JP3488342B2 - Toner supply device and toner bottle - 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 replenishing device used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer and a facsimile.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a so-called electrostatic image forming apparatus,
The electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor is visualized by the toner supplied from the developing device, transferred to a recording paper, and becomes a recorded matter by a fixing process, and is discharged outside the apparatus.
Since the toner is consumed along with such development, the toner replenishing device replenishes the consumed amount. The toner replenishing device is configured as a part of the image forming apparatus, and the toner bottle is detachably mounted so that the empty toner bottle can be replaced with a new toner bottle filled with toner. As a toner replenishing device which is not known, there are the following conventional techniques. That is, the toner bottle is detachably mountable on the bottle pedestal in a state in which the mouth side of the toner bottle having the inner wall portion formed with the spiral line extending from the bottom side to the mouth side is inserted into the hopper. Then, a means for rotationally driving the toner bottle in the mounted state, an opening / closing means for switching the stopper of the toner bottle in the mounted state to an open state or a closed state, and one end side between the swing dynamic position and the close swing dynamic position. With the lever as a fulcrum, it acts on the opening / closing means according to this position displacement, and the stopper is held in the open state at the swinging dynamic position and in the closed state at the closing dynamical position. is doing.

In such a toner replenishing device, while the lever is in the swinging dynamic position, the toner in the toner bottle is fed into the hopper along the spiral line while rotating the toner bottle to replenish the toner. Here, the toner bottle attached to the toner replenishing device is adapted to rotate when replenishing the toner, in order to feed the toner in the toner bottle along the spiral line.

[0004]

In the above-mentioned conventional toner replenishing device, the toner in the toner bottle adheres to the spiral stripe or is solidified, and the toner remains in the toner bottle forever, or the toner is not replenished. It may be insufficient. Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide a means for preventing the toner from remaining in the toner bottle.

[0005]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has the following constitution. (1) The toner bottle is detachably mounted on the bottle holder with the mouth side of the toner bottle formed on the inner wall of the spiral line extending from the bottom side to the mouth side is inserted into the hopper, and the mounting is performed. Means for rotationally driving the toner bottle in the state, opening / closing means for switching the stopper of the toner bottle in the mounted state to the open state or the closed state, and one end side between the open and close dynamic positions. Positionally displaced with respect to a fulcrum, and acts on the opening / closing means in accordance with this positional displacement to hold the plug in the open state at the open dynamic position and in the closed state at the closed dynamic position. In a toner replenishing device having a lever for controlling the rotation of the toner bottle in the mounted state, the toner replenishing device slides on a protrusion formed on the peripheral surface of the toner bottle and rides on the protrusion to reach a predetermined height. Falling from the bottom More, the the hitting member hitting the peripheral surface of the toner bottle, and said fulcrum opposite configuration of the toner supply device provided at the free end of said lever (claim 1).

[0006]

( 2 ) The toner bottle is detachably mounted on the bottle holder with the mouth side of the toner bottle having a spiral line extending from the bottom side toward the mouth side formed in the inner wall portion is inserted into the hopper. Between the means for rotationally driving the toner bottle in the mounted state, the opening / closing means for switching the stopper of the toner bottle in the mounted state to the open state or the closed state, and the swing dynamic position and the close swing dynamic position. Positional displacement with one end as a fulcrum and acting on the opening / closing means in response to this positional displacement to open the stopper at the opening dynamic position and close the plug at the closing dynamic position. , Each of which has a lever for holding, and as the toner bottle in the mounted state rotates, slides on a protrusion formed on the peripheral surface of the toner bottle and is guided onto the protrusion to reach a predetermined height. It is lifted and falls, and this drop A toner replenishing device provided with a striking member for striking the peripheral surface of the toner bottle on the free end side opposite to the fulcrum of the lever, and a part of the lever when the toner bottle rotates. The toner that is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the toner bottle by slidingly contacting the formed beating portion, lifting the hitting portion, and then rapidly dropping it so that the beating portion strikes the peripheral surface portion of the toner bottle. The toner replenishing device and the toner bottle are a combination of the bottle and the bottle (claim 2 ).

( 3 ) In the toner replenishing device and the toner bottle according to ( 2 ), the hitting portion and the protruding portion are smoothly slidably contacted with both or either of the hitting portion and the protruding portion. A slope is provided for this purpose (claim 3 ).

