction. The same applies to the connector 800 disposed obliquely to the toner supply device 60.

As shown in FIG. 58, in the ID tag 700 as an information storage device in the present embodiment, an ID tag hole 701 is formed at a position vertically above the center of gravity of the substrate 702 in the chip vertical direction. And, on the inner diameter portion and the periphery of the ID tag hole portion 701, a ground terminal 703 for grounding made of a metal terminal is installed. As shown in FIG. 58, in the ground terminal 703 formed on the surface of the substrate 702 of this embodiment, two ground terminal protrusions 705 extend in the chip left-right direction with respect to the annular portion. Is formed.
In addition, one rectangular metal pad 710 (first metal pad 710 a) is disposed at a position above the ID tag hole 701 in the chip vertical direction. Furthermore, two metal pads 710 (a second metal pad 710 b and a third metal pad 710 c) are provided at the lower position in the chip vertical direction.

Further, as shown in FIG. 58C, on the back surface of the substrate 702, a protection member 720 is provided which covers and protects an information storage unit (not shown) which is made of a resin material such as semi-spherical epoxy or the like. . The ID tag 700 has an information storage unit such as an IC (Integrated Circuit) inside, and the ID tag hole in the upper and lower direction of the chip in the chip vertical direction of the protective member 720 which is the largest and heavyest component disposed on the back surface. The unit 701 is arranged. Thus, as described above, the positional relationship is realized such that the ID tag hole 701 is vertically above the center of the chip with respect to the center of gravity of the ID tag 700. The arrangement of the ID tag holes 701 depends on the shape of the substrate 702 and the configuration and arrangement of the back surface of the protective member 720 or the like.
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 62 (a), in the ID tag 700 of this embodiment, the center position of the ID tag hole 701 is above the chip in the vertical direction by a distance Za from the center of gravity of the ID tag 700. It is formed as.

  As shown in FIG. 59, the connector 800 has a connector body 805 which is a hollow box made of resin, and the positioning pin 801 (positioning has a tapered shape at the tip of one hollow cylinder in the connector body 805) (Protruding portion for) is provided to stand up in the horizontal direction. Further, on the positioning pin 801, a grounding main body side terminal 802 is installed. The grounding main body side terminal 802 is a plate-like (or linear) metal member, and a part thereof is accommodated in the hollow portion of the positioning pin 801 formed integrally with the connector main body 805. The curved portion is exposed from a slit-like opening formed in a part of the circumferential surface of the hollow cylinder and protrudes from the cylindrical outer circumferential surface of the positioning pin 801. One main body side terminal 804 is installed at a vertically upper position in the chip vertical direction with respect to the positioning pin 801 (the main body side terminal for grounding 802), and the position vertically lower in the chip vertical direction with respect to the positioning pin 801 There are two main body side terminals 804 installed in the. The main body side terminals 804 are plate-like (or linear) metal members.

  Further, on the lower side of the connector main body 805 and at positions on both sides in the chip left-right direction sandwiching the positioning pin 801, a pair of ribs formed such that the tapered surfaces inside the tip of each other are axisymmetrical. Furthermore, a shake preventing member 803 is provided as a pair of restricting members that faces both end surfaces of the ID tag 700 and a lower position in the chip vertical direction than the center of the ID tag hole 701.

Further, the holding member 344 is fixed to the container front end side cover 34 of the toner container 32, and in a state where the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, it is positioned between the connector 800 and the ID tag 700. Then, the ID tag 700 is movably held (with a certain degree of rattling).
As shown in FIG. 59, the holding member 344 is provided with a holding member projection 353 on each of the holding member lower portion 348, the holding member left side surface portion 342 and the holding member right side surface portion 349. The three holding member projections 353 provided on each of the holding member lower portion 348, the holding member left side portion 342 and the holding member right side portion 349 prevent the ID tag 700 from falling off to the connector 800 side more than the holding member 344. ing.
In addition, a holding member opening 347 is formed at an end of the holding member 344 on the connector 800 side (a wall surface including the holding member protrusion 353). The holding member opening 347 has a large end of the connector 800 side end of the holding member 344 including a region facing the four terminals (three main body side terminals 804 and one grounding main body side terminal 802) on the connector 800 side. It is a shape which makes a part an opening. Further, the holding member opening 347 of the holding member 344 has an open shape up to the portion corresponding to the shake preventing member 803 provided in the connector 800. Then, when the toner container 32 is attached, following the positioning pin 801 passing the opening position of the holding member opening 347, the shake preventing member 803 also passes the opening position of the holding member opening 347, and the holding member 344 Will enter the interior of the

The four pedestals 358 facing the back surface side (the protection member 720 side) of the ID tag 700 are a part of the container front end side cover 34 and extend from the holding portion 343 to the connector 800 side. . The four pedestals 358 are configured to press the vicinity of the four corners of the rectangular substrate 702, and a protection member 720 fixed to the ID tag 700 or a shake prevention member 803 that enters when connected to the connector 800. It has a shape that can avoid interference with the
On the other hand, when the positioning pin 801 is inserted into the ID tag hole 701 of the ID tag 700, the ID tag 700 is pushed toward the rear end of the container by the grounding terminal 802 and the terminal 804 of the positioning pin 801. It will be. At this time, since the four pedestals 358 are supported from the back surface of the substrate 702, contact between the terminals can be maintained.

  FIG. 60 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the positioning of the connector 800 on the toner replenishing device 60 side and the ID tag 700 is completed in a state where the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60 (copier 500 main body). is there. The state shown in FIG. 60 is a state in which the terminal on the main body side (the main body side terminal 804 and the main body side terminal 802 for grounding) and the terminal on the ID tag 700 side (metal pad 710 and the ground terminal 703) are connected. In FIG. 60, for the sake of easy understanding, the illustration of the holding member 344 between the connector 800 and the ID tag 700 and the three metal pads 710 is omitted.

In the toner container 32 of the present embodiment, the container opening 33 a protrudes from the container tip side cover 34. Then, the toner container 32 in the non-mounted state is moved in the direction of the arrow Q in the figure and mounted on the toner replenishing device 60, first, the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a and the container setting portion 615 are fitted. Ru. Then, the position of the toner container 32 in the direction perpendicular to the rotation axis direction with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 is determined. Thereafter, by further moving the toner container 32 in the direction of the arrow Q in the drawing, the connection between the ID tag 700 and the connector 800 is started.
After positioning of the toner container 32 in the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis direction is performed and the position of the container tip side cover 34 in the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis direction is determined, positioning of the ID tag 700 in the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis direction. Is done. Specifically, after the position in the direction orthogonal to the rotational axis direction of the container front end cover 34 is determined, the ID tag hole 701 of the ID tag 700 is positioned so that it is picked up by the taper of the end of the positioning pin 801 of the connector 800 The pin 801 is fitted. By this fitting, the positions of the ID tag 700 in the vertical direction and the horizontal direction of the chip are simultaneously determined. That is, the ID tag 700 is positioned in the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis direction.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 62 (a), the connector 800 swings to the lower edge on the left and right sides of the substrate 702 in the chip left and right direction and below the center of the ID tag hole 701 in the chip vertical direction. The preventing member 803 enters. At this time, even if the attitude of the ID tag 700 is deviated as shown in FIG. 62 (b), if the tapered surface at the tip of the rib-like runout preventing member 803 contacts one of the above-mentioned edges, the ID tag hole 701 The lower part also rotates in the opposite direction to the contacting tapered surface. Then, the rotation is stopped at a position where the two taper surfaces are uniformly contacted, and the positional deviation in the rotational direction (rotation in the direction of both arrows shown in FIG. 62 (b)) is corrected (FIG. 62 (a) State). This completes the positioning of the ID tag 700.

