JP5454752B2 - Powder supply apparatus and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a powder supply apparatus that supplies powder to a supply destination, and an image forming apparatus that includes the powder supply apparatus as a toner supply apparatus.

  In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a complex machine of these, toner in the developing device is consumed together with image formation, and therefore toner is replenished from the toner container to the developing device. When the toner in the toner container runs out, it is replaced with a new toner container.

  When the toner in the toner container is exhausted and the toner necessary for image formation is insufficient, image density is lowered and image loss occurs, and normal image formation cannot be performed. Therefore, the image forming apparatus is provided with detection means for detecting the remaining amount of toner in the toner container so as to notify the user of the detected remaining toner amount.

  For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus provided with an optical sensor as means for detecting the remaining amount of toner. As shown in FIG. 18A, the optical sensor includes a projector 100 and a light receiver 200. The light projector 100 is disposed on one side wall 400 a of the holding body 400 that holds the toner container 300, and the light receiver 200 is disposed on the other side wall 400 b of the holding body 400. The toner container 300 is made of a material having flexibility or flexibility, and is deformed according to the remaining amount of toner T to be stored.

  As shown in FIG. 18A, when the toner container 300 is almost full of toner T, light emitted from the projector 100 is shielded by the toner container 300. However, as shown in FIG. 18B, when the toner is exhausted and the toner container 300 is contracted, the light from the light projector 100 can be received by the light receiver 200, thereby detecting the absence of toner. doing.

Patent Document 2 discloses an image forming apparatus including a pressure sensor as means for detecting the remaining amount of toner. The pressure sensor is disposed in a toner hopper (not shown) that primarily stores toner supplied from a toner container. The pressure of the toner stagnating in the toner hopper is detected by this pressure sensor. Then, when the toner pressure detected by the pressure sensor is significantly reduced, it is determined that the toner in the toner container has run out.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2005-17789 JP 2003-66706 A

  However, in the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1, if the toner container does not shrink and deform accurately as the toner decreases, the toner container is almost empty and the toner is full. There is a risk of detection. Also, in the case of the image forming apparatus of Patent Document 2, if the toner adheres to the sensor or stagnates, the toner container may be almost empty, but the toner may be erroneously detected as full. is there. In addition, the image forming apparatuses disclosed in Patent Documents 1 and 2 have a drawback in that the manufacturing cost increases because sensors must be disposed at a plurality of locations in order to detect a decrease in the remaining amount of toner at a plurality of timings. is there.

  In view of such circumstances, the present invention provides a powder supply device capable of accurately detecting the remaining amount of powder such as toner with a simple structure, and an image including the powder supply device as a toner supply device. A forming apparatus is to be provided.

The invention of claim 1 is a powder supply device for supplying powder to a supply destination, wherein the powder storage device is configured to store the powder therein and be detachable from the powder supply device main body. , Acceleration detection means for detecting acceleration of vibration generated in the powder container, and powder remaining amount detection for detecting the remaining amount of powder in the powder container based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration detector And a direction in which one end is attached to the powder supply apparatus main body and a free end opposite to the one end approaches and separates from the powder container mounted on the powder supply apparatus main body displaceably a configured contact members, the contact member, as well as attached said acceleration detecting means, so that urges the free end side in the biasing means is pressed against the powder accommodating portion It is configured.

The acceleration of vibration generated in the powder container varies according to the remaining amount of powder in the powder container. Specifically, when the remaining amount of powder is large, the powder container is difficult to vibrate, and the acceleration of the vibration is small. On the other hand, when the remaining amount of the powder is small, the powder container tends to vibrate, and the acceleration of the vibration increases. Thereby, the residual amount of the powder in the powder container can be accurately detected by detecting the acceleration of the vibration generated in the powder container.
Further, the contact member can be pressed against the powder container by the urging means. Since the acceleration detecting means is attached to the contact member in pressure contact with the powder container, the acceleration detector can detect the acceleration of vibration generated in the powder container with high sensitivity. Thereby, the detection accuracy of the residual amount of powder can be improved. Further, since the contact member is configured to be displaceable in a direction away from the powder container, the attaching / detaching operation of the powder container can be smoothly performed.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the powder supply device according to the first aspect, the powder remaining amount detecting means is configured to detect that at least the remaining amount of powder in the powder container is exhausted. Is.

  By detecting that at least the remaining amount of powder in the powder container is exhausted, the user can grasp the timing for replenishing powder.

