JP5939186B2 - Conveying apparatus and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a conveyance device and an image forming apparatus.

  As a transport device, a transport path for transporting powder from the powder storage chamber to the developing device, and a rotation shaft disposed in the transport path and spirally provided around the rotation shaft and the rotation shaft. A conveying device having a conveying member having a vane member capable of conveying powder by a gas, and an intake port formed on a conveying path in which the conveying member is arranged and into which powder is taken in from a powder storage chamber is known. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1).

JP 2010-156910 A

  SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to prevent the plate material from being wrinkled by deformation in the conveying device and the image forming apparatus that breaks the powder staying in the receiving port by the plate material.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, a transport apparatus according to the present invention has a receiving inlet for receiving powder, a transport path extending in the transport direction of the powder, a transport path provided in the transport path, and formed on a rotating shaft. It has a helical blade, a conveying member for conveying the powder of the conveyance path toward the conveying direction from the inlet receiving said, by the rotation of the front Symbol rotating shaft contacts with the inner periphery of the conveying path The one end portion extending in the rotation direction of the rotating shaft is in contact with the top portion of the spiral blade, and the other end is opposed to the top portion of the spiral blade so as to face the receiving inlet. And a flexible plate attached to the rotary shaft at a position to be fixed.
In the above invention, the plate member is characterized in that the width of the end portion on the side away from the rotation shaft is longer than the width on the rotation shaft side.
In the above invention, the plate member is characterized in that an end portion on a side away from the rotation shaft is inclined with respect to the rotation shaft.
The conveying device of the present invention has a receiving port for receiving powder, has a conveying path extending in the conveying direction of the powder, and a spiral blade provided on the conveying path and formed on a rotation shaft, A conveying member that conveys the powder in the conveying path from the receiving inlet toward the conveying direction and the rotating shaft at a position facing the receiving inlet, and by rotation of the rotating shaft, A flexible plate that contacts the inner periphery and contacts the top of the spiral blade, and the rotation shaft is conveyed from the first shaft portion at a position facing the receiving inlet and the first shaft portion. A second shaft portion that is thicker than the first shaft portion provided on the direction side, the plate member is provided on the first shaft portion, and an end portion on the side away from the rotating shaft is the first shaft portion. It is characterized by extending to two shaft portions.
The image forming apparatus of the present invention includes an image carrier that holds a latent image, a developing device that develops the image carrier with powder, a container that contains powder used for development in the developing device, The conveyance device is provided between the storage unit and the developing device.

According to the first aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the plate material from being wrinkled by deformation in the conveying device that breaks the powder staying in the receiving port by the plate material.
According to the second aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide a transport device that can break down the powder staying in the receiving port in a larger range as compared with the case without this configuration.
According to invention of Claim 3, compared with the case where the edge part on the side away from a rotating shaft is not inclined with respect to a rotating shaft, the conveying apparatus with which the force concerning a board | plate material reduces can be provided.
According to invention of Claim 4, compared with the case where a board | plate material does not extend to the 2nd axial part, the conveying apparatus with which the conveying amount of powder was more stable can be provided.
According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus in which the amount of powder transported to the developing device is stable as compared with the case where this configuration is not provided.

1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment. FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of the toner conveying device. (A) is a rear view of the toner conveying device with a toner cartridge attached, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a sectional view taken along line AA in (a). FIG. 3 is an overall perspective view of the toner transport device with the toner cartridge removed. (A) is a rear view of the toner conveying device with the toner cartridge removed, (b) is a side view, and (c) is a BB cross-sectional view in (a). (A) is a front view of a conveyance member, (b) is a front view of the state which attached the board | plate material to the conveyance member. (A) is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the mounting portion, (b) is a diagram showing a cross-sectional shape of the mounting portion. FIG. 8A is a cross-sectional view of a plate material, a toner cartridge outlet and a toner receiving port of a conveyance path, and FIG. 8C is a side view of only the conveyance member. 9A is a cross-sectional view of a plate material, a toner cartridge discharge port and a toner receiving port of a conveyance path, and FIG. 5B is a side view of the conveyance member and the plate material. 9A is a cross-sectional view of a plate material, a toner cartridge discharge port and a toner receiving port of a conveyance path, and FIG. 5B is a side view of the conveyance member and the plate material. The side view which attached the board | plate material to the conveyance member in the modification 3. FIG.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
FIG. 1 is an overall configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment.
In FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 fixes an image forming unit 10 that forms a toner image on a paper P using toner as powder, and a toner image formed on the paper P by the image forming unit 10. A fixing unit 20 and a paper conveyance system 30 for supplying the paper P to the image forming unit 10 are provided.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a toner conveying device 40 as a conveying device that conveys toner to the image forming unit 10, a toner cartridge 50 that is attached to the toner conveying device 40 and is supplied to the image forming unit 10, and an image forming unit And a toner collecting device 60 that collects residual toner on the ten photosensitive drums 11.

