JP2022119941A - Powder storage container and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce a load due to drive transmitted from a container gear, while improving the performance to deliver powder from a powder storage container to a powder conveying device.

SOLUTION: A powder storage container can be attached to an image forming apparatus comprising: a powder receiving port that is provided in a conveyance tube to which the powder storage container storing powder is attached and through which the powder is conveyed, and receives the powder from the powder storage container; a body-side gear that transmits a driving force to the powder storage container; and a container receiving part that is disposed on the periphery of the conveyance tube and receives the powder storage container. The powder storage container includes: an opening that is provided at one end of a container body; a conveyance tube receiving member that is arranged in the opening and can receive the conveyance tube; conveying means that rotates to convey the powder in the container body to the powder receiving port; and a container-side gear that is provided in the vicinity of the opening and can be meshed with the body-side gear to drive the conveying means. The container-side gear is arranged to be meshable with the body-side gear on a side closer to the opening than the powder receiving port in a longitudinal direction of the container body, and the opening can be fitted with the container receiving part.

SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 29

COPYRIGHT: (C)2022,JPO&INPIT

Description

The present invention relates to a powder storage container for storing toner as powder used in image forming apparatuses such as printers, facsimiles, copiers, and multifunctional machines having a plurality of these functions, and an image forming apparatus including the powder storage container. It relates to a forming device.

2. Description of the Related Art In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, toner is supplied (supplied) from a toner container, which is a powder storage container, to a developing device by a powder conveying device. The toner container described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2002-200011 receives a container body containing toner, an opening provided at one end of the container body, and a carrier pipe having a powder receiving port for receiving toner from the toner container. A conveying tube receiving member formed in the opening, a conveying means that rotates and conveys the toner toward the powder receiving port, and a gear that meshes with the container driving gear on the main body side and transmits the driving force to the conveying means. have. Then, in a state in which the toner container is attached to the powder conveying device, the gear meshes with the container drive gear on the opening side of the toner container in the longitudinal direction of the powder receiving port. With this configuration, when the toner is transferred to the powder receiving port of the conveying pipe, the influence of the arrangement of the gears is small, and the toner can be transferred more smoothly than before.

However, when the gear on the container side is driven, the pressure generated at the meshing point between this gear and the container driving gear on the main body side is applied to the toner container and the conveying pipe. If this is not determined, the load on the conveying tube and the conveying tube receiving member will increase, and these members may be damaged, or toner may leak due to a gap between the conveying tube and the conveying tube receiving member. There is
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a powder container and an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing the load due to the drive transmitted from the container drive gear while improving the transfer performance of the powder from the powder container to the powder conveying device. and

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a conveying pipe to which a powder containing container containing powder for image formation is attached and to which the powder is conveyed; An image forming apparatus comprising: a powder receiving port for receiving powder; a body-side gear for transmitting driving force to a powder container; A powder storage container that can be attached to a container, comprising: a container body for containing image forming powder; an opening provided at one end of the container body; A pipe receiving member, a conveying means for conveying the powder in the container body to the powder receiving port by rotating, and a gear provided near the opening, which is meshed with the body-side gear to drive the conveying means. wherein the gear is arranged so as to be able to mesh with the body-side gear on the opening side of the container body in the longitudinal direction of the container body rather than the powder receiving port, and the opening can be fitted to the container receiving portion. It is.

According to the present invention, when the powder container is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the gear is arranged so as to mesh with the main body side gear on the opening side of the main body in the longitudinal direction of the powder receiving port, and Since the opening is configured so as to be able to fit into the container receiving portion arranged around the conveying pipe, the conveying pipe and the conveying pipe can be operated while improving the delivery performance of the powder from the powder containing container to the powder conveying device. It is possible to suppress the load due to the drive transmitted from the gear to the conveying tube receiving member.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the powder conveying device and the powder container before mounting the powder container according to the present invention. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing one form of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention; FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing one configuration of an image forming unit of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which a powder container is installed in a powder conveying device in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a powder container is installed in the powder conveying device; BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a perspective explanatory view showing the configuration of a powder storage container according to the present invention; FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view of the powder conveying device and the powder container before mounting the powder container. FIG. 3 is a perspective explanatory view of the powder conveying device and the powder container with the powder container attached. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the powder conveying device with the powder container attached and the powder container. FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view of the powder storage container with the tip side cover removed. FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view of the powder container with the nozzle receiving member removed from the container body. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the powder container with the nozzle receiving member removed from the container body. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the powder storage container in a state where the nozzle receiving member is attached to the container main body from the state shown in FIG. 12; FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view of the nozzle receiving member viewed from the tip side of the container; FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view of the nozzle receiving member viewed from the rear end side of the container; FIG. 14 is a top 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; FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of the nozzle receiving member; (a) to (d) are plan views seen from above for explaining the state of the opening/closing member and the conveying tube during the mounting operation. FIG. 3 is a perspective explanatory view of a powder container storage portion used in the first to third embodiments; FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective explanatory view of a black powder container accommodating portion used in the first to fifth embodiments; FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view of the upper structure of the powder container accommodating portion and the upper structure of the powder container used in the first to fifth embodiments; FIG. 2 is an explanatory front view of the black powder container housing as viewed from the mounting direction side; FIG. 11 is a partially enlarged perspective explanatory view of a powder container accommodating portion for colors other than black used in the first to fifth embodiments; Fig. 2 is an explanatory front view of the powder container accommodating portion for colors other than black as viewed from the mounting direction side; FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged perspective view for explaining the internal configuration of the powder container storage section; FIG. 2 is an explanatory front view of a powder container storage portion of a color other than black and black as viewed from the mounting direction side; FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing an engagement state between a guide portion provided in the powder container storage portion and a guide portion of the holding portion of the powder container. (a) is a perspective explanatory view of the powder container according to the first embodiment, and (b) is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view showing another form of the container locking portion. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS Front explanatory drawing of the powder container which concerns on 1st Embodiment. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing the configuration of a guide portion provided in the holding portion of the powder container. FIG. 4 is a perspective cross-sectional view showing the configuration of a positioning means that serves as a guide; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the state of the powder storage container attached to the powder container storage portion; FIG. 34 is an enlarged view of the reference line X1 portion of FIG. 33 as viewed from the mounting direction; FIG. 34 is an enlarged view of the reference line X2 portion of FIG. 33 viewed from above; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the state of the powder storage container attached to the powder container storage portion; FIG. 37 is an enlarged view of the reference line X1 portion of FIG. 36 viewed from the mounting direction; FIG. 4A is a diagram schematically showing the movement state and the regulation state of the powder container on the powder container housing part, (a) is the state at the start of movement, and (b) is the first regulation by the vertical direction regulation part. State (c) shows the state where the conveying nozzle and container shutter are in contact, and (d) shows the second regulation state by the radial direction regulation portion. FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the state of the powder storage container attached to the powder container storage portion; FIG. 40 is an enlarged view of the reference line X1 portion of FIG. 39 viewed from the mounting direction; FIG. 40 is an enlarged view of the reference line X2 portion of FIG. 39 viewed from above; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the state of the powder storage container attached to the powder container storage portion; FIG. 43 is an enlarged view of the reference line X1 portion of FIG. 42 viewed from the mounting direction; FIG. 10 is a diagram schematically showing the moving state and the regulating state of the powder container on the powder container housing part, (a) is a state in which the nozzle shutter flange and the container seal are in contact, and (b) is a circumferential state. A third restricted state by the direction restricting groove, (c) a fourth restricted state in which restriction by the radial direction restricting portion is released, and (d) a fifth restricted state in which the container opening enters the container setting portion. (e) shows the sixth restricted state held at the final set position. FIG. 5 is a diagram showing the relationship between the state of the conveying tube and the conveying tube receiving member during the mounting operation (horizontal axis) and the regulation state of the powder container (vertical axis). FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the state of the powder storage container attached to the powder container storage portion; FIG. 46 is an enlarged view of the reference line X1 portion of FIG. 45 viewed from the mounting direction; FIG. 46 is an enlarged view of the reference line X3 portion of FIG. 45 viewed from above; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing the state of the powder storage container attached to the powder container storage portion; FIG. 49 is an enlarged view of the reference line X3 portion of FIG. 48 viewed from above; FIG. 5 is a perspective explanatory view of a powder container according to a second embodiment; FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration having a pumping rib as a pumping part, (a) is a perspective explanatory view of a nozzle receiving member, and (b) is a cross-sectional view of a state in which the nozzle receiving member shown in (a) is assembled to a container body. Fig. (c) is a side cross-sectional explanatory view of the entire toner container assembled with the nozzle receiving member shown in (a); FIG. 10 is a perspective explanatory view of the tip side end portion of the powder storage container and the container setting portion of the second embodiment; (a) is a perspective explanatory view of the tip side end portion of the powder storage container of the third embodiment; (b) is a perspective explanatory view of the container setting portion; 1 is a front view of an information storage device; FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective right explanatory view showing the configuration and contact state of an information storage device and reading means; FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view showing the configuration of a powder container storage portion having another configuration of the guide member; FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional explanatory view when the powder container is attached to the powder container housing. (a) is a view showing a contact state between the cover claw portion of the container front end side cover and the cover claw hooking portion of the container main body, and (b) is a partial cross-sectional view taken along line JJ in (a). FIG. 11 is a perspective explanatory view of the tip side end portion of the powder storage container of the fourth embodiment; FIG. 11 is a bottom view of the tip end portion of the powder storage container of the fourth embodiment; FIG. 11 is a perspective explanatory view showing the configuration of a powder container accommodating portion used in the fourth embodiment; FIG. 4 is an enlarged front view showing the configuration of the insertion port of the powder container housing; FIG. 4 is an enlarged perspective explanatory view showing the configuration of the insertion opening of the powder container storage section; FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a state in which the powder storage container is inserted into the insertion port of the powder container storage portion; It is an enlarged explanatory view showing the configuration of the engaging portion and the engaged portion in the fourth embodiment, (a) is an enlarged view for explaining the engaged state, (b) is an enlarged view for explaining the engaged state. , (c) is an enlarged view for explaining another form of the engaged state; FIG. 4 is an enlarged bottom view showing Example 1 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container. (a) is a front view of Example 1 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container, and (b) is a rear view. FIG. 11 is an enlarged bottom view showing Example 2 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container. (a) is a front view of Example 2 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container, and (b) is a rear view. FIG. 11 is an enlarged bottom view showing Example 3 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container. (a) is a front view of Example 3 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container, and (b) is a rear view. FIG. 11 is an enlarged bottom view showing Example 4 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container. (a) is a front view of Example 4 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container, and (b) is a rear view. (a) is an enlarged bottom view showing Example 5 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container, and (b) is an enlarged bottom view showing another example of the engaging portion formed in the powder container. (a) is a front view of Example 5 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container, and (b) is a rear view. FIG. 10 is an enlarged view showing the relationship and dimensions between Examples 1 to 5 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container and the engaged portion; FIG. 10 is a diagram showing the relationship between the presence/absence of an engaging portion formed in the powder storage container and the size thereof in Examples 1 to 5; The enlarged bottom view which shows another form of the example 1 in 5th Embodiment. The enlarged bottom view which shows another form of the example 2 in 5th Embodiment. The enlarged bottom view which shows another form of the example 4 in 5th Embodiment. The enlarged bottom view which shows another form of the example 5 in 5th Embodiment. (a) is a side partial cross-sectional view showing the engaged state of the engaging portion and the engaged portion in the fifth embodiment, and (b) is a restricting rib and slide in the engaged state of the engaging portion and the engaged portion. FIG. 4 is a plan partial cross-sectional view showing the relationship of the guides; FIG. 11 is a view showing the configuration of a set cover having protrusions formed therein according to a sixth embodiment; The figure which shows the structure of the powder container accommodating part provided with the anti-rotation recessed part based on 7th Embodiment. FIG. 4A is a diagram schematically showing the movement state and the regulation state of the powder container on the powder container housing part, (a) is the state at the start of movement, and (b) is the first regulation by the vertical direction regulation part. State (c) shows the state where the conveying nozzle and container shutter are in contact, and (d) shows the second regulation state by the radial direction regulation portion. FIG. 4 is a diagram schematically showing the moving state and the regulating state of the powder containing container on the powder container containing portion, where (a) is a state in which the nozzle shutter flange and the container seal are in contact, and (b) is a circumferential state; A third regulated state by the direction regulating groove, (c) a fourth regulated state in which regulation by the radial direction regulating portion is released, and (d) a fifth regulated state in which the container opening enters the container setting portion. (e) shows the sixth restricted state held at the final set position. It is a figure which shows the structure of the powder storage container provided with the IC chip, (a) is a right side view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a rear view, (e). is a plan view, and (f) is a bottom view. FIG. 12A is a perspective view of the powder container according to the eighth embodiment, and FIG. 11B is a perspective view of the container main body. FIG. 12 is an enlarged perspective view showing the configuration of the cover member of the powder container and the configuration of the tip side of the container body according to the eighth embodiment; Front explanatory drawing of the powder container which concerns on 8th Embodiment. FIG. 12(a) is an explanatory front view and (b) is a bottom view of (a), showing the configuration of the cover member of the powder container according to the eighth embodiment. FIG. 11 is a perspective explanatory view of a powder container storage portion used in the eighth embodiment; FIG. 93 is an enlarged perspective view for explaining the configuration of the container cover receiving portion and the drive system of the powder container storage portion shown in FIG. 92; FIG. 93 is an explanatory front view of the powder container storage portion shown in FIG. 92; The perspective view which shows the state with which the powder container which concerns on 8th Embodiment was mounted|worn in the powder container accommodating part. FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional perspective view for explaining the configuration of a restricting portion provided on the set cover; FIG. 11 is a front view showing the configuration of a guide member provided in a powder container housing portion and an engaged portion according to an eighth embodiment; FIG. 4 is a partially enlarged view showing an engagement state between the guide member and the engaged portion provided in the powder container storage portion, and the vertical direction restricting portion and the incompatible portion provided in the powder container. FIG. 10A is a diagram schematically showing the moving state and the regulated state of the powder container on the powder container housing part, where (a) is the state at the start of movement, and (b) is the first regulation by the vertical direction regulation part. State (c) shows a state in which the conveying nozzle and container shutter are in contact, and (d) shows a second regulation state by the vertical direction regulation portion and the circumferential direction regulation portion. Fig. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the moving state and the regulating state of the powder storage container on the powder container storage part, where (a) is a state in which the nozzle shutter flange and the container seal are in contact, and (b) is vertical. Movement state in which the regulation by the direction regulation part and the circumferential direction regulation part is maintained, (c) is the third regulation state by the vertical direction regulation part and the circumferential direction regulation part, (d) is the vertical direction regulation part and the circumferential direction regulation part (e) shows a fifth regulation state in which the state is held at the final set position. FIG. 8 is a partially enlarged cross-sectional perspective view of changes in the regulated state of the circumferential direction regulating portion as seen from the powder container side, (a) showing the state of the regulating portion and the holding portion in the second regulating state, and (b). shows a state in which the regulation by the regulation unit is strengthened in the second regulation state, and (c) shows the third regulation state. FIG. 4A is a partially enlarged cross-sectional perspective view showing a change in the regulated state of the circumferential direction regulating portion as seen from the powder container housing side, and (a) shows the state of the regulating portion and the holding portion in the second regulating state; b) respectively show the third restricted state. FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the configuration of a powder container according to the eighth embodiment, (a) is a right side view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a rear view, ( e) is a plan view, and (f) is a bottom view. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing another form of the powder storage container according to the eighth embodiment, which has a container body without spiral grooves. FIG. 10A is a front view, and FIG. 10B is a bottom view showing the form 1 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container according to the eighth embodiment; FIG. 10C is a front view, FIG. 10D is a bottom view, and shows a third form of the engaging portion formed in the powder container according to the eighth embodiment. FIG. 11(e) is a front view, (f) is a bottom view, FIG. 10(g) is a front view, ( h) shows a bottom view, respectively. FIG. 10A is a front view, and FIG. 10B is a bottom view showing the form 5 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container according to the eighth embodiment; (c) is a front view, (d) is a bottom view, and shows form 7 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container according to the eighth embodiment. 8(e) is a front view, (f) is a bottom view, FIG. 8(g) is a front view, ( h) shows a bottom view, respectively. FIG. 10A is a front view, and FIG. 10B is a bottom view showing the form 9 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container according to the eighth embodiment; (c) is a front view, (d) is a bottom view, and shows a form 11 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container according to the eighth embodiment. 8(e) is a front view, (f) is a bottom view, FIG. 8(g) is a front view, ( h) shows a bottom view, respectively. FIG. 13A is a front view, and FIG. 10B is a bottom view showing the form 13 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container according to the eighth embodiment; (c) is a front view, (d) is a bottom view, and shows a form 15 of the engaging portion formed in the powder container according to the eighth embodiment. It is a figure, (e) is a front view, (f) is a bottom view. FIG. 11 is a perspective explanatory view showing the overall configuration of a powder container according to a ninth embodiment; The perspective view explaining the cross-sectional location in the longitudinal direction of the container main body which concerns on 9th Embodiment. FIG. 12 is a side view showing the configuration of a powder container and the flow of toner according to the ninth embodiment; 110A is a cross-sectional view of the first cut portion, (b) is a cross-sectional view of the second cut portion, (c) is a cross-sectional view of the third cut portion, and (d). is a cross-sectional view of the fourth cutting part (a) is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the guide portion on one end side of the container body, and (b) is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing the configuration of the guide portion on the other end from the center portion of the container body. FIG. 4 is an enlarged cross-sectional view showing a state in which a conveying pipe is inserted into the container body;

A plurality of embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. The same reference numerals are given to the same members or members having the same function in each form, and the description thereof will be omitted in the subsequent embodiments. Note that the following description is an example and does not limit the scope of the claims. A person skilled in the art can easily make changes and modifications within the scope of the claims of the present invention to make other embodiments, but these changes and modifications are naturally included in the scope of the claims. In the figure, Y, M, C, and K are suffixes attached to constituent members corresponding to (yellow, magenta, cyan, and black), and are omitted as appropriate.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of an electrophotographic tandem-type color copier (hereinafter referred to as "copier 500") as an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. Copier 500 may be a monochrome copier. The copying machine 500 includes a copying machine main body (hereinafter referred to as "printer section 100"), a paper feeding table (hereinafter referred to as "paper feeding section 200"), and a document reading section (hereinafter referred to as "scanner section") mounted on the printer section 100. 400”).

In a toner container storage unit 70 as a powder container storage unit provided in the upper part of the printer unit 100, there are four toner containers 32 (Y , M, C, and K) are detachably (exchangeably) installed. An intermediate transfer unit 85 is arranged below the toner container storage section 70 .

The intermediate transfer unit 85 includes an intermediate transfer belt 48 as an intermediate transfer body, 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 roller. It consists of equipment, etc. The intermediate transfer belt 48 is stretched and supported by a plurality of roller members, and is endlessly moved in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 by a secondary transfer backup roller 82, which is one of the plurality of roller members.

In the printer section 100 , four image forming sections 46 (Y, M, C, K) corresponding to respective colors are arranged side by side so as to face the intermediate transfer belt 48 . Below the four toner containers 32 (Y, M, C, K) are four toner replenishing devices 60 (Y, M, C, K) serving as powder replenishing (supplying) devices corresponding to toner containers of respective colors. K) are provided. The toner, which is a powder developer contained in the toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K), is supplied to each color by the corresponding toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K). It is supplied (replenished) into the developing devices of the image forming units 46 (Y, M, C, K). In this embodiment, an image forming section is configured by four image forming sections 46 (Y, M, C, K).

As shown in FIG. 2, the printer section 100 has an exposure device 47 as latent image forming means below four image forming sections 46 . The exposure device 47 exposes and scans the surfaces of photoreceptors 41 (Y, M, C, K) serving as image carriers, which will be described later, based on the image information of the document image read by the scanner unit 400 . Forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface. The image information may be image information input from an external device such as a personal computer connected to the copier 500 instead of being read from the scanner unit 400 .
In the present embodiment, the exposure device 47 employs a laser beam scanner system using a laser diode, but the exposure means may have other configurations such as an LED array.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of the image forming unit 46Y for yellow.
The image forming unit 46Y includes a drum-shaped photoreceptor 41Y. The image forming unit 46Y has a structure in which a charging roller 44Y as charging means, a developing device 50Y as developing means, a photoreceptor cleaning device 42Y, a static elimination device and the like are arranged around the photoreceptor 41Y. A yellow toner image is formed on the photoreceptor 41Y by performing image forming processes (charging process, exposure process, development process, transfer process, cleaning process) on the photoreceptor 41Y.

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

The photoreceptor 41Y is rotated clockwise in FIG. 3 by a drive motor. The surface of the photoreceptor 41Y is uniformly charged at a position facing the charging roller 44Y (charging step). After that, the surface of the photoreceptor 41Y reaches the irradiation position of the laser light 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 photoreceptor 41Y reaches a position facing the developing device 50Y, where the electrostatic latent image is developed with yellow toner to form a yellow toner image (developing step).

The four primary transfer bias rollers 49 (Y, M, C, K) of the intermediate transfer unit 85 sandwich the intermediate transfer belt 48 between them and the photoreceptors 41 (Y, M, C, K) to effect primary transfer. forming a nip. A transfer bias opposite in polarity to the toner is applied to the primary transfer bias rollers 49 (Y, M, C, K).

The surface of the photoreceptor 41Y on which the toner image is formed in the development process 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 photoreceptor 41Y is transferred at this primary transfer nip. is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 48 (primary transfer step). At this time, a small amount of untransferred toner remains on the photoreceptor 41Y. The surface of the photoreceptor 41Y that has transferred the toner image onto the intermediate transfer belt 48 at the primary transfer nip reaches a position facing the photoreceptor cleaning device 42Y. The untransferred toner remaining on the photoreceptor 41Y is mechanically collected by the cleaning blade 42a of the photoreceptor cleaning device 42Y at this facing position (cleaning step). Finally, the surface of the photoreceptor 41Y reaches a position facing the static elimination device, and the residual potential on the photoreceptor 41Y is removed at this position. Thus, a series of image forming processes performed on the photoreceptor 41Y is completed.

Such an image forming process is performed in the other image forming units 46 (M, C, K) in the same manner as in the yellow image forming unit 46Y. That is, from the exposure device 47 arranged below the image forming units 46 (M, C, K), the laser light L based on the image information is emitted to the photoconductors of the image forming units 46 (M, C, K). 41 (M, C, K). More specifically, the exposure device 47 emits a laser beam L from a light source, scans the laser beam L with a rotationally driven polygon mirror, and scans the photoreceptors 41 (M, C, K) through a plurality of optical elements. ) above. After that, the toner images of the respective colors formed on the photoreceptors 41 (M, C, K) through the developing process are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 48 .

At this time, the intermediate transfer belt 48 travels in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 and sequentially passes through the primary transfer nips of the primary transfer bias rollers 49 (Y, M, C, K). As a result, the toner images of the respective colors on the photoreceptors 41 (Y, M, C, K) are primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 48 so as to form color toner images on the intermediate transfer belt 48 .

The intermediate transfer belt 48 on which the toner images of each color 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 the transfer paper conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer nip by the transfer bias applied to the secondary transfer backup roller 82, for example. transcribed by action. At this time, untransferred toner that has not been transferred to the recording medium P remains on the intermediate transfer belt 48 . After passing through the secondary transfer nip, the intermediate transfer belt 48 reaches the position of the intermediate transfer cleaning device, untransferred toner on its surface is collected, and a series of transfer processes performed on the intermediate transfer belt 48 are completed.

Next, the movement of the recording medium P will be explained.
The recording medium P conveyed to the secondary transfer nip described above passes from a paper feed tray 26 provided in a paper feed section 200 arranged below the printer section 100 through a paper feed roller 27, a pair of registration rollers 28, and the like. It is transported through Specifically, a plurality of sheets of the recording medium P are stored in the paper feed tray 26 while being stacked. 2, the uppermost recording medium P is conveyed toward the roller nip formed by the two rollers of the registration roller pair .

The recording medium P conveyed to the registration roller pair 28 is temporarily stopped at the roller nip position of the registration roller pair 28 whose rotational drive is stopped. Then, the recording medium P is conveyed toward the secondary transfer nip by rotationally driving the registration roller pair 28 at the timing when the color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 48 reaches the secondary transfer nip. . Thereby, a desired color toner image is transferred onto the recording medium P. FIG.

The recording medium P onto which the color toner image has been 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 to the surface is fixed onto the recording medium P by heat and pressure from the fixing belt and pressure roller. After passing through the fixing device 86 , the recording medium P passes between the rollers of the paper discharge roller pair 29 and is discharged outside the device. The recording medium P discharged outside the apparatus by the paper discharge roller pair 29 is sequentially stacked on the stack section 30 as an output image. Thus, a series of image forming processes in copier 500 are completed.

Next, the configuration and operation of the developing device 50 in the image forming section 46 will be described in more detail. Here, the image forming unit 46Y corresponding to yellow will be described as an example, but the image forming units 46 (M, C, K) for other colors also have the same configuration and operation.

As shown in FIG. 3, the developing device 50Y includes a developing roller 51Y as a developer carrier, a doctor blade 52Y as a developer regulation plate, two developer conveying screws 55Y, a toner density detection sensor 56Y, and the like. It is The developing roller 51Y faces the photoreceptor 41Y, and the doctor blade 52Y faces the developing roller 51Y. The two developer conveying screws 55Y are arranged in the two developer containing portions (53Y, 54Y). The developing roller 51Y is composed of a magnet roller fixed inside, a sleeve rotating around the magnet roller, and the like. A two-component developer G composed of carrier and toner is accommodated in the first developer accommodation portion 53Y and the second developer accommodation portion 54Y. The second developer container 54Y communicates with the toner drop transport path 64Y through an opening formed above it.
The toner concentration detection sensor 56Y detects the toner concentration in the developer G inside the second developer container 54Y.

The developer G in the developing device 50Y circulates between the first developer storage portion 53Y and the second developer storage portion 54Y while being agitated by the two developer transport screws 55Y. The developer G in the first developer containing portion 53Y is supplied to and carried on 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 to one side of the developer transport screw 55Y. be done. The sleeve of the developing roller 51Y is driven to rotate counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3, and the developer G carried on the developing roller 51Y moves on the developing roller 51Y as the sleeve rotates. At this time, the toner in the developer G is charged to a potential opposite in polarity to that of the carrier due to triboelectrification 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. The amount of the developer G on the developing roller 51Y is regulated when it passes through the doctor portion, and is then conveyed to the developing area facing the photoreceptor 41Y. In the development area, the toner in the developer G is attracted 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 that has passed through the developing area reaches above the first developer container 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 so that the toner concentration is within a predetermined range. Specifically, according to the amount of toner contained in the developer G in the developing device 50Y consumed by development, the toner contained in the toner container 32Y is supplied to the second developer containing portion via the toner replenishing device 60Y described later. It is replenished within 54Y. The toner replenished in the second developer containing portion 54Y is mixed and agitated with the developer G by the two developer conveying screws 55Y, and flows through the first developer containing portion 53Y and the second developer containing portion 54Y. circulate between

Next, the toner supply device 60 (Y, M, C, K) will be described.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the toner container 32Y is attached to the toner replenishing device 60Y, and FIG. FIG. 10 is a schematic perspective view showing a folded state;

The toner stored in the toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) attached to the toner container storage portion 70 of the printer section 100 is transferred to the developing device 50 (Y, M, K) for each color as shown in FIG. C, K) are appropriately replenished into each developing device 50 (Y, M, C, K) according to the consumption of toner. At this time, the toner in the toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) is replenished by the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) provided for each toner color.
As shown in FIG. 27, of the four toner containers 32 (Y, M, C, K), a toner container 32K containing black toner and a toner container 32 containing yellow, magenta, and cyan toners. (Y, M, C) are different in size, and the toner container 32K is formed to have a larger diameter. As a result, the frequency of replacement of the toner container 32K containing black toner, which is frequently used, can be reduced.
The toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) corresponds to the shape of the toner container 32, and includes a toner replenishing device 60K in which a toner container 32K containing black toner is mounted, yellow, magenta, and cyan toner. The toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C) to which the toner container 32 (Y, M, C) containing toner is mounted has a different shape.
It should be noted that they have almost the same structure except that the color of the toner used in the image forming process and the diameter of the toner container 32 are different. For this reason, only the toner replenishing device 60Y and the toner container 32Y corresponding to yellow will be described below, and the toner replenishing devices 60 (M, C, K) and the toner containers 32 (M, C) corresponding to the other three colors will be described. , K) will be omitted as appropriate. When there is a different configuration for each color, the subscript Y, M, C or K, which indicates a specific color, is used as a code. may be appended with (Y, M, C, K) or the subscripts may be omitted as appropriate.

