JP5132611B2 - Developer supply container - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a developer supply container that is assembled by inserting a conveying member for pumping up a developer from a discharge opening of a container body, and more particularly to a structure that facilitates insertion and reuse of the conveying member.

  2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus in which a developer (toner) is supplied to a developing device by rotating a cylindrical developer supply container in a lying state has been put into practical use. With the rotation of the developer supply container, the developer in the storage cylinder portion of the developer supply container moves toward the discharge opening, and is then pumped up to the height of the discharge opening (Patent Documents 1 to 3).

  In Patent Document 1, from a discharge opening formed at one end of a blow-molded storage cylinder, an elastically reduced diameter conveying member is inserted and expanded inside to contact the inner surface of the storage cylinder A developer supply container is shown.

  In Patent Document 2, a partition-shaped transport member is fixed inside the container body so that the cylindrical space of the blown storage cylindrical portion is vertically divided into two. A plurality of parallel ribs provided upright on the partition-shaped conveying member cooperate with the partition-shaped portion to convey the toner in the axial direction and pump it up to the discharge opening.

  Patent Document 3 discloses a developer supply container that is assembled by inserting a transport member that scoops up developer from a discharge opening formed at one end of a blow-molded storage cylinder and transports it to the discharge opening. .

JP 09-34233 A JP 2003-057931 A Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2001-42626

  When reusing the container main body of the developer supply container, it is desirable that the conveying member be extracted from the container main body to perform internal cleaning, inspection, and the like.

  In this regard, the developer supply container disclosed in Patent Document 1 has a problem that it is difficult to extract again the conveying member that has been once expanded in diameter inside the container body.

  Further, in the developer supply container shown in Patent Document 2, it is necessary to provide a large opening for taking out the conveying member on the bottom surface opposite to the discharge opening. If a large opening is provided and a detachable lid is attached, it becomes difficult to mold the container main body, and the manufacturing cost of the developer supply container increases, such as an increase in the number of materials and parts used.

  In the developer supply container shown in Patent Document 2, the transport member can be taken out through the discharge opening. However, since the transport member has a structure that does not reduce the diameter, the discharge opening needs to be formed large. Providing a large discharge opening increases the manufacturing cost of the developer supply container, such as difficulty in molding the container body and increasing the amount of material used.

  Further, when the conveying member does not expand in the container main body, a gap is formed between the conveying member and the storage cylindrical portion of the container main body, and a large amount of developer that cannot be squeezed out in the container main body remains.

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a developer supply container in which a transport member can be attached to and removed from a container main body through a discharge opening, and a small amount of developer remains without being drawn out from the container main body.

  The developer supply container of the present invention rotates integrally with the container main body inside the container main body having a discharge opening having an inner diameter smaller than that of the storage cylindrical part on one bottom surface of the storage cylindrical part. And a transport member that scoops up the developer from the storage cylinder and transports it to the discharge opening. The conveying member includes a fixed portion that is positioned by abutting both ends at opposing positions across the inner diameter of the discharge opening, and the storage cylindrical portion and the discharge opening that stand on both sides from the fixed portion. A pair of inclined plate portions that form inclined surfaces that communicate with each other, and a pair of scooping plate portions that rise from the respective inclined plate portions and form a developer scooping surface along the inner surface of the storage cylindrical portion. The inclined plate portion has a plate-like portion that is not connected to the fixing portion or the scooping plate portion between the fixing portion and the scooping plate portion, and the pair of scooping plate portions includes the pair of scooping plate portions. The plate-like portion is elastically bent and deformed so as to reduce the diameter and pass through the discharge opening.

  In the developer supply container of the present invention, the conveying member rotates integrally with the container main body inside the container main body, and pumps the developer from the storage cylindrical portion to the discharge opening. The conveying member is inserted through the discharge opening by bending and deforming a plate-like portion secured in the middle of the inclined plate portion within a range of elastic deformation to reduce the diameter of the pair of scooping plate portions. Then, the elastic deformation of the plate-like portion is restored in the container main body and the pair of scooping plate portions are expanded in diameter, whereby the gap with the inner surface of the storage cylindrical portion is reduced or disappears.

  Therefore, the conveying member can be attached to and removed from the container main body through the discharge opening, and the developer remaining without being drawn out from the container main body can be reduced.

It is explanatory drawing of a structure of the image forming apparatus of 1st Embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of a structure of a developer supply apparatus. It is explanatory drawing of a developer supply container. It is a perspective view of the assembly state of a developer supply container. It is a perspective view of the discharge opening part of the container main body which removed the supply port unit. It is a side view of a conveyance member. It is a perspective view of a conveyance member. It is explanatory drawing of the process which attaches a conveyance member to a container main body. It is an enlarged view of the slit front-end | tip part enclosed with the broken line in FIG. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a conveyance member according to a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a conveyance member according to a third embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a conveyance member according to a third embodiment. It is explanatory drawing of the type | mold used for injection molding of a conveyance member. It is explanatory drawing of the structure of the front-end | tip of a slit. It is explanatory drawing of the effect of a cut. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a conveyance member according to a fourth embodiment. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of a conveyance member of Example 5. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a container main body of Example 6. 10 is an explanatory diagram of a process of attaching a conveying member to a container main body of Example 6. FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the structure of the discharge member of Example 7. FIG. It is explanatory drawing of the section modulus of a conveyance member.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In the present invention, as long as the conveying member passes through the discharge opening and is reduced in diameter and expanded in the container main body, part or all of the configuration of the embodiment is replaced with the alternative configuration. It can also be implemented in the embodiment.

  Therefore, the developer is not limited to a one-component developer, and a two-component developer and a nonmagnetic toner for replenishment can be used.

  In addition, the developer supply container of the embodiment is not limited to an image forming apparatus that transfers a toner image to a recording material in a sheet-fed manner, but is also installed in an image forming apparatus that uses an intermediate transfer belt and an image forming apparatus that uses a recording material conveyance belt. it can. Not only a single drum type in which one photosensitive drum is arranged, but also a tandem type in which a plurality of photosensitive drums are arranged along a belt member can be mounted.