  Further, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 100 that controls the overall operation of the image forming unit 10, the fixing unit 20, the paper transport system 30, the toner transport device 40, the toner cartridge 50, and the toner collecting device 60, and a display panel. And a user interface 200 that receives instructions from the user and displays a message or the like to the user.

  The image forming unit 10 includes a photosensitive drum 11 as an image holding body that holds a latent image, a charging device 12 that charges the photosensitive drum 11, and a light source such as a laser inside to expose the photosensitive drum 11. A developing device 14 that develops the charged photosensitive drum 11 with toner, a transfer device 15 that transfers the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 onto the paper P, and the photosensitive drum 11 after the transfer. And a cleaning member 16 for cleaning.

  The photosensitive drum 11 has a photosensitive layer on its outer peripheral surface, and rotates in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. The charging device 12 has, for example, a charging roll that comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 11, and charges the photosensitive drum 11 to a predetermined potential. For example, the exposure device 13 irradiates the photosensitive drum 11 with laser light from a laser included therein, and selectively exposes the surface of the charged photosensitive drum 11 by the charging device 12 to cause electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 11. Form an image.

The developing device 14 includes, for example, a two-component developer having a negatively charged toner and a positively charged carrier. The developing device 14 develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 with toner to form a toner image on the photosensitive drum 11.
The transfer device 15 includes a roll-shaped member, and transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 11 onto the paper P by forming an electric field between the transfer device 15 and the photosensitive drum 11 (transfer portion Tp). .

The cleaning member 16 is a plate-like member made of an elastic material such as thermosetting urethane rubber and having a predetermined thickness. The cleaning member 16 is provided in contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 11 along the axial direction, and removes toner and the like remaining on the photosensitive drum 11 after the transfer of the toner image.
In the embodiment, the cleaning member 16 is provided on the upper end side of the photosensitive drum 11 and is downstream in the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 11 from the viewpoint of efficiently collecting the residual toner in the toner recovery device 60. The photosensitive drum 11 is attached in contact with the surface of the photosensitive drum 11 along the tangential direction of the photosensitive drum 11.

  The fixing unit 20 includes a pressure roll and a heating roll. The fixing unit 20 performs fixing processing by passing the paper P on which the toner image is transferred between these rolls, and fixes the toner image on the paper P.

The paper transport system 30 forms a transport path of the paper P from the paper storage unit 31 that stores the paper P to the paper stacking unit S that stacks the paper P through the transfer unit Tp and the fixing unit 20 from the paper storage unit 31. A sheet conveyance path 32 and a reversal conveyance path 33 that forms a path for reversing the front and back of the sheet P that has passed through the fixing unit 20 and supplying the sheet P to the transfer unit Tp again are provided.
In addition, the paper transport system 30 includes a pickup roll 34 that takes out and sends the paper P from the paper storage unit 31 that stores the paper P, and rolls the paper taken out by the pickup roll 34 one by one toward the transfer unit Tp. And a rolling roll 35 for sending P.

The paper transport system 30 temporarily stops the transport of the paper P in a state where the rotation is stopped, and rotates the paper P at a predetermined timing, thereby performing the registration adjustment on the transfer portion Tp. A registration roll 36 for supplying P is provided.
Further, the sheet conveyance system 30 is provided on the downstream side in the sheet conveyance direction at the junction of the conveyance roll 37 that is provided in the reversal conveyance path 33 and conveys the paper P, and the sheet conveyance path 32 and the reversal conveyance path 33. And a discharge roll 38 that discharges the fixed sheet P toward the sheet stacking unit S and sends the sheet P toward the reverse conveyance path 33 when forming images on both sides of the sheet P. .

