JP3287778B2 - Developer receiving 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 developer receiving device of an image forming apparatus, such as an electrophotographic apparatus, for developing an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier with a dry developer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A developer in a developer receiving container attached to a developing device of an image forming apparatus is consumed as the image forming process proceeds, and it is necessary to replenish the developer in a timely manner. Generally, the developer is supplied by transferring the developer in the developer supply container to the developer receiving container of the image forming apparatus main body. Since the developer is an ultra-fine particle having a high fluidity, it is easily scattered, so that the developer is transferred from the developer replenishing container to the developer receiving container, or immediately after the developer replenishing container is removed from the developer receiving container. The developer may be scattered. Therefore, attach a sliding lid to each of the developer receiving container and the developer replenishing container,
A developer replenishing container has been proposed in which one of the lids is driven by the other to transfer the developer in a closed environment (Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 57-38673).

Further, Japanese Patent Publication No. 1-36943 discloses a technique of interposing a film-like sheet between a slide lid and a container.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention is a further development of the above-mentioned prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a developer receiving device which cannot open a device opening / closing lid carelessly. It is in.

[0005]

According to the present invention, there is provided a mounting position for detachably mounting a developer replenishing container, and a developer receiving opening for receiving a developer from the developer replenishing container; An opening / closing lid movable between an open position and a closed position, the developer receiving device provided in the image forming apparatus, wherein a first lock portion for locking the developer replenishment container at the mounting position; A lock member integrally provided with a second lock portion for locking the opening / closing lid at the closed position before the developer replenishing container is mounted at the mounting position; When the mounting operation of the container is performed, the developer replenishing container moves the lock member, thereby moving the first lock portion to the lock position and locking the second lock portion to the lock position. A developer receiving apparatus, wherein a and moves to the unlocked position is performed in conjunction with the.

[0006]

[0007]

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS In the embodiment described below, a developer replenishing device for receiving a developer from a replenishing container includes an opening for replenishing the developer and a sliding-type opening / closing lid A for covering the opening. And a developer receiving container. The developer replenishing container includes a container main body for storing a replenishing developer,
It has a sliding opening / closing lid B that covers the container body opening.

The developer receiving container has lock members 1 and 2 urged by an elastic member. When the developer replenishing container is mounted on the developer receiving container, the lock member 1 and the developer replenishing container cannot be removed. And the lock member 2 which is engaged with the slide-type opening / closing lid A and forbids the opening / closing of the opening / closing lid A is disengaged by a part of the developer replenishing container main body. Can be opened and closed, and the cover A is further pushed from the closed state to the unlocked position, whereby the lock member 1 and the developer replenishing container main body are disengaged, and the developer replenishing container can be removed.

Therefore, according to the embodiment described below, when the developer replenishing container is mounted on the developer receiving container, the lock is activated, and the developer replenishing container cannot be removed. Since the lid A is released only by pushing the lid A from the closed state to the unlock position, the developer replenishing container can be removed only when the open / close lid is securely closed. Therefore, the developer replenishing container does not come off when the opening / closing lid is in the half-open state, and the developer does not contaminate the surroundings.

More specifically, the embodiment described below is a developer replenishing apparatus including a developer replenishing opening and a developer receiving container having a sliding opening / closing lid A for covering the opening. A developer replenishing container having a container main body for storing a replenishing developer and a developer replenishing container having a sliding-type opening / closing lid B covering an opening of the container main body is detachable. And a lock member 1 and 2 urged by an elastic member. When the developer replenishing container is mounted on the developer receiving container, the lock member 1 and a part of the developer replenishing container main body are engaged to replenish the developer. When the container is in a state where it cannot be removed, the lock member 2 which is engaged with the slide-type open / close lid A and forbids the open / close of the open / close lid A is disengaged by a part of the developer replenishing container main body. Openable lid A can be opened and closed Further, when the opening / closing lid A is further pushed from the closed state to the unlocked position, the engagement between the lock member 1 and the main body of the developer replenishing container is released, and the developer replenishing device is removable. . The developer supply device is configured so that one lock member 3 has the functions of the lock members 1 and 2.