  At this time, a part of the ground terminal 703 of the ID tag 700 (a part corresponding to the inner diameter portion of the ID tag hole 701) contacts the grounding main body side terminal 802 of the positioning pin 801 shown in FIG. The ground (conductive) of the ID tag 700 is taken. Furthermore, after the grounding is taken, the three metal pads 710 (710a, 710b, 710c) of the ID tag 700 also contact the three body side terminals 804 of the connector 800, as shown in FIG. 61 (a). Do. Then, information can be transmitted between the ID tag 700 and the control unit (control unit 90 of the copying machine 500) on the side of the toner replenishing device 60 provided with the connector 800.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, a high-accuracy positioning mechanism is realized with an inexpensive configuration by adding various ideas described in (1) to (5) below.

  (1) The ID tag hole 701 is one. This makes it possible to reduce the processing cost of the substrate 702.

  (2) The grounding main body side terminal 802 is integrally installed on the side peripheral surface of the positioning pin 801. Thus, the distance between the positioning pin 801 and the grounding main body side terminal 802 can be substantially zero, and the positional accuracy of the ground terminal 703 with respect to the grounding main body side terminal 802 can be enhanced.

  (3) In the mounting completed state shown in FIG. 60, the ID of the ID tag hole 701 is matched so that the center of the hole of the ID tag hole 701 is on a straight line connecting the apexes of the curved portions (contact portions) of the three main body side terminals 804 on the connector 800 side. The arrangement relationship between the tag hole 701 and the curved portion of the main body side terminal 804 is adjusted. By this, the distance in the chip left-right direction from the ID tag hole 701 which is the positioning part to the contact part between the terminals (the main body side terminal 804 and the metal pad 710) can be reduced to around 0 [mm]. . As a result, the positional accuracy when the three metal pads 710 (710a, 710b, 710c) and the three body side terminals 804 contact each other is improved.

  (4) The position of the ID tag hole 701 is disposed in any one of a plurality of gaps generated when the plurality of metal pads 710 (710a, 710b, 710c) are arranged. By this, it is possible to shorten the distance to the third metal pad 710 c located at the farthest position from the center of the ID tag hole 701 (which corresponds to the arm length of the pendulum). This is a case compared to one in which positioning holes (or notches) are disposed above or below the chip in the vertical direction, which is the outside of the array of metal pads 710 (710a, 710b, 710c). . Specifically, when positioning holes (or notches) are arranged outside the row of three metal pads 710 (710a, 710b, 710c), the longest arm length is the hole center (or notch). Distance from the center) to three minutes of the metal pad 710. On the other hand, in the ID tag 700 of this embodiment, the longest arm length can be set to a distance of two of the metal pad 710. Even if the parallelism of the third metal pad 710c at the farthest position with respect to the main body side terminal 804 is deviated due to variations in mass production, the deviation is minimized by shortening the arm length of the deflection. Can.

  (5) When the toner container 32 is stored separately, the foreign matter enters the holding member 344 and is pinched between the ID tag 700 and the holding member protruding portion 353 or the pedestal 358, and the position remains shifted. There is a risk of To address such problems, in the present embodiment, the positional relationship is devised so that the ID tag hole portion 701 of the ID tag 700 is located above the center of gravity in the chip vertical direction. Thus, the ID tag 700 can be rotated when the shake preventing member 803 formed of a pair of ribs enters below the ID tag hole 701 which is the rotation center in the vertical direction of the chip. Specifically, the ID tag 700 can be rotated so as to be in contact with the two tapered surfaces evenly by contact with the tapered surface of the shake preventing member 803 (rib). Thereby, the positional deviation can be restricted to correct the posture. As a result, even if there is only one ID tag hole 701, the positional accuracy of the plurality of metal pads 710 (710a, 710b, 710c) with respect to the plurality of body side terminals 804 can be simultaneously improved.

  As described above in (1) to (5), each of the five devices will exert their respective effects. And even if an inexpensive configuration is adopted to minimize the area of the metal pad 710, the plurality of terminals (703, 710) on the ID tag 700 side including the ground terminal 703 and the plurality of main body side terminals (802, 804) The accuracy of the positioning of and can be made extremely high.

Furthermore, the devices and effects of the present embodiment will be described in addition to those described above.
First, each of the three metal pads 710 (710a, 710b, 710c) will be described in detail. A clock signal for communication control is input to the topmost first metal pad 710a. For serial communication, a slow but low-cost serial communication system is adopted, and an I2C (Inter-Integrated Circuit) is adopted as a serial bus. While connected to the connector 800 on the toner replenishing device 60 side, a signal line to which a serial clock (SCL) is input is formed. Although the first metal pad 710a corresponds to a terminal on the clock signal input direction side, the signal flow of the clock signal is unidirectional, so the ID tag 700 is a short circuit with Vcc (power supply, third metal pad 710c) described later. It is predicted that the possibility of destruction is high compared to other terminals. Therefore, in order to avoid destruction of the ID tag 700, it is arranged at a place away from Vcc. This is because the possibility of breakage even if it is shorted to GND (earth terminal 703) is low.

  The second metal pad 710b also adopts a serial communication method, adopts I2C as a serial bus, and forms a signal line through which serial data (SDA) is input / output in a state of being connected to the connector 800 on the toner replenishing device 60 side. Since the second metal pad 710b is in both the input and output directions, the possibility of destruction of the ID tag 700 due to a short circuit is smaller than that of the first metal pad 710a of one-way input.

  The third metal pad 710 c is a power supply input unit (Vcc), and is connected to the connector 800 on the toner replenishing device 60 side, and a voltage of 5 [V] or 3.3 [V] is input. Serial data input terminal (second metal pad) between GND (ground terminal 703) and serial clock input terminal (first metal pad 710a) to reduce the risk of failure for the entire device, which is a short between the power supply and GND. 710b) in between. As shown in FIG. 58, the third metal pad 710c which is Vcc overlaps the protection member 720 on the back side of the ID tag via the substrate 702, and is close to an IC drive circuit (not shown) in the protection member 720. As a result, the power supply line can be made short and thick, and stabilization of the power supply operation (= reduction of noise malfunction) can be achieved.

Next, I will describe the device about the earth. In the mounting operation of the toner container 32, the ground terminal 703 of the ID tag 700 contacts the grounding main body side terminal 802 of the positioning pin 801 (connector 800). Then, after this contact, the three metal pads 710 (710 a, 710 b, 710 c) of the ID tag 700 are configured to be brought into contact with the three body side terminals 804 of the connector 800. In other words, in the detachment operation of the toner container 32, the contact of the three metal pads 710 (710a, 710b, 710c) of the ID tag 700 with the three body side terminals 804 of the connector 800 is released. Then, after the contact is released, the ground terminal 703 of the ID tag 700 is configured to be released (separated) from the grounding main body side terminal 802 of the positioning pin 801 (connector 800).
Specifically, as shown in FIG. 61A, in the connector 800, the contact start position of the main body side terminal 802 for grounding is closer to the ID tag 700 than in the three main body side terminals 804. Is formed.