The invention of claim 3 is the powder supply apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 , wherein the powder container is configured to be deformable, and corresponds to the deformation of the powder container. And a urging means for urging the contact member so as to press the contact member against the powder container, and the acceleration detecting means is attached to the contact member.

  The contact member can be pressed against the powder container by the urging means. Since the acceleration detecting means is attached to the contact member in pressure contact with the powder container, the acceleration detector can detect the acceleration of vibration generated in the powder container with high sensitivity. Thereby, the detection accuracy of the residual amount of powder can be improved. In addition, since the contact member can be displaced corresponding to the deformation of the powder container, the contact member can be brought into pressure contact with the surface of the deformed powder container.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the powder supply apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, an excitation source that applies vibration to the powder container is brought into contact with the powder container. It is arranged.

  Vibration is directly applied to the powder container by the vibration source, and acceleration of the vibration of the powder container is detected by the acceleration detecting means. Thereby, it is possible to improve the detection accuracy of the residual amount of powder.

A fifth aspect of the present invention is the powder supply apparatus according to any one of the first to fourth aspects, further comprising a display unit for displaying the remaining amount of powder detected by the remaining powder amount detecting means. It is.

  As a result, the user can easily check the remaining amount of the powder.

According to a sixth aspect of the present invention, in the powder supply apparatus according to any one of the first to fifth aspects, the acceleration sensor is configured by a contact IC chip having a contact terminal.

  As a result, the power required for acceleration detection or the like can be kept low.

The invention of claim 7 is the powder supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 ,
The acceleration sensor is composed of a non-contact IC chip provided with an antenna.

  A non-contact IC chip can transmit and receive information and the like in a non-contact state with another device via an antenna. That is, since the non-contact IC chip is not configured to be connected to other devices via the contact terminals, it is possible to avoid wear and damage between the contact terminals.

An eighth aspect of the present invention is the powder supply apparatus according to any one of the first to seventh aspects, wherein the powder is toner.

  Toner can be supplied by the powder supply device of the present invention.

A ninth aspect of the present invention is an image forming apparatus comprising the powder supply apparatus according to any one of the first to eighth aspects as a toner supply apparatus.

  The configuration of the present invention can be applied to a toner supply device provided in an image forming apparatus.

  According to the powder supply apparatus of the present invention, it is possible to accurately detect the remaining amount of powder in the powder container by detecting the acceleration of vibration generated in the powder container. In addition, the powder supply apparatus of the present invention has problems such as erroneous detection due to toner adhering to the sensor, as in the conventional method of detecting the remaining amount of powder (toner) by an optical sensor or pressure sensor. Absent. Further, it is possible to easily change the timing for detecting the remaining amount of powder or increase the number of times simply by changing the timing for applying vibration to the powder container or increasing the number of times.

  The image forming apparatus provided with the powder supply apparatus of the present invention can also exhibit the same effects as the powder supply apparatus.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The image forming apparatus of the present invention shown in FIG. 1 includes four image forming units 1Y, 1C, 1C for forming an image with developers of different colors of yellow, cyan, magenta, and black corresponding to color separation components of a color image. 1M, 1Bk.

  Each of the image forming units 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1Bk has the same configuration except that it includes a toner container 6 (6Y, 6C, 6M, and 6Bk) that stores toners of different colors. Therefore, the configuration of one image forming unit 1Y will be described as an example.

  The image forming unit 1Y forms a toner image by supplying a photoreceptor 2 as an image carrier that carries a toner image, a charging unit 3 that charges the surface of the photoreceptor 2, and toner on the surface of the photoreceptor 2. A developing unit 4 and a cleaning unit 5 for removing residual toner adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor 2 are provided.

  An exposure device 7 that forms an electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive member 2 is disposed above each of the image forming units 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1Bk. Further, an intermediate transfer unit 8 is disposed below the image forming units 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1Bk. The intermediate transfer unit 8 includes a plurality of rollers 9, 10, and 11 including a driving roller and a driven roller, and an endless belt-shaped intermediate transfer belt 12 that is stretched around the plurality of rollers 9, 10, and 11.

  Four primary transfer rollers 13Y, 13C, 13M, and 13Bk as transfer means are disposed facing the respective photoreceptors 2 of the four image forming units 1Y, 1C, 1M, and 1Bk. A primary transfer nip is formed by sandwiching the intermediate transfer belt 12 between the four primary transfer rollers 13Y, 13C, 13M, and 13Bk and the respective photoreceptors 2.