The embodiment described below is a developer replenishing apparatus including a developer replenishing opening and a developer receiving container having a slide-type opening / closing lid A for covering the opening. And a developer replenishing container having a slide-type opening / closing lid B for covering the opening of the container main body, and the slide opening / closing lid A is a lock member 3 of the developer receiving container. When the developer replenishing container is mounted on the developer receiving container, the lock member 3 is engaged with a part of the developer replenishing container. At the same time, the developer replenishing container is disengaged and cannot be removed. At the same time, the developer replenishing container is disengaged from the slide opening / closing lid A, and the opening / closing lid A is pushed out in the opening direction by an elastic member. is there.

In the embodiment described below, a developer removably attached to a developer supply device having an opening for supplying a developer and a developer receiving container having a sliding opening / closing lid A for covering the opening. A replenishing container including a container body for storing a replenishing developer, a sliding-type opening / closing lid B for covering the container body opening, and lock members 1 and 2 urged by an elastic member. When the developer replenishment container is mounted on the container, the lock member 1 and a part of the developer replenishment container main body are engaged with each other, so that the developer replenishment container cannot be removed. The lock member 2 forbidding the opening and closing of the opening / closing lid A is disengaged by a part of the main body of the developer replenishing container so that the opening / closing lid A can be opened and closed, and the opening and closing lid A is further pushed from the closed state to the unlocked position. By Developer replenishing container itself by solving the engagement of the locking member 1 and the developer replenishing container body Te is the developer replenishing container becomes removable from the developer supplying apparatus.

[0014]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an outline of a developer replenishing container according to the present invention before being mounted on a developer receiving container, FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of the developer replenishing container, and FIG. FIG. 4 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 2, and FIGS. FIG. 9 (a), (b), (c)
FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of an operation of a lock mechanism of the developer supply device.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a developer receiving container provided on the electrophotographic image forming apparatus side, and a developing device having a developing roller for supplying a developer to an electrostatic image carrier and forming a developed image. The developer is conveyed from the container 1 by a screw or the like. The upper opening of the container 1 is covered with a sliding-type opening / closing lid 2. Also, the developer receiving container 1
A concave portion 14 for inserting a protruding portion 3b of the replenishing container 3, which will be described later, and a guide 1a for guiding the insertion are formed in the upper portion. A slit 21 is formed on the upper surface of the opening / closing lid 2.

On the other hand, reference numeral 3 denotes a developer replenishing container according to the present invention, in which a proper amount of replenishing developer is accommodated in a main body 3a, and an opening thereof is covered with a slide-type opening / closing lid 4. ing. The opening / closing lid 4 is provided with a projection 41 at the tip so as to be hooked on the leading end 22 of the opening / closing lid 2 in the sliding direction, and the opening / closing lid 4 has openings at both ends in the sliding direction. A hollow portion 42 having a small thickness is provided.

A flexible sealing sheet 5 in the form of a film can be peeled off from the periphery of the lower opening of the container body 3.
In addition, it is fixed by, for example, heat welding or the like with sufficient strength to prevent leakage of the developer. The total length of the sheet 5 is set to be at least twice the length of one side of the opening of the container body 3a in the direction in which the sheet 5 is peeled off, and the sheet 5 is fixed to the opening of the container body 3a. Not the rest
After being folded, it passes through the internal cavity 42 of the opening / closing lid 4 as shown in the drawing, and the sheet pull-out member 6 has such strength that the sheet 5 does not easily come off at a position 61 where the sheet 5 does not come out of the container body 3a. It is fixed with.

The length of the sheet 5 from the inner cavity 42 of the opening / closing lid 4 to being fixed to the sheet pulling member 6 is determined by the length of the sheet pulling member 6 from the container body 3a by the opening / closing lid 2 as described later. When pulled out, it is set so that the worker can grasp it and pull it,
When the sheet pull-out member 6 is locked to the container main body, the excess portion of the sheet 5 is folded between the opening / closing lid 4 and the sheet pull-out member 6 so as not to go outside the developer replenishing container 3. It is stored in a state.

The sheet pull-out member 6 can be pulled out by the opening / closing lid 2 and has such a strength that the developer replenishing container 3 does not easily come off before the container 1 is mounted on the container 1, and the sheet main body 3a For example, it is fixed by means such as pinching and click patching.