  In the present embodiment, only main parts related to toner image formation / transfer will be described. However, the present invention includes a printer, various printing machines, a copier, a fax machine, a composite machine, in addition to necessary equipment, equipment, and a housing structure. It can be implemented in various applications such as a machine.

  In addition, about the general matter of the image forming apparatus shown in patent documents 1-3, a developing device, and a developer supply container, illustration is abbreviate | omitted and the overlapping description is abbreviate | omitted.

<Image forming apparatus>
FIG. 1 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 100 forms a toner image based on image information from an image scanner 103 that reads image information of a document on a photosensitive drum 104 and transfers the toner image to a recording material P. The image forming apparatus 100 receives print data generated by an external device such as a personal computer and transmitted via a communication line and forms an image based on the print data on the recording material P when the printer function is performed. .

  The recording material P taken out as necessary from the recording material cassettes 107 and 108 using the pickup rollers 107A and 108A is separated one by one and fed to the registration roller 110. The registration roller 110 waits for the recording material P, and sends the recording material P to the transfer portion T1 in synchronization with the toner image on the photosensitive drum 104. The recording material P onto which the toner image has been transferred by the transfer unit T1 is sent to the fixing device 114 by the transport belt 113, and the toner image is fixed on the surface by being heated and pressurized by the fixing device 114.

  In the case of single-sided copying, the recording material P passes through the discharge reversing unit 115 and is discharged to the discharge tray 117 by the discharge roller 116.

  In the case of double-sided copying, the recording material P is switched back by the discharge roller 116 under the control of the flapper 118, and re-conveyed to the registration roller 110 via the re-feed conveyance paths 119 and 120. Thereafter, the paper is discharged to the discharge tray 117 along the same path as in the case of single-sided copying.

  A charging device 203, an exposure device 204, a developing device 201, a transfer charger 111, a separation charger 112, and a cleaning device 202 are disposed around the photosensitive drum 104.

  The charging device 203 irradiates charged particles to charge the surface of the photosensitive drum 104 to a uniform negative potential.

  The exposure device 204 scans a laser beam that is ON-OFF modulated in accordance with an image signal obtained by developing the image data, and writes an electrostatic image of the image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 104.

  The developing device 201 charges the magnetic toner, which is a one-component developer, to a negative polarity, holds the toner in a thin layer state on the developing sleeve 201f, and supplies the electrostatic image on the photosensitive drum 104. By applying an oscillating voltage obtained by superimposing an AC voltage on a DC voltage from a power source (not shown) to the developing sleeve 201f, the toner is transferred to the exposed portion of the photosensitive drum 104 having a relatively positive polarity, and an electrostatic image is transferred. Is reversely developed.

  The transfer charger 111 transfers the toner image of the photosensitive drum 1 charged to the negative polarity to the recording material P by irradiating the recording material fed to the transfer portion T1 with charged particles and charging the positive polarity.

  The separation charger 112 radiates charged particles onto the recording material onto which the toner image has been transferred, neutralizes unnecessary electrification of the recording material P, and eliminates the charge, thereby separating the recording material P from the photosensitive drum 104 by curvature. .

    The cleaning device 202 slides a cleaning blade on the photosensitive drum 104 to remove residual toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 104 that has passed through the transfer portion T1.

<Developer supply device>
FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the developer supply device.

  As shown in FIG. 2, since the developer is an extremely fine powder, when supplying the developer, the developer supply container 1A is placed inside the image forming apparatus 100 so that the developer is not scattered, and the developer is discharged from a small opening. The developer is discharged little by little.

  The replacement cover 105 is a dedicated cover for attaching and detaching the developer supply container 1A, and is opened and closed only for attaching and detaching the developer supply container 1A. When the user opens the replacement cover 105 that is a part of the exterior cover of the image forming apparatus 100, the developer supply container 1A appears. When an operation lever (not shown) is operated, the developer supply container 1A is pushed out in the axial direction (front side of the sheet), and the developer supply container 1A can be taken out. The developer supply container 1A with no developer is taken out from the opening of the replacement cover 105, and a new developer supply container 1A filled with the developer is set on the driving roller 106 of the developer supply device 109.

  Thereafter, when the operation lever (not shown) is returned to the original position while being supported on the driving roller 106, the developer supply container 1A is pushed in the axial direction (the back side of the sheet) and the developer supply container. 1A is connected to the developer supply device 109.

  The developer replenishing device 109 rotates the developer replenishing container 1A to move the developer in the developer replenishing container 1A in the axial direction (the back side of the sheet), and a conveying member that rotates integrally with the developer replenishing container 1A. 3, the developer is picked up and supplied to the developer supply device 109.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the developer supply container 1 </ b> A is formed in a substantially cylindrical shape, and is disposed in a substantially horizontal direction in the main body of the image forming apparatus 100. The developer supply device 109 rotates the developer supply container 1A and supplies the developer to the developing device 201. The developer supplied to the developing device 201 is folded back toward the front side of the paper surface by the conveying screw 201c and spread evenly along the developing sleeve 201f. The supplied new developer is stirred in the axial direction by the conveying screws 201c and 201d having the opposite conveying directions and mixed with the old developer. Then, the toner is conveyed to the developing sleeve 201 f while being uniformly stirred by the conveying blade 201.

<Developer supply container>
3 is an explanatory diagram of the developer supply container, FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the assembled state of the developer supply container, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the discharge opening of the container main body from which the supply port unit is removed.

  As shown in FIG. 3, in the container main body 1 of the developer supply container 1A, a discharge opening 1b having an inner diameter smaller than that of the storage cylinder 1c is formed on one bottom surface of the storage cylinder 1c filled with the developer T. Has been.

  The conveying member 3 rotates integrally with the container main body 1 inside the container main body 1, thereby scooping up the developer from the storage cylindrical portion 1c and conveying it to the discharge opening 1b.