The toner supply device 60 (Y, M, C, K) includes, as shown in FIG. It is composed of screws 614 (Y, M, C, K), toner drop conveying paths 64 (Y, M, C, K), drive units (container rotation drive units) 91 (Y, M, C, K), etc. there is
When the user pushes the toner container 32Y in the mounting direction indicated by arrow Q in FIGS. The conveying nozzle 611Y of the toner replenishing device 60Y is inserted from the tip side of the container in the mounting direction of 32Y. As a result, the inside of the toner container 32Y and the inside of the conveying nozzle 611Y communicate with each other. The details of the configuration that communicates in conjunction with this mounting operation will be described later.

As a form of a toner container, the toner container 32Y is a substantially cylindrical toner bottle. The toner container 32Y is mainly a holding portion that is non-rotatably held in the toner container storage portion 70. A container front end side cover 34Y as a container cover and a container gear 301Y as a container side gear are integrally formed. and a container main body 33Y as a powder containing portion. The container main body 33Y is rotatably held with respect to the container tip side cover 34Y. In other words, the container cover is a member that can rotate relative to the container side gear.

As shown in FIG. 5, the toner container housing portion 70 mainly includes a container cover receiving portion 73, a container receiving portion 72, and an insertion port forming portion 71. As shown in FIG. The container cover receiving portion 73 is a portion that holds the container front end side cover 34Y and the container body 33 of the toner container 32Y. The container receiving portion 72 is a portion that supports the container body 33Y of the toner container 32Y. The insertion port forming portion 71 is a portion that forms an insertion port 71a during the mounting operation of the toner container 32Y. When the main body cover installed on the front side of the copier 500 (the front side in the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2) is opened, the insertion opening forming portion 71 of the toner container accommodating portion 70 is exposed. With the longitudinal direction of each toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) oriented horizontally, each toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) is removed from the front side of the copying machine 500 ( Attachment/detachment operation with the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32 as the attachment/detachment direction is performed. Note that the set cover 608Y in FIG. 4 is a part of the container cover receiving portion 73 of the toner container housing portion 70. As shown in FIG.

The container receiving portion 72 is formed so that its length in the longitudinal direction is approximately equal to the length in the longitudinal direction of the container main body 33Y. The container cover receiving portion 73 is provided on the container front end side in the longitudinal direction (attachment/detachment direction) of the container receiving portion 72 , and the insertion opening forming portion 71 is provided on one end side of the container receiving portion 72 in the longitudinal direction. Each of the four toner containers 32 is slidable on the container receiving portion 72 . Therefore, as the toner container 32Y is mounted, the container front end cover 34Y slides on the container receiving portion 72 for a while after passing through the insertion port forming portion 71, and then is mounted on the container cover receiving portion 73. be.

With the container front end side cover 34Y attached to the container cover receiving portion 73, as shown in FIGS. Rotational drive is input to a container gear 301Y (FIG. 10) as a gear provided in the container main body 33Y via the container drive gear 601Y as the container drive gear 601Y. As a result, the container body 33Y is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow A in FIG. As the container main body 33Y itself rotates, the toner contained in the container main body 33Y is moved by the spiral projections 302Y formed on the inner peripheral surface of the container main body 33Y. It is conveyed along the longitudinal direction from one end located on the left side in FIG. 4 to the other end located on the right side. That is, in this embodiment, the conveying means is the helical protrusion 302Y. As a result, toner is supplied into the conveying nozzle 611Y from the side of the container front end cover 34Y provided at the other end through the nozzle opening 610 as a powder receiving port formed in the conveying nozzle 611Y. The nozzle opening 610 communicates with the shutter support opening 335b at a position inside the container body 33 in the longitudinal direction beyond the position where the container gear 301Y is provided. That is, the container gear 301Y meshes with the container drive gear 601Y on the opening 33a side of the position where the nozzle opening 610 and the shutter support opening 335b communicate with each other.

A transport screw 614Y is arranged in the transport nozzle 611Y. The conveying screw 614Y rotates when rotational drive is input to the conveying screw gear 605Y from the drive unit (container rotation driving unit) 91Y, and conveys the toner supplied into the conveying nozzle 611Y. A downstream end in the transport direction of the transport nozzle 611Y is connected to the toner drop transport path 64Y. The toner conveyed by the conveying screw 614Y drops under its own weight through the toner dropping conveying path 64Y and is replenished into the developing device 50Y (second developer container 54Y).
Each of the toner containers 32 (Y, M, C, K) is replaced with a new one when it reaches the end of its life (when almost all the contained toner is consumed and becomes empty). A handle 303 is provided at the end of the toner container 32 opposite to the container front end cover 34 in the longitudinal direction. The attached toner container 32 can be removed.
Here, the configuration of the drive unit 91Y will be supplemented. The driving section 91Y includes a container driving gear 601Y and a conveying screw gear 605Y. As shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, the container driving gear 601Y is driven by a driving motor 603 fixed to the mounting substrate 602, and its output gear 603a rotates, thereby rotating the conveying screw gear 605Y. is transmitted through the coupling gear 604 and driven to rotate.

In the toner replenishing device 60Y, the amount of toner supplied to the developing device 50Y is controlled by the number of revolutions of the conveying screw 614Y. Therefore, the toner that has passed through the conveying nozzle 611Y is directly conveyed to the developing device 50Y via the toner drop conveying path 64Y without the amount of toner supplied to the developing device 50Y being controlled. Even in the toner replenishing device 60Y in which the conveying nozzle 611Y is inserted into the toner container 32Y as in the present embodiment, a temporary toner reservoir such as a toner hopper may be provided.

Next, the toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) and the toner supply device 60 (Y, M, C, K) of this embodiment 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 colors of the toners used are different. It's becoming Therefore, suffixes Y, M, C, and K indicating toner colors are omitted in the following description.

FIG. 1 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of the toner replenishing device 60 before the toner container 32 is attached and the end portion of the toner container 32 on the tip side of the container, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the device 60 and the end portion of the toner container 32 on the container tip side; FIG. FIG. 6 is a perspective explanatory view of the toner container 32. As shown in FIG. FIG. 7 is a perspective explanatory view of the toner supply device 60 before the toner container 32 is attached and the tip end of the toner container 32, and FIG. 8 is the toner supply device 60 with the toner container 32 attached. and the end of the toner container 32 on the tip side of the container. 20 is a perspective explanatory view showing the configuration of the toner container accommodating portion 70 in the toner replenishing device 60, and FIG. 21 is a perspective explanatory view showing the configuration of the container cover receiving portion 73. As shown in FIG.

The toner replenishing device 60 includes a conveying nozzle 611 having a conveying screw 614 therein, and a nozzle shutter 612 . The nozzle shutter 612 closes the nozzle opening 610 when the toner container 32 is not attached (the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 7), and closes the nozzle opening 610 when the toner container 32 is attached (the state shown in FIGS. 8 and 9). state), it is slidably mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the conveying nozzle 611 so as to open the nozzle opening 610 . This nozzle shutter 612 is provided with a nozzle shutter flange 612a as a flange on the downstream side in the mounting direction of the end surface of a nozzle receiving member 330 as a carrier pipe receiving member, which will be described later, which contacts the conveying nozzle 611 .
On the other hand, at the center of the tip surface of the toner container 32, a nozzle receiving port 331 is formed as a pipe insertion port into which the conveying nozzle 611 is inserted when the toner container 32 is attached. container shutter 332 .

The toner container housing portion 70 includes a container receiving portion 72 for slidingly moving the toner container 32 when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60 . As shown in FIGS. 5 and 20, the container receiving portion 72 is divided into four sections in the width direction W orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (removal direction) of the toner container 32 . , a groove portion 74 as a container mounting portion is formed continuing from the insertion port forming portion 71 to the container cover receiving portion 73 . The toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) of each color is configured to be slidable in the longitudinal direction on the groove portion 74 . As shown in FIG. 22, on the upper surface portion 76 facing the mounting surface 74c of the groove portion 74, two upper surface protrusions 76a, 76a protrude from the ceiling surface of the upper surface portion 76 toward the groove portion 74 and extend along the length of the groove portion. , and is configured to contact the upper guide 35 on the top of the toner container 32 when the toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) is slidably moved on the groove 74 . .

Side surfaces 74a and 74b of the groove portion 74 located in the width direction W are provided with guide rails 75 and 75 so as to face each other. Each guide rail 75 protrudes in the width direction W from the side surfaces 74 a and 74 b, extends in the longitudinal direction, and is arranged in front of the container cover receiving portion 73 . The guide rails 75, 75 are engaged with the slide guide 361 as a guide member when the toner container 32 is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, and the container opening 33a as an opening is set as a container receiving portion. It has a function of guiding to the part 615 .
56, each guide rail 75 may be arranged so as to extend in the longitudinal direction to the vicinity of the insertion opening forming portion 71. As shown in FIG. Each guide rail 75 is formed so as to be parallel to the rotating shaft of the container main body 33 when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60 . As shown in FIGS. 27 and 28, the guide rail 75 includes a guide rail 75K provided in a groove 74K in which the toner container 32K is mounted, and a groove 74 in which the toner container 32 (Y, M, C) is mounted. Y, M, C) provided on the guide rails 75 (Y, M, C) have different lengths in the height direction, and the guide rails 75K are longer than the guide rails 75 (Y, M, C). formed. Since the toner container 32 (Y, M, C) is formed to have a smaller diameter than the toner container 32K, even if the toner container 32 (Y, M, C) is accidentally inserted into the groove 74K, The load is small and it is easy to be worn in the wrong place. However, since the guide rail 75K is formed longer in the height direction than the guide rail 75 (Y, M, C), if the toner container 32 (Y, M, C) is to be attached to the groove 74K, it will be stuck in the middle of attachment. A later-described slide guide 361 of the toner container 32 (Y, M, C) abuts against the guide rail 75K to restrict movement in the mounting direction. Therefore, erroneous mounting of the toner containers 32 (Y, M, C) can be prevented. 20 and 56, only the guide rail 75 provided on one side surface 74a is shown.

As shown in FIG. 20, the container cover receiving portion 73 is provided with set covers 608 (Y, M, C, K) corresponding to each color. The set cover 608 includes a set cover 608K corresponding to black shown in FIGS. 21 and 23, and a set cover 608 (Y, M, C) corresponding to yellow, magenta, and cyan shown in FIGS. The sizes are different, and the set cover 608K is formed larger than the set cover 608 (Y, M, C). A transport nozzle 611 is arranged in the center of the set cover 608 . As shown in FIG. 21, the conveying nozzle 611 extends into the container cover receiving portion 73 from an end face 615b on the rear side in the mounting direction of the container setting portion 615 on the downstream side in the mounting direction of the toner container 32 toward the upstream side in the mounting direction. are arranged so as to protrude into the A container setting portion 615 as a container receiving portion is erected so as to surround the periphery of the conveying nozzle 611 toward the upstream side in the direction in which the conveying nozzle 611 protrudes and in the mounting direction of the toner container 32 . That is, the container setting portion 615 is arranged at the base of the conveying nozzle 611, and is a container opening that functions as a rotating shaft when the conveying means in the toner container 32 rotates to convey the toner in the toner container 32. 33a to the toner container accommodating portion 70. FIG. That is, by inserting and fitting the container opening 33a into the container setting portion 615, the radial position of the container opening 33a is determined.

As shown in FIGS. 21 and 24, a portion of the inner peripheral surface 608c (inner periphery of the first cover) of the set cover 608 extends from the end surface 608f of the set cover 608 on the upstream side in the mounting direction of the toner container 32 to the toner container 32. As shown in FIGS. A groove portion 77a having a depth in the mounting direction is formed by notching the set cover 608 in the radial direction. With the toner container 32 attached to the toner replenishing device 60, a container opening 33a, which will be described later, is fitted at the base of the conveying nozzle 611 positioned further downstream in the attachment direction than the groove 77a when viewed from the attachment direction. A set portion 615 is formed.
The container setting portion 615 is positioned at the base of the conveying nozzle 611, and includes an end inner peripheral surface 615a into which the container opening 33a is inserted, and an end face 615b located downstream of the end inner peripheral surface 615a in the mounting direction of the toner container 32. and As shown in FIG. 26, the end face 615b is provided with eight spring restricting portions 615c protruding from the end face 615b toward the upstream side in the mounting direction of the toner container 32 along the outer periphery of the nozzle shutter spring 613 at equal intervals. there is 23 and 25, the nozzle shutter spring 613 is omitted in order to show the shape of the spring restricting portion 615c. The radial movement of the nozzle shutter spring 613 is restricted by covering the outer periphery of the nozzle shutter spring 613 with the spring restricting portion 615c. As a result, the toner container 32 is set with the nozzle shutter spring 613 deviated in the radial direction, and the toner container 32 is held by the nozzle shutter spring 613 being sandwiched between the end face 615b and the tip 33c of the container opening 33a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the mounting failure of the toner replenishing device 60.

When the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 is fitted to the container setting portion 615 in a slidable manner. As shown in FIG. 26, the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 is provided with a sliding projecting surface that protrudes radially inward from the end inner peripheral surface 615a as a part of the end inner peripheral surface 615a. 615d are formed at four locations at equal intervals, and the sliding protruding surface 615d and the outer peripheral surface 33b slide as the toner container 32 rotates. In this embodiment, the sliding protrusions 615d have a width of approximately 4 mm in the circumferential direction and are formed at four locations at regular intervals. A configuration in which three portions are formed at equal intervals may be used. If the area of the sliding projecting surface 615d that contacts the outer peripheral surface 33b is too large, the sliding resistance with the outer peripheral surface 33b will increase and a rotational load will be generated. With the passage of time, the sliding projection surface 615d is scraped and worn, making accurate positioning difficult. Therefore, the width and number of the sliding projection surface 615d are adjusted so as to provide a contact area that does not cause these problems. All you have to do is

By fitting the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 and the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32, the toner container 32 is moved in the longitudinal direction (attachment/detachment direction) of the toner container 32 with respect to the toner replenishing device 60. A radial positioning is made orthogonal to the . Further, when the toner container 32 rotates, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a functions as a rotating shaft portion, and the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 functions as a bearing. At this time, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a comes into slidable contact with the sliding projecting surface 615d as part of the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615, and the diameter of the toner container 32 relative to the toner replenishing device 60 increases. The position where the orientation is positioned is indicated by α in FIG.
In the following description, it will be frequently described that the container opening 33b of the toner container 32 is slidably fitted into the container setting portion 615. As shown in FIG. Strictly speaking, the fitting state is a state in which the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33b of the toner container 32 is in contact with the sliding protrusion 615d formed on the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615. means For the sake of readability, the slide protrusion 615d will be omitted from this point onwards, and only the explanation that the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33b is fitted to the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 will be provided.

As shown in FIG. 1, the container setting portion 615 has an inner peripheral surface 615a at the end of the container setting portion that engages with the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 when the toner container 32 is set. The inner diameter of this inner peripheral surface is assumed to be D1. The diameter of the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 is defined as d1. Since the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 and the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 are rotatably fitted, the diameter d1 of the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 and , and the inner diameter D1 of the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion are set to satisfy the relationship of "d1<D1". Also, d1 and D1 are set to a fitting tolerance of about "D1-d1=0.01 to 0.1 mm". By having the relationship “d1<D1” in this way, the toner container 32 can be rotationally driven while being held by the toner set cover 608 , specifically, while the container body 33 is held by the container setting portion 615 . can be done.

21 and 24, openings 608d are formed so as to face each other in the width direction W of the set cover 608. As shown in FIGS. The set cover 608 is provided with replenishing device side lock members 78, 78, which will be described later, so as to be movable back and forth from the outer peripheral surface of the set cover 608 to the inner peripheral surface 608c through openings 608d, 608d. The replenishing device side lock members 78 , 78 are biased toward the inside from the outside of the set cover 608 by biasing means such as a torsion coil spring 782 .
The set cover 608 has a different shape between the set cover 608K to which the toner container 32K is attached and the set cover 608 (Y, M, C) to which the toner container 32 (Y, M, C) is attached. As shown in FIG. 23, the set cover 608K has three through holes 79a formed at equal intervals in a corner (bent portion) formed by a bottom surface 608a formed on the rear side in the mounting direction and an inner peripheral surface 608c. ing. On the other hand, in the set cover 608 (Y, M, C), as shown in FIG. 25, an L-shaped concave portion 79b is formed extending over the corner formed by the bottom surface 608a and the inner peripheral surface 608c. , and no holes are formed in the corners. The set cover 608K may be configured to have a recessed portion, or the set cover (Y, M, C) may be configured to have a through hole formed therein. In order to maintain the strength of 608 (Y, M, C), set cover 608 (Y, M, C) is formed in a concave shape.

Next, the toner container 32 will be described.
As described above, the toner container 32 is mainly composed of the container main body 33 containing the toner and the container front end side cover 34 . FIG. 10 is a perspective explanatory view of the toner container 32 with the container front end cover 34 removed from the state of FIG.
11 is a perspective explanatory view of the toner container 32 in a state in which the nozzle receiving member 330 as a conveying tube receiving member is removed from the container main body 33 from the state of FIG. 10, and FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the toner container 32 with the . FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the toner container 32 with the nozzle receiving member 330 attached to the container main body 33 from the state of FIG. be. FIG. 29A is a perspective explanatory view of the tip end of the toner container 32, and FIG. 30 is a front view of the tip end of the toner container 32. FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 10 and 11, the container body 33 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is configured to rotate about the central axis of the cylinder. Hereinafter, in the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32, the side of the toner container 32 where the nozzle receiving port 331 is formed (the side where the container front end cover 34 is arranged) is referred to as the "container front end side". In addition, the side of the toner container 32 where the handle portion 303 is arranged (the side opposite to the front end side of the container) will be referred to as the "rear end side of the container". The longitudinal direction of the toner container 32 is the direction of the rotation axis, and when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the longitudinal direction is the horizontal direction. The rear end side of the container gear 301 of the container body 33 has a larger outer diameter than the front end side of the container, and a helical projection 302 is formed on the inner peripheral surface thereof. When the container main body 33 rotates in the direction of arrow A in the drawing, the toner in the container main body 33 is moved from one end (rear end of the container) to the other end (front end of the container) in the rotation axis direction by the action of the helical protrusion 302 . ) is applied.

On the inner wall of the container main body 33 on the container front end side, the toner conveyed to the container front end side by the helical projection 302 as the container main body 33 rotates in the direction of arrow A in the figure is moved upward by the rotation of the container main body 33. A pumping portion 304 for pumping is formed. As shown in FIG. 13, the scooping portion 304 includes a convex portion 304h and a scooping wall surface 304f. The convex portion 304h is a portion that protrudes inside the container body 33 so as to form a ridgeline of a mountain toward the center of rotation of the container body 33 while forming a spiral. The pumping-up wall surface 304f is the wall surface of the abutting portion that extends from the convex portion 304h (ridgeline) to the inner wall of the peripheral surface of the container body 33, and is located on the downstream side when viewed from the direction of rotation of the container. When the scooping wall surface 304f is located downward, the scooping wall surface 304f scoops up the toner that has entered the internal space facing the scooping portion 304 by the conveying force of the spiral projection 302 as the container body 33 rotates. As a result, the toner can be pumped up above the inserted conveying nozzle 611 .
As shown in FIGS. 1, 10, etc., on the inner peripheral surface of the scooping portion 304, a scooping portion helical projection is formed in a helical shape in the same manner as the helical projection 302 so as to convey the toner inside. 304a is formed.

A container gear 301 is formed on the container front end side of the container main body 33 with respect to the pumping-up portion 304 . The container front end cover 34 is provided with a gear exposing opening 34 a so that a part of the container gear 301 (back side in FIG. 6) is exposed when attached to the container body 33 . By attaching the toner container 32 to the toner replenishing device 60, the container gear 301 exposed from the gear exposing opening 34a meshes with the container drive gear 601 on the toner replenishing device 60 side.
The container gear 301 is provided closer to the container opening 33 a (in the vicinity of the container opening 33 a ) in the longitudinal direction of the container body 33 than the nozzle opening 610 , and is arranged so as to be able to mesh with the container driving gear 601 . The container gear 301 meshes with the container driving gear 601 to enable rotation of the conveying means.

A cylindrical container opening 33a is formed coaxially with the container gear 301 on the container body 33 further toward the container tip 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 coaxially with the container opening 33a. The method of fixing the nozzle receiving member 330 is not limited to press-fitting, but may be fixing with an adhesive or fixing with screws. Alternatively, a concave portion may be provided in the container body 33, and a projection provided on the nozzle receiving member fixing portion 337 may be inserted into the concave portion to fix by hooking.
After the toner container 32 is filled with toner from a container opening 33a as an opening provided at one end of the container main body 33, the nozzle receiving member 330 is fixed to the container opening 33a of the container main body 33. It is configured.

A cover claw hooking portion 306 is formed at the end of the container gear 301 side of the container opening 33 a of the container main body 33 . The cover claw hooking portions 306 are provided at three locations at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, that is, at intervals of 120 degrees, at the tip portion of the container tip side cover 34 in the mounting direction. The container front end side cover 34 is attached to the toner container 32 (container 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 main body 33 penetrates the container front end cover 34 in the longitudinal direction, and the cover claw hooking portions 306 are respectively caught by three cover claw portions 340 provided in the container front end cover 34 in the circumferential direction. The cover claw hooking portion 306 is formed so as to encircle the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a, and by hooking the cover claw portion 340, the container main body 33 and the container front end side cover 34 can rotate relatively. installation.

When the toner container 32 is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the container front end side cover 34 of the toner container 32 restricts the movement of the toner container 32 during attachment in a direction other than the attachment direction so that the opening 33 a is positioned at the container setting portion 615 . A guide part for guiding to is provided. It should be noted that the container front end side cover 34 can be said to be a portion exclusively for having the guide portion from the function of the present embodiment, and can also be called a container guide portion holding portion. As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 29(a), and 30, on both side surfaces of the lower portion of the container front end cover 34 of the toner container 32, a pair of tabs for restricting the vertical movement of the container front end cover 34 are provided. is formed. A pair of guide portions as the vertical direction restricting portions are hereinafter referred to as slide guides 361 , 361 . In other words, the container cover is a support member for the vertical direction restrictor. The slide guides 361, 361 include an upper guide portion 361A and a lower guide portion 361B extending along the longitudinal direction of the container body 33. Slide grooves 361a, 361a are provided between the upper guide portion 361A and the lower guide portion 361B. are formed respectively. Each slide groove 361a is formed parallel to the rotation axis of the container body 33, and vertically slides the pair of guide rails 75, 75 formed in the groove portion 74 of the container receiving portion 72 described in FIGS. It is configured to be sandwiched. That is, the upper guide portion 361A and the lower guide portion 361B of the slide guides 361, 361 sandwich the guide rail 75 from above and below, so that when the toner container 32 is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the container front end side cover 34 is moved. function as a positioning portion in the vertical direction Z and the width direction W orthogonal to the attachment/detachment direction, and restrict the movement of the toner container 32 in the vertical direction Z and the width direction W.
As shown in FIG. 31, the slide groove 361a is formed such that the height direction distance between the lower surface of the upper guide portion 361A and the upper surface of the lower guide portion 361B that face each other varies stepwise in the mounting direction. The distance between the top surface and the bottom surface of the toner container 32 is defined as the distance H1 between the slide groove front end portion 361c on the downstream side in the mounting direction of the toner container 32, the distance H2 between the slide groove center portion 361d, and the distance H3 between the slide groove rear end portion 361e. They are formed so as to widen in the order of H1<gap H2<gap H3. That is, the interval is the distance between the upper guide portion 361A and the lower guide portion 361B, and the interval positioned downstream in the mounting direction of the toner container 32 is narrower than the interval positioned upstream in the mounting direction. formed. In addition, the groove front end portion 361c and the groove center portion 361d prevent the slide guide 361 from breaking at the groove portion 74 and being damaged by the extension of the groove inclined portion 361f which is formed so as to be inclined toward the concave surface 361g of the slide groove 361a. are preventing. Further, as shown in FIG. 30, the slide guide 361 is integrally formed with a reinforcing portion 362 connected to the inner side of the slide guide 361 to prevent damage to the slide guide 361 when the toner container 32 is dropped. .

Container locking portions 339 , 339 for axially positioning the toner container 32 with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 are formed on the outer peripheral surface of the container front end cover 34 . When the toner container 32 is attached to the toner supply device 60, the supply device side lock members 78, 78 provided on the set cover 608 are engaged with the container lock portions 339, 339, respectively.
As shown in FIGS. 7 and 29(a), each container locking portion 339 includes a set of a guide projection 339a, a guide groove 339b, a riding portion 339c, and a locking hole 339d as an axial direction restricting portion. One set is arranged so as to form a pair on both the left and right sides of the cover 34 . That is, the locking holes 339d are arranged on both the left and right sides of the center of the container opening 33a. Each guide projection 339 a is arranged on a vertical plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32 on the container front end side of the container front end cover 34 and on a horizontal plane passing through the rotation center axis of the container main body 33 . The guide projection 339a has an inclined surface connected to the guide groove 339b so that the replenishing device-side lock member 78 is brought into contact when the toner container 32 is mounted and guided toward the guide groove 339b. The guide groove 339b is a groove that is one step lower than the side peripheral surface of the container front end cover 34 .

The groove width of the guide groove 339b is set to be slightly wider than the width of the replenishing device-side locking member 78 so that the replenishing device-side locking member 78 does not drop out of the guide groove 339b. The container rear end side of the guide groove 339b does not have a shape that is directly connected to the locking hole 339d, but has an end, and is at the height of the side peripheral surface of the container front end cover 34. As shown in FIG. That is, between the guide groove 339b and the rectangular locking hole 339d, there is an outer peripheral surface of the container front end side cover 34 having a width of about 1 [mm], which corresponds to the stepping portion 339c. The replenishing-device-side locking member 78 climbs over the overpassing portion 339c and falls into the locking hole 339d, and the connection between the toner container 32 and the toner replenishing device 60 is achieved. This state is the set position (set state) of the toner container 32 . In this embodiment, the replenishing device side locking member 78 is configured to drop into the locking hole 339 d of the container locking portion 339 . However, the shape of the container locking portion 339, in which the toner container 32 and the toner replenishing device 60 are connected by dropping the replenishing device-side locking member 78, is a through hole such as the locking hole 339d. Alternatively, it may be configured to have a concave shape such as a non-penetrating locking portion 339g with a bottom as shown in FIG. 29(b).

The toner container 32 in FIG. 30 is configured such that the container shutter 332 is positioned at the center of the line segment LL connecting the two container locking portions 339 on a virtual plane perpendicular to the rotation axis. If the container shutter 332 is not on the line segment LL connecting the two container locking portions 339, the following may occur. That is, due to the urging forces of the container shutter spring 336 and the nozzle shutter spring 613, the distance from the line segment LL to the container shutter 332 is used as the moment arm, and the moment of the force that rotates the toner container 32 about the line segment LL as the rotation axis acts. . The action of this moment of force may cause the toner container 32 to tilt with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 . In this case, the mounting load of the toner container 32 increases, and the load is applied to the nozzle receiving member 330 that holds and guides the container shutter 332 . In particular, when the toner container 32 is a new one containing a sufficient amount of toner, when the toner container 32 is pushed from the rear end side so that the conveying nozzle 611 protruding from the horizontal direction is inserted, the weight of the toner is taken into consideration. A moment of force acts to rotate the toner container 32 . As a result, a load is applied to the nozzle receiving member 330 into which the carrier nozzle 611 is inserted, and in the worst case, the nozzle receiving member 330 may be deformed or damaged. On the other hand, in the toner container 32 of this embodiment, the container shutter 332 is positioned on the line segment LL connecting the two container locking 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 tilting with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 .

