JP3631027B2 - Toner supply container - Google Patents

Description

[0001]
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a toner supply container used for supplying toner to a developing device of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.
[0002]
Here, the electrophotographic image forming apparatus is an object that forms an image on a recording medium using an electrophotographic image forming system. Examples of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (for example, a laser beam printer, an LED printer, etc.), a facsimile machine, a word processor, and the like.
[0003]
[Prior art]
Conventionally, fine powder toner is used as a developer in an image forming apparatus such as an electrostatic copying machine or a printer. When the developer in the main body of the image forming apparatus is consumed, toner is supplied to the image forming apparatus using a toner supply container. A toner replenishing container (developer replenishing container) seals a cylindrical or rectangular parallelepiped container body generally made of synthetic resin or the like and an opening that is open to replenish toner from the container body to the developing device. The sealing member and the stirring and conveying member that conveys the toner from the inside of the container main body toward the opening. In addition, a process cartridge is also manufactured in which a toner supply container is integrated with a photosensitive drum, a cleaning device, a charger, and the like and is used by being placed on the main body of the image forming apparatus.
[0004]
Since the toner is a very fine powder, there has been a problem that the toner is scattered during the toner replenishment operation, and the operator and surroundings are soiled. For this reason, a method has been proposed in which the toner supply container is also placed on the image forming apparatus main body in the same manner as the process cartridge, and the toner is discharged from the opening.
[0005]
FIG. 11 shows a known toner supply container 1021. This is generally cylindrical and has a relatively small toner discharge opening 1023C on the cylindrical surface at one end thereof. A spiral toner agitating / conveying member 1024 is provided inside the container, and is configured to pass through the wall surface of the container end to transmit driving from the outside of the container.
[0006]
12 and 13 show a known toner supply container. This is configured such that the toner in the toner replenishing container is sent to the left in the drawing by a screw-like conveying member 12 and falls from a toner discharge port 11a provided on the lower surface of the container end. A stirring member 14 is rotatably housed in the container main body 11, and a plurality of claws projecting from the sprocket 13 attached to the end of the conveying member 12 and the corresponding end of the stirring member 14. 14 a is engaged with the rotation of the conveying member 12 so that the stirring member 14 rotates. Both of these toner replenishing containers are used while attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus, and the toner stirring and conveying member is rotated by driving from the main body side to convey the toner, and the toner is discharged little by little from the opening. ing.
[0007]
[Problems to be solved by the invention]
However, the conventional example has the following problems.
[0008]
Since the toner replenishing container has an agitating / conveying member inside the container, a force is applied to the toner by rubbing between the agitating / conveying member and the inner surface of the container, and a very small amount of coarse particles (coarse particles) are generated by being melted and fixed. There is a fear.
[0009]
The present invention is a further development of the prior art, and an object of the present invention is to provide a toner replenishing container that has less residual toner when the toner replenishing container is used up and that suppresses the generation of toner coarse particles.
[0010]
[Means for solving problems]
The main present invention will be described below with numbers corresponding to the claims.
[0011]
According to a first aspect of the present application, there is provided a container body having an opening for containing and discharging toner, a screw-like conveying member built in the container body for conveying toner toward the opening, and the opening. A toner replenishing container that is detachable from the image forming apparatus, and the rotational force received by the sealing member at the position where the opening is opened is conveyed through the opening. The toner replenishing container is configured such that the toner can be discharged from the opening by being transmitted to the member, and the tip of the blade part contacting the inner surface of the container main body of the conveying member is formed of an elastic body .
[0012]
A second invention according to the present application is the toner supply container according to the first invention, wherein the entire blade portion of the conveying member is formed of an elastic body having a bending elastic modulus of 20 to 10,000 MPa .
