JP2952260B2 - Container device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a container device used as a toner cartridge provided in, for example, a developing device of an electrophotographic recording device.

(Prior Art) An electrophotographic recording apparatus used for a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a laser printer, and the like includes a charging device, an exposure device, a developing device, a transfer device, and a fixing device around a photosensitive drum along a rotation direction thereof. The photosensitive drum is rotated, the drum surface is charged by the charging device, the drum surface is exposed by the exposure device to form a latent image, and then the toner is supplied to the drum surface by the developing device to perform development. A toner image is formed, the transfer device transfers the toner image on the drum surface to recording paper, and the fixing device fixes the toner image on the recording paper to perform recording.

The developing device in this electrophotographic recording apparatus has an apparatus main body that accumulates toner and supplies it to the surface of the photosensitive drum, and replenishes the toner inside the apparatus main body when the toner in the apparatus main body decreases due to the use of the toner. doing.

As a method for replenishing toner to the device body of the developing device, a toner cartridge containing toner is loaded into the device body, toner is supplied from the toner cartridge to the device body, and when the inside of the device body becomes empty, There is a toner cartridge replacement system in which a toner cartridge is detached from the apparatus main body and a new toner cartridge is loaded in the apparatus main body. According to this method, since the toner is directly supplied from the toner cartridge to the inside of the apparatus main body, the toner can be supplied without scattering the toner to the outside, and there is an advantage that the contamination due to the toner scattering can be prevented.

A conventional toner cartridge device used in the toner cartridge replacement system will be described with reference to FIGS.

In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a toner cartridge, which is formed in a horizontally long case, and has an opening 2 formed on the bottom surface thereof. The toner T is filled into the toner cartridge 1 through the opening 2 with the toner cartridge 1 having the opening 2 facing upward, and then the sealing member 3 is disposed in the opening 2 of the toner cartridge 1. Is sealed to the periphery of the opening by a method such as thermal welding. The seal member 3 has a length that is at least twice the length of the opening 2 of the toner cartridge 1, and a portion that is not attached to the opening 2 is folded outward along the length direction of the opening 2. It is piled up.

Then, the toner cartridge 1 is loaded into an opening provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 4 of the developing device. In this loaded state, the end of the seal member 3 comes out from between the toner cartridge 1 and the apparatus main body 4. When replenishing the toner T from the toner cartridge 1 to the apparatus main body 4, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 8 (b), the operator pulls the end of the sealing member 3 protruding out of the toner cartridge 1 and
As shown in (c), the seal member 3 attached to the opening 2 of the toner cartridge 1 is sequentially peeled off and opened. As shown in FIG. 8 (d), when the sealing member 3 is completely peeled off over the entire opening 2, the toner T contained in the toner cartridge 1 is discharged from the opening 2 of the toner cartridge 1 through the developing device main body 4. Falling inside. The toner cartridge 1 is used as a lid for an open portion of the developing device main body 4. When the toner T inside the developing device main body 4 becomes insufficient and replenishment is necessary, the old toner cartridge 1 is removed from the developing device main body 4 and a new toner cartridge is removed. Replace with toner cartridge 1.

However, the toner cartridge device having this configuration has the following problem.

That is, since the inner surface of the seal member 4 attached to the opening 2 of the toner cartridge 1 faces the inside of the toner cartridge 1, the toner T contained in the toner cartridge 1 adheres. For this reason, when the end of the seal member 3 protruding outside the toner cartridge 1 is pulled, the seal member 3 is attached to the opening 2 of the toner cartridge 1 and the seal member 3 is sequentially peeled off and opened.
The inner surface of the portion of the seal member 3 covering the opening of the toner cartridge 1 is peeled downward from the toner cartridge 1 in a state where the toner T is adhered and moves in the gap between the toner cartridge 1 and the developing device main body 4. It is drawn out from this gap. Therefore, when the seal member 3 is peeled off, the toner T attached to the portion of the seal member 3 covering the opening of the internal toner cartridge 1 of the electrophotographic recording apparatus provided with the developing device scatters and falls, and When the seal member peeled off outside the electrophotographic recording apparatus is processed, the toner T adhered to the seal member 3 may be scattered and fall down to stain the periphery of the electrophotographic recording apparatus. (Problems to be Solved by the Invention) As described above, in the conventional toner cartridge device, when the toner cartridge is replaced, the seal member sealing the toner cartridge is peeled off and the peeled seal is removed. When processing the material, the toner attached to the seal member scatters and falls, and stains the inside and outside of the electrophotographic recording device and the clothes of workers. There is that problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a container device that prevents contamination by an object contained in a container attached to a seal member when the seal member is peeled from the container.