  The conveying member 3 is positioned by abutting both ends of the fixed portion 3d at opposing positions crossing the inner diameter of the discharge opening 1b.

  Conveying ribs 3b1 and 3b2, which are an example of a pair of inclined plate portions, stand on both sides from the fixed portion 3d to form inclined surfaces that connect the storage cylindrical portion 1c and the discharge opening 1b.

  Baffles 3a1, 3a2, which are an example of a pair of scooping plate portions, stand up from the conveying ribs 3b1, 3b2 and form a scooping surface for the developer along the inner surface of the storage cylindrical portion 1c.

  The transport ribs 3b1, 3b2 secure plate-like portions 3b3, 3b4 that are not connected to the fixed portion 3d or the baffles 3a1, 3a2 between the fixed portion 3d and the baffles 3a1, 3a2. When the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 are reduced in diameter and passed through the discharge opening 1b, the plate-like portions 3b3 and 3b4 are elastically and reversibly bent and deformed.

  In FIG. 3, the plate-like portions 3b3 and 3b4 are exaggerated and long, but as shown in FIG. 6, the slit 3e, which is the gap between the fixed portion 3d and the baffles 3a1 and 3a2, is actually In order to avoid spilling off of the developer accompanying the rotation, it is formed narrowly.

  The conveyance member 3 has the fixed portion 3d and the baffles 3a1, 3a2 arranged on the same surface, and the fixed portion 3d, the conveyance ribs 3b1, 3b2, and the baffles 3a1, 3a2 are integrally molded with resin.

  The conveying member 3 has a length in the insertion direction that does not interfere with the developer T and scatter the developer T when inserted into the container body 1 filled with the developer T in a standing state with the discharge opening 1b up. Is formed. On the inner surface of the storage cylindrical portion 1c of the container main body 1, a spiral protrusion (screw protrusion 1e) for conveying the developer T toward the discharge opening 1b as the container main body 1 rotates is formed. Yes.

  At a position adjacent to the discharge opening 1b of the container body 1, an inclined guide surface 1g that connects the storage cylindrical portion 1c and the discharge opening 1b is formed.

  The second inclined surface 3h formed on the baffles 3a1, 3a2 is guided by the inclined guide surface 1g to reduce the diameter of the baffles 3a1, 3a2 when the conveying member 3 is extracted from the container body 1.

  The first inclined surface 3g formed on the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 is guided by the discharge opening 1b to reduce the diameter of the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 when the transport member 3 is inserted into the container body 1.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the supply port unit 2 is assembled at one end of the container main body 1 of the developer supply container 1 </ b> A, and the sealing member 4 is attached to the tip of the supply port unit 2. A sealing member 4 that is slidable in the axial direction (direction of arrow C) of the developer supply container 1A is lightly press-fitted and attached to the tip of the supply port 2a.

  The sealing member 4 performs the automatic opening / closing operation of the supply port 2a by driving the locking protrusion 4a from the developer supply device (109: FIG. 1) in the rotation axis direction. The sealing member 4 opens the supply port 2a by moving in the extracting direction, and seals the supply port 2a by moving in the pushing direction.

  The sealing member 4 drives the locking protrusion 4a in the rotational direction from the developer supply device (109: FIG. 1), and is rotatably supported on the tray 106 of the developer supply device 109 shown in FIG. The agent supply container 1A is rotated.

  As shown in FIG. 5, a partial screw 1 h is formed on the outer surface of the discharge opening 1 b of the container body 1.

  As shown in FIG. 4 with reference to FIG. 3, by engaging the female screw 2c of the supply port unit 2 with the screw 1h and rotating about 30 degrees, the supply port unit 2 is connected to the container body 1 with the seal member 5 interposed therebetween. Are concatenated.

  On the central axis of the supply port unit 2, a cylindrical supply port 2 a smaller than the outer diameter of the container body 1 is disposed. The conveyance member 3 rotates integrally with the container main body 1 and draws up the developer to the height position of the supply port 2 a of the supply port unit 2 attached to the container main body 1.

  The container body 1 is molded into a cylindrical appearance with a screw-like protrusion 1e formed on the inner surface by injection blow molding. In injection blow molding, a bottomed cylindrical member such as a test tube called a “preform” is first formed by injection molding, and then air is blown into the female mold while being heated and temperature-controlled and stretched in the axial direction. This is a processing method in which blow molding is performed.

  Since the container main body 1 uses the opening of the preform as the discharge opening 1b, fine shapes such as screws 1h, a support 1d, and a seal surface can be accurately formed on the inner and outer surfaces of the discharge opening 1b by injection molding. . On the other hand, for the bottomed cylindrical portion excluding the discharge opening 1b, the screw-like protrusion 1e can be easily formed inside by blow molding. As described above, the portion requiring accuracy is injection molding, and the portion requiring a simple protrusion shape is blow molding, and the container body 1 can be manufactured by taking advantage of each advantage.

  Patent Document 1 describes that a container body is manufactured by a biaxial stretch blow molding method. In the biaxial stretch blow molding method, a heated resin member called a preform is placed in a mold, and air is blown into the preform to inflate it so that it adheres to the mold and is molded into a plastic bottle-like container. Form.

  The container body 1 may be entirely formed by a biaxial stretch blow molding method, or may be formed by various manufacturing methods such as injection molding and blow molding that are generally known.

  Moreover, although the conveyance member 3 is provided with a pair of baffles 3a1 and 3a2, any number of three or more may be used as long as it satisfies the function of radially expanding the diameter.

<Reuse of developer supply container>
The developer supply container 1A is also suitable for recycling. The developer supply container 1 </ b> A is composed of five parts including a container body 1, a transport member 3, a supply port unit 2, a sealing member 4, and a seal 5, and the number of parts is small.