[0014]
DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION
Embodiment 1
[Toner container body]
FIGS. 1 to 4 show drawings of an embodiment of a toner supply container to which the present invention is applied. 1 is a side view, FIG. 2 is a side sectional view, FIG. 3 is a front view seen from the right side of FIG. 1, and FIG. 4 is a front sectional view. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a toner container main body having a discharge port 1a for discharging toner at the lower part of the side wall on one end side and a bearing portion 1b inside the side wall on the other end side. Bearing portions 1c and 1d are provided above the toner discharge portion 1a and the bearing portion 1b. The toner container body 1 is preferably made of plastic by a method such as injection molding, blow molding, injection blow molding or the like, but other materials or manufacturing methods may be used. The toner container main body 1 is preferably formed integrally, but it may be divided into two or more parts and integrated by means such as welding or adhesion.
[0015]
[Conveying member]
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 2 denotes a conveying member, which has a screw shape having screw blades 2e on the outer periphery of the screw shaft 2d. One shaft end 2a of the screw shaft 2e of the conveying member 2 has a square cross section or other suitable shape so as to receive rotational driving from the image forming apparatus main body side. The opposite non-driving side shaft end portion 2b is fitted into a stopper member 2c that is fitted into the bearing portion 1b of the toner container main body 1. The conveying member 2 is also preferably formed by integrally forming the plastic by a method such as injection molding. However, other materials or manufacturing methods may be used, and the material may be divided into two or more parts and welded. You may take the method of integrating by means, such as adhesion | attachment.
[0016]
FIG. 5 is an enlarged side view of a conveying member to which the embodiment of the present invention is applied. In the conveying member 2, an elastic body 8 is provided over the entire length of the screw at the outer peripheral tip of the screw blade 2e of the screw. The thickness of the elastic body 8 is set so that the conveying member 2 comes into contact with the inner surface of the toner container main body 1 when rotating and discharging. The material of the elastic body 8 is preferably low density in consideration of the sliding contact pressure between the inner surface of the toner container main body 1 and the conveying member 2, the rotational torque of the conveying member 2, and the like, specifically, 30 to 50 kg / m ^3. It is preferable that it is a grade. In this embodiment, a foamed material such as low-foam polyurethane was used as the material of the elastic body 8, but other specific examples include rubbers such as silicon and urethane, polystyrene-based, polyolefin-based, polyurethane-based, polyester-based, polyamide-based, etc. These are thermoplastic elastomers or sponges. These elastic bodies are simply and preferably integrally formed with the conveying member by two-color molding, but may be integrally formed with the conveying member by insert molding or integrated by means such as adhesion. Further, the sliding portion between the stirring member 2 and the toner container main body 1 prevents the toner from entering by the seal member 5.
[0017]
[Sealing member]
In FIG. 2, 3 is a sealing member, and its detailed shape is shown in FIGS. A square hole 3 a corresponding to the shape of the shaft end 2 a of the conveying member 2 is provided on the side of the sealing member 3 facing the toner container main body 1. The square hole 3a is formed to be slightly larger than the shaft end 2a of the transport member 2, and the shaft end 2a is loosely fitted in the hole 3a, locked to each other in the rotation direction of the transport member 2, and the axis line It is configured to be movable with respect to each other. Coupling engagement portions 3b are formed on the other side surface of the sealing member 3, and four spline-like projections 3c are provided on the outer surface thereof. There is a locking projection 3d at the tip of the coupling engaging portion 3c.
The sealing member 3 is preferably manufactured by a method such as injection molding, but other materials or manufacturing methods may be used. Since the sealing member 3 is press-fitted into the discharge port 1a and hermetically seals it, an appropriate elasticity is required. The material is most preferably low-density polyethylene, and then polypropylene, nylon, high-density polyethylene, etc. are preferably used. it can.
[0018]
[Stirring member]
In FIG. 2, reference numeral 4 denotes an agitating member built in the toner supply container main body according to the embodiment of the present invention. In the bearing portion 1c of the toner container main body 1, the coupling member 4b coupled to the one end 4a of the stirring member 4 has an engaging claw 4c (see FIG. 3) that can transmit the rotational driving force from the image forming apparatus main body side. Shape or other suitable shape. The other end 4d is fitted with a stopper member 4e fitted to the bearing portion 1d of the toner container main body 1. For the stirring member 4, it is simple and preferable that the plastic is integrally formed by a method such as injection molding. However, other materials or manufacturing methods may be used, and the material may be divided into two or more parts. May be integrated by means such as welding and adhesion. Further, the sliding portion between the stirring member 4 and the toner container main body 1 prevents the toner from entering by the seal members 6 and 7.