The toner conveying device 40 is located between the toner cartridge 50 and the developing device 14 and conveys the toner supplied from the toner cartridge 50 toward the developing device 14 of the image forming unit 10. The toner conveying device 40 holds a replaceable toner cartridge 50.
In the following description, in the direction in which the toner is transported by the toner transport device 40, the toner cartridge 50 side is referred to as “upstream side”, and the developing device 14 side is referred to as “downstream side”.

The toner cartridge 50 includes a toner storage container 51 as a storage unit for storing toner, and a storage medium 52. Further, the toner container 51 has a stirring member 511 as a discharge member that rotates and stirs the toner stored in the toner container 51 and a discharge port 512 that discharges the toner stored in the toner container 40. Yes.
The storage medium 52 is configured by an EEPROM (Electrically Erasable and Programmable ROM) or the like. The storage medium 52 stores information indicating the type of the toner cartridge 50 and information on the usage status of the toner cartridge 50 such as the number of rotations of the stirring member 511.

2 is an overall perspective view of the toner conveying device 40, FIG. 3A is a rear view of the toner conveying device 40 with the toner cartridge 50 attached, FIG. 2B is a side view, and FIG. AA cross-sectional view in FIG.
4 is an overall perspective view of the toner conveying device 40 with the toner cartridge 50 removed, FIG. 5A is a rear view of the toner conveying device 40 with the toner cartridge removed, and FIG. A side view and (c) shows a BB cross-sectional view in (a).

2 to 5, the toner conveying device 40 includes a cartridge housing portion 41 to which the toner cartridge 50 is attached.
Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the toner conveying device 40 is provided inside the conveying path 44 and rotates inside the conveying path 44 that is a toner conveying path from the toner cartridge 50 to the developing device 14 shown in FIG. 1. Thus, a conveyance member 45 that conveys toner in the conveyance path 44 and a bearing portion 46 that rotatably supports a shaft 45S as a rotation shaft of the conveyance member 45 are provided.
Further, the toner transport device 40 includes a drive unit 42 that drives the stirring member 511 and the transport member 45 of the toner cartridge 50.

  As shown in FIG. 4, the cartridge housing portion 41 includes a holding portion 411 that holds the toner cartridge 50, and an opening 412 that is formed in a part of the holding portion 411 and serves as a discharge port for toner supplied from the toner cartridge 50. And a medium opening 413 formed to face the storage medium 52 of the toner cartridge 50.

The holding portion 411 has an inner diameter that is slightly larger than the outer diameter of the toner cartridge 50, and fits and holds the attached toner cartridge 50.
The opening 412 is provided to face the discharge port 512 of the toner cartridge 50 in a state where the toner cartridge 50 is attached to the holding unit 411. The opening 412 communicates with a toner receiving port 44 </ b> R as an inlet for receiving the toner in the conveyance path 44.
The medium opening 413 is provided in the holding portion 411 so as to face the storage medium 52 of the toner cartridge 50. The medium opening 413 is provided with a reading unit (not shown). The control unit 100 recognizes the type of the mounted toner cartridge 50 by connecting the storage medium 52 and the reading unit via the medium opening 413.

The drive unit 42 includes a gear and a drive motor, and rotates the agitating member 511 of the toner cartridge 50 and further rotates the conveying member 45 by the rotational drive of the drive motor.
The conveyance path 44 has a cylindrical tube material 441 extending in the conveyance direction, a toner reception port 44R as a reception port for receiving toner provided at one end of the tube material 441, and a developing device 14 provided at the other end of the tube material 441. A toner discharge port 44S serving as a supply outlet;

  The tube material 441 is formed from the position where the opening 412 of the cartridge housing portion 41 is formed to the toner receiving port of the developing device 14 (see FIG. 1). In the embodiment, the tube material 441 is linearly formed with a hollow inside, and has an inner diameter slightly larger than the conveyance member 45 so that the conveyance member 45 can rotate inside. The tube material 441 holds the transport member 45 on the inside so that the shaft 45S of the transport member 45 is along the axial direction of the cylinder.

The toner receiving port 44 </ b> R is provided so as to face the discharge port 512 of the toner cartridge 50 and the opening 412 of the cartridge housing portion 41. The toner receiving port 44 </ b> R is formed at a position facing the shaft 45 </ b> S of the conveying member 45 provided inside the conveying path 44.
The toner receiving port 44 </ b> R guides the toner discharged from the discharge port 512 of the toner cartridge 50 to the inside of the tube material 441 through the opening 412 of the cartridge housing portion 41.