The sheet pull-out member 6 includes an opening / closing lid 2.
A projection 62 is provided so as to be engaged with the end 23 of the slit 21 in the slide-out direction of the lid and to be pulled out from the container body.

By the way, the opening of the developer receiving container 1 in the developer replenishing container 3 is such that K ₁ is larger than K ₂ and W ₁ is larger than W ₂ as shown in FIGS. The opening on the side of the developer receiving container 1 is configured to be as large as possible than the opening on the side of the developer replenishing container 3, so that the container main body 3a and the opening / closing lid 4 of the developer receiving container at the time of the transfer of the developer, It is desirable to prevent the guide rails for two from being contaminated by the developer splatter.

The surface 31 of the container body 3a to which the sheet 5 is fixed is fixed to the sliding surface 32 of the opening / closing lid 4.
In order to smooth the movement of the sheet, there is a step to the extent that the sheet is not pressed.

Next, the operation of the developer supply device will be described with reference to FIGS.
This will be described with reference to FIGS. 9A, 9B, and 9C. FIG. 9 is a reference example.

When replenishing the developer to the developer receiving container 1, the developer replenishing container 3 is first mounted on a predetermined position of the developer receiving container 1 as shown in FIG. That is,
The container 3 is placed on the container 1 while inserting the protrusion 3b of the container 3 into the recess 14 of the receiving container 1. Projecting part 3 of container 3
b is in a state in which the upward movement is inhibited by the guide 1a of the recess 14 being restricted.

As shown in FIG. 9A, the developer replenishing container 3
Is not attached, the opening / closing lid 2 of the developer receiving container is engaged with the end 602 of the lock member 600 provided on the receiving container 1 through the slit 210, so that the opening / closing of the sliding is impossible. .

The lock member 600 is rotatable about a rotation center 601 provided on the receiving container 1, and is constantly urged by an elastic member (plate spring) 8 in a direction of engaging with the slit 210 of the opening / closing lid 2. I have. The locking member 60
It is also possible to omit the elastic member 8 by setting 0 as an elastic member.

When the developer replenishing container 3 is mounted as shown in FIG. 4, the locking member 700 provided at the portion 101 of the receiving container 1 is moved by the projection 33 at the end of the developer replenishing container 3 as shown in FIG.
9A is moved in the direction of the arrow in FIG.
As shown in (b), the protrusion 33 is engaged with the end 702 of the lock member 700, and the developer replenishing container cannot be removed in cooperation with the recess 14 into which the protrusion 3b of the container 3 is inserted. And

The lock member 700 is a developer receiving container 1
9 is mounted so as to be rotatable around a rotation center 701, and an elastic member (spring)) 900 as shown in FIG.
(A) is urged in the counter-arrow direction (counterclockwise in the figure).

When the developer replenishing container 3 is mounted as shown in FIG. 9B, the elastic member 8 is passed through 102 of the container 1 by the projection 34 of the developer replenishing container 3.
Is pushed down in the direction in which the lock of the lock member 600 is released, the engagement between the lock member 600 and the open / close lid 2 is released, and the open / close lid 2 can be opened and closed.

Then, when the operator pulls out the open / close lid 2 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG.
The terminal end 23 of the slit 21 provided at the upper part of the opening engages with the protrusion 62 of the sheet pull-out member 6, and the sheet pull-out member 6 starts to be pulled out from the container main body 3a. When the cover 2 is fully opened, as shown in FIG. And a sheet drawer member 6
Is pulled out of the container body 3a to a position where an operator can grasp and pull it.

Next, the sheet pull-out member 6 is moved from this state.
When the sheet 5 is pulled in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 5, the portion of the sheet 5 fixed to the opening of the container body 3a is sequentially peeled from the folded side thereof, and as shown in FIG.
Is moved in the pull-out direction, and the folded portion of the sheet 5 pushes the opening / closing lid 4 to move it in the opening direction. Then, the opening of the developer replenishing container 3 is gradually opened, and the developer contained in the container main body 3a is dropped and replenished to the developer receiving container 1.