To the container gear 301 of the toner container 32 , rotational drive is input from the drive section (container rotation drive section) 91 through the container drive gear 601 . When a drive is input to the container gear 301, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the container main body 33 functions as a rotating shaft portion, and the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 functions as a bearing. The container body 33 to which the 301 is fixed or integrally constructed rotates. In this embodiment, the center of rotation of the container gear 301 is arranged so as to be concentric with the axis of the container opening 33a.
Further, when drive is input to the container gear 301 by meshing the container driving gear 601 and the container gear 301, the pressure angle (JIS: at one point (pitch point) of the tooth surface (pitch point) of the container gear 301, the radius line and the tooth profile A force is applied in the direction of the angle formed by the tangent to the container gear 301, and the container gear 301 is rotated. Since the force applied in the direction of the pressure angle of the container gear 301 produces a force component in the direction toward the center of rotation of the container gear 301, the force is directed toward the central axis (rotational axis) of the container body 33, and A force perpendicular thereto is applied to the toner container 32 having the container body 33 .
When a force is applied perpendicularly to the central axis of the toner container 32 in this way, the longitudinal posture of the toner container 32 becomes unstable, causing the toner container 32 to tilt with respect to the central axis. There is a possibility that the state of meshing with the roller becomes unstable, and that unstable meshing may cause an abnormal noise and toner conveyance failure.
As described above, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a, which is the tip side of the toner container 32, is supported by the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 as a rotating shaft. When the container gear 301 is arranged closer to the rear end of the container than the container locking portion 339, abnormal noise and toner transport failure associated therewith are more likely to occur. This is because the occurrence of a rotational moment as described below is expected. First, consider the rotational moment generated in the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 when the toner container 32 is set in the replenishing device and the driving force is transmitted to the container gear 301. FIG. At the container opening 33a of the toner container 32, a rotational moment M1 is generated by a force (driving force) applied perpendicularly to the rotation axis of the container gear 301, and the container opening 33a and the container setting portion 615 are fitted. make unstable. On the other hand, the locking hole 339 d in the container locking portion 339 of the toner container 32 is held by the replenishing device side locking member 78 . By holding the lock member, a rotational moment M2 is generated in the container opening 33a in a direction that cancels the rotational moment caused by the driving force to the container gear 301. As shown in FIG.
When the container gear 301 is arranged closer to the rear end of the container than the container locking portion 339, the length of the arm of the rotational moment M1 (the distance from the container opening 33a to the container gear 301 in the direction of the rotation axis) becomes the rotational moment M2. (the distance from the container opening 33a to the locking hole in the rotation axis direction). That is, M1>M2, and it is predicted that the holding of the toner container 32 and the container front end side cover 34 by the toner container accommodating portion 70 becomes unstable.

In contrast, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 49 and 57, the container gear 301 is positioned between the container locking portion 339 and the container opening 33a in the central axis direction (longitudinal direction) of the toner container 32. It is configured to be arranged. Therefore, since the arm length of the rotational moment M2 is longer than the arm length of the rotational moment M1, M2>M1. Therefore, the influence of the rotational moment M1 due to the force (driving force) applied in the direction perpendicular to the central axis of the toner container 32 is reduced, and the holding of the toner container 32 and the container front end side cover 34 by the toner container accommodating portion 70 is stabilized. The posture of the container 32 in the longitudinal direction is stabilized.
Explain in other words. When the toner container 32 is held in the toner container housing portion 70 (set state), the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening portion 33a, which is the container tip side of the toner container 32, serves as a rotation shaft portion. 615 is supported by the inner peripheral surface 615a of the end portion 615, and the locking hole 339d of the container locking portion 339 is engaged with the replenishing device side locking member 78. As shown in FIG. The container gear 301 is arranged between the container lock portion 339 and the container opening portion 33a.
Therefore, the length of the arm of the rotational moment M1 due to the force perpendicular to the central axis applied to the toner container 32 by the meshing of the container drive gear 601 and the container gear 301 is in the direction of the central axis. It is the length (in the longitudinal direction) from the position where the outer peripheral surface 33b is supported by the end inner peripheral surface 615a to the position where the container gear 301 is provided. Further, when the lock hole 339d of the container lock portion 339 is engaged with the replenisher-side lock member 78, a force perpendicular to the central axis (referred to as a holding force) is applied to the toner container 32. ), the length M2 of the arm of the rotational moment is determined from the position where the outer peripheral surface 33b is supported by the end inner peripheral surface 615a in the central axis direction (longitudinal direction). is the length to the position where the

Here, the rotational moment can be obtained by multiplying the length of the arm of the rotational moment by the magnitude of the force. It can be said that a larger holding force is required than the configuration in which the container gear 301 is arranged between the portion 339 and the container opening 33a.
Therefore, assuming that the holding force described above is constant, the container gear 301 is located closer to the rear end of the container than the container lock portion 339, and the container lock portion 339 and the container opening portion 33a do not have enough space between the container lock portion 339 and the container opening portion 33a. The configuration in which the gear 301 is arranged can efficiently influence the holding force of the toner container 32 and the container front end cover 34 by the toner container accommodating portion 70 . As a result, even when the driving force is transmitted to the container gear 301, the longitudinal posture of the toner container 32 can be stabilized.

58(b) and 58(c), when the toner container 32 is held in the toner container housing portion 70, the toner container 32 has a reaction force to compress the container shutter spring 336, as shown in FIGS. F (restoring force) and a reaction force F1 generated by compressing the nozzle shutter spring 613 are applied. As shown in FIGS. 58(a), 58(b), and 58(c), the container front end side cover 34 has three cover claw portions 340 provided at equal intervals in the circumferential direction thereof. A component force (1/3 of F1) of the reaction force F1 is received from the toner container 32 via the container rear end side surface of the cover claw hooking portion 306 of 32 . Since the resultant force of the reaction forces F and F1 described above is applied to the container front end cover 34 at equal distances in the radial direction from the central axis O (rotational axis) of the toner container 32 and evenly, Only the directional component will come into play. That is, the component that tilts the container front end side cover 34 with respect to the central axis O (rotational axis) hardly acts.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 57, the container locking portion 339 is also provided at a horizontally symmetrical position with respect to the central axis O (rotational axis). Since the directional components cancel each other out, only the component in the central axis direction acts, and the component that tilts the container front end cover 34 with respect to the central axis O does not act.

In the container front end side cover 34, the cover front end inner peripheral surface 340b of the container front end side cover 34 is located on the container front end side of the container front end surface of the cover claw portion 340 so that the outer peripheral edge portion 306a of the cover claw hooking portion 306 of the toner container 32 is aligned. come into contact with As a result, the toner container 32 is radially positioned with respect to the container front end cover 34 .
That is, the toner container 32 as the powder storage container in this embodiment is mounted with the toner container 32 containing the toner for image formation, and the toner container 611 as a transport pipe through which the toner is transported and the transport nozzle 611 are connected to the transport nozzle. A nozzle shutter 612 as a powder inlet opening/closing member for opening and closing a nozzle opening 610 as a powder inlet, and a nozzle shutter as an urging member for urging the nozzle shutter 612 to close the nozzle opening 610. A spring 613 , a replenishing device side lock member 78 capable of biasing the toner container 32 from the side to hold the toner container 32 to the image forming apparatus main body, and a conveying means in the toner container 32 for driving force. and a container driving gear 601 as a body-side gear for transmitting power to the main body, and a container setting portion 615 as a container receiving portion for receiving the toner container 32 disposed around the conveying nozzle 611 and coaxial with the conveying nozzle 611 . In the toner container that can be attached to the image forming apparatus, a container body 33 that stores toner for image formation and an opening 33a provided at one end of the toner container 32 are rotated to remove powder in the container body. Conveying means for conveying toner to the container opening 33a side, a container gear 301 as a gear that meshes with the container drive gear 601 to drive the conveying means, and a container locking portion 339 that engages with the replenishing device side locking member 78. and a container tip side cover 34 as a container cover provided coaxially with the toner container 32 on the outer periphery of the toner container 32, and the center of the opening 33a and the rotation center of the container gear 301 are provided coaxially. , the container driving gear 601 is arranged between the container lock portion 339 and the container opening portion 33a in the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32, and the opening portion 33a can be fitted into the container setting portion 615. do.

With the above configuration, the toner container 32 can be held in a stable posture in the radial direction and the axial direction with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 . When the container gear 301 is arranged between the opening 33a and the container locking portion 339 in the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32, a stable state is maintained by the balance of forces in the central axis direction. The influence of the force generated at the meshing portion between the gear 601 and the container gear 301 is reduced, and the inclination of the toner container 32 with respect to the longitudinal direction (center axis direction) can be suppressed. As a result, it is possible to prevent the container driving gear 601Y and the container gear 301 from being in an unstable meshing state, abnormal noise associated therewith, and toner transport failure.
Note that the container front end side cover 34 can be said to be a portion exclusively for having the container locking portion 339 from the function of the present embodiment, and can also be called a container locking portion holding portion.

As shown in FIGS. 29A and 30, three cover claw portions 340 are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the end surface of the container front end side cover 34 on the container front end side. Projections 341a projecting outward from the outer peripheral surface 34b of the container front end cover 34 are formed at the bent portions of the cover claw portions 340, respectively. These protrusions 341a are formed by bending along the bent portion of the container front end cover 34, and are provided at three locations at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the container front end cover 34, that is, at intervals of 120 degrees. . These projecting portions 341a protrude from the outer peripheral surface 34b of the container front end side cover 34 at a height of 0.9 mm, and extend radially and longitudinally from the bent portion for lengths of 4 mm each. These protrusions 341a function as guides to abut against the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608 when the container front end cover 34 enters the container cover receiving portion 73 as shown in FIG. It is equipped with a function to guide and position in the radial direction. These protrusions 341a are formed in a rounded shape so as to reduce sliding resistance by making point contact with the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608. As shown in FIG. Each protrusion 341a is arranged so as to be able to face three through holes 79a (see FIGS. 23 and 24) formed in the set cover 608, respectively. These protrusions 341a are arranged so as to contact the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608a before the container opening 33a of the container body 33 contacts the nozzle shutter flange 612a. Accordingly, the projection 341a functions as a radial positioning portion for positioning the toner container 32 to the toner replenishing device 60 by coming into contact with the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608a. In other words, the projecting portion 341a functions as a guiding portion, a radial restricting portion, and a radial positioning portion.

As shown in FIG. 30, the outer peripheral surface 34b of the container front end side cover 34 is provided with a plate-shaped circumferential direction restricting projection that serves as a circumferential direction restricting portion as a guide portion. Hereinafter, this circumferential direction restricting protrusion is referred to as a detent rib 342a. The detent rib 342a and the slide guide 361 are formed integrally with the container front end cover 34. As shown in FIG. The anti-rotation rib 342a is arranged between the two protrusions 341a positioned below and protrudes radially outward from the outer peripheral surface of the container front end cover 34. As shown in FIG. When the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the anti-rotation rib 342a is arranged to enter the groove 77a (see FIG. 21) formed in the set cover 608 described above. The anti-rotation rib 342 a protrudes from the downstream end face of the slide guide 361 in the mounting direction and is formed integrally with the slide guide 361 . The anti-rotation rib 342a protrudes from the slide guide 361 and is arranged at substantially the same height as the slide groove 361a. Even if it enters in a state somewhat deviated from the rotation prevention rib 342a, the influence of the change in the position of the rotation prevention rib 342a with respect to the groove 77a is reduced, and the rotation prevention rib 342a is more likely to enter the groove 77a. can be positioned in the circumferential direction.
As shown in FIGS. 22, 33, and 34, the container front end cover 34 is provided with an upper guide 35 projecting upward from the outer peripheral surface 34b thereof in the attached state. The upper guide 35 is formed with an upper guide top portion 35a, an upper guide side portion 35b, and an upper guide inclined surface 35c. The upper guide top portion 35a and the upper guide side portion 35b are formed so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32, and are positioned below the upper guide top portion 35a in the circumferential direction of the container front end side cover 34 and are positioned above the upper guide side portion 35b. Upper guide side portions 35b are formed on both sides of the guide 35a. The upper guide inclined surface 35c is formed so as to be inclined from the upper guide top portion 35a and the upper guide side portion 35b of the toner container 32 toward the rear end side of the container.

The container body 33 is molded by a biaxial stretch blow molding method. This biaxial stretch blow molding method generally consists of a two-step process of preform molding and stretch blow molding. In the preform molding process, a test tube-shaped preform is molded using resin by injection molding. 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. In the stretch blow molding process, after the preform is cooled after the preform molding process and removed from the mold, the preform is heated and softened, then blow molded and stretched.

In the container main body 33, the container rear end side of the container gear 301 is molded by a stretch blow molding process. That is, the portion where the helical projection 302 is formed and the handle portion 303 are molded by a stretch blow molding process.
In the container body 33, each part from the container gear 301 to the container tip side such as the container gear 301, the container opening 33a, and the cover claw hooking portion 306 has the shape of the injection-molded preform as it is, so that it can be accurately molded. can. On the other hand, the portion where the helical projection 302 is formed and the handle portion 303 are formed by stretching in the stretch blow molding process after being injection molded, so the molding accuracy is lower than that of the preform molded portion. Inferior.

Next, the nozzle receiving member 330 fixed to the container body 33 will be described.
14 is a perspective explanatory view of the nozzle receiving member 330 seen from the container front end side, and FIG. 15 is a perspective explanatory view of the nozzle receiving member 330 seen 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, and FIG. 17 shows the nozzle receiving member 330 in the state shown in FIG. ) is a transverse cross-sectional view of FIG. Furthermore, 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 334 as a support member, a container shutter 332, a container seal 333 as a sealing member, a container shutter spring 336 as an urging means, and a receiving member fixing portion 337. It is The container shutter support member 334 includes a shutter rear end support portion 335, a shutter side support portion 335a as a side portion, a shutter support opening 335b as a side opening, and a receiving member fixing portion 337. The container shutter spring 336 is a coil spring. .
The shutter side support portion 335a and the shutter support opening 335b provided in the container shutter support member 334 are arranged adjacent to each other in the toner container rotation direction, and the two mutually opposing shutter side support portions 335a partially cover the cylindrical shape. , and has a shape obtained by largely cutting a cylindrical shape at the portions (two places) of the shutter support openings 335b. With such a shape, the container shutter 332 can be guided to move in the longitudinal direction within the cylindrical space S1 (FIG. 16) formed inside the cylindrical shape.

The nozzle receiving member 330 fixed to the container body 33 rotates together with the container body 33 when the container body 33 rotates. Rotate around 611. Therefore, the rotating shutter side support portion 335 a passes through the space immediately above the nozzle opening 610 formed above the conveying nozzle 611 . As a result, even if toner is instantaneously accumulated above the nozzle opening 610, the accumulated toner is broken down by the shutter side support portion 335a. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of defects. On the other hand, at the timing when the shutter side support portion 335a is positioned to the side of the conveying nozzle 611 and the nozzle opening 610 and the shutter support opening 335b face each other, the toner in the container body 33 is is supplied into the carrier nozzle 611 .
In a conventional toner container in which the container gear is arranged on the opposite side of the opening in the longitudinal direction of the toner container from the powder receiving port, the toner container is installed and removed, and the container gear is drivingly connected to the container drive gear on the main body side. Therefore, a so-called shoulder portion is provided to allow the toner to pass over the small-diameter portion from the inside of the container body to the opening. was moved.
However, in the present embodiment, the container gear 301 is drivingly connected to the container drive gear 601 at a position closer to the opening 33a provided on one end side of the container main body 33 in the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32 than the nozzle opening 610 is. Because of the configuration, the conveying nozzle 611 can receive the toner inside the container body 33 from the position (small diameter position) where the container gear 301 is formed, and the toner can be transferred more smoothly than in the conventional art.

The container shutter 332 is composed of a tip cylindrical portion 332c as a closing member, a sliding portion 332d, a guide rod 332e, and a shutter detachment prevention claw 332a. The tip cylindrical portion 332c is a portion on the tip side of the container that comes into close contact with the cylindrical opening of the container seal 333 (nozzle receiving port 331). The sliding portion 332d is formed closer to the rear end of the container than the tip cylindrical portion 332c, has a slightly larger outer diameter than the tip cylindrical portion 332c, and is a cylindrical portion that slides on the inner peripheral surfaces of the pair of shutter side support portions 335a. be.
The guide rod 332e is a column that rises from the cylindrical interior 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 so that it does not buckle. part.
The guide rod sliding portion 332g is formed with a pair of flat surfaces on both sides of the cylindrical guide rod 332e across the central axis of the guide rod 332e. The container rear end side of the guide rod sliding portion 332b is split into two to form a pair of cantilever beams 332f.
The shutter detachment prevention claw 332a is provided at the end of the cantilever beam 332f on the opposite side to the upright base of the guide rod 332e, and prevents the container shutter 332 from falling off from the container shutter support member 334. is the nail part of the

As shown in FIG. 16, the tip end of the container shutter spring 336 abuts the inner wall surface of the tip cylindrical portion 332c, and the rear end of the container shutter spring 336 abuts the wall surface of the shutter rear end support portion 335. As shown in FIG. At this time, since the container shutter spring 336 is in a compressed state, the container shutter 332 receives an urging force in the direction away from the shutter rear end support portion 335 (right direction in FIG. 16, toward the container front end). However, the shutter escape prevention claw 332 a formed at the container rear end side end of the container shutter 332 is caught on the outer wall surface of the shutter rear end support portion 335 . This prevents the container shutter 332 from moving further away from the shutter rear end support portion 335 than in the states shown in FIGS. 16 and 17 .
Positioning is achieved by the engagement of the shutter rear end support portion 335 by the shutter slip-off prevention claw 332a and the urging force of the container shutter spring 336. As shown in FIG. Specifically, the tip cylindrical portion 332c and the container seal 333, which exhibit the toner leakage preventing function of the container shutter 332, are positioned with respect to the container shutter support member 334 in the longitudinal direction. Both are positioned in close contact with each other, and leakage of toner 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 side of the container to the rear end side of the container. As shown in FIG. 17, the outer peripheral surface has two outer diameter portions (outer peripheral surfaces AA and BB in order from the tip of the container), and the inner peripheral surface has five inner diameter portions (outer peripheral surfaces CC and DD in order from the tip of the container). , EE, FF, GG). The boundary between the outer peripheral surface AA and the outer peripheral surface BB of the outer peripheral surface is connected by a tapered surface. The boundary between the fourth inner diameter portion FF and the fifth inner diameter portion GG on the inner peripheral surface 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 the seal member entrainment prevention space 337b described later, and the ridgelines of these surfaces correspond to the sides of the pentagon cross section described later.

As shown in FIGS. 16 to 18, a pair of shutter side support portions 335a, which are formed by cutting a cylinder in the longitudinal direction, protrude from the receiving member fixing portion 337 toward the rear end of the container so as to face each other. . The ends of the two shutter side support portions 335a on the container rear end side are connected to a cup-shaped shutter rear end support portion 335 having a round hole at the center of the bottom. The two shutter side support portions 335a face each other to form a columnar space S1 that can be recognized by their inner wall cylindrical surfaces and their extended virtual cylindrical surfaces. The receiving member fixing portion 337 has a cylindrical inner peripheral surface having an inner diameter equal to the diameter of the cylindrical space S1, and has an inner diameter portion GG that is the fifth from the tip. The sliding portion 332d of the container shutter 332 slides in the cylindrical space S1 and the cylindrical inner peripheral surface GG. The third inner peripheral surface EE of the receiving member fixing portion 337 is an imaginary peripheral surface passing through the longitudinal tops of the nozzle shutter abutment ribs 337a arranged at regular intervals of 45[°]. A cylindrical (circular tube) container seal 333 having a square cross section (the cross section in the cross sectional view of FIG. 18) is arranged corresponding to the inner peripheral surface EE. The container seal 333 is fixed to a vertical surface extending from the third inner peripheral surface EE to the fifth inner peripheral surface FF with an adhesive, double-sided tape, or the like. The exposed surface on the opposite side (the right side in FIGS. 16 and 17) to which the container seal 333 is attached forms the inner bottom of the cylindrical opening of the cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 (container opening).

As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, a seal member entrainment prevention space 337b (pinch 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 seal member entrainment prevention space 337b is a ring-shaped closed space surrounded by three different members. That is, the inner peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 (the fourth inner peripheral surface FF and the tapered surface connected thereto), the vertical surface on the sticking side of the container seal 333, and the tip cylindrical portion 332c of the container shutter 332 to the sliding portion 332d. It is a ring-shaped space surrounded by the outer peripheral surface up to . The cross-section of this ring-shaped space (the cross-section in the cross-sectional views of FIGS. 16 and 17) is pentagonal. The angle formed between the inner peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 and the end surface of the container seal 333 and the angle formed between 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 entrainment prevention space 337b will be described. When the container shutter 332 blocks the nozzle receiving port 331 and moves toward the rear end of the container, the inner peripheral 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 elastically deformed so as to be pulled by the container shutter 332 and move toward the rear end of the container.
At this time, if there is no seal member entrainment prevention space 337b and the vertical surface (the surface to which the container seal 333 is applied) connected from the third inner peripheral surface and the fifth inner peripheral surface GG are perpendicular to each other, the following There is a possibility that a situation such as That is, the elastically deformed portion of the container seal 333 may be sandwiched between the inner peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 that slides on the container shutter 332 and the outer peripheral surface of the container shutter 332 and may be caught. There is When the container seal 333 is caught between the portion where the receiving member fixing portion 337 and the container shutter 332 slide, that is, between the tip cylindrical portion 332c and the inner peripheral surface GG, the container shutter 332 slides against the receiving member fixing portion 337. is locked, and the opening and closing of the nozzle receiving port 331 cannot be performed.

On the other hand, the nozzle receiving member 330 of this embodiment has a sealing member entrainment prevention space 337b formed in its inner peripheral portion. Since the inner diameter of the seal member entrainment prevention space 337b (the inner diameter of each of the inner peripheral surface FF and the tapered surface connected thereto) is smaller than the outer diameter of the container seal 333, the entire container seal 333 enters the seal member entrainment prevention space 337b. never come. Further, there is a limit to the area of the container seal 333 that is elastically deformed by being pulled by the container shutter 332, and the container seal itself restores its elasticity before it reaches the inner peripheral surface GG and is caught. This action prevents the container shutter 332 from being locked with respect to the receiving member fixing portion 337 and prevents the opening and closing of the nozzle receiving port 331 from becoming impossible.

As shown in FIGS. 16 to 18, a plurality of nozzle shutter abutting ribs 337a extend radially on the inner peripheral surface of the receiving member fixing portion 337 and adjacent to the outer periphery of the container seal 333. is formed in As shown in FIGS. 16 and 17, when the container seal 333 is fixed to the receiving member fixing portion 337, the vertical surface of the container seal 333 on the container front end side is the end of the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a on the container front end side. It protrudes slightly in the longitudinal direction.

As shown in FIG. 9, when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the nozzle shutter flange 612a of the nozzle shutter 612 on the toner replenishing device 60 side is urged by the nozzle shutter spring 613 to close the container seal 333. Squeeze the part that sticks out. The nozzle shutter flange 612a further advances and abuts against the container tip end of the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a to cover the tip end face of the container seal 333 and block it from the outside of the container. As a result, the airtightness around the conveying nozzle 611 in the nozzle receiving port 331 at the time of mounting can be ensured, and toner leakage can be prevented.

The longitudinal position of the nozzle shutter 612 with respect to the toner container 32 is determined when the back side of the nozzle shutter spring receiving surface 612f of the nozzle shutter flange 612a biased by the nozzle shutter spring 613 abuts against the nozzle shutter abutting rib 337a. As a result, the end surface of the container seal 333 on the container front end side and the container front end surface of the front end opening 305 (internal space of a cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 arranged in a container opening portion 33a described later) on the container front end side, The longitudinal positional relationship with the nozzle shutter 612 is determined.

Next, operations of the container shutter 332 and the conveying nozzle 611 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 9, and 19(a) to 19(d). Before the toner container 32 is attached to the toner supply device 60, as shown in FIG. 1, the container shutter 332 is urged by the container shutter spring 336 toward the closed position for closing the nozzle receiving port 331. As shown in FIG. FIG. 19A shows the appearance of the container shutter 332 and the conveying nozzle 611 at this time. Then, when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the conveying nozzle 611 is inserted into the nozzle receiving port 331 as shown in FIG. 19(b). When the toner container 32 is further pushed into the toner replenishing device 60 , the end surface 332 h of the tip cylindrical portion 332 c (hereinafter referred to as the “container shutter end surface 332 h”), which becomes the end surface of the container shutter 332 , is positioned in the insertion direction of the conveying nozzle 611 . end surface 611a (hereinafter referred to as "end surface 611a of the conveying nozzle"). When the toner container 32 is further pushed in from this state, the container shutter 332 is pushed in as shown in FIG. 19(c), and as shown in FIG. It is inserted into the end support 335 . Therefore, as shown in FIG. 9, the conveying nozzle 611 is inserted into the container main body 33 to reach the set position. At this time, as shown in FIG. 19D, the nozzle opening 610 is positioned to overlap the shutter support opening 335b.

After that, when the container main body 33 rotates, the toner that has been drawn up above the conveying nozzle 611 by the drawing-up portion 304 falls from the nozzle opening 610 into the conveying nozzle 611 and is introduced. The toner introduced into the conveying nozzle 611 is conveyed through the conveying nozzle 611 toward the toner drop conveying path 64 by the rotation of the conveying screw 614, and is dropped from the toner dropping conveying path 64 to the developing device 50 and supplied. be done.

In the relationship between the toner container 32 and the toner replenishing device 60 according to this embodiment, the conveying nozzle 611 is inserted to a position where it penetrates the inside of the container gear 301 in the longitudinal direction of the container body 33 . That is, the container gear 301 meshes with the container drive gear 601 on the side of the opening 33 a in the longitudinal direction of the container body 33 with respect to the nozzle opening 610 . Therefore, when a rotational drive is input to the container gear 301 via the container drive gear 601 in the direction A shown in FIG. It joins the carrier nozzle 611 and the nozzle receiving member 330 extending inside the container body 33 . As a result, the conveying nozzle 611 and the nozzle receiving member 330 may be damaged, and a gap may be formed between the conveying nozzle 611 and the nozzle receiving member 330 to cause toner leakage.
In addition, by sliding the toner container 32 in the mounting direction Q (pushing direction) on the toner container accommodating portion 70 , the conveying nozzle 611 of the toner replenishing device 60 moves to the container shutter inside the nozzle receiving port 331 of the toner container 32 . 332 is pushed open to enter the container main body 33 . For this reason, if the positional relationship between them shifts during movement, there is a concern that toner may leak, or the conveying nozzle 611, the container shutter 332, the nozzle receiving member 330, and the like may be damaged. Therefore, it is desirable to move the center positions of the transport nozzle 611, the container shutter 332, and the nozzle receiving port 331 on the same axis as much as possible.
Furthermore, since the center of rotation of the container gear 301 is on the same line as the axis of the container opening 33a (container main body 33), the engagement between the container gear 301 and the container drive gear 601 can be performed at the correct position without deviation. It is important to fit the container opening 33 a into the container set portion 615 and determine the radial position of the toner container 32 with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 .
For example, it is possible to uniformly regulate the positional relationship between the toner container 32 and the toner replenishing device 60 with a guide that is long in the axial direction of the toner container 32, but if the number of directions to be regulated is small, sufficient regulation is difficult. . It is also conceivable to provide a plurality of regulating portions to regulate the positional relationship between the toner container 32 and the toner replenishing device 60 from the beginning of installation. However, in this case, positioning (movement restriction) is performed by a plurality of restricting portions from the initial stage of movement in the mounting direction Q (pushing direction). be done.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, the container opening 33a is configured to be able to fit into the container setting portion 615 around the conveying nozzle 611, and the two fit together to position the toner container 32 with respect to the toner replenishing device 60. It was configured so that As a result, the positional relationship between the toner container 32 and the toner replenishing device 60 is stabilized, and the force generated at the meshing position between the container driving gear 601 and the container gear 301 is less likely to affect them.
Further, as shown in FIG. 32, the toner container 32 is provided with a positioning means (guide portion) 600 as a guide portion for stepwise engagement and disengagement with the toner replenishing device 60 side in the mounting direction Q of the toner container 32 . rice field. As a result, the toner container 32 can be moved in the mounting direction Q toward the toner replenishing device 60 in a state in which the center positions of the conveying nozzle 611 and the nozzle receiving member 330 are aligned on the same axis as much as possible. Damage to the nozzle 611 and the nozzle receiving member 330 can be prevented. The positioning means 600 is composed of a plurality of positioning portions (restricting portions) arranged in the mounting direction Q. As shown in FIG. FIG. 32 is a perspective explanatory view showing the positional relationship between the plurality of positioning portions and the toner replenishing device 60. In order to avoid complication, the configuration of the plurality of positioning portions is mainly described, and other configurations are omitted. Or simplified.

