JP4310242B2 - Developer supply container - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a developer supply container that is detachably provided in an image forming apparatus that forms an image using an electrophotographic system or an electrostatic recording system.

  Here, examples of the image forming apparatus include an electrophotographic copying machine, an electrophotographic printer (laser beam printer, LED printer, etc.), a facsimile machine, a word processor, and the like.

  Conventionally, a fine powder developer is used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or a printer. When the developer in the main body of the image forming apparatus is consumed, the developer is supplied to the main body of the image forming apparatus using a developer supply container (developer supply container).

  Here, since the developer is an extremely fine powder, during the developer replenishment operation, the developer supply container is placed inside the image forming apparatus main body so that the developer does not scatter, and the developer is little by little from the small opening. A method of discharging is known. In such a system, it is difficult for the developer to be naturally discharged by the action of gravity or the like, and some kind of developer transport / discharge means is required.

As such a developer supply container having a developer transport / discharge means, the developer is unwound by a stirring member that stirs the developer by rotating in the developer container, and the developer transport member rotates. Thus, the agitated member and the developer transport member are rotated, with the structure in which the disassembled developer is transported / discharged in the direction of the developer discharge opening provided in the container storage unit. In which each member receives a driving force for receiving the power from two locations of the image forming apparatus main body (see, for example, Patent Document 1), or between the developer conveying member and the stirring member by a gear. It is connected in the container main body so as to be able to transmit drive, and by applying a rotational driving force from the main body of the image forming apparatus to the developer conveying portion, the developer conveying member is rotated, and the stirring member is further connected via the gear. Times Configuration ones (for example, see Patent Document 2) discloses to.
JP-A-11-102109 (FIG. 15 etc.) JP-A-61-99176 (FIGS. 22, 23, etc.)

  However, the above-described developer supply container has the following problems.

  For example, in the developer supply container disclosed in Patent Document 1, shaft seal configurations are provided at the non-driving side shaft end portion of the developer conveying member, the driving side and non-driving side shaft end portions of the developer stirring member, and the like. Since this is necessary, the number of parts increases and the number of assembly steps also increases, which has been a factor in increasing costs.

  Further, the developer supply container disclosed in Patent Document 2 also has a configuration that requires a shaft seal mechanism for the shaft support portion of the developer transport member, and there is a problem in terms of cost as described above. .

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a developer replenishing container having a low manufacturing cost by reducing the number of parts and making it easier to assemble without impairing the basic performance achieved in the prior art.

According to a first aspect of the present application, there is provided a developer supply container detachably provided in the image forming apparatus.
A container body for containing a developer;
A developer outlet provided on one end in the longitudinal direction of the container body;
A sealing member that is slidably moved relative to the container body so as to be freely opened and seals the developer discharge port;
A stirring member for stirring the developer in the container body;
A drive transmission member that is coaxially and integrally rotatable with the sealing member, and that transmits a rotational driving force received by the sealing member to the stirring member in the container body, the container body A drive transmission member provided slidably on the inner surface of the container main body without being pivotally supported by,
A regulating portion that regulates sliding movement of the drive transmission member ,
The drive transmission member is provided so as to be slidable with respect to the sealing member, and has a transport unit that transports the developer in the container body toward the developer discharge port, and the sealing member is the developer discharge port. The conveying section is engaged with the sealing member when the container is opened .
A second invention is a developer replenishment container detachably provided in the image forming apparatus,
A container body for containing a developer;
A developer outlet provided on one end in the longitudinal direction of the container body;
A sealing member that is slidably moved relative to the container body so as to be freely opened and seals the developer discharge port;
A stirring member for stirring the developer in the container body;
A drive transmission member that is coaxially and integrally rotatable with the sealing member, and that transmits a rotational driving force received by the sealing member to the stirring member in the container body, the container body A drive transmission member provided slidably on the inner surface of the container main body without being pivotally supported by,
A regulating portion that regulates sliding movement of the drive transmission member,
The sealing member is provided slidably with respect to the drive transmission member, and has a transport unit that transports the developer in the container body toward the developer discharge port, and the sealing member is the developer discharge port. The conveying portion is engaged with the drive transmission member when the is opened.
A third invention is a developer supply container detachably provided in the image forming apparatus,
A container body for containing a developer;
A developer outlet provided on one end in the longitudinal direction of the container body;
A sealing member that is slidably moved relative to the container body so as to be freely opened and seals the developer discharge port;
A stirring member for stirring the developer in the container body;
A drive transmission member that is rotatably provided coaxially and integrally with the sealing member, and that transmits a rotational driving force received by the sealing member to the stirring member in the container body, the container body A drive transmission member provided slidably on the inner surface of the container body without being pivotally supported by
A regulating portion that regulates sliding movement of the drive transmission member,
The drive transmission member and the sealing member are provided slidably with respect to each other, and each has a transport portion that transports the developer in the container body toward the developer discharge port, and the sealing member discharges the developer. When the outlet is in the unsealed position, the respective conveying portions are engaged with each other.

  According to the present invention, by eliminating the shaft seal mechanism of the drive transmission member, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and the number of assembly steps, and it is possible to greatly reduce the cost. Since the drive transmission member is restricted from moving in the container body, it is possible to prevent the developer from remaining in the dead space caused by the configuration in which the drive transmission member moves. The residual developer amount can be reduced, and as described later in the comparative example, the sealing failure due to the sandwiching of the residual developer when the sealing member is slid to re-seal the developer discharge port It has become possible to provide a highly reliable developer replenishment container that does not cause any problems.

  In addition, according to the present invention, the drive transmission member and the conveying portion are provided integrally, and are configured to be slidably engaged with the sealing member, so that the sealing member requiring sealing performance is relatively rigid. It is possible to select the most suitable material for the required function of each part, such as using a low-quality material and a relatively high-stiffness material for the conveying member, so that high sealing performance and driving are achieved. It is possible to provide a highly reliable developer supply container capable of reliably transmitting the toner at low cost.

  Further, according to the present invention, the sealing member and the transport unit are integrally provided, and are configured to slidably engage with the drive transmission member, so that the sealing member is moved to open the developer discharge port. Since the transport part of the sealing member moves in conjunction with it, the developer can be broken even when the developer is packed near the developer discharge port, and the developer is highly reliable without any defective discharge. It became possible to provide a supply container.

  In addition, by providing a slide mechanism between the sealing member and the conveying member and the drive transmission member, for example, a drive transmission member that performs drive transmission using a relatively low-rigidity material for the sealing member that requires sealing performance. It is also possible to select the most suitable material for the required function of each part, such as using a material with relatively high rigidity, so a highly reliable developer supply container that can reliably transmit the drive. Can be provided at low cost.

  Further, according to the present invention, a conveying unit that slides is provided by providing a conveying unit integrally with each of the sealing member and the drive transmission member and slidably engaging the sealing member and the drive transmission member. Since the length of the member is shortened, the resistance of the packed toner when moving the sealing member and the conveying member can be reduced, so that the structure of the main body can be simplified and the operability of the user It is possible to provide a developer supply container with high reliability as described above without impairing the above.

  The best mode for carrying out the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings.

  First, the configuration of an electrophotographic copying machine as an example of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which a developer supply container according to the present invention is mounted will be described with reference to FIG.