[0009]

[0010]

[0011]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

(1) Description of Entire Image Forming Apparatus In FIG. 4, reference numeral 121 denotes a main body, and reference numeral 122 denotes a lid. The main body 121 includes a process unit including a toner replenishing device, and the lid 122 includes an optical scanning device for reading a document, an exposure optical system, and the like.
The image forming apparatus 2 is configured by the cover 21 and the lid 122.
The process unit constitutes an independent unit as indicated by reference numeral 4 in FIGS. 5, 6, 8 and 9 and is mounted in the frame of the main body 121. In FIG. 4, the main body 12
A support member is provided on one end side of 1 and one end side of the lid 122, respectively. A shaft penetrates through these supporting members, and one end side of the lid 122 has the main body 1 around the axis MM.
It can be opened and closed like a crocodile with respect to 21. Code 12
Reference numerals 5a and 125b denote retractable columns, which can hold the lid 122 with the lid 122 open as shown in FIG. 4 and can be easily contracted by releasing the stopper when closing the lid 122. The lid 122 can be closed.

Now, the process unit 4 mounted in the main body 121 will be described. The process unit 4 is shown in FIGS. 5, 6 and 9. As shown in FIG. 5, the process unit 4 includes a toner replenishing device 6 and a developing device 1.
0, the photoconductor 8 and its peripheral members. Photoconductor 8
A charging device 12, a transfer device 14, a cleaning blade 16, a developing sleeve 22 forming a part of a developing device, and the like are provided around the device. The transfer device 14 is provided separately from the process unit 4 on the main body 121 side. The toner supply device 6 includes a toner bottle 3 as a toner storage container.
8, a toner hopper portion 40 that receives the mouth portion 8, a bottle pedestal 42 that accommodates the toner bottle 38, and a toner hopper portion 40.
A bottle holding member 44 that is attached to the toner bottle 38 to rotate integrally with the toner bottle 38, an opening / closing means for switching the toner bottle stopper 68 to an open state or a closed state, and the stopper 68 is operated to open or closed state. Lever 84 to hold
And so on. The opening / closing means is, as will be described later, a collet chuck 70, a cylindrical case 72, and a shaft member 7.
6, a spring 82, a slide shaft 86, and the like.

In FIGS. 5 and 6, the developing device 10 has a developing sleeve 22, stirring screws 18, 20, a conveying screw 21, and the like. Stirring screws 18, 20
Is provided with a large number of 1/2 elliptical plates obliquely, and has a function of conveying the developer in the axial direction by the rotation thereof. The conveying screw 21 is a screw conveyor, which is not shown in FIG. 6, is arranged on the extension of the shaft 21a and along the side portion of the photoconductor 8, and the toner scraped by the cleaning blade 16 is used. Has a function of sending out in the direction of the shaft 21a. Shaft 21a and stirring roller 2 shown in FIG.
No. 0 shaft portion 20a is provided with pulleys, respectively, and a toner recycle belt indicated by reference numeral 26 in FIG. 5 is hung between these pulleys, and the circumference of the toner recycle belt 26 is indicated by reference numeral 25 in FIG. The cover is covered. Therefore, the toner that has been axially sent out by the conveying screw 21 in the space covered by the cover is sent to the stirring screw 20 side by the toner recycling belt 26 through the cylindrical portion 20b.

On the other hand, in FIG. 5, the stirring screw 20
New toner is supplied from the toner bottle 38 through the toner hopper 40 to the diagonally upper right portion of the. That is, the toner flowing out from the mouth portion 38g of the toner bottle 38 to the toner hopper portion 40 (arrow A) is pushed up by the pushing member 46 of the bottle holding member 44 (arrow B), and the opening 48 and the slit of the toner amount regulating member 50 are formed. It is adapted to be replenished diagonally above the stirring screw 20 through the hole 50a (arrow C). The subsequent flow of the new toner supplied to the stirring screw 20 will be described. In FIG. 6, the toner discharged from the slit hole 50a is sent in the direction of arrow M together with the toner from the toner recycling belt 26 by the rotation of the stirring screw 20. The end opening 1 of the partition plate 124
Transfer from 24a to the stirring screw 18 side. Then, the toner is supplied to the developing sleeve 22 while being fed in the direction of the arrow N by the rotation of the stirring screw 18. The remaining toner is further sent in the direction of arrow N, moved from the end opening 124b of the partition plate 124 to the stirring screw 20 side, and new toner from the toner bottle and the toner recycling belt 26 are transferred.
Merges with the toner from. While repeating the above cycle,
Development is performed.