While the toner container 32 is moving in the mounting direction Q on the toner container storage portion 70, the positioning means 600 positions the toner container 32 using the container front end side cover 34, which is the outer shape of the toner container 32 (limits movement in a predetermined direction). ) is performed and the set position in the toner replenishing device 60 is occupied, positioning is performed using the container opening 33 a of the container main body 33 which is the inner shape portion of the toner container 32 . The guide portion as the positioning means 600 regulates the movement of the toner container 32 in any direction other than the mounting direction Q while the toner container 32 is moving on the toner container storage portion 70 in the mounting direction Q. , guides the toner container 32 to the toner replenishing device 60 . More specifically, when the toner container 32 is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the guide portion restricts movement of the toner container 32 during attachment in a direction other than the attachment direction, and guides the opening portion 33 a to the container setting portion 615 .

The positioning means 600 as a guide portion includes the pair of slide guides 361, 361 described above, the lock holes 339d of the container lock portions 339, 339, a plurality of protrusions 341a (three), and a detent rib. 342a and container opening 33a function as positioning members. Of these, the slide guides 361, 361, the engagement holes 339d of the container locking portions 339, 339, and the radial movement of the container front end cover 34 when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60 are controlled. A plurality of projections 341a (three pieces) serving as radial direction restricting portions and detent ribs 342a serving as circumferential direction restricting portions, which are guiding portions for restriction, are formed integrally with the container front end side cover 34 made of resin. are placed. The container opening 33 a is formed integrally with the container body 33 .

The order of engagement and disengagement between each positioning means and the toner replenishing device 60 is as follows. First, as shown in FIG. 38A, the toner container 32 is placed in the groove portion 74 of the container receiving portion 72 of the toner container housing portion 70, and the user pushes the toner container 32 in the mounting direction Q (mounting operation is performed). slides on the groove 74 . At this time, as shown in FIG. 22, the upper guide side portions 35b, 35b of the upper guide 35 of the toner container 32 are in contact with the upper surface projecting portion 76a formed on the ceiling surface of the upper surface portion 76 facing the groove portion 74, and the toner is dispensed. Since the container 32 is slid, it can be pushed in the mounting direction Q while its movement in the vertical direction Z is restricted. In addition, since the movement in the vertical direction is restricted by upper guide side portions 35b, 35b formed on both sides of the upper guide 35 instead of the upper guide top portion 35a at the top portion of the upper guide 35, the toner container 32 moves in the horizontal direction during the pushing operation. Even if it is misaligned, it can be reliably brought into contact with the upper surface portion 76 side.

On the side of the toner replenishing device 60, as shown in FIG. Enter each side. As the slide groove tip portion 361c enters the guide rail 75, the slide guide 361 rides on the guide rail 75, and the toner container 32 in contact with the upper surface of the groove portion 74 is lifted upward. The guide rails 75, 75 are formed on the side surfaces 74a, 74b of the groove portion 74 with a space from the mounting surface 74c of the groove portion 74. As shown in FIG. Therefore, rough positioning in the width direction W and the vertical direction Z, which are orthogonal to the mounting direction Q, can be performed by the slide groove leading end portion 361c of the slide groove 361a entering the guide rail 75 . This state is referred to as a first regulation state. 33, 34, 35, and 38(b) are diagrams showing the first restricted state. 33 is a side view showing the first restricted state, FIG. 34 is a view seen from the mounting direction along the reference line X1 in FIG. 33, and FIG. 35 is a view seen from above along the reference line X2 in FIG. The reference line X1 shown in FIG. 33 indicates the position of the end face of the container front end side cover 34, and the same position is indicated in the drawings described below.

When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the first restricted state, the end surface 332h of the container shutter and the end surface 611a of the conveying nozzle come into contact with each other, as shown in FIG. 38(c). In the first regulated state, the width direction W and the vertical direction Z are regulated by the slide guide 361 and the guide rail 75, so that the container shutter 332 faces the conveying nozzle 611 as intended, and the nozzle receiving port 331 and the nozzle receiving port 331 are moved. A positional relationship with the transport nozzle 611 can be ensured. By ensuring the positional relationship between the two, it is possible to prevent the container seal 333 from being peeled off or damaged due to the container shutter 332 entering the conveying nozzle 611 in a positionally displaced state.

Further pushing in the mounting direction Q from this state results in the second restricted state shown in FIGS. In this second regulated state, the container front end side of the container front end cover 34 enters the container cover receiving portion 73 . When the container front end side of the container front end cover 34 enters the container cover receiving portion 73, three protrusions 341a formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the outer peripheral surface of the mounting direction front end portion 34c of the container front end cover 34 are formed. It comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608, which is part of the container cover receiving portion 73, from the inside. The number of protrusions 341a is not limited to three, as long as at least three or more are formed.
The contact between the protrusions 341a and the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608 guides the movement of the toner container 32 and restricts the movement in the radial direction. Therefore, in the second restricted state, radial movement of the container front end cover 34 with respect to the container cover receiving portion 73 is restricted by contact between the three projections 341a and the inner peripheral surface 608c. That is, the radial position of the container front end side cover 34 with respect to the container cover receiving portion 73 is restricted. It should be noted that restricting the position in a predetermined direction also means restricting movement of the toner container 32 in a predetermined direction.
When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the second restricted state, the container seal 333 and the nozzle shutter flange 612a come into contact as shown in FIG. 44(A)(a). In the second restricted state, in addition to the restriction in the width direction W and the vertical direction Z by the guide rail 75 and the slide groove 361, the radial restriction by the protrusion 341a and the inner peripheral surface 608c is added. The center position with the nozzle 611 matches. Therefore, the toner container 32 is not mounted in a state of being tilted in the width direction W or the vertical direction Z about the contact surface between the end surface 332h of the container shutter and the end surface 611a of the conveying nozzle or the slide groove 361 as a fulcrum. It is possible to prevent the nozzle 611 and the container shutter 332 from breaking and the container seal 333 from peeling off. In addition, since the force applied to the slide groove 361 during the mounting operation is dispersed to the protrusion 341a and reduced, it is possible to prevent the slide groove 361 from breaking and being damaged.

When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the state in which the container seal 333 and the nozzle shutter flange 612a are in contact as shown in FIG. 44(A)(a), as shown in FIG. The slide groove front end portion 361c is removed from the guide rail 75, and the vertical direction Z is restricted by the slide groove center portion 361d as the second guide portion. When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from this state, the third regulated state shown in FIGS. 39 to 41 is obtained. In the third restricted state, the anti-rotation rib 342a formed on the outer peripheral surface of the distal end side of the container distal end side cover 34 enters the groove 77a formed in the set cover 608 as shown in FIGS. do. Therefore, the container front end side cover 34 and the set cover 608 (container cover receiving portion 73) are integrated, and the container front end cover 34 is added to restrict movement in the circumferential direction. At this time, since the vertical direction Z is regulated by the slide groove central portion 361d, which is wider in the vertical direction Z than the slide groove tip portion 361c, the sliding resistance during insertion is reduced, which is preferable in terms of operability. .

When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the third restricted state, the fourth restricted state shown in FIGS. 42, 43, and 44(A) and (c) is obtained. In the fourth restricted state, the three projecting portions 341a of the container front end side cover 34 occupy positions facing the through holes 79a or the recessed portions 79b formed in the set cover 608, respectively. As a result, the protrusion 341a on the upper side enters the through hole 79a or is positioned in the recess 79b, so that the restriction in the radial direction of the container front end cover 34 by the protrusion 341a and the inner peripheral surface 608c is released. .

When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the fourth regulated state, the fifth regulated state shown in FIGS. 45, 46 and 47 is reached. In the fifth restricted state, the tip of the container opening 33a enters the end inner peripheral surface 615a (set cover 608) of the container setting portion 615 as shown in FIGS. 44(A)(d). Therefore, the container main body 33 is rotatably supported within the end inner peripheral surface 615a that serves as the positioning portion of the container setting portion. At this time, the position of the container front end cover 34 in the circumferential direction is regulated by the anti-rotation rib 342a and the groove 77a. Mate. Therefore, it is possible to prevent toner from leaking from the container shutter 332 caused by the container opening 33a entering the container setting portion 615 in a positionally displaced state. In addition, when the container opening 33a enters the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion, the radial restriction by the protrusion 341a is released, so that it interferes with the circumferential restriction by the anti-rotation rib 342a. never do.

When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the fifth regulated state, the sixth regulated state shown in FIGS. In the sixth regulated state, the container opening 33a enters more deeply into the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion, and the replenishing device side is inserted into each locking hole 339d of the container locking portions 339, 339 shown in FIG. The locking members 78, 78 enter and are locked. As a result, the toner container 32 is prevented from moving in the longitudinal direction (rotating shaft direction) and held at the set position.
If the position where the replenishing device side locking members 78, 78 enter the respective locking holes 339d of the container locking portions 339, 339 has some play in the longitudinal direction, it may cause variations in component accuracy and installation position. Even if there is variation in the toner supply device 60, the supply device side lock members 78, 78 can be reliably inserted into the locking holes 339d of the container lock portions 339, 339 and held at the set position. This is preferable because an incompletely set state of the toner container 32 can be avoided.
FIG. 44B shows the relationship between the state of the conveying nozzle 611 and the nozzle receiving member 330 during the mounting operation (horizontal axis) and the regulation state of the toner container 32 (vertical axis). The horizontal axis of FIG. 44(B) indicates the contact state of the nozzle receiving member 330 with the conveying nozzle 611, and (a) is at the start of movement and before contact between the conveying nozzle 611 and the nozzle receiving member 330. (b) is a state in which the end surface 332h of the container shutter and the end surface of the conveying nozzle 611a are in contact, (c) is a state in which the container seal 333 and the nozzle shutter flange 621a are in contact, and (d) is the container opening. 33a is fitted to the container setting portion 615. FIG. The vertical axis of FIG. 44(B) represents a slide guide 361 that regulates movement in the vertical direction as a guide section and a movement in the radial direction that regulates movement when reaching the states of (a) to (d) on the horizontal axis. It shows which of the projections 341a and the anti-rotation ribs 342 for restricting movement in the circumferential direction restricts the movement of the toner container 32. FIG. For example, when the end surface 332h of the container shutter and the conveying nozzle 611a come into contact with each other in (b), the slide guide 361 restricts the movement in the vertical direction.

In this manner, as the toner container 32 moves in the mounting direction Q with respect to the toner replenishing device 60, the toner container 32 and the toner replenishing device 60 are engaged and disengaged step by step. By determining the positional relationship of , the center positions of the transport nozzle 611, the container shutter 332, and the nozzle receiving port 331 can be stabilized. Therefore, it is possible to suppress breakage of the conveying nozzle 611, the container shutter 332, and the nozzle receiving port 331 and toner leakage while improving the operability at the time of mounting.

(Second embodiment)
FIG. 50 is a perspective explanatory view of the toner container 1032 according to the second embodiment. The toner container 1032 is a substantially cylindrical toner bottle, and serves as a powder containing member in which the container tip side cover 34 held non-rotatably in the toner container housing portion 70 and the container gear 1301 are integrally formed. It is mainly composed of a container main body 1033 . As in the first embodiment, the toner container 1032 is detachable from the toner replenishing device 60 and slidable in the longitudinal direction on the toner container storage section 70 of the toner replenishing device 60 (FIG. 5). , see FIG. 20).
The toner container 1032 differs from the toner container 32 described in the first embodiment in the configuration of the container main body 1033, and the configuration other than this is the same as that of the toner container 32. Therefore, here, the container main body 1033 The description will focus on the configuration of

The container main body 1033 is a cylindrical member made of resin, in which toner as a powdery developer is accommodated, and is configured such that a conveying means and a part of the conveying means have a pumping function. . This configuration will be described below with reference to FIG. FIG. 51(a) is a perspective view of a nozzle receiving member 330 integrated with a pumping rib 304g corresponding to the pumping wall surface 304f (hereinafter referred to as a nozzle receiving member 1330). FIG. 51(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the relationship between the nozzle receiving member 1330 of FIG. FIG. 51(c) is a side sectional explanatory view of the entire toner container 1032 mounting the nozzle receiving member 1330 shown in FIG. 51(a), and FIG. 51(d) is a part of the toner container 1032. 13 is a perspective view of container shutter 1332. FIG.

The nozzle receiving member 1330 shown in FIG. 51 includes the pumping rib 304g as described above, and is a conveying vane holding portion to which the conveying vane 1302 as a conveying means made of a flexible material such as a resin film is fixed. 1330b and integrated.
51 has a container seal 1333, a nozzle receiving port 1331, a container shutter 1332, and a container shutter spring 1336. The nozzle receiving member 1330 shown in FIG. The container seal 1333 is a sealing member having a contact surface that faces and contacts the nozzle shutter flange 612a of the nozzle shutter 612 held by the conveying nozzle 611 when the toner container 1032 is attached to the copier 500 main body. The nozzle receiving port 1331 is an opening into which the conveying 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 receiving port 1331 is closed.

Further, in the configuration shown in FIG. 51, the nozzle receiving member 1330 has a nozzle receiving member outer peripheral surface 1330a which is slidably fitted to the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion of the main body of the copying machine 500 shown in FIG. Prepare. Further, as shown in FIG. 51(d), the container shutter 1332 includes a contact portion 1332a that contacts the conveying nozzle 611 and a shutter support portion 1332b. The shutter support portion 1332b has a hook portion 1332c that extends in the longitudinal direction of the container body 1033 from the contact portion 1332a and prevents the container shutter 1332 from falling off the nozzle receiving member 1330 by the force of the container shutter spring 1336. have. The toner container 1032 has a separate container gear 1301 fixed to the nozzle receiving member 1330 so as to be capable of transmitting driving force.
In this way, it is possible to integrate the pumping inner wall surface, the bridging portion, and the structure for flowing the toner up to the shutter support opening 1335 b into the nozzle opening 610 .

Next, the details of the toner container 1032 having the scooping ribs 304g will be described.
As shown in FIG. 51(c), the toner container 1032 is composed of a container front end cover 34, a container main body 1033, a bottom lid 1035, a nozzle receiving member 1330, and the like. The container tip side cover 34 is provided on the tip side of the toner container 1032 in the mounting direction Q with respect to the copier 500 main body, and the container main body 1033 has a substantially cylindrical shape. The bottom lid 1035 is provided on the rear end side of the toner container 1032 in the mounting direction Q, and the nozzle receiving member 1330 is rotatably held by the substantially cylindrical container main body 1033 described above.

The container front end cover 34 is provided with an exposure opening 34 a (see FIG. 48) for exposing the container gear 1301 fixed to the nozzle receiving member 1330 . A substantially cylindrical container body 1033 rotatably holds the nozzle receiving member 1330, and is fixed (using a known method such as heat welding or adhesive) to the container front end cover 34 and the bottom lid 1035. FIG. The bottom lid 1035 has a rear end side bearing 1035a that supports one end of the conveying blade holding portion 1330b, and a handle portion 1303 for the user to hold when attaching or detaching the toner container 1032 to or from the copying machine 500 main body. have

Next, an assembling method for assembling the container tip side cover 34, the bottom lid 1035, and the nozzle receiving member 1330 to the container main body 1033 will be described.
First, the nozzle receiving member 1330 is inserted into the container main body 1033 from the rear end side of the container, and positioned so that the nozzle receiving member 1330 is rotatably supported with respect to the front end side bearing 1036 on the front end side of the container main body 1033 . . Next, the bottom lid 1035 is fixed to the container main body 1033 by positioning so that the rear end side bearing 1035a provided on the bottom lid 1035 rotatably supports one end of the conveying blade holding portion 1330b of the nozzle receiving member 1330. do. After that, the container gear 1301 is fixed to the nozzle receiving member 1330 from the container front end side. After fixing the container gear 1301, the container front end side cover 34 is fixed to the container main body 1033 so as to cover the container gear 1301 from the container front end side.
The fixing of the container main body 1033 and the container tip side cover 34, the fixing of the container main body 1033 and the bottom lid 1035, and the fixing of the nozzle receiving member 1330 and the container gear 1301 are appropriately known methods (for example, heat welding, adhesive, etc.) can be used.

Next, the configuration for conveying toner from toner container 1032 to nozzle opening 610 will be described.
The pumping rib 304g protrudes to the vicinity of the inner peripheral surface of the container body 1033 so that the rib surface is connected from the rotation direction downstream end portion 1335c of the shutter side support portion 1335a. The rib surface is bent at one point in the middle to form a nearly curved surface, but depending on compatibility with the toner, this structure may not necessarily be used, and a simple flat rib with no bends may be used. Such a configuration eliminates the need to form a raised portion on the container body 1033 . Furthermore, since the pumping rib 304g is erected integrally from the shutter support opening 1335b, it is possible to exert a bridging effect in the same manner as when the shutter side support portion 335a and the projection 304h are brought into close contact with each other. That is, when the nozzle receiving member 1330 rotates when the toner container 1032 is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the conveying vane rotates, and the toner stored inside the toner container 1032 is transferred to the nozzle receiving member 1330 from the rear end side. It is conveyed toward the leading end side where it is located. The toner conveyed by the conveying blade 1302 is received by the scooping rib 304g, which is scooped up from below by rotation, and the rib surface is used as a slide to allow the toner to flow into the nozzle opening 610.例文帳に追加

Furthermore, as in the first embodiment, the toner container 1032 according to the present embodiment is placed in the groove 74 of the container receiving portion 72 of the toner container storage portion 70, and when the user pushes it in the mounting direction Q, the toner container 32 moves on the groove 74 . As the toner container 1032 moves, the container front end cover 34 shifts from the first regulating state to the fifth regulating state, and the position of the toner container is defined step by step according to each state. Then, when the container is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the fifth regulated state to enter the sixth regulated state, the container opening 1033a enters deeply into the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 to reach the set position. The replenishing device-side locking members 78, 78 enter into the locking holes 339d of the container locking portions 339, 339 and are locked. This prevents the toner container 1032 from moving in the longitudinal direction.

In this manner, as the toner container 1032 moves in the mounting direction Q with respect to the toner replenishing device 60, the positional relationship between the toner container 1032 and the toner replenishing device 60 is defined step by step, and positioning is performed. 611, the container shutter 332, and the center position of the nozzle receiving port 331 can be stabilized. Therefore, it is possible to suppress leakage of toner while improving operability at the time of mounting.

(Third Embodiment)
In the third embodiment shown in FIGS. 53(a) and 53(b), an IC tag (IC chip, information storage medium) 700 as an information storage device and its holding mechanism 345 are attached to a toner container 1032 as a container cover. A connector 800 is provided on the container front end side cover 34 and is provided in the toner replenishing device 60 as reading means for contacting the IC tag 700 and reading out information.
The communication method of the IC tag 700 is a contact type. Therefore, the connector 800 is arranged at a position facing the container front end side end face of the container front end cover 34 on the main body side of the toner replenishing device 60 .

As shown in FIG. 54, the IC tag 700 has an IC tag hole 701 formed vertically above the center of gravity of the substrate 702 in the vertical direction of the chip. A ground terminal 703 for grounding (earth) made of a metal terminal is installed in the inner diameter portion and the periphery of the IC tag hole portion 701 . The ground terminal 703 formed on the surface of the substrate 702 is formed such that two ground terminal projecting portions 705 extend in the left-right direction of the chip with respect to the annular portion. One rectangular metal pad 710 (first metal pad 710a) is provided above the IC tag hole 701 in the vertical direction of the chip. Two metal pads 710 (a second metal pad 710b and a third metal pad 710c) are provided below the chip in the vertical direction. On the rear surface of the substrate 702, a protective member 720 made of a resin material such as epoxy having a hemispherical surface is provided to cover and protect an information storage section (not shown).

As shown in FIG. 53(a), the IC tag 700 having such a structure is held by the holding mechanism 345 on the vertical surface 34d, which is the surface on the downstream side of the container front end cover 34 in the mounting direction. The holding mechanism 345 includes a holding portion 343 having a pedestal that holds the IC tag 700 and a holding member 344 that holds the IC tag 700 and serves as a cover member detachably fitted to the holding portion 343 . The IC tag 700 and its holding mechanism 345 are arranged in a space diagonally above the right side of the container front end side cover 34 when viewed from the container front end side along the rotating shaft of the toner container 32 . When the toner container 32 of another color is installed side by side, the holding mechanism 345 is arranged on the cover 34 on the front end side of the container by utilizing the space on the upper right side which becomes a dead space. This makes it possible to provide a compact toner replenishing device in which the cylindrical toner containers 32 can be arranged close to each other. In addition, the container gear 301 and the container driving gear 601 on the main body side are arranged in a space obliquely above the left side of the container front end side cover 34 .

The IC tag 700 is held with the metal pads 710a to 710c and the ground terminal 703 facing the connector 800 by sandwiching the substrate 702 between the holding portion 343 and the holding member 344 of the holding mechanism 345 having such a configuration. be.

As shown in FIGS. 53(b) and 55, the connector 800 includes a positioning pin 801, three body-side terminals 804, and a body-side terminal 802 for grounding. The three body-side terminals 804 are arranged so as to face the metal pads 710a to 710c, respectively. Information is read from the IC tag 700 by touching the . The positioning pin 801 is arranged so as to face the IC tag hole 701 for positioning. is inserted into IC tag 700 and connector 800 are positioned by inserting positioning pin 801 into IC tag hole 701 . The body side terminal 802 for grounding is configured such that the positioning pin 801 is in contact with the grounding terminal 703 inserted into the IC tag hole portion 701 .

In this embodiment, the positioning pin 801 is inserted into the IC tag hole portion 701 by moving the toner container 1032 in the mounting direction Q between the fifth and sixth regulation states.
That is, before the positioning pin 801 is inserted into the IC tag hole portion 701, the toner container 1032 is roughly positioned in the vertical direction Z and the width direction W by the first regulation state. In the second restricted state, radial movement of the container front end cover 34 with respect to the container cover receiving portion 73 is restricted by contact between the three protrusions 341a and the inner peripheral surface 608c. That is, in the second regulated state, the toner container 32 is positioned in the width direction W, the vertical direction Z, and the radial direction. In the third restricted state, the anti-rotation rib 342a enters the groove 77a formed in the set cover 608, thereby restricting the movement of the container front end cover 34 in the circumferential direction R. Then, after the restriction in the radial direction is released in the fourth restriction state, the container opening 1033a enters the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion in the fifth restriction state. Positioning of the main body 1033 with respect to the toner supply device 60 is performed.

Therefore, when the positioning pin 801 is inserted into the IC tag hole portion 701, the vertical direction, width direction, circumferential direction and radial direction are restricted. The positional relationship of 701 is stabilized. Therefore, in the present embodiment, it is possible to improve the operability at the time of mounting, suppress leakage of toner, and prevent poor contact between the IC tag 700 and the connector 800 .

(Fourth embodiment)
In this embodiment, identification means for identifying compatibility between each toner container side and the toner replenishing device side will be described.
In general, for identification of compatibility, different engaging portions and engaged portions are provided as identification means for each type on the toner container side and the toner container storage portion side of the toner replenishing device. When trying to mount a toner container of a different type in the toner container housing portion, the engaging portion and the engaged portion do not face each other and collate, preventing the toner container from being mounted in the toner container housing portion, thereby preventing erroneous mounting. prevent
A certain gap is provided between the toner container and the toner container accommodating portion in consideration of ease of installation. Without this gap, the mounting posture becomes too severe when mounting the correct toner container, making mounting difficult. However, if the gap is too large, although it is easy to mount, the degree of freedom in the orientation of the toner container is high, and even if the toner container is in the wrong orientation, a force may act to try to attach it to the toner container housing. Therefore, when the toner container is attached with a load greater than a certain value, the toner container may be erroneously attached to the toner-container storage portion even in the combination of the engaging portion and the engaged portion that should not be attached due to mismatch. There is
The identification means provided in the toner container housing is provided on the front side in the mounting direction in order to identify compatibility at the initial stage of mounting. Therefore, the insertion opening forming portion provided with the identification means is molded with a soft material such as resin so as not to injure the user when the toner container is attached. Therefore, the identification means provided in the insertion port forming portion is easily bent, and even when a toner container of a different type is mounted, it may climb over the identification means and be mounted in the toner container storage portion.

If such different types of toner containers are attached, there is a high possibility that the toner container cannot be removed, or that the engaging portion or the engaged portion as identification means is destroyed. Even if the toner container is of a different type, when using the same toner container from the viewpoint of commonality of parts and sorting the types by different combinations of the engaging portion and the engaged portion, the wrong toner container may be placed in the toner container housing portion. is installed, different toner replenishing devices feed toner of different colors and types, which may interfere with the functions of the image forming apparatus such as the developing device and the process cartridge.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, a restricting means is provided to restrict the engaging portion of the toner container from moving over the engaged portion provided in the toner container storage portion. By providing this regulating means, even if an incompatible toner container is attached to the toner container storage portion and is forcibly pushed in, the engaging portion overcomes the bent engaged portion and the toner replenishing device is provided. It is possible to reliably prevent attachment of the wrong type of toner container and to prevent breakage of the engaged portion provided in the toner container housing portion.

Hereinafter, the incompatible relationship between the toner container and the toner container accommodating portion will be specifically described with reference to the drawings. 59 is a perspective explanatory view showing the tip side of the toner container 32, and FIG. 60 is a bottom view showing the tip side of the toner container 32. FIG. In the present embodiment, an engaging portion 92 is formed in the lower portion 34g of the outer periphery of the container front end side cover 34 of the toner container 32. As shown in FIG. The engaging portion 92 is arranged between a pair of slide guides 361, 361 positioned in the width direction W. As shown in FIG. The location of the engaging portion 92 is not limited to between the slide guides 361 and 361 as long as it is located at the lower portion 34g of the container front end side cover 34 . In the present embodiment, the engaging portion 92 is a pair of engaging ribs 920 as an inter-slide guide projecting portion protruding from the outer periphery of the container front end cover 34, or an inter-rib groove 921 formed between the inter-rib grooves 920 or the slide guide 361. , 361 as a part of the reinforcing portion groove 922 formed continuously in the mounting direction so that the lower portion thereof has a concave shape. The width W1 of the inter-rib grooves 921, 921 and the presence/absence of the inter-rib grooves 921 and reinforcing portion grooves 922 are made different according to the color and type of toner and the model. The engaging rib 920 is arranged on the upstream side (closer to the rear end of the toner container) than the tips 361b, 361b of the slide guides 361, 361 in the mounting direction. Each engaging rib 920 has an upper portion 920a connected to and integrated with the container front end cover 34, and both side portions 920b, 920b as parts of the slide guides 361, 361 integrated with the container front end cover 34. It is connected to and integrated with the reinforcing parts 362 , 362 . For this reason, the component strength is enhanced as compared with the one in which only the upper portion is integrated with the container front end side cover 34 .

In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 61, the toner container accommodating portion 70 to which the toner container 32 is attached and detached is composed of a container cover receiving portion 73, a container receiving portion 72, and an insertion opening forming portion 71A. .
The insertion opening forming portion 71A is formed with insertion openings 71a (Y, M, C, K) through which the toner containers 32 of respective colors are inserted and removed. The shape of these insertion openings 71a is similar to the external shape of the container front end cover 34 of each color, and as shown in FIGS. Y, M, C, K) are formed so that a certain gap is formed when the toner container is attached and detached.
An inlet pedestal portion 71b forming a lower portion of each insertion port 71a has an engaged rib 90 as an engaged portion that engages with an engaging portion 92 of the toner container 32 to identify the type of the toner container. They are formed so as to protrude upward from the base portion 71b. Restriction ribs 93, 93 (Y, M, C, K) as restriction portions are provided on lower side surfaces 71c, 71c of each insertion opening 71a positioned in the width direction W, respectively. The regulating ribs 93, 93 (Y, M, C, K) are inserted into the slide grooves 361a, 361a (see FIG. 59) of the slide guides 361, 361 when the toner containers 32 of the respective colors are inserted into the insertion openings 71a, respectively. The slide guides 361, 361 are made slidable by the width and the amount of projection that can be inserted. As a result, each engaging portion provided in the lower portion 34g of each container front end side cover 34 is engaged in a state in which each slide groove 361a enters each regulation rib 93 and the movement of the container front end cover 34 in the vertical direction is restricted. 92 respectively engage with each engaged rib 90 . At this time, since movement in the vertical direction is restricted, each toner container 32 is prevented from being lifted upward when each engaging portion 92 and each engaged rib 90 are engaged with each other. It is possible to prevent continuous insertion beyond the rib 90 .

