JP4027952B2 - Toner cartridge - Google Patents

Description

  BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a printer of a copying machine, particularly an electrophotographic color printer, a developing unit used therefor, and a toner cartridge for supplying toner to a developing device provided in the developing unit, in particular, a dry toner supplying cartridge. .

A developing unit of an image forming apparatus such as a printer of an electrophotographic copying machine includes a developing unit that develops an electrostatic latent image and a toner cartridge that replenishes the developing unit with toner consumed by the development. In the toner cartridge, in order to smoothly supply the toner to the developing unit, it is necessary to prevent blocking of the toner contained in the developing unit.
As one of the measures for preventing blocking of the toner, an agitator plate that moves forward and backward with a dispense roll as a drive source is disposed in the toner box as described in JP-A-63-206783. Then, the toner is moved forward and backward integrally with the agitator plate, and the toner is brought into contact with a plurality of wires provided on the upper side of the agitator plate, whereby a predetermined impact force is applied to the toner accommodated in the toner box. There has been proposed a “toner supply device” which prevents toner blocking in the toner box. In addition, with respect to prevention of blocking of toner in the toner cartridge, there is known a method of loosening agglomerated toner by stirring the toner with a paddle.

JP-A 63-206783

  Toner cartridges tend to be smaller in installation space as copiers and printers become smaller. FIG. 22 shows an example of a color printer as an image forming apparatus. In this color printer 130, an image forming unit 109 including a plurality (four in this case) of image forming units each having a photoconductor for each color is juxtaposed in the horizontal direction. The sheet 103 is fed from the sheet feeding unit 4 and passes through registration rollers 105 on the transfer belt 106 with Y (yellow), M (magenta), and C (cyan) toner images, and in some cases. After the K (black) toner image is combined, it passes through the fixing unit 107 and is discharged out of the apparatus as a color copy.

  The configuration of one developing unit 110 of the image forming unit 109 of the color printer 1 is shown in FIG. The developing unit 110 is configured to form, for example, a Y (yellow) toner image. In FIG. 23, the photosensitive member 121 from which the residual toner is removed by the cleaning unit 122 as the photosensitive member 121 rotates is shown in FIG. After the surface of the photosensitive member 121 is uniformly charged by the charging roller 123, a pattern corresponding to the Y image is written on the surface of the photosensitive member 121 by the LED array 124. A Y-color toner image is formed. A toner replenishing roller 128 is provided at the lower end of the toner hopper 126, and the toner 127 is replenished in the vicinity of the developing roller 129 by its own weight like sand of an hourglass.

  Here, the width Le of the image forming system for one color described above is determined by the configuration width of one developing unit 110. However, when attention is paid to the developing system, the width Lc of the toner cartridge (here, the toner hopper 126) is reduced. By forming the toner cartridge in a flat shape, the area occupied by the image forming system can be reduced, and the printer 130 can be miniaturized.

  For this reason, in a device in which a plurality of developing units are arranged close to each other, such as a color copying machine or a color printer, a plurality of toner cartridges having a capacity as large as possible can be effectively arranged in a limited space. In order to achieve this, a toner cartridge formed in a flat shape is installed in the horizontal direction, and when developing a plurality of colors, a toner cartridge provided in the vertical direction is used.

  However, in such a flat toner cartridge, the contained toner does not naturally fall toward the developing unit, so that the contained toner in the toner cartridge can be replenished only slightly. For this reason, in such a flat toner cartridge installed in a substantially horizontal direction, it is necessary to dispose toner in the toner cartridge and forcibly replenish the contained toner.

  However, disposing the toner conveying means in the toner cartridge results in a reduction in the toner capacity of the toner cartridge. Accordingly, it is desirable that the toner conveying means can replenish the toner contained in the toner cartridge as much as possible without reducing the toner contained in the toner cartridge as much as possible.

  In addition, the conventional mechanism for preventing toner blocking cannot sufficiently loosen the agglomerated toner. In particular, in a color developing and developing apparatus, the color toner has a small particle size and tends to agglomerate, resulting in poor fluidity. As a result, the toner conveyance becomes unstable and the image quality deteriorates.

The present invention is intended to provide a toner cartridge that can reliably撹拌to Rukoto internal toner small number of parts simple structure.

In order to achieve the above object, a toner cartridge according to a first aspect of the present invention is a toner cartridge installed substantially horizontally, which is disposed away from the floor surface of the toner cartridge body and reciprocates at a position facing the floor surface. And a reciprocating means for reciprocating the flat plate , and a through hole having a portion formed obliquely with respect to the reciprocating direction. the is characterized in that provided.

According to a second aspect of the present invention , in the toner cartridge of the first aspect, the toner cartridge includes a protrusion provided on a lower surface of the flat plate and a cam provided on the floor surface, and the protrusion is reciprocated during the reciprocating motion. It rides on the cam and the flat plate is displaced in the vertical direction .

