JP3219505B2 - Toner supply device - 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 device mounted on an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and supplying stored toner to a developing device in accordance with a decrease in toner in the developing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine is equipped with a toner supply device called a toner hopper that supplies stored toner into a developing device in response to a decrease in toner. Generally, a toner hopper is detachably mounted on a developing device. The toner hopper includes a container for storing the toner and a mechanism for supplying the stored toner to the developing device. A replenishing roller made of a sponge or the like is provided in the container, and the replenishment roller closes a toner supply port formed on the bottom surface of the container.
By rotating the supply roller, the stored toner is supplied to the developing device from the toner supply port while the toner is captured on the surface of the supply roller.

In the above-described toner hopper, generally, the toner in the container is efficiently guided to a supply roller, and the inner wall surface of the toner container is inclined toward the toner supply port so that the toner does not remain in the container. However, since it is not always effective, recently, a toner pan which can be rotated around a rotation shaft provided at one end thereof is provided on the bottom surface inside the toner container, and this pan is spring-loaded. There has been proposed a toner hopper in which the toner tray is inclined and the stored toner is guided to the replenishing roller by urging the toner hopper upward (Japanese Utility Model Application Laid-Open No. 60-191058).
No.).

[0004]

However, the toner hopper to which the above-mentioned toner tray is applied basically drops the stored toner by its own weight by utilizing the inclination of the toner tray. In a high-temperature and high-humidity environment where the stored toner is likely to coagulate, the stored toner may coagulate on the toner tray and may not effectively fall on the inclined surface, resulting in residual toner. Therefore, even when the toner is solidified, if the inclination angle of the toner tray is increased in order to drop the stored toner toward the supply roller more reliably, it is necessary to provide a sufficient height space for the toner tray to rotate. This leads to an increase in the size of the toner storage container.

Further, in order to prevent solidification of the stored toner and to avoid the above-mentioned situation, if the stored toner is dropped by the toner tray while stirring the stored toner in the toner storage container, a new stirring roller is required. Or
Alternatively, it is necessary to vibrate the toner tray.
However, when the stirring roller is provided, inconveniences such as a complicated toner hopper structure and an increase in cost occur, and
Even if the toner tray is vibrated, when the toner container is full of toner, a large load is applied to the toner tray due to its weight, so that a large driving torque for vibrating the toner tray is required. Problem arises.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problem, and there is provided a toner supply device which does not require a high torque for driving and can effectively guide stored toner to a supply roller even in a small space. It is intended to provide.

[0007]

The invention according to claim 1 is
A toner storage having a toner supply port on the bottom surface is provided, and a replenishing roller is disposed in the toner storage so as to close the toner supply port. In a toner supply device configured to carry out toner from the toner supply port, a first stirring member that guides stored toner to the toner supply port, and a first stirring member that is laid on a bottom surface in the toner storage case. A support member swingably supported between a state and a second state inclined toward the toner supply port, and a stirrer provided on a shaft of the supply roller and rotating the stirring member in the first state with the rotation thereof. A cam member for swinging to a second state, wherein the stirring member is disposed in a direction perpendicular to the shaft at both ends of the shaft of the supply roller, and a base end is supported by the support member. With the toner A pair of legs having distal ends provided on the opposite side of the base end across the supply port, a trunk connecting the distal ends of these legs, and a pair of legs interposed between the two legs. Flexible sheet member, the sheet member has a pair of sides extending in the axial direction of the supply roller, one side of which is fixed to the body of the stirring member, and the other side The side is directed to the toner supply port.

According to a second aspect of the present invention, the sheet member is fixed to the body of the stirring member such that the other side of the sheet member is in sliding contact with the bottom of the toner storage. .