The length (groove depth) of the slide groove 361a of the slide guide 361 in the width direction W (see FIG. 31) is 2/3 or more of the length (height of the rib) of the regulation rib 93 in the width direction W. It is preferable that the length is set to the extent that a is inserted. The length (groove depth) of the slide groove central portion 361d in the width direction W (see FIG. 31) is shorter than 2/3 of the length (rib height) of the regulation rib 93 in the width direction W, and the relative In the case where the groove inclined portion 361f is formed to be long, although the strength of the slide guide 361 is improved, only the tip of the restriction rib 93 is inserted into the slide groove 361a, and the restriction in the vertical direction is restricted. This is because the looseness causes the rear end side of the toner container 32 to be lifted with the restricting rib 93 as the base end, and even if it is erroneously inserted, it will climb over the engaged rib 90 and cause erroneous mounting.

Regulating ribs 93 (Y, M, C) provided in insertion openings 71a (Y, M, C) into which toner containers 32 (Y, M, C) are inserted shown in FIG. The guide rails 75 (Y, M, C) are formed at the same height as the guide rails 75 (Y, M, C) formed on the side, and are formed to protrude in opposite directions from the lower side surfaces 71c, 71c, respectively.
On the other hand, the regulation rib 93K provided in the insertion opening 71aK into which the toner container 32K is inserted, shown in FIG. 63, has the same bottom surface as the guide rail 75(K) (see FIG. 28) formed on the container cover receiving portion 73 side. Although they are formed at the height position, the length in the height direction differs between the regulation rib 93 (K) and the guide rail 75 (K), and the guide rail 75 (K) is formed longer. there is As a result, the toner container 32 (Y, M, C) formed smaller than the toner container 32 (K) is mistakenly inserted into the insertion port 71a (K) formed larger than the insertion port 71a (Y, M, C). Even if the guide rail 75 (K) is inserted through the engaged rib 90 and continues to be inserted, the slide guide 361 (Y, M, C) of the toner container 32 (Y, M, C) is not in contact with the guide rail 75 (K). ), further insertion can be restricted, and erroneous mounting can be prevented. Also, the guide rails 75 (Y, M, C, K) and the regulation ribs 93 (Y, M, C, K) may be integrated.

The regulating rib 93K is formed to have a length in the height direction smaller than that of the slide groove 361a. In fact, it is formed so as to pass through a position closer to the lower inner surface than the upper inner surface of the groove portion 361a. As a result, when the restricting rib 93 enters the slide groove 361a, the gap between the lower surface of the restricting rib 93 and the lower inner surface of the slide groove 361a becomes small. , the toner container 32 is prevented from being lifted upward, and it is possible to further prevent continuous insertion beyond the engaged rib 90 .

Further, the upper guide top portion 35a of the upper guide 35 provided on the container front end side cover 34 of the toner container 32 is used as another restricting portion in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 64, the upper guide top portion 35a abuts on the upper surface 71e of the insertion opening 71A, which vertically faces the engaged rib 90, thereby restricting the vertical movement of the toner container. be done. As a result, the toner container 32 is prevented from being lifted upward, and it is possible to further prevent the continued insertion of the toner container 32 over the engaged rib 90 . Since the upper guide 35 is formed with an upper guide inclined surface 35c (see FIG. 22), when the toner container 32 is removed from the toner container housing portion 70, the inclined surface of the upper guide inclined surface 35c is Since the insertion opening forming portion 71A is moved in the removal direction along the inclination, the operability of the removal operation is good.

Next, the relationship between the engaged rib 90 and the engaging portion 92 will be described. In the present embodiment, in the case of a compatible toner container 32 that can be attached to the insertion opening 71a, as an example, as shown in FIG. In the case of an incompatible toner container 32 that cannot be inserted into the insertion opening 71a, the width of the engaged rib 90 of the insertion opening 71a is set to W1 as shown in FIG. 65(a). The width W1 of the inter-rib groove 921 is narrower than W2.

Therefore, when the operator inserts the toner container 32 into the insertion port 71a, first, the regulating ribs 93, 93 shown in FIGS. enter in. Therefore, the vertical movement of the toner container 32 (container tip side cover 34) is restricted. At this time, the operator cannot move in the mounting direction Q unless the restricting ribs 93, 93 enter the slide grooves 361a, 361a.

When the toner container 32 is pushed in the mounting direction Q in this regulated state, the engaging portion 92 approaches the engaged rib 90 . At this time, if the attached toner container 32 is a mountable toner container 32, the width W1 of the inter-rib groove 921 of the engaging portion 92 is the width of the engaged rib 90, as shown in FIG. 65(b). It is formed wider than the width W2. Therefore, the movement of the toner container 32 in the mounting direction Q is not restricted, and the inter-rib groove 921 passes through the engaged rib 90 and moves over the container receiving portion 72 to reach the container cover receiving portion 73. A container tip side cover 34 is set.

On the other hand, when the attached toner container 32 is a non-attachable toner container 32, as shown in FIG. Since it is formed narrower than W2, the engaging rib 920 of the engaging portion 92 and the engaged rib 90 on the side of the insertion opening 71a abut against each other. Therefore, the movement of the toner container 32 in the mounting direction Q is restricted, and the inter-rib groove 921 cannot pass through the engaged rib 90, thereby preventing the mounting of an incompatible toner container 32 that cannot be mounted. can be done.

Even if this unmountable toner container 32 is forcibly pushed in the mounting direction Q, the vertical movement of the toner container 32 (container front end side cover 34) is restricted by the slide grooves 361a and 361a and the restricting ribs 93 and 93. ing. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the engaging portion 92 from getting over the engaged rib 90, and it is possible to more reliably prevent the incompatible toner container 32 from being mounted.

Further, in this embodiment, the engagement/disengagement relationship with the engaged rib 90 is regulated by the width W1 of the inter-rib groove 921 on the toner container 32 side and the presence/absence of the reinforcement groove 922 . In other words, compatibility can be determined by adjusting the width W1 with respect to the position and number of the engaged ribs 90 and the presence or absence of the reinforcement grooves 922. Therefore, there is no adverse effect on mountability, and mistakes can be made with a simple configuration. It is possible to prevent the toner container from being attached to the toner replenishing device side (toner container accommodating portion 70).

A combination of the engaging portion 92 and the engaged rib 90 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 65(a), if the width W1 of the inter-rib groove 921 of the engaging portion 92 is narrow, it cannot pass through the engaged portion formed by the two engaged ribs 90. not possible).
As shown in FIG. 65(c), the narrow width W1 of the inter-rib groove 921 of the engaging portion 92 can pass through the engaged rib 90 formed by one engaged rib 90 ( can be worn).
As shown in FIG. 65(b), when the width W1 of the inter-rib groove 921 of the engaging portion 92 is large, it passes through the engaged rib 90 regardless of whether there is one or two engaged ribs 90. can be worn (can be worn).

Next, the form and dimensions of the engaging portion 92 and the engaged rib 90 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 66 to 77. FIG. Here, the reference numerals of the inter-rib grooves 921 and the reinforcing portion grooves 922 are assigned differently for each example. 66 to 75 are diagrams showing the form of the inter-rib groove 921 formed in the container front end cover 34. FIG. FIGS. 66, 67(a) and 67(b) show Example 1 having an inter-rib groove 9211a with a width of 3 mm between engaging ribs 9201a provided in the lower portion 34g of the container front end cover 34. FIG.
FIGS. 68, 69(a) and 69(b) show Example 2 having an inter-rib groove 921 with a width of 7 mm between engaging ribs 9202a provided in the lower portion 34g of the container front end cover 34. FIG.
70, 71(a) and 71(b) show the widths of the side surfaces 362a, 362a of the reinforcement portions 362, 362 formed in the slide guides 361, 361 connected in the mounting direction without having the engagement rib 920. An example 3 is shown in which the width is 11 mm and the inter-slide guide groove 9213 is formed between the slide guides 361 , 361 .
72, 73(a), and 73(b) show that the lower portion 34g of the container front end side cover 34 is attached to the reinforcing portion 362 formed on the slide guide 361 located on the right side in the mounting direction Q and connected to the mounting direction. Example 4 is shown in which a reinforcement groove 9224a of 3 mm is formed from a position offset by 9 mm from the center, and an engaging rib 9204a is formed between the slide guides 361,361.
74(a), 75(a), and 75(b), the reinforcing portion 362 formed in the slide guide 361 located on the left side in the mounting direction Q and connected in the mounting direction is attached to the container front end side cover 34. Example 5 is shown in which a reinforcement groove 9225a of 3 mm is formed from a position offset by 9 mm from the center of the lower portion 34g, and an engagement rib 9205a is formed between the slide guides 361,361. The depth of each groove was set to 5 mm, and the height (projection amount) of the engaged rib 90 was set to 2.5 mm.
In FIGS. 72 and 74(a), the reinforcing portion groove 9225a is formed in the reinforcing portion 362 of either the left side or the right side of the slide guide 361 in the mounting direction Q, but the shape of the reinforcing portion groove 9225a is , but not limited to.
For example, as shown in FIG. 74(b), the reinforcing portions 362, 362 formed in the slide guides 361, 361 located on the right and left sides in the mounting direction Q and connected in the mounting direction are provided with the container front end cover 34. Reinforcement grooves 9225a, 9225a of 3 mm each may be formed from a position offset 9 mm from the center of the lower portion 34g. An engagement rib 9205a may be formed between the slide guides 361, 361 as shown in FIGS. A configuration in which the engagement rib 9205a is not formed between the is also possible.
FIG. 76 is an enlarged view showing the relationship between these inter-rib grooves 921 and reinforcement grooves 922 and the engaged ribs 90 narrower than these grooves. FIG. 77 summarizes the combination relationship between the groove width and Examples 1 to 5.

(Fifth embodiment)
Next, another embodiment of the engaging portion 92 will be described with reference to FIGS. 78 to 81. FIG. This embodiment is the same as the fourth embodiment in terms of the width W1 of the inter-rib groove 921 and the presence or absence of the reinforcement groove 922, but differs in the form of the engaging portion 92 when viewed from the bottom. Therefore, FIGS. 78 to 81 show the bottom view of this embodiment, and the front view and rear view are omitted.
78 shows another form of Example 1, FIG. 79 shows another form of Example 2, FIG. 80 shows another form of Example 4, and FIG. 81 shows another form of Example 5. FIG.
In FIG. 78, 9201b and 9201b indicate inter-slide guide protrusions (engagement ribs) provided in the slide guides 361 and 361, and 9211b is inter-protrusion grooves formed between the inter-slide guide protrusions 9201b and 9201b. (grooves between ribs).
In FIG. 79, 9202b and 9202b denote protrusions (engagement ribs) between the slide guides provided on the slide guides 361 and 9212b are grooves between the protrusions (ribs) formed between the engagement ribs 9202b and 9202b. groove).
In FIG. 80, 9224b denotes a reinforcement groove formed in a reinforcement portion 362 formed in the slide guide 361 located on the right side in the mounting direction Q and connected in the mounting direction. 2 shows a protrusion between slide guides (engagement rib) formed between .
In FIG. 81, 9224b denotes a reinforcement groove formed in a reinforcement portion 362 formed in the slide guide 361 positioned on the left side in the mounting direction Q and connected in the mounting direction. 2 shows a protrusion between slide guides (engagement rib) formed between .

In the fifth embodiment shown in FIGS. 78 to 81, each of the inter-slide guide protrusions 9201b, 9212b, 9204b, and 9205b is positioned further than the longitudinal center of the slide guides 361 and 361 in contrast to the fourth embodiment. It extends to a position on the downstream side (near the tip of the toner container) in the mounting direction. That is, the inter-slide guide protrusions 9201b, 9212b, 9204b, and 9205b are arranged such that one end thereof is located near the tips 361b, 361 of the slide guides 361, 361, respectively. The ends of the projections 9201b, 9212b, 9204b, and 9205b between the slide guides are arranged in the vicinity of the tip 361b of the slide guide. Immediately after entering the insertion opening 71a of the forming portion 71, the engagement rib 90 engages with the wall surface on the downstream side in the mounting direction of the inter-slide guide projections 9201b, 9212b, 9204b, and 9205b. Unlike the present embodiment, if the engagement rib is provided at a position near the rear end of the toner container of the slide guide 361, which is far from the tip 361b of the slide guide, the tip 361b of the slide guide exceeds the inlet pedestal portion 71b. The engaging portion 92 is engaged with the engaged rib 90 in a state in which the groove portion 74 is reached by the force. Since the insertion port forming portion 71 is easily touched by the operator's hand as described above, it is made of a material that is softer and more flexible than the container receiving portion 72 and the groove portion 74 on the rear end side of the insertion port forming portion 71 in the mounting direction. ing. Therefore, when the rear end side of the toner container 32 is moved vertically and pushed in in the mounting direction, the point of contact between the tip 361b of the slide guide and the groove portion 74 that does not bend becomes a fulcrum, and the entrance pedestal portion 71b and the inlet pedestal portion 71b are moved. The engaged rib 90 protruding from here is bent. If the engaged rib 90 bends, the engaging portion rib 92 easily climbs over the engaged rib 90, and the toner container 32 may be installed in the wrong position.

On the other hand, in the case of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 82(a), the tip 361b of the slide guide does not enter the groove 74 and is positioned on the entrance pedestal 71b. Interprotrusions (engaging ribs) 9201b, 9212b, 9204b, and 9205b are engaged with the engaged rib 90 . Therefore, even if the toner container 32 is pushed in the mounting direction while moving the rear end side of the toner container 32 in the vertical direction during the mounting operation of the toner container 32, the front end 361b of the slide guide and the inlet pedestal portion 71b contact each other. Since the contact position serves as a fulcrum for movement, the engaged rib 90 bends and follows the vertical movement of the toner container 32 . Therefore, the protrusions 9201b, 9212b, 9204b, and 9205b between the slide guides are less likely to climb over the engaged rib 90, and the toner container 32 can be reliably prevented from being mounted in the wrong position.

Furthermore, in the present embodiment, in the state of FIG. 82(a), as shown in FIG. The inter-slide guide protrusions 9201b, 9212b, 9204b, and 9205b are arranged to engage with the engaged rib 90 at positions where the regulating rib 93 is sandwiched between the 361c.
As a result, the inter-slide guide projections 9201b, 9212b, 9204b, and 9205b are engaged with the engaged ribs 90 in a state where the vertical regulation between the slide guides 361 and the regulation ribs 93 is more severe. Therefore, since the inter-slide guide protrusions 9201b, 9212b, 9204b, and 9205b are engaged with the engaged ribs 90 in a state in which the toner container 32 is restricted from moving in the vertical direction, the inter-slide guide protrusions 9201b, It is possible to reliably prevent 9212b, 9204b, and 9205b from getting over the engaged rib 90 and mounting the toner container 32 in the wrong position.

The locations, dimensions, and presence/absence of the engagement ribs 90 and the inter-protrusion grooves and reinforcement grooves between the protrusions between the slide guides are set for each toner color, component, and model. By regulating the vertical direction by means of the slide guides 361 and 361 and the regulation rib 93, it is possible to increase variations of incompatibility while maintaining operability, rather than incompatibility due to simple engagement and disengagement of protrusions. It is possible to reliably prevent the mounting of a toner container that cannot be mounted.
The configurations of the engaged rib 90, the engaging rib 92, and the regulating rib 93 are not only applied to the first embodiment, but also the container front end side cover of the toner container described in the second and third embodiments. Even if it is applied to the relationship between 34 and the container opening 71a, the same effects as in the present embodiment can be obtained.

(Sixth embodiment)
In this embodiment, another embodiment of the radial direction restricting portion for the toner replenishing device 60 of the toner container 32 according to the first to fifth embodiments will be described.
As shown in FIG. 83, the set cover 608 has three projections 608e that protrude inwardly from an inner peripheral surface 608c at equal intervals in the circumferential direction. When the container front end cover 34 enters the container cover receiving portion 73, the outer peripheral surface of the container front end cover 34 contacts the protrusion 608e to guide the movement of the toner container 32 and position it in the radial direction. Although not shown, the container front end cover 34 is formed with a recess that can face the protrusion 608e. When the toner container 32 is pushed into the toner replenishing device 60 to a predetermined position in the mounting direction Q, the recess faces the protrusion 608e. occupy a position As a result, the restriction in the radial direction of the container front end cover 34 by the outer peripheral surface of the container front end cover 34 and the protrusion 608e is released.
In this embodiment, the toner container 32 has been described as an example. This embodiment may be applied to a toner container 1032 having a pumping function as part of the means.

(Seventh embodiment)
In this embodiment, another embodiment of the circumferential direction restricting portion of the toner container 32 to the toner replenishing device 60 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 84, the peripheral surface of the container front end side cover 34 is formed with a circumferential direction restricting groove serving as a circumferential direction restricting portion. The circumferential regulation groove is formed inward from the outer peripheral surface 34b of the container front end cover 34. As shown in FIG. Hereinafter, this circumferential direction restricting groove portion will be referred to as a detent recess portion 342b. When the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the anti-rotation concave portion 342b is arranged so as to enter a plate-like protrusion 77b which is formed on the set cover 608 shown in FIG. .
85 and 86, the order of engagement and disengagement between each positioning member and the toner replenishing device 60 in the sixth and seventh embodiments will be described below. 38 and 44(A) except that the configuration of 608e, detent recess 342b and protrusion 77b are different. Therefore, the description here will be simplified as appropriate.
As shown in FIG. 85(a), when the toner container 32 is placed in the groove portion 74 of the container receiving portion 72 of the toner container housing portion 70 and pushed in by the user in the mounting direction Q (mounting operation is performed), the toner container 32 is It slides along the groove 74 . At this time, as shown in FIG. 22, the toner container 32 is moved while the upper guide side portions 35b, 35b of the upper guide 35 of the toner container 32 are in contact with the upper surface projecting portion 76a formed on the upper surface portion 76 facing the groove portion 74. Since it is slidably moved, it can be pushed in the mounting direction Q while the movement in the vertical direction Z is restricted. In addition, since the movement in the vertical direction is restricted by upper guide side portions 35b, 35b formed on both sides of the upper guide 35 instead of the upper guide top portion 35a at the top portion of the upper guide 35, the toner container 32 moves in the horizontal direction during the pushing operation. Even if it is misaligned, it can be reliably brought into contact with the upper surface portion 76 side.

On the side of the toner replenishing device 60, as shown in FIG. They enter respectively, and rough positioning can be performed in the width direction W and the vertical direction Z, which are perpendicular to the mounting direction Q (first restricted state).

When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the first restricted state, the end surface 332h of the container shutter and the end surface 611a of the conveying nozzle come into contact with each other, as shown in FIG. 85(c). Further pushing in the mounting direction Q results in the second regulated state shown in FIG. When the tip side of the container tip side cover 34 enters the container cover receiving portion 73, the outer peripheral surface 34b of the mounting direction tip portion 34c of the container tip side cover 34 is moved to the projection 608e provided on the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608. contact from the inside. The contact between the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608 and the protrusion 608e guides the movement of the toner container 32 and restricts it in the radial direction.

When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the second restricted state, the container seal 333 contacts the nozzle shutter flange 612a as shown in FIG. 86(a). Further pushing in the mounting direction Q results in the third restricted state as shown in FIG. 86(b). In the third restricted state, the slide groove front end portion 361c is disengaged from the guide rail 75, and the vertical direction Z is restricted by the slide groove center portion 361d as the second guide portion. Further, the anti-rotation concave portion 342b formed in the outer peripheral surface 34b on the distal end side of the container distal end side cover 34 enters the protrusion 77b formed in the set cover 608. As shown in FIG. As a result, the container front end cover 34 and the set cover 608 (container cover receiving portion 73) are integrated, and the movement of the container front end cover 34 in the circumferential direction R is restricted. It does not rotate with the

Further pushing in the mounting direction Q from the third regulated state results in the fourth regulated state shown in FIG. Therefore, the restriction in the radial direction of the container front end cover 34 by the outer peripheral surface of the container front end cover 34 and the protrusion 608e is released.

When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the fourth regulated state, the fifth regulated state is brought about, and the container opening 33a becomes as shown in FIG. 86(d). (the set cover 608), and the container body 33 is rotatably supported in the end inner peripheral surface 615a. At this time, the position of the container front end side cover 34 in the circumferential direction is regulated by the anti-rotation concave portion 342b and the protrusion 77b, so that the container opening portion 33a and the container setting portion 615 can be moved while the center positions of the container opening portion 33a and the container setting portion 615 are aligned. are mated. Therefore, it is possible to prevent toner from leaking from the container shutter 332 caused by the container opening 33a entering the container setting portion 615 in a positionally displaced state. In addition, when the container opening 33a enters the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion, the radial restriction by the protrusion 341a is released, so that it interferes with the circumferential restriction by the anti-rotation rib 342a. never do.

When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the fifth regulated state, the sixth regulated state shown in FIG. 86(e) is reached. In the sixth regulated state, the container opening 33a enters more deeply into the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion, and the replenishing device side locking member 78, 78 is entered and locked (see FIG. 49). As a result, the toner container 32 is prevented from moving in the longitudinal direction (rotating shaft direction) and held at the set position.

In this way, when the detent of the container front end cover 34 has a convex shape with respect to the outer peripheral surface 34b, if an impact or force is applied to the protrusion due to a drop or the like, the detent may be damaged due to stress concentration. . However, by forming the anti-rotation recess 342b with the outer peripheral surface 34b of the container front end cover 34 as in the present embodiment, the anti-rotation will not come into contact with the floor when dropped, for example. , can be prevented from being damaged.

FIG. 87 is a six-sided view showing the overall configuration of a toner container as a powder container having an IC chip 700 to which the present invention is applied. A toner container 32 shown in FIG. 87 has a container main body 32 having a spiral groove and a container tip side cover 34 as a cover member having an IC chip 700 . 87, (a) is a right side view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a rear view, (e) is a plan view, and (f) is a bottom view. show.

(Eighth embodiment)
In the present embodiment, the configuration of the cover member included in the toner container as the powder storage container is different from that of the container front end side cover 34 as the cover member described above, and the configuration of the powder container storage section to which the toner container is attached is The configuration is different from that of the toner container housing portion 70 as the powder container housing portion described above. In addition, the configuration of identification means for identifying compatibility between the toner container side and the toner container storage portion (toner replenishing device 60) side is also different from that described above. For this reason, the present embodiment will be described with a focus on the configurations of the cover member, the powder container storage portion, and the identification means. are given the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted as appropriate.

As shown in FIGS. 88(a), 88(b), 89, 90, 91(a), and 91(b), the toner container 2032 as the powder container according to this embodiment is It is provided with a container main body 33 for containing toner as powder for image formation, and a container front end side cover 2034 as a container cover attached to the outer periphery of the container main body 33 . The container main body 33 is rotatably held with respect to the container front end side cover 2034 .
The container front end side cover 2034 has a cylindrical shape, one of which is open, and is formed so that the container opening 33a of the container main body 33 protrudes from the mounting direction front end 2034c. An outer peripheral surface 2034b of the container front end cover 2034 is provided with a gear exposing opening 2034a so that a part of the container gear 301 of the container main body 33 is exposed when attached to the container main body 33 .
Three cover claw portions 2340 that are caught by the cover claw hooking portions 306 of the container body 33 are provided in the mounting direction front end portion 2034c of the container front end side cover 2034 in the circumferential direction. Therefore, the container main body 33 and the container front end side cover 2034 are relatively rotatable.

Container front end cover 2034 has container locking portions 2339, 2339 for axially positioning toner container 2032 shown in FIGS. is formed in The locks 2339, 2339 are engaged with the replenishing device-side locking members 78, 78, respectively, when the toner container 2032 is attached to the toner container storage portion 2070 (toner replenishing device 60).
The configuration of each container lock portion 2339 has the same function and configuration as the lock portion 339 described above with reference to FIGS. 7 and 29(a). That is, as shown in FIG. 89, the container locking portion 2339 includes a guide projection 2339a, a guide groove 2339b, a riding portion 2339c, and an engaging hole 339d as an axial direction restricting portion. One set is arranged so as to form a pair on both the left and right sides of the side cover 2034 . The difference from the lock portion 339 is that the lock portions 339, 339 are provided on the container front end side cover 34 so as to be positioned substantially horizontally, whereas the lock portions 2339, 2339 are arranged in a state of facing each other. It is provided on the container front end side cover 2034 so as to be inclined with respect to a horizontal line passing through the center of the container opening 33a. That is, each of the locking holes 2339d is arranged on both left and right sides of the container opening 33a, and one locking hole 2339d is positioned above the gear exposing opening 2034a and the other locking hole 2339d. 2339d is positioned below the gear exposure opening 2034d. Each guide projection 2339 a is arranged on a vertical plane orthogonal to the longitudinal direction of the toner container 2032 on the container front end side of the container front end cover 2034 and on an inclined line passing through the rotation center axis of the container main body 33 . The guide protrusion 2339a has an inclined surface connected to the guide groove 2339b so that the replenishing device-side lock member 78 is brought into contact when the toner container 2032 is attached and guided toward the guide groove 2339b. The guide groove 2339b is a groove that is one step lower than the side peripheral surface of the container front end side cover 2034 .

The groove width of the guide groove 2339b is set to be slightly wider than the width of the replenishing device-side locking member 78 so that the replenishing device-side locking member 78 does not drop out of the guide groove 2339b. The container rear end side of the guide groove 2339b does not have a shape that is directly connected to the locking hole 2339d but has a terminal end, and is at the height of the side peripheral surface of the container front end cover 34 . That is, between the guide groove 2339b and the square locking hole 2339d, there is an outer peripheral surface 2034b of the container front end side cover 2034 having a width of about 1 [mm], which corresponds to the stepping portion 2339c. The replenishing device-side locking member 78 climbs over the riding portion 2339c and falls into the locking hole 2339d, thereby achieving coupling between the toner container 2032 and the toner container storage portion 2070 (toner replenishing device 60). This state is the set position (set state) of the toner container 2032 shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 90, the toner container 2032 is configured such that the container shutter 332 is positioned at the center of the line segment connecting the two container locking portions 2339 on a virtual plane orthogonal to the rotation axis. If the container shutter 332 is not on the line connecting the two container locking portions 2339, the following may occur. That is, by the urging forces of the container shutter spring 336 and the nozzle shutter spring 613, the distance from the line segment to the container shutter 332 is used as a moment arm, and a moment of force that rotates the toner container 32 about the line segment acts. Due to the action of this force moment, the toner container 2032 may be tilted with respect to the toner container housing portion 2070 (toner replenishing device 60). In that case, the mounting load of the toner container 2032 increases, and the load is applied to the nozzle receiving member 330 that holds and guides the container shutter 332 . In particular, when the toner container 2032 is a new product containing a sufficient amount of toner, when the toner container 2032 is pushed from the rear end side so that the conveying nozzle 611 projecting from the horizontal direction is inserted, the weight of the toner is taken into consideration. A moment of force acts to rotate the toner container 2032 . As a result, a load is applied to the nozzle receiving member 330 into which the carrier nozzle 611 is inserted, and in the worst case, the nozzle receiving member 330 may be deformed or damaged. On the other hand, in the toner container 2032 of the present embodiment, the container shutter 332 is positioned on the line connecting the two container locking portions 2339 . Therefore, the urging forces 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 2032 from tilting with respect to the toner container storage portion 2070 (toner replenishing device 60).

As shown in FIGS. 88, 89, 90, and 91(a), an IC tag (IC chip, information storage medium) 2700 as an information storage device for the toner container 2032 and a holder for the IC tag (IC chip, information storage medium) 2700 are mounted on the container front end cover 2034. A portion 2343 is provided. The communication method of the IC tag 2700 is a contact type.
As shown in FIGS. 89, 90, and 91(a), the IC tag 2700 has a plurality of rectangular first metal pads 2710a to fourth metal pads 2710d arranged in parallel on the surface of a rectangular substrate 2702. A fourth metal pad 2710d is a ground terminal for grounding. An information storage unit (not shown) is provided on the back side of the substrate 2702 .
Such an IC tag 2700 is held by the holding portion 2343 on the container front end side cover 2034 so that the first metal pad 2710a to the fourth metal pad 2710d are positioned downstream in the mounting direction. The holding portion 2343 is provided on the container front end side cover 2034 so as to protrude in the mounting direction Q from the vertical surface 2034d.