  When the used developer supply container 1A is reused, it can be easily detached from the container body 1 by pulling the conveying member 3 to the side opposite to the arrow shown in FIG. And since there is no obstructive member like the composition shown in patent documents 1 and 2 in the inside of container main part 1 which picked up conveyance member 3, washing, cleaning, inspection, etc. can be performed easily.

Reuse is performed according to the following procedure.
(1) The supply port unit 2 is removed from the collected used developer supply container 1A, and the conveying member 3 is extracted. As a result, the reused container body 1 and the reused product conveying member 3 are collected.
(2) Wash or clean the disassembled reused product and inspect it.
(3) A new developer is filled from above to a height at which the conveying member 3 is inserted with the discharge opening 1b of the reused container body 1 facing upward. This is to prevent the filled developer from interfering with and being scattered when the conveying member 3 is inserted from above in (4).
(4) The reusable conveying member 3 is inserted into the container main body 1 from above with the filling opening with the discharge opening 1b up.
(5) The supply port unit 2 in which the sealing member 4 is assembled and the sealing member 4 is assembled is attached to the container body 1 with the discharge opening 1b facing upward.

<Conveying member>
FIG. 6 is a side view of the conveying member, FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the conveying member, and FIG. 8 is an explanatory view of a process of attaching the conveying member to the container body.

  As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the conveying member 3 has a plate-like scissor-like open leg shape for scooping up the developer T when the developer supply container (1A: FIG. 2) rotates. A pair of baffles 3a1 and 3a2 are provided. The transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2 guide the developer scooped up by the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 to the supply port 2a as the developer supply container (1A: FIG. 2) rotates.

  As shown to (a) of FIG. 8, the conveyance member 3 is inserted in the discharge opening part 1b of the container main body 1 in the state which opened the baffles 3a1 and 3a2. However, when the conveyance member 3 having a larger dimension G0 of the insertion start point 3g1 of the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 than the inner diameter D0 of the discharge opening 1b is inserted, the first inclined surface 3g does not engage with the discharge opening 1b. Insertion may be started in a lightly closed state.

  As shown in FIG. 8B, when the conveying member 3 is inserted, the first inclined surface 3g is in contact with the discharge opening 1b and the baffles 3a1, 3a2 are tilted inward in the diametrical direction as indicated by arrows. Passes through the discharge opening 1b. The conveying member 3 is inserted until the abutting portion 3f abuts against the abutting surface of the support portion 1d.

  As shown in FIG. 8C, when the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 pass through the discharge opening 1b during insertion, the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 are restored to the original state by the elastic restoring force of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2. It adheres to the inner wall of the main body 1.

  Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 4, when the supply port unit 2 is screwed into the container main body 1 and assembled, the conveying member 3 is fixed to the container main body 1 in both the rotation direction and the rotation axis direction. The entire replenishing container 1A can be rotated integrally.

  As shown in FIGS. 8A and 8B, when the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 are inserted into the container main body 1, the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 are guided in the radial direction by the first inclined surface 3g being guided by the discharge opening 1b. Falls inside.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the smaller the inclination angle α of the first inclined surface 3g, the smaller the resistance when inserted into the discharge opening 1b, and the insertability is improved. However, if the inclination angle α of the first inclined surface 3g is too small, the total length of the baffles 3a1, 3a2 becomes longer in the longitudinal direction of the container body 1. When the entire length of the baffles 3a1, 3a2 is increased, the baffles 3a1, 3a2 collide with the developer and scatter the developer when the transport member 3 is inserted with the discharge opening 1b facing upward after the developer is filled. Therefore, it is not preferable.

  Therefore, the inclination angle α of the first inclined surface 3g is preferably in the range of 10 ° to 45 °, more preferably 30 ° to 35 °. Here, the first inclined surface 3g is given priority to the scattering of the developer. The inclination angle α was set to 35 degrees.

  As shown in FIG. 8C, when the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 are expanded in diameter in the container main body 1 and are in close contact with the inner peripheral surface of the container main body 1, the second inclined surface 3h is the guide inclination of the container main body 1. A gap is not formed in close contact with the portion 1g.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the inclination angle β of the second inclined surface 3 h needs to be fitted to the shape of the container body 1 in order to improve the adhesion with the container body 1.

  The smaller the inclination angle β of the second inclined surface 3h, the more gently the developer scoops up, so that the discharge performance is improved, and the resistance when removing the conveying member 3 from the inside of the used container body 1 is reduced. This improves the drawability.

  However, if the inclination angle β of the second inclined surface 3h is made too small, the entire length of the baffles 3a1, 3a2 becomes longer in the longitudinal direction of the container body 1, and the conveying member 3 is inserted after the developer is filled as described above. In this case, the developer is easily scattered.

  Therefore, the inclination angle β of the second inclined surface 3h is preferably in the range of 10 degrees to 45 degrees, more preferably 30 degrees to 35 degrees, and here, 45 degrees is given priority to the pullability of the conveying member 3. .

  The transport ribs 3b1 and 3b1 are formed at an inclination angle θ with respect to the rotation axis direction of the container body (1: FIG. 3). Here, when the inclination angle θ is greater than 45 degrees, the amount of developer scooped up per time by the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 is reduced. However, when the inclination angle θ is smaller than 30 degrees, the speed at which the developer slides down becomes slow, and the amount of the developer guided to the supply port (2a: FIG. 3) decreases.

  Therefore, the inclination angle θ is preferably 30 degrees to 45 degrees, and more preferably set to 40 degrees to 45 degrees. Here, the inclination angle θ of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b1 is set to 45 degrees.

  As shown in FIG. 7, the widths W1 and W2 of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2 are sizes that can be assembled without difficulty by inserting the transport member 3 into the discharge opening 1b of the container body 1 shown in FIG.

  If the widths W1 and W2 of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2 are wide, the amount of developer guided to the opening 1a per time can be increased. However, if the widths W1 and W2 are too wide, the developer is likely to collect and close inside during the logistics transportation of the developer supply container 1A filled with the developer, and the initial discharge performance may deteriorate. For this reason, the widths W1 and W2 are optimized according to the type of developer for each of various products.