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the toner cartridge according to the first or second aspect, the toner cartridge includes a toner amount detecting unit that detects a toner amount, and the flat plate conveys the toner toward the toner amount detecting unit. Features.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, the toner cartridge is installed substantially horizontally, is disposed away from the floor surface of the toner cartridge main body, and agitates the toner by reciprocating motion at a position facing the floor surface. And a flat plate for conveying the toner, and a reciprocating means for performing the reciprocating motion of the flat plate , and a through hole having a portion formed obliquely with respect to the reciprocating direction is provided in the flat plate. The toner deposited on the flat plate appropriately passes through the through hole and moves to the lower side of the flat plate, so that the toner can be efficiently stirred and transported .
According to the first aspect of the present invention, since the flat plate is disposed apart from the floor surface, the toner on the floor surface can be stirred and dispersed and conveyed.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, since the toner amount detecting means for detecting the toner amount is provided and the flat plate conveys the toner toward the toner amount detecting means, the toner amount in the toner cartridge can be reliably set. It can be detected.

If the door toner reservoir to so that provided in the central portion of the floor surface, it is possible to supply toner from the central portion of the toner cartridge to the outside, the degree of freedom in design of the toner cartridge is increased.

If so as to get over the partition wall member by moving member so as to push the toner in the toner reservoir, the toner remaining in the toner cartridge when the toner end can be reduced, the toner can be used up without waste.

By the reciprocating motion of the flat plate so that the packing of the toner can be easily prevented.

If the air blowing means blows air, the toner can be efficiently loosened and the loosened toner can be hardly aggregated.

If air blowing means to blow air into the toner in the toner reservoir or near the can further loosen efficiently and reliably toner.

If so complement supply means also serves as a reciprocating unit, it can reduce the driving force from outside and it is possible to reduce the number of parts as compared with a case for a separate reciprocating means and replenishing means, a simple structure Can reciprocate the flat plate. Since the number of parts is small, it is easy to assemble and disassemble and can be easily reused, and a small and inexpensive toner cartridge can be realized without reducing the volume.

If the forward backward means as provided in the toner cartridge outside, thereby improving the degree of freedom of design.

If the toner on the flat plates so as to fall from the flat plate is moved relative to the flat plate by the toner moving member, to eliminate the residual toner on the plate, until the end can be used up toner.

If a flat plate is to be substantially parallel to the reciprocating motion with the floor surface, since supplying the toner to the supply means side, it is possible to the toner cartridge and the flat shape, to minimize the space of installation and storage of the toner cartridge can do. Further, when the toner cartridge moves in the flat and horizontally long toner cartridge, the resistance by the toner can be relatively reduced, and the energy consumption of the reciprocating means can be reduced. Reducing the resistance due to the toner is particularly effective when stirring and loosening the color toner that tends to aggregate with a small particle size.

If so having engaged portion flat plate is engaged with the displacement means, it is possible to integrally engaged portion and the flat plate, inexpensive, can provide a toner cartridge of a small space.

And Displacement means are provided in the floor, if such projections form a engaged portion, it is not necessary to particularly specify engaged portion, since the displacement means toner cartridge and can be integrally molded, yet inexpensive A small space toner cartridge can be provided.

If so engaging portion is provided on the rotation axis of the supply means, it can be displaced a plate up and down by the rotation of the rotating shaft.

If the engagement portion is provided outside the toner cartridge, the degree of freedom in design is increased.

If the displacement of means to integrally molded on the ceiling surface of the toner cartridge main body, it can be displaced up and down a plate in the toner cartridge outside with a simple structure, the degree of freedom in design is increased.

If so it is possible to select whether or not to displace the flat vertically by the movable Displacement means, or move only in a substantially horizontal direction a plate in accordance with the state of the toner, the vertical direction It is possible to select whether or not to perform displacement.

Etc. If the applied toner is full in the toner cartridge, even in a state as the flat plate is subjected to excessive resistance with toner during reciprocation, if as the shape of a flat plate is telescopic, buffering the resistance And since the drive load of a flat plate can be reduced, a reciprocating means can be comprised small and cheap, and energy consumption can be reduced.

If so it is possible to configure the displacement of means only the support member, it is possible to provide an inexpensive toner cartridge capable of performing displacement in the reciprocating and down in a simple configuration.

The upper Quito toner cartridge and which can provide a developing unit including a developing device which is supplied with toner.

Further, by providing the air blowing mechanism, it is possible to provide a developing unit in which the toner in the developing device is efficiently loosened.

Also, it is subjected Hisage an electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on a latent electrostatic image bearing member and the electrostatic latent image bearing member is developed by the developing device which is supplied with toner by the toner cartridge it can.

Further, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus having an image bearing means which transfers the toner image on the current image unit and an electrostatic latent image bearing member.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below based on examples.