In the present embodiment, since the holding portion 2343 functions as a circumferential direction regulating portion of the toner container 2032, it is formed integrally with the container front end side cover 2034 in order to facilitate position management with respect to the container front end side cover 2034. there is However, if the positions of the holding portion 2343 and the container front end side cover 2034 can be managed, the holding portion 2343 and the container front end side cover 2034 are formed separately, and connection means such as adhesion, welding, or fastening is used. may be integrated. In this case, the shape of the container front end side cover 2034 can be simplified, which leads to a reduction in processing costs.
The holding portion 2343 is arranged substantially parallel to the inclined line segment connecting the locking portions 2339 and 2339 on the container front end side cover 2034 that is substantially divided into two by the locking portions 2339 and 2339 facing each other. . Therefore, the gear exposing opening 2034a is formed at a substantially horizontal position, which is different from the opening 34a formed in the container front end cover 34. As shown in FIG. Both side surfaces 2343a and 2343b positioned in the longitudinal direction of the holding portion 2343 function as circumferential direction restricting portions.
The holding portion 2343 is arranged in a space diagonally above the left side of the container front end cover 2034 when viewed from the front end side of the toner container 2032 along the rotating shaft of the toner container 2032 . In this case, the holding portion 2343 is arranged on the container front end side cover 2034 by utilizing the left oblique space which becomes a dead space when the toner containers of other colors are installed side by side. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a compact toner replenishing device 60 in which the cylindrical toner containers 2032 can be arranged close to each other.

As shown mainly in FIG. 90, when the toner container 2032 is attached to the printer section 100 (image forming apparatus main body), the container front end side cover 2034 restricts movement of the toner container 2032 during attachment in a direction other than the attachment direction. Thus, a guide portion for guiding the container opening portion 33a to the container setting portion 615 shown in FIGS. 92 and 93 is provided.

As shown in FIGS. 90 and 91, the container front end cover 2034 is a pair of guides that restrict movement of the container front end cover 2034 in the vertical direction. are provided on both sides of the lower portion 2034g. The slide guides 2361, 2361 include an upper guide portion 2361A and a lower guide portion 2361B extending along the longitudinal direction of the container main body 33. Slide grooves 2361a, 2361a are provided between the upper guide portion 2361A and the lower guide portion 2361B. are formed respectively. Each slide groove 2361a is formed parallel to the rotation axis of the container body 33, and is configured to vertically sandwich a pair of guide rails 2075, 2075 shown in FIGS.
That is, the upper guide portion 2361A and the lower guide portion 2361B of the slide guides 2361 and 2361 sandwich the guide rail 2075 from above and below, so that when the toner container 2032 is attached to the printer portion 100 (image forming apparatus main body), It functions as a positioning portion in the vertical direction Z and the width direction W perpendicular to the attachment/detachment direction of the container front end cover 2034, and restricts the movement of the toner container 2032 in the vertical direction Z and the width direction W.
That is, when the toner container 2032 is attached to the printer section 100 (image forming apparatus main body), the container front end side cover 2034 serves as a guide section for guiding the container opening 33a to the container receiving section 2073, and as a vertical direction regulation section. It has a pair of slide guides 2361, 2361, both side surfaces 2343a, 2343b of a holding portion 2343 as a circumferential direction restricting portion, and a container lock portion 2339 having a locking hole 2339d as an axial direction restricting portion.

Next, the structure of the toner container housing portion 2070 (toner replenishing device 60) will be described mainly with reference to FIGS. 92, 93 and 94. FIG.
A toner container housing portion 2070 in which the toner container 2032 is mounted is arranged in the printer portion 100 (image forming apparatus main body) in place of the toner container housing portion 70 shown in FIG. In this embodiment, a toner container housing portion 2070 in which one toner container 2032 is mounted is shown. That is, in the case of a monochromatic image forming apparatus, one toner container storage section 2070 is provided, and in the case of a multicolor image forming apparatus, the toner container storage sections 2070 corresponding to the number of colors are provided in the printer section 100 (image forming apparatus main body). ). From the toner container 2032 set in the toner container housing portion 2070, toner is supplied to the developing device corresponding to the color of the toner inside the toner container at the replenishment timing.

In this embodiment, the toner replenishing device 60 includes a toner container housing portion 2070, a conveying nozzle 611 as a conveying pipe, a conveying screw 614 as a conveying member disposed in the conveying nozzle 611, and a driving portion (container rotation driving portion). 2091 and a toner drop conveying path (not shown). When the toner container 2032 is moved in the toner container housing portion 70 of the printer section 100 (main body of the image forming apparatus) by the user's mounting operation in the mounting direction Q, the toner container 2032Y is moved in conjunction with the mounting operation. The conveying nozzle 611 of the toner replenishing device 60 is inserted from the tip side of the container in the mounting direction Q of . Thereby, the inside of the toner container 2032 and the inside of the conveying nozzle 611 are communicated with each other.

The toner container housing portion 2070 is mainly composed of a container cover receiving portion 2073, a container receiving portion 2072, and an insertion opening forming portion 2071 shown in FIG. The container cover receiving portion 2073 is a portion that holds the container front end side cover 2034 of the toner container 2032 and the container main body 33 . The container receiving portion 2072 is a portion that supports the container main body 33 of the toner container 2032 . The insertion port forming portion 2071 is a portion in which an insertion port 2071a is formed during the mounting operation of the toner container 2032 shown in FIG. When the body cover installed on the front side of the copier 500 (the front side in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIG. 2) is opened, the insertion opening forming portion 2071 of the toner container storage portion 2070 is exposed. With the longitudinal direction of the toner container 2032 set horizontally, the attachment/detachment operation of the toner container 2032 is performed from the front side of the copier 500 (the attachment/detachment operation in which the longitudinal direction of the toner container 2032 is the attachment/detachment direction). Note that the set cover 2608 is a part of the container cover receiving portion 2073 of the toner container housing portion 70 .

The container receiving portion 2072 is formed so that its length in the longitudinal direction is approximately equal to the length in the longitudinal direction of the container main body 33 . The container cover receiving portion 2073 is provided on the container front end side in the longitudinal direction (attachment/detachment direction) of the container receiving portion 2072 , and the insertion opening forming portion 2071 is provided on one end side of the container receiving portion 2072 in the longitudinal direction. The toner container 2032 is slidable on the container receiving portion 2072 . Therefore, along with the mounting operation of the toner container 2032, the container front end side cover 2034 slides on the container receiving portion 2072 for a while after passing through the insertion port forming portion 2071, and then is mounted on the container cover receiving portion 2073. be.

As shown in FIG. 95, in a state where the container front end side cover 2034 is attached to the container cover receiving portion 2073, the container driving gear as the main body side gear is driven from the driving portion 2091 composed of the driving motor 603 and a plurality of gears. Rotational drive is input to the container gear 301 provided on the container body 33 via 601 . As a result, the container body 33 is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow A in FIG. As the container main body 33 itself rotates, the toner contained in the container main body 33 is moved by the spiral projections 302 formed in a spiral shape on the inner peripheral surface of the container main body 33 . It is conveyed by moving along the longitudinal direction. The conveyed toner is supplied into the conveying nozzle 611 from the side of the container tip side cover 2034 provided at the other end of the toner container 2032 through the nozzle opening 610 as a powder receiving port formed in the conveying nozzle 611 . be done. Then, the conveying screw 614 arranged inside the nozzle 611 is rotated by inputting rotational drive to the conveying screw gear 605 provided in the drive unit (container rotation driving unit) 2091, and the toner supplied inside the conveying nozzle 611 is rotated. transport. Then, the developer is replenished into the developing device 50 (second developer container 54 ) through a toner drop conveying path (not shown) connected to the conveying direction downstream end of the conveying nozzle 611 .

Each toner container 2032 is replaced with a new one when it reaches the end of its life (when almost all of the contained toner is consumed and becomes empty). When replacing the container, the operator grasps the grip portion 303 provided at the end of the toner container 2032 opposite to the container front end side cover 2034 in the longitudinal direction and pulls it out in the detachment direction. 2032 can be removed.
Here, the configuration of the drive unit 2091 will be supplemented. The driving portion 2091 includes a container driving gear 601 and a conveying screw gear 605, similar to the driving portion 92Y. As shown in FIGS. 92 and 95, the conveying screw gear 605 is driven by a driving motor 603 fixed to the mounting substrate 602, and its output gear 603a (see FIG. 95) rotates to rotate and drive the container driving gear. 601 is rotationally driven by transmission of the rotation of the output gear 603a from the conveying screw gear 605 via a plurality of connecting gears 604 .

A set cover 2608 is provided in the container cover receiving portion 2073 as shown in FIGS. A transport nozzle 611 is arranged in the center of the set cover 2608 . As shown in FIG. 94, the conveying nozzle 611 is arranged to protrude into the container cover receiving portion 2073 toward the upstream side in the mounting direction from the end surface 615b of the container setting portion 615, which is the downstream side in the mounting direction of the toner container 2032. It is A container setting portion 615 as a container receiving portion is erected so as to surround the periphery of the conveying nozzle 611 toward the upstream side in the mounting direction of the toner container 2032 in the projecting direction of the conveying nozzle 611 . That is, the container setting portion 615 is a positioning portion for the container opening portion 33a at the base of the conveying nozzle 611. By inserting and fitting the container opening portion 33a into the container setting portion 615, the diameter of the container opening portion 33a is adjusted. A position in the direction is established.

As shown in FIG. 94, the container opening 33a is fitted into the root of the conveying nozzle 611 positioned downstream in the mounting direction when viewed from the mounting direction, with the toner container 2032 mounted in the toner container housing portion 2070. As shown in FIG. A container setting portion 615 is formed. The container setting portion 615 has an end face 615b positioned at the base of the conveying nozzle 611 and positioned downstream in the mounting direction of the toner container 2032 from the end inner peripheral face 615a into which the container opening 33a is inserted. Eight spring restricting portions 615c projecting from the end face 615b toward the upstream side in the mounting direction of the toner container 2032 are formed on the end face 615b along the outer periphery of the conveying nozzle shutter spring 613 at equal intervals. The radial movement of the nozzle shutter spring 613 is restricted by covering the outer periphery of the nozzle shutter spring 613 with the spring restricting portion 615c. As a result, the toner container 2032 is set with the nozzle shutter spring 613 deviated in the radial direction, and the toner container 2032 is held by the nozzle shutter spring 613 being sandwiched between the end surface 615b and the tip 33c of the container opening 33a. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the mounting failure of the toner replenishing device 60.

When the toner container 2032 is attached to the toner container housing portion 2070, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the toner container 2032 is slidably fitted to the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615. .
By fitting the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 and the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32, the longitudinal direction of the toner container 2032 with respect to the toner container storage portion 2070 (attachment/detachment direction) of the toner container 2032 is adjusted. ) are radially positioned perpendicular to each other. Further, when the toner container 2032 rotates, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a functions as a rotating shaft portion, and the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 functions as a bearing. At this time, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a comes into slidable contact with the sliding projecting surface 615d as part of the inner peripheral surface 615a of the end portion of the container setting portion 615, and the toner container 2032 with respect to the toner container housing portion 2070 is in contact with the sliding protrusion 615d. Radial positioning is provided.

As shown in FIG. 94, on the set cover 2608, the replenishing device side lock members 78, 78 are movable forward and backward from the outer peripheral surface of the set cover 2608 toward the inner peripheral surface 2608c so as to face each other in the width direction W. Openings 2608d, 2608d are formed respectively. The openings 2608d, 2608d are arranged obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction so as to face the locking portions 2339, 2339 when the toner container 2032 is attached. The replenishing device side lock members 78 , 78 are biased from the outside toward the inside of the set cover 2608 by biasing means such as a torsion coil spring 782 .
The set cover 2608 is provided with a connector 2800 as reading means for reading out information from the IC tag 2700 by coming into contact with the IC tag 2700 when the toner container 2032 is attached, and a guide portion 2801 that accommodates the connector 2800 . The guide part 2801 bulges so as to protrude radially from the surface of the set cover 2608, and is formed to extend in the insertion direction from the side of the container front end cover 2034 facing the container front end face. It is a rectangular space with a The guide portion 2801 has a volume capable of accommodating the connector 2800 and the holding portion 2343 of the IC tag 2700, and constitutes a circumferential direction restricting portion.

As shown in FIG. 94, the connector 2800 has four body-side terminals 2804a to 2804d (first body-side terminals 2804a to 2804d) capable of contacting the first metal pads 2710a to the fourth metal pads 2710d. The fourth body-side terminal 2804d is a grounding body-side terminal capable of contacting the fourth metal pad 2710d, which is a ground terminal. The connector 2800 is arranged inside the guide part 2801 on the back side located in the attachment/detachment direction Q. As shown in FIG. The connector 2800 reads information from the IC tag 2700 by contacting each pad of the IC tag 2700 when the toner container 2032 is moved in the mounting direction Q on the groove 2074 on the toner container housing portion 2070 .
As shown in FIG. 96, inner surfaces 2801c and 2801d of wall portions 2801a and 2801b protruding from the surface of set cover 2608 (container cover receiving portion 2073) positioned in the radial direction indicated by arrow R have inner surfaces 2801c and 2801d. There are provided restricting portions 2802 and 2803 that protrude into the space from. The regulating portions 2802 and 2803 extend in the mounting direction Q such that one ends 2802a and 2803a of the regulating portions are positioned upstream in the mounting direction of the toner container 2032, and the other ends 2802b and 2803b of the regulating portions are positioned downstream in the mounting direction. are formed on the inner side surfaces 2801c and 2801d so as to be present. The restricting portions 2802 and 2803 may be formed integrally with the inner side surfaces 2801c and 2801d, or may be formed separately and integrated with the inner side surfaces 2801c and 2801d by adhesion, welding, or the like. When the IC chip 2700 enters the guiding portion 2801 when the toner container 2032 is attached, both side surfaces 2343a and 2343b of the holding portion 2343 are configured to contact the above-described restricting portions 2802 and 2803. FIG. In this embodiment, the restricting portions 2802 and 2803 are formed so that the interval between the restricting portions 2802 and 2803 becomes narrower in the mounting direction Q. As shown in FIG. Therefore, as the toner container 2032 advances in the mounting direction Q, both side surfaces 2343a and 2343b of the holding portion 2343 are in strong contact with the regulating portions 2802 and 2803, and the holding portion 2343 between the regulating members 2802 and 2803 is in contact with the regulating portions 2802 and 2803. Movement in the circumferential direction is more restricted. More specifically, from one ends 2802a and 2803a of the restricting portions 2802 and 2803 to central portions 2802c and 2803c of the restricting portions 2802 and 2803, the interval between the restricting portions 2802 and 2803 is formed as an inclined flat surface. The other ends 2802b, 2803b of 2802, 2803 are semicircular in shape and are formed so as to be parallel to each other. 90), and the width W11 between the other ends 2802b and 2803b is the same as or slightly narrower than the width W12 of the side surfaces 2343a and 2343b of the holding portion 2343. As shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 92, the container receiving portion 2072 is formed with a groove portion 2074 as a container mounting portion that continues from the insertion port forming portion 71 to the container cover receiving portion 2073 along the longitudinal direction of the container body 33 . . The toner container 2032 is configured to be slidable in the longitudinal direction (attachment/detachment direction) on the groove 2074 .
Side surfaces 2074a and 2074b of the groove 2074 located in the width direction W are provided with guide rails 2075 and 2075 serving as guide members so as to face each other. Each guide rail 2075 protrudes in the width direction W from the side surfaces 2074 a and 7204 b, extends in the longitudinal direction, and is arranged from one end 2072 a of the container receiving portion 2072 to the front of the container cover receiving portion 2073 . The guide rails 2075, 2075 are engaged with each slide guide 2361 as a guide member when the toner container 2032 is attached to the printer section 100 (image forming apparatus main body), and the container opening 33a is used as a container receiving section. It has a function of guiding to the container setting section 615 .
In this embodiment, each guide rail 2075 is formed by being divided into four in the longitudinal direction, but it may be formed as one continuous rail in the longitudinal direction. Each guide rail 2075 is formed so as to be parallel to the rotation axis of the container main body 33 when the toner container 2032 is mounted in the toner container storage portion 2070 .

Next, the identification means will be explained.
The identification means of the present embodiment identifies the combination of the toner container and the toner container storage section according to the color and type of toner, printing speed and model.
As shown in FIGS. 91(a) and 91(b), on the lower part 2034g of the outer circumference 2034b of the container front end side cover 2034, an engaging part 2092 as an incompatible part constituting identification means is provided, and slide guides 2361, 2361. A reinforcing portion 2362 is integrally formed in the slide guides 2361 and 2361 so as to be connected to the inside of both. The reinforcing portion 2362 is formed over the entire length of the slide guides 2361 and 2361 in the attachment/detachment direction, and prevents damage to the slide guide 2361 when the toner container 2032 is dropped. An engaging portion 2092 is formed in the reinforcing portion 2362 . In this embodiment, the engaging portion 2092 has a groove shape extending in the attachment/detachment direction.
As shown in FIGS. 92, 94, and 97, on the groove portion 2074 located in the mounting direction Q from the insertion opening 2071a, there is an engaging portion that engages with the engaging portion 2092 of the toner container 2032, which constitutes identification means. Engaged ribs 2090 as joint portions are formed so as to protrude upward from groove portions 2074 as container mounting portions in container receiving portion 2072 . In this embodiment, the engaged ribs 2090 are formed as two protruding shapes, but the width, height, and height of the engaged ribs 2090 may vary depending on the width, height, position, and number of the engaging portions 2092 . The combination of the toner container and the toner container housing side is identified by making the positions and numbers different.

The engaged rib 2090 is arranged in the mounting direction Q from the start ends 2075a, 2075a of the guide rails 2075, 2075 positioned at one end 2072a of the container receiving portion 2072, and the guide rails 2075, 2075 are positioned in the slide grooves 2361a, 2361a. It is arranged at a position where it engages with the engaging portion 2092 after being inserted. The arrangement of the engaged ribs 2090 is not limited to the position shown in FIG. 92, and may be positioned closer to the mounting direction Q than shown in FIG. The position where the guide rails 2075, 2075 engage with the engaging portion 2092 after being inserted is preferred.
With this configuration, when the wrong toner container is mounted, the guide rails 2075 and the slide guides 2361 are sufficiently engaged with each other before engaging with the engaging portion 2092 of the toner container 2032 . Therefore, since the engaging portion 2092 and the engaged rib 2090 engage with each other in a state in which the toner container 2032 is positioned in the vertical direction when the toner container 2032 is mounted, the engagement between the two can be performed more accurately and stably. so that it can be done by

The order of engagement and disengagement between each positioning member and the toner container housing portion 2070 (toner replenishing device 60) in the eighth embodiment will be described below with reference to FIGS. 99 and 100 and other drawings.
As shown in FIG. 99A, when the toner container 2032 is placed in the groove 2074 of the container receiving portion 2072 of the toner container storage portion 2070 and pushed in by the user in the mounting direction Q (mounting operation is performed), the toner container 2032 is It slides on the groove 2074 . First, the guide rails 2075, 2075 enter the respective slide grooves 2361a of the respective slide guides 2361 of the toner container 2032, and rough positioning in the width direction W and the vertical direction Z perpendicular to the mounting direction Q is performed. done. (First regulation state).

When the toner container 2032 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the first regulated state, as shown in FIGS. It abuts and engages the dovetail rib 2090 . If the shape of the engaging portion 2092 does not match that of the engaged rib 2090, the toner container 2032 is prevented from moving in the mounting direction Q, and a different type of toner container 2032 can be prevented from being mounted. Further, since the first regulation state is maintained in this state, even if an attempt is made to forcibly push in a toner container 2032 of a different type, the engaging portion 2092 is not engaged because it is roughly positioned in the vertical direction Z. It is possible to prevent the user from getting over the joint rib 2090 and prevent the toner container 2032 of a different type from being attached.

When the engaging portion 2092 and the engaged rib 2090 are matched in shape and the engaged rib 2090 allows the engaging portion 2092 to move, the toner container 2032 moves further in the mounting direction Q. As shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 99(c), the end surface 332h of the container shutter and the end surface 611a of the conveying nozzle 611 come into contact with each other.
Further pushing in the mounting direction Q results in the second regulated state shown in FIG. Go into 2801. Since the slide grooves 2361a of the slide guides 2361 provide rough positioning in the vertical direction Z, the holding portion 2434 moves into the guide portion 2801 while being roughly positioned in the vertical direction Z. enter inside. Details of this approach state are shown in FIGS. 101(a) and 102(a). Therefore, both surfaces 2434a and 2434b of the holding portion 2434 are restricted from moving in the circumferential direction R by the inner walls 2801c and 2801d of the guide portion 2801 in a rough state.

When the toner container 2032 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the second restricted state, the container seal 333 contacts the nozzle shutter flange 612a as shown in FIG. Then, the holding portion 2343 moves further inside the guiding portion 2801 . This state is shown in FIG. 101(b). At this time, both surfaces 2434a and 3243b of the holding portion 2434 are tapered flat surfaces formed from one ends 2802a and 2803a of the regulation portions 2802 and 2803 provided on the inner walls 2801c and 2801d of the guide portion 2801 to the central portions 2802c and 2803c. , and gradually moves in the mounting direction Q while the movement in the radial direction R is restricted.

When the toner container 2032 is further moved in the mounting direction, both surfaces 2434a and 2434b of the holding portion 2434 are the widest of the regulating portions 2082 and 2083 as shown in FIGS. 2802b and 2803b (third restricted state). In other words, in the third restricted state, movement in the radial direction R is completely restricted by the holding portion 2434 and the guide portion 2801 while restriction in the vertical direction Z is maintained by the slide groove 2361c and the guide rail 2075. becomes. Therefore, the container front end side cover 2034 and the set cover 2608 (container cover receiving portion 2073) are integrated, and the movement of the container front end side cover 2034 in the circumferential direction R is restricted. It never rotates.

When further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the third regulated state, the fourth regulated state shown in FIG. The container main body 33 is rotatably supported in the end inner peripheral surface 615a. At this time, since the position of the container front end side cover 2034 in the circumferential direction R is regulated by the holding portion 2434 and the guide portion 2801, the container opening portion 33a and the container setting portion 615 are aligned with each other in the center position. Mate. Therefore, it is possible to prevent toner from leaking from the container shutter 332 caused by the container opening 33a entering the container setting portion 615 in a positionally displaced state. Also, in this state, each pad of the IC tag 2700 comes into contact with each body-side terminal of the connector 2800 , and information is read from the IC tag 2700 . In other words, when the IC tag 2700 and the connector 2800 are brought into contact with each other, the positions in the vertical direction Z and the radial direction R are defined, so contact failures between the two are reduced and stable communication can be performed.

When the toner container 2032 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the fourth regulated state, the fifth regulated state shown in FIG. 100(e) is reached. In the fifth regulated state, the container opening 33a enters more deeply into the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion, and the replenishing device side locking member 78, 78 is entered and locked (see FIG. 49). As a result, the toner container 2032 is prevented from moving in the longitudinal direction (rotating shaft direction) and held at the set position. Although the locking hole 339d is shown in FIG. 49, the locking hole 339d and the locking hole 2339d have the same dimensions and the same configuration, and are in the same state as the locking hole 339d.

As described above, when the anti-rotation of the container front end side cover 2034 is achieved by the engagement between the guide portion 2801 that accommodates the connector 2800 and the holding portion 2343 that holds the IC chip 2700 formed on the outer peripheral surface 2034b, the container opening portion 33a and the container set are arranged. Since both are fitted with the center position of the portion 615 aligned, it is possible to prevent toner from leaking from the container shutter 332 caused by the container opening 33a entering the container setting portion 615 in a positionally displaced state. can. Also, since the IC chip 2700 itself does not need to be positioned, rough positioning is sufficient.

As in this embodiment, the IC chip 2700 is arranged on the outer peripheral surface 2034b of the container front end side cover 2034 located substantially in the center of the arrangement of the pair of locking portions 2339, 2339 that engage with the replenishing device side locking members 78, 78. It has the following advantages: Movement of the IC chip 2700 in the radial direction is permissible, but movement in the circumferential direction R tends to cause poor contact, which is not preferable. At this time, if the IC chip 2700 is arranged substantially in the center of the arrangement of the pair of replenishing device side lock members 78, 78, the same force is applied from both sides in the circumferential direction R, so movement in the circumferential direction R is prevented. This is preferable because it can be suppressed and the contact failure between the IC chip 2700 and the connector 2800 can be prevented.

In addition, in this embodiment, since the replenishing device side locking members 78, 78 and the container locking portions 2339, 2339 are respectively arranged obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction, the container front end side cover 2034 is more likely to move than when they are provided in the horizontal direction. It is possible to reduce the amount of protrusion in the horizontal direction from the outer peripheral surface 2034b of , and to save the space of the powder container accommodating portion corresponding to each color. As a result, the space of the printer unit 100 (main body of the image forming apparatus) can be effectively used, and the size of the image forming apparatus can be reduced. Moreover, when a plurality of toner containers are installed as in a color image forming apparatus, the installation space in the horizontal direction can be reduced, which contributes to further downsizing of the apparatus.

Further, as in the present embodiment, the engaging portion 2092 formed in the lower portion 2034d of the container front end side cover 2034, which is the lower portion of the toner container 2032, can pass through the engaged rib 2090, and the engaging portion 2092 is the insertion opening. 2071a, a pair of slide guides 2361, 2361 as vertical direction restricting portions that engage with the pair of guide rails 2075, 2075 to restrict the movement of the toner container 2032 in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the attachment of the toner container 2032 of a different type.

FIG. 103 is a six-sided view showing the overall configuration of a toner container 2032 as a powder container having the IC chip 2700 described in the eighth embodiment. A toner container 2032 shown in FIG. 103 has a container main body 33 having a spiral groove and a container front end side cover 2034 as a cover member having an IC chip 2700 . 103, (a) is a right side view, (b) is a left side view, (c) is a front view, (d) is a rear view, (e) is a plan view, and (f) is a bottom view. show.

In the eighth embodiment, the container body 33 having the spiral groove is used as the container body. A toner container 3032 shown in FIG.

105(a) to (h) to FIG. may be 105 to 108, (a), (c), (e) and (g) show front views of the container front end side cover 2034, and in FIGS. 105 to 108, (b), (d), (f) and (h) show bottom views of the container front end cover 2034, respectively.
105 to 108, reinforcing portions 2362 formed on slide guides 2361, 2361 and connected in the mounting direction are divided into six parts in the width direction W. As shown in FIG. For the sake of convenience, these are referred to as blocks 1 to 6 from the left side in the mounting direction Q. As shown in FIG. The reinforcement grooves 9235a formed in each block are referred to as grooves 1 to 6. As shown in FIG. Table 1 below shows how the reinforcement grooves 9235a are formed in each block. In Table 1, "present" indicates a state in which the reinforcing groove 9235a is formed, and "absent" indicates a state in which the reinforcing groove 9235a is not formed.

105(a) and 105(b) show form 1. FIG.
105(c) and 105(d) show form 2. FIG.
105(e) and 105(f) show form 3. FIG.
105(g) and 105(h) show form 4. FIG.
106(a) and 106(b) show form 5. FIG.
106(c) and 106(d) show form 6. FIG.
106(e) and 106(f) show form 7. FIG.
FIGS. 106(g) and 106(h) show form 8. FIG.
107(a) and 107(b) show form 9. FIG.
107(c) and 107(d) show form 10. FIG.
107(e) and 107(f) show form 11. FIG.
107(g) and 107(h) show form 12. FIG.
108(a) and 108(b) show form 13. FIG.
FIGS. 108(c) and 108(d) show form 14. FIG.
108(e) and 108(f) show form 15. FIG.