Then, as shown in FIG. 7, the opening of the developer replenishing container 3 is fully opened, and all the developer has fallen into the developer receiving container 1, ie, the sheet 5 is pulled out and completely cut off. In this state, since the surface 5a of the sheet 5 to which the developer is attached is in the internal cavity 42 of the opening / closing lid 4, the worker does not touch the developer attached to the sheet 5, and The hands, clothes and surroundings are not contaminated by the developer. Therefore, a cleaning pad for scraping off the developer attached to the sheet 5 becomes unnecessary, and the size and cost of the developer supply device can be reduced.

The opening / closing lid 2 connects the sheet 5 to the container body 3a.
When peeling is started, the developer is already in the fully opened state, so that the developer falling from the developer replenishing container 3 does not contaminate the front end surface of the opening / closing lid 2.

After the developer has been replenished as described above, when the lid 2 is pushed and closed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 7, the tip 22 of the lid 2 engages with the projection 41 of the lid 4, and 4 is closed, and the opening / closing lid 4 is closed while pulling the sheet 5 and the sheet pull-out member 6 drawn out of the container body 3a.

At this time, even if the developer in the developer replenishing container 3 is hard and the developer is mountainous in the developer receiving container as shown in FIG. Since the engagement is performed at the leading end in the push-sliding direction, the opening and closing lids 2 and 4 are closed by leveling the developer without the developer entering the gap between the opening and closing lids 2 and 4. Then, when the opening of the container 1 is completely closed by the lid 2 and the opening of the container 3 is completely closed by the lid 41, the sheet 5 and the sheet extracting member 6 are moved to the sheet extracting member 6 as shown in FIG.
Slightly protrudes from the container body 3a.

When the cover 2 is further pushed in the direction of the arrow as shown in FIG. 9C from this state, the surface 25 of the cover 2 pushes the protrusion 703 of the lock member 700 and the lock member 70
0 rotates clockwise in the figure against the elastic member 900. Thereby, the engagement between the lock member 700 and the protrusion 33 of the developer replenishing container 3 is released. Then, the developer replenishing container 3 is removed from the developer receiving container 1 while pulling out the protrusion 3b from the recess 14.

Next, when the operator stops the pushing operation of the lid 2, the lid 2 is vigorously pushed back in the pull-out direction by the protrusion 703 rotated by the contracting elastic force of the spring 900, and starts to fly out by the inertial force. When the locking member 6 is elastically urged in the counterclockwise direction by the leaf spring 8, the pressing of the container 3 by the projection 34 has already been completed.
The protrusion 602 of 00 is fitted into the slit hole 210 of the lid 2 to stop the movement of the lid 2 and returns to the state of FIG.

Alternatively, the operator may manually pull out the lid 2 from the position shown in FIG. 9C to a position where the projection 602 of the lock member 600 fits into the hole 210 of the lid 2.

Next, a first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.
As shown in (b) and (c), in this embodiment, the respective functions of the lock members 600 and 700 of the developer receiving container 1, the lock of the opening / closing lid 2, and the lock of the developer replenishing container in the reference example are one lock. It is configured to be held by a member.

10A, the lock member 7 urged in the counterclockwise direction in the figure by the elastic member (leaf spring) 9 engages the slit 24 of the opening / closing lid 2 at the claw portion 71, and The opening and closing of 2 is forbidden.

When the developer replenishing container 3 is mounted thereon,
The protrusion 33 of the developer replenishing container 3 causes the locking member 7 to move.
10A and 10B around the rotation center 74 against the elastic member 9.
The projection 33 and the lock member claw 73 are rotated in the arrow direction (clockwise) shown in FIG. 10A so that the developer replenishing container 3 cannot be removed as shown in FIG. Lock. When the lock member 7 rotates, the claw 71 also rotates at the same time, and in the locked state shown in FIG. 10B, the engagement between the claw 71 and the slit 24 of the opening / closing lid 2 is released, and the opening / closing lid 2 is opened and closed. It becomes possible.

When removing the developer replenishing container 3,
0 (c), the open / close lid 2 is opened / closed (FIG. 10).
By further pushing in the left direction in the figure from the position (a), the surface 25 of the opening / closing lid 2 pushes the claw portion 71 of the lock member 7, and the lock member 7 opposes the elastic member 9 in the arrow direction (in the figure) (Clockwise), the engagement between the claw portion 73 and the projection 33 of the developer replenishing container 3 is released, and the developer replenishing container 3 can be removed. After removing the developer replenishing container 3,
The state shown in FIG. 10A is returned by the return force of the elastic member 9.