(Image forming device)
In the figure, reference numeral 100 denotes an electrophotographic copying machine main body (hereinafter referred to as an apparatus main body). A document 101 is placed on the document glass 102. Then, a light image corresponding to the image information is formed on the electrophotographic photosensitive drum 104 by a plurality of mirrors M and lenses Ln of the optical unit 103. 105 to 108 are cassettes. Among the recording media (hereinafter referred to as “paper”) P loaded in the cassettes 105 to 108, the optimum paper is selected from the information input by the user from the operation unit 100a or the paper size of the original 101 in the cassettes 105 to 108. Select from paper size information. Here, the recording medium is not limited to paper, and may be selected as appropriate, such as an OHP sheet.

  Then, one sheet P conveyed by the sheet feeding / separation devices 105A to 108A is conveyed to the registration roller 110 via the conveying unit 109, and the rotation of the drum 104 and the scanning timing of the optical unit 103 are synchronized. Then transport. Reference numerals 111 and 112 denote a transfer discharger and a separation discharger. Here, the developer image formed on the drum 104 is transferred onto the paper P by the transfer discharger 111. Then, the sheet P on which the developer image is transferred is separated from the drum 104 by the separation discharger 112.

  Thereafter, the paper P transported by the transport unit 113 fixes the developer image on the paper by heat and pressure in the fixing unit 114, and then passes through the paper discharge reversing unit 115 in the case of single-sided copying. The paper is discharged to a paper discharge tray 117 by a paper discharge roller 116. In the case of double-sided copying, the same path as in the case of single-sided copying after being transported to the registration roller 110 via the paper refeeding transport paths 119 and 120 under the control of the flapper 118 of the paper discharge reversing unit 115. Are discharged to the paper discharge tray 117.

  In the case of multiple copying, the paper P passes through the paper discharge reversing unit 115 and is once discharged out of the apparatus by the paper discharge roller 116. After that, the end of the paper P passes through the flapper 118, and the flapper 118 is controlled at the timing when it is still nipped by the paper discharge roller 116. Is done. Thereafter, the sheet is conveyed to the registration roller 110 via the re-feed conveyance units 119 and 120, and then discharged to the sheet discharge tray 117 along the same path as in the case of single-sided copying.

  Meanwhile, in the apparatus main body 100 having the above-described configuration, a developing unit 201, a cleaner unit 202, a primary charger 203, and the like are disposed around the drum 104. Here, the developing unit 201 develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the drum 104 by the optical unit 103 with the information of the document 101 using a developer. A developer supply container 1 for supplying developer to the developing unit 201 is detachably provided on the apparatus main body 100 by a user. Here, the developing unit 201 includes a developer hopper 201a and a developing device 201b. The developer hopper 201a includes a stirring member 201g for stirring the developer replenished from the developer replenishing container 1. The developer stirred by the stirring member 201g is sent to the developing device 201b by the magnet roller 201d. The developing device 201b includes a developing roller 201f and a feeding member 201e. Then, the developer sent from the developer hopper 201a by the magnet roller 201d is sent to the developing roller 201f by the feeding member 201e, and is supplied to the photosensitive drum 104 by the developing roller 201f.

  In this embodiment, one-component magnetic toner is used as the developer, but the present invention is not limited to this. For example, a so-called two-component developer composed of a nonmagnetic toner and a magnetic carrier may be used. That is, the developer replenished from the developer replenishment container described below includes the case of toner only, toner and carrier, and carrier alone.

  The cleaner unit 202 is for removing the developer remaining on the photosensitive drum 104. The primary charger 203 is for charging the photosensitive drum 104.

(Configuration for developer supply container replacement)
When the user opens the developer supply container replacement cover 15 (hereinafter referred to as a replacement cover), which is a part of the exterior cover shown in FIG. 2, as shown in FIG. 3, the container cradle 50 is connected to a drive system (not shown). ) Is pulled out to a predetermined position. The developer supply container 1 is installed on the container cradle 50 in a substantially non-rotatable manner. When the user takes out the container 1 from the apparatus main body 100, the developer supply container 1 placed on the drawn-out container receiving base 50 is taken out. Here, the cover 15 is a dedicated cover for attaching / detaching (replacing) the developer supply container 1 and is opened / closed only for attaching / detaching the container 1. Note that maintenance of the apparatus main body 100 is performed by opening and closing the front cover 100c.

  Note that the developer supply container 1 may be directly installed in the apparatus main body 100 without using the container cradle 50 and may be detached from the apparatus main body 100.

  Next, the developer supply container will be described in detail below.

  FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the developer supply container 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  5A is a front view of the developer supply container 1 according to the present embodiment, FIG. 5B is a sectional view thereof, FIG. 5C is a left side view, and FIG. 5D is a right side view. E) is a side sectional view, and (F) is a plan view. 6A is a front sectional view of the state where the developer supply opening 1b is sealed, FIG. 6B is a front sectional view of the state where the developer supply opening 1b is opened, and FIG. 6C is a developer described later. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of conveyance / drive transmission means 2 (a state where a developer supply opening is opened). 7A is a cross-sectional view of the developer supply container main body 1, and FIG. 7B is a right side view.

  4 to 7, reference numeral 1 denotes a container main body, and a cylindrical developer supply opening 1a for supplying the developer stored in the developer storage section to the apparatus main body at the lower portion of the side wall on one end side thereof. And a developer replenishing port 1b at one end of the developer replenishing opening 1a. Reference numeral 2 denotes a developer conveyance / drive transmission means accommodated in the container main body 1, and includes a conveyance unit 7 for conveying the developer in the direction of the developer supply opening 1a and a developer supply port 1b. It has the sealing part 8 for sealing, and the drive transmission part 9 for transmitting the driving force received from the apparatus main body by the means mentioned later to the stirring member 3 mentioned later. Reference numeral 3 denotes an agitation member for agitating the developer in the container main body 1, and 3 a is engaged with the drive transmission unit 9 to transmit the rotational driving force from the image forming apparatus via the developer conveyance / drive transmission means 2. It is a drive receiving part for receiving.

(Developer supply container body)
The developer supply container main body 1 will be described.

  The developer supply container main body 1 is provided with a curved portion 1c that becomes narrower toward the lower portion, a flat portion 1d having a substantially constant width provided at a lower portion of the curved portion, and a lower portion of the flat portion. And an arc-shaped portion 1e. By the way, in this specification, the lower part is a part located below when the developer supply container 1 is mounted on the apparatus main body 100, the bottom is the bottom surface, the top is the top surface, and the bottom is the bottom. A side surface and a side surface are lateral surfaces.

  That is, the container body 1 is provided with a stirring chamber provided with the stirring member 3 and a developer transport / drive transmission means 2 and a drive transmission unit 9 which are located below the stirring chamber and have a smaller cross section than the stirring chamber. And a transfer chamber. A projecting portion projecting in the longitudinal direction from the stirring chamber is formed on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the transfer chamber, and a developer supply port 1b is provided at one end of the projecting portion.

  By configuring the container body in this way, the amount of developer discharged from the developer supply port 1b can be made substantially constant.

  Then, on the bottom surface of the arcuate portion 1e facing the developer replenishing port 1b, as shown in FIG. 7, the drive transmission portion 9 has a developer replenishment opening in the rotation axis direction of the developer transport / drive transmission means 2. A rib-shaped restricting portion 1f is provided so as to restrict the movement to the side. Accordingly, the drive transmission member 9 is not supported by the developer supply container 1 as described later, but is supported and moved by the flat surface portion 1d, the arc-shaped portion 1e, and the restriction portion 1f. It will be. Here, the shape of the restricting portion 1f may be any shape that can restrict the movement of the drive transmitting portion 9 in the rotation axis direction. For example, the restricting portion 1f has a boss shape protruding from the inner wall surface of the arc-shaped portion 1e to the inside of the container. Or a pot-like protrusion may be used.