In form 1 shown in FIGS. 105(a) and 105(b), reinforcing grooves 9235a are formed in blocks 1 and 2 which are connected to each other.
In form 2 shown in FIGS. 105(c) and 105(d), reinforcing grooves 9235a are formed in blocks 1 and 3, respectively.
In form 3 shown in FIGS. 105(e) and 105(f), reinforcing grooves 9235a are formed in blocks 1 and 4, respectively.
In form 4 shown in FIGS. 105(g) and 105(h), reinforcing grooves 9235a are formed in blocks 1 and 5, respectively.
In form 5 shown in FIGS. 106(a) and 106(b), reinforcing grooves 9235a are formed in blocks 1 and 6 which are connected to each other.
In form 6 shown in FIGS. 106(c) and 106(d), reinforcing grooves 9235a are formed in blocks 2 and 3, respectively.
In form 7 shown in FIGS. 106(e) and 106(f), reinforcing grooves 9235a are formed in blocks 2 and 4, respectively.
In form 8 shown in FIGS. 106(g) and 106(h), blocks 2 and 5 are formed with reinforcement grooves 9235a, respectively.
In form 9 shown in FIGS. 107(a) and 107(b), reinforcing grooves 9235a are formed in blocks 2 and 6 that are connected to each other.
In form 10 shown in FIGS. 107(c) and 107(d), reinforcing grooves 9235a are formed in blocks 3 and 4, respectively.
In form 11 shown in FIGS. 107(e) and 107(f), blocks 3 and 5 are formed with reinforcement grooves 9235a, respectively.
In a twelfth embodiment shown in FIGS. 107(g) and 107(h), blocks 3 and 6 are formed with reinforcement grooves 9235a, respectively.
In form 13 shown in FIGS. 108(a) and 108(b), reinforcement grooves 9235a are formed in blocks 4 and 5 that are connected to each other.
In form 14 shown in FIGS. 108(c) and 108(d), blocks 4 and 6 are formed with reinforcement grooves 9235a, respectively.
In a fifteenth embodiment shown in FIGS. 108(e) and 108(f), blocks 5 and 6 are formed with reinforcement grooves 9235a.
Even if they are formed as shown in Embodiments 1 to 15, if the reinforcement groove 9235a of the engaging portion 2092 and the engaged rib 2090 formed in the groove portion 2074 do not correspond, the engaging portion 2092 will not be engaged. Incompatible toner container 2032, which cannot pass through joint rib 2090, can be prevented from being mounted.

Table 1 shows a list of presence/absence of reinforcement grooves 9235a in Modes 1 to 15.

(Ninth embodiment)
This embodiment differs from the container bodies 33 and 1033 described above in the configuration of the container body as the powder containing portion provided in the toner container as the powder container. For this reason, this embodiment will be described with a focus on the configuration of the container main body, and the same reference numerals as those described above will be given to the container front end side cover 34 and other identical components that have the same configuration as those described above. are omitted as appropriate.

As shown in FIG. 109, a toner container 4032 as a powder container according to the present embodiment includes a container main body 4033 for containing toner as image forming powder, and a container attached to the outer periphery of the container main body 4033. and a container tip side cover 34 as a cover. The container main body 4033 is rotatably held with respect to the container front end cover 34 . When this toner container 4032 is also attached to the toner replenishing device 60 as described above, the conveying nozzle 611 as a conveying pipe having a conveying screw 614 is inserted thereinto so that the toner can be replenished. The toner container 4032 is supported by the container front end cover 34 so that the rotation axis of the container main body 4033 is horizontal.

As shown in FIG. 110, the container main body 4033 has a substantially cylindrical shape and is configured to rotate about the central axis of the cylinder. A grip portion 4303 is formed on the rear end side of the toner container 4032 in the longitudinal direction (attachment/detachment direction), and an opening 4033a is formed on the container front end side to which the container front end cover 34 is attached. A nozzle receiving member 330 as a carrier pipe receiving member capable of receiving the carrier nozzle 611 is inserted and arranged in the opening 4033a. A container gear 301 to which a driving force is transmitted is formed on the surface on the opening 4033a side. In this embodiment, when the toner container 4032 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60 and the container driving gear 601 is engaged with the container gear 301 to transmit the rotational driving force, the container main body 4033 moves in the direction of arrow A in the figure. configured to rotate.

The container main body 4033 is formed so that its outer shape differs at a plurality of points from the rear end side of the container toward the front end side of the container. That is, the container main body 4033 includes a rear tubular portion 4033A1 connected to the handle portion 4303 located on the rear end side of the container, a front tubular portion 4033A2 connected to the opening portion 4033a on the front end side of the container, and a rear tubular portion 4033A1 and a front tubular portion 4033A2. It has a central tubular portion 4033A3 located therebetween. An inclined portion 4033A4 is formed between the rear tubular portion 4033A1 and the rear end of the central tubular portion 4033A3, and an inclined portion 4033A5 is formed between the front tubular portion 4033A2 and the front end of the central tubular portion 4033A3. The center cylindrical portion 4033A3 is formed so as to increase in diameter from the end on the side of the inclined portion 4033A4 toward the end on the side of the inclined portion 4033A5. The inclined portion 4033A4 is tapered from the rear tubular portion 4033A1 toward the central tubular portion 4033A3, and the inclined portion 4033A5 is tapered from the central tubular portion 4033A3 toward the inclined portion 4033A5. In FIG. 110, the first to fourth cut portions indicate cut portions cut along a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation indicated by the alternate long and short dashed line. The first cut portion is the cross section of the rear tubular portion 4033A1, the second cut portion is the cross section of the central tubular portion 4033AC, the third cut portion is the cross section near the inclined portion 4033A5, and the fourth cut portion is the cross section of the front tubular portion 4033A2. respectively.

As shown in FIG. 111, the outer diameter of the rear tubular portion 4033A1 is d11, the outer diameter of the rear end of the central tubular portion 4033A3 is d12, the outer diameter of the front end of the central tubular portion 4033A3 is d13, and the outer diameter of the front tubular portion 4033A2 is d13. When d14, the container main body 4033 is formed so that outer diameter d11>outer diameter d12<outer diameter d13>outer diameter d14. The thickness of the container main body 4033 is the same in each part, and the shape of the internal space of the container main body 4033 is also formed while maintaining the same size relationship as the appearance.

A plurality of conveying members are formed in the container main body 4033 from the rear tubular portion 4033A1 to the front tubular portion 4033A. These conveying members are recessed from the surface of the container body 4033 toward the interior of the container, and are formed as grooves from the surface of the container and protrusions from the interior of the container. Hereinafter, these conveying members will be described as projections.

First projections 4101a and 4101b as first conveying members are formed on the rear tubular portion 4033A1 so as to extend toward the central tubular portion 4033A3. As shown in FIG. 112(a), the first projections 4101a and 4101b are formed at a phase of 180 degrees in the direction of rotation of the container body 4033 (direction of arrow A). The first projections 4101a and 4101b have a length reaching from the rear tubular portion 4033A1 to the central tubular portion 4033A3 via the inclined portion 4033A5 as shown in FIG. 113(a). The first protrusions 4101a and 4101b are each twisted in a spiral shape in a clockwise winding direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the container body 4033. When the container body 4033 rotates in the direction of arrow A, It is formed to apply a force in the direction of arrow F1 shown in FIGS. 111 and 113(a) to the toner inside. Note that FIG. 113(a) shows only the first projection 4101a.

As shown in FIG. 110, second projections 4102a, 4102b, 4102c, and 4102d are formed on the central cylindrical portion 4033A3 as second conveying members so as to extend over the entire length thereof. The second projections 4102a, 4102b, 4102c, and 4102d are formed at a phase of 90 degrees in the direction of rotation of the container body 4033 (direction of arrow A), as shown in FIG. 112(b). There may be three secondary projections at 120 degree phase.
The second protrusions 4102a, 4102b, 4102c, and 4102d formed on the central tubular portion 4033A3 are formed to be inclined upward from the inclined portion 4033A4 toward the inclined portion 4033A5. Therefore, when the container main body 4033 rotates in the direction of arrow A, as shown in FIGS. It is designed to give

Third projections 4103a and 4103b as third conveying members are formed from the central tubular portion 4033A3 to the front tubular portion 4033A2. As shown in FIG. 112(c), the third projections 4103a and 4103b are formed one by one at a phase of 180 degrees in the direction of rotation of the container body 4033 (direction of arrow A). As shown in FIGS. 112(c) and 113(b), the third projections 4103a and 4103b are large at the central cylindrical portion 4033A3, and gradually increase toward the front cylindrical portion 4033A2. ), and as shown in FIG. As shown in FIG. 112(d), the first projections 4101a and 4101b have a length reaching from the rear tubular portion 4033A1 to the central tubular portion 4033A3 via the inclined portion 4033A5. Each of the third protrusions 4103a and 4103b is twisted in a spiral shape in a clockwise winding direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the container body 4033. When the container body 4033 rotates in the direction of arrow A, It is formed to apply a force in the direction of arrow F3 to the toner inside. Note that FIG. 113(b) shows only the third projection 4103a.
The second projections 4102a, 4102b, 4102c, 4102d and the third projections 4103a, 4103b are arranged so that their ends overlap each other in the attaching/detaching direction (longitudinal direction). Further, as shown in FIG. 114, the third projections 4103a and 4103b are arranged so as to overlap the nozzle opening 610 of the conveying nozzle 611 as the powder receiving port when the conveying nozzle 611 is inserted into the container main body 4033. is formed in

The toner container 4032 having the container main body 4033 having such a configuration is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, and the container main body 4033 is pushed forward with the conveying nozzle 611 inserted into the container main body 4033 as shown in FIG. Rotate in direction A. Then, the toner in the rear cylinder portion 4033A1 inside the container body 4033 moves in the direction of the arrow F1 along the first projections 4101a and 4101b, and flows from the rear cylinder portion 4033A1 into the center cylinder portion 4033A3 via the inclined portion 4033A4. be transported.

The conveyed toner and the toner originally located in the central cylinder portion 4403A3 are moved in the direction of the arrow F2 by the second projections 4102a to 4102d, and are moved toward the front cylinder portion 4033A2 by the second projections 4102a to 4102d. move along.
At this time, since the third projections 4103a and 4103b are arranged so as to overlap the second projections 4102a to 4102d in the central cylindrical portion 4033A2, the toner conveyed by the second projections 4102a to 4102d is reliably transported. to the third projection 4103a. Note that the third projection 4103b is omitted. The transferred toner is moved in the direction of the arrow F3 by the third projections 4103a and 4103b, overcomes the inclined portion 4033A5, and is transported to the front cylindrical portion 4033A2. At this time, the tips 4103a1 and 4103b1 (not shown) of the third projections 4103a and 4103b overlap the nozzle opening 610 of the carrier nozzle 611, so the third projections 4103a and 4103b move in the arrow F2 direction. The toner can be reliably transported to the nozzle opening 610 .
Although two each of the first and third projections are formed in the ninth embodiment, at least one each should be formed.
Although the first to ninth embodiments have been specifically described above, they are only examples of the present invention, and for example, all configurations obtained by combining each embodiment are also included in the present invention.

26 Paper feed tray 27 Paper feed roller 28 Registration roller pair 29 Paper discharge roller pair 30 Stack unit 32 (Y, M, C, K), 1032, 2032, 3032, 4032 toner container (powder container)
33, 1033, 4033 Container body (powder container)
33a opening (container opening)
33b outer peripheral surface of container opening 33c tip of container opening 34, 2034 container tip side cover (container cover)
34a, 2034a Gear exposure opening 34b, 2034b Outer peripheral surface of container cover 34c, 2034c Mounting direction tip 34d, 2034d Vertical surface (mounting direction downstream side surface)
34g, 2034g lower part (lower part of outer circumference of container tip side cover)
35 upper guide 35a upper guide top portion 35b upper guide side portion 35c upper guide inclined surface 41 (Y, M, C, K) photoreceptor (image carrier)
42 (Y, M, C, K) cleaning device (photoreceptor cleaning device)
42a cleaning blade 44 (Y, M, C, K) charging roller (charging means)
46 (Y, M, C, K) image forming unit (image forming unit)
47 Exposure device 48 Intermediate transfer belt 49 (Y, M, C, K) Primary transfer bias roller 50 (Y, M, C, K) Developing device (developing means)
51 (Y, M, C, K) development roller (developer carrier)
52 (Y, M, C, K) Doctor blade (developer regulation plate)
53 (Y, M, C, K) First developer containing portion 54 (Y, M, C, K) Second developer containing portion 55 (Y, M, C, K) Developer conveying screw 56 (Y, M, C, K) Toner concentration sensor 60 (Y, M, C, K) Toner supply device (powder supply device)
64 (Y, M, C, K) Toner drop conveying path 70, 2070 Toner container housing (powder container housing)
71, 71A, 2071 insertion opening forming portion 71a, 2071a insertion opening 71b entrance base portion 71c lower side surface 71e insertion opening upper surface 72, 2072 container receiving portion 73, 2073 container cover receiving portion 74, 2074 groove portion (container mounting portion)
74a, 74b, 2074a, 2074b Side surface 74c Placement surface 75, 2075 Guide rail 76 Upper surface portion 76a Upper surface protrusion 77a Groove 77b Plate-like protrusion (body-side protrusion)
78 lock member, supply device side lock member 79a through hole 79b concave portion 82 secondary transfer backup roller 85 intermediate transfer unit 86 fixing device 89 secondary transfer roller 90, 2090 engaged rib (engaged portion)
91, 2091 drive unit (container rotation drive unit)
92, 2092 Engagement portion 93 Regulating rib 100 Printer portion (copier apparatus main body, image forming apparatus main body)
200 paper feed unit (paper feed table)
301, 1301 container gear (container side gear)
302 Spiral protrusion (conveying means)
303 handle portion 304 pumping portion 304a pumping portion helical projection 304g pumping rib 304f pumping wall surface 304h convex portion 305 tip opening 306 cover claw hooking portion 306a outer peripheral edge portion of the cover claw hooking portion 330, 1330 nozzle receiving member (conveyance tube receiving member )
331, 1331 nozzle receiving port 332, 1332 container shutter (container opening/closing member)
332a Shutter release prevention claw 332b Guide rod sliding portion 332c Tip cylindrical portion (closing member)
332d sliding portion 332e guide rod 332g guide rod sliding portion 332f cantilever beam 332h end face of container shutter (end face of tip cylindrical portion)
333 container seal (sealing member)
334 container shutter support member (support member)
335 Shutter rear end support 335a Shutter side support (side)
335b, 1335b Shutter support opening (side opening)
336, 1336 container shutter spring (biasing member)
337 Receiving member fixing portion 337a Nozzle shutter abutment rib 337b Sealing member entrainment prevention space 339, 2339 Container locking portion 339a, 2339a Guide projection 339a1 Guide inclined surface 339b, 2339b Guide groove 339c, 2339c Overpass portion 339d, 2339d Locking hole (shaft direction control part)
339e First contact surface 339f Second contact surface 340, 2340 Cover claw portion 340b Cover tip inner peripheral surface 341a Protruding portion (guide portion, radial restriction portion, radial positioning portion)
342a Whirl-stop rib (guide portion, circumferential regulation portion, circumferential regulation projection)
342b Whirl-stop concave portion (guide portion, circumferential regulation groove portion)
343, 2343 holding part 344 holding member 345 holding mechanism 361, 2361 slide guide (guide part, vertical direction regulation part)
361A, 2361A upper guide portion 361B, 2361B lower guide portion 361a, 2361a slide groove 361b tip of slide guide 361c tip of slide groove (first guide portion)
361d slide groove central portion (second guide portion)
361e Rear end of slide groove 361g Concave surface of slide groove 361f Inclined groove portion 362, 2362 Reinforcing portion 400 Scanner portion (document reading portion)
500 copier (image forming device)
600 positioning means (guide)
601 container drive gear (body side gear)
602 Mounting substrate 603 Drive motor 603a Output gear 604 Connection gear 605 Conveying screw gear 608, 2608 Set cover 608a Bottom surface 608c Set cover inner surface (inner peripheral surface of container cover receiving portion)
608d, 2608d opening 608e projection 608f end face 610 nozzle opening (powder receiving port)
611 transport nozzle (transport pipe)
611a End face (end face) of the carrier nozzle
612 nozzle shutter (powder inlet opening/closing member)
612a flange (nozzle shutter flange)
612f Nozzle shutter spring receiving surface 613 Nozzle shutter spring (biasing member)
614 transport screw (transport member)
615 container setting unit (container receiving unit)
615a end inner peripheral surface 615b end surface 615d sliding projecting surface 615c spring restricting portion 700, 2700 IC tag (information storage medium)
701 IC tag hole (hole)
702, 2702 substrate 703 grounding terminal 705 grounding terminal protrusion 710, 710 metal pad 710a, 2710a first metal pad 710b, 2710b second metal pad 710c, 2710c third metal pad 2710d fourth metal pad 720 holding member 781 shaft 782 torsion Coil spring 783 Pin 800, 2800 Connector (readout means)
801 Positioning pin 802 Body side terminal for grounding 804 Terminal 920, 9201a, 9202a, 9204a, 9205a Engaging rib 920a Upper part (upper part of engaging rib)
920b Both sides (both sides of engagement rib)
921, 9211a, 9211b, 9212a, 9212b Grooves between ribs 922, 9224a, 9224b, 9225a, 9233a Reinforcement grooves 9201b, 9202b, 9204b, 9205b Protrusions between slide guides 9213 Grooves between slide guides 1035 Bottom lid 1035a Rear end bearing 1036 Tip side bearing 1302 Conveying vane 1330a Outer peripheral surface of nozzle receiving member 1330b Conveying vane holding part 1332a Contact part 1335c Downstream end in rotation direction 2075a Start end 2343a, 2343b Both sides (circumferential direction regulation part, both sides of holding part)
2801 guide part (circumferential direction regulation part)
2801a, 2801b Wall portions 2801c, 2801d Inner side surfaces 2802, 2803 Regulating portions 2802a, 2803a One end of the regulating portion 2802b, 2803b The other end of the regulating portion 2802c, 2803c Central portion of the regulating portion 2804a First main body side terminal 2804b Second main body side terminal 2804c Third body-side terminal 2804d Fourth body-side terminal 2805 Body-side terminal 4101a, 4101b First projection (conveying means)
4102a to 4102d second projection (conveying means)
4103a, 4103b third projection (conveying means)
H1, H2, H3 Distance between upper guide portion and lower guide portion L Laser beam P Recording medium Q Mounting direction G Developer

JP 2012-133349 A

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides a powder storage container which can be attached to an image forming apparatus having a transport pipe for transporting powder, and which stores powder for image formation as the powder. a container body that houses the powder and is rotatable about a rotation axis; a container cover that is provided at one longitudinal end of the powder container parallel to the rotation axis; a first protrusion extending in the longitudinal direction and protruding in a transverse direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction; a second protrusion provided on the container cover and protruding in a radial direction away from the rotating shaft; a nozzle receiving port provided at one end in the longitudinal direction of the powder container for receiving a pipe; a shutter that opens and closes the nozzle receiving port and has an end surface; a space surrounded by a receiving member fixing portion provided on the same side as the side on which the nozzle receiving port is provided and penetrated by the rotating shaft; It is characterized by being provided near the center .

As shown in FIG. 5, the toner container housing portion 70 mainly includes a container cover receiving portion 73, a container receiving portion 72, and an insertion port forming portion 71. As shown in FIG. The container cover receiving portion 73 is a portion that holds the container front end side cover 34Y and the container body 33Y of the toner container 32Y. The container receiving portion 72 is a portion that supports the container body 33Y of the toner container 32Y. The insertion port forming portion 71 is a portion that forms an insertion port 71a during the mounting operation of the toner container 32Y. When the main body cover installed on the front side of the copier 500 (the front side in the direction perpendicular to the plane of FIG. 2) is opened, the insertion opening forming portion 71 of the toner container accommodating portion 70 is exposed. With the longitudinal direction of each toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) oriented horizontally, each toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) is removed from the front side of the copying machine 500 ( Attachment/detachment operation with the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32 as the attachment/detachment direction is performed. Note that the set cover 608Y in FIG. 4 is a part of the container cover receiving portion 73 of the toner container housing portion 70. As shown in FIG.

By fitting the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 and the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32, the toner container 32 is moved in the longitudinal direction (attachment/detachment direction) of the toner container 32 with respect to the toner replenishing device 60. A radial positioning is made orthogonal to the . Further, when the toner container 32 rotates, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a functions as a rotating shaft portion, and the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 functions as a bearing. At this time, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a comes into slidable contact with the sliding projecting surface 615d as part of the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615, and the diameter of the toner container 32 relative to the toner replenishing device 60 increases. The position where the orientation is positioned is indicated by α in FIG.
In the following description, it is frequently described that the container opening 33a is fitted to the container setting portion 615 in a slidable state. Strictly speaking, this fitting state means a state in which the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a is in contact with the sliding projecting surface 615d formed on the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615. . For the sake of readability, the sliding projection 615d will be omitted from this point onwards, and only the explanation that the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a is fitted to the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 will be provided.

A cover claw hooking portion 306 that engages with the cover claw portion 340 is formed at the container gear 301 side end portion of the container opening portion 33 a of the container body 33 . The cover claw portions 340 are provided at three locations at equal intervals in the circumferential direction, that is, at intervals of 120 degrees, at the tip portion of the container tip side cover 34 in the mounting direction. The container front end side cover 34 is attached to the toner container 32 (container 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 main body 33 penetrates the container front end cover 34 in the longitudinal direction, and the cover claw hooking portions 306 are respectively caught by three cover claw portions 340 provided in the container front end cover 34 in the circumferential direction. The cover claw hooking portion 306 is formed so as to encircle the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a, and the container main body 33 and the container front end side cover 34 can rotate relatively by hooking the cover claw portion 340. installation.

When the toner container 32 is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the container front end side cover 34 of the toner container 32 restricts the movement of the toner container 32 during attachment in a direction other than the attachment direction so that the opening 33 a is positioned at the container setting portion 615 . A guide part for guiding to is provided. It should be noted that the container tip side cover 34 can be said to be a portion exclusively for having the guide portion from the function of the present embodiment, and can also be called a container guide portion holding portion. As shown in FIGS. 6, 7, 29(a), and 30, on both side surfaces of the lower portion of the container front end cover 34 of the toner container 32, a pair of tabs for restricting the vertical movement of the container front end cover 34 are provided. is formed. A pair of guide portions as the vertical direction restricting portions are hereinafter referred to as slide guides 361 , 361 . In other words, the container front end cover 34 is a supporting member for the vertical direction restricting portion. The slide guides 361, 361 include an upper guide portion 361A and a lower guide portion 361B extending along the longitudinal direction of the container body 33, and slide grooves 361a, 361a between the upper guide portion 361A and the lower guide portion 361B. are formed respectively. Each slide groove 361a is formed parallel to the rotation axis of the container body 33, and vertically slides the pair of guide rails 75, 75 formed in the groove portion 74 of the container receiving portion 72 described in FIGS. It is configured to be sandwiched. That is, the upper guide portion 361A and the lower guide portion 361B of the slide guides 361, 361 sandwich the guide rail 75 from above and below, so that when the toner container 32 is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the container front end side cover 34 is moved. function as a positioning portion in the vertical direction Z and the width direction W orthogonal to the attachment/detachment direction, and restrict the movement of the toner container 32 in the vertical direction Z and the width direction W.
As shown in FIG. 31, the slide grooves 361a are formed such that the height-direction distance between the lower surface of the upper guide portion 361A and the upper surface of the lower guide portion 361B that face each other varies stepwise in the mounting direction. The distance between the top surface and the bottom surface of the toner container 32 is defined as the distance H1 between the slide groove front end portion 361c on the downstream side in the mounting direction of the toner container 32, the distance H2 between the slide groove center portion 361d, and the distance H3 between the slide groove rear end portion 361e. They are formed so as to widen in the order of H1<gap H2<gap H3. That is, the interval is the distance between the upper guide portion 361A and the lower guide portion 361B, and the interval positioned downstream in the mounting direction of the toner container 32 is narrower than the interval positioned upstream in the mounting direction. formed. In addition, the groove front end portion 361c and the groove center portion 361d prevent the slide guide 361 from breaking at the groove portion 74 and being damaged by the extension of the groove inclined portion 361f that is formed so as to be inclined toward the concave surface 361g of the slide groove 361a. are preventing. Further, as shown in FIG. 30, the slide guide 361 is integrally formed with a reinforcing portion 362 connected to the inner side of the slide guide 361 to prevent damage to the slide guide 361 when the toner container 32 is dropped. .

As shown in FIGS. 29A and 30, three cover claw portions 340 are formed at equal intervals in the circumferential direction on the end surface of the container front end side cover 34 on the container front end side. Projections 341a projecting outward from the outer peripheral surface 34b of the container front end cover 34 are formed at the bent portions of the cover claw portions 340, respectively. These protrusions 341a are formed by bending along the bent portion of the container front end cover 34, and are provided at three locations at equal intervals in the circumferential direction of the container front end cover 34, that is, at intervals of 120 degrees. . These projecting portions 341a protrude from the outer peripheral surface 34b of the container front end side cover 34 at a height of 0.9 mm, and extend radially and longitudinally from the bent portion for lengths of 4 mm each. These protrusions 341a function as guides to abut against the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608 when the container front end cover 34 enters the container cover receiving portion 73 as shown in FIG. It is equipped with a function to guide and position in the radial direction. These protrusions 341a are formed in a rounded shape so as to reduce sliding resistance by making point contact with the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608. As shown in FIG. Each protrusion 341a is arranged so as to be able to face three through holes 79a (see FIGS. 23 and 24) formed in the set cover 608, respectively. These protrusions 341a are arranged so as to contact the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608 before the container opening 33a of the container body 33 contacts the nozzle shutter flange 612a. As a result, the protrusion 341a comes into contact with the inner peripheral surface 608c of the set cover 608 , thereby functioning as a radial positioning portion for positioning the toner container 32 to the toner replenishing device 60. As shown in FIG. In other words, the projecting portion 341a functions as a guiding portion, a radial restricting portion, and a radial positioning portion.

The nozzle receiving member 330 includes a container shutter support member 334 as a support member, a container shutter 332, a container seal 333 as a sealing member, a container shutter spring 336 as an urging means, and a receiving member fixing portion 337. It is The container shutter support member 334 includes a shutter rear end support portion 335, a shutter side support portion 335a as a side portion, a shutter support opening 335b as a side opening, and a receiving member fixing portion 337. The container shutter spring 336 is a coil spring. .
The shutter side support portion 335a and the shutter support opening 335b provided in the container shutter support member 334 are arranged adjacent to each other in the toner container rotation direction, and the two mutually opposing shutter side support portions 335a partially cover the cylindrical shape. The cylindrical shape is largely cut at the portions ( two places ) of the shutter support openings 335b. With such a shape, the container shutter 332 can be guided to move in the longitudinal direction within the cylindrical space S1 (FIG. 16) formed inside the cylindrical shape.

As shown in FIGS. 16 to 18, a pair of shutter side support portions 335a, which are formed by cutting a cylinder in the longitudinal direction, protrude from the receiving member fixing portion 337 toward the rear end of the container so as to face each other. . The ends of the two shutter side support portions 335a on the container rear end side are connected to a cup-shaped shutter rear end support portion 335 having a round hole at the center of the bottom. The two shutter side support portions 335a face each other to form a columnar space S1 that can be recognized by their inner wall cylindrical surfaces and their extended virtual cylindrical surfaces. The receiving member fixing portion 337 has a cylindrical inner peripheral surface having an inner diameter equal to the diameter of the cylindrical space S1, and has an inner diameter portion GG that is the fifth from the tip. The sliding portion 332d of the container shutter 332 slides in the cylindrical space S1 and the cylindrical inner peripheral surface GG. The third inner circumferential surface EE of the receiving member fixing portion 337 is a virtual circumferential surface passing through the longitudinal tops of the nozzle shutter abutment ribs 337a arranged at regular intervals of 45 degrees . A cylindrical (circular tube) container seal 333 having a square cross section (the cross section in the cross sectional view of FIG. 18) is arranged corresponding to the inner peripheral surface EE. The container seal 333 is fixed to a vertical surface extending from the third inner peripheral surface EE to the fourth inner peripheral surface FF with an adhesive, double-sided tape, or the like. The exposed surface on the opposite side (the right side in FIGS. 16 and 17) to which the container seal 333 is attached forms the inner bottom of the cylindrical opening of the cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 (container opening).