  A plate member 70, which is a flexible film-like member, is attached to the shaft 45 </ b> S of the conveying member 45 at a position facing the cartridge housing portion 41 and the toner receiving port 44 </ b> R. Here, the plate member 70 has a length that protrudes from the toner receiving port 44 </ b> R toward the discharge port 512 of the toner cartridge 50.

  The toner discharge port 44 </ b> S is provided to face the toner receiving port of the developing device 14. Then, the toner conveyed through the tube material 441 is discharged toward the developing device 14.

6A is a front view of the conveying member 45, and FIG. 6B is a front view of a state in which the plate member 70 is attached to the conveying member 45. FIG. Hereinafter, the conveyance member 45 will be described in detail.
The transport member 45 includes a shaft 45 </ b> S that extends long in one direction, a spiral blade 45 </ b> W that is a blade formed spirally around the shaft 45 </ b> S along the shaft 45 </ b> S, and a plate member 70.

The shaft 45S has a first shaft portion 451 and a second shaft portion 452. The second shaft portion 452 has an outer diameter larger than that of the first shaft portion 451, and is provided at two locations across the first shaft portion 451 in the axial direction.
More specifically, the shaft 45S of the conveying member 45 facing the cartridge housing portion 41 and the toner receiving port 44R shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 is the first shaft portion 451, and the second shaft portion 452 as it goes downstream. The first shaft portion 451 and the second shaft portion 452 are sequentially provided.

A mounting portion 451H for the plate member 70 is formed on the first shaft portion 451 facing the cartridge housing portion 41 and the toner receiving port 44R shown in FIGS. The plate member 70 is attached to the attachment portion 451H.
The plate member 70 has a substantially trapezoidal shape in which the width W2 on the side protruding from the toner receiving port 44R shown in FIGS. 3 and 5 is longer than the width W1 on the first shaft portion 451 side.

FIG. 7A is an enlarged perspective view of the vicinity of the attachment portion 451H, and FIG. 7B is a view showing a cross-sectional shape of the attachment portion 451H.
In FIG. 7, the attachment portion 451H is formed on the outer periphery of the first shaft portion 451 as a substantially T-shaped protrusion. More specifically, the protrusion has a portion that is formed long in the rotation direction of the first shaft portion 451, and a short protrusion is formed so as to extend to one side toward the shaft 45S direction of the long protrusion portion, thereby forming a substantially T-shape. doing. In addition, a locking portion 4511 that protrudes in the rotation direction of the first shaft portion 451 is formed at one end of the upper portion of the mounting portion 451H.
On the other hand, a T-shaped hole 700 corresponding to the shape of the base portion 4512 on the first shaft portion 451 side with respect to the locking portion 4511 of the attachment portion 451H is formed in the plate member 70.

The plate member 70 is attached by inserting the attachment portion 451H into the hole 700. The mounting portion 451H is inserted into the hole 700 from the locking portion 4511, and the hole 700 and the base portion 4512 on the first shaft portion 451 side from the locking portion 4511 are aligned.
In this way, the plate material 70 and the first shaft portion 451 are integrated, and the plate material 70 rotates with the rotation of the shaft 45S.
Since the shape of the hole 700 and the base 4512 is substantially T-shaped, even if the shaft 45S rotates, the plate material 70 may be shaken in the axial direction, which is the direction of the double arrow shown in FIG. 7B. Reduced. Even if the shaft 45S rotates, the plate member 70 is locked in the direction away from the shaft 45S by the locking portion 4511, and the plate material 70 is unlikely to be detached from the mounting portion 451H.

  Therefore, in FIGS. 3 and 5, the plate material 70 rotates with the rotation of the shaft 45 </ b> S, so that the plate material 70 scrapes out the toner near the discharge port 512 of the toner cartridge 50 and the toner receiving port 44 </ b> R of the conveyance path 44. Guide the toner towards.

When the toner cartridge 50 is attached to the cartridge accommodating portion 41 of the toner conveying device 40, the stirring member 511 of the toner cartridge 50 is driven from the driving portion 42. The storage medium 52 of the toner cartridge 50 is connected to a reading unit (not shown) that reads information from the storage medium 52 and transmits information to the control unit 100.
The toner cartridge 50 is replaced with another toner cartridge 50 when the remaining amount of toner stored in the toner storage container 51 runs out.