[0009]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, when a rotational driving force is applied to the supply roller, the cam member rotates integrally with the rotation of the supply roller. Then, with the rotation of the cam member, the stirring member swings between the first state laid on the bottom of the toner container and the second state inclined toward the toner supply port, whereby the toner is removed. It is guided toward the toner supply port. At this time, an inclined surface that is inclined from the body to the replenishing roller is formed by the sheet member between the two legs constituting the agitating member, so that the stored toner smoothly flows along the inclined surface to the toner supply port. You will be guided. In addition, when the toner storage is full of toner, the sheet member is sandwiched between the stored toner and the bottom of the toner storage in a bent state due to the weight of the toner. When the agitating member is swung, the sheet member moves so as to be pulled out from between the stored toner and the bottom portion of the toner storage, so that the load on the agitating member due to the toner weight is reduced, and the agitation is performed. High torque is not required to swing the member.

Further, according to this configuration, a curved inclined surface is formed by the sheet member, so that a steep inclined surface can be formed even when the amount of swing of the stirring member is small, and the stored toner can be efficiently stored in a small space. To the supply roller.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the other side of the sheet member slides back and forth on the bottom of the toner storage along with the swing of the stirring member. The attached toner can be guided to the supply roller while being scraped by the edge of the side of the sheet member.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An image forming apparatus to which a toner supply device according to the present invention is applied will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating an image forming apparatus to which the toner supply device according to the present invention is applied.

The image forming apparatus has a contact glass 2 and a document presser 4 on its upper surface, and includes therein components such as an optical system L, an image forming means P, and a transfer paper transport system. .

The optical system L includes an exposure lamp 6 and a reflection plate 8.
A light source section for reciprocatingly scanning a document, and reflecting mirrors 10 and 1 for forming a light path by reflecting light reflected from the document.
2, 14; a lens 16 for adjusting the magnification of the formed image; and a fixed mirror 18 for reflecting the reflected light toward a photosensitive drum 20 described later.

The image forming means P includes a photosensitive drum 20 on the surface of which an electrostatic latent image is formed, a charging device 22 for charging the photosensitive drum 20 to a predetermined potential, and a charge of an unnecessary portion on the photosensitive drum 20. A blank lamp 24 to be removed, a developing device 26 for applying toner to the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 20 for development, a transfer device 30 for transferring the toner image to transfer paper,
Separation device 32 for separating transfer paper from photoconductor drum 20
And a cleaning device 34 for cleaning the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 20 after the transfer. The developing device 26 includes, as described later,
A toner supply device 28 (toner hopper) that stores toner for replenishment and supplies an appropriate amount of toner in accordance with a decrease in toner in the developing device 26 is integrally mounted.

On the other hand, the transfer paper transport system includes, in order from the upstream in the transport direction, paper feed cassettes 36 and 38 capable of storing transfer papers of different sizes, and paper feed rollers 4 for transporting the transfer paper.
0, 42, transport roller pairs 37, 39, and registration roller pair 44 are provided. Further, on the downstream side in the transport direction of the transfer paper after the transfer, a transport belt 46 for transporting the transfer paper,
A fixing device 48 for fixing the toner image transferred on the transfer paper to the transfer paper, a discharge roller 50 for discharging the transfer paper to a discharge tray 52, and the like are provided.

In the image forming apparatus having the above structure, the light of the halogen lamp 6 is reflected by the original, and the reflected image is reflected by the reflecting mirrors 10, 12, 14, the lens 16, and the fixed mirror 18.
Through the photosensitive drum 20. The photoreceptor drum 20 is charged to a predetermined voltage by the charging device 22 while rotating in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 5, and then is exposed by irradiating the original image to form an electrostatic latent image. After the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 20 is developed by the developing device 26, the electrostatic latent image is transferred by the transfer device 30 to transfer paper fed from the paper feed cassette 36 or 38. The transfer paper after the transfer is separated from the photosensitive drum 20 by the separation device 32, and the transfer belt 46, the fixing device 48, and the discharge roller 5
The paper is discharged onto the discharge tray 52 via the “0”.

Next, the structure of the toner hopper of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the toner hopper of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside rear of the toner hopper.

As shown in FIG. 1, the toner hopper 28 includes a toner storage container 54 for storing toner and a lid 56 integrally formed on the toner storage container 54. A mechanism is provided for carrying out the stored toner to the developing device 26 while stirring the toner.