  Further, a secondary transfer roller 14 is disposed so as to face the secondary transfer backup roller 10 that is one of a plurality of rollers that stretch the intermediate transfer belt 12. The intermediate transfer belt 12 is sandwiched between the secondary transfer roller 14 and the secondary transfer backup roller 10 to form a secondary transfer nip.

  A paper feeding unit 15 is disposed at the lower part of the image forming apparatus. The paper supply unit 15 has at least one paper supply cassette (not shown), and a plurality of transfer sheets as recording materials are accommodated in the paper supply cassette in a stacked manner.

  A pair of registration rollers 16 a and 16 b, a transfer paper transport unit 17, and a fixing device 18 are disposed between the paper feeding unit 15 and the intermediate transfer unit 8. The fixing device 18 includes a fixing belt 18c stretched between a heating roller 18a and an auxiliary roller 18b, and a pressure roller 18d.

  Reference numeral 19 in the figure denotes a paper discharge unit for stocking the transfer paper discharged to the outside of the image forming apparatus main body.

The basic operation of the image forming apparatus will be described below with reference to FIG.
First, the image forming operation will be described using one image forming unit 1Y as an example. The surface of the photoreceptor 2 is charged to a uniform high potential by the charging means 3. Based on the image data, the surface of the photosensitive member 2 is irradiated with a laser beam from the exposure device 7, and the potential of the irradiated portion is lowered to form an electrostatic latent image. The toner is transferred by the developing means 4 to the portion of the surface of the photoreceptor 2 where the electrostatic latent image is formed, and a yellow toner image is formed (visualized).

  The primary transfer roller 13Y is applied with a constant voltage or a constant current controlled voltage having a polarity opposite to the charging polarity of the toner. As a result, a transfer electric field is formed in the primary transfer nip between the primary transfer roller 13Y and the photoreceptor 2. Then, in the primary transfer nip, the toner image on the rotating photoreceptor 2 is primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 12 running in the direction of the arrow in the figure.

  Similarly, in each of the other image forming units 1C, 1M, and 1Bk, a toner image is formed on the photoreceptor 2, and the four color toner images are transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 12 so as to overlap each other.

  Further, after the primary transfer from the photosensitive member 2 to the intermediate transfer belt 12 is finished, residual toner adhering to the surface of the photosensitive member 2 is removed by each cleaning means 5. Thereafter, the residual charge of the photoreceptor 2 is neutralized by a neutralization device such as a neutralization lamp (not shown).

  On the other hand, a sheet feeding roller (not shown) of the sheet feeding unit 15 is rotated to feed the transfer sheet P from the sheet feeding cassette. The transfer paper P delivered from the paper supply unit 15 is temporarily stopped by the registration rollers 16a and 16b.

  After a toner image of each color is superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 12 to form a composite toner image, the driving of the registration rollers 16a and 16b is resumed, and the transfer paper P is timed (synchronized) with the composite toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 12. To the secondary transfer nip. Then, the composite toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 12 is secondarily transferred to the transfer paper P sent to the secondary transfer nip.

  The transfer paper P to which the composite toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 18. The transfer paper P sent to the fixing device 18 is sandwiched between the heating roller 18a and the pressure roller 18d and heated and pressurized, and the composite toner image is fixed on the transfer paper P. Thereafter, the transfer paper P is discharged to the paper discharge unit 19 and stocked.

  The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes four toner supply devices (powder supply devices) corresponding to yellow, cyan, magenta, and black colors. Hereinafter, the configuration of the toner supply device of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the first embodiment of the toner supply device according to the present invention. As shown in FIG. 2, the toner supply device 20 includes a toner container (powder container) 6 and a toner container holder 21 that holds the toner container 6.

  The toner container 6 includes a container main body 6a that contains toner T, and a base portion 6b that forms a toner discharge port. The container body 6a is formed from a deformable bag-like member having flexibility or flexibility. Moreover, you may form the container main body 6a with the hard member which covers the deformable bag-shaped member and the outer side of the bag-shaped member. Or it is also possible to form the container main body 6a only with a hard member.

  The toner container holder 21 has a storage space portion 21c for storing the toner container 6, and an openable / closable lid portion 21a is disposed at one end of the storage space portion 21c (upper part in the drawing). Further, the toner container holder 21 is configured to be swingable in the direction of the arrow in the figure around the fulcrum 22. By swinging the toner container holder 21 and tilting it as shown by a two-dot chain line in the figure, the upper part of the figure of the toner container holder 21 can be exposed to the outside from the outer wall 23 of the image forming apparatus main body. The toner container 6 can be attached to and detached from the toner container holder 21 by opening the lid 21a in this state. Further, the toner container 6 may not be detached from the toner container holder 21.

