JP3129529B2 - Toner supply mechanism of electrophotographic copying machine - 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 supply mechanism for supplying toner to a developing device of an electrophotographic copying machine.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Various means have conventionally been provided as shutters for supplying toner to a developing machine of an electrophotographic copying apparatus. For example, in the conventional shutter disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2-73382, a toner shutter member opens and closes across a joint portion between a toner cartridge and a developing device. There is a drawback that the toner pushed out by the shutter end from the supply port to the outside of the supply port is scattered because the toner crosses both the supply port and the supply port. Further, the toner supply means is configured as a pipe having a swinging type auger therein, and the closing member is moved while moving the tip of the pipe above the toner supply port to open and close the toner supply port provided in the pipe. Means are conceivable, but in such a means, the closing member is moved by the closing member opening means provided near the supply port, so that when the supply port moves above the supply port, the supply port starts from near the end of the supply port. , The toner may be scattered outside the replenishing port, and the inside of the apparatus may be soiled.

[0003]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, when a toner conveying pipe of a toner supply means is attached to and detached from a toner supplying port of a developing device, the toner conveying pipe is provided at the center of the replenishing port provided in the developing device. Provided is an apparatus which can prevent toner from being scattered by dropping toner generated at the time of opening and closing a shutter provided by opening and closing the shutter into a replenishing port, thereby preventing contamination of the copying apparatus main body and its surroundings.

[0004]

A toner supply port provided at the top of the developing machine Means for Solving the Problems] The toner supply device supplies toner through the transport pipe to rotate migrate to the top of the supply port, at the tip of the toner conveying pipe A sliding type opening / closing shutter is provided, and a developing member is provided with an abutting member having an inclined surface for restricting the movement of the shutter. As it turns, the protruding portion slides against the abutting portion, and the
Material is supplied from near the center of the toner supply port of the developing device
The toner supply port of the means is opened .

[0005]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the structure of a toner supply device according to the present invention. 2A and 2B are diagrams showing details of a head portion of a toner conveying pipe of the toner supply device of the present invention, showing a state in which a shutter is closed, FIG. 2A is a front view, and FIG. 2B is a bottom view. FIG. 3 shows a state in which the shutter is opened similarly. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a situation in which the toner supply means of the present invention is applied to a developing machine, and FIG. 5 is a diagram showing a relationship between a head and a toner supply port of the developing machine.

As shown in FIG. 4, the developing device 1 has a developer circulating section 2, a magnetic roll 3 and a photosensitive drum 4, and each mechanism is attached to a developing module 5.
The toner transport pipe 6 is rotatably supported by a support shaft 8 provided in the toner supply device 7 as a fulcrum. When toner is supplied, the toner transport pipe 6 is set at the supply position I, and the closing member is closed with the supply port overlapping the supply port. It is open. When attaching / detaching the developing module 5 from / to the copying machine main body, the toner transport pipe 6 is rotated and retracted to a predetermined position III which does not hinder attachment / detachment of the module, and is fixed.

In FIG. 1, I indicated by a solid line indicates a state in which the head E is positioned at the toner supply port 9 of the developer circulating section 2, and II indicated by a dashed line indicates that the head E is supplied by the toner supply port. This indicates that the position is outside the mouth 9. A joint 12 is provided at the tip of the toner transport pipe 6 rotatably supported by a support shaft 8 provided in the toner supply device 7.
A toner conveying pipe head 10 for supplying toner to the toner replenishing port 9 of the toner circulating unit 2 of the developing device via the toner supply pipe 6 is provided. The toner is supplied to the developer circulating unit 2 of the developing device 1 through the toner supply port. The head 10 is provided with a substrate 11 fixed to a joint 12 and having a toner supply port, and a closing member 13 guided and slid by the substrate to constitute a slide shutter. An elastic seal member is provided around the toner supply port 14 and the toner supply port 9 of the joint 12, and when the toner transport pipe 6 is connected to the developing device, the elastic seal member is brought into close contact with the developing device to prevent toner leakage. The closing member 13 is provided with a protruding portion 17 that abuts against a slope 16 having an angle の of a butting member 15 provided on the developing machine when the head 10 moves to a position above the replenishing port 9. The toner transport pipe 6 is configured to rotate about a support shaft 8 between two positions, a toner supply position I and a standby position II. When the pipe 6 is at the toner replenishing position I, the projecting portion 17 abuts on the slope 16 of the abutting member 15, so that the closing member 13 moves to the left against the force of the spring and opens the supply port. . When the pipe 6 is in the standby position II, the projection 17 is separated from the slope 16 and is not restricted, so that the closing member 13 is pulled back by the spring and closes the supply port.

FIGS. 2 and 3 show details of the head portion 10. FIG. 2 shows a state at the standby position II, and FIG. 3 shows a state at the supply position I. In FIG. 2, a head 10 mounted via a joint 12 near the distal end of a pipe 6 includes a substrate 11 fixed to the joint, and a closing member 13 slidably mounted on the substrate. When the toner transport pipe 6 is at the standby position II, the substrate 11 is pulled back to the right by a spring 20 stretched between a spring receiver 18 provided on the joint and a spring receiver 19 provided on the closing member. The mouth 14 is closed. The rightward movement of the closing member 13 is regulated when the end 21 of the groove provided on the side surface of the member abuts on a protrusion 22 that regulates the movement of the closing member provided on the substrate 11. The closing member 13 is provided with a projecting portion 17 that abuts against the abutting member 15 on a side surface, and a cutout portion 23 that forms a toner supply passage on the bottom surface.
Is provided.