With such a configuration, in the mounting operation of the toner container 32, the connection between the metal pad 710 and the main body side terminal 804 is started while the ID tag 700 is always grounded. Then, in the removal operation of the toner container 32, separation (contact release) between the metal pad 710 and the main body side terminal 804 is started in a state where the ID tag 700 is always grounded. Therefore, in the electric circuit on the side of the ID tag 700, it is prevented from being in an electrically floating state without being grounded, and the ID tag 700 is less likely to be electrically damaged.
Specifically, when the electrical circuit on the ID tag 700 side is in an electrically floating state without being grounded, the electrical circuit is in a state of being grounded with a very large impedance. At this time, even if static electricity generated at the time of contact or separation between the three metal pads 710 and the three body side terminals 804 flows into the electric circuit even if slight, a high voltage equivalent to the current multiplied by the impedance is generated. . Then, the high voltage causes insulation breakdown inside the IC in the ID tag 700, and the IC is broken.

In such a failure, as shown in FIG. 61B, in the connector 800, the contact start positions of the three body side terminals 804 and the grounding body side terminals 802 with respect to the ID tag 700 are formed at the same position. Is likely to occur in such cases.
On the other hand, in the present embodiment, they are arranged as follows. That is, the curved portion of the main body side terminal 802 for grounding exposed from the slit-like opening of the positioning pin 801 is the ID tag 700, rather than the curved portion which is the portion that protrudes most to the ID tag 700 side in the main body side terminal 804. It is arranged to be closer to the As a result, the circuit ground at the time of contact is performed first, and the circuit ground at separation is last, so that the impedance is always theoretically zero, and even if static electricity flows into the electric circuit, the dielectric breakdown in the IC It can prevent.

Further, in the ID tag 700 of the present embodiment, as described earlier with reference to FIG. 58, two ground terminal projecting portions 705 are provided on a part of the outer periphery of the ground terminal 703.
As described above, by providing the ground terminal protrusion 705 on the front surface of the substrate 702 of the ID tag 700, energization is performed in the inspection process (process for inspecting the good and defect of the ID tag 700) at the time of manufacturing in a factory. The contact operation of the inspection probe can be facilitated. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 63, tip portions of a plurality of probes 901 included in the conduction inspection apparatus 900 from above with respect to the metal pad 710 and the ground terminal 703 of the ID tag 700 in a state of being placed on the inspection table. Push each one. At this time, the ground terminal protrusion 705 of the ground terminal 703 has an area sufficient for the tip end portion of the probe 901 to abut, so that it is possible to prevent a failure in the energization inspection due to a contact failure of the probe 901. Further, the leading end of the probe 901 is brought into contact with the ground terminal 703 (ground terminal projecting portion 705) from above to conduct the conduction inspection. For this reason, the resistance of the probe 901 itself which is repeatedly used for each inspection can be improved as compared with the case where the current inspection is performed by inserting the probe 901 into the ID tag hole portion 701. Furthermore, the defect that the ID tag hole 701 of the ID tag 700 wears out due to the energization test can be prevented.

  In the surplus space which spreads like a wedge between the ring of the earth terminal 703 and the rectangular metal pad 710, the following arrangement is made. That is, the ground terminal protrusion 705 is disposed so that the boundary (boundary line) in the chip left-right direction is in contact with the outer periphery of the annular ring and parallel to the longitudinal direction of the metal pad 710 (710a, 710b, 710c). There is. By this, without the ground terminal protrusion 705 protruding in the chip vertical direction, the protrusion of the ground terminal protrusion 705 to the left and right sliding regions of the substrate 702 which slides with the holding member protrusion 353 (the protrusion in the chip left-right direction) Can be suppressed. As a result, without increasing the size of the substrate 702, it is possible to increase the number of substrates 702 taken from substrate materials having fixed dimensions in manufacturing as much as possible, and the cost of the ID tag 700 increases. It can be suppressed.

Further, the three main body side terminals 804 in the connector 800 are plate-like (or linear) metal members, and one end thereof is fixed to the connector main body 805 with the container tip end as a free end. . Further, the three main body side terminals 804 are formed with a curved portion that is curved toward the ID tag 700 (toner container 32) on the container tip end side. That is, the body side terminal 804 is bent toward the ID tag 700 like a knee (or boomerang). The curved portion of the main body side terminal 804 is a portion to be a contact point with the metal pad 710.
Then, with the mounting operation of the toner container 32 to the toner replenishing device 60, the curved portion of the main body side terminal 804 contacts the substantially central portion of the metal pad 710 in the longitudinal direction (chip left and right direction). Then, when the mounting operation of the toner container 32 further proceeds, the ID tag 700 further approaches the connector 800 side, the main body side terminal 804 is pressed by the metal pad 710, and the elastic deformation (the bent knee extends) While the curved portion of the main body side terminal 804 approaches the free end. That is, with the mounting operation of the toner container 32, the curved portion of the main body side terminal 804 slides from the central portion in the longitudinal direction (chip lateral direction) toward the free end while gradually increasing the contact pressure against the metal pad 710. It will be.

  With such a configuration, contact failure between the main body side terminal 804 and the metal pad 710 can be reliably suppressed. Specifically, the position in the longitudinal direction (the chip left-right direction) of the container tip side cover 34 (the metal pad 710) with respect to the connector 800 (the body side terminal 804) is deviated due to the size accuracy There are times when However, with the configuration described above, contact failure between the main body side terminal 804 and the metal pad 710 can be reliably suppressed even if the position in the longitudinal direction of the container tip side cover 34 with respect to the connector 800 is shifted.

  As described above, in the toner container 32 of the present embodiment, the contact-type ID tag 700 (information storage device) is held by the holding mechanism 345 such as the holding member 344. Specifically, the ID tag 700 can move on a virtual plane substantially orthogonal to the moving direction (arrow Q direction) when the metal pad 710 as the container side terminal approaches and contacts the body side terminal 804 Is held by a holding mechanism 345 such as the holding member 344. As a result, even in the following cases, contact failure due to positioning failure between the metal pad 710 of the ID tag 700 and the main body side terminal 804 of the connector 800 provided in the toner replenishing device 60 is less likely to occur. That is, even in the case where the contact type ID tag 700 is installed in the toner container 32 which is detachably installed in the toner replenishing device 60 (the main body of the copying machine 500), the contact failure hardly occurs.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, even when the contact type ID tag 700 is installed in the toner container 32 which is detachably installed to the toner replenishing device 60, the ID tag 700 is electrically damaged. It becomes difficult to occur. In this case, in one ID tag hole 701 formed in the substrate 702 of the ID tag 700, a ground terminal 703 engaged with the grounding main body side terminal 802 formed in the positioning pin 801 of the connector 800 is formed. It is for.

