JP3079316B2 - Toner cartridge - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner cartridge used for an image forming apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, when a toner cartridge 1 is mounted on a toner transport section 4 and used, as shown in FIG. Of the casing 34. The toner 33 in the casing 34 is conveyed from the outlet 35 to the developing device side by the blade 5 rotating in the direction of the arrow. When the toner 33 is sent to the developing device side and the amount of the toner 33 in the casing 34 decreases, the toner 33 drops from the toner cartridge 1 and is refilled into the casing 34.

At this time, if the toner 33 adheres to the inner wall of the toner cartridge 1 and remains or the toner 33 does not drop smoothly, the hitting rod 30 provided outside the toner cartridge 1 is moved to the rotating shaft 32. The toner is driven from a spiral rotating portion (not shown) or the like around the center, and the head 31 strikes the outer wall of the toner cartridge 1 to apply vibration, thereby making it easier for the toner 33 to drop.

[0004]

However, in the above-described method of applying vibration by hitting the outer wall of the toner cartridge 1, the efficiency is low, the toner 33 does not drop completely, noise is generated, and the toner 33 In the case of blocking by its own weight, there is a problem that the toner 33 hardens more and more.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a toner cartridge that efficiently drops toner, prevents toner blocking, and reduces noise in consideration of the conventional problems as described above.

[0006]

According to the present invention, an end is attached to an inner wall of a toner cartridge, and the other end is large enough to protrude outward from an opening of the toner cartridge, and has elasticity. A vibration member, wherein the vibration member is housed inside the toner cartridge when the opening of the toner cartridge is closed, and when the opening is opened when the toner cartridge is mounted on the toner conveying unit and The toner cartridge is deformed by the restoring force, and the other end of the toner cartridge can contact the tip of the blade of the toner conveying unit.

[0007]

According to the present invention, when the toner cartridge is mounted on the toner conveying section and the lid seal at the opening of the toner cartridge is removed, the end of the vibration member attached to the inner wall of the toner cartridge protrudes from the opening, The end of the vibrating member repeats contact and non-contact by rotating the blade, and the vibrating member vibrates. The toner is dropped or the vibration is transmitted to the wall surface of the toner cartridge to drop the toner.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a side view of a toner cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention. That is, the end A of the vibration member 3 formed in an elastic thin plate shape is opposed to and fixed to the inner wall of the toner cartridge 1. The other end B of the vibration member 3 is bent inside the toner cartridge 1, and the opening 2 is closed with a lid seal 11 to hold the end B of the vibration member 3. Polyester film, vinyl chloride film,
Alternatively, a phosphor bronze foil, a stainless steel thin plate, or the like is used, and a polyester film, a polypropylene film, or the like is used as a material of the lid seal 11. The toner 33 is stored inside the toner cartridge 1.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view when the toner cartridge 1 of the above embodiment is mounted on the toner conveying section 4. In the figure, a toner cartridge 1 is mounted on a toner transport unit 4 with its opening 2 facing down.

The lid seal 11 closing the opening 2 of the toner cartridge 1 is removed, and the two vibrating members 3 attached to the inner wall of the toner cartridge 1 are restored, and their ends B are opened. 2 protrudes toward the toner transport unit 4 side. The tip of the protruding end portion B is in a state where it can contact the blade 5 of the toner conveying section 4.

The toner conveying section 4 has a casing 34, and an upper portion of the casing 34 is provided with a mounting section 37 for mounting the toner cartridge 1. A plurality of rotary blades 5 for stirring the toner 33 and transporting the toner 33 to the developing device side are provided inside the casing 34, and a shaft 38 of the blade 5 is provided outside the casing 34.
A motor 36 for rotating the blade 5 is connected.

Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

First, the opening 2 of the toner cartridge 1
Is attached to the mounting section 37 of the toner transport section 4, and the lid seal 11 is removed (see FIG. 2). As shown in FIG. 3, the vibrating member 3 is stretched by being bent by elastic force (solid line in FIG. 3), and its end B is positioned inside the rotating circle drawn by the tip of the blade 5 of the toner conveying unit 4. Reach. The toner 33 in the toner cartridge 1 falls naturally and enters the casing 34 of the toner conveying unit 4 from the opening 2.

When the blade 5 rotates, the blade 5 conveys the toner 33 in the casing 34 from the outlet 35 to the developing device side. The end B is pushed to bend the vibrating member 3 (two-dot chain line in the figure). After the vibrating member 3 is deflected, when the tip C of the blade 5 moves away from the end B of the vibrating member 3, the vibrating member 3 tends to return to its original position due to its elastic force. However, it is turned to the opposite side by the reaction force. And feather 5
, The tip C of the blade 5 hits the end B of the vibration member 3 one after another, so that the vibration member 3 vibrates each time,
The toner 33 accumulated near the opening 2 is dropped, and the vibration is transmitted to the wall surface of the toner cartridge 1 to drop the toner 33 attached to the inner wall. In this way,
The toner 33 in the toner cartridge 1 does not cause blocking, and the toner 33 attached to the inner wall can be used by dropping.

Although the vibrating member 3 in the above embodiment has a thin plate shape, it may have a thin plate shape with slits like a comb. Alternatively, a rod-shaped member may be used, and the number thereof may be one or more.

Further, the inner wall of the toner cartridge to which the vibration member is attached may include the vicinity of the opening.

The vibration member of the above embodiment is curved when it is stored in the toner cartridge and is elongated when the lid seal is removed. It may be curved when the seal is removed.

[0019]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, the end is attached to the inner wall of the toner cartridge, and the other end is large enough to protrude outward from the opening of the toner cartridge. An elastic vibration member is provided, and when the opening of the toner cartridge is closed, the vibration member is bent and housed inside the toner cartridge, and the toner cartridge is mounted on the toner conveying unit, and the vibration member is opened. When the portion is opened, it expands due to its restoring force, and the other end can come into contact with the tip of the blade of the toner conveying portion, so that toner can be efficiently dropped, blocking of toner can be prevented, and noise can be prevented. It also has the advantage of less.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an embodiment of a toner cartridge according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view when the toner cartridge of the embodiment is mounted on a toner conveying unit.

FIG. 3 is a side view when the toner cartridge of the embodiment is mounted on a toner conveying unit.

FIG. 4 is a side view when a conventional toner cartridge is mounted on a toner conveying unit.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Toner cartridge 2 Opening 3 Vibration member 4 Toner conveyance part 5 Blade

Claims (1)

(57) [Claims] 1. A toner cartridge to be mounted on a toner transport unit having rotating blades, the end of which is attached to an inner wall of the toner cartridge, and the other end of which is protruded outward from an opening of the toner cartridge. A vibrating member having elasticity, the vibrating member is housed in the toner cartridge when the opening of the toner cartridge is closed, and the toner cartridge A toner cartridge, wherein when the opening is opened, the toner cartridge is deformed by its restoring force, and the other end can contact the tip of the blade of the toner conveying unit. .