The toner container 54 has a long dimension in the front-rear direction of the copying machine F, and has a bottom surface as shown in FIGS.
As shown in FIG. 5, a plurality of toner supply ports 66 having a predetermined size and carrying out the stored toner to the developing device 26 are formed at predetermined intervals in the front-rear direction of the container 54. A supply roller 6 having a single structure is located at a position facing above the toner supply port 66.
8 is provided, and the toner supply port 66 is
Is closed by the outer peripheral surface. The replenishing roller 68 is a roller formed of a sponge, and is rotatably supported between the front and rear wall surfaces of the toner storage container 54. Although not shown, the replenishing roller 68 is mounted on the rotation shaft 70 outside the rear side of the container 54. The rotational driving force is transmitted via a gear. In the toner container 54, the rotating shaft 7
The drive pins 72 are fitted into the front and rear ends of the “0” at the same position in the circumferential direction, respectively, in the radial direction.

Then, above the supply roller 68,
A stirrer 61 is provided. The stirrer 61 is a member formed by bending a metal plate or the like. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the stirrer 61 extends perpendicularly to the rotation axis 70 of the supply roller 68 and extends along the front and rear wall surfaces of the toner container 54. It has a U-shape having legs 59 and one end of these legs 59 connected to each other and extending along the right inner wall surface of the toner container 54. The stirring body 61 has a body 59
The toner container 5 is inserted into the elongated hole 80 formed at the base end of the toner container 5.
4 is inserted through the support shaft 76 protruding from the left inner wall,
Further, by attaching a retaining ring 78 to the support shaft 76, the retaining ring 78 is swingably supported in the toner storage container 54, and is downwardly moved by the urging spring 84, that is, toward the bottom of the toner storage container 54. It is to be energized. A contact surface 74 that is bent in the horizontal direction is formed at substantially the center of each leg 59 of the stirring body 61, and the contact surface 74 contacts the both ends of the rotation shaft 70 of the supply roller 72. Is to be touched.

On the other hand, a stirring sheet 62 is adhered to the body 60 of the stirring body 61. The stirring sheet 62 is a flexible member formed of, for example, a polyester film or the like in a rectangular shape, and has only one long side adhered to the inner surface of the body 60. Thereby, as shown in FIG. 1, an inclined surface of the stirring sheet 62 which is inclined while drawing a curved surface from the body 60 toward the supply roller 68 is formed between the legs 59 of the stirring body 61, and the tip thereof is formed. The portion 84 is in contact with the bottom surface of the toner storage container 54, and the tip thereof is preferably located at a position (solid line position in FIG. 1) in contact with the supply roller 68.

A cylindrical cartridge setting portion 58 for setting a toner cartridge for replenishing toner in the toner storage container 54 is formed on the lid 56, and a proper bottom portion of the cartridge setting portion 58 is provided. Is formed with a long supply port 64 for supplying toner from the toner cartridge set in the cartridge setting section 58 into the toner container 54.

The toner hopper 2 configured as described above
8, when a rotational driving force from a drive motor (not shown) is transmitted to the rotating shaft 70, the rotating shaft 70 and the supply roller 68 are integrally rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG. The fitted driving pin 72 is rotated.
When the drive pin 72 is rotated, the drive pin 70 comes into contact with the contact surface 74 formed on the leg 59 of the stirring body 61, and the stirring body 61 is integrally formed with its base end as a fulcrum. It is rotated upward. Then, the replenishment roller 6
8 is rotated, the driving pin 72 is brought into contact with the contact surface 74.
, Whereby the stirrer 61 is integrally rotated downward by the urging force of the urging spring 84. That is, when the supply roller 68 is rotated and the drive pin 72 is rotated, the agitator 61 is swung between the solid line position and the two-dot chain line position shown in FIG.

Next, the operation of the toner hopper 28 having the above configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG.
FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the toner hopper in a state where the toner is full, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating the toner hopper in a state where the amount of the toner is small.