  Further, in the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the drive transmission portion 9 is provided on the innermost portion of the arcuate portion 1e of the container main body on the side facing the developer supply opening 1b and on the developer supply opening side of the drive transmission portion. However, for example, as shown in FIG. 23, the engagement between the drive transmission portion 9 and the drive receiving portion 3a of the stirring member 3 is disengaged between the drive transmission portion 9 and the innermost wall surface 1q. When there is a gap, an auxiliary restricting portion 1p is provided to prevent the drive transmission portion 9 from moving toward the innermost wall surface 1q when sealing the sealing portion 8 described later. It doesn't matter.

  Further, when the developer supply container 1 is mounted on the apparatus main body 100, the engaging portion that fits and engages with a recess (developer supply port opening / closing means) provided in the apparatus main body 100 outside the bottom surface 1 m. 1 g is provided.

  As will be described later, when the locking portion of the sealing member is locked to the apparatus main body, the engaging portion 1g retracts the container main body 1 in a direction away from the sealing member to open the developer supply port 1b. For this purpose, a force is applied from a developer replenishing port opening / closing means provided in the apparatus main body 100.

  Further, when the developer supply container is replaced or removed, the locking portion of the sealing member is locked to the apparatus main body, and the engaging portion 1g brings the container main body 1 close to the sealing member. The developer supply opening / closing means receives a force for re-sealing the developer supply opening 1b by moving forward in the direction.

  Thus, according to the developer supply container of this example, the developer supply port can be automatically opened and closed by the apparatus main body. In this example, the developer supply opening is opened and closed in conjunction with the opening and closing of the opening and closing cover.

  In this embodiment, the engaging portion 1g has a shape protruding outward from the lower surface 1m.

  The upper surface 1 h is provided with a handle 1 i that is held by a user when the developer supply container 1 is attached to or removed from the apparatus main body 100.

  Further, bearings 1j and 1k for rotatably supporting the stirring member 3 are provided on a wall surface perpendicular to the rotation axis direction of the stirring member 3 of the developer supply container 1.

  Here, the developer supply opening 1 a is provided on the side surface opposite to the side surface on which the handle 1 i is provided in the longitudinal direction of the container body 1. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the user from inadvertently touching the developer supply opening 1 a when the developer supply container 1 is mounted on the apparatus main body 100. The developer supply opening 1a is provided below the side surface. Therefore, the developer can be efficiently discharged even when the developer stored in the container body 1 is reduced.

  The container body 1 is preferably manufactured from a resin such as plastic by a method such as injection molding, blow molding, or injection blow molding. However, other materials and manufacturing methods may be used. The container body 1 may be manufactured by a method in which the container body 1 is divided into two or more parts for convenience and integrated by means such as welding and adhesion.

  In this example, two frames, an upper frame and a lower frame formed by injection molding high impact polystyrene, were manufactured by vibration welding.

(Developer transport / drive transmission means)
Next, the configuration of the developer transport / drive transmission means 2 built in the container body 1 in this embodiment will be described in detail.

  As described above, the developer conveyance / drive transmission means 2 includes the sealing portion 8 having the seal portion 8a for sealing the developer discharge opening 1b so that the developer discharge opening 1b can be opened, and the sealing portion 8 provided coaxially with the sealing portion 8. The image forming apparatus main body is moved to the agitation unit 3 by rotating integrally with the sealing unit 8 and the conveying unit 7. A drive transmission unit 9 that relays and transmits the rotational drive from 100 is provided, and the portion that protrudes from the developer discharge opening 1b of the developer transport / drive transmission means 2 is a rotational drive from the image forming apparatus main body 100. A driving force receiving portion for receiving force is provided.

  In such a developer conveyance / drive transmission means, since the sealing part 8, the conveyance part 7, and further the drive transmission part 9 can be integrally formed, the number of parts can be reduced. Although it is most effective, as will be described later in the section of the comparative example, if the sealing portion 8, the transport portion 7, and the drive transmission portion 9 are integrally injection-molded, there may be a problem in opening and closing. Therefore, it is preferable to restrict at least the movement of the drive transmission unit 9.

  Therefore, in order to satisfy these conditions, in this embodiment, the drive transmission unit 9 and the conveyance unit 7 are provided integrally (injection molding), and the sealing unit 8 is provided as a separate body and sealed. Since it comprised so that slidable engagement between the stop part 8 and the conveyance part 7 was carried out, the embodiment is explained in full detail.

(Sealing member)
The sealing member 8 will be described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 8, (A) is a front view of the sealing member 8, (B) is an arrow A view of (A), (C) is an arrow B view of (A), and (D) is a front sectional view. FIG.

  8A to 8D, 8a is provided on the side of the sealing member 8 facing the developer supply container 1, and seals the developer supply port 1b of the developer supply container 1 so that it can be opened. It is a seal part to do. The outer diameter of the seal portion 8a is set to be an appropriate amount larger than the inner diameter of the developer supply port 1b. Then, the sealing portion 8 seals the developer supply port 1b by press-fitting the seal fitting portion 8a1 of the seal portion 8a from the developer supply port 1b to the developer supply opening 1a.

  Further, 8b is engaged with a coupling member provided in the apparatus main body when the developer supply container 1 is mounted on the apparatus main body 100, and rotates the transport unit 7 and the agitating unit 3 from the coupling member. It is a coupling engaging part used as the driving force receiving part (driving part) for receiving this driving force. When the sealing member 8 is attached to the container main body 1, the coupling engaging portion 8 b extends from the seal portion 8 a in the direction opposite to the developer container main body 1 and extends substantially on the same axis as the rotation axis of the transport unit 7. The protruding portion 8c is provided. The coupling engaging portion 8b is provided on the peripheral surface of the protruding portion 8c, and has an elongated protrusion (rib) 8d as a driving force receiving portion that engages with a coupling member provided on the apparatus main body. I have. In the present embodiment, two protrusions (ribs) 8d are provided at approximately equal intervals in the circumferential direction.

  Specifically, two pieces are provided at intervals of about 180 ° with the longitudinal direction of the sealing member 8 as the center.

  Further, the rib 8d protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the sealing member by 0.5 mm to 3 mm, preferably about 1.8 mm.

  Moreover, the outer diameter of the protrusion part 8c is 10 mm-14 mm, Preferably, it is about 12 mm.

  In FIG. 8, 8e is a locking projection formed at the tip of the coupling engaging portion 8b and locked to a locking member provided in the image forming apparatus main body 100. The sealing member 8 can be fixed by locking the locking member of the image forming apparatus main body 100 to the locking protrusion 8e. Reference numeral 8f denotes a locking groove into which a locking member provided in the image forming apparatus main body 100 is fitted. The width of the locking groove 8f is 1.5 to 5 mm, preferably about 3 mm. Further, the depth of the locking groove is 0.5 mm to 5 mm, preferably about 2.5 mm.

  In a state where the locking member of the apparatus main body 100 is fitted in the locking groove 8f and the sealing member 8 is locked and fixed, the apparatus main body 100 moves backward from the sealing member or toward the sealing member. By doing so, the developer supply port 1b can be opened or resealed.