[Constitution of the Invention] (Means for Solving the Problems) In order to achieve the above object, a container device of the present invention includes a container having an opening for receiving and discharging the stored object, and a part thereof. A sealing member that covers the opening of the container and is attached to the container and the remaining part is folded back to the outside of the portion covering the opening, and the container has an envelope shape with both ends opened. A portion of the seal member having a length longer than the opening and covering the opening and being overlapped with the outside of the seal member and not covering the opening, and being movable over both ends of the opening; A cover member inserted and held therein, and a means for imparting frictional resistance to the cover member when the cover member moves, wherein the cover member is formed of the seal member covering the opening. When peeling off the container from the container, the seal member is peeled from the opening while being moved in the peeling direction by being pushed by the folded portion of the seal member, and is housed therein to hide the seal member. I do.

(Operation) In order to open the opening of the container, when the portion of the seal member that is not attached to the container is pulled and the portion of the seal member that is attached to the container is peeled off from the container, it is attached to the container. Since the portion of the sealing member that is present is accommodated and hidden inside the cover member, the object contained in the container attached to the portion of the sealing member attached to the container does not scatter outside.

(Example) Hereinafter, an example of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

One embodiment in which the container device of the present invention is applied to a toner cartridge used for a developing device in an electrophotographic recording apparatus will be described with reference to FIGS.

The configuration of the toner cartridge device will be described with reference to FIG.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a toner cartridge.The toner cartridge 11 has a horizontally long rectangular box shape, and has an opening 12 formed in the lower surface along the longitudinal direction, and a flange 13 is formed around the opening 12. ing. The toner T to be supplied to the developing device is accommodated in the toner cartridge 11. 14
Is a sealing member, and this sealing member 14 is
The width of the opening is equal to twice the length of the toner cartridge 1 plus the margin 14 drawn by the operator and the width of the opening 12 plus the margin of attachment. It is formed of a sheet. A part of the seal member 14 is disposed on the lower surface of the toner cartridge 11 so as to cover the entire opening 12, and the peripheral edge is attached to the flange 13 of the toner cartridge 11 by a method such as heat welding. Thus, the seal member 14 seals the opening 12 of the toner cartridge 11. That is, the toner T housed inside the toner cartridge 11 is sealed. The other portion of the seal member 14 is not attached to the toner cartridge 11, but is folded down from the end of the portion attached to the toner cartridge 11 and overlaps the portion attached to the toner cartridge 11.
In this case, the end 14 a of the portion of the seal member 14 that is not attached to the toner cartridge 11 projects outward from the end of the toner cartridge 11. Reference numeral 15 denotes an envelope-shaped cover member having both ends opened, and the cover member 15 is formed of a synthetic resin. That is, the cover member 15 has a cylindrical shape, and has a length greater than the length of the opening portion 12 of the toner cartridge 11 plus the amount of sticking allowance for the seal member 14 and a width greater than the width of the seal member 14. ing. The cover member 15 is disposed along the longitudinal direction below the toner cartridge 11, and the part of the seal member 14 that is folded back from the middle without being attached to the toner cartridge 11 and overlapped is movable across the openings at both ends. It has been inserted. In this case, the cover member
The end 14a of the portion of the seal member 14 inserted into the inside of the toner cartridge 11 projects from the open end of the cover member 15.
Extends outside the end of the. End of this sealing member 14
An adhesive tape (not shown) is attached to 14a, and the adhesive tape is attached to a part of the toner cartridge 11, whereby a sealing member 14 not attached to the toner cartridge 11 is attached.
And the cover member 15 are held by the toner cartridge 11.

A tongue piece 16 is formed at the center in the width direction of the open end of the cover member 15 on the side where the end 14a of the seal member 14 projects,
And a sealing member 14 that is not attached to the toner cartridge 11.
At the center in the width direction of the folded portion, the cover member 15 is provided.
A hole 17 with which the tongue piece 16 is engaged is formed.

When this toner cartridge device is manufactured, with the sealing member 14 covering the opening 12 of the toner cartridge 11, a cap fitted in a hole (not shown) provided in the toner cartridge 11 is removed to open the hole, and the hole is opened. Then, the toner T is put into the toner cartridge 11, and then the cap is fitted and the hole is closed.

The case where this toner cartridge device is loaded into the main body of the developing device and toner T is supplied from the toner cartridge device to the main body of the developing device will be described with reference to FIGS.