When the toner container 32 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the fifth regulated state, the sixth regulated state shown in FIGS. In the sixth regulated state, the container opening 33a enters more deeply into the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion, and the replenishing device side is inserted into each locking hole 339d of the container locking portions 339, 339 shown in FIG. The locking members 78, 78 enter and are locked. As a result, the toner container 32 is prevented from moving in the longitudinal direction (rotating shaft direction) and held at the set position.
If the position where the replenishing device side locking members 78, 78 enter the respective locking holes 339d of the container locking portions 339, 339 has some play in the longitudinal direction, it may cause variations in component accuracy and installation position. Even if there is variation in the toner supply device 60, the supply device side lock members 78, 78 can be reliably inserted into the locking holes 339d of the container lock portions 339, 339 and held at the set position. This is preferable because an incompletely set state of the toner container 32 can be avoided.
FIG. 44B shows the relationship between the state of the conveying nozzle 611 and the nozzle receiving member 330 during the mounting operation (horizontal axis) and the regulation state of the toner container 32 (vertical axis). The horizontal axis of FIG. 44(B) indicates the contact state of the nozzle receiving member 330 with the conveying nozzle 611, and (a) is at the start of movement and before contact between the conveying nozzle 611 and the nozzle receiving member 330. (b) is a state in which the end face 332h of the container shutter and the end face of the conveying nozzle 611a are in contact; (c) is a state in which the container seal 333 and the nozzle shutter flange 612a are in contact; (d) is the container opening. 33a is fitted to the container setting portion 615. FIG. The vertical axis of FIG. 44(B) represents a slide guide 361 that regulates movement in the vertical direction as a guide section and a movement in the radial direction that regulates movement when reaching the states of (a) to (d) on the horizontal axis. It shows which of the protrusions 341a and the anti-rotation ribs 342a that restrict movement in the circumferential direction restricts the movement of the toner container 32. FIG. For example, when the end surface 332h of the container shutter and the conveying nozzle 611a come into contact with each other in (b), the slide guide 361 restricts the movement in the vertical direction.

Next, the configuration for conveying toner from toner container 1032 to nozzle opening 610 will be described.
The pumping rib 304g protrudes to the vicinity of the inner peripheral surface of the container body 1033 so that the rib surface is connected from the rotation direction downstream end portion 1335c of the shutter side support portion 1335a. The rib surface is bent at one point in the middle to form a nearly curved surface, but depending on compatibility with the toner, this structure may not necessarily be used, and a simple flat rib with no bends may be used. Such a configuration eliminates the need to form a raised portion on the container body 1033 . Furthermore, since the pumping rib 304g is erected integrally from the shutter support opening 1335b, it is possible to exert a bridging effect in the same manner as when the shutter side support portion 1335a and the projection 304h are brought into close contact with each other. That is, when the nozzle receiving member 1330 rotates when the toner container 1032 is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, the conveying vane rotates, and the toner stored inside the toner container 1032 is transferred to the nozzle receiving member 1330 from the rear end side. It is conveyed toward the leading end side where it is located. The toner conveyed by the conveying blade 1302 is received by the scooping rib 304g, which is scooped up from below by rotation, and the rib surface is used as a slide to allow the toner to flow into the nozzle opening 610.例文帳に追加

Furthermore, as in the first embodiment, the toner container 1032 according to the present embodiment is placed in the groove 74 of the container receiving portion 72 of the toner container storage portion 70, and when the user pushes it in the mounting direction Q, the toner container 32 moves on the groove 74 . As the toner container 1032 moves, the container front end cover 34 shifts from the first regulated state to the fifth regulated state, and the position of the toner container is defined step by step according to each state. Then, when the toner container 1032 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the fifth regulated state to enter the sixth regulated state, the container opening 1033a enters deeply into the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 and reaches the set position. At the same time, the replenishing device side locking members 78, 78 enter into the locking holes 339d of the container locking portions 339, 339 and are locked. This prevents the toner container 1032 from moving in the longitudinal direction.

Next, the form and dimensions of the engaging portion 92 and the engaged rib 90 will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. 66 to 77. FIG. Here, the reference numerals of the inter-rib grooves 921 and the reinforcing portion grooves 922 are assigned differently for each example. 66 to 75 are diagrams showing the form of the inter-rib groove 921 formed in the container front end cover 34. FIG. FIGS. 66, 67(a) and 67(b) show Example 1 having an inter-rib groove 9211a with a width of 3 mm between engaging ribs 9201a provided in the lower portion 34g of the container front end cover 34. FIG.
68, 69(a) and 69(b) show Example 2 having an inter-rib groove 9212a with a width of 7 mm between engaging ribs 9202a provided in the lower portion 34g of the container front end cover 34. FIG.
70, 71(a) and 71(b) show the widths of the side surfaces 362a, 362a of the reinforcement portions 362, 362 formed in the slide guides 361, 361 connected in the mounting direction without having the engagement rib 920. An example 3 is shown in which the width is 11 mm and the inter-slide guide groove 9213 is formed between the slide guides 361 , 361 .
72, 73(a), and 73(b) show that the lower portion 34g of the container front end side cover 34 is attached to the reinforcing portion 362 formed on the slide guide 361 located on the right side in the mounting direction Q and connected to the mounting direction. Example 4 is shown in which a reinforcement groove 9224a of 3 mm is formed from a position offset by 9 mm from the center, and an engaging rib 9204a is formed between the slide guides 361,361.
74(a), 75(a), and 75(b), the reinforcing portion 362 formed in the slide guide 361 located on the left side in the mounting direction Q and connected in the mounting direction is attached to the container front end side cover 34. Example 5 is shown in which a reinforcement groove 9225a of 3 mm is formed from a position offset by 9 mm from the center of the lower portion 34g, and an engaging rib 9205a is formed between the slide guides 361,361. The depth of each groove was set to 5 mm, and the height (projection amount) of the engaged rib 90 was set to 2.5 mm.
In FIGS. 72 and 74(a), the reinforcing portion groove 9225a is formed in the reinforcing portion 362 of either the left side or the right side of the slide guide 361 in the mounting direction Q, but the shape of the reinforcing portion groove 9225a is , but not limited to.
For example, as shown in FIG. 74(b), the reinforcing portions 362, 362 formed in the slide guides 361, 361 located on the right and left sides in the mounting direction Q and connected in the mounting direction are provided with the container front end cover 34. Reinforcement grooves 9225a, 9225a of 3 mm each may be formed from a position offset 9 mm from the center of the lower portion 34g. An engagement rib 9205a may be formed between the slide guides 361, 361 as shown in FIGS. A configuration in which the engagement rib 9205a is not formed between the is also possible.
FIG. 76 is an enlarged view showing the relationship between these inter-rib grooves 921 and reinforcement grooves 922 and the engaged ribs 90 narrower than these grooves. FIG. 77 summarizes the combination relationship between the groove width and Examples 1 to 5.

(Fifth embodiment)
Next, another embodiment of the engaging portion 92 will be described with reference to FIGS. 78 to 81. FIG. This embodiment is the same as the fourth embodiment in terms of the width W1 of the inter-rib groove 921 and the presence or absence of the reinforcement groove 922, but differs in the form of the engaging portion 92 when viewed from the bottom. Therefore, FIGS. 78 to 81 show the bottom view of this embodiment, and the front view and rear view are omitted.
78 shows another form of Example 1, FIG. 79 shows another form of Example 2, FIG. 80 shows another form of Example 4, and FIG. 81 shows another form of Example 5. FIG.
In FIG. 78, 9201b and 9201b indicate inter-slide guide protrusions (engagement ribs) provided in the slide guides 361 and 361, and 9211b is inter-protrusion grooves formed between the inter-slide guide protrusions 9201b and 9201b. (grooves between ribs).
In FIG. 79, 9202b and 9202b denote protrusions (engagement ribs) between the slide guides provided on the slide guides 361 and 9212b are grooves between the protrusions (ribs) formed between the engagement ribs 9202b and 9202b. groove).
In FIG. 80, 9224b denotes a reinforcement groove formed in a reinforcement portion 362 formed in the slide guide 361 located on the right side in the mounting direction Q and connected in the mounting direction. 2 shows a projection between slide guides (engagement rib) formed between .
In FIG. 81, 9225b denotes a reinforcement groove formed in a reinforcement portion 362 formed in the slide guide 361 located on the left side in the mounting direction Q and connected in the mounting direction ; 2 shows a projection between slide guides (engagement rib) formed between .

On the side of the toner replenishing device 60, as shown in FIG. , and rough positioning can be performed in the width direction W and the vertical direction Z perpendicular to the mounting direction Q (first restricted state).

As shown in FIGS. 90 and 91, the container front end cover 2034 is a pair of guides that restrict movement of the container front end cover 2034 in the vertical direction. are provided on both sides of the lower portion 2034g. The slide guides 2361, 2361 include an upper guide portion 2361A and a lower guide portion 2361B extending along the longitudinal direction of the container main body 33. Slide grooves 2361a, 2361a are provided between the upper guide portion 2361A and the lower guide portion 2361B. are formed respectively. Each slide groove 2361a is formed parallel to the rotation axis of the container body 33, and is configured to vertically sandwich a pair of guide rails 2075, 2075 shown in FIGS.
That is, the upper guide portion 2361A and the lower guide portion 2361B of the slide guides 2361 and 2361 sandwich the guide rail 2075 from above and below, so that when the toner container 2032 is attached to the printer portion 100 (image forming apparatus main body), It functions as a positioning portion in the vertical direction Z and the width direction W perpendicular to the attachment/detachment direction of the container front end cover 2034, and restricts the movement of the toner container 2032 in the vertical direction Z and the width direction W.
That is, when the toner container 2032 is attached to the printer section 100 (image forming apparatus main body), the container front end side cover 2034 serves as a guide section for guiding the container opening 33a to the container cover receiving section 2073, and as a vertical direction regulation section. a pair of slide guides 2361, 2361, both side surfaces 2343a, 2343b of a holding portion 2343 as a circumferential direction restricting portion, and a container lock portion 2339 having a locking hole 2339d as an axial direction restricting portion.

Each toner container 2032 is replaced with a new one when it reaches the end of its life (when almost all of the contained toner is consumed and becomes empty). When replacing the container, the operator grasps the grip portion 303 provided at the end of the toner container 2032 opposite to the container front end side cover 2034 in the longitudinal direction and pulls it out in the detachment direction. 2032 can be removed.
Here, the configuration of the drive unit 2091 will be supplemented. The driving portion 2091 includes a container driving gear 601 and a conveying screw gear 605, similar to the driving portion 92Y. As shown in FIGS. 92 and 95, the conveying screw gear 605 is driven by a driving motor 603 fixed to the mounting substrate 602, and its output gear 603a (see FIG. 92 ) rotates to rotate and drive the container driving gear. 601 is rotationally driven by transmission of the rotation of the output gear 603a from the conveying screw gear 605 via a plurality of connecting gears 604 .

As shown in FIG. 94, the connector 2800 has four body-side terminals 2804a to 2804d (first body-side terminals 2804a to 2804d) capable of contacting the first metal pads 2710a to the fourth metal pads 2710d. The fourth body-side terminal 2804d is a grounding body-side terminal capable of contacting the fourth metal pad 2710d, which is a ground terminal. The connector 2800 is arranged inside the guide part 2801 on the back side located in the attachment/detachment direction Q. As shown in FIG. The connector 2800 reads information from the IC tag 2700 by contacting each pad of the IC tag 2700 when the toner container 2032 is moved in the mounting direction Q on the groove 2074 on the toner container housing portion 2070 .
As shown in FIG. 96, inner surfaces 2801c and 2801d of wall portions 2801a and 2801b protruding from the surface of set cover 2608 (container cover receiving portion 2073) positioned in the radial direction indicated by arrow R have inner surfaces 2801c and 2801d. There are provided restricting portions 2802 and 2803 that protrude into the space from. The regulating portions 2802 and 2803 extend in the mounting direction Q such that one ends 2802a and 2803a of the regulating portions are positioned upstream in the mounting direction of the toner container 2032, and the other ends 2802b and 2803b of the regulating portions are positioned downstream in the mounting direction. are formed on the inner side surfaces 2801c and 2801d so as to be present. The restricting portions 2802 and 2803 may be formed integrally with the inner side surfaces 2801c and 2801d, or may be formed separately and integrated with the inner side surfaces 2801c and 2801d by adhesion, welding, or the like. When the IC chip 2700 enters the guiding portion 2801 when the toner container 2032 is attached, both side surfaces 2343a and 2343b of the holding portion 2343 are configured to contact the above-described restricting portions 2802 and 2803. FIG. In this embodiment, the restricting portions 2802 and 2803 are formed so that the interval between the restricting portions 2802 and 2803 becomes narrower in the mounting direction Q. As shown in FIG. Therefore, as the toner container 2032 advances in the mounting direction Q, both side surfaces 2343a and 2343b of the holding portion 2343 are in strong contact with the regulating portions 2802 and 2803, and the holding portion 2343 between the regulating members 2802 and 2803 is in contact with the regulating portions 2802 and 2803. Movement in the circumferential direction is more restricted. More specifically, from one ends 2802a and 2803a of the restricting portions 2802 and 2803 to central portions 2802c and 2803c of the restricting portions 2802 and 2803, the interval between the restricting portions 2802 and 2803 is formed as an inclined flat surface. The other ends 2802b and 2803b of 2802 and 2803 are semicircular in cross section and formed parallel to each other . The width W10 between the one ends 2802a and 2803a is wider than the width W12 (see FIG. 90) of both side surfaces 2343a and 2343b of the holding section 2343, and the width W11 between the other ends 2802b and 2803b is It is formed to be the same as or slightly narrower than the width W12 of 2343b.

As shown in FIG. 92, the container receiving portion 2072 is formed with a groove portion 2074 as a container mounting portion extending from the insertion port forming portion 2071 to the container cover receiving portion 2073 along the longitudinal direction of the container body 33. . The toner container 2032 is configured to be slidable in the longitudinal direction (attachment/detachment direction) on the groove 2074 .
Side surfaces 2074a and 2074b of the groove 2074 located in the width direction W are provided with guide rails 2075 and 2075 serving as guide members so as to face each other. Each guide rail 2075 protrudes in the width direction W from the side surfaces 2074 a and 7204 b, extends in the longitudinal direction, and is arranged from one end 2072 a of the container receiving portion 2072 to the front of the container cover receiving portion 2073 . The guide rails 2075, 2075 are engaged with each slide guide 2361 as a guide member when the toner container 2032 is attached to the printer section 100 (image forming apparatus main body), and the container opening 33a is used as a container receiving section. It has a function of guiding to the container setting section 615 .
In this embodiment, each guide rail 2075 is formed by being divided into four in the longitudinal direction, but it may be formed as one continuous rail in the longitudinal direction. Each guide rail 2075 is formed so as to be parallel to the rotation axis of the container main body 33 when the toner container 2032 is mounted in the toner container storage portion 2070 .

When the engaging portion 2092 and the engaged rib 2090 are matched in shape and the engaged rib 2090 allows the engaging portion 2092 to move, the toner container 2032 moves further in the mounting direction Q. As shown in FIG. Then, as shown in FIG. 99(c), the end surface 332h of the container shutter and the end surface 611a of the conveying nozzle 611 come into contact with each other.
When the toner container 2032 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q, the second regulated state shown in FIG. Enter into guide 2801 with 2800 . Since the slide grooves 2361a of the slide guides 2361 provide rough positioning in the vertical direction Z, the holding portion 2343 moves into the guide portion 2801 while being roughly positioned in the vertical direction Z. enter inside. Details of this approach state are shown in FIGS. 101(a) and 102(a). Therefore, both side surfaces 2343a and 2343b of the holding portion 2343 are restrained from moving in the circumferential direction R by the inner wall surfaces 2801c and 2801d of the guide portion 2801 in a rough state.

When the toner container 2032 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the second restricted state, the container seal 333 contacts the nozzle shutter flange 612a as shown in FIG. Then, the holding portion 2343 moves further inside the guiding portion 2801 . This state is shown in FIG. 101(b). At this time, both side surfaces 2343a and 2343b of the holding portion 2343 are tapered flat portions formed from one ends 2802a and 2803a of the regulating portions 2802 and 2803 provided on the inner wall surfaces 2801c and 2801d of the guide portion 2801 to the central portions 2802c and 2803c. It moves on the surface and gradually moves in the mounting direction Q while its movement in the radial direction R is restricted.

When the toner container 2032 is further moved in the mounting direction, both side surfaces 2343a and 2343b of the holding portion 2343 are moved to the maximum positions of the regulating portions 2082 and 2083 as shown in FIGS. It is positioned between the other narrow ends 2802b and 2803b (third restricted state). In other words, in the third restricted state, the movement in the radial direction R is completely restricted by the holding portion 2343 and the guide portion 2801 while the restriction in the vertical direction Z is maintained by the slide groove 2361a and the guide rail 2075. becomes. Therefore, the container front end side cover 2034 and the set cover 2608 (container cover receiving portion 2073) are integrated, and the movement of the container front end side cover 2034 in the circumferential direction R is restricted. It is prevented from rotating integrally with the rotation of 33.

When the toner container 2032 is further pushed in the mounting direction Q from the third regulated state, the fourth regulated state shown in FIG. 2608), and the container body 33 is rotatably supported in the end inner peripheral surface 615a. At this time, since the position of the container front end side cover 2034 in the circumferential direction R is regulated by the holding portion 2343 and the guide portion 2801, the container opening portion 33a and the container setting portion 615 can be moved while the center positions of the container opening portion 33a and the container setting portion 615 are aligned. Mate. Therefore, it is possible to prevent toner from leaking from the container shutter 332 caused by the container opening 33a entering the container setting portion 615 in a positionally displaced state. Also, in this state, each pad of the IC tag 2700 comes into contact with each body-side terminal of the connector 2800 , and information is read from the IC tag 2700 . That is, when the IC tag 2700 and the connector 2800 are brought into contact with each other, since the positions in the vertical direction Z and the radial direction R are defined, contact failures between the two can be minimized and stable communication can be performed.

As described above, when the anti-rotation of the container front end side cover 2034 is achieved by the engagement between the guide portion 2801 that accommodates the connector 2800 and the holding portion 2343 that holds the IC chip 2700 formed on the outer peripheral surface 2034b , the container opening 33a and the holding portion 2343 hold the IC chip 2700. Since both are fitted with the center position aligned with the container setting portion 615, toner leakage from the container shutter 332 caused by the container opening portion 33a entering the container setting portion 615 in a positionally displaced state is prevented. can do. Also, since the IC chip 2700 itself does not need to be positioned, rough positioning is sufficient.

As in the present embodiment, the IC chip 2700 is mounted on the outer peripheral surface 2034b of the container front end side cover 2034 located substantially in the center of the arrangement of the pair of container locking portions 2339 , 2339 that engage with the replenishing device side locking members 78, 78. When deployed, it has the following advantages: Although movement of the IC chip 2700 in the radial direction is permissible, movement in the circumferential direction R tends to cause poor contact, which is not preferable . At this time, if the IC chip 2700 is arranged substantially in the center of the arrangement of the pair of replenishment device side lock members 78, 78, the same force is applied from both sides in the circumferential direction R, and movement in the circumferential direction R is prevented. This is preferable because it can suppress the contact failure between the IC chip 2700 and the connector 2800 .

In addition, in this embodiment, since the replenishing device side lock members 78, 78 and the container lock portions 2339, 2339 are respectively arranged obliquely with respect to the horizontal direction, they are closer to the tip of the container than in the case where they are arranged in the horizontal direction. The amount of horizontal protrusion from the outer peripheral surface 2034b of the cover 2034 can be suppressed, and space saving can be achieved for the powder container accommodating portion corresponding to each color. As a result, the space of the printer unit 100 (main body of the image forming apparatus) can be effectively used, and the size of the image forming apparatus can be reduced. Also, when a plurality of toner containers are installed as in a color image forming apparatus, the installation space in the horizontal direction can be reduced, contributing to further miniaturization of the apparatus.

Further, as in the present embodiment, the engaging portion 2092 formed in the lower portion 2034g of the container front end side cover 2034 serving as the lower portion of the toner container 2032 and capable of passing through the engaged rib 2090 and the engaging portion 2092 are the insertion opening. 2071a, a pair of slide guides 2361, 2361 as vertical direction restricting portions that engage with the pair of guide rails 2075, 2075 to restrict the movement of the toner container 2032 in the vertical direction Z. Therefore, it is possible to reliably prevent the attachment of the toner container 2032 of a different type.

In the eighth embodiment, the container body 33 having the spiral groove is used as the container body. A toner container 3032 shown in FIG.

The container main body 4033 is formed so that its outer shape differs at a plurality of points from the rear end side of the container toward the front end side of the container. That is, the container main body 4033 includes a rear tubular portion 4033A1 connected to the handle portion 4303 located on the rear end side of the container, a front tubular portion 4033A2 connected to the opening portion 4033a on the front end side of the container, and a rear tubular portion 4033A1 and a front tubular portion 4033A2. It has a central tubular portion 4033A3 located therebetween. An inclined portion 4033A4 is formed between the rear tubular portion 4033A1 and the rear end of the central tubular portion 4033A3, and an inclined portion 4033A5 is formed between the front tubular portion 4033A2 and the front end of the central tubular portion 4033A3. The center cylindrical portion 4033A3 is formed so as to increase in diameter from the end on the side of the inclined portion 4033A4 toward the end on the side of the inclined portion 4033A5. The inclined portion 4033A4 is tapered from the rear tubular portion 4033A1 toward the central tubular portion 4033A3, and the inclined portion 4033A5 is tapered from the central tubular portion 4033A3 toward the front tubular portion 4033A2 . In FIG. 110, the first to fourth cut portions indicate cut portions cut along a plane perpendicular to the axis of rotation indicated by the alternate long and short dashed line. The first cut portion is the cross section of the rear tubular portion 4033A1, the second cut portion is the cross section of the central tubular portion 4033A3 , the third cut portion is the cross section near the inclined portion 4033A5, and the fourth cut portion is the cross section of the front tubular portion 4033A2. respectively.

A plurality of conveying members are formed in the container main body 4033 from the rear tubular portion 4033A1 to the front tubular portion 4033A2 . These conveying members are recessed from the surface of the container body 4033 toward the interior of the container, and are formed as grooves from the surface of the container and protrusions from the interior of the container. Hereinafter, these conveying members will be described as protrusions.

First projections 4101a and 4101b as first conveying members are formed on the rear tubular portion 4033A1 so as to extend toward the central tubular portion 4033A3. As shown in FIG. 112(a), the first projections 4101a and 4101b are formed at a phase of 180 degrees in the direction of rotation of the container body 4033 (direction of arrow A). The first projections 4101a and 4101b have a length reaching from the rear tubular portion 4033A1 to the central tubular portion 4033A3 via the inclined portion 4033A4 as shown in FIG. 113(a). The first protrusions 4101a and 4101b are each twisted in a spiral shape in a clockwise winding direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the container body 4033. When the container body 4033 rotates in the direction of arrow A, It is formed to apply a force in the direction of arrow F1 shown in FIGS. 111 and 113(a) to the toner inside. Note that FIG. 113(a) shows only the first projection 4101a.

Claims (23)

A powder storage container containing powder for image formation is attached,
a conveying pipe through which the powder is conveyed;
a powder receiving port provided in the conveying pipe for receiving powder from the powder containing container;
a body-side gear that transmits a driving force to the powder container;
a container receiving portion disposed around the conveying pipe and receiving the powder containing container;
In a powder container that can be attached to an image forming apparatus comprising
a container body containing the image forming powder;
an opening provided at one end of the container body;
a conveying tube receiving member disposed in the opening and capable of receiving the conveying tube;
a conveying means for conveying the powder in the container body to the powder inlet by rotating;
a container-side gear provided in the vicinity of the opening and capable of meshing with the body-side gear to drive the conveying means;
The container-side gear is arranged so as to be meshable with the main-body-side gear on the opening side in the longitudinal direction of the container main body rather than the powder receiving port,
The powder storage container, wherein the opening can be fitted into the container receiving portion. A container cover is provided on the outer periphery of the container body,
The container cover has at least a circumferential direction regulation portion, a vertical direction regulation portion, and a radial 2. The powder container according to claim 1, comprising one of a restricting portion and an axial restricting portion. 3. The powder according to claim 2, wherein the circumferential direction regulating portion regulates movement of the container cover in the circumferential direction when the powder container is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus. containment vessel. The circumferential direction regulating portion is a circumferential direction regulating protrusion that radially protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the container cover. 4. The powder container according to claim 3, wherein movement of the container cover in the circumferential direction is restricted. The circumferential direction restricting portion is a circumferential direction restricting groove portion formed inwardly from the outer peripheral surface of the container cover, and the circumferential direction restricting groove portion is engaged with a main body side protrusion provided on the image forming apparatus main body. 4. The powder storage container according to claim 3, wherein the movement of the container cover in the circumferential direction is restricted by joining. 3. The powder according to claim 2, wherein the vertical regulating portion regulates movement of the container cover in the vertical direction when the powder container is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus. body container. The vertical direction regulating part has a guide member consisting of an upper guide part and a lower guide part extending along the longitudinal direction of the container body on the outer periphery of the container cover,
7. A powder storage according to claim 6, wherein said upper guide portion and said lower guide portion sandwich a guide rail provided on said image forming apparatus main body, thereby regulating said container cover in a vertical direction. container. 8. A distance H between the upper guide portion and the lower guide portion is formed so that the downstream side in the mounting direction of the powder container is narrower than the upstream side thereof. The powder storage container according to . 9. The powder according to claim 6, 7 or 8, wherein the vertical movement of the container cover is regulated by the vertical direction regulating portion before the conveying pipe and the conveying pipe receiving member come into contact with each other. body container. 10. The powder container according to any one of claims 2 to 9, wherein the circumferential direction restricting portion and the vertical direction restricting portion are integrally formed. 3. The powder according to claim 2, wherein the radial regulating portion regulates movement of the container cover in the radial direction when the powder container is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus. body container. The radial restricting portion is a projecting portion that projects from the outer peripheral surface of the container cover, and the projecting portion contacts the inner peripheral surface of the container cover receiving portion that receives the container cover, thereby restricting the radial direction of the container cover. 12. The powder storage container according to claim 11, wherein movement of is restricted. 13. The powder storage container according to claim 12, wherein at least three or more of the projecting portions are formed at the front end portion of the container cover in the mounting direction. The axial regulating portion regulates the movement of the container cover in the axial direction when the opening is inserted into the positioning portion at the base of the transfer pipe and the position of the opening is determined. 3. The powder container according to claim 2. 15. The powder storage container according to claim 14, wherein the axial direction restricting portions are arranged on both sides of the center of the opening. The vertical direction regulating portion includes a guide member extending along the longitudinal direction of the container body at the outer periphery of the container cover,
The radial restricting portion has a protruding portion protruding from the outer peripheral surface of the container cover,
The guide member includes a first guide portion and a second guide, which is upstream of the guide portion in the mounting direction and has a wider distance between the upper guide portion and the lower guide portion than the first guide portion. and
During the change from the vertical regulation state by the first guide portion to the vertical regulation state by the second guide portion, the projecting portion contacts the inner peripheral surface of the container cover receiving portion. 14. The powder container according to claim 6, 7, 8, 12 or 13. Before the opening abuts against a flange provided on the downstream side in the mounting direction of the end surface of the carrier tube receiving member that contacts the carrier tube, the projecting portion contacts the inner peripheral surface of the container cover receiving portion. 17. The powder storage container according to claim 12, 13 or 16, wherein the powder containers are in contact with each other. 14. The method according to claim 3, 4, 5, 12, or 13, wherein the radial restriction by the radial restriction portion is released after the circumferential restriction is performed by the circumferential restriction portion. Powder storage container. After being restricted in the circumferential direction by the circumferential direction restricting portion, the radial restriction by the projecting portion and the inner peripheral surface of the container cover receiving portion is released as the projecting portion enters the recess of the container cover receiving portion. The powder storage container according to claim 18, characterized in that 20. The container body according to any one of claims 1 to 19, wherein the container body is positioned in the radial direction by contact between the outer peripheral surface of the container opening of the container body and the inner peripheral surface of the end portion of the container receiving portion. or the powder container according to item 1. 21. The powder storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 20, wherein the container cover is formed with a gear exposing opening for exposing the container side gear meshing with the main body side gear. . The container cover is characterized in that an information storage medium for storing information about the powder storage container is mounted on a surface on the downstream side of the mounting direction of the container cover, and a hole is formed in the information recording medium. The powder container according to any one of claims 1 to 21. a powder container according to any one of claims 1 to 22;
and an image forming unit that forms an image on an image carrier using the powder conveyed from the powder storage container.

Images