  The toner container holder 21 is formed with a conveyance path 21b for conveying the toner T in the toner container 6 to a developing unit (not shown). This image forming apparatus includes an excitation source (not shown). By applying vibration generated from the vibration source to the toner container holder 21 and the toner container 6, the toner is moved to the developing means. However, the means for moving the toner to the developing means is not limited to this. For example, the toner may be moved to the developing unit by sending air into the toner container 6.

  Further, the toner container holder 21 is provided with an acceleration sensor 24 as acceleration detecting means for detecting the acceleration of vibration generated in the toner container 6. In general, the acceleration sensor 24 includes two fixed plates constituting a capacitor and a movable plate that can be displaced between the fixed plates. When the movable plate is displaced between the fixed plates by the vibration, the capacitance of the capacitor constituted by the two fixed plates is changed. Then, acceleration is obtained by electrically converting the change in capacitance.

  FIG. 3 shows a block diagram of the acceleration sensor 24 and peripheral devices electrically connected to the acceleration sensor 24. As shown in FIG. 3, the acceleration sensor 24 supplies power to a detection unit 25 that detects acceleration, a signal processing unit 26 that electrically processes a detection signal of the detection unit 25, a signal processing unit 26, and the like. Power supply unit 27.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the image forming apparatus of the present invention is a toner remaining amount detecting means (powder remaining amount detection) for detecting the remaining amount of toner in the toner container 6 based on the acceleration obtained by the acceleration sensor 24. Means) 30 and display means 40 for displaying the detected toner remaining amount.

  The toner remaining amount detection unit 30 includes a storage unit 31 and a comparison unit 32. Information indicating the relationship between the acceleration and the remaining amount of toner is input in the storage unit 31 in advance. The comparison unit 32 is a means for detecting the remaining amount of toner based on information obtained from the storage unit 31 and information obtained from the signal processing unit 26 of the acceleration sensor 24. Further, the toner remaining amount detecting means 30 and the display means 40 can be disposed at any location of the image forming apparatus main body.

  The display means 40 can display the remaining amount of toner, for example, as shown in (a), (b), or (c) of FIG. 4A shows a state in which the toner in the toner container 6 is full, FIG. 4B shows a state in which the remaining amount of toner in the toner container 6 has decreased, and FIG. 4C shows that the toner in the toner container 6 has run out. Indicates the state. In addition to the figure, the display unit 40 may display the remaining amount of toner by characters, graphs, or any combination thereof.

  FIG. 5 shows a second embodiment of the toner supply apparatus according to the present invention. In the toner supply device 20 of the second embodiment, a contact member 50 is disposed in the toner container holder 21, and an acceleration sensor 24 is attached to the contact member 50. The contact member 50 is made of a member having flexibility or flexibility, or a member that can be elastically deformed. One end 50 a of the contact member 50 is fixed to the inner wall surface of the toner container holder 21. On the other hand, the free end 50 b opposite to the one end 50 a of the contact member 50 can be displaced in a direction approaching and separating from the toner container 6.

  A biasing means 51 is disposed between the free end 50 b of the contact member 50 and the inner wall surface of the toner container holder 21. The urging means 51 is constituted by a compression spring or the like, and the contact member 50 is pressed against the toner container 6 by the urging force of the urging means 51.

  The contact member 50 can be made of a hard material that is difficult to deform. When the contact member 50 is made of a hard material, as shown in FIG. 6, the contact member 50 is attached so as to be swingable around a fulcrum 50c. As a result, the free end 50 b of the contact member 50 can be displaced in a direction approaching and separating from the toner container 6. Similarly to the above, the contact member 50 is pressed against the toner container 6 by urging the free end portion 50 c of the contact member 50 by the urging means 51. In FIG. 6, a compression spring is applied as the urging means 51, but a coil spring may be disposed at the fulcrum 50 a of the contact member 50 to urge the contact member 50 in the same manner. 5 and 6, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 have the same configurations as those in FIG.

  FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the toner supply apparatus according to the present invention. The toner supply device 20 according to the third embodiment also includes a contact member 50 that contacts the toner container 6, an urging unit 51 that urges the contact member 50, and an acceleration sensor 24 that is attached to the contact member 50. The contact member 50 is configured to be swingable about a fulcrum 50c, and the urging means 51 urges the free end 50b of the contact member 50 toward the toner container 6 side. Further, the fulcrum 50c of the contact member 50 is disposed on the opening side (the upper side in the figure) of the storage space 21c of the toner container holder 21, and the free end 50b of the contact member 50 is the back side of the storage space 21c. (Lower side of the figure). Further, as shown in FIG. 8, in a state where the toner container 6 is detached from the toner container holder 21, the free end portion 50b of the contact member 50 faces the back side (the lower side in the figure) of the storage space portion 21c. It is arranged like this. 7 and 8, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 have the same configurations as those in FIG.