  FIG. 1 shows an example of a toner cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention, a developing unit including the toner cartridge, and a vertical color printer as an image forming apparatus including the toner unit. In the color printer 1, an image forming unit 2 including a plurality of (in this case, four) developing units each having a photoconductor for each color is juxtaposed in the vertical direction. The sheet 3 is fed from the sheet feeding unit 4 and transferred onto the transfer belt 6 as an image carrying means to which the toner image is transferred via the registration roller 5. Y (yellow), M (magenta), C ( Cyan (color) toner images and, in some cases, K (black) toner images are combined and then passed through the fixing unit 7 and discharged out of the apparatus as a color copy.

  A representative configuration of the developing unit 9 that forms a Y image in the image forming unit 2 of the vertical color printer 1 is shown in FIG. In FIG. 2, residual toner (collected toner) collected from the surface of the photoconductor 11 by the cleaning unit 13 as the photoconductor 11 as an electrostatic latent image carrier is rotated is collected by a collected toner conveying means 14 such as a screw. Then, the toner is fed into the collected toner conveyance path 14a and mixed into the toner in the flat toner cartridge 16 installed substantially horizontally.

  On the other hand, on the surface of the photoconductor 11 uniformly charged by the charging roller 15, a laser diode (LD) as an electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image and a writing optical system 18 by a polygon lens motor, A pattern corresponding to the Y image is written. Further, a Y-color toner image is formed on the photoreceptor 11 by the developing roller 21 provided in the developing device 20 as a developing device. Here, the toner in the toner cartridge 16 is mixed with the toner collected from the surface of the photoconductor 11 by the cleaning unit 13 by the replenishing roller 17 as a replenishing unit, and the toner replenished formed below the toner cartridge 16. Through the opening 19, the developer 20 is successively supplied into the developing device 20 for development. The toner image formed by development is transferred to the transfer belt 6. It is well known that the latent image carrier is not a drum like the photoreceptor 11 but can be a belt. The development is performed by a known one-component development, but a known two-component development may be used.

In FIG. 2, reference numeral 12 denotes an air blowing means, and reference numeral 12 'denotes an air blowing mechanism. The air blowing means 12 is provided in the toner cartridge 16, and the air blowing mechanism 12 ′ is provided in the developing unit 20, and has substantially the same configuration. To do. The air blowing means 12 is provided in the vicinity of the paddle 8 as the toner moving means in the developing device 20 and in the vicinity of the replenishing roller 17 in the flat type toner cartridge (hereinafter simply referred to as toner cartridge) 16. Since the air blowing means 12 is for loosening the toner, the installation position is not limited to the position near the paddle 8 and the vicinity of the replenishing roller 17 as long as the installation position is not limited to the position near the paddle 8. In order to loosen it efficiently, it is preferable to provide it below the position where the toner is easily packed as in this embodiment.

  The air blowing means 12 is enlarged and shown in FIGS. The air blowing means 12 is provided outside the toner cartridge 16 (developing device 20) and the air blowing means 61 provided as a separate body (may be integrated) in the toner cartridge 16 (developing device 20). And air feeding means 62.

The air blowing means 61 includes a concave portion 63 formed on the inner wall of the developing device 20 and the toner cartridge 16, a small hole 64 that penetrates from the bottom surface of the concave portion 63 to the outside of the developing device 20 and the toner cartridge 16, and a small hole 64. It comprises toner intrusion prevention means 65 for closing and preventing the toner from entering the small holes 64, and these are provided in the axial direction of the supply roller 17 (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 5).
The toner intrusion prevention means 65 has a base portion 66 fixed to the bottom surface of the recess 63 and a swinging portion 67, and a protrusion 68 that closes the small hole 64 protrudes from the swinging portion 67. The peristaltic portion 67 urges the projection 68 so as to block the small hole 64 in a normal state. The diameter of the small hole 64 is set so as to continuously increase from the concave portion 63 side toward the developing device 20 and the outer wall side of the toner cartridge 16.

  Further, since the diameter of the small hole 64 in the concave portion 63 is set to such a size that the toner does not enter, the toner intrusion prevention means 65 is not necessarily required, but in this embodiment, in order to ensure the prevention of the toner intrusion. This is provided. When the toner entry preventing means 65 is provided, it is not necessary to set the diameter of the small hole 64 to such an extent that the toner does not enter.

  The air feeding means 62 has a pipe shape extending in the axial direction of the replenishing roller 17, and has a developing device 20 having a small hole 64 and a protrusion 69 inserted on the outer wall side of the toner cartridge 16. A plurality of protrusions 69 are provided corresponding to the positions of the small holes. The air feeding means 62 is connected to a pump (not shown), and feeds the air pressure-fed by the pump to the small hole 64 through the protrusion 69. The sent air pushes up the protrusion 68 against the urging force of the swinging portion 67 and enters the developing device 20 and the toner cartridge 16, and loosens the toner together with the swinging of the swinging portion 67.

  Since air is blown from below the position where the toner is filled, the toner is efficiently loosened. The pressure of the air to be blown is set on the pump side assuming that the toner is packed. The pump has a comparison operation circuit (not shown) via a driver (not shown) by a control means (not shown), and a control means for inputting a predetermined signal (a signal from a toner amount detection means, a moving load detection means, a timer, etc. described later). Controlled by. Details of the control by the control means will be described later.