  It is known that the state of the toner T changes under the influence of the surrounding environment such as temperature, humidity and vibration. Accordingly, the amount of toner supplied from the toner cartridge 50 is not always fixed, and varies depending on the surrounding environment. When the toner is transported toward the developing device 14 while the toner transport device 40 is in a state in which the toner cartridge 50 has varied, the toner amount varies depending on the location in the developing device 14. For example, when image formation such as a photograph having a relatively high image density is performed, if the toner amount varies in the developing device 14, there is a high possibility that density followability such as part of the image will be reduced. Become.

Further, in the toner cartridge 50 of the embodiment, the toner is supplied to the toner conveying device 40 by the rotation of the stirring member 511 disposed inside. Since the agitating member 511 periodically faces the discharge port 512, the toner is intermittently supplied to the toner conveying device 40.
Therefore, the toner conveying device 40 according to the embodiment is configured to supply the toner supplied from the toner cartridge 50 to the developing device 14 in a stable and quantitative manner with little variation.

Hereinafter, the operation of the plate member 70 when the plate member 70 rotates with the rotation of the shaft 45S will be described.
FIG. 8 is a diagram illustrating the movement of the plate member 70 in the shape of the plate member 70 in the embodiment. 8A is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the plate member 70, the discharge port 512 of the toner cartridge 50 and the toner receiving port 44R of the conveyance path 44, and FIG. 8B is a side view of the conveyance member 45 and the plate member 70. (C) has shown the side view of only the conveyance member 45. FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 8B, the plate 70 rotates in the direction indicated by the solid arrow by the shaft 45 </ b> S, so that one side extending in the rotation direction of the shaft 45 </ b> S is the tube material 441 constituting the conveyance path 44. It contacts the inner periphery, flexes and rides on the spiral blade 45W. Specifically, the tops of the spiral blades 45W successively come into contact with the plate material 70 indicated by broken lines in FIG. The other is not in contact. Here, the top portion is the top portion of the spiral blade 45W that is furthest away from the shaft 45S in the radial direction. The plate member 70 rotates with the shaft 45S while being supported by the top of the spiral blade 45W.

The plate member 70 is separated from the tube material 441 when the tip of the plate member 70 reaches the toner receiving port 44R by the rotation of the shaft 45S, and receives the toner at a point indicated by a broken line in the drawing on the spiral blade 45W. Jump out from the entrance 44R. Therefore, compared to the case where the plate member does not ride on the spiral blade 45W and the attachment portion 451H serves as a fulcrum, the distance between the point of contact where the plate member 70 contacts the toner T and the fulcrum becomes shorter, and the repulsive force that strikes the toner T is reduced. Becomes stronger.
Further, since the plate member 70 is supported by the top portion of the spiral blade 45W, for example, the plate member 70 is less deformed than the case where the plate member 70 is bent until it comes into contact with the outer periphery of the shaft 45S. Hard to stick.
Further, an end portion 710 indicated by a one-dot chain line on the toner receiving port 44R side, which is the front end of the plate member 70, may be inclined with respect to the axial direction S of the rotation shaft 45S. That is, by providing an inclination at the end of the plate member 70 on the side away from the shaft 45S, the tip of the plate member 70 gradually contacts the toner T, and the force that the plate member 70 receives from the toner T decreases.

  Note that a large amount of toner may be sent from the toner cartridge 50 into the tube material 441 by one rotation of the stirring member 511, for example. If a large amount of toner stays in the toner receiving port 44 </ b> R, there is a possibility that clogging occurs in the conveyance path 44. In the embodiment, it plays the role of breaking the toner T in which the plate material 70 stays, and the occurrence of clogging or the like is reduced.

  When image formation is performed in the image forming unit 10, the drive unit 42 is driven at a predetermined timing. When the driving unit 42 is driven, the stirring member 511 of the toner cartridge 50 is rotated. Further, the shaft 45 </ b> S of the conveying member 45 in the toner conveying device 40 is rotated by driving the driving unit 42.

As the stirring member 511 of the toner cartridge 50 rotates, the toner in the toner container 51 is stirred and the toner T is discharged from the discharge port 512. Further, as shown in FIG. 8A, in the toner transport device 40, the toner T discharged from the discharge port 512 is received at the toner receiving port 44 </ b> R of the transport path 44.
At this time, the conveyance member 45 is rotating inside the conveyance path 44. As the shaft 45S rotates, the plate member 70 rotates at the toner receiving port 44R. Accordingly, when the toner T is hardened at the discharge port 512 or the toner receiving port 44 </ b> R, the plate member 70 scrapes out the toner and guides the toner T to the inside of the tube material 441.