The developing device main body 18 of the developing device has a tank shape for storing the toner T, and has a horizontally long opening 19 corresponding to the opening 12 of the toner cartridge 11 formed on the upper surface thereof. Are formed with rails 20 along the longitudinal direction. As shown in FIG.
The flange 13 is engaged with the rails 20, 20 formed in the opening of the developing device main body 18 with the opening 11 facing the opening 12, and the toner cartridge 11 is placed on the opening 19 of the developing device main body 18. Then, the toner cartridge 11 is loaded into the developing device main body 18 with the opening 12 of the toner cartridge 11 and the opening 19 of the developing device main body 18 aligned with each other. FIG. 2 shows a state in which the toner cartridge 11 is loaded in the developing device main body 18. In this loaded state, the toner T stored in the toner cartridge 11 is
It is not blocked by the portion of the seal member 14 attached to the opening 12 of the eleventh portion and is not released from the opening 12. The portion of the seal member 14 not attached to the toner cartridge 11 and the cover member 15 are sandwiched between the flange 13 of the toner cartridge 11 and the periphery of the opening 19 of the developing device main body 18, and are held horizontally. End 14 of seal member 14 protruding from cover member 15
a is one end of the flange 13 of the toner cartridge 11 and the developing device main body 1
8 protrudes outside from a gap formed between the opening 19 and one end of the peripheral edge thereof.

Then, as described later, when the sealing member 14 is peeled off, the cover member is compared with the peeling speed of the sealing member 14.
In order to slow down the moving speed of 15, for example, a frictional resistor 21 is attached to the periphery of one end of the opening 19 of the developing device main body 18. As the frictional resistor 21, for example, a sliding tape having a rough upper surface in contact with the cover member 15 is used.
When the cover member 15 slides on the upper surface of the frictional resistor 21, the rough surface of the upper surface of the frictional resistor 21 applies frictional resistance to the surface of the cover member 15.

Next, a case where the seal member 14 of the toner cartridge device is peeled off and the toner T is supplied to the developing device main body 18 will be described. First, in the toner cartridge device, as shown in FIG. 4 (a), the portion of the seal member 14 to which the toner cartridge 11 is not adhered and the cover member 15 are connected between the flange 13 of the toner cartridge 11 and the flange 21 of the developing device main body 18. It is held horizontally sandwiched between. The operator grasps the end 14a of the seal member 14 protruding outside from the gap between the flange 13 of the toner cartridge 11 and the flange 21 of the developing device main body 18, and pulls the terminal 14a outward. As shown in FIGS. 4B and 4C, when the end 14a of the seal member 14 is pulled, the portion of the seal member 14 not adhered to the toner cartridge 11 is directed toward the outside of the developing device main body 18. 15, the seal member 14 attached to the flange 13 of the toner cartridge 11 is sequentially peeled from the flange 13 and passes through the cover member 15 to the outside of the developing device main body 18. Move toward. At this time, the portion of the seal member 14 peeled off from the flange 13 is bent downward and enters the inside of the cover member 15 from the inner end opening of the cover member 15 and moves, so that the bent portion of the seal member 14 is covered. The inner end of the member 15 moves while being pushed toward the outside of the developing device main body 18. For this reason, the cover member 15 is a sealing member.
The developer is pushed by the cover 14 and moves to the outside of the developing device main body 18, and is drawn out of the developing device main body 18 through a gap between the developing device main body 18 and the flange 13 of the toner cartridge 11. However, since the cover member 15 is sandwiched between the flange 13 of the toner cartridge 11 and the peripheral edge of the opening 19 of the developing device main body 18, it comes into sliding contact with the upper surface of the peripheral edge of the opening of the developing device main body 18, so that frictional resistance is given. When the cover member 15 moves, the developing device body 18
Slidingly contact the frictional resistor 21 attached to the
Sliding contact with 21 provides frictional resistance. Due to this resistance, the seal member 14 moves toward the outside of the developing device main body 18 at a lower speed than the speed at which the seal member 14 moves toward the outside of the developing device main body 18. The seal member 14 peeled off from the toner cartridge 11 is housed inside the cover member 15. That is, the seal member 14 attached to the toner cartridge 14
The portion of the seal member 14 to which the toner T is attached is accommodated in the cover member 15. As the seal member 14 is peeled off from the toner cartridge 14, the opening 12 of the toner cartridge 11 is sequentially opened along the length direction, and the toner T contained in the toner cartridge 11 is released and developed. Equipment body 18
Falling inside.

When the seal member 14 is completely peeled off from the toner cartridge 11 as shown in FIG. 4D, the other end of the seal member 14 and the other end of the cover member 15 are aligned, and the entire cover member 15 becomes the developing device main body 18. 22 of the toner cartridge and 13 of the toner cartridge
Is drawn out of the developing device main body 18 from the space between them. At this time, the entirety of the seal member 14 attached to the toner cartridge 11 pulled out from the cover member 15 is housed inside the cover member 15. When the entirety of the seal member 14 attached to the toner cartridge 11 is accommodated inside the cover member 15, the seal member 14
The hole 17 formed on the cover member 15 engages with the tongue piece 16 provided at one end of the cover member 15, so that the portion of the seal member 14 housed in the cover member 15 does not fall out of the cover member 15,
The cover member 15 is integrated with the seal member 14 and drawn out from between the developing device main body 18 and the toner cartridge 11.