[0019]
[Assembling the toner supply container]
After the conveying member 2 and the agitating member 4 are assembled in the toner container main body 1 and the opening is sealed with the sealing member 3, the toner container main body 1 is filled with a predetermined amount of toner to complete the toner supply container. As described above, the assembly of the toner replenishing container is very simple, and the number of assembling steps is very small.
[0020]
[Toner discharge]
When the toner container body 1 is mounted on the image forming apparatus, the locking protrusion 3d at the tip of the sealing member 3 is locked by a locking member (not shown) on the image forming apparatus side, and the discharge port of the toner container body 1 It is detached from 1a and held. At this time, the engaging relationship in the rotational direction between the conveying member 2 and the sealing member 3 is maintained as it is.
[0021]
Further, the sealing member 3 engages with a coupling member (not shown) on the image forming apparatus side at the coupling engaging portion 3b. The coupling member receives rotational driving from a driving source (not shown) such as a motor on the image forming apparatus side via a drive transmission means (not shown) such as a gear, and this is sealed by engagement with the spline-shaped protrusion 3c. It is transmitted to the stop member 3 and further transmitted to the conveying member 2 by the engagement between the square hole 3 a and the shaft end 2 a of the conveying member 2. Similarly, the coupling member 4b that mates with the one end 4a of the stirring member 4 mates with a coupling member (not shown) on the image forming apparatus side. The coupling member on the image forming apparatus side is rotationally driven from a driving source (not shown) such as a motor on the image forming apparatus side via a drive transmission means (not shown) such as a gear, and this is engaged with the engaging claw 4c. At the same time, it is transmitted to the stirring member 4. The rotational speeds of the conveying member 2 and the agitating member 4 were set to 52 rotations / minute and 10 rotations / minute, respectively.
[0022]
When the agitating member 4 is rotated, the toner that has been agglomerated due to vibration during transportation or long-term storage is released, and further, the toner is conveyed toward the discharge port 1a by the rotation of the transfer member 2, and discharged and dropped from the discharge port 1a. Then, it is supplied to a developing device (not shown) in the image forming apparatus.
[0023]
As described above, the toner discharge experiment was performed using the toner supply container having the above-described configuration. The toner container main body 1 was filled with toner, and the toner was discharged by setting the rotation speed of the stirring member 4 to 10 rotations / minute and the rotation speed of the conveying member 2 to 52 rotations / minute. After the experiment, the amount of coarse particles generated from the toner discharged from the toner container body 1 was confirmed using a sieve (aperture 75 μm, manufactured by SUS), but no coarse particles were observed. The amount of residual toner in the toner replenishing container is 5 g. As a result of a discharge experiment using the toner container main body 1 provided with a conveying member that does not slide on the inner surface of the toner container main body 1, the residual toner amount is about 30 g. Accordingly, it was confirmed that the residual toner was reduced by providing the elastic member 8 on the conveying member 2. The initial rotation torque of the conveying member was 4 kgf · cm. Further, assuming that the toner has hardened in the toner container main body, a discharging experiment was performed after tapping the toner supply container filled with the toner. The tapping was performed by fixing the toner replenishing container filled with toner to the tapping stand in a posture to discharge, and allowing the tapping stand to freely drop 1000 times continuously at a height of 10 mm and a vibration frequency of 2 Hz. As a result, with respect to the generation of coarse particles and the amount of residual toner, the same results as in the case where tapping was not performed were obtained. However, although the initial rotational torque of the stirring member 4 slightly increased to about 5 kgf · cm, it was not at a level that would cause an excessive load on the drive source.