  Therefore, the timing and amount of air blowing by the air blowing means 61 are appropriately controlled by the control means. In addition, as long as the small hole 64 etc. can achieve the objective, only one may be provided instead of plurality, and you may provide it in another location. The shape of each component of the air blowing means 12 and the control by the control means can be set according to the size of the toner cartridge, the toner replenishment frequency, the ease of toner aggregation, and the like. Although not shown, a hole for venting air is also necessary, and a filter for preventing toner scattering is provided in the hole.

  FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of the present invention relating to a toner cartridge. The toner cartridge 35 includes two members: a toner storage unit 36 and a toner storage unit 38 that is lower than the floor 49 of the toner storage unit 36. The toner storage portion 36 and the toner storage portion 38 are joined at the joining portion 40. In this embodiment, the floor 49 is substantially horizontal, but the floor 49 may be inclined so that the toner reservoir 38 side is lowered.

  Inside the toner cartridge 35, a flat plate 41 as a conveying unit is disposed above the floor 49. The toner reservoir 38 has a long concave shape in a direction parallel to one edge of the right end in FIG. The flat plate 41 is positioned so as to be reciprocally movable at a position facing the floor surface 49 at a position below the toner cartridge 35 by a guide pin 44 formed on a side surface thereof integrally with the toner containing portion 36. The end is engaged with a supply roller 39 as supply means.

  The flat plate 41 has a through hole 42 through which the toner passes. The lower surface of the flat plate 41 is in sliding contact with the floor surface 49 and reciprocates to loosen the toner contained in the toner cartridge 35. A protrusion 43 that transports the toner toward the supply roller 39 on the downstream side of the toner transport path of the toner cartridge 35 while being uniformly dispersed is provided. In the present embodiment, the protrusion 43 forms an engaged portion. Cams 80 as engaging portions having a height ΔHa are provided on both sides of the protrusion 43 on the floor 49. The cam 80 may be provided only on one side of the protrusion 43.

  Accordingly, in FIG. 5, when the replenishing roller 39 rotates, the flat plate 41 reciprocates along the floor surface 49 in a direction substantially parallel to the floor surface 49 indicated by the arrow, and the protrusion 43 is on the upper surface of the bottom of the toner cartridge 35. The toner is agitated and dispersed as a whole, and at both ends of the reciprocating motion, the protrusion 43 rides on the cam 80 and the flat plate 41 is displaced in the vertical direction. As described above, the protrusion 43 agitates and conveys the toner on the floor surface 49, and the plate 41 is displaced up and down by the height ΔHa to change the upper and lower volumes of the plate 41 in the toner cartridge 35. The air in the container or the air blown by the air blowing means 12 is sent into the toner on the side, and the toner is stirred and loosened.

  During this vertical movement, the guide pin 44 restricts the upwardly displaced flat plate 41 from moving upward. In this embodiment, the supply roller 39 also serves as a reciprocating means for reciprocatingly driving the flat plate 41. The toner that has been dispersed and moved toward the supply roller 39 falls along the inclined portion 37 of the toner reservoir 38 and is supplied to the supply roller 39.

  The replenishing roller 39 replenishes toner toward the developing unit 20 in the developing unit outside the toner cartridge via a replenishing port (see the toner replenishing port 19 shown in FIG. 2). As described above, the flat plate 41 disposed in the toner cartridge 35 reciprocates, whereby the toner contained in the toner cartridge 35 is continuously supplied to the end. An air blowing means 12 is provided in the vicinity of the replenishing roller 39, that is, in the toner reservoir 38. The air blowing means 12 may be provided in the vicinity of the toner reservoir 38 as long as the toner can be effectively stirred and loosened.

  FIG. 6 shows the internal structure of the embodiment shown in FIG. 5. In FIG. 6, a hook 45 that engages with the supply roller 39 is formed at the end of the flat plate 41. It is engaged with a central cam portion of a bobbin-shaped eccentric cam 46 disposed on the supply roller 39. Further, as shown in FIG. 6, the replenishing roller 39 in the present embodiment is constituted by a conveying screw in which a plate-shaped partition wall member is arranged in a spiral shape on a rotating shaft 48, and the eccentric cam 46 and hooks are rotated by the rotation. The flat plate 41 is reciprocated through 45, and the toner conveyed by the reciprocating motion of the flat plate 41 is conveyed in the toner replenishing direction indicated by the arrow 50.

  A driving gear 52 integral with a knob 51 for manually rotating the supply roller 39 is attached to the end on the back side of the supply roller 39. The drive gear 52 is engaged with a drive system of a printer main body (not shown) when the toner cartridge 35 is set in the image forming unit, and is rotated by the drive system as necessary. Further, in a state where the toner cartridge 35 is taken out of the apparatus, for example, the serviceman manually rotates the knob 51, so that the toner remaining in the toner cartridge 35 is put into a new toner cartridge to be newly set. It can be added, and a small amount of toner can be used without waste.