If the flowability of the toner is high, toner scattering is apt to occur as the subject of the present embodiment is attached and removed.
As an index indicating the fluidity of toner, an accelerated aggregation degree [%] and a loose apparent density [g / cm ³ ] are known. The toner accommodated in the toner container 32 of the present embodiment has a volume average particle diameter of about 5.5 μm, an accelerated aggregation degree of about 13%, and a loose apparent density of about 0.36 g / cm ³ . About 3.3 parts by weight of silica and about 0.6 parts by weight of titanium are used. This toner is a toner that can be fixed by a heat quantity of about 120 ° C., and is a toner that is excellent in so-called low temperature fixing ability.
In addition, as other toners, those having a volume average particle size of about 4.5 [μm], an accelerated aggregation degree of about 18 [%], and a loose apparent density of about 0.38 [g / cm ³ ], and silica of 2.3 It is also possible to use a toner to which about [parts by weight] and about 0.7 [parts by weight] titanium are added. Of course, it is also possible to use toners other than those exemplified.

The toner can be manufactured using a known polymerization method or grinding method.
As a method of measuring the particle size distribution of toner particles, Coulter counter method can be applied. As a measuring device according to this method, Coulter Counter TA-II and Coulter Multisizer II (all manufactured by Coulter, Inc.) can be mentioned.
The accelerated aggregation degree of the toner was measured using a powder tester (manufactured by Hosokawa Micron Corporation) under the environment of a temperature of 24 [° C.] and a humidity of 72 [%]. Other conditions are as shown in Table 1.

After measurement, the degree of cohesion of the toner is determined by the following equation.
Weight% of powder remaining in upper tray × 1 (a)
Weight% of powder remaining in middle stage x 0.6 (b)
% By weight of the powder remaining in the lower part of the tray × 0.2 (c)
The degree of aggregation (%) = (a) + (b) + (c).
The measurement results are as shown in Table 2. (unit:[%])

From the results of Table 2, the toners of toner types D and E were evaluated as having low fluidity.
The loose apparent density is a value calculated by filling the container with toner loose, slitting, and dividing the content weight by the container volume.
When the flowability of the toner is high, toner scattering tends to occur, but in the toner container and the toner replenishing device to which the present invention is applied, the toner replenishing device is configured to be replenished with toner inside the toner container. For this reason, it is a matter of course that the configuration is also effective for the toner whose flowability is not so high, but it can be said that the configuration is more effective in terms of preventing the toner scattering against such high flowability toner.