  Further, the sealing member 8 is used as a driving force transmission unit for transmitting a driving force received from the image forming apparatus main body 100 to the conveying unit 7 by engaging with an extending portion 7c from the conveying unit 7 described later. 8g, and can be slidably moved in the direction of the rotation axis of the developer transport / drive transmission means 2 by rotating freely with an extending portion 7c provided in the transport section 7. The directions are locked to each other so that the rotational drive can be transmitted. The configuration of the slide portion will be described in detail in the section of the configuration description of the slide portion described later.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the sealing member 8 has four functions. That is: 1. function of sealing the developer supply opening 1b; 2. a function of receiving a rotational driving force from the image forming apparatus main body 100; 3. a function of transmitting the rotational driving force received from the image forming apparatus main body 100 to the transport unit 7; In order to open and close the developer supply opening 1b, it has a function of engaging with a locking member provided in the image forming apparatus main body 100 to fix the position of the sealing member itself.

  However, the configuration of the sealing member 8 described above describes a preferred embodiment in consideration of the number of parts and ease of assembly, and is not limited to the above in accordance with the gist of the present invention. For example, the seal portion 8a The coupling engaging portion 8b and the locking portion 8e are formed separately and then assembled by bonding or the like, and as shown in FIG. 21, the projection (rib) 8d provided on the coupling engaging portion 8b is sealed. There is no problem even if it is configured not to be connected to the portion 8a and to have the gap 8h, and does not depart from the essence of the present invention.

(Conveying member)
The configuration of the conveying member 7 will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the conveying member 7 includes a shaft portion 7a and a helical rigid conveying blade 7b that is provided on the shaft portion 7a and conveys the powder developer in a predetermined direction by the rotation of the shaft portion 7a. I have. The conveying member 7 is disposed in the container body 1 in a state where the axis of the shaft portion 7a is substantially coincident with the center of the substantially circular developer discharge opening 1b.

  Further, as described above, the extending portion 7c is provided at the end of the conveying member 7 on the sealing portion 8 side, and is locked in the rotation direction with the engaging hole 8g of the sealing member 8. As a result, the developer in the developer supply container 1 is developed by the rotational driving force from the image forming apparatus main body 100. It becomes the structure conveyed in the agent discharge | emission opening part 1b direction.

  The transport member 7 is not limited to the so-called screw type described in the present embodiment, and may be, for example, a member in which a flexible blade is attached to the shaft portion 7a. Further, the shaft portion and the blade may be obtained by injection molding integrally, or may be obtained by separately assembling those obtained by injection molding. In the present embodiment, the shaft portion 7a and the blade 7b are made of plastic and are integrally molded by injection molding.

(Drive transmission part)
The structure of the drive transmission part 9 as a drive transmission member is demonstrated using FIG. 6, FIG. Here, FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing an engaged state between the drive transmission unit 9 and the drive receiving member 3 a of the stirring member 3.

  The drive transmission unit 9 is provided in the vicinity of the end surface on the side opposite to the developer supply port 1 b in the longitudinal direction of the container main body 1 and is not supported by the developer supply container 1. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the drive transmission part 9 is provided substantially coaxially with the sealing member, and is provided so as to be rotatable integrally with the sealing member. Further, the drive transmission portion 9 is provided on the inner surface of the arc-shaped portion 1e (the bottom surface of the container main body) so as to be slidable on the flat-surface portion 1d and the arc-shaped portion 1e.

  Furthermore, the drive transmission unit 9 is configured to transmit the rotational driving force received by the sealing member 8 from the apparatus main body 100 to the stirring member 3 by engaging with the drive receiving member 3 a of the stirring member 3.

  Further, the sliding movement of the drive transmission unit 9 is regulated by a rib-shaped regulation unit 1f that regulates the movement of the developer conveyance / drive transmission means 2 in the rotation axis direction, and the sealing member 8 is opened by the developer discharge opening. Regardless of whether the portion 1b is opened or closed, the stirring member 3 is configured to maintain the engaged state with the drive receiving member 3a.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9, the drive transmission member 9 and the drive receiving member 3a of the stirring member 3 are gear-shaped, but the present invention is not limited to this configuration. For example, as shown in FIG. 10A, for example, the drive transmission member 9 and the drive receiving member 3a of the stirring member 3 are formed in a roller shape, and the drive is transmitted by the frictional force by pressing both rollers. Further, as shown in FIG. 10B, the drive transmission member 9 and the drive receiving member 3a of the stirring member 3 are pulleys, and these are driven and connected by the belt-like member 6 to transmit the drive. It doesn't matter.

  In any case, in the present embodiment, the drive transmission unit 9 is obtained by injection molding integrally with the conveying member 7, and the sealing member 8 is the main body of the image forming apparatus as described above. When the conveyance member 7 receives the rotational driving force received from 100, the drive transmission unit 9 also rotates integrally, and the rotational driving force can be transmitted to the stirring unit 3 described later.

  The transport member 7, the sealing member 8, and the drive transmission unit 9 constituting the developer transport / drive transmission unit 2 have been described above. In the present embodiment, as described above, the sealing member Even when the slider 8 moves relative to the container body to open and close the developer replenishing port 1b, the drive transmission portion 9 is configured to be substantially stationary relative to the container body. .

(Structure of the slide part where the sealing member slides relative to the container body)
Hereinafter, the configuration of the slide portion will be described with reference to FIG.

  First, the conveying member 7 has an extending portion 7c that extends inside the cylindrical portion of the developer supply opening 1a. In the present embodiment, the extending portion 7c further protrudes outward from the developer supply opening 1b. The other end is formed integrally with the drive transmission unit 9.

  Further, the sealing portion 8 formed as a member different from the conveyance portion 7 and the drive transmission portion 9 is engaged with the extending portion 7 c that is one end portion of the conveyance portion 7 and receives the driving force received from the apparatus main body 100. Is provided with an engaging hole 8g as a driving force transmitting portion for transmitting the pressure to the conveying portion 7. The engagement hole 8g is configured by an opening (cavity portion) formed over the formation portion of the sealing portion 8 and the coupling engagement portion 8b. Here, one end portion (driving force receiving portion) of the extending portion 7 c and the engagement hole 8 g have a shape that can receive a rotational driving force from the apparatus main body 100 through the sealing portion 8. In this embodiment, the shape is a quadrangle, but the shape is not limited as long as drive transmission is possible, and any shape such as a polygonal shape, a D-cut shape, or an H-cut shape may be used. Furthermore, the engaging hole 8g is formed slightly larger than the extending portion 7c that is the shaft end portion of the conveying portion 7 protruding from the developer supply opening portion 1b, whereby the extending portion 7c is formed in the engaging hole. It is loosely fitted to 8g.

  Then, the extending portion 7c is loosely fitted in the engaging hole 8g as described above, whereby the transport portion 7 and the sealing portion 8 are locked to each other in the rotation direction of the transport portion 7. On the other hand, it is configured to be movable in the axial direction. Thus, when the developer supply container is mounted, the sealing portion 8 and the container body 1 can be separated from each other, and the developer supply port 1b can be opened (opened).

  By the way, the engagement length between the engagement hole 8g and the extending portion 7c has a length that does not come off when the sealing portion 8 and the container body 1 are separated from each other. Thereby, even if the sealing part 8 is separated from the container main body 1, the transport part 7 can receive the driving force from the image forming apparatus main body 100 via the sealing part 8 (coupling engaging part 8 b). Further, the developer housed in the developer supply container main body 1 can be stirred by relaying the drive transmission portion 9 formed integrally and transmitting the drive to the stirring member 3 described later. It becomes possible.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which the engagement hole 8g is provided in the sealing portion 8 and the extending portion 7c is provided in the developer conveying portion 7 has been described. However, rotation drive can be transmitted and the sealing portion 8 is sealed. If the configuration is such that the sliding movement for opening and closing the portion 8 is possible, for example, an extending portion extending from the sealing portion 8 in the direction of the developer conveying portion 7 is provided, contrary to the above configuration, There is no limitation on the configuration (not shown) in which an engagement hole that is loosely fitted to the extending portion is provided in the transport portion 7.