[0024]
Further, a toner container main body 1 provided with a conveying member 2 using, as a material of the elastic body 8, a rubber such as silicon or urethane, a thermoplastic elastomer such as polystyrene, polyolefin, polyurethane, polyester or polyamide, and a sponge, is provided. As a result of conducting a discharge experiment, the same results as in the case of using a foam such as low-foam polyurethane with respect to the generation of coarse particles, the amount of residual toner, and the initial rotation torque of the stirring member were obtained.
<< Embodiment 2 >>
The description about the member of the same function as Embodiment 1 is used.
[0025]
[Conveying member]
FIG. 8 is an enlarged side view of the conveying member according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. The entire screw blade portion of the screw of the conveying member 2 is composed of the elastic body 8. The outer diameter of the elastic body 8 is configured such that the conveying member 2 comes into contact with the inner surface of the toner container main body 1 when rotating and discharging. The material of the elastic body 8 is specifically polystyrene, polyolefin, polyurethane, polyester, taking into account the conveyance capacity, the sliding contact pressure between the inner surface of the toner container body 1 and the conveyance member 2, the rotational torque of the conveyance member 2, and the like. And thermoplastic elastomers such as polyamide and polyamide, and the flexural modulus is preferably about 20 to 10,000 MPa. Further, it is more preferable to use one having a pressure of 50 to 500 MPa. Other specific examples of the material of the elastic body 8 include rubbers such as silicon and urethane, foams such as low foam polyurethane, or sponges. In this example, a polyolefin-based thermoplastic elastomer was used.
[0026]
These elastic bodies 8 are preferably integrally molded with the conveying member 2 by two-color molding, but are integrally molded with the conveying member 2 by insert molding using a glass-filled resin as the material of the screw shaft 2d, You may take the method of integrating by means, such as adhesion | attachment.
[0027]
As described above, the toner discharge experiment was performed using the toner supply container having the above-described configuration under the same conditions as those in the first embodiment. As a result, no coarse particles were observed as in the first embodiment. Since the amount of residual toner in the toner container main body 1 was about 5 g as in the first embodiment, the residual toner reduction effect by providing the elastic member 8 on the conveying member 2 was confirmed. The initial rotation torque of the conveying member 2 was 5 kgf · cm.
[0028]
Further, as in the first embodiment, the toner supply container filled with the toner was tapped 1000 times, and then the discharge experiment was performed. As a result, with respect to the generation of coarse particles and the amount of residual toner, the same results as in the case where tapping was not performed were obtained. However, the initial rotational torque of the stirring member 4 slightly increased to about 6 kgf · cm, but was not at a level that would cause an excessive load on the drive source.
[0029]
Further, as a result of a discharge experiment using the toner container main body 1 provided with a conveying member 2 using a thermoplastic elastomer such as polystyrene, polyurethane, polyester, polyamide, etc. as the material of the elastic body 8, as a result of generation of coarse particles, With respect to the amount of remaining toner and the initial rotational torque of the stirring member 4, the same results as in the case of using a polyolefin-based thermoplastic elastomer were obtained.
[0030]
<< Embodiment 3 >>
The description about the member of the same function as Embodiment 1 is used.
[0031]
[Conveying member]
9 and 10 show a side surface and a cross-sectional enlarged view of a conveying member to which Embodiment 3 of the present invention is applied. The elastic body 8 is continuously attached to the surface of the screw blade 2e portion of the screw of the conveying member 2 over the entire length of the screw blade 2e. The outer diameter of the elastic body 8 is configured such that the conveying member 2 comes into contact with the inner surface of the toner container main body 1 when rotating and discharging. Examples of the material of the elastic body 8 include a sheet-like material having flexibility, specifically, rubbers such as silicone and urethane, and plastic resins such as polyester, polypropylene, nylon, and polyethylene. The thickness of the elastic body 8 is preferably 50 μm to 100 μm in consideration of the sliding contact pressure between the inner surface of the toner container main body 1 and the conveying member 2, the rotational torque of the conveying member 2, and the like. In this embodiment, 100 μm urethane rubber is used.