What has been described above is an example, and the present invention has unique effects in each of the following modes.
(Aspect A)
A container main body such as a container main body 33 and the like, which is mounted on a powder transport device such as the toner replenishing device 60 with its horizontal direction being longitudinal and stores powder such as toner for image formation supplied to the powder transport device; And conveying means such as helical projections 302 for conveying the powder from the one end side of the longitudinal direction to the other end side provided with the container opening such as the cylindrical tip opening 305, and the container opening A tube receiving port such as a nozzle inlet 331 and the like, which is arranged and inserted in and receives a transfer tube such as a transfer nozzle 611 fixed to the powder transfer device, and a container opening, and is connected to the tube receiving port The tube insertion member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 for guiding the inside of the container body and the powder are received from the conveying means, and the powder itself is lifted from the lower side of the container body by its own rotation. Powder receiving port such as opening 610 In a powder storage container such as a toner container 32 provided with a pump-up unit such as a pump-up unit 304 for moving powder, the powder transport device includes a powder receiving port for receiving powder from the container body, and a powder receiving port And a biasing member such as a nozzle shutter spring 613 for biasing the powder inlet to close the powder inlet and a container tip of the container seal 333 A contact member such as a nozzle shutter collar 612a or the like which is moved so as to open the powder inlet with respect to the transport pipe opening / closing member by coming into contact with the cylindrical inner bottom of the container opening such as the end face on the side; In the container opening, a tube inlet is disposed at the inner bottom, and in the cylindrical internal space of the container opening, the contact member and the biasing member are provided when the powder container is mounted on the powder conveyance device. It is stored.
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, since the pipe receiving port is disposed at the cylindrical inner bottom of the container opening, the end face on the other end side of the container tip such as the container front end is The pipe insertion member has a portion which protrudes in the rotation axis direction more than the end face on the other end side where the pipe receiving port of the pipe insertion member is open. The protruding portion prevents the powder that has leaked from the tube receiving port from being scattered when the transfer pipe is extracted from the powder storage container, and the powder can be suppressed from being scattered. Furthermore, when the powder storage container is mounted on the powder transfer device, the contact member and the biasing member are stored in the internal space of the cylindrical container opening portion, whereby the powder transfer device can It is possible to suppress an increase in size in the longitudinal direction of the powder transfer device in a state in which the storage container is mounted.
(Aspect B)
In the embodiment A, the outer peripheral surface of the container opening such as the tip opening 305 of the container body such as the container body 33 and the tip end surface such as the end surface 305f are positioning portions with the powder transport device such as the toner replenishing device 60.
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, the powder such as toner can be prevented from reaching the outer peripheral surface side of the container opening, so that the positioning accuracy of the powder container with respect to the powder conveyance device is stable. Do.
(Aspect C)
In (Aspect A), when carrying the powder, the container body such as the container body 33 has the longitudinal axis as the rotation axis, and the powder such as the toner replenishing device 60 is rotatable relative to the transport pipe such as the transport nozzle 611 It is held by the body transfer device, and has a rotating shaft portion in which the cylindrical outer peripheral surface of the container opening such as the tip opening 305 of the container body is inserted into the rotary bearing such as the container setting portion 615 of the powder transfer device. .
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, when the powder enters the gap between the rotary bearing portion and the rotary shaft portion, which becomes the slide portion, the sliding load at the time of rotation increases, and the container body rotates There is a possibility that the torque may increase, but in this aspect, the powder can be prevented from reaching the outer peripheral surface side of the container opening. For this reason, it is possible to suppress the entry of powder into the sliding portion, to suppress an increase in sliding load, to stabilize the sliding property, and to suppress an increase in the rotational torque of the container main body.
(Aspect D)
In (Aspect C), the outer peripheral surface and the front end surface of the container opening such as the front end opening 305 of the container main body such as the container main body 33 are positioning portions with the powder transport device such as the toner replenishing device 60.
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, the positioning accuracy of the powder container with respect to the powder transfer device is stabilized.
(Aspect E)
In aspect C or D, the tube inserting member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 is a fixing portion such as a cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 fixed to the container opening such as the tip opening 305 of the container body such as the container body 33. The fixing portion is fixed to the container opening of the container body by screwing with a screw thread 337c or the like, and the tightening direction of the screwing is such that the powder storage container such as the toner container 32 supplies powder It coincides with the direction of rotational drive within the device.
According to this, as described in the thirteenth embodiment, the rotational drive of the container main body can be prevented from acting to loosen the screwing of the tube insertion member with respect to the container main body.
(Aspect F)
In aspect C or D, the tube inserting member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 is a fixing portion such as a cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 fixed to the container opening such as the tip opening 305 of the container body such as the container body 33. The cylindrical outer diameter of the fixed portion is larger than the cylindrical inner diameter of the container opening of the container body, and the receiving member engages with either the cylindrical outer periphery of the fixed portion or the cylindrical inner periphery of the container opening of the container body A protrusion such as the protrusion 3301 is formed, and an engagement hole such as a tip opening engagement hole 3051 to be engaged with the protrusion is formed on the other, and a fixing portion at a position where the protrusion and the engagement hole engage Is pressed into the container opening.
According to this, as described in the fourteenth embodiment, by the engagement of the protrusion and the engagement hole, it is possible to realize the retaining and the retaining of the tube insertion member with respect to the container main body. Furthermore, the cylindrical outer diameter of the fixing portion is larger than the cylindrical inner diameter of the container opening, so that when the tube insertion member is attached to the container main body, the container opening is corrected to follow the fixing portion and a perfect circle The degree gets better. By improving the roundness of the container opening, the positioning accuracy of the powder container such as the toner container 32 with respect to the powder transport device such as the toner replenishing device 60 is improved.
(Aspect G)
In aspect C or D, the tube inserting member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 is a fixing portion such as a cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 fixed to the container opening such as the tip opening 305 of the container body such as the container body 33. The cylindrical outer diameter of the fixed part is smaller than the cylindrical inner diameter of the container opening of the container body, and the receiving member engages with either the cylindrical outer periphery of the fixed part or the cylindrical inner periphery of the container opening of the container main body A protrusion such as the protrusion 3301 is formed, and an engagement hole such as a tip opening engagement hole 3051 to be engaged with the protrusion is formed on the other, and an outer peripheral seal 3302 or the like is formed in the gap between the fixing portion and the container body. And the tube insertion member is fitted in the container opening so that the seal is sandwiched between the fixing portion and the container body and compressed at the position where the seal and the engagement hole are engaged. There is.
According to this, as described in the fifteenth embodiment, by the engagement of the protrusion and the engagement hole, it is possible to realize the retaining and the retaining of the tube insertion member with respect to the container main body. Further, the axial position of the powder container such as the toner container 32 is determined by the repulsive force received from the seal and the detachment prevention by engagement, and the tube insertion member is detached from the container main body by an impact caused by an external force or the like. To prevent. In addition, since the seal is compressed and sealed, it is possible to prevent the toner and the like from leaking.
(Aspect H)
In aspect C or D, the tube inserting member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 is a fixing portion such as a cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 fixed to the container opening such as the tip opening 305 of the container body such as the container body 33. The outer diameter of the cylinder at least in the region of the fixed portion that coincides with the rotation shaft portion is smaller than the inner diameter of the cylindrical portion of the container opening of the container body. A portion larger than the cylindrical inner diameter of the container opening portion of the container body is provided, and the fixing portion is press-fit into the container opening portion.
According to this, as described in the above-mentioned Embodiment 20, since the portion to be the rotation shaft of the container opening does not expand by press-fitting of the fixing portion, it can be used as a positioning portion or a sliding portion. The positioning accuracy of the container opening can be maintained, and accurate positioning and good sliding can be realized.
(Aspect I)
In the embodiment H, the container outer periphery of the cylinder outside the above-mentioned region which is a press-fit portion such as γ1 is formed in the container opening such as the tip opening 305 to transmit the rotational force to the container main Gear position.
According to this, as described above in the twentieth embodiment, the strength is higher than that of the other part of the container main body, and deformation due to the press-in hardly occurs. In addition, since the container body tightly tightens the fixing portion, it is difficult for the tube insertion member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 to slip off with time.
(Aspect J)
In the aspect H, the cylindrical outer periphery outside the above-mentioned region which is a press-fit portion such as γ1 is a position where the thickness of the container opening such as the tip opening 305 is larger than the thickness of the rotation shaft.
According to this, as described above in the twentieth embodiment, the strength is higher than that of the other part of the container main body, and deformation due to the press-in hardly occurs. In addition, since the container body tightly tightens the fixing portion, it is difficult for the tube insertion member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 to slip off with time.
(Aspect K)
In any of the embodiments A to J, the tube inlet such as the nozzle inlet 331 is formed by the through hole of the annular seal such as the container seal 333 and the annular seal and the tube inserting member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 In the meantime, when a transport pipe such as the transport nozzle 611 is inserted, a closed space such as a seal member entrapment prevention space 337b is generated around the transport pipe.
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, the annular seal can be prevented from being caught between the tube insertion member and the container opening / closing member such as the container shutter 332 or the like. For this reason, it can prevent that opening and closing of a pipe | tube inlet-port can not be performed due to the annular seal being rolled up.
(Aspect L)
A container main body such as a container main body 33 and the like, which is mounted on a powder conveyance device such as the toner replenishing device 60 in a longitudinal direction and stores powder such as toner for image formation supplied to the powder conveyance device; Conveying means such as helical projections 302 and the like, which are disposed inside and convey the powder from the one end side of the longitudinal direction to the other end side where the container opening such as the tip opening 305 is provided; A transfer pipe such as a transfer nozzle 611 fixed to the transfer device is inserted and received in a pipe inlet such as a nozzle inlet 331 and the like, and is disposed at the container opening and communicates with the pipe inlet to convey the transfer pipe inside the container body The powder is received from the tube insertion member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 and the like, which is guided by the carrier, and the powder is lifted from the lower side of the container main body by its own rotation, and the powder such as the nozzle opening 610 of the transport tube Move the powder to the receiving port In the powder storage container such as the toner container 32 including the pumping portion such as the pumping portion 304, the pipe insertion member can move the container opening and closing member such as the container shutter 332 for opening and closing the pipe inlet and the container opening and closing member And a support portion such as a shutter side surface support portion 335a for supporting, and communication between a pumping portion disposed adjacent to the support portion and a powder receiving port of a transfer pipe inserted into the pipe insertion member A support opening such as a shutter support opening 335b is provided, and when the tube insertion member rotates, the support and the support opening alternately cross the powder receiving port.
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, even if powder is deposited instantaneously above the powder receiving port, the deposited powder is broken across the support portion, and therefore, the powder is deposited when it is left It is possible to suppress the aggregation of the powder and the occurrence of the poor transport of the powder at the time of restart.
(Aspect M)
In aspect L, the inner edge of the support opening such as the shutter support opening 335b or the outer peripheral surface and the inner edge of the support such as the shutter side surface support 335a are connected to the powder such as the nozzle opening 610 from the pump up such as the pump up 304 It serves as a bridge when moving powder such as toner to the body receiving port.
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, the powder passing through the gap between the transport pipe such as the transport nozzle 611 and the inner wall of the container body 33 and the like forming the pumping portion such as the convex portion 304 h I can suppress the flow of the body. Thus, the pumped powder efficiently enters the powder receiving port. Therefore, the replenishment rate is stabilized even when the amount of powder in the container body decreases, and the amount of powder remaining in the container body when the powder container such as the toner container 32 is replaced is reduced. it can. In addition, since the amount of powder remaining in the container body at the time of replacement can be reduced, running cost can be reduced to improve economic efficiency and residual powder to be discarded can be reduced to reduce environmental impact. Can.
(Aspect N)
In the mode M, the pumping portions such as the pumping portion 304 and the bridge portions such as the shutter side surface support portion 335a have the same rotational direction and move from the downstream side to the upstream side in the rotational direction. They are arranged in close proximity to one another so as to be in the order of the inner edge of the opening, the convex portion 304h etc. raised toward the inside of the container body such as the container body of the pumping portion.
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, the powder passing through the gap between the transport pipe such as the transport nozzle 611 and the inner wall of the container body 33 and the like forming the pumping portion such as the convex portion 304 h I can suppress the flow of the body.
(Aspect O)
In aspect M, the container main body such as the container main body 33 or the like transports powder such as the toner replenishing device 60 or the like so as to be rotatable with respect to the transport pipe such as the transport nozzle 611 The tube insertion member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 is fixed to the container body, and the pumping portion such as the pumping portion 304 is a convex portion in which the inner wall surface of the container body bulges into the container body. A convex portion such as 304 h and the like, and an inner wall surface such as a raised scooping wall surface 304 f which is connected from the convex portion to the inner wall of the peripheral surface of the container body.
According to this, as described in the above-described embodiment, it is possible to realize a configuration in which the powder is pumped up by the rotation of the container body.
(Aspect P)
In aspect L or M, the container main body such as the container main body 33 or the like has the longitudinal axis as a rotational axis when powder is to be transported, and powder such as the toner replenishing device 60 is rotatable relative to the transport tube such as the transport nozzle 611 or the like. The tube inserting member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 is fixed to the container body, and the pumping portion such as the pumping 304 is a convex in which the inner wall surface of the container body bulges into the container body. The convex portion such as the portion 304h and the inner wall surface such as the raised raised wall surface 304f connected from the convex portion to the inner wall of the peripheral surface of the container body, and the convex portion and the bridge portion such as the shutter side support portion 335a are in close contact Or face with some gap.
According to this, as described in the above-described embodiment, it is possible to realize a configuration in which the powder is pumped up by the rotation of the container body. In addition, it is possible to suppress the flow of powder that passes through the gap between the transport pipe such as the transport nozzle 611 and the inner wall of the container body 33 and the like forming the pumping portion such as the convex portion 304 h.
(Aspect Q)
In aspect L, the container main body such as the container main body 33 and the like transports powder such as the toner replenishing device 60 and the like so as to be rotatable with respect to the transport pipe such as the transport nozzle 611 The pipe insertion member such as the nozzle receiving member 330 is fixed to the container body, and the pumping portion such as the pumping portion 304 extends from the pipe insertion member to the vicinity of the inner wall of the peripheral surface of the container body. Rib such as a pumping rib 304g which protrudes as shown in FIG.
According to this, as described in the above-mentioned modified example, the rib can receive the powder transported by the transport means such as the helical projection 302 and can be pumped upward from below by rotation. And it becomes possible to make a rib surface into a slide and to flow in powder to powder receiving ports, such as nozzle opening 610 grade.
(Aspect R)
An image forming unit such as a printer unit 100 that forms an image on an image carrier such as a photosensitive member 41 using an image forming powder such as toner, and a toner replenishing device 60 that conveys the powder to the image forming unit. And the like, and an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine 500 having a powder storage container such as a toner container 32 detachably held by the powder conveyance part, wherein the powder container The powder storage container according to any one of the embodiments 1 to 10 is used.
According to this, as described in the above embodiment, scattering of the powder can be prevented, and the positioning accuracy of the powder storage container caused by the scattering of the powder is reduced, and the rotational torque of the powder storage container is increased. Since this can be prevented, stable powder transfer can be performed toward the powder transfer destination. Since the powder for image formation can be stably transported, the amount of powder transported to the image forming unit is stabilized, so that the image density is stabilized and good image formation can be performed.