FIG. 9 shows a configuration of a toner supply device as a first reference example . The toner supply device 20 of the first reference example includes a contact member 50 that contacts the toner container 6 and an acceleration sensor 24 attached to the contact member 50. The contact member 50 is made of an elastically deformable member such as a metal leaf spring. As a result, the contact member 50 can be elastically deformed in a direction in which the contact member 50 contacts and separates from the toner container 6. In FIG. 9, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 have the same configurations as those in FIG.

FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a configuration of a toner supply device as a second reference example . The toner supply device 20 illustrated in FIG. 10 includes an acceleration sensor 24 and a circuit unit 52. The acceleration sensor 24 is disposed in contact with the toner container 6. Specifically, the acceleration sensor 24 is attached to the outer peripheral surface of the cap portion 6 b of the toner container 6. However, the attachment location of the acceleration sensor 24 is not limited to this. On the other hand, the circuit unit 52 is disposed in the toner container holder 21. Further, the circuit unit 52 is connected to a power source unit (not shown), the toner remaining amount detecting means 30, and the like.

  The acceleration sensor 24 shown in FIG. 10 is composed of a contact IC chip. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 11, the acceleration sensor 24 includes an IC chip 24a that functions as the signal processing unit 26, and a contact terminal (contact layer) 24b disposed outside the IC chip 24a. . By attaching the toner container 6 to the toner container holder 21, the contact terminal 24 b comes into contact with the circuit portion 52. As a result, the IC chip 24a is electrically connected to the power supply unit (not shown), the toner remaining amount detecting means 30, and the like. 10 and 11, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 have the same configurations as those in FIG.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view of a main part showing a configuration of a toner supply device as a third reference example . The toner supply device 20 illustrated in FIG. 12 includes an acceleration sensor 24 and a reader / writer 53. The acceleration sensor 24 is disposed in contact with, for example, the base 6b of the toner container 6. On the other hand, the reader / writer 53 is disposed in the toner container holder 21 in a non-contact state with the acceleration sensor 24. Further, the reader / writer 53 is connected to a power supply unit (not shown), the toner remaining amount detecting means 30, and the like.

  The acceleration sensor 24 shown in FIG. 12 is composed of a non-contact IC chip. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 13, the acceleration sensor 24 includes an IC chip 24a that functions as the signal processing unit 26 and an antenna 24c disposed around the IC chip 24a. Via the antenna 24c, the IC chip 24a and the reader / writer 53 can transmit signals and supply power in a non-contact state. 12 and 13, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 have the same configurations as those in FIG. 2.

FIG. 14 shows a configuration of a toner supply device as a fourth reference example . The toner supply device 20 of the fourth reference example includes an excitation source 54 for applying vibration to the toner container 6. The vibration source 54 is not particularly limited as long as it can generate vibration. The vibration source 54 is disposed in contact with the toner container 6. In FIG. 14, the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 2 have the same configurations as those in FIG.

FIG. 15 shows a configuration of a toner supply device as a fifth reference example . The toner supply device 20 of the fifth reference example includes a toner container 60 that contains toner, a drive motor 61 that rotates the toner container 60, and the like. A support shaft 62 is attached to one end of the illustrated toner container 60, and the support shaft 62 is rotatably supported by a bearing member 63. The toner container 60 is configured to be detachable from the support shaft 62. The support shaft 62 is provided with a transport portion 64 for transporting the toner in the toner container 60 to the developing means. A first gear 65 attached to the drive motor 61 and a second gear 66 attached to the support shaft 62 are engaged with each other. Thereby, the rotational force of the drive motor 61 is transmitted to the toner container 60 via the first gear and the second gear. A spiral protrusion (not shown) is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the toner container 60. When the toner container 60 is rotated, the protrusion is spirally moved to move the toner in the toner container 60 toward the conveyance unit 64. The acceleration sensor 24 is disposed on the outer peripheral surface of the bearing 63. The configuration of the acceleration sensor 24 is the same as the configuration described in FIG.