  As described above, a portion that can slide is provided between the sealing portion 8 and the conveyance portion 7 of the developer conveyance / drive transmission means 2, and the drive transmission portion 9 is not pivotally supported by the container body 1. In addition, by providing the container body 1 with a restricting portion 1f that restricts the movement of the drive transmission portion 9 in the rotation axis direction, When the sealing member 8 is opened and closed, the conveyance member 7 and the drive transmission unit 9 do not slide, and the developer accumulation in the space after the drive transmission unit 9 is moved as shown in part C of FIG. 20 can be prevented. It became possible to prevent the closing failure of the sealing member 8 due to the developer pool. In addition, 2. Since the shaft seal configuration of the drive transmission unit 9 is not required, the number of parts and the number of assembling steps can be reduced, and the cost can be significantly reduced without impairing the performance / reliability of the developer supply container.

(Developer entry prevention part of the sealing member)
Here, if the developer enters the engaging hole 8g which is a loose fitting (sliding) portion of the conveying member 7 and the sealing member 8, it slides to reseal the sealing member 8. In this case, the internal developer may be clogged and may not be sealed. Therefore, the seal member 4 may be provided on the slide portion in order to further improve the reliability. 11A is a side view of the sealing portion 8 having the seal member 4, FIG. 11B is a front view, and FIG. 11C is a side sectional view.

  Here, reference numeral 4 denotes a disk-shaped seal member as a developer intrusion preventing portion, and has a square hole-shaped hole 4 a corresponding to the shape of the extending portion 7 c of the conveying member 7. In the present embodiment, the cross-sectional shape of the hole 4a is a square like the shaft end portion 7c. The sealing member 4 is provided on the side of the sealing member 8 facing the container body, and the shaft end portion 7c of the conveying member 7 passes through the hole 4a and is loosely fitted into the hole 8g provided in the sealing portion 8. It is comprised so that.

  FIG. 12 shows a front view of the seal member 4 applied to this embodiment. 4b is a double-sided tape, and is provided on the side of the seal member 4 facing the sealing member 8. The double-sided tape 4b has a hole 4c, and when the shaft end portion 7c is loosely fitted into the hole 8g, the hole 4c is also penetrated in the same manner as the hole 4a. Further, the cross-sectional shape of the hole 4a is smaller than that of the hole 4c so that the double-sided tape 4b does not contact the shaft end 7c.

  In this embodiment, the sealing member 8 and the sealing member 4 are fixed by the double-sided tape. However, as another fixing method, a method of integrating with the sealing portion by two-color molding or insert molding may be used.

FIG. 13 shows an enlarged side sectional view of the conveying member 7 and the sealing member 8 applied to this embodiment. The diameter (W ₂ ) of the hole 4a is configured to be smaller than the shaft diameter (W ₁ = 6 mm) of the shaft end portion 7c. Specifically, the difference (d) between W ₁ and W ₂ is 0.5 mm. It is preferably ~ 2 mm. In this embodiment, W ₂ = 5 mm and d = W ₁ −W2 = 1 mm. The thickness of the sealing member 4 is preferably 0.5 mm to 5 mm in consideration of sealing properties and assembling properties. Furthermore, it is more preferable to use the one of 1 mm to 3 mm. In this embodiment, the thickness of the seal member 4 is about 2 mm. The material of the seal member 4 is preferably a soft elastic body in consideration of the sealability and assemblability. In this embodiment, the hardness is 20 to 70 °, the compression set is 4% or less, and the friction coefficient μ = 0.8. Hereinafter, a low foam polyurethane having a cell size of 60 to 300 μm and a specific gravity of 0.2 to 0.5 was used.

(Stirring member)
The stirring member 3 will be described.

  14A is a front view of the stirring member 3, FIG. 14B is a left side view, and FIG. 14C is a top view. As shown in FIG. 14, the stirring member 3 includes a shaft portion 3b, a rigid wing portion 3c, a flexible wing portion 3d, and a stirring drive receiving portion 3a. FIG. 15 is an enlarged side view of the attachment portion of the flexible wing portion 3d.

  In the present embodiment, the shaft portion 3b, the rigid wing portion 3c, and the stirring drive receiving portion 3a are integrally manufactured by injection-molding relatively high-stiffness plastic. The flexible wing 3d is made of a material having low rigidity, such as a plastic film or sheet, or an elastomer sheet. In this example, a polyester sheet was used. The shaft portion 3b, the rigid wing portion 3c, and the agitation drive receiving portion 3a do not need to be integrally formed, and separate members may be assembled by a conventionally known method, or a developer that uses materials. In consideration of the force applied to the member according to the filling amount of the replenishing container, etc., it may be formed of other materials such as metal.

  Next, the attachment part of the flexible wing | blade part 3d is demonstrated. The rigid wing portion 3c has a plate shape substantially parallel to the rotational tangential direction over the entire length, and the downstream side of the wing portion in the rotational direction is bent toward the inner surface of the developer supply container. However, the length r of the bent portion 3e shown in FIG. 15 is preferably about 2 mm to 8 mm, and the bent angle θ is preferably about 30 to 50 degrees. More preferably, the length r of the bent portion 3e is about 3 mm to 5 mm, and the bent angle θ is about 45 degrees.

  In this embodiment, the length of the bent portion 3e is about 5 mm and the bent angle is about 45 degrees. The distance from the center of the rotation axis to the tip of the rigid wing may be appropriately determined depending on the size of the container body, but is preferably about 70 to 95% of the radius within the container body. In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the container body is about 44.5 mm, so that it is about 39.4 mm (89%).

  The flexible wing portion 3d is made of a material having low rigidity, such as a plastic film or sheet, or an elastomer sheet, and the thickness is preferably about 50 μm to 500 μm, particularly preferably 100 μm to 300 μm. In this example, a polyester sheet having a thickness of about 100 μm was used.

  Further, the flexible wing portion 3d is stuck so that the tip thereof contacts the inner wall surface of the container body over the entire length of the bent portion 3e of the rigid wing portion 3c. Then, it rotates while scraping off the developer on the inner wall surface of the container together with the rigid wing 3c. Here, if the length of the flexible wing portion 3d in the rotational radius direction is configured to be approximately 0.5 mm to 10 mm longer than the distance from the tip of the rigid wing portion 3c to the inner wall surface of the container, the above-described effect is further enhanced. Therefore, in this example, the length was increased by about 6 mm.

  In the present embodiment, a double-sided tape (DIC # 8800CH, not shown) was used for bonding the rigid wing 3c and the flexible wing 3d, and affixed to the bent portion 3e of the rigid wing 3c. In addition, it may be attached by a conventionally known means such as riveting or caulking, or may be formed integrally with the rigid wing portion 3c.

  Further, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 14, the rigid wing 3c is divided so as to have a phase difference of 180 degrees with respect to the axial direction at the substantially central portion, and is formed in a staggered shape. The number may be appropriately determined according to the shape and length of the container body, and may be divided into three, four, or more. Moreover, you may form in a spiral form by changing a phase continuously over the full length direction of the rigid wing | blade part 3c. In order to reduce the torque load during the rotation of the stirring unit 3 as much as possible, it is also effective to reduce the projected area in the rotation direction of the rigid wing 3c and reduce the resistance of the developer. In this embodiment, the length of the rigid wing bent portion 3e is about 3 mm.