The image forming operation is performed as follows. In FIG. 5, the photoconductor 8 is neutralized by the neutralization light, and the surface potential is averaged to a reference potential of 0 to −150V. Next, it is charged by the charger 12 and the surface potential becomes about -900V. Next, it is exposed to light from an exposure optical system provided on the lid 122 to form an electrostatic latent image. This electrostatic latent image is visualized by the toner supplied from the developing sleeve 22. The photoconductor 8 on which the toner image is formed is rotationally moved, and the toner image is transferred to a transfer sheet fed to a sheet feeding unit (not shown) by the transfer device 14.
Is transcribed at the site. The transfer sheet after transfer is fixed by the fixing unit and discharged. On the other hand, the photoconductor 8 after transfer is further rotated, the residual toner is removed by the cleaning blade 16, and the photoconductor 8 is used for the next image formation. As described above, the toner removed by the cleaning blade 16 is sent to the stirring screw 20 by the toner recycling belt 26 and the toner is recycled.

Here, the developing sleeve 22 has a fixed shaft in which a magnet with five poles is arranged, and the outer peripheral surface of the developing sleeve is covered with a non-magnetic pipe material. Moves on the developing sleeve 22. The developer is composed of small iron balls called carrier and toner.
It is an ingredient type. The developer is a stirring screw 18, 20
The toner circulates while being agitated, whereby the toner has an electric charge, is attached to the carrier, is carried to the surface of the photoconductor 8, and can be attached to the photoconductor 8 by the action of electrostatic force. Of the developer, the carrier circulates, but the toner adheres to the image portion on the photoconductor 8 and is consumed. Therefore, according to the output of the toner concentration sensor 28, the toner is replenished from the toner bottle 38. If the amount of the developer supplied to the photoconductor 8 is not constant, image density defects and density unevenness occur. Therefore, the doctor blade 24 is arranged to regulate the inflow amount of the developer.

The toner supply device 6 will be described. Figure 5
As shown in FIG.
0, and a bottle cradle 42 (see FIG. 6) for housing the toner bottle 38, and a toner hopper unit 4
A bottle holding member 44 that is attached to No. 0 and rotates integrally with the toner bottle 38 is provided.
4 has a plurality of pushing members 46. An opening portion 48 is formed in the toner hopper portion 40, and a replenishment amount regulating member 50 having elasticity for adjusting the toner replenishment amount is provided on the outer surface of the opening portion 48. Toner is ejected.

FIG. 9 shows a toner replenishing device 6 with a toner bottle 3
8 shows a state where 8 is attached. A gear 38i is integrally provided at a rear portion of the toner bottle 38, and when the toner replenishing device 6 is mounted, the gear 38i is a drive gear 42a provided at a rear portion of the bottle holder 42 (see FIG. (See FIGS. 8 and 20). The drive gear 42a receives power from a power system (not shown),
The toner bottle 38 is rotationally driven. On the inner wall surface of the toner bottle 38, there is a spiral protrusion (spiral line) toward the mouth side.
Is formed. By rotating the toner bottle, the toner is sent along the spiral line, and the toner is ejected from the opening 38g with the plug 68 opened.

Referring to FIGS. 10 and 11, a plurality of ribs 44a are integrally formed on the tip side of the bottle holding member 44, and the pushing member 46 is attached to these ribs 44a by a double-sided tape or the like. ing. Extruding member 46
Is made of an elastic material such as mylar or rubber. A rib 44c is formed on the inner wall surface of the bottle holding member 44, and the rib 44c is caught by a convex piece portion 38e provided on the mouth side of the toner bottle 38 so that both of them rotate integrally. There is.

Reference numeral 70 in FIGS. 8 and 10 to 13.
Is a collet chuck that grips and releases the stopper 68,
The shaft member 7 is built in the cylindrical case 72,
It is integrated with 6. Reference numeral 78 is a sealing material, reference numeral 80
Is a seal member, and reference numeral 82 is an extensible spring for pressing the cylindrical case 72 against the bottle holding member 44.

