JP2632993B2 - Apparatus for pneumatically filling toner from a transport container into a toner storage container - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to an apparatus for pneumatically filling toner from a transport container into a toner storage container, according to the form described in the aforesaid concept part of claim 1.

In modern data high-speed printing presses, which work on the principles of copying technology and electrophotography, a latent image is formed, for example, on the recording support of a photoconductor drum or directly on specialty paper and is subsequently colored with a black powder (toner) at a development station. . If an intermediate support is used, this toner image is subsequently transferred to normal paper and fixed thereon. For development, two-component developers are usually used, which consist of ferromagnetic carrier particles and toner particles. The developer is guided by the latent image on the intermediate support using a magnetic brush device, and toner adheres to the latent image by electrostatic force.

An electrophotographic copying machine for developing a latent image according to the above principle is known, for example, from DE-AS 2166667.

The coloring of the latent image on the intermediate support continually reduces the toner concentration in the developer mixture at the development station. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly supply new toner to the developer mixture. High speed copiers and high performance data printers consume very high amounts of toner per unit of time,
In such an apparatus, a large-sized toner storage container is used in order to avoid downtime for toner supply. When the toner storage container is empty, the storage container is filled with toner. The toner is usually obtained in a commercially available container. In this case, it is important to fill the toner from the container into the storage container so as not to spill the toner and to not stain the surroundings in this way.

Such a toner filling device is known, for example, from DE-PS 32 24 296.

In such a filling device, there is a risk of spilling toner when transferring manually from the toner bolt. In addition, since toner is supplied to the toner storage container at a predetermined point, a special dispensing device is required for the toner storage container to ensure uniform supply of the toner to the developing station.

To avoid these drawbacks in the known filling devices, it has already been proposed to remove the toner from the transport container, i.e. the toner bottle, by suction using a negative pressure via a flexible conduit (European patent application). 87103539.0
issue). The toner reaches the storage container through a flexible conduit. The storage container is divided into an accumulation chamber and a suction chamber separated therefrom. The suction chamber is connected to a vacuum pump, which creates a negative pressure, which causes toner to adhere to the filter in the collection chamber. When the suction pump is turned off, the toner falls onto a conveyor worm located at the bottom of the stacking chamber, which meters the toner to a development station of the printing press.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to transfer a toner from a simple and cost-effective transport container to a device-side storage container having a large capacity without causing toner sticking or toner spilling. An arrangement of the type described at the outset is made possible.

This object is achieved in a device of the type described at the outset by the features of claim 1.

Advantageously, in the present invention, the toner is supplied from a transport container,
That is, the toner is removed from the toner bolt by suction using a negative pressure through a flexible conduit. The toner reaches the storage container via a flexible conduit. The storage container is divided into an accumulation chamber and a suction chamber separated therefrom. The suction chamber is coupled to a vacuum pump, which creates a negative pressure so that toner adheres to the filter in the collection chamber.
The toner captured by the filter device is separated using an elastic scraper member, and falls to the bottom of the accumulation chamber. At the bottom is a metering device, which meteres the toner and supplies it to the developing station of the printing press.

The metering device includes at least one metering roller made of a material such as foam material, and the metering roller transports the toner from the accumulation chamber into the developing station.

In this case, the arrangement of two foam material rollers, which can be moved in opposite directions, is advantageous, and they allow precise metering.

No toner agglomeration can occur because the toner is not mechanically compressed.

The filter device itself preferably has a grid-shaped support element and a filter fabric connected to the support element, which can be made of plastic and has a plurality of openings. These openings can be arranged to provide for a uniform distribution of the toner in the storage container. In this case, the support member assumes the role of a pressure distribution plate.

No toner agglomeration can occur because the toner is not mechanically compressed.

Embodiments of the present invention are shown in the drawings and are elucidated below by way of example.

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of an apparatus for filling a toner storage container with toner from a transport container, FIG. 2 is a schematic development view of the apparatus, and FIG. FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view shown together with an assigned metering device.

A non-mechanical high-speed printing press (not shown) which operates according to the principle of electrophotography is provided with a toner storage container 10 from which toner is supplied to a developing station 11 for developing a latent image. You. The toner storage container 10 has approximately the width of the developing station 11 (which is approximately equal to the printing width) and is divided into an accumulation chamber 12 and a suction chamber 13. These chambers are separated from one another by a filter device 14. The filter device 14 has a number of openings 16 to the suction chamber 13.
Is terminated by a lattice-shaped support member 15 formed with a. A filter 17 that is essentially impermeable to toner is connected to the lattice-shaped support member 15. The filter may for example be made of a glass mat. This filter 17 is sealed at the edges by a foam material strip. The openings of the grid-like, preferably plastic, support element 15 can be arranged and designed according to the desired pressure distribution of the suction air.