FIG. 16 shows a configuration of a toner supply device as a sixth reference example . The toner supply device 20 of the sixth reference example includes a rotary toner container 60 as in the fifth reference example . The acceleration sensor 24 is disposed on a support shaft 62 that supports the toner container 60. However, the location where the acceleration sensor 24 is disposed is not limited to the illustrated location. The acceleration sensor 24 includes a contact IC chip having a contact terminal 24b. In FIG. 16, the contact terminal 24b extends in the rotational direction (circumferential direction) of the outer peripheral surface of the support shaft 62, and the circuit portion 52 is fixed to the image forming apparatus main body side so as to contact the contact terminal 24b. The circuit unit 52 is connected to a toner remaining amount detecting means 30 and a power source unit (not shown). Since the circuit portion 52 and the contact terminal 24b are in sliding contact with each other when the toner container 60 rotates, the circuit portion 52 and the contact terminal 24b are preferably formed of a carbon-based material having excellent wear resistance. Note that portions other than the portions described above in FIG. 16 and having the same reference numerals as those in FIG. 15 have the same configurations as those in FIG.

  Further, the toner supply device 20 of each of the above embodiments can be provided in an image forming apparatus other than the intermediate transfer type image forming apparatus shown in FIG. For example, an image forming apparatus including a direct transfer type image forming apparatus configured to directly transfer a toner image onto a recording sheet held by a conveyance belt, and an image forming unit (one photoconductor and one primary transfer roller). The toner supply device 20 may be provided in an apparatus or the like.

Hereinafter, a method for detecting the remaining amount of toner in the toner container 6 will be described by taking the toner supply device 20 of the first embodiment shown in FIG. 2 as an example.
When the toner supply device 20 is vibrated by an unillustrated vibration source in order to replenish toner to the developing means, the acceleration of the vibration of the toner container 6 is detected by the acceleration sensor 24. In the case of FIG. 2, since the acceleration sensor 24 is attached to the toner container holder 21, the acceleration sensor 24 detects the acceleration of vibration of the entire toner supply device 20 including the toner container holder 21, the toner container 6, and the like.

  The acceleration of vibration generated in the toner container 6 (or the toner supply device 20) varies corresponding to the remaining amount of toner in the toner container 6. Specifically, when the remaining amount of toner is large, the toner container 6 (or toner supply device 20) is difficult to vibrate, and the acceleration of the vibration is small. Conversely, when the remaining amount of toner is small, the toner container 6 (or toner supply device 20) is likely to vibrate, and the acceleration of the vibration increases. Accordingly, it is possible to accurately detect the remaining amount of toner in the toner container 6 by detecting the acceleration of vibration generated in the toner container 6 (or the toner supply device 20).

Specifically, when F is the vibration force applied by the vibration source, a is the acceleration of vibration generated in the toner container holder (toner supply device), and m is the mass of the entire toner supply device, these F, a, m The relationship is expressed by the following formula.
F = m × a

  The vibration force F applied by the excitation source is constant. Therefore, when the toner m is full and the mass m of the entire toner supply device is large, the acceleration a is small. On the other hand, when the toner m is empty and the mass m of the entire toner supply device is small, the acceleration a increases. This can be represented by a graph as shown in FIG. In FIG. 17, the curve (i) indicates the acceleration when the toner is full, and the curve (ii) indicates the acceleration when the toner is empty. Further, the acceleration when the remaining amount of toner is between the full state and the empty state is shown as a curve (iii), for example.

A specific toner remaining amount detection method is performed as follows.
First, the acceleration of vibration generated in the toner container 6 (or the toner supply device 20) is detected by the detection unit 25 of the acceleration sensor 24 shown in FIG. The acceleration data detected by the detection unit 25 is converted into an electrical signal by the signal processing unit 26. Then, the acceleration data converted into an electrical signal is transmitted from the signal processing unit 26 to the comparison unit 32 of the remaining toner amount detection means 30.

  In addition, the acceleration of vibration generated in the toner container 6 (or toner supply device 20) when the toner is full and the acceleration of vibration generated in the toner container 6 (or toner supply device 20) when the toner is empty. Measured in advance, and these acceleration data are input to the storage unit 31.

  Then, the comparison unit 32 obtains the acceleration data in the toner full state and the acceleration data in the toner empty state from the storage unit 31, and compares the acceleration data with the detected acceleration data. The comparison unit 32 compares the acceleration data to detect (estimate) the remaining amount of toner corresponding to the detected acceleration data. Data on the remaining amount of toner detected by the comparison unit 32 is transmitted to the display unit 40, and the remaining amount of toner is displayed on the display unit 40, for example, as shown in (a), (b), or (c) of FIG. . The user can check the remaining amount of toner by looking at the display unit 40.