Reference Signs List 26 paper feed tray 27 paper feed roller 28 registration roller pair 29 discharge roller pair 30 stack portion 32 toner container (powder storage container)
33 Container body (powder storage member)
33a Container opening 34 Container front end side cover (storage part cover member)
34a gear exposure opening 34b color incompatible rib 41 photosensitive member 42a cleaning blade 42 photosensitive member cleaning device 44 charging roller 46Y yellow image forming unit 46 imaging unit 47 exposure device 48 intermediate transfer belt 49 primary transfer bias roller 50 developing device 51 developing roller 52 doctor blade 53 first developer accommodating portion 54 developer accommodating portion 54 second developer accommodating portion 55 developer conveying screw 56 toner concentration detecting sensor 60 toner replenishment device (powder conveying device)
64 Toner Drop Conveying Path 70 Toner Container Accommodating Portion 71 Insertion Port Forming Part 72 Container Receiving Part 73 Container Cover Receiving Part (Tip Receiving Part)
82 secondary transfer backup roller 85 intermediate transfer unit 86 fixing device 89 secondary transfer roller 90 control unit (information processing means)
91 container rotation drive unit 100 printer unit 200 sheet feeding unit 301 container gear 302 spiral projection 303 grip section 304 pumping section 304a pumping section helical projection 304f pumping wall surface 304g pumping rib 304h convex portion 305 tip opening (opening formation portion)
305f End face 306 Cover claw hooking portion 309 Cap fixing thread 310 Toner discharge port 320 Shafted rotation conveyance member 321 No shaft rotation conveyance member 330 Nozzle receiving member (tube insertion member)
330f end face 331 nozzle inlet (pipe inlet)
332 container shutter 332a shutter detachment prevention claw 332b second shutter detachment prevention claw 332c tip cylindrical part 332d sliding part 332e guide rod 332f cantilever 333 container seal 335 shutter rear end support part 335a shutter side support part 335b shutter support opening 336 container shutter spring 337 Receiving member fixing portion 337a Nozzle shutter abutment rib 337b Sealing member entrapment prevention space 337c Thread 339 Container lock portion 339a Guide projection 339b Guide groove 339c Overpassing portion 339d Locking hole 340 Container shutter support member 341 Cover claw portion 342 Holding member left side Face (holding lid left side)
343 holding portion 344 holding member (holding lid)
345 Holding mechanism 347 Holding member opening (holding lid opening)
348 Lower part of holding member (lower part of holding lid)
349 Holding member right side (holding lid right side)
350 Holding member upper part (holding lid upper part)
351 Inner wall rib (ID chip temporary fixing rib)
352 frame (ID chip installation wall)
353 Holding member projection (ID chip pressing projection)
354 Holding member lower claw (holding lid lower claw)
355 Holding member upper claw (holding lid upper claw)
356 Holding member right side claw (holding lid right side claw)
357 ID tag mounting surface (ID chip mounting surface)
358 pedestal (holding pedestal part)
359a Mounting surface hooking portion 359b Mounting surface lower hooking portion 360 Mounting surface horizontal hooking portion 360a Mounting surface horizontal hooking portion sloped surface 361 Slide guide 361a Slide groove 370 Cap (cap member)
371 Cap collar portion 372 Adsorbent 373 Column-shaped member 374 Column-shaped portion 374a Suction hole 375 Column-end elastic member 400 Scanner portion 500 Copy machine (image forming apparatus)
601 container drive gear 602 frame (body frame)
603 Drive motor 604 Drive transmission gear 605 Conveying screw gear 607 Nozzle holder 608 Set cover 609 Supply device side lock member (container lock member)
610 Nozzle opening (powder inlet)
611 Transfer nozzle (transfer tube)
611a nozzle tip end portion 611s nozzle opening side edge portion 612 nozzle shutter (powder inlet / outlet opening / closing member)
612a Nozzle shutter flange (butt part)
612 b shutter inner circumferential first rib 612 c shutter inner circumferential second rib 612 d shutter inner circumferential third rib 612 e nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612 f nozzle shutter spring receiving surface 612 g inner circumferential first rib tip portion 613 nozzle shutter spring (biasing member)
614 transport screw 615 container set portion 615a container set portion inner circumferential surface 615b container set portion end surface 640 swing spring 650 toner container drive shaft 651 delayed rotation generating spring 651a spring fixing pin 652 drive pin 653 idler gear 653a gear face hole 655 spring guide disc 700 ID tag (ID chip, information storage device)
701 ID tag hole (hole or notch)
702 substrate 703 ground terminal 705 ground terminal protrusion 710 metal pad (container side terminal)
710a first metal pad 710b second metal pad 710c third metal pad 720 protective member 800 connector 801 positioning pin (protrusion)
802 Main unit side terminal 803 for grounding Shake prevention member (regulating member)
804 Body side terminal 805 Connector body 1032 Toner container 1033 Container body 1034 Container tip side cover 1034a Gear exposure opening 1035 Bottom lid 1035a Rear end side bearing 1036 Tip side bearing 1301 Container gear 1302 Conveying blade 1303 Handle part 1330 Nozzle receiving member 1330a Nozzle receiving member Member outer peripheral surface 1330b Conveying blade holding portion 1331 Nozzle receiving port 1332 Container shutter 1332a Contacting portion 1332b Shutter supporting portion 1332c Hooking portion 1333 Container seal 1335b Shutter support opening 1336 Container shutter spring 3051 Tip opening engaging hole 3051a Engaging hole top 3052 Tip Opening-side positioning rib 3053 Tip opening engaging projection (tip opening forming portion engaging claw)
3301 Receiving member engaging projection (receiving member engaging claw)
3301a Top of engaging projection (nail tip)
3302 Receiving member outer peripheral seal 3303 Receiving member side positioning groove 3304 Receiving member engaging hole G Developer L Laser light P Recording medium

Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2003-241496 JP 2005-221825 A Patent No. 4342958 JP 2002-202656 A Unexamined-Japanese-Patent No. 2003-233247 JP, 2009-276659, A

The present invention relates to powder container.

  It is desirable that a powder storage container such as a replacement toner container is provided with an information storage device such as an ID tag, and that it can be protected from external contact and impact during storage.

In order to solve the problems described above, the present invention is a powder storage container storing powder removable in a powder transfer device, the storage having an opening at one end side and storing the powder. A container body, a cover portion provided on the one end side of the storage container body, a cap member detachably attached to the opening portion of the storage container body, and an end surface portion on the one end side of the cover portion An information storage device in communication with the provided powder transfer device is provided, and the cap member has a ridge portion so as to hide the information storage device .

According to the present invention, there is an excellent effect of being provided with an information storage device, which can be protected from external contact and impact during storage.

Further, in the shutter side surface support portion 335a and the shutter support opening 335b, the two shutter side surface support portions 335a facing each other form a part of a cylindrical shape, and the cylindrical shape is made large at two portions of the shutter support opening 335b. It has a cut-off shape. With such a shape, the container shutter 332 can be guided to move in the rotational axis direction in the cylindrical space S1 formed inside the cylindrical shape.
The nozzle receiving member 330 fixed to the container body 33 rotates with the container body 33 when the container body 33 rotates. At this time, the shutter side support portion 335 a of the nozzle receiving member 330 is a transport nozzle on the toner replenishing device 60 side. Rotate around 611. For this reason, the rotating shutter side support portion 335 a passes a space immediately above the nozzle opening 610 formed in the upper part of the transfer nozzle 611. As a result, even if toner is instantaneously deposited above the nozzle opening 610, the deposited toner is broken across the shutter side support portion 335a, and the deposited toner is aggregated when it is left, and the toner is transported when it is restarted. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of defects. On the other hand, at the timing when the shutter side support portion 335a is located to the side of the transport nozzle 611 and the nozzle opening 610 and the shutter support opening 335b face each other, as shown by the arrow β in FIG. Are fed into the transport nozzle 611.

More specifically, the state as shown in FIG. 45 (a) is the moment when the raised wall 304f does not come up sufficiently and the convex portion 304h is around the 9 o'clock position of the watch. At this moment, when viewed from the downstream side of the rotation direction of the container body 33, the nozzle opening side edge 611s on the upstream side, the convex portion 304h of the raised wall 304f, and the downstream side end face of the shutter side surface support 335a. In this state, the end face of the intermediate shutter side surface support portion 335a is adapted to always delayed than that protrusions 304 h of the wall surface 304f pumping you try to pass receiving a toner, to exert a bridge function of the toner I can not Thus, the transport nozzle 611 caused by the delay, the convex portion 304h, and the resulting toner leakage part from the gap of the shutter side surface support portion 335a. As a result, the replenishment rate may not be stable, or the amount of toner remaining in the container body 33 may increase when the toner container 32 is replaced.

Incidentally, the degree of closing the gap between the conveyance nozzle 611 and the convex portion 304h is not to have Yue To close contact with the shutter side surface support portion 335a and the convex portion 304h. However, if it is possible to inhibit toner flow-off such as T2, as shown in the lower convex portion 304h in FIG. 45B, a slight gap (0.3 mm) between the shutter side support portion 335a and the convex portion 304h. There may be 1 mm or so). If the gap is small, the gap is clogged with toner in the operation when a large amount of toner is present at the start of replenishment, and the seal serves as a seal. Further, since the raised wall surface 304f is formed by blow molding whose dimensional accuracy can not be as high as that of injection molding, it is difficult to make it completely in close contact, and from the viewpoint of mass productivity .

Of course, although there are a plurality of shutter side support parts 335a, it is also possible to make a limited part smaller than them correspond to the pumping wall 304f as a bridging member. For example, it can be assumed that only one of the two shutter side support parts 335a is used as a bridge member, and the pumping wall surface 304f is formed in the container body 33 at one place correspondingly.
The cost of parts is higher than that of the toner container 32 of FIG. 1, but the container main body 33 is a cylindrical member made of resin (for convenience to be the container main body 1033 to distinguish it from the container main body of the other embodiments) Consider a configuration in which a part of the transport member has a pumping function.