  Further, in this embodiment, in order to prevent the toner from being packed between the side wall of the toner cartridge 35 and the flat plate 41 by the reciprocating movement of the flat plate 41, as shown in FIG. The side surface facing the side wall is formed in an acute angle shape.

  FIG. 7 shows an example of a specific shape of the protrusion provided on the flat plate 41 for dispersing the toner in the entire lower part in the toner cartridge 35. The protrusion 53 shown in FIG. 7A is formed by forming an inward protrusion in the shape of a letter C when viewed from above the flat plate 41, and has the effect of moving the toner much in the center direction as indicated by an arrow 54. . Further, the protrusion 55 shown in FIG. 7B is an example in which the protrusion is formed in an elliptical shape, and the protrusion 56 shown in FIG. 7C is an example in which the protrusion is formed in a square shape.

  FIG. 8 shows another embodiment of the replenishing roller. The replenishing roller 160 is configured to reciprocate the flat plate 41 by two eccentric cams 161 arranged at a predetermined interval. Thereby, the reciprocating motion of the flat plate 41 can be further stabilized. Here, when there is a possibility that the eccentric cam 161 disposed on the replenishing port 19 side indicated by the arrow 166 may obstruct toner conveyance, as shown in the eccentric cam 162 shown in FIG. It is desirable to use an eccentric cam provided with a notch 163 for passing toner. Reference numerals 164 and 165 indicate the flow of toner from the collected toner conveyance path 14a shown in FIG. 2 and the flow of toner by the replenishing roller 106, respectively.

  FIG. 9 shows a second embodiment of the present invention relating to a toner cartridge. This toner cartridge 70 is replenished as a replenishing means at a substantially central portion of a flat plate 71 as a conveying means disposed therein. A roller 72 is arranged. The replenishing roller 72 also serves as a reciprocating means for reciprocating the flat plate 71 with the same configuration as in the first embodiment. Although the details of the flat plate 71 are omitted, the flat plate 71 has through holes and protrusions as in the first embodiment. Reference numeral 73 denotes a toner reservoir, and reference numeral 12 denotes the air blowing means described above. In the present embodiment, in this embodiment, the floor surface 49 is inclined so that the toner reservoir 73 side is lowered. Reference numeral 80 denotes a displacement means, which is displaced up and down by the reciprocation of the flat plate 71.

  FIG. 10 shows a third embodiment of the present invention relating to a toner cartridge. This toner cartridge 75 is used to push toner toward the toner reservoir 38 in the vicinity of the replenishing roller 39 of the toner reservoir 38. A partition wall 76 is provided as a partition wall member, and a moving member 78 that moves the toner so as to get over the partition wall 76 by the movement of the flat plate 41 toward the replenishing roller 39 disposed in the toner reservoir 38 is provided on the flat plate 41. It is provided and configured.

  According to the toner cartridge 75, the movement of the flat plate 41 causes the moving member 78 to swing as indicated by chain lines 77 and 79 in FIG. 10 so that the toner passes over the partition wall 76 and is supplied to the supply roller 39 side. Therefore, the toner near the replenishing roller 39 can be reliably replenished sequentially. Further, the flat plate 41 is displaced up and down by a displacement means 80 provided on one side of the protrusion 43.

  In this embodiment, the air blowing means 12 is provided in the partition wall where the toner is easily packed to loosen the toner. Reference numeral 95 indicates a toner supply hole for supplying toner to the cartridge. The toner supply hole 95 is normally closed by a supply lid 96. In FIG. 10, the illustration of the hook 45 (see FIG. 6) and the like is omitted.

  FIG. 11 shows a fourth embodiment of the present invention relating to a toner cartridge. The toner cartridge 180 has a protrusion 189 for moving the toner on the upper surface of the flat plate 41 so as to face the upper surface of the flat plate 41. A toner guide 182 as a toner moving member is installed and protruded from a side surface of the toner cartridge 180 by a fixing member 184. Further, another protrusion 181 is provided on the upper surface of the flat plate 41, and this protrusion 181 is engaged with a recess 183 provided in a part of the toner guide 182. The recess 183 is provided with a hole 188.

  According to the toner cartridge 180, the toner on the upper surface thereof is removed by the protrusion 189 of the toner guide 182 due to the reciprocating motion of the flat plate 41, so that toner accumulates on the upper surface of the flat plate 41 and remains at the final stage of toner supply. The toner can be replenished to the end without remaining. When the flat plate 41 is displaced upward, the projection 189 is loosely fitted into the through hole 42 and the projection 181 is loosely fitted into the hole 188, so that the upward displacement of the flat plate 41 is not hindered. Here, the protrusion 181 on the upper surface of the flat plate 41 and the recess 183 provided in a part of the toner guide 182 are not necessarily provided. When the protrusion 181 is not provided, the hole 188 is not necessarily provided. In FIG. 11, the illustration of the hook 45 (see FIG. 6) and the like is omitted.

