JP2819137B2 - Toner supply container - Google Patents

Description

Description: TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a toner supply container such as an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile, a laser printer, etc., which performs dry development by an electrophotographic method.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in a dry developing device for storing and replenishing toner in a toner replenishing container, an opening having a shape adapted to a toner replenishing port of a toner box is covered with an openable opening member. An opening is sealed with the opening member by locking the drawstring and fixing the drawstring with the pull-fixing means in the toner storage state, and removing the fixing means with the toner replenishing container upside down and pulling. 2. Description of the Related Art A toner supply container is known in which an opening member is opened by loosening a cord to supply toner.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the above prior art, the toner supply container must first be inverted and the lower fixing member must be peeled off, and at this time, the string is pulled and loose toner spills out. I was worried that
Further, since the operation of replenishing the toner by opening the bottom at the top of the toner supply port is performed, there is a problem that the toner scatters around.

(Means for Solving the Problems) An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems by forming small holes in the center of the top and bottom of the toner box, and connecting a plurality of string members to the toner box from the small holes in the top. Through the terminal ring disposed at the center of the bottom inner surface, and pulled out from the small hole on the bottom surface. The string bundle is divided into four, and each is stretched in the direction of the four corners along the bottom outer surface. Insert it into the toner box through the small hole at the corner, stretch it out toward the terminal ring at the center from the four corners, fix it to the terminal ring, weaken the strength of the broken part more than the other parts, and tie the string bundle on the upper outer surface of the toner box. By pulling, the bottom of the toner box is torn toward the center from the four corners, so that the terminal ring can be brought into contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the toner box at the time of completion of breaking.

(Example) A specific description will be given based on the example shown in Figs. 1 to 5. An opening ring 11 is provided substantially at the center of the upper and outer portions of the toner box 3, and four string members are connected to the opening ring 11.
Each of the bundles passes through the small hole 3a on the upper surface of the toner box, passes through the terminal ring 13 at the upper portion of the bottom, and also penetrates the small hole 3b on the bottom to reach the lower part of the toner box. From the lower outside of the toner box, the string members 12 become one by one, extend toward the four corners, and enter the inside of the box again through the small holes 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f, respectively. From there, the four string members 12 each go to a central terminal ring 13, where they are tied to the terminal ring 13.

Next, the operation will be described. Pulling the release ring 11 at the top of the toner box 3 causes the force to be applied to the string members 12a, 12b, 12c, 12
When the tension exceeds a certain limit, the tension of the string member causes the box bottom to be torn from the four corners toward the center.

Due to the presence of the terminal ring 13 at the center of the bottom, the tension of the pull ring is dispersed in all directions, and a break occurs from the periphery. When the rupture is completed, the bottom member of the toner box becomes as shown in FIG. 4, and all the toner contained therein falls. When the release ring is fully pulled, the terminal ring 13 hits the ceiling of the box and acts as a stopper for the string, indicating to the operator that the string has been pulled sufficiently.

FIG. 5 shows another embodiment, in which the hanging of the string members 3g, 3h in FIG. 4 is reduced.
Although it breaks into an X-shape as shown in FIG. 2, Y as shown in FIG.
Even if the shape is broken like a joint, it can be achieved by making the portion slightly weaker than the other portions. For example, the toner box 3 is made of a slightly thicker paper (in FIG. 2, each of the folded portions is formed into a triangle, and in FIG. 5, a trapezoid and a triangle are formed). Since the tearing portion is made of thin paper, the portion easily breaks.

(Effect) According to the present invention, a small hole is formed at the center of the top and bottom of the toner box, a plurality of string members are inserted into the toner box from the small hole at the top, and pass through the terminal ring disposed at the center of the bottom inner surface. Pulled out from the small hole on the bottom surface, divided the cord bundle into four, extended in the direction of the four corners along the outer surface of the bottom, respectively, and inserted into the toner box from the small hole at each of the four corners,
Pull out the center of the toner box from the four corners by stretching it toward the terminal ring toward the center from the four corners, fixing the terminal ring to the terminal ring, weakening the strength of the broken part compared to the other parts, and pulling the cord bundle on the outer surface of the upper part of the toner box. The terminal ring can be brought into contact with the upper and lower surfaces of the toner box at the time of completion of the break. ・ The toner contained in the toner box can be replenished to the lower part only by pulling the string, and the operator's body becomes dirty. In addition, no toner is scattered around.

-The toner box itself can be made of paper, and since it is made up of a string and a ring member, it can be manufactured at very low cost.

Further, since the broken shape can be made constant at the bottom portion and the hanging portion is shortened, it is difficult to make contact with the replenished toner, and the stain when the toner box is removed can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which a toner supply container (hereinafter referred to as a toner box) 3 of the present invention is to be set in a toner supply port 2 of a copying machine main body 1, and FIG. FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the cord member 12 is disposed by breaking the portion, FIG. 3 is a schematic front cross-sectional view for explaining an internal state of the toner box containing the toner 4, and FIG.
FIG. 5 is a schematic perspective view showing a state after the release ring 11 is pulled and the toner box is opened, and FIG. 5 is a part of a toner box for illustrating another embodiment of a method of opening the bottom of the toner box using a string member. FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing the arrangement state of the string member 12 after being broken and the bottom fracture path of the string member. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Copy machine main body, 2 ... Toner supply opening, 3 ... Toner box 3a, 3b, 3c, 3d, 3e, 3f ... Small hole 4 ... Toner, 11 ... Release ring 12a, 12b, 12c, 12d ... String member, 13 … Terminal ring

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A small hole is formed at the center of the top and bottom of the toner box, a plurality of string members are inserted into the toner box from the small hole at the top, and the small hole is formed through a terminal ring disposed at the center of the bottom inner surface. Pull out more outward, divide the string bundle into four, and stretch each along the bottom outer surface in the direction of the four corners,
Insert into the toner box through the small holes at each of the four corners, stretch toward the terminal ring at the center from the four corners, fix to the terminal ring, reduce the strength of the broken part compared to the other parts, and tie the string on the upper outer surface of the toner box. By pulling the bundle, tear the bottom of the toner box from the four corners toward the center,
A toner supply container in which a terminal ring can be brought into contact with a lower surface of an upper portion of a toner box when the rupture is completed.