  As described above, the agitation member 3 uses the rotation driving force from the image forming apparatus main body 100 received by the sealing member 8 of the developer conveyance / drive transmission unit 2 as the conveyance member 7 and the drive transmission unit 9. , The developer in the developer replenishing container 1 is agitated and loosened by being received by the agitation drive receiving portion 3a of the agitating member 3, and is always developed below the container body provided with the conveying member 7. It is comprised so that an agent may be supplied.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 6, the stirring unit 3 is incorporated so that both ends thereof are pivotally supported by the developer supply container main body 1. However, the configuration is limited to such a configuration. For example, as shown in FIG. 16 (front sectional view showing another embodiment of the stirring unit 3) and FIG. 17 (perspective view showing the other embodiment), the stirring drive receiving portion of the stirring member 3 is used. 3a and a ring-shaped member 3f having substantially the same shape on the side facing the agitation drive receiving portion 3a, the agitation member 3 is arranged to be supported by the inner wall of the developer supply container main body. As described in, the configuration may be such that the shaft seal mechanism is not used. At this time, when drive transmission is performed between the drive transmission unit 9 of the developer conveyance / drive transmission unit 2 and the agitation drive receiving unit 3a of the agitation member 3, the distance between the axes of both gears is separated by the reaction force of the gears. However, since the drive transmission portion 9 is restricted to move on the bottom surface portion 1e of the developer replenishing container and the stirring drive receiving portion 3a is restricted on the top surface 1h of the developer replenishing container 1, the distance between the shafts is reduced. There will be no problems such as separation and inability to transmit drive.

(Assembly method of developer supply container)
A method for assembling the developer supply container 1 will be described.

  The developer replenishing container 1 is assembled by first supplying the integrally formed conveying member 7 and the drive transmission part 9 to the lower part of the lower frame of the container main body 1, and the drive transmission part 9 supplying the developer by the regulating part 1f. It arrange | positions so that the movement to the opening 1b direction may be controlled. Thereafter, in order to seal the developer supply port 1 b with the sealing portion 8, the extended portion 7 c of the transport member 7 is mounted while being inserted into the fitting hole 8 g provided in the sealing portion 8. Next, the agitation member 3 is inserted from above while engaging the agitation drive receiving portion 3a and the drive transmission portion 9 so that the drive transmission is possible. Then, after inserting an oil seal (not shown) into the container body, bearing members are inserted and fixed on both sides of the stirring member 3. Here, as described above, the configuration of the stirring member is supported by the inner wall of the container body, thereby eliminating the above-described components such as the shaft seal member such as the oil seal and the bearing member, and further the oil seal. It is possible to eliminate steps such as incorporation, which can greatly contribute to cost reduction.

  Thereafter, the upper frame and the lower frame are vibration welded.

  Next, a predetermined amount of developer is filled into the container body 1 through the filling port 1n of the developer supply container body, and the filling port 1n is sealed with a sealing cap to complete. As described above, the assembly of the developer supply container 1 is very simple and the number of assembling steps is very small.

  The developer may be filled from the developer supply port 1b.

  By configuring the developer supply container as described above, the number of parts and the number of assembly steps can be reduced, and the cost can be greatly reduced.

  Further, since the drive transmission unit 9 is restricted from moving in the developer supply container 1, the developer remaining in the dead space (C portion in FIG. 20) when the drive transmission unit 9 moves. In addition, the sealing member 8 is relatively slid relative to the container body in order to reseal the discharge opening 1b, and there is no possibility of causing a sealing failure due to pinching of residual developer. It has become possible to provide a developer supply container.

  In addition, by providing a slide mechanism between the sealing member and the conveying member, for example, a sealing member that requires a sealing property is made of a material having a relatively low rigidity, and a conveying member is made of a material having a relatively high rigidity. It is also possible to select the most suitable material for the required function of each part, such as use, so a highly reliable developer supply container that exhibits high sealing performance and can reliably transmit drive It became possible to provide at low cost.

  Next, Embodiment 2 according to the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. However, the description of the same configuration as the first embodiment is omitted.

  Here, FIG. 18 shows a state in which the developer supply container 1 is closed with the sealing member 8, (B) the sealing member 8 is opened, and (C) the sealing member 8 is opened. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the agent transport / drive transmission means 2.

  In the first embodiment, the configuration for the sealing member to slide relative to the container main body is a configuration in which the sealing member 8 is slidably fitted to the transport member 7 and the drive transmission unit 9 provided integrally. In this example, the conveying member 7 and the sealing member 8 are integrated, and the conveying member 7 and the sealing member 8 slide relative to the drive transmission unit 9 formed separately. A slide part was provided so as to be free.

  More specifically, the drive transmission unit 9 has an extending part 9 a extending in the direction of the conveying member 7. Further, the conveying member 7 and the sealing member 8 that are integrally formed slidably engage with an extending portion 9a that is one end portion of the drive transmitting portion 9 to slidably engage with the driving force received from the apparatus main body 100. It has an engagement hole 7d as a driving force transmission part for transmitting to the part 9. The engaging hole 7d has a shape corresponding to the shape of the extending portion 9a so that the rotational driving force can be transmitted to the drive transmitting portion 9. And it is formed slightly larger than the extension part 9a, and, thereby, the extension part 9a is loosely slidably fitted in the engagement hole 7d.

  Then, the extending portion 9a is loosely fitted in the engaging hole 7d in this way, so that the integrally formed sealing member 8 and transport member 7 and the separately formed drive transmission portion 9 are: The conveying members 7 are locked in the rotation direction. On the other hand, they are configured to be slidable relative to each other in the axial direction. Thereby, the relative separation operation (opening operation) between the sealing member 8 and the container main body 1 becomes possible, and the developer supply port 1b can be opened (opened).

  By the way, the engagement length between the engagement hole 7d and the extending portion 9a is a length that does not come off even when the sealing member 8 and the container body 1 are separated and the sealing member is located at the open position. have. Thereby, even if the sealing member 8 is separated from the container main body 1, the drive transmission unit 9 can receive a driving force through the sealing member 8 (coupling engaging portion 8 b) and the conveying member 7. Further, by transmitting the drive to the agitating member 3, it becomes possible to agitate the developer stored in the developer supply container main body 1.

  The cross-sectional shape of the extending portion 9a is a shape that allows a rotational driving force to be transferred. In the present embodiment, the cross-sectional shape is a quadrangular shape, but there is no restriction on the shape as long as drive transmission is possible. Any shape such as a polygonal shape, a D-cut shape, or an H-cut shape may be used.

  In addition, if the developer enters the engagement hole 7d constituting the slide portion, the developer that has entered the inside of the seal member 8 when it is slid to seal the sealing member 8 is sealed. Since there is a possibility that it cannot be stopped, as described in the first embodiment, a seal member may be provided on the slide portion (around the engagement hole 7d) in order to improve reliability.

  In the present embodiment, an example in which the conveying member 7 is provided with the engagement hole 7d and the drive transmitting portion 9 is provided with the extending portion 9a is shown. However, the rotational driving can be transmitted and the sealing member 8 is provided. For example, as shown in FIG. 22, an extension portion extending from the conveyance member 7 toward the drive transmission portion 9 is provided, as shown in FIG. 22. There is no problem even if the drive transmission portion 9 is provided with an engagement hole that loosely fits the extension portion. Further, in the case of such a configuration, even if the developer enters the engagement hole by setting the engagement hole provided in the drive transmission portion 9 as a through hole as shown in FIG. When the sealing member 8 and the conveying member 7 are slid to reseal the developer discharge port, the developer in the engagement hole can be pushed out, and the sealing member is added to the slide portion as described above. Even if it is not necessary, since it is possible to prevent the re-sealing failure due to the sandwiched developer as described in the background section, it is possible to achieve a configuration in which a further cost reduction effect can be expected.