  Here, optimization is performed using a one-component developer mainly composed of magnetic toner, and the widths W1 and W2 of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2 are set to 15 mm, respectively.

  The material of the conveying member 3 is preferably a material that is easy to mold with a general-purpose resin such as POM (polyacetal) or PP (polypropylene) and has excellent mechanical properties against bending. Here, PP (polypropylene) having particularly excellent bending characteristics is used.

  The thickness t1 of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2 is determined according to the material to be used, but if it is too thick, it is difficult to elastically deform, and if it is too thin, an elastic restoring force cannot be obtained. Therefore, the thickness t1 of the transport rib 3b1 and the transport rib 3b2 is preferably 0.5 mm to 3 mm, more preferably 1 mm to 2 mm in consideration of formability. Here, the thickness t of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2 is 1 mm.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the contact portion 3 f is supported by contacting the inner peripheral surface of the discharge opening portion 1 b when the transport member 3 is inserted into the container body 1. A support portion 1d that guides the side surface of the contact portion 3f in the insertion direction is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the discharge opening 1b. Since the contact portion 3f is restrained in the circumferential direction by the support portion 1d, the transport member 3 is restricted in the rotational direction.

  The fixed portion 3d of the conveying member 3 and the baffles 3a1, 3a2 are formed on the same plane with the same thickness. Slits 3e are formed between the fixed part 3d and the baffle 3a1 and between the fixed part 3d and the baffle 3a2, respectively, so that the baffle 3a1 and the baffle 3a2 are easily tilted inward. The width of the slit 3e is designed to prevent the developer from spilling out when the developer scooped up by the baffles 3a1, 3a2 is guided to the supply port (2a: FIG. 3) by the transport ribs 3b1, 3b2. The narrower the width of the slit 3e, the smaller the developer spill-off, which is desirable. However, if the width is too narrow, the strength of the portion for forming the slit 3e of the mold for molding decreases, and the life of the mold is reduced. Is not preferred because it is significantly shortened.

  For this reason, the interval between the slits 3e is preferably 0.1 to 2.0 mm, more preferably 0.8 mm to 1.5 mm. In this embodiment, the interval between the slits 3e is designed to be 1.0 mm so that the strength of the portion where the slits 3e are formed does not affect the life of the mold, and the discharge is hardly affected.

  Since they are separated by the slit 3e, the baffles 3a1, 3a2 and the fixed portion 3d are not directly connected but indirectly connected via the plate-shaped transport ribs 3b1, 3b2.

<Example 1>
FIG. 9 is an enlarged view of a slit front end portion surrounded by a broken line in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 9A in an enlarged manner, in the first embodiment, since the tip (center side) of the slit 3e passes through the transport ribs 3b1, 3b2, it is not affected by the baffles 3a1, 3a2. The conveying ribs 3b1 and 3b2 can be bent and deformed. Therefore, the inward collapse when the baffle 3a1 passes through the discharge opening (1b: FIG. 3) is realized by bending deformation of the plate-like portion of the transport rib 3b1 having a length corresponding to the width of the slit 3e. . At the same time, the inward collapse when the baffle 3a2 passes through the discharge opening (1b: FIG. 3) is realized by bending deformation of the plate-like portion of the transport rib 3b2 having a length corresponding to the width of the slit 3e.

  The transport member of Example 1 formed in this way and a comparative example (previous example) in which the tip (center side) of the slit 3e does not penetrate the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2, as shown in FIG. An experiment of attaching to and detaching from the main body 1 was performed. The amount of deformation (the amount of diameter reduction) of the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 when passing through the discharge opening 1b of the container body 1 was changed to examine the presence or absence of permanent deformation accompanying one attachment / detachment. The amount of deformation in Table 1 is the amount of deformation on one side in the diametrical direction when the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 have the minimum diameter in the process in which the conveying member 3 passes through the discharge opening 1b.

○・・・白化無し
△・・・僅かに白化有り
×・・・白化有り

○ ・ ・ ・ No whitening △ ・ ・ ・ Slight whitening × ・ ・ ・ Whitening

  As shown in Table 1, in the comparative example (previous example), when the deformation amount on one side is 3 mm or more, the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 are not restored to the original diameter, and when the deformation amount is 4 mm or more, the baffle in the mounted state A gap was generated between 3a1, 3a2 and the container body 1. When the deformation amount was 3 mm or more, when observed after the experiment, a whitening phenomenon accompanying plastic deformation was observed in the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2 adjacent to the tip of the slit 3e. When the deformation amount was 5 mm or more, the same place was completely whitened over a wide area and could not be restored to the original state.

  On the other hand, in Example 1, even if the deformation amount was 10 mm, the baffles 3a1, 3a2 were completely restored to the original diameter, and there was no gap between the baffles 3a1, 3a2 in the mounted state and the container body 1. . When the conveyance member 3 after the experiment was observed, no whitening phenomenon occurred in the conveyance ribs 3b1 and 3b2 adjacent to the tip of the slit 3e.

  The conveyance member of the comparative example (previous example) was difficult to repeatedly use because the root portions of the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 were whitened during the assembly to the container body 1 or the removal thereof.

  However, since the base part is not whitened and damaged even after being removed, the conveyance member 3 of Example 1 has almost no component deterioration due to repeated use, and can be reused repeatedly. The major reason why the used conveying member 3 can be repeatedly recycled and used is due to the unique configuration of the conveying member 3, that is, the tip (center side) of the slit 3e passes through the conveying ribs 3b1 and 3b2. Is.

  FIG. 21 is an explanatory diagram of the section modulus of the conveying member. As shown in FIG. 21A with reference to FIG. 3, it is assumed that a bending moment M acts on the transport rib 3 b 1 when the transport member 3 is mounted on the container body 1.