As shown in FIG. 4, the lever 84 has two shaft portions 84a at its base end, and these shaft portions 84a.
And a cam member 84b integrally formed therewith. 10 and 1
1, the shaft portion 84a is fitted and supported by the concave shaft support portion 42a formed on the side wall portion of the toner hopper portion 40, and is swingable. In this manner, with the lever 84 attached to the toner hopper 40, the collet chuck 70 is manually pushed in the direction of arrow F against the elasticity of the spring 82, and the hole 76a of the shaft member 76 is inserted into the cam 84b. Slide shaft 86 into hole 76a under the condition that it is on the arrow F side of
Insert and release the state that was pushed in by hand. Then, the movement of the cylindrical case 72 due to the elasticity of the spring 82 is blocked by the contact of the cylindrical case 72 with the bottle holding member 44, and a moment due to its own weight acts on the lever 84. As shown, the slide shaft 86 is maintained in a state of being engaged with the concave first click portion 84b-2. In FIG. 11, the cam member 84b includes a stopper portion 84b-1 and a first click portion 8
4b-2, an inclined surface portion 84b-3, an inclined surface portion 84b-4, a convex portion 84b-5, a second click portion 84b-6, and the like. The opening / closing means for opening / closing the stopper 68 is shown in FIG.
1, the collet chuck 70, the cylindrical case 72,
The shaft member 76, the spring 82, the slide shaft 86 and the like are main members.

As shown in FIG. 9, the toner bottle 38 is inserted into the hopper 40 at the mouth side thereof, and the shoulder portion thereof has the rib 44.
c, and the bottom of the toner bottle 38 is pressed by the spring 42g (see FIG. 6), so that the gear 38i and the gear 4
When the lever 84 is rotated in the clockwise direction under the state shown in FIG. 11 in which the bottle cradle 42 is correctly mounted in the state of being meshed with 2a and is still in the closed state, the sloped surface is The slide shaft 86 moves in the direction F along the portions 84b-3 and 84b-4, and the collet chuck 70 is closed by the protrusion 72a. In this process, the collet chuck 70 holds the plug 68 and pulls it out.

Further, the slide shaft 86 has a convex portion 84b-5.
When it is located at the second click portion 84b-6 after passing over the position, the plug 68 is opened as shown in FIG. 13, and even if the rotation of the lever 84 is stopped, the elasticity of the spring 82 causes the second click portion 84b-6 to move. The position of the slide shaft 86 is held. This state corresponds to the closing swing position in which the lever 84 is tilted as shown in FIG. In this opened state, the toner in the toner bottle 38 can be ejected into the toner hopper portion 40, and when the toner bottle 38 rotates, the toner in the toner bottle 38 rotates along the spiral line in accordance with this rotation. Flows out of the hopper 40. Then, due to the function of the pushing member 46, the toner is supplied to the developing device 10 through the slit hole 52a. The toner replenishment is performed by detecting the toner concentration in the developing device 10 with the toner concentration sensor 28. That is, when the detection value of the toner concentration sensor 28 becomes equal to or lower than the reference concentration, a drive system (not shown) is started, the gear 42a is rotated, the toner bottle 38 is rotated, and the toner is replenished.

When the lever 84 is returned so as to follow the reverse operation, the slide shaft 86 moves in the direction opposite to F,
In response to this movement, the cam portion 86b returns to the position shown in FIG. 12 in which the slide shaft 86 is located at the first click portion 84b-2 as shown in FIG. 11, and holds the plug 68 in the closed position. . In this way, the lever 84 acts on the opening / closing means according to the swinging dynamic position and the closing dynamical position, and holds the plug 68 in the open state as shown in FIG. , The plug 68 is kept closed as shown in FIG.