  As described above, even if the developer supply container is configured, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and the number of assembling steps, and the cost can be greatly reduced.

  In addition, since the drive transmission unit 9 is restricted from sliding in the developer supply container 1, the developer is prevented from remaining in the dead space when the drive transmission unit 9 is moved. In this embodiment, there is provided a highly reliable developer supply container that does not cause a sealing failure due to pinching of the residual developer when the sealing portion and the drive transmission portion 9 are slid to move the sealing portion. It became possible to provide.

  Further, when the sealing member is moved to open the developer replenishing opening, the transport portion of the sealing member also moves in conjunction with the developer, so that the developer is packed near the developer replenishing opening. Even in such a case, it is possible to break down, and it is possible to provide a highly reliable developer supply container that does not have defective discharge.

  In addition, by providing a slide mechanism between the sealing member and the conveying member and the drive transmission member, for example, a drive transmission member that performs drive transmission using a relatively low-rigidity material for the sealing member that requires sealing performance. It is also possible to select the most suitable material for the required function of each part, such as using a material with relatively high rigidity, so a highly reliable developer supply container that can reliably transmit the drive. Can be provided at low cost.

  Next, Embodiment 3 of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. However, the description of the same configuration as in the first and second embodiments is omitted.

  FIGS. 19A and 19B show the developer supply container 1 in a state where it is closed with (A) the sealing member 8, (B) when the sealing member 8 is opened, and (C) when the sealing member 8 is opened. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of each of the drive transmission means 2.

  In the present embodiment, the conveying member 7 is divided in the middle, and is provided integrally with the sealing member 8 and the drive transmission unit 9, respectively, and a configuration that enables sliding movement is provided in the divided portion of the conveying member 7. An example is shown.

  As described above, the conveying member 7 is divided in the middle thereof, and one is formed integrally with the sealing member 8 and the other is formed integrally with the drive transmission unit 9.

  Here, although the example in which the dividing position of the conveying member 7 is the substantially central portion in the rotation axis direction of the conveying unit 7 is shown in the present embodiment, the dividing position of the conveying member is not particularly limited. For example, one screw pitch is provided integrally with the drive transmission unit 9 and the remaining part is provided integrally with the sealing member 8, or conversely, one screw pitch is integrated with the sealing member 8 side. However, there is no problem even if the rest is formed integrally with the drive transmission unit 9, and the dividing position may be set as appropriate.

  An extension part 7f extending in the direction of the drive transmission part 9 is formed at the end of the conveyance part (sealing part side) 7e provided integrally with the sealing member 8 on the drive transmission part 9 side. Yes. Furthermore, a driving force received from the apparatus main body 100 is transmitted to the drive transmitting portion 9 by engaging with the extending portion 7 f to a transfer portion (drive transmitting portion side) 7 g formed integrally with the drive transmitting portion 9. An engaging hole 7h is provided as a driving force transmitting portion for this purpose.

  The engaging hole 7h has a shape corresponding to the shape of the extending portion 7f so that the rotational driving force received by the sealing member can be transmitted to the drive transmitting portion 9.

  And it is formed slightly larger than the extension part 7f, and thereby the extension part 7f is loosely fitted in the engagement hole 7h.

  Then, the extending portion 7f is loosely fitted in the engaging hole 7h as described above, so that it is integrally formed with the integrally formed sealing member 8 and the conveying portion (sealing portion side) 7e. The drive transmission unit 9 and the conveyance portion (drive transmission unit side) 7g are locked to each other in the rotational direction. On the other hand, it is configured to be slidable in the axial direction.

  As a result, the sealing member 8 can be separated from the container main body 1, and the developer supply port 1b can be opened (opened).

  By the way, the engagement length between the engagement hole 7h and the extending portion 7f has a length that does not come off when the sealing portion 8 and the container body 1 are separated from each other. Thereby, even if the sealing member 8 is separated from the container body 1, the drive transmission portion 9 can receive a driving force via the sealing member 8 (coupling engaging portion 8 b). Further, by transmitting the drive to the agitating member 3, it becomes possible to agitate the developer stored in the developer supply container main body 1.

  The cross-sectional shape of the extending portion 7f is a shape that can deliver the rotational driving force. In the present embodiment, the cross-sectional shape is a quadrangular shape, but there is no restriction on the shape as long as drive transmission is possible. Any shape such as a polygonal shape, a D-cut shape, or an H-cut shape may be used.

  In the present embodiment, an example is shown in which the extending portion 7f is provided in the conveying portion (sealing portion side) 7e and the engaging hole 7h is provided in the conveying portion (drive transmission portion 9 side) 7g. A configuration opposite to the above configuration may be used as long as it can transmit driving and can be relatively slid relative to the container body for opening and closing the sealing member 8. In other words, any configuration may be adopted in which an engagement hole is provided in the transport portion (sealing portion side) 7e and an extending portion is provided in the transport portion (drive transmission portion 9 side) 7g.

  In addition, if the developer enters the engagement hole 7h constituting the slide portion, the developer that has entered the inside is bitten when the developer slides to reseal the sealing member 8. Since sealing may not be possible, a seal member may be provided around the engagement hole 7h constituting the slide portion as described in the first embodiment in order to further improve the reliability.

  As described above, even if the developer supply container is configured, it is possible to reduce the number of parts and the number of assembling steps, and the cost can be greatly reduced.

  Further, since the drive transmission unit 9 is restricted from moving in the developer supply container 1, it is possible to prevent the developer from remaining in the dead space when the drive transmission unit 9 is moved. In this embodiment, there is provided a highly reliable developer supply container that does not cause a sealing failure due to sandwiching of the residual developer when the sealing portion and the drive transmission portion 9 are slid to move the sealing member. It became possible to provide.

  Further, when the sealing member is moved to open the developer replenishing opening, the transport portion of the sealing member also moves in conjunction with the developer, so that the developer is packed near the developer replenishing opening. Even in such a case, it is possible to break down, and it is possible to provide a highly reliable developer supply container that does not have defective discharge.

  Further, since the slide portion is provided in the middle of the conveying member, the length of the conveying member that slides is shorter than in the case of the second embodiment, so the sealing member and the conveying member are moved. Since the resistance caused by the packed toner can be reduced, the structure of the main body can be easily reduced in cost, and the above highly reliable development can be performed without impairing the operability for the user. An agent supply container can be provided.

[Comparative example]
Next, a comparative example will be briefly described below with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 20 is a cross-sectional view of the developer supply container used in this study in the (A) sealing member closed state and (B) the sealing member open state.

  The developer supply container described in this comparative example is further based on the developer supply container configured to transmit the rotational driving force to the developer conveying member via the sealing member disclosed in Patent Document 1. As disclosed in Document 2, the developer conveying member is configured to transmit a driving force from the developer conveying member to the agitating member via the drive transmission gear portion in the developer accommodating container, and the cap portion (1), the screw It has a developer conveyance / drive transmission member integrally formed with a drive transmission gear part (4) for transmitting drive to the part (2) and the agitation part (3). Therefore, when the developer supply container is mounted on the image forming apparatus main body and the cap portion (1) is slid to open the developer discharge opening, the screw portion (2) configured integrally and the drive are driven. The transmission gear portion (4) also slides. Further, the drive transmission gear portion (4) eliminates the shaft seal mechanism in order to improve the above-mentioned problem, and is not supported by the container body, and the inner wall surface of the container and the drive transmission gear portion (4). Is configured / arranged to be supported by rubbing (contacting).