The suction chamber 13 is connected to a vacuum pump 19 driven by an electric motor. The collecting chamber 12 also comprises a connecting piece 20 to which a flexible conduit 21 in the form of a snout is connected.

In order to transfer the toner 23 delivered in the toner bolt 22 to the storage container 10 or the developing station 11, a flexible, snout-shaped suction conduit 21 is introduced into the toner bolt 22 with a suction part 24, and then The suction pump 19 is operated. The negative pressure created in the suction chamber 13 (which acts uniformly through the openings 16 in the grid-like support member 15) creates a corresponding negative pressure in the collecting chamber 12, whereby the toner 23 The dust is sucked into the collecting chamber 12 by the principle of dust suction. The toner adheres uniformly to the underside of the filter device 14 and over the entire width of the toner storage container.

In the stacking chamber 12, a scraper device driven by a motor is arranged. The scraper device separates the toner fixed to the filter device 14 via a scraper member 28.

The toner falls into a tapered area 25 (FIG. 2) below the accumulation chamber, where it accumulates. A metering device in the form of a foam material roller 27, which is driven by a motor 26, is arranged in the lower region 25 of the tapered collecting chamber 12 (FIG. 3). The foam material roller has a peripheral surface that scrapes the lower edge of the tapered accumulation chamber 25 and conveys the toner 23 to the development station 11 depending on a filling level measuring device, not shown.

In an embodiment of the invention not shown here, two side-by-side foam material rollers can be provided as metering devices, which are driven in opposite directions, in which case the toner passes between the rollers and into the developing station. Supplied to

The drive of the metering device is connected via a belt 29 to the shaft 30 of the scraper device. However, it is also possible to drive the scraper device and the metering device separately from one another via a motor device.

The scraper device itself has a plurality of elastic scraper members 28 made of a spring steel wire, and these scraper members are fixed to a shaft 30 of the scraper device via a fixing plate 31. The scraper member 28 easily and elastically comes into contact with the filter mat 17 due to its curved shape, and scrapes off the attached toner in such a rotational movement. In this case, the filter mat 17 may be welded to a lattice-shaped, plastic support member, and the lattice-shaped support member 15 may form an exchange member together with the filter mat 17. The structure composed of the grid member 15 and the filter mat 17 is attached to the stacking chamber 12 in an airtight and replaceable manner.

At the end face of the lattice-shaped support member 15, there is an entrance opening 32,
The inlet openings can be fitted in a gas-tight manner with the corresponding openings 20 of the suction snout 21 and form a passage to the suction chamber 12.

Scraper device 28 configured as a rotating scraper
Can be glued and / or brazed to a fixed plate 31 connected to the shaft 30.

Claims (7)

(57) [Claims] 1. A device for pneumatically filling a toner (23) from a transport container (22) into a toner storage container (10), wherein the toner (23) is non-mechanically transferred from the toner storage container. In a type in which a toner storage container (10) is supplied to a developing station (11) of a printing apparatus or a copying apparatus, an accumulation chamber (12) and the accumulation chamber (12) are connected to a filter device (1).
4) Separation via the device for the formation of negative pressure of the attachment (1
A collecting chamber is connected to the developing station, and the collecting chamber is provided with a scraper device, and the scraper device is connected via a scraper member (28). Wherein the toner (23) fixed to the filter device (14) is separated.
A device for pneumatically filling toner from a transport container into a toner storage container. 2. The scraper device (2), wherein the filter device (14) has a circular segment-shaped cross section.
2. The device as claimed in claim 1, wherein the device (8) is rotated via a drive (29, 26) so as to be guided by the filter device (14). 3. The scraper device (28) is configured to be elastic,
3. The device according to claim 1, wherein the device is adapted to resiliently contact the filter device. 4. A scraper member (28) having a common rotary shaft (3).
4. The device according to claim 3, which comprises a spring element in the form of a curved element fixed to 0). 5. The filter device according to claim 1, wherein the filter device comprises a grid-shaped support member and a filter fabric connected to the support member. An apparatus according to any one of the preceding claims. 6. A metering device (27) for supplying toner (23) to a developing station (11) at the bottom of the collecting chamber (25). Equipment. 7. Apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the metering device (27) comprises at least one metering roller (27) made of a material of foam material.