At this time, since a bending moment M is generated in the plate-like portion of the conveying rib 3b1 of Example 1 with respect to the cross-sectional area of the width W and the thickness t, the cross-sectional secondary moment Ia is expressed by the following equation.
^{Ia = Wt 3/12 ··· (} 1)

On the other hand, in the portion (3a1) adjacent to the plate-like portion, the basic thickness T of the baffle 3a1 or the fixing portion 1d and the dimension H in the height direction resist the bending moment M. The following formula.
^{Ib = Ia + TH 3/12} ··· (2)

In the expressions (1) and (2), the relationship of the dimension in the height direction that dominates the sectional secondary moment I is as follows.
H> t (3)

For this reason, the relationship between the cross-sectional secondary moment Ia in Example 1 of (a) and the cross-sectional secondary moment Ib in the comparative example (previous example) of (b) is as follows.
Ib >> Ia (4)

  Therefore, bending deformation due to the bending moment M concentrates on an intermediate plate-shaped portion that is not connected to the baffle 3a1 or the fixing portion 1d of the transport rib 3b1.

  At this time, in Example 1 of (a), since the slit 3e passes through the transport ribs 3b1, 3b2, the intermediate plate-like portion W × t can be elastically deformed evenly.

  On the other hand, in the comparative example (preceding example) of (b), since the deformation on the compression side is restricted by the edge of the plate-like portion on the baffle 3a1 side, the root of the baffle 3a1 on the pulling side or the fixing portion 3d. A large tensile stress is generated at the base of the wire. For this reason, the stress concentrated portion is plastically deformed and whitened.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the conveyance member 3 of Example 1 can reduce the bending moment M applied to the plate-like portion shown in FIG. 21A when inserted from the small-diameter discharge opening 1b. The force required to deform the ribs 3b1 and 3b2 is reduced, and the ribs 3b1 and 3b2 are easily inserted during assembly.

  The conveyance member 3 according to the first embodiment can reduce the bending moment M generated at the base of the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 of the conveyance member 3 having an open leg shape. For this reason, it is possible to reduce the permanent deformation of the bases of the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 during the assembly to the container body 1, and to improve the adhesion between the transport member 3 and the inner peripheral surface of the container body 1 after the assembly.

Therefore, the developer in the developer supply container 1A can be used up to the end, and the developer supply container 1A excellent in assembling performance while realizing the desired supply performance can be provided. Since the transport member 3 can be easily elastically deformed, the transport member 3 can be removed from the container body 1 and reused repeatedly, and a developer supply container 1A excellent in recyclability can be realized.
In order to avoid stress concentration at the portion where the slit 3e intersects the transport ribs 3b1, 3b2, a part of the baffles 3a1, 3a2 is arranged so that the slit 3e and the transport ribs 3b1, 3b2 ribs intersect in an arc shape. It may be cut out into a circle. In addition, as in the second embodiment, it is also preferable that the width of the slit 3e is enlarged in the immediate vicinity of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2 to increase the length of bending and deformation of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2 crossing the slit 3e.

<Example 2>
FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the conveying member according to the second embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the conveyance member 3 of Example 2 is the conveyance member of Example 1 shown in FIG. 6 except that the slit 3e that separates the fixed portion 3d and the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 is linearly formed. 3 is configured to be equal. The conveyance member 3 according to the second embodiment employs a unique configuration of the conveyance member 3 according to the first embodiment, that is, a configuration in which the tip (center side) of the slit 3e linearly penetrates the conveyance ribs 3b1 and 3b2. .

  For this reason, similarly to the conveying member 3 of the first embodiment, the conveying member 3 of the second embodiment can also provide the developer supply container 1A excellent in assembling performance while realizing a desired supply performance.

  Since the slit 3e is not bent but is formed linearly, the entire length of the slit 3e can be minimized. Therefore, the developer spilled from the slit 3e when the developer scooped up by the baffles 3a1, 3a2 with the rotation of the container body 1 is slid down to the supply port (2a: FIG. 3) by the transport ribs 3b1, 3b2. It can be reduced from the configuration of 1. As a result, the developer in the developer supply container 1A can be used up to the end of the configuration of the first embodiment.

<Example 3>
11 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the conveying member of Example 3, FIG. 12 is a perspective view of the conveying member of Example 3, FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram of a mold used for injection molding of the conveying member, and FIG. FIG. 15 is an explanatory view of the effect of cutting.

  As shown in FIG. 11, the conveyance member 3 of Example 3 is configured to be equal to the conveyance member 3 of Example 1 shown in FIG. 6 except that the tip of the slit 3e is extended along the conveyance rib 3b2. Yes.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the baffle 3a2 on one side of the conveying member 3 is provided with cuts 3j for extending the tips of the slits 3e along the conveying ribs 3b1 and 3b2 in the longitudinal direction of the conveying rib 3b2. The width of the notch 3j (K: FIG. 11) is determined so that it does not hinder the developer scooped up by the baffle 3a2 and slips down to the supply port (2a: FIG. 3). It is desirable because the developer spills out less.

  However, if the width of the notch 3j (K: FIG. 11) is too narrow, the strength of the mold for forming the notch 3j is lowered and the mold life is shortened, which is not preferable.

  For this reason, in Example 2, the width K of the notch 3j is designed to be 2.0 mm so that there is no influence of developer spillage and the strength of the mold does not affect the mold life.

  As shown in FIG. 13B, the conveying member 3 includes a movable die (core) 502 shown in FIG. 13A divided by a parting line PL and a fixed die 501 shown in FIG. In FIGS. 13A and 13C, for convenience, the respective molds are shown in a state of being opened 45 degrees with respect to the paper surface in order to make the mold structure easy to see. As shown in FIG. 13B, the parting line PL is provided on the right side surface of the baffle 3a1 of the conveying member 3 as viewed from the contact portion 3f side.

  The conveying member 3 according to the third embodiment is molded by a generally known injection molding method. In other words, the molding material is melted by applying heat, and the molding material is press-fitted into a mold made up of the fixed mold 501 and the movable mold 502, and the molded product is cooled and solidified to be taken out and taken out. Make. In the shapes of the fixed mold 501 and the movable mold 502, the dimensional accuracy, the surface condition, etc. directly affect the quality of the molded product.