FIG. 12 shows another embodiment of the flat plate 41, and the flat plate 41 has a plurality of cuts 185 and 186 formed alternately on both sides of the flat plate 41. As a result, the flat plate 41 is formed to expand and contract by the same action as the bellows. Therefore, when the toner is full, the flat plate 41 acts as a drive transmission means due to the weight of the toner even if it tries to reciprocate through the hook 45. A reciprocating drive transmission force to the flat plate 41 by the hook 45 is transmitted only to the downstream side of the toner conveyance path of the flat plate 41. That is, the excessive resistance by the toner with respect to the reciprocating motion of the flat plate 41 is buffered by the expansion and contraction by the notches 185 and 186. The reciprocating drive transmission force to the flat plate 41 by the hook 45 gradually propagates toward the upstream side of the toner conveyance path of the flat plate 41 as the toner capacity in the toner cartridge decreases.
The driving load of the flat plate 41 at the initial time, that is, when the toner is full can be reduced. Here, the end surface 187 of the flat plate 41 on the downstream side of the toner conveyance path is formed so as to be substantially parallel to the supply roller. If there is no problem in strength, a through hole 42 (see FIG. 6) can be provided.

  FIG. 13 shows a configuration for manually discharging the last remaining toner in the toner cartridge, which is used as appropriate in each embodiment of the toner cartridge of the present invention.

  The toner cartridge 90 is provided with a toner supply pipe 91 formed so as to protrude from the side surface thereof, and a lid 92 covering the toner discharge port of the toner supply pipe 91. As described with reference to FIG. 6 in the first embodiment of the toner cartridge, the other end of the supply roller 39 arranged to be inserted is a drive gear 52 for driving and rotating the supply roller 39. A knob 51 for manually rotating the replenishing roller 39 is provided.

  When the toner cartridge 90 is stored and set in the image forming unit, the toner discharge port of the toner supply pipe 91 is covered by the lid 92 as shown in FIG. Toner leakage from the outlet is prevented. On the other hand, when the toner cartridge 90 is taken out of the image forming unit as shown in FIG. 13C and is manually rotated while pushing the knob 51 as indicated by an arrow 97, the lid 92 of the toner supply pipe 91 is moved to the supply roller 39. The toner remaining inside the toner cartridge is discharged through the toner discharge port of the toner supply pipe 91.

  Therefore, referring to FIG. 13A, a lid 96 that covers a toner supply hole (see toner supply hole 95 in FIG. 10) provided on the upper surface of the toner container of a new toner cartridge (not shown). The toner supply hole is opened, and the toner remaining in the used toner cartridge 90 is transferred from the toner discharge port of the discharged toner supply pipe 91 into the new toner cartridge through the toner supply hole. By replacing the toner, the toner remaining inside the used toner cartridge can be used without waste.

  FIGS. 14 and 15 show a fifth embodiment of the present invention relating to a toner cartridge, which differs from the above-described embodiment in that the displacement means is not provided on the floor 49. An engaging portion 142 provided on the rotation shaft 48 of the replenishing roller 39 as a replenishing means that engages with an engaged protrusion 141 having a height ΔHb as an engaged portion provided on the hook 45 of the flat plate 41. The displacement means of this embodiment is provided. The guide pins 44 are provided on the lower surface side of the ceiling surface 143. The replenishing roller 39 also serves as a reciprocating means, and the eccentric cam 46 reciprocates the flat plate 41 by the hook 45 by the rotation thereof. At the same time, the engaging portion 142 on the rotating shaft 48 engages with the non-engaging protrusion 141 provided on the hook 45, and the flat plate 41 is displaced upward by ΔHb. The guide pin 44 restricts the flat plate 41 displaced upward from being excessively displaced upward.

  FIG. 16 shows a sixth embodiment of the present invention relating to a toner cartridge, and the displacement means comprises a pair of support members 144 for supporting a flat plate 41. The support member 144 has a base end rotatably supported on the side wall of the toner cartridge main body, and a tip end rotatably supporting the flat plate 44. The reciprocating means is a supply roller 39 as supply means. The flat plate 41 is reciprocated by the rotation of the replenishing roller 39, and at the same time, the flat plate 41 is swung in a swing shape by the support member 144 and displaced in the vertical direction.

FIG. 17 shows a seventh embodiment of the present invention relating to a toner cartridge, in which a pin 145 as an engaged portion is located outside the toner cartridge main body. The cam 146 as a displacement means is located on one side of the pin 145 on the upper surface of the ceiling surface 143 of the cartridge body. The flat plate 41 includes a flat plate 147 having a side edge of the flat plate 41 as a base end and provided toward the outside of the toner cartridge main body and having a hook 148 at a distal end portion. The pin 145 is provided on the side surface of the flat plate 147 closer to the base end side than the hook 148. The hook 148 is engaged with an eccentric cam 149 as a reciprocating means. That is, the reciprocating means is provided outside the toner cartridge body. The flat plate 41 is reciprocated by the eccentric cam 149, and the pin 145 engages with the cam 146 at one end of the reciprocation, that is, the right end in FIG. The configuration of the reciprocating means provided outside the toner cartridge body is not limited to that shown in this embodiment. For example, the shape of the flat plate 147 in the present embodiment is such that the tip is thinned, and a member that is swung while engaged with the tip can be used as the reciprocating means.