In FIG. 3, when the toner conveying pipe 6 is at the toner replenishing position I, the projecting portion 17 abuts against the slope 16 of the abutting member 15 and moves to the left to open the toner supply port 14. I have. When the toner transport pipe 6 rotates clockwise, the projecting portion 17
5 moves upward on the inclined surface 16 and soon separates from the inclined surface, and the closing member 13 is pulled back by the force of the spring 20, closes the toner supply port 14, and prevents the toner from spilling. The toner transport pipe 6 moves to the standby position II # and allows the mounting and dismounting of the developing module. At the time of toner supply, the pipe 6 rotates counterclockwise from the standby position II to the toner supply position I, and the head 10 moves while drawing an arc with rightward and downward components. At this time, the protruding portion 17 abuts against the abutment member 15 and moves downward on the slope 16 as the head moves downward as the pipe rotates. 5A and 5B are diagrams showing the positional relationship among the supply port 9 of the developing machine, the supply port 14 of the head, and the notch 23 of the closing member. FIG. 5A shows a state in which the head is at the standby position II, and FIG. ) Shows the state in which the protruding portion has begun to hit the butting member, and (C) shows (B)
(D) shows that the head is at the supply position I,
The state where the closing member 13 is completely opened is shown. When the head is in the standby position II, the head 10 is located at a position away from the replenishing port 9 of the developing machine, and the projection 17 of the closing member 13 is separated from the abutting member 15 and is supplied to the supply port 14.
Are covered with a closing member 13 (FIG. 5-A). When the toner transport pipe 6 rotates and the head moves rightward, the protrusion 17 hits the abutment member 15 and the closing member 13 is restricted from moving rightward and moves leftward on the substrate 11. Start to move toward the supply port 14 (Fig. 5-
B). When the pipe 6 further rotates, the head 10 moves to the upper part of the supply port 9 and overlaps with the supply port 14 and the supply port 14. In addition to the retreat of the head by the moving distance of the head, the protrusion 17 slides down on the slope 16 of the abutting member and retreats by a distance corresponding to the inclination with the downward movement of the head. The overlap between the supply port 14 and the notch 23 on the top 9 increases. When the head moves to the supply position I, the closing member 13 moves to a position where the notch 23 and the supply port 14 completely overlap, and the supply port 14 is completely opened on the supply port 9 (FIG. 5-D). . During the closing operation, the movement of the closing member 13 is opposite to that during the opening operation.

[0010]

According to the present invention, by adopting the above configuration, the trajectory of the head provided at the tip of the toner conveying pipe moves so as to draw an arc. The protruding member moves backward on the slope, and the notch provided in the closing member moves rearward on the supply port with this movement. During the closing operation, the operation is the reverse of the opening operation. Therefore, the toner supply port provided in the head that has moved to the supply port is opened and closed on the supply port, so that the toner does not leak out of the supply port when the toner transport pipe is attached or detached. Ma
Further, according to the present invention, the closing member is provided in the toner supply port of the developing device.
Open the toner supply port of the toner supply unit from near the center.
The outer diameter of the toner supply port of the developing device is reduced.
Prevents toner from leaking even when set
The size of the device can be reduced.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram showing a structure of a toner supply device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a view showing details of a head portion of the toner supply device of the present invention (a state in which a shutter is closed).

FIG. 3 is a view showing details of a head portion of the toner supply device of the present invention (in a state where a shutter is opened).

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which the toner supply unit of the present invention is applied to a developing machine.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a relationship between a head and a toner supply port of a developing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Development device, 2 Developer circulation part, 3 Magnetic roll, 4 Photoconductor drum, 5 Development module, 6
Toner transfer pipe, 7 toner supply device, 8 spindle, 9 toner supply port, 10 head, 11 substrate, 12 joint, 13 closing member, 14
Toner supply port, 15 abutment member, 16 slope,
17 Projection member, 18 Joint side spring receiver, 19 Closing member side spring receiver, 20 Spring, 21 Groove end, 22 Restriction member, 23 Notch.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────の Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shintaro Kaneko 2274 Hongo, Ebina-shi, Kanagawa Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. In-house (72) Inventor Yutaka Yakabe 2274 Hongo, Ebina-shi, Kanagawa Prefecture Inside Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Person Tatsuya Nitta 2274 Hongo, Ebina-shi, Kanagawa Fuji Xerox Co., Ltd. Ebina Works (56) References JP-A-62-262070 (JP, A) JP-A-62-116970 (JP, A) JP-A-78872 (JP, A) JP-A-62-200386 (JP, A) -10758 (JP, U) (58) Fields investigated (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 15/08-15/095 G03G 21/10

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electrophotograph comprising: a magnetic brush developing device having a toner replenishing port at an upper portion; and a toner supply means having a slide-type opening / closing shutter for supplying toner via a toner conveying pipe having an auger inside the magnetic brush developing device. A toner supply mechanism for a copying apparatus, wherein the toner supply mechanism has a toner supply port at a distal end of a toner transport pipe and a closing member that slides and opens and closes the toner supply port. Swinging between a position where the toner supply port coincides with the toner supply port and a position where the toner supply port and the toner supply port are completely separated from each other, wherein the closing member has a projecting member, and a surface against which the projecting member abuts. An abutting member having an inclined surface is provided in the vicinity of a toner supply port of the magnetic brush developing device; The protrusion slides when the abutting portion when having moved upward, the toner replenishing of the closure member developing device
Open the toner supply port of the toner supply unit from near the center of the mouth
A toner supply mechanism for an electrophotographic copying apparatus. 2. The toner supply mechanism according to claim 1 , wherein a surface of the abutting member on which the protruding portion abuts has a predetermined angle. Wherein the abutment member of the developing device of the developing device toner - integrally formed with the supply port claims 1 or
3. The toner supply mechanism of the electrophotographic copying apparatus according to 2 .