Now, when the toner cartridge 86 is set in the cartridge setting portion 58 of the toner hopper 28, the toner in the toner cartridge 86 is injected into the toner container 54 from the supply port 64 of the toner cartridge 58, Thus, as shown in FIG. 3, the inside of the toner storage container 54 is filled with the toner. When the sensor in the developing device 26 detects that the amount of toner in the developing device 26 has decreased from a predetermined amount, the rotation of a drive motor (not shown) starts to supply the toner to the developing device 26. The rotational driving force is applied to the toner hopper 28.
Is transmitted to the rotating shaft 70. When the rotation shaft 70 is rotated and the supply roller 68 is rotated integrally therewith, the supply roller 68 rotates while capturing toner on its surface, and is stored from the toner supply port 66 into the developing device 26. Start supplying toner.

When the replenishing roller 68 is rotated, the agitator 61 is swung with the rotation. At this time, until the drive pin 72 of the rotating shaft 70 comes into contact with the contact surface 74 of the stirring body 61 and the stirring body 61 is moved upward, the stirring sheet 62 stuck to the stirring body 61 is in the container 54. Due to the weight of the toner filled in the toner container 54, it is sandwiched between the stored toner and the bottom of the toner container 54 in a bent state as shown in FIG. Has become. And the drive pin 7
2 abuts against the contact surface 74, whereby the agitator 61
Begins to rise, the stirring sheet 62 is moved to the position shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 3 while being gradually pulled upward from between the stored toner and the bottom surface of the toner storage container 54. When the supply roller 68 is further rotated and the driving pin 72 is separated from the contact surface 74 of the stirring body 61, the stirring body 61 is returned to the position shown in FIG. As a result, the stirring sheet 62 is also pushed back to the initial position shown by the solid line in FIG. That is, the stirring sheet 62 is
The stored toner at the bottom of the toner container 54 is agitated by pushing the stored toner toward the replenishing roller 68 at the leading end 84 of the stirring sheet 62 by reciprocating sliding on the bottom surface.

On the other hand, when the amount of toner stored in the toner container 54 decreases due to the supply of toner to the developing device 26, the stirring sheet 62 is bent by the urging force as shown in FIG. Will start to recover a little.
When the replenishing roller 68 is rotated in this state, the stirring body 61 is swung, and the stirring sheet 62 is moved as shown by the solid line and the two-dot chain line in FIG. At this time, the stored toner is guided to the replenishing roller 68 along the curved slope formed by the stirring sheet 62, and further, the stirring body 61 is swung, so that the leading end portion 84 of the stirring sheet 62 is rotated. Is the toner storage container 5
4 is reciprocally slid toward the supply roller 68 toward the replenishing roller 68, and the toner dropped along the stirring sheet 62 is
Is pushed out toward the replenishing roller 68 by the front end portion 84. At the same time, if toner adheres to the bottom of the toner container 54 near the replenishing roller 68, for example,
The edge of No. 2 pushes the toner toward the supply roller 68 while the attached toner is being scraped off.

As described above, according to the toner hopper 28 of the present invention, the stirrer 61 is swung by the rotational driving force of the supply roller 68, and furthermore, the stirrer 61 is stuck by the stirrer sheet 62 stuck to the stirrer 61. Since the stored toner is guided to the supply roller 68 while stirring, the toner can be effectively prevented from remaining in the toner storage container 54 without newly providing a stirring roller or the like.

The inclined surface for guiding the stored toner toward the replenishing roller 68 is formed of a flexible sheet member (agitating sheet 62) such as a polyester film, and only one long side of the flexible sheet member is a cylinder. As described above, when the amount of toner stored in the toner storage container 54 is large, the toner is bent by the weight of the toner, and
At the time of swinging of the toner container 1, it moves so as to be pulled out from between the stored toner and the bottom portion of the toner storage container 54. Even when the load is reduced and the amount of stored toner is large, the agitator 61 can be driven with a relatively low torque. Further, the bending of the stirring sheet 62 causes the leg portions 59 of the stirring body 61 to be bent.
Since a curved slope is formed between the two, the stored toner is guided to the replenishing roller 68. Therefore, for example, compared with the case where a conventional toner tray is applied, the stirring body 6 is formed.
It is possible to form a steep slope by reducing the amount of swing of 1, so that the toner storage container 54 does not expand. Further, since the leading end 84 of the stirring sheet 62 is always slid to the bottom of the toner container 54 by the swing of the stirring body 61, the stored toner can be stirred and the stirring can be performed. Sheet 62
There is an advantage that the toner attached to the bottom of the toner storage container 54 can be extruded while being scraped toward the supply roller 68 by the edge of the tip portion 84 of the toner container 54.