  The fixed mold 501 is formed with a protrusion 501a. The protrusion 501a has a shape necessary for forming the space of the notch 3j shown in FIG. If the protrusion 501a is disposed on the movable mold 502 side, it is caught by the molded product and cannot be removed from the molded product, so that the space of the notch 3j cannot be formed. For this reason, the protrusion 501a is provided from the fixed mold 501 side, but has a shape protruding locally as compared with the case provided on the movable mold 502 side, so that rigidity is insufficient depending on the dimensions. There was a possibility that the strength of the mold was lowered.

  When the protrusion 501a is a rectangular parallelepiped of 1.0 mm (width K) × 1.0 mm (conveying rib thickness) × 2.0 mm (baffle thickness), it is worn due to insufficient rigidity or deformed and galvanized. The mold life could not satisfy the durability of 500,000 shots (number of moldings).

  In Example 3, the width K of the notch 3j shown in FIG. 11 is increased, and the shape of the protrusion 501a is increased to increase the rigidity. The protrusion 501a is a cuboid of 2.0 mm (width K) × 1.0 mm (conveying rib thickness) × 2.0 mm (baffle thickness). Thereby, the mold life was able to satisfy the durability of 500,000 shots (number of moldings).

  In Example 3, the dimension of the width K is increased to increase the rigidity of the protrusion 501a. However, even if the width L in the direction orthogonal to the width K is increased within a range that does not affect the discharge performance of the molded product, the same applies. An effect is obtained. However, for the reasons described below, it is more advantageous to increase the width K than to increase the width L.

  15 is a cross-sectional view of the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 shown in FIG. 11 cut in half in the thickness direction.

  As shown in FIG. 12, the baffle 3a2 and the fixed portion 3d are not directly connected, but are connected via a plate-shaped transport rib 3b2. A notch 3j having a width K is provided in the baffle 3a2.

  If a bending moment is applied to the transport rib 3b2 in this state, as shown in FIG. 15, in the case of the width K, the action point P can be moved away from the fulcrum Q compared to the case of the width K1 of the slit 3e. For this reason, since bending stress can be disperse | distributed to a wider range, it is advantageous with respect to elastic deformation.

  Therefore, it is possible to reduce the plastic deformation of the base of the conveying member 3 during assembly, and to improve the reliability of the adhesion between the conveying member and the inner peripheral surface of the container after assembly. Therefore, in addition to satisfying the durability of the mold by increasing the strength of the mold, it is possible to improve the performance and assembling performance of the developer in the developer supply container.

<Example 4>
FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the conveying member according to the fourth embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the conveying member 3 of the fourth embodiment is configured to be equal to the conveying member of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 11 except that the inclination angle θ of the conveying ribs 3b1 and 3b2 and the width K of the notch 3j are different. Yes. The shape of the slit 3e is also optimized according to the inclination angle θ of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2.

  In the conveying member 3 of the fourth embodiment, the width K of the cut 3j is 1.5 mm.

  In addition, the inclination angle θ of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2 is reduced from 45 degrees to 30 degrees in the third embodiment at a level that does not affect the discharge performance, and the scooping area surrounded by the thick dotted triangle in the transport member 3 Is larger than the configuration of the third embodiment. With this configuration, the area of the scooping region can be increased, and the amount of developer that the container main body (1: FIG. 3) scoops up every rotation can be increased as compared with the configuration of the third embodiment.

<Example 5>
FIG. 17 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of the conveying member according to the fifth embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 17, the conveying member 3 of the fifth embodiment is configured in the same manner as the conveying member of the third embodiment shown in FIG. 11 except that the inclination angle θ of the conveying ribs 3b1 and 3b2 and the width K of the notch 3j are different. Yes. The shape of the slit 3e is also optimized according to the inclination angle θ of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2.

  Since the conveying member 3 of Example 5 has the width K of the notch 3j as large as 4.0 mm, Example 3 and Example 4 against plastic deformation of the conveying rib 3b2 when the baffle 3a2 is reduced in diameter. Is more advantageous.

  Further, the inclination angle θ of the transport ribs 3b1 and 3b2 is reduced from 45 degrees to 30 degrees in the third embodiment at a level that does not affect the discharge performance, and the scooping region surrounded by the thick dotted line triangle in the transport member 3 is used. The area is made larger than the configuration of the third embodiment. With this configuration, the area of the scooping region can be increased, and the amount of developer that the container main body (1: FIG. 3) scoops up every rotation can be increased as compared with the configuration of the third embodiment.

<Example 6>
FIG. 18 is an explanatory view of the container body of the sixth embodiment, and FIG. 19 is an explanatory view of a process of attaching the conveying member to the container body of the sixth embodiment. 18A is a front view of the discharge opening, and FIG. 18B is a perspective view of the discharge opening.

  As shown in FIG. 18 (a), the container body 1 of the sixth embodiment is similar to that shown in FIGS. 3, 4, except that a groove 1f for allowing the baffles 3a1, 3a2 to pass through is formed in the discharge opening 1b. The same configuration as the container body 1 shown in FIG.

  The groove 1f has a concave shape that is recessed by a depth F from the inner peripheral surface of the discharge opening 1b. Therefore, the amount of diameter reduction required for the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 when inserting the conveying member 3 of the first to fifth embodiments can be reduced by the depth F of the groove 1f. Thereby, since the deformation amount of the conveyance member 3 when attaching / detaching the conveyance member 3 to / from the container body 1 can be reduced, the bending load of the conveyance ribs 3b1, 3b2 is reduced.

  As shown to (a) of FIG. 19, the conveyance member 3 is inserted in the container main body 1 in the state before the insertion which opened the baffles 3a1 and 3a2.

  As shown in FIG. 19B, the first inclined surface 3g of the conveying member 3 is guided by the inner peripheral surface of the discharge opening 1b, and the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 are displaced inward in the diameter direction of the container body 1. It passes through the discharge opening 1b.