According to the structure of the first embodiment, two lock members are required in the reference example, but the number of lock members can be reduced to one. Therefore, the size of the apparatus can be reduced, or the developer receiving capacity of the developer receiving container can be improved.

FIG. 11A shows a second embodiment of the present invention.
(B), (c) and (d) show.

This embodiment is different from the first embodiment in that the opening / closing lid 2 of the developer receiving container 1 is urged in the opening direction by an elastic member (spring) 10.

In FIG. 11A, the opening / closing lid 2 locked by the lock member 7 is released by the elastic member 10 when the lock is released by the developer replenishing container 3 as shown in FIG. 11B. 11 (b), and the opening / closing lid 2 comes out in the opening direction as shown in FIG. 11 (c). After replenishing the developer, FIG.
As shown in (d), the lock of the developer replenishment container is released by pushing the open / close lid 2 to the unlock position against the elastic member 10.

In this embodiment, when the developer replenishing container is mounted on the developer receiving container, the developer replenishing container is locked, and the opening / closing lid 2 automatically comes out a short distance by the spring 10. Can be easily moved to the next operation, and an accident due to an erroneous operation by the operator can be prevented.

According to the above-described embodiment, the developer replenishing container and the developer receiving container are more securely fixed, and the developer replenishing container comes off for some reason during the developer replenishing operation. The effect of preventing contamination by the agent can be obtained.

[0049]

According to the present invention, when the mounting operation of the developer replenishing container is performed with respect to the mounting position of the developer receiving device, the developer replenishing container moves the lock member, thereby the first lock. Movement of the part to the locked position and the second
The movement of the lock portion from the lock position to the lock release position is performed in conjunction with each other, so that the mounting operability of the developer supply container can be improved. That is, since the first lock portion and the second lock portion are integral, the movement of the first lock portion to the lock position and the movement of the second lock portion from the lock position to the lock release position are different. Interlocking is ensured, and accidents such as inadvertent opening of the open / close lid can be reliably prevented. As described above, according to the present invention, the developer can be replenished from the developer replenishing container to the developer receiving device without leakage of the developer while improving the mounting operability with a simple configuration.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line AA of FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 is a diagram in which a replenishing container is mounted on a receiving container.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating a state in which the peeling of the seal is started.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing a seal being peeled off.

FIG. 7 is a diagram in which a seal has been pulled out.

FIG. 8 is a view showing a state where the lid of the receiving container has been closed.

FIG. 9 is an operation explanatory view of a lock member.

FIG. 10 is an operation explanatory view of a lock member according to another embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a diagram illustrating the operation of a lock member according to still another embodiment.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Developer receiving container 2 Lid 3 Developer replenishing container 4 Lid 5 Seal 33 Locked member 34 Projection 600 Lock member 700 Lock member

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] A developer receiving opening for receiving a developer from the developer replenishing container, an opening position and a closing position with respect to the developer receiving opening. A developer receiving device provided in the image forming apparatus, comprising: a movable opening / closing lid; wherein a first lock portion for locking the developer replenishing container at the mounting position and the developer replenishing container are disposed at the mounting position. A locking member integrally provided with a second lock portion for locking the opening / closing lid to the closed position before the developer replenishing container is mounted on the mounting position. The developer replenishment container moves the lock member to move the first lock portion to the lock position and to move the second lock portion from the lock position to the unlock position. Developer receiving apparatus, wherein a and dynamic performed in conjunction. 2. When the open / close lid is moved from the open position to the closed position, the open / close lid pushes the lock member to move the first lock portion from the lock position to the unlock position. 2. The developer receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the developer is received. 3. The apparatus has an elastic member for urging the lock member in a direction in which the second lock portion locks the opening / closing lid at the closed position, and replenishes the developer with respect to the mounting position. 3. The developer receiving device according to claim 1, wherein when the mounting operation of the container is performed, the developer replenishing container moves the lock member against the urging force of the elastic member. 4. 4. The developer receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the lock member is provided on one side and the other side of the developer receiving opening.