Then, the portion of the seal member 14 to which the toner T adheres is housed inside the cover member 15 and is hidden, so that the toner T adhered to the seal member 14 does not fall off the seal member 14. For this reason, the seal member 14 is
When the toner T adheres to the seal member 14 when the toner T
Does not fall into the electrophotographic recording apparatus provided with the developing device, and does not stain the inside of the apparatus. Further, when the peeled seal member 14 is taken out of the electrophotographic recording apparatus for processing, the toner T adhered to the seal member 14 scatters and falls outside the electrophotographic recording apparatus to stain the periphery of the apparatus, It has the advantage that it does not adhere to clothes of the operator and become soiled.

The cover member 15 is only held in the container by the seal member 14, and is pressed by the folded portion of the seal member 14 when peeling the seal member 14 from the opening of the toner cartridge 11 (container). When the seal member 14 is peeled off, it can move smoothly and can accommodate the peeled off portion. Further, when the seal member 14 is peeled off from the opening of the toner cartridge 11, the frictional resistance applying means applies frictional resistance and moves the cover member 15 at an appropriate speed, so that the part of the peeled seal member 14 can be surely secured. Can be stored in the cover member 15. Since the cover member 15 is in the shape of an envelope, the cover member 15 can be stably moved, and the stored seal member 14 can be covered from both sides (upper and lower sides) to safely protect from damage.

The means for giving the frictional resistance to the cover member 15 is not limited to that of the embodiment. For example, as shown in FIG. 5, a tongue piece slidably in contact with the seal member 14 at the other end of the cover member 15.
22 may be provided. In short, what is necessary is just to apply frictional resistance to the cover member so that the moving speed of the cover member 15 becomes about half the moving speed of the seal member 14.

The configuration of the cover member 15 is not limited to the embodiment.

The present invention is not limited to a toner cartridge device provided in a developing device of an electrophotographic recording apparatus, but a container device that accommodates a powder or a viscous liquid inside a container and seals an opening of the container with a sealing member. And is effective in preventing contamination by objects contained in a container.

[Effects of the Invention] As described above, according to the container device of the present invention, when the sealing member sealing the opening of the container is peeled off from the container and the object is released, the operation of peeling off the sealing member and In conjunction with the cover member, the portion of the seal member to which the object adhered is accommodated and hidden inside the cover member, so that the object adhered to the seal member is prevented from being scattered and dropped from the seal member. When peeling and processing the peeled seal member, an excellent effect of preventing a fouling accident due to an object to be scattered and falling from the seal member can be obtained.

The cover member is only held on the container by the seal member, and is pressed by the folded portion of the seal member when the seal member is peeled from the opening of the container, so that the cover member moves smoothly when peeling the seal member. Then, the peeled part can be accommodated. Also, when the seal member is peeled off from the opening of the container, the frictional resistance applying means applies frictional resistance and moves the cover member at an appropriate speed, so that the part of the peeled seal member is securely contained in the cover member. it can. Since the cover member is in the shape of an envelope, the cover member moves stably, and the stored seal member can be covered from both sides to safely protect against damage.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIGS. 1 to 4 show an embodiment in which the container device of the present invention is applied to a toner cartridge device for a developing device.
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the toner cartridge device, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the toner cartridge device is loaded in the developing device main body, FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an operation of loading the toner cartridge device into the developing device main body. 4 is an explanatory view showing a process of an operation of peeling off a seal member of the toner cartridge device, FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a toner cartridge device of another embodiment, and FIGS. 6 to 8 show a conventional example of a toner cartridge device. 6 is a perspective view showing the toner cartridge device, FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the toner cartridge device is loaded in the developing device main body, and FIG. 8 shows a process of removing the seal member of the toner cartridge device. FIG. 11: toner cartridge, 12: opening, 13: flange, 14: seal member, 15: cover member, 18: developing device body, 19: opening, T: toner.

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A container having an opening for accommodating an object and discharging the accommodated object, a portion covering the opening of the container and affixed to the container, and the remaining portion covering the opening. A sealing member folded back to the outside of the covering portion, and a sealing member covering the opening having a length larger than the opening of the container while forming an envelope shape with both ends opened. A cover member that is laid over the outside of the portion and that is not covered with the opening, and that is held by movably penetrating the portion of the seal member across both ends of the opening, and the cover member when the cover moves. Means for imparting frictional resistance, wherein the cover member is pressed by a folded portion of the seal member when the part of the seal member covering the opening is peeled from the container. Container and wherein the one in which hiding accommodating the seal member peeled from the opening while moving in the direction inside to.