In the above embodiment, the stirrer 61 is used.
The toner storage container 54 is formed by inserting a support shaft 76 formed on the downstream inner wall surface of the toner storage container 54 into an elongated hole 80 formed at the base end of the body 59.
This is an example of a structure for swingably supporting the stirring member 61. For example, a shaft is provided between the front and rear wall surfaces of the toner storage container 54, and this shaft is connected to the stirring member. The stirrer 61 may be configured to swing around this axis so as to penetrate through each leg 59 of the stirrer 61. Also,
In the embodiment, the driving pin 7 is attached to the rotation shaft 70 of the supply roller 68.
2 is inserted, and the stirrer 61 is rocked using the rotational movement of the drive pin 72. However, this is also because the stirrer 61 is rocked using the rotation of the rotary shaft 70. For example, an eccentric cam or the like may be attached to the rotating shaft 70 to swing the agitator 61.

[0032]

As described above, according to the present invention, the stirring member for guiding the stored toner to the toner supply port, the first state in which the stirring member is laid on the bottom of the toner storage, and the toner supply port A support member for swingably supporting a second state inclined toward the front, and a cam provided on a shaft of the replenishing roller for swinging the stirring member between the first state and the second state with the rotation thereof The stirring member can be oscillated without newly providing a driving unit.

In addition, a stirring member is provided between a pair of legs provided at both ends of the shaft of the replenishing roller so as to be orthogonal to the shaft, a body connecting the front ends of these legs, and a portion between the legs. And a flexible sheet member interposed therebetween, so that the stirring member can be driven with a relatively low torque even when the toner is fully filled in the toner storage. . In addition, since the sheet member is bent to form a slope that is curved toward the supply roller, a steep slope can be formed in a small space, and the stored toner can be efficiently guided to the supply roller.

In particular, in this configuration, if the side of the sheet member is in sliding contact with the bottom of the toner storage,
The toner adhering to the bottom of the toner storage can be extruded toward the supply roller while shaving the toner, and the toner can be more effectively prevented from remaining in the toner storage.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view showing a toner hopper of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside rear of the toner hopper of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where the inside of the toner container of the toner hopper of the present invention is filled with toner.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which toner in a toner storage container of the toner hopper of the present invention is reduced.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram showing a copying machine to which the toner hopper of the present invention is applied.

[Explanation of symbols]

 28 Toner hopper (toner supply device) 59 Leg part 60 Body part 61 Stirrer 62 Stirring sheet 66 Toner supply port 68 Supply roller 70 Rotary shaft 72 Drive pin 74 Contact surface

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] A toner supply port provided on a bottom surface of the toner supply port, a replenishing roller is disposed in the toner reservoir to cover the toner supply port, and the toner supply port is rotated by rotation of the replenishment roller. In the toner supply device configured to carry out the stored toner in the storage from the toner supply port, a stirring member that guides the stored toner to the toner supply port, and the stirring member is provided on a bottom portion in the toner storage. The first state in which it is laid and the second state inclining toward the toner supply port.
And a cam member provided on the shaft of the replenishing roller for swinging the stirring member between the first state and the second state with the rotation thereof. The stirring member is disposed at both ends of the shaft of the replenishing roller in a direction perpendicular to the shaft, and has a base end supported by the support member, and the base end sandwiching the toner supply port. A pair of legs provided with tips on the opposite side to the body, a trunk connecting the tips of these legs, and a flexible sheet member interposed between the legs. The sheet member has a pair of sides extending in the axial direction of the replenishing roller, one side of which is fixed to the body of the stirring member, and the other side is connected to the toner supply port. A toner supply device, which is directed to the toner supply device. 2. The sheet member according to claim 1, wherein the sheet member is fixed to the body of the stirring member such that the side of the other side is in sliding contact with the bottom of the toner storage. Toner supply device.