  Further, the acceleration data in the toner full state, the acceleration data in the toner empty state, and the detected acceleration data may be displayed on the display unit 40 as shown in the graph of FIG. As described above, since the acceleration of the vibration generated in the toner container 6 varies in accordance with the remaining amount of toner in the toner container 6, the remaining amount of toner can be grasped also by comparing and displaying the acceleration data. Is possible.

  Note that the toner remaining amount detection method is an example. The data input in advance to the storage unit 31 is not limited to the acceleration data in the toner full state and the acceleration data in the toner empty state. For example, acceleration data when the toner is half full, or acceleration data when the toner is full may be input to the storage unit 31.

  The acceleration sensor 24 shown in FIG. 5 or 6 is attached to the contact member 50 that is in pressure contact with the toner container 6. As a result, the acceleration sensor 24 can detect the acceleration of the vibration generated in the toner container 6 with high sensitivity, and can improve the detection accuracy of the remaining amount of toner in the toner container 6. Further, even when the toner container 6 contracts and deforms as the toner decreases, the contact member 50 can be displaced corresponding to the deformation of the toner container 6. Therefore, the contact member 50 can be brought into pressure contact with the surface of the toner container 6 to be deformed. Further, since the contact member 50 can be displaced in a direction away from the toner container 6, the toner container 6 can be smoothly attached and detached.

  The toner supply device 20 shown in FIG. 7 also has an acceleration sensor 24 attached to the contact member 50 that is in pressure contact with the toner container 6. Thereby, as in the embodiment of FIG. 5 or FIG. 6, the acceleration sensor 24 can detect the acceleration of the vibration generated in the toner container 6 with high sensitivity. Further, since the contact member 50 can be displaced in the direction away from the toner container 6, the attaching / detaching operation of the toner container 6 can be performed smoothly. In addition, as shown in FIG. 8, the free end portion 50b of the contact member 50 faces the back side (the lower side in the figure) of the storage space portion 21c in a state where the toner container 6 is detached from the toner container holder 21. Arranged. Accordingly, when the toner container 6 is mounted in the direction indicated by the arrow A in FIG. 8, the free end 50b of the contact member 50 can be prevented from being caught by the toner container 6, and the toner container 6 can be smoothly inserted into the toner container holder 21. Can be inserted.

  Also, the toner supply device 20 shown in FIG. 9 can detect the acceleration of vibration generated in the toner container 6 with high sensitivity by attaching the acceleration sensor 24 to the contact member 50 pressed against the toner container 6. . Further, since the contact member 50 can be elastically deformed, the toner container 6 can be smoothly attached and detached. In addition, the contact member 50 can be pressed against the toner container 6 by its elastic force. For this reason, it is not necessary to separately provide an urging means for pressing the contact member 50 against the toner container 6, so that the structure can be simplified.

  The toner supply device 20 shown in FIGS. 10 and 12 is provided with the acceleration sensor 24 in contact with the toner container 6. As a result, the acceleration sensor 24 can detect the acceleration of the vibration generated in the toner container 6 with high sensitivity, and the accuracy of detecting the remaining amount of toner in the toner container 6 can be improved. The acceleration sensor 24 shown in FIG. 10 is composed of a contact IC chip provided with contact terminals. For this reason, there is a merit that the electric power necessary for detecting the acceleration can be kept low. On the other hand, the acceleration sensor 24 shown in FIG. 12 includes a non-contact IC chip provided with an antenna. As shown in FIG. 12, since the antenna 24c (see FIG. 13) of the acceleration sensor 24 and the reader / writer 53 are not in contact with each other, wear or damage may occur between these members due to vibration of the toner container 6 or the like. Absent.

  In the toner supply device 20 shown in FIG. 14, the vibration source 54 is disposed in contact with the toner container 6. The vibration source 54 directly applies vibration to the toner container 6, and the acceleration of the vibration of the toner container 6 is detected by the acceleration sensor 24. Thereby, the detection accuracy of the remaining amount of toner in the toner container 6 can be improved. Furthermore, by attaching the acceleration sensor 24 in contact with the toner container 6 shown in FIG. 14, it is possible to further improve the detection accuracy of the remaining amount of toner.

Further, as in the reference example shown in FIGS. 15 and 16, in the case of the toner supply device 20 adopting the rotary toner container 60, the acceleration of the vibration generated when the toner container 60 is rotationally driven is measured by the acceleration sensor 24. What is necessary is just to detect. Alternatively, the acceleration of the vibration generated when the rotation of the toner container 60 is stopped may be detected by the acceleration sensor 24. In the case where the rotation speed of the toner container 60 can be changed, the acceleration of vibration generated when the rotation speed of the toner container 60 is changed can be detected. Further, the acceleration of vibration generated in the toner container 60 due to a load change from the outside may be detected.