In the transport path 44, first, the toner T is received by the first shaft portion 451. In the first shaft portion 451, the received toner T is transported toward the second shaft portion 452. Here, since the diameter of the second shaft portion 452 is larger than the diameter of the first shaft portion 451, the toner T stays.
When the amount of toner supplied from the toner cartridge 50 varies due to the retention of the toner T, the end portion 710 of the plate member 70 reaches the second shaft portion 452, so that the toner T is retained. By the way, the toner T is broken, and the variation in the toner amount when the toner T is conveyed to the downstream side is further reduced.

  As described above, since the toner can be transported by the toner transport device 40 in a state where the toner amount is stable, a necessary amount of toner can always be supplied to the developing device 14. Then, when image formation is performed in the image forming unit 10 of the image forming apparatus 1, the occurrence of image defects such as a partial thinning of the formed image is reduced, and a clear image can be formed. It becomes.

  The toner collecting device 60 is a device that collects and stores the residual toner removed from the photosensitive drum 11 after being transferred by the cleaning member 16. The toner collecting device 60 includes a toner collecting container 61 and a toner collecting member 62 provided so as to be able to advance and retreat with respect to the cleaning member 16. In the toner collecting device 60, waste toner removed from the photosensitive drum 11 by the cleaning member 16 is scraped by the toner collecting member 62 and accumulated in the toner collecting container 61.

  The control unit 100 receives image data and print instructions for image formation from, for example, a personal computer connected to the image forming apparatus 1 via a network or the like. Further, the control unit 100 performs image processing on the received image data and then sends the image data to the exposure apparatus 13.

  The control unit 100 according to the present embodiment includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), a RAM (Random Access Memory), and an HDD (Hard Disk Drive) (not shown). In the CPU, a processing program is executed. Various programs, various tables, parameters, and the like are stored in the ROM. The RAM is used as a work area when the CPU executes various programs.

Hereinafter, an image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described.
When image data formed by a PC (not shown) is received by the control unit 100, the control unit 100 performs image processing on the image data. The image data that has undergone image processing is output to the exposure device 13. The exposure device 13 that has acquired the image data selectively exposes the photosensitive drum 11 charged by the charging device 12 to form an electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 11. The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 is developed by the developing device 14 as, for example, a black (K) toner image.

In the paper transport system 30, the pickup roll 34 rotates in synchronization with the image formation timing, and the paper P is supplied from the paper storage unit 31. Then, the sheets P that are rolled up one by one by the separating roll 35 are conveyed to the registration roll 36 and are temporarily stopped. Thereafter, the registration roll 36 rotates in accordance with the rotation timing of the photosensitive drum 11, and the paper P is supplied to the transfer portion Tp. Then, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 by the transfer device 15 is transferred onto the paper P in the transfer portion Tp.
Thereafter, the sheet P on which the toner image is transferred undergoes a fixing process in the fixing unit 20 and is discharged to the sheet stacking unit S by the discharge roll 38.

  When an image is formed not only on the first side of the paper P but also on the second side (images are formed on both sides of the paper P), the paper P that has passed through the fixing unit 20 is reversed by the discharge roll 38. Is supplied to the transfer path 33, and is supplied again to the transfer portion Tp by the transfer roll 37. The toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 is transferred to the second surface of the paper P at the transfer portion Tp. The sheet P having the toner image transferred to the second surface is subjected to a fixing process by the fixing unit 20 and is discharged to the sheet stacking unit S by the discharge roll 38.

In the toner conveyance device 40 of the embodiment, the plate material 70 is a trapezoidal plate material 70 in which the width W2 on the side protruding from the toner receiving port 44R is longer than the width W1 on the first shaft portion 451 side. The shape is not limited to this as long as the shape rides on the spiral blade 45W by the rotation of the shaft 45S.
(Modification 1)
9A is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the plate member 71, the discharge port 512 of the toner cartridge 50 and the toner receiving port 44R of the conveyance path 44, and FIG. 9B is a side view of the conveyance member 47 and the plate member 71. The same members as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.

In the present modification, the conveying member 47 includes a rectangular plate material 71.
The rectangular plate 71 is attached in the rotational direction of the shaft 45S. By rotation of the shaft 45S, the plate material 71 rides on the spiral blade 45W at the position indicated by the thick broken line, as in the embodiment.