A procedure of toner bottle replacement work will be described. 1. As shown in FIG. 14, a new toner bottle 38 filled with toner is unplugged from the outside to prepare for mounting. Even when the plug 36h is removed, the toner bottle 38 still has the plug 68. 2. As shown in FIG. 15, the locking lever 2a that locks the lid 2 in the closed state is released, and the lid 2 is opened. This open state is held by the columns 125a and 125b as shown in FIG. At this time, as shown in FIG. 9, the lever 84 is in the collapsed swinging dynamic position, and the second click portion 84b-6.
The slide shaft 86 is held in the engaged state. 3. As shown in FIG. 16, the lever 84 is raised. In the process of this raising operation, the opening / closing means is switched to the closed state, and the slide shaft 86 is attached to the first click portion 84b-2.
Are held in the engaged state. At this time, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 11, the lever 84 is raised and is in the swinging dynamic position for closing the opening / closing means. 4. As shown in FIG. 17, the toner bottle 38 to be replaced, such as when it is empty, is removed from the toner replenishing device 6. 5. As shown in FIGS. 8 and 18, the new toner bottle 38 prepared in FIG. 14 is attached to the toner replenishing device 6. In the mounted state, the toner bottle 38 is accommodated in the bottle holder 42, the shoulder portion abuts and engages with the rib 44c as shown in FIG. 12, and the bottom portion has the spring 4 shown in FIG.
There is a relationship of being pressed by 2 g.

6. As shown in FIG. 19, the lever 84 is tilted to the swinging dynamic position. After that, the columns 125a, 12
The stopper of 5b is released and the lid 2 is closed. This allows
The toner can be supplied from the new toner bottle 38.

(2) Example of the Invention According to Claims 1 and 2 As shown in FIG. 9, the mouth side of the toner bottle 38 is placed in the hopper 4.
The toner bottle 38 is mounted on the bottle holder 42 in a state where the toner bottle 38 is inserted in the container 0. At this time, the toner bottle 3
The rear end of No. 8 is pressed by the spring 42g (FIG. 6), and the shoulder of the toner bottle is in contact with the rib 44c. Also, the gear 4
2a and the gear 38i are in mesh with each other. Further, the lever 84 is tilted as shown in FIGS. 9 and 1 and is in the swinging dynamic position. In this swinging dynamic position, the base end side of the lever 84 is held stationary by the slide shaft 86 engaging the second click portion 84b-6, and the outer lever 84 is tilted on the free end side. The handle portion 200
Is located near the peripheral surface of the toner bottle 38.
At the portion closer to the base end of the handle portion 200 on the free end side of the lever 84, the toner bottle 3 is
The plate-shaped hitting portion 2 is parallel to the plane orthogonal to the rotation axis direction of 8
02 is formed (see FIGS. 7, 8, 9, and 10).

On the other hand, a flange member 38L is formed on a part of the outer peripheral surface of the toner bottle 38 near the mouth side, and a protrusion 38K is formed on the side of the flange member 38L. Although the protrusion 38K rotates together with the toner bottle 38, the rotation locus of the protrusion 38K and the position of the hitting portion 202 formed on the lever 84 match each other. The hitting portion 202 of the lever 84 in the swinging dynamic position is in a relationship of periodically interfering with the protruding portion 38K of the rotating toner bottle 38. The lever 84 is made of an elastic member such as a synthetic resin material, and the free end side can be lifted by bending around the base end side as a fulcrum. Therefore, tapping section 2
Reference numeral 02 denotes a protrusion 38 in accordance with the rotating operation of the toner bottle 38.
It rides on K and falls on the toner bottle 38 when passing through the protrusion 38K. At the time of this fall, the hitting part 20
2 hits the outer peripheral surface of the toner bottle 38. Due to the impact and vibration when hitting, the toner staying in the toner bottle 38 is loosened, and the toner flows along the spiral stripe formed on the inner wall so that the toner replenishment is smoothly performed. The height of the protrusion 38K is set to a predetermined height so that the hitting function of the hitting portion 202 can be sufficiently exerted.

Here, the hitting portion 202 is connected to the toner bottle 38.
When the toner bottle 38 comes into contact with the outer periphery of the toner bottle 38, the toner bottle 38 comes into sliding contact with the toner bottle 38 when it rotates, which causes resistance when the toner bottle rotates. To be done. However, even if the hitting portion 202 is brought into the proximity (non-contact) to the toner bottle 38 as described above, it is still in the separated state. Therefore, it is difficult to hit the toner bottle 38 after getting over the protrusion 38K. . Therefore, the surface immediately after the protruding portion 38K (which is the surface that is hit by the hitting portion 202, so it will be referred to as the abutting surface hereinafter) is formed to have a size slightly larger than the distance between the hitting portions 202. If you do this,
Immediately after riding over the protrusion 38K, the hitting portion 202
Can hit this abutting surface (indicated by reference numeral 38Ka-3 in FIG. 2).