  As described above, the image forming apparatus of the present invention detects the remaining amount of toner by detecting the acceleration of vibration generated when toner is supplied to the developing device. That is, the remaining amount of toner is detected every time the toner in the toner container 6 decreases. Therefore, the user can accurately grasp the remaining amount of toner (or the timing when the toner runs out), and replace the toner container with a new toner container or prepare for the replacement according to the remaining amount of toner. be able to.

  In addition, the image forming apparatus of the present invention does not suffer from problems such as erroneous detection due to toner adhering to the sensor, unlike the conventional image forming apparatus that detects the remaining amount of toner using an optical sensor or a pressure sensor. Therefore, the image forming apparatus of the present invention can accurately detect the remaining amount of toner. Moreover, the timing for detecting the remaining amount of toner can be easily changed or increased simply by changing the timing for applying vibration to the toner container 6 (or toner supply device 20) or increasing the number of times. Is possible.

  As described above, the present invention has been described by taking the case where the present invention is applied to a toner supply device as an example. However, the configuration of the present invention can also be applied to a powder supply device that supplies powder other than toner to a supply destination. is there. Further, the present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and it is needless to say that various modifications can be made without departing from the gist of the present invention.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus of the present invention. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a first embodiment of a toner supply device according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a block diagram of the toner supply device. 6 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method for displaying a remaining amount of toner. FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a second embodiment of a toner supply device according to the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a modification example of a main part of the toner supply device illustrated in FIG. 5. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a third embodiment of a toner supply device according to the present invention. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of the toner supply device illustrated in FIG. 7. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a toner supply device as a first reference example . FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of a toner supply device as a second reference example . It is a perspective view which shows the principal part of the toner supply apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a main part of a toner supply device as a third reference example . It is a perspective view which shows the principal part of the toner supply apparatus shown in FIG. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the toner supply apparatus as a 4th reference example . It is a figure which shows the structure of the toner supply apparatus as a 5th reference example . It is a figure which shows the structure of the toner supply apparatus as a 6th reference example . 6 is a graph showing the relationship between acceleration and the remaining amount of toner. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional views of a toner supply device provided in a conventional image forming apparatus, where FIG. 5A is a diagram illustrating a state where toner is fully loaded, and FIG. 5B is a diagram illustrating a state where toner is empty.

Explanation of symbols

6 Toner container 20 Toner supply device 24 Acceleration sensor 24a IC chip 24b Connection terminal 24c Antenna 30 Toner remaining amount detection means 40 Display means 50 Contact member 51 Energizing means 54 Excitation source 60 Toner container T Toner

Claims (9)

A powder supply device for supplying powder to a supply destination,
A powder container configured to detachably attach to the powder supply apparatus main body while containing powder therein;
Acceleration detecting means for detecting the acceleration of vibration generated in the powder container;
A powder remaining amount detecting means for detecting the remaining amount of the powder in the powder container based on the acceleration detected by the acceleration detecting means;
One end is attached to the powder supply device main body, and the free end opposite to the one end can be displaced in a direction approaching and separating from the powder container mounted on the powder supply device main body. And a contact member configured to
Wherein the contact member, the acceleration as well as attaching a sensing means, a powder supply device, characterized by being configured so as to press the powder housing part to bias the free end side biasing means.   The powder supply apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the powder remaining amount detection unit is configured to detect that at least the remaining amount of powder in the powder storage unit is exhausted. A powder supply apparatus configured to deform the powder container, wherein the contact member is displaceable in response to deformation of the powder container, and the contact member is brought into pressure contact with the powder container. The powder supply apparatus according to claim 1 , further comprising: an urging unit that urges the contact member, wherein the acceleration detection unit is attached to the contact member . The powder supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein an excitation source that applies vibration to the powder container is disposed in contact with the powder container. The powder supply apparatus of any one of Claim 1 to 4 provided with the display part which displays the residual amount of the powder detected by the said powder residual amount detection means . The powder supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the acceleration sensor is configured by a contact IC chip including a contact terminal . The powder supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 5 , wherein the acceleration sensor includes a non-contact IC chip including an antenna . The powder supply apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the powder is toner . An image forming apparatus comprising the powder supply device according to claim 1 as a toner supply device.

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