Claims (14)

Mounted horizontally on the powder transport device,
A container main body for containing powder for image formation supplied to the powder conveyance device;
A transfer unit disposed inside the container body and configured to transfer the powder from the one end side of the longitudinal direction to the other end side provided with the cylindrical container opening;
The powder is received from the conveying means, and when it is rotated, the powder is lifted from the lower side of the container body to the upper side, and the powder is moved to the powder receiving port of the fixed conveying tube of the powder conveying device. A receiving member disposed at the container opening of the powder container including the pumping unit and into which the transfer pipe is inserted;
A pipe inlet into which the above-mentioned transfer pipe is inserted;
A receiving member fixing portion for fixing to the container body;
An opening and closing member for opening and closing the pipe inlet;
A supporting portion which protrudes from the receiving member fixing portion toward one end to movably support the opening / closing member;
A receiving member engaging projection provided on an outer periphery of the receiving member fixing portion and engageable with an engaging hole provided in the container opening;
When the receiving member engaging protrusion engages with the engaging hole, the receiving member engaging protrusion is provided such that the scooping portion and the support portion are adjacent to each other. Receiving member. In the receiving member of claim 1,
The opening and closing member is biased in a direction to close the pipe inlet, and the pipe inlet is opened by being pressed by the transport pipe.
A receiving member characterized in that the supporting portion is a side supporting member for supporting the side of the opening and closing member; Mounted horizontally on the powder transport device,
A container main body for containing powder for image formation supplied to the powder conveyance device;
A transfer unit disposed inside the container body and configured to transfer the powder from the one end side of the longitudinal direction to the other end side provided with the cylindrical container opening;
The powder is received from the conveying means, and when it is rotated, the powder is lifted from the lower side of the container body to the upper side, and the powder is moved to the powder receiving port of the fixed conveying tube of the powder conveying device. A receiving member disposed at the container opening of the powder container including the pumping unit and into which the transfer pipe is inserted;
A pipe inlet into which the above-mentioned transfer pipe is inserted;
A receiving member fixing portion for fixing to the container body;
A bridge means which protrudes from the receiving member fixing portion toward one end side to bridge the powder from the pumping portion to the powder receiving port;
A receiving member engaging projection provided on an outer periphery of the receiving member fixing portion and engageable with an engaging hole provided in the container opening;
When the receiving member engaging protrusion engages with the engaging hole, the receiving member engaging protrusion is provided such that the pumping-up portion and the bridging means are adjacent to each other. Receiving member. The receiving member according to any one of claims 1 to 3.
The pump-up portion includes a convex portion projecting inward of the container main body, and a wall surface connected from the convex portion to an inner wall of a peripheral surface of the container main body,
A receiving member characterized in that, when the receiving member engaging protrusion engages with the engaging hole, the support portion or the bridging means is opposed to the projecting portion. The receiving member according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
A receiving member characterized in that the receiving member fixing portion has a cylindrical shape, and the receiving member engaging projection is provided on the outer periphery of the cylindrical shape. In the receiving member according to claim 5,
A receiving member characterized in that the receiving member engaging projection is trapezoidal as viewed from the axial direction of the cylindrical receiving member fixing portion. In the receiving member according to claim 5,
A receiving member characterized in that the receiving member engaging protrusion is a pentagon when viewed from a radial direction of the cylindrical receiving member fixing portion. The receiving member according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
The cylindrical outer diameter of the receiving member fixing portion is larger than the cylindrical inner diameter of the container opening of the container body,
A receiving member characterized in that the receiving member fixing portion is press-fit into the container opening. The receiving member according to any one of claims 1 to 8,
2. A receiving member characterized in that two of said supports or said bridging means are provided, the two supporting parts or said bridging means being arranged to face each other. Mounted horizontally on the powder transport device,
A container main body for containing powder for image formation supplied to the powder conveyance device;
A transfer unit disposed inside the container body and configured to transfer the powder from the one end side of the longitudinal direction to the other end side provided with the cylindrical container opening;
A tube receiving port disposed at the container opening and inserted and receiving the transfer tube fixed to the powder transfer device;
A receiving member disposed at the container opening and in communication with the pipe inlet for guiding the transport pipe into the container body;
A scooping section for receiving the powder from the transport means and rotating the body to lift the powder from the lower side to the upper side of the container body and move the powder to the powder receiving port of the transport tube;
In a powder container provided with
A powder container comprising the receiving member according to any one of claims 1 to 9 as the receiving member. Mounted horizontally on the powder transport device,
A container main body for containing powder for image formation supplied to the powder conveyance device;
A transfer unit disposed inside the container body and configured to transfer the powder from the one end side of the longitudinal direction to the other end side provided with the cylindrical container opening;
The powder is received from the conveying means, and when it is rotated, the powder is lifted from the lower side of the container body to the upper side, and the powder is moved to the powder receiving port of the fixed conveying tube of the powder conveying device. A pipe insertion member disposed at the container opening of the powder container including the pumping section and into which the transport pipe is inserted;
A pipe inlet into which the above-mentioned transfer pipe is inserted;
A tube insertion member fixing portion for fixing to the container body;
An opening and closing member for opening and closing the pipe inlet;
A supporting portion which protrudes from the tube insertion member fixing portion toward one end side to movably support the opening / closing member;
A tube inserting member engaging projection provided on the outer periphery of the tube inserting member fixing portion and engageable with an engaging hole provided in the container opening;
When the pipe insertion member engaging projection engages with the engaging hole, the pipe insertion member engaging projection is provided so that the above-mentioned pumping portion and the support portion are adjacent to each other. Tube insertion member characterized by the above. Mounted horizontally on the powder transport device,
A container main body for containing powder for image formation supplied to the powder conveyance device;
A transfer unit disposed inside the container body and configured to transfer the powder from the one end side of the longitudinal direction to the other end side provided with the cylindrical container opening;
The powder is received from the conveying means, and when it is rotated, the powder is lifted from the lower side of the container body to the upper side, and the powder is moved to the powder receiving port of the fixed conveying tube of the powder conveying device. A pipe insertion member disposed at the container opening of the powder container including the pumping section and into which the transport pipe is inserted;
A pipe inlet into which the above-mentioned transfer pipe is inserted;
A tube insertion member fixing portion for fixing to the container body;
A bridging means that projects from the tube insertion member fixing portion toward one end side and bridges the powder from the pumping portion to the powder receiving port;
A tube inserting member engaging projection provided on the outer periphery of the tube inserting member fixing portion and engageable with an engaging hole provided in the container opening;
When the pipe insertion member engaging projection engages with the engagement hole, the pipe insertion member engaging projection is provided such that the pumping portion and the bridging means are adjacent to each other. Tube insertion member characterized by the above. Mounted horizontally on the powder transport device,
A container main body for containing powder for image formation supplied to the powder conveyance device;
A transfer unit disposed inside the container body and configured to transfer the powder from the one end side of the longitudinal direction to the other end side provided with the cylindrical container opening;
A tube receiving port disposed at the container opening and inserted and receiving the transfer tube fixed to the powder transfer device;
A tube insertion member disposed at the container opening and in communication with the tube inlet for guiding the transport tube into the container body;
A scooping section for receiving the powder from the transport means and rotating the body to lift the powder from the lower side to the upper side of the container body and move the powder to the powder receiving port of the transport tube;
In a powder container provided with
A powder storage container comprising the tube insertion member according to claim 12 as the tube insertion member. An image forming unit for forming an image on an image carrier using powder for image formation;
A powder transport unit for transporting the powder to the image forming unit;
And a powder storage container detachably held by the powder transport unit.
An image forming apparatus using the powder storage container according to any one of claims 10 or 13 as the powder storage container.

Images