[0032]
The elastic body 8 is preferably integrated with the conveying member 8 by means such as adhesion. However, as shown in FIG. 9, the elastic body 8 is continuously bonded to the conveying member 8 as shown in FIG. You may take the method to do. As shown in FIG. 10, in this example, the case of the elastic body 8 in which one pitch of the screw of the conveying member 2 is divided into four is shown.
[0033]
As described above, the toner discharge experiment was performed using the toner supply container having the above-described configuration under the same conditions as those in the first embodiment. As a result, no coarse particles were observed as in the first embodiment. Since the amount of residual toner in the toner container main body 1 was about 5 g as in the first embodiment, the residual toner reduction effect by providing the elastic member 8 on the conveying member 2 was confirmed. The initial rotation torque of the conveying member 2 was 3 kgf · cm.
[0034]
Further, as in the first embodiment, a toner supply container filled with toner was tapped 1000 times, and then a discharge experiment was performed. As a result, with respect to the generation of coarse particles and the amount of residual toner, the same results as in the case where tapping was not performed were obtained. However, although the initial rotational torque of the stirring member 4 slightly increased to about 4 kgf · cm, it was not at a level that would cause an excessive load on the drive source.
[0035]
Further, as a result of a discharge experiment using a toner container body 1 provided with a conveying member 2 using silicone rubber and plastic resin such as polyester, polypropylene, nylon, polyethylene, etc. as the material of the elastic body 8, as a result of occurrence of coarse particles, The same results as in the case of using urethane rubber with respect to the toner amount and the initial rotational torque of the stirring member 4 were obtained.
[0036]
【The invention's effect】
As described above, the following effects can be obtained by the above-described toner supply container configuration.
(1) While reducing the cost by reducing the number of members constituting the toner replenishing container, it is possible to suppress the coarsening of the toner even when the toner conveying capability of the conveying member is increased.
(2) The amount of toner remaining in the container body is reduced.
(3) The rotational torque of the conveying member is reduced.
[Brief description of the drawings]
Embodiments of the present invention are shown except for FIG. 11, FIG. 12, and FIG.
FIG. 1 is a side view of a toner supply container.
FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of FIG.
FIG. 3 is a front view of FIG. 1 viewed from the right side.
4 is a front cross-sectional view of FIG. 1. FIG.
5 is a partial side view of a conveying member according to Embodiment 1. FIG.
FIG. 6 is a side view of a sealing member.
FIG. 7 is a front view of a sealing member.
FIG. 8 is a partial side view of a conveying member according to a second embodiment.
FIG. 9 is a partial side view of the third embodiment.
10 is a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the axis of FIG. 9;
FIG. 11 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional example.
FIG. 12 is a longitudinal sectional view of a conventional example.
FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view of a conventional example.
[Explanation of symbols]
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Toner replenishing container main body 1a ... Toner discharge port 1b, 1c, 1d ... Bearing part 2 ... Conveying member 2a ... Drive source side end 2b ... Non-drive source side end 2c ... Stopper member 2d ... Screw shaft 2e ... Screw blade DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 3 ... Sealing member 3a ... Square hole 3b ... Coupling engagement part 3c ... Spline-like protrusion 3d ... Locking protrusion 4 ... Stirring member 4a ... One end of drive source side 4b ... Coupling member 4c ... Engagement claw 4d ... Non-drive Source-side other end 4e ... Stopper member 5 ... Seal member 6 ... Seal member 7 ... Seal member 8 ... Elastic body

Claims (2)

A container main body having an opening for containing and discharging toner, a screw-like conveying member built in the container main body for conveying toner toward the opening, and a sealing member for sealing the opening to be openable In a toner supply container that is detachable from the image forming apparatus,
The toner is discharged from the opening by transmitting the rotational force received by the sealing member at the position where the opening is opened to the conveying member through the opening, and contacts the inner surface of the container body of the conveying member. A toner replenishing container, characterized in that an end of a blade part is made of an elastic body. 2. The toner replenishing container according to claim 1, wherein the entire blade portion of the conveying member is formed of an elastic body having a bending elastic modulus of 20 to 10,000 MPa.