(3) Example of the invention according to claim 3 FIGS. 2 (a) and 2 which are schematically shown corresponding to FIG.
2B and FIG. 2C, the hitting portion 202 and the protruding portion 38
The modes of various combinations with K will be described. In the example shown in FIG. 2A, the hitting portion 202a has an angular contact portion with the protruding portion 38a. Then, the projection 38Ka corresponding thereto has an inclined surface 3 for smooth sliding contact with the hitting portion 202.
It has 8 Ka-1. The slope 38Ka-1 constitutes an upslope that becomes higher toward the upstream side in the rotation direction of the toner bottle, and is connected to a vertical rising surface thereafter with the top 38Ka-2 as the end. An abutting surface 38Ka-3 is formed behind this.

A hitting portion 202 which should collide with the protruding portion 38Ka
The corner portion of a is separated from the outer peripheral surface of the toner bottle 38 by h1 when the lever 84 is in the swinging dynamic position. When the height of the abutting surface 38Ka-3 from the outer peripheral surface of the toner bottle 38 is h3 and the height from the abutting surface 38Ka-3 to the top 38Ka-2 is h2, the hitting portion 202a hits the toner bottle 38. Must satisfy the condition of h1 <h3. Further, the larger the value of h2, the greater the impact when hitting the toner bottle 38, and the greater the effect of alleviating stagnant toner.

In the example shown in FIG. 2B, the protrusion 38Kb
Is composed of square protrusions. In order to smoothly slidably contact the hitting portion 202b with such a rectangular protrusion 38Kb, the hitting portion 202b has an inclined surface 202b whose slidable contact surface with the protrusion 28Kb is inclined with respect to the protrusion 38Kb.
2 is provided. Hitting part 2 that should collide with the protrusion 38Kb
When the lever 84 is in the swinging dynamic position, the tip portion of the inclined surface 202b-1 of 02b from the outer peripheral surface of the toner bottle 38 is h
They are separated by one. The height of the abutting surface 38Kb-3 from the outer peripheral surface of the toner bottle 38 is h3, the abutting surface 38Kb-3.
If the height from the top to the top 38Kb-2 is h2, in order to hit the toner bottle 38 by the hitting portion 202b,
It is necessary to satisfy the condition of h1 <h3. Also, h2
The larger the value of, the greater the impact when hitting the toner bottle 38, and the greater the effect of alleviating the stagnant toner.

In the example shown in FIG. 2C, the hitting portion 202a
2A and the example of FIG. 2B for the protrusion 38Ka are combined. The dimensional relationship of h1, h2, and h3 conforms to the above-described example, and thus the description thereof is omitted.

(3) Reference Example 1 In FIG. 3, the protrusion 38Ka has an inclined surface 38Ka-1. The slope 38Ka-1 constitutes an upslope that becomes higher toward the upstream side in the rotation direction of the toner bottle, and its top 38Ka-2 is the end, and the trailing face 38Ka connected to the abutting face 38Ka-3 thereafter. -4. This falling surface 38Ka-4 is a slope 38
It is preferable that the angle with Ka-1 is acute. By doing this, the slope 38Ka-1
The hitting part that falls from the top through the top 38Ka-2 is prevented from interfering with the falling surface 38Ka-3 on the way.

However, as long as the slope 38Ka-4 is on the slope 38Ka-1 side of the falling trajectory of the hitting portion, the slope 38Ka-4 does not necessarily have to be an acute angle as described above.

(4) Reference Example 2 In FIG. 3, the falling surface 38Ka-4 is not made to form an acute angle with the slope 38Ka-1 as shown in the drawing, and the extension of the falling surface is formed in the toner bottle. It may be a surface facing the center O of 38. FIG. 20 shows an example thereof. Normally, even with a trailing surface constituted by such a surface toward the center O, the hitting portion does not interfere with the trailing surface during the fall and the falling speed is not reduced. The inclined surface 38Ka-1 is constituted by a tangent plane connected to the outer peripheral surface of the toner bottle 38 or a curved surface (shown by a broken line) along the tangent plane as shown in FIG. 3, and the hitting portion 202 is smoothly apex 38Ka. -After leading to -2,
Can be dropped.

[0037]

According to the present invention, the peripheral surface of a toner bottle which is mounted on a toner replenishing device and rotates is periodically struck by a slamming portion provided on a lever, whereby the toner stagnation in the toner bottle is struck. The toner can be loosened, and the entire toner can be ejected from the mouth side without leaving the toner in the toner bottle.