  FIG. 18 shows an eighth embodiment of the present invention relating to a toner cartridge, and it is possible to select whether or not to perform vertical displacement by a displacement means. A pin 150 as an engaged portion is located outside the toner cartridge main body. The flat plate 41 has a flat plate 151 provided with the side edge of the flat plate 41 as a base end and facing the outside of the toner cartridge body. The pin 150 is provided on the side surface of the tip portion of the flat plate 147. The displacing means is composed of a swing plate 154 having a hole 157 partially formed as a cam surface 153. When the solenoid 155 indicated by the arrow a is operated, the swing plate 154 is swung around the shaft 156 as shown by the arrow b so that the cam surface 153 is raised. The pin 150 is loosely fitted in the hole 157 together with a long hole 152 fixed to the upper surface of the ceiling surface 143 of the toner cartridge body.

  The flat plate 41 is reciprocated via a hook 45 (reciprocated by the eccentric cam 46 shown in FIG. 6 and the like). However, when the solenoid 155 is not operated, as shown in FIG. Has no effect on the reciprocation of the pin 150, and the pin 150 is reciprocated substantially horizontally along the lower edge of the long hole 152. Therefore, the flat plate 41 is reciprocated substantially horizontally. It depends on the hook 45. When the solenoid is actuated, as shown in FIG. 19B, the cam surface 153 moves upward relative to the long hole 152 and closes both ends on the lower side of the long hole 152, and the flat plate 41 reciprocates. At both ends of movement, the pin 150 is displaced upward by riding on the cam surface 153. Thus, in this embodiment, it is possible to select whether or not to move the flat plate 41 in the vertical direction by the operation or non-operation of the solenoid 155. If the displacing means is provided on the side opposite to the end of the flat plate 41 having the hook 45, more stable displacement can be performed.

  In the embodiment described above, the toner cartridge is a detection unit for detecting the toner state, as shown in FIG. 20, a toner amount detection unit 171 for detecting the toner amount by an optical unit, and a toner movement load of the reciprocation unit. By detecting this, the toner also has a moving load detection means (not shown) that detects the aggregation state.

  The toner cartridge is provided with a detection window 174 made of a transparent member through which the detection light path of the toner amount detection means 171 is transmitted, and the detection light from the toner amount detection means 171 is reflected inside the toner cartridge. A reflector 172 is provided. The toner amount detection means 171 detects the toner amount in the detection optical path based on the amount of reflected light.

  The detection timing is a timing measured by a timer (not shown), which is immediately before the protrusion 43 passes through the detection window 174, and the toner amount detection unit 171 detects the amount of toner conveyed by the protrusion 43. The timing immediately before the projection 43 passes through the detection window 174 may be controlled by a signal from the toner amount detection unit 171 or a projection detection sensor (not shown) that detects the projection 43.

The cleaning member 173 provided at the tip of the protrusion 43 rubs the detection window 174 for cleaning by the movement of the protrusion 43. This prevents erroneous detection of the toner amount detection means 171 due to toner contamination of the detection window 174.
FIG. 21 shows an example in which a member corresponding to the above-described cleaning member 173 and the above-described moving member 78 (see FIG. 10) is configured by a single wiper 175 having a cleaning member 177 at its tip. For example, the detection window 174 through which the detection light path of the toner amount detection unit 171 passes can be cleaned at the same time as the toner is moved to the supply roller side so as to get over the partition wall 176 of the toner cartridge. Thus, the toner amount can be reliably detected.

  The moving load detecting means detects the toner moving load as power consumption of a drive motor (not shown) that drives the reciprocating means.

  The toner amount detection means 171 and the moving load detection means send detection signals, the timer sends time-related signals to the control means, and the control means processes these signals in a comparison operation circuit (not shown), and in response, the pump is sent via a driver (not shown). And air is blown from the small holes 64 at a predetermined timing and amount to loosen the toner.

  In the case where the projection 43 passes through a small hole (see FIGS. 5 and 6) of the air blowing means 12, if the air is blown immediately before the passage, the projection is formed in the loosened toner. 43 will pass, and a moving load can be reduced and the efficiency of air blowing is also good.

  When the toner amount detected by the toner amount detection unit 171 becomes equal to or less than a predetermined amount, the control unit stops the operation of the pump and eliminates the waste of air blowing. The control means may set the air blowing amount according to the time interval from the previous air blowing. Further, the control means may operate the pump at regular intervals measured by a timer to blow a certain amount of air. Further, if small holes are provided at various locations and air is blown when the apparatus is activated, the toner aggregated by its own weight can be loosened when the apparatus is stopped.