(Modification 2)
10A is a sectional view of the vicinity of the plate member 72, the discharge port 512 of the toner cartridge 50, and the toner receiving port 44R of the conveyance path 44, and FIG. 10B is a side view of the conveyance member 48 and the plate member 72. The same members as those in the embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals.
In this modification, the conveying member 48 includes a substantially L-shaped plate material 72. The plate member 72 is attached in the rotational direction of the shaft 45S and is bent into an L shape at the tip. By rotation of the shaft 45S, the plate member 72 rides on the spiral blade 45W at the position indicated by the thick broken line, as in the embodiment.

(Modification 3)
In FIG. 11, the side view of the conveyance member 450 in this modification was shown.
In this modification, the plate member 70 of the embodiment is used, but only one second shaft portion 452 is provided on the shaft portion 45S.
Note that the second shaft portion 452 may not be provided on the shaft portion 45S, and the shaft portion 45S may be configured by only the first shaft portion 451.

  The developer is not limited to a two-component developer having a negatively charged toner and a positively charged carrier, and may be a toner alone.

  Note that although an example in which toner is conveyed from the toner cartridge 50 containing toner to the developing device 14 has been described, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, in the case where a storage unit for storing toner is provided in addition to the toner cartridge 50, the toner may be transported toward the storage unit using the toner transport device 40. Even in this case, the toner can be transported in a state where the toner transport amount is stable with respect to the storage portion.

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Image forming apparatus, 10 ... Image forming part, 11 ... Photoconductor drum, 12 ... Charging apparatus, 13 ... Exposure apparatus, 14 ... Developing apparatus, 15 ... Transfer apparatus, 16 ... Cleaning member, 20 ... Fixing part, 40 ... Toner transport device 41... Cartridge housing portion 42... Drive portion 44. Transport path 44 R. Toner receiving port 44 S toner discharge port 45, 47, 48, 450 transport member 45 S shaft 45 W spiral Blades 46 ... Bearings 50 ... Toner cartridges 51 ... Toner containers, 70, 71, 72 ... Plates, 100 ... Controls, 200 ... User interfaces, 411 ... Holding parts, 412 ... Openings, 413 ... For media Opening portion, 441 ... pipe material, 451 ... first shaft portion 451, 451H ... mounting portion, 452 ... second shaft portion, 511 ... stirring member, 512 ... discharge port, 700 ... hole, 4511 ... locking , S ... paper stacking unit, T ... toner, P ... paper.

Claims (5)

A conveyance path having a receiving port for receiving the powder and extending in the conveyance direction of the powder;
A conveying member provided in the conveying path, having a spiral blade formed on a rotating shaft, and conveying the powder in the conveying path from the receiving inlet toward the conveying direction ;
By rotation of the front Symbol rotating shaft contacts with the inner periphery of the conveying path, wherein one end portion extending in the rotational direction of the rotary shaft is in contact with the top of the spiral shaped blade and the other end A conveying device comprising: a flexible plate attached to the rotating shaft at a position facing the receiving inlet so as not to contact the top of the spiral blade . The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the plate member has a width of an end portion on a side away from the rotation shaft larger than a width on the rotation shaft side. The conveying device according to claim 1, wherein the plate member has an end portion on a side away from the rotation shaft inclined with respect to the rotation shaft. A conveyance path having a receiving port for receiving the powder and extending in the conveyance direction of the powder;
A conveying member provided in the conveying path, having a spiral blade formed on a rotating shaft, and conveying the powder in the conveying path from the receiving inlet toward the conveying direction;
A flexible plate that is attached to the rotating shaft at a position facing the receiving inlet and that contacts the inner periphery of the transport path and contacts the top of the spiral blade by rotation of the rotating shaft. ,
The rotating shaft has a first shaft portion at a position facing the receiving inlet and a second shaft portion that is thicker than the first shaft portion provided on the transport direction side from the first shaft portion,
The plate is provided in the first shaft portion, transportable end on the side remote from the axis of rotation you characterized in that it extends to the second shaft portion feed device. An image carrier for holding a latent image;
A developing device for developing the image carrier with powder;
An accommodating portion for accommodating powder used for development in the developing device;
An image forming apparatus comprising the conveying device according to any one of claims 1 to 4 between the housing portion and the developing device.

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