  When a predetermined amount of developer is filled in such a developer supply container and the operation of opening and closing the cap is confirmed, an empty space after the drive transmission gear portion (4) slides together with the cap portion (1) ( Developer (C) in FIG. 20 (B) accumulates, and even if the cap is slid to the original position again to close the cap, the developer accumulated in the C portion is caught, and the cap It has been found that there may be a problem that the part cannot be returned. In addition, even if the amount of the developer remaining in the interior is large, this phenomenon is that the developer remains accumulated because the portion is a dead space for stirring / conveying. As described above, it has been found that there is a possibility that a cap closing failure may occur even in a state where the residual developer that cannot be discharged becomes small and the amount of the internal developer is reduced.

  From the above, in the case of the developer replenishing container used in the above study, the shaft seal portion is unnecessary, so the cost of the developer replenishing container can be reduced, but the cap cannot be opened and closed. Because there is a possibility that a problem related to basic performance may occur, it was not an effective method.

1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration of an electrophotographic copying machine as an example of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which a developer supply container according to the present invention is attached. The perspective view of the said electrophotographic copying machine. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a developer supply container replacement cover of the electrophotographic copying machine is opened and a developer supply container is attached to the electrophotographic copying machine. (A) of the developer supply container according to the first embodiment of the present invention is a perspective view as viewed from the side where the sealing portion is provided, and (B) is as viewed from the side where the handle is provided. Perspective view. (A) front view, (B) cross-sectional view, (C) left side view, (D) right side view, (E) side cross-sectional view of the developer supply container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. F) Plan view. In the developer supply container according to the first embodiment of the present invention, (A) a state where the sealing portion is closed, (B) a state where the sealing portion is opened, and (C) a developer conveyance / drive transmission means. FIG. (A) Front sectional view, (B) Right side view of developer storage container parts. (A) of a sealing part is a front view, (B) is an A arrow figure, (C) is a B arrow figure (D) front sectional drawing. The partial perspective view which shows the engagement state of a drive transmission part and the drive transmission part of a stirring part. It is a fragmentary perspective view which shows the engagement state of a drive transmission part and the drive transmission part of a stirring part, (A) shows a roller press-contact drive system, (B) shows a belt drive system. (A) is a side view of the sealing part which has a sealing member, (B) is a front view, (C) is front sectional drawing. (A) is a container main body side front view, (B) is a sealing member side front view of a sealing member. The side surface expanded sectional view of a conveyance part and a sealing part. (A) is a front view, (B) is a right side view, and (C) is a top view of the stirring section. The side enlarged view of a rigid wing | blade part. Sectional drawing which shows the structure at the time of eliminating the bearing structure of the stirring part of the developer supply container which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing the configuration of the developer supply container according to the first embodiment of the present invention when the bearing configuration of the stirring unit is eliminated. In the developer supply container according to the second embodiment of the present invention, (A) a state where the sealing portion is closed, (B) a state where the sealing portion is opened, and (C) a developer conveyance / drive transmission means. FIG. In the developer supply container according to the third embodiment of the present invention, (A) the sealed portion is closed, (B) the sealed portion is opened, and (C) the developer transport / drive transmission means. FIG. Sectional drawing which shows (A) the state which the sealing part closed, and (B) the state which opened the sealing part of the developer supply container used in the comparative example, respectively. The front view which shows other embodiment of a sealing part. Sectional drawing which shows the state which (A) the sealing part of the developer conveyance / drive transmission means concerning the 2nd Embodiment of this invention closed, and the state where (B) the sealing part was opened. 4A is a cross-sectional view of the developer supply container according to the first embodiment of the present invention in a state in which a sealing portion is closed, and FIG.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Developer supply container 1a Developer supply opening part 1b Developer supply opening 1c Curved part 1d Plane part 1e Arc-shaped part 1f Restriction part 1g Engagement part 1h Top surface part 1i Handle 1j, 1k Bearing part 1m Bottom face 1n Developer filling port 1p Auxiliary restriction part 1q Wall surface 2 Developer transport / drive transmission means 3 Stirring member 3a Drive transmission part 3b Shaft part 3c Rigid wing part 3d Flexible wing part 3e Flexible wing part attachment part 3f Ring-shaped part 4 Seal member 4a Through hole 4b Double-sided tape 4c Double-sided tape hole 6 Belt 7 Conveying part 7a Shaft part 7b Wing 7c Extension part 7d Engagement hole 7e Conveying part 7f Extension part 7g (provided integrally with the sealing member) Conveying portion 7h engaging hole 8 sealing member 8a sealing portion 8b coupling engaging portion 8c protruding portion 8d spline protrusion 8e locking protrusion 8f Locking groove 8g Engagement hole 8h Clearance 9 Drive transmission member 9a Extension part 100 Electrophotographic image forming apparatus main body

Claims (3)

In the developer supply container detachably provided in the image forming apparatus,
A container body for containing a developer;
A developer outlet provided on one end in the longitudinal direction of the container body;
A sealing member that is slidably moved relative to the container body so as to be freely opened and seals the developer discharge port;
A stirring member for stirring the developer in the container body;
A drive transmission member that is coaxially and integrally rotatable with the sealing member, and that transmits a rotational driving force received by the sealing member to the stirring member in the container body, the container body A drive transmission member provided slidably on the inner surface of the container main body without being pivotally supported by,
A regulating portion that regulates sliding movement of the drive transmission member ,
The drive transmission member is provided so as to be slidable with respect to the sealing member, and has a transport unit that transports the developer in the container body toward the developer discharge port, and the sealing member is the developer discharge port. The developer replenishing container, wherein the conveying portion is engaged with the sealing member when the container is opened . In the developer supply container detachably provided in the image forming apparatus,
A container body for containing a developer;
A developer outlet provided on one end in the longitudinal direction of the container body;
A sealing member that is slidably moved relative to the container body so as to be freely opened and seals the developer discharge port;
A stirring member for stirring the developer in the container body;
A drive transmission member that is coaxially and integrally rotatable with the sealing member, and that transmits a rotational driving force received by the sealing member to the stirring member in the container body, the container body A drive transmission member provided slidably on the inner surface of the container main body without being pivotally supported by,
A regulating portion that regulates sliding movement of the drive transmission member,
The sealing member is provided so as to be slidable with respect to the drive transmission member, and has a transport unit that transports the developer in the container body toward the developer discharge port, and the sealing member is the developer discharge port. The developer supply container, wherein the conveying portion is engaged with the drive transmission member when the container is in an opened position . In the developer supply container detachably provided in the image forming apparatus,
A container body for containing a developer;
A developer outlet provided on one end in the longitudinal direction of the container body;
A sealing member that is slidably moved relative to the container body so as to be freely opened and seals the developer discharge port;
A stirring member for stirring the developer in the container body;
A drive transmission member that is coaxially and integrally rotatable with the sealing member, and that transmits a rotational driving force received by the sealing member to the stirring member in the container body, the container body A drive transmission member provided slidably on the inner surface of the container main body without being pivotally supported by,
A regulating portion that regulates sliding movement of the drive transmission member,
The drive transmission member and the sealing member are provided slidably with respect to each other, and each has a transport section that transports the developer in the container body toward the developer discharge port, and the sealing member discharges the developer. A developer replenishing container, wherein each of the conveying portions is engaged with each other when the outlet is in the opened position .

Images