  The toner amount detecting means and the moving load detecting means may be provided on the developing device 20 (see FIG. 2) side as a developing device. In this case, the installation location of the toner amount detecting means is an appropriate place where the toner developer flows, and the moving load detecting means consumes the load of the toner moving means for moving the toner such as the paddle 8 in FIG. It can be detected by electric power or the like.

  The toner amount detecting means may detect the rotation amount of the replenishing roller and the toner amount replenished from the replenishing port by determining the degree of increase in toner density and image density in the developing device.

  The toner amount detecting means 171 and the moving load detecting means are appropriately provided in the toner cartridge and the developing device according to the combination described above, and need not necessarily include all of them including a timer. Further, it is possible to operate the replenishing roller when the toner shortage is detected in the developing unit and the cartridge replacement lamp provided outside the apparatus when the toner shortage is detected in the toner cartridge.

  Displacement means (including whether the toner cartridge is inside or outside, on both sides or one side of the engaged portion, whether or not the displacement is selectable), reciprocating means, etc. (Including whether it is inside or outside the toner cartridge), flat plate (including whether or not it has a stretchable shape, shape of protrusion, presence or absence of a hook, etc.), air blowing means (mechanism), toner Although the cartridge (including the presence / absence of a partition member) and the toner amount detecting means have been described, a combination thereof can be selected as appropriate, and is not limited to that described in each embodiment. For example, the swinging flat plate shown in FIG. 16 may be reciprocated by reciprocating means outside the toner cartridge main body, or the displacing means is outside the toner cartridge main body as shown in FIG. In this case, the flat plate may be reciprocated by the reciprocating means inside the toner cartridge body.

1 is a schematic diagram for explaining a configuration of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram illustrating a configuration of a developing unit of the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 2. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of an air blowing means and an air blowing mechanism provided in a toner cartridge to which the present invention is applied. FIG. It is a schematic perspective view of the air blowing means and the air blowing mechanism shown in FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a first embodiment of a toner cartridge to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing an internal structure of the toner cartridge shown in FIG. 5. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a shape of a protrusion provided on a flat plate inside a toner cartridge. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another embodiment of a supply roller inside the toner cartridge. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the 2nd Example of the toner cartridge to which this invention is applied. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a third embodiment of a toner cartridge to which the present invention is applied. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the 4th Example of the toner cartridge to which this invention is applied. FIG. 10 is a diagram illustrating another example of a flat plate inside a toner cartridge. 1 is a schematic diagram showing a mechanism for collecting toner in a toner cartridge to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a fifth embodiment of the toner cartridge to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 15 is a schematic perspective view illustrating an internal structure of the toner cartridge illustrated in FIG. 14. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the 6th Example of the toner cartridge to which this invention is applied. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the 7th Example of the toner cartridge to which this invention is applied. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the 8th Example of the toner cartridge with which this invention is applied. FIG. 19 is a schematic diagram for comparing and explaining the operation of the pins when the solenoid is activated and inactivated in the embodiment shown in FIG. 18. FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a toner amount detecting means used in a toner cartridge to which the present invention is applied. FIG. 22 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating a toner amount detection unit having a different installation mode from the toner amount detection unit illustrated in FIG. 21. It is the schematic for demonstrating the structure of the conventional image forming apparatus. It is the schematic which shows the structure of the developing unit of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1,130 Image forming apparatus 6 Image holding means 9, 110 Developing unit 11, 21 Electrostatic latent image carrier 12 Air blowing means 12 'Air blowing mechanism 16, 35, 70, 90 Toner cartridge 17, 39, 72 Replenishing means 18 Electrostatic line image forming means 19 Replenishing port 20 Developing device 38, 73 Toner reservoir 39, 72, 149 Reciprocating means 41, 71 Flat plate 42 Through hole 43, 53, 55, 56 Protrusion 43, 141, 145, 150 Engaged Portion 48 Rotating shaft 49 Floor surface 57 Acute flat plate side surface 76, 176 Partition member 78, 175 Moving member 80, 142, 144, 146, 154 Displacement means 143 Ceiling surface 144 Support member 152 Long hole 182 Toner moving member

Claims (3)

A toner cartridge installed substantially horizontally, spaced from the floor surface of the toner cartridge body, and a flat plate for stirring the toner by a reciprocating motion at a position facing the floor surface and conveying the toner;
Reciprocating means for reciprocating the flat plate, and
A toner cartridge comprising a through hole having a portion formed obliquely with respect to the reciprocating direction in the flat plate. The toner cartridge according to claim 1.
A protrusion provided on the lower surface of the flat plate;
A cam provided on the floor,
2. A toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion rides on the cam during the reciprocating motion to displace the flat plate in the vertical direction . 3. The toner cartridge according to claim 1, further comprising toner amount detecting means for detecting a toner amount, wherein the flat plate conveys the toner toward the toner amount detecting means .

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