In particular, the invention according to claim 1 can provide a toner replenishing device capable of obtaining such a hitting effect ,
請 Motomeko can provide a toner replenishing device and the toner bottle can be obtained according tapping effect on the invention of the second aspect, the invention of claim 3, wherein as possible out to lead to the projection of the smooth toner bottle tapping unit.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view illustrating a configuration of a toner bottle and a peripheral portion in a state of being attached to a toner replenishing device.

FIG. 2 is a partial front view illustrating an example of various combinations of a hitting portion and a protruding portion.

FIG. 3 is a front view illustrating the form of a protrusion formed on the toner bottle.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view illustrating a state where the lid of the image forming apparatus is opened.

FIG. 5 is a front view illustrating a process unit of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a process unit of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view of a lever.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts for explaining the toner supply device of the image forming apparatus together with the toner bottle.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view illustrating a process unit of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 10 is an exploded perspective view of the toner replenishing device.

FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view of an essential part of an opening / closing means section.

FIG. 12 is an end view of a main part when the opening / closing means opens the toner bottle stopper.

FIG. 13 is an end view of the main part when the opening / closing means closes the stopper of the toner bottle.

FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for replacing a toner bottle.

FIG. 15 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for replacing a toner bottle.

FIG. 16 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for replacing a toner bottle.

FIG. 17 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for replacing a toner bottle.

FIG. 18 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for replacing a toner bottle.

FIG. 19 is a diagram illustrating a procedure for replacing a toner bottle.

FIG. 20 is a schematic configuration diagram when the toner bottle is viewed from the rotation axis direction.

[Explanation of symbols]

38K protrusion 200 lever 202 hitting part

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] 1. A toner bottle is detachably mounted on a bottle pedestal in a state in which the mouth side of a toner bottle having a spiral line extending from the bottom side to the mouth side is formed in an inner wall portion is inserted into a hopper. Means for rotationally driving the toner bottle in the mounted state, opening / closing means for switching the stopper of the toner bottle in the mounted state to the open state or the closed state, and one end between the swing dynamic position and the close dynamic position The side is a fulcrum, and the position is displaced, and according to the position displacement, the opening / closing means is acted to open the plug at the swinging dynamic position, and the plug is closed at the closing dynamical position. In a toner replenishing device having levers for holding the respective toner bottles, in accordance with a rotating operation of the toner bottle in the mounted state, the toner bottle is slidably brought into contact with a protrusion formed on a peripheral surface of the toner bottle and rides on the protrusion. Fall from the height of The toner replenishing device is characterized in that the hitting member for hitting the peripheral surface of the toner bottle is provided on the free end side of the lever opposite to the fulcrum. 2. A toner bottle is detachably mounted on a bottle holder with the mouth side of a toner bottle having a wall extending from the bottom side to the mouth side is inserted into a hopper, Means for rotationally driving the toner bottle in the mounted state, opening / closing means for switching the stopper of the toner bottle in the mounted state to the open state or the closed state, and one end between the swing dynamic position and the close dynamic position The side is a fulcrum, and the position is displaced, and according to the position displacement, the opening / closing means is acted to open the plug at the swinging dynamic position, and the plug is closed at the closing dynamical position. have a lever for holding respectively, in accordance with the rotation of the toner bottle in said mounted state, before
The protrusion is formed by slidingly contacting the protrusion formed on the peripheral surface of the toner bottle.
Guided to the starting part, lifted to a predetermined height and dropped
However, the impact of this drop may cause the peripheral surface of the toner bottle to
Strike the striking member freely on the opposite side of the fulcrum of the lever.
The toner replenishing device provided on the end side and a part of the lever when the toner bottle rotates.
The slapping part formed on the surface is slid and lifted.
And then drop it abruptly.
Attach the protrusion that hits the peripheral surface of the bottle to the outside of the toner bottle.
Do not combine with the toner bottle formed on the peripheral surface.
A toner replenishing device and a toner bottle. 3. The toner replenishing device and toner according to claim 2.
In the bottle, both the hitting portion and the protruding portion or what
On either side, smooth the slidable contact between the hitting part and the protruding part.
The toner replenishing device and the toner bottle, wherein that you have provided an inclined surface for performing the.