  At this time, in the container main body 1 shown in FIG. 8B, since the container main body 1 does not have the groove 1f, it is necessary to deform to the inner diameter D0.

  On the other hand, in the container body 1 of the sixth embodiment, the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 of the conveying member 3 pass through the groove 1f, so that the diameter reduction of the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 can be reduced by twice the depth F.

  As shown in FIG. 19C, when the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 pass through the discharge opening 1b, the conveying member 3 is released from the regulation of the discharge opening 1b. As a result, the baffles 3a1, 3a2 are restored to their original state by the elastic restoring force of the transport ribs 3b1, 3b2, and are brought into close contact with the inner wall of the container body 1.

<Example 7>
FIG. 20 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of the discharge member according to the seventh embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 20, the conveyance member 3 of Example 7 is configured in the same manner as the conveyance member of Example 1 shown in FIG. 6 except that the whole is not integrally molded by injection molding.

  Conveying ribs 3b1 and 3b2 are bonded to both sides of a fixed part 3d formed integrally with the contact part 3f. A baffle 3a1 is bonded to the transport rib 3b1, and a baffle 3a2 is bonded to the transport rib 3b2.

  As described above, according to the developer supply container 1A of the first to seventh embodiments, even if the conveying member 3 is elastically deformed, stress concentration on the base conveying ribs 3b1 and 3b2 of the baffles 3a1 and 3a2 is reduced. it can. For this reason, it can reduce that a conveyance member plastically deforms at the time of an assembly of a conveyance member, and can improve the adhesiveness of the conveyance member after an assembly, and a container main body inner peripheral surface.

  Further, by cutting the transport rib of the transport member, it is possible to improve the life of the mold, and it is possible to further increase the distance of the elastic deformation region applied to the transport rib by the cutting, so that the stress concentration can be further dispersed. For this reason, it can further reduce that a conveyance member plastically deforms at the time of an assembly of a conveyance member, and can further improve the adhesiveness of the conveyance member after an assembly, and a container main body inner peripheral surface.

  Also, by providing a groove in the mouth of the container body, the amount of deformation of the conveying member can be reduced, plastic deformation of the conveying member can be further reduced, and the adhesion between the conveying member after assembly and the inner peripheral surface of the container can be further increased. Can be improved.

  For the above reasons, the durability of the mold can be satisfied and the reliability of the product can be improved, as well as the developer in the developer supply container can be used up to the end, realizing the desired replenishment performance In addition, it is possible to provide a developer supply container excellent in assemblability.

  An image forming apparatus that replenishes toner by attaching and detaching and replacing a toner bottle that rotates and supplies toner in a laid state.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1A Developer supply container 1 Container main body 1b Discharge opening part 1c Storage cylinder part 1d Support part 1e Spiral protrusion 1f Groove 1g Guide inclination part 2 Supply port unit 2a Supply port 3 Conveyance member 3a1, 3a2 Baffle 3b1, 3b2 Conveyance rib 3d Fixing part 3f Contact part 3e Slit 3g 1st inclined surface 3h 2nd inclined surface 3i Crevice 3j Cut 4 Sealing member

Claims (8)

A container body having a discharge opening having an inner diameter smaller than that of the storage cylinder part on one bottom surface of the storage cylinder part, and the developer from the storage cylinder part by rotating integrally with the container body inside the container body A developer supply container comprising a conveying member that scoops up and conveys to the discharge opening,
The conveying member includes a fixed portion that is positioned by abutting both ends at opposite positions across the inner diameter of the discharge opening, and the storage cylindrical portion and the discharge opening that stand on both sides from the fixed portion. A pair of inclined plate portions that form inclined surfaces to be communicated, and a pair of scooping plate portions that stand up from the respective inclined plate portions and form a developer scooping surface along the inner surface of the storage cylindrical portion. ,
The inclined plate portion has a plate-like portion that is not connected to the fixed portion or the scooping plate portion between the fixed portion and the scooping plate portion, and reduces the diameter of the pair of scooping plate portions. The developer supply container is characterized in that the plate-like portion is elastically bent and deformed so as to pass through the discharge opening.   2. The fixing portion, the pair of scooping plate portions are arranged on the same plane, and the fixing portion, the inclined plate portion, and the scooping plate portion are integrally molded with resin. Developer supply container.   The fixed portion and the pair of scooping plate portions are divided by a slit reaching the inclined plate portion, and the inclined plate portion has the tip of the slit secured to have a length that allows the plate-like portion to be elastically deformed. The developer supply container according to claim 2, wherein the developer supply container is extended along the line. The transport member has a length in the insertion direction that does not cause the developer to scatter when inserted into the container body filled with the developer in an upright state with the discharge opening up.
4. The development according to claim 3, wherein the container main body has a spiral protrusion on the inner surface of the storage cylindrical portion that conveys the developer toward the discharge opening as the container main body rotates. Medicine supply container. The container body has an inclined guide surface that communicates the storage cylindrical portion and the discharge opening,
The scooping plate portion of the conveying member includes a first inclined surface that is guided by the discharge opening so as to reduce the diameter of the scooping plate portion when inserted into the container main body, and the scooping plate when extracted from the container main body. The developer supply container according to claim 4, further comprising a second inclined surface guided by the inclined guide surface so as to reduce the diameter of the portion.   6. The development according to claim 1, wherein the discharge opening of the container body has an inner diameter larger than that of the other portion through which the reduced scooping plate portion passes. Medicine supply container.   A first step of filling the developer from above with the discharge opening up and the container body standing; and a conveying member having a reduced diameter of the scooping plate with the developer filled 7. A method of using a developer supply container according to claim 1, further comprising a second step of inserting the container main body from above.   The container body is a reused product obtained by extracting the transport member from a used developer supply container, and the transport member is a reuse product extracted from the discharge opening of the used developer supply container. 8. The method according to claim 7, wherein the method is used.

Images