JP6003378B2 - Toner cartridge - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a second type toner cartridge to be mounted in place of the first type toner cartridge when an image forming apparatus is delivered .

  Conventionally, a toner image is formed on a photoreceptor by electrophotography using toner, the toner image is primarily transferred to a belt, the primary transfer image is secondarily transferred to a sheet, and the transferred toner image is transferred by a fixing device. An image forming apparatus that forms a monochrome or full-color image by fixing on a sheet is known.

  In such an image forming apparatus, when the toner stored in the developing tank of the developing device in the initial replenishment or normal replenishment is consumed by printing, and the remaining amount of toner in the developing tank falls below a certain level, the remaining amount detection device Works to notify the user that there is no toner and the operation of the apparatus is stopped.

  The user removes the toner cartridge from which the toner has become empty from the developing device, replaces it with a new toner cartridge, and restarts the printing operation. The container of such a toner cartridge is generally cylindrical.

  In order to transport the toner in the container from the front side to the back side, or from the back side to the front side, the container is provided with a conveying member composed of a screw with a fin on a long shaft, a helical coil spring, or the like. It is common.

  In any case, in supplying (or replenishing) toner from such a toner cartridge, the toner is as efficiently as possible, that is, quickly discharged from the toner cartridge outlet to the toner supply path and supplied to the developing device. It is desirable that

  In order to achieve a high level of stable toner discharge, a replenishment cartridge container that can be attached to and detached from the image forming apparatus is molded from a resin mainly composed of a specific aromatic polymer, and stored inside. There has been proposed a method for setting the carrier and toner characteristics of the developer under certain conditions. (For example, refer to Patent Document 1.)

  This Patent Document 1 also describes that a screw device is used for internal conveyance from the discharge port to the toner supply path in order to supply the developer in the container of the supply cartridge to the developing device.

JP 2012-137711 A

  By the way, the technique described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-228561 is a screw device and developer that can achieve stable toner discharge performance by specifying the material of the container of the replenishment cartridge and the characteristics of the developer. Therefore, it does not achieve a high level of stable toner discharge.

  As a two-component developer replenishment method, there are a method of replenishing in a state where a carrier and toner are mixed at a certain ratio as described in Patent Document 1, and a method of replenishing only toner. The method of replenishing the carrier and toner in a mixed state is uneconomical because it presupposes that the developer in the developing device is partially discharged (discarded).

  In the initial state of the image recording apparatus, the developer unit contains a small amount of developer used in the factory in order to adapt the various members of the developer unit to the developer in order to avoid scattering of toner on the way of conveyance. It ’s just that. Therefore, at the initial stage when the user starts using the image recording apparatus, it is necessary to supply toner sufficient for the printing operation.

  However, depending on the user, there are many cases where an image recording apparatus is used to print monochrome images, and a toner cartridge in which each color of black, magenta, cyan, and yellow is filled when the image recording apparatus is delivered. It is wasteful and inappropriate to attach.

  Therefore, when delivering the image recording apparatus, as a free service, a toner cartridge containing a small amount of toner is attached as an initial replenishment toner cartridge.

  If there is a toner cartridge for replenishment at the initial stage, the user can use the delivered image recording apparatus immediately, and also has time to purchase a normal toner cartridge for replenishment. In addition, there is no waste of keeping a full-toned toner cartridge of unused color.

  By the way, the toner cartridge for replenishment at the initial stage contains only a small amount of toner, so that the amount of toner conveyed within a certain time is small. In normal replenishment, toner is replenished little by little, so there is no problem even if the toner in the toner cartridge is consumed and the transport amount drops.

  However, at the beginning of use of the image recording apparatus, the toner concentration in the developing device does not reach an appropriate concentration unless a considerable amount of the small amount of toner in the replenishing toner cartridge at the initial stage is put into the developing device. Therefore, if the transport amount is small, it takes some time from the start of toner supply until the toner density reaches an appropriate density.

  Even if it is possible to use the image recording apparatus immediately after attaching a toner cartridge for replenishment at the corner or initial time, it takes time until the toner density reaches an appropriate density. I could invite you.

  However, in Patent Document 1 described above, while achieving a high level of stable toner discharge, it takes time for the toner concentration of the initial replenishment toner cartridge with a small toner conveyance amount to reach an appropriate concentration as described above. No consideration has been given to the points (poor emissions).

An object of the present invention is to provide a toner cut ridge capable of discharging an appropriate amount of replenishment toner at an initial time in a relatively short time.

In order to solve the above-described problem, one aspect of the toner cartridge according to the present invention is configured such that toner is stored in a storage chamber having a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction and one end in the longitudinal direction of the storage chamber. When the image forming apparatus is delivered to an image forming apparatus in which a first type toner cartridge having a discharge port for discharging toner toward the developing unit on the part side is detachable, the first type is supplied. A second type of toner cartridge to be mounted instead of the type of toner cartridge, wherein the length of the storage chamber in which the toner is stored is shorter than the predetermined length; discharge port for discharging the toner toward the developing unit at one end of at the longitudinal direction is provided in the housing chamber, and the discharge per unit time from the outlet of the toner There, characterized in that it is formed to be equal to the first type of toner cartridge.

Another aspect of the toner cartridge according to the present invention is a second type toner cartridge that is mounted instead of the first type toner cartridge when the image forming apparatus is delivered. The length of the storage chamber in which the toner is stored is formed to be shorter than the length of the first type toner cartridge , and the discharge amount per unit time from the toner discharge port is the first discharge amount. A discharge port for discharging the toner toward the developing device is provided on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the storage chamber so as to be equivalent to the toner cartridge of the first type. It is provided similarly.

According to the present invention, it is possible to discharge an appropriate amount of the replenishment toner at the initial time in a relatively short time.

1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of a full-color image forming apparatus (printer) including a toner cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing only one developer unit and a toner cartridge of a printer in an easy-to-understand manner together with a transfer belt, and FIG. 4B is a cross-sectional view showing an initial replenishment toner cartridge before improvement. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of an initial supply toner cartridge according to the first exemplary embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal configuration of an initial supply toner cartridge according to Embodiment 2 of the present invention. FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of an initial supply toner cartridge according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an internal configuration of a full-color image forming apparatus (hereinafter simply referred to as a printer) including a toner cartridge according to Embodiment 1 of the present invention.

  A printer 1 shown in FIG. 1 is an electrophotographic secondary transfer tandem color image forming apparatus, and includes an image forming unit 2, a transfer belt unit 3, a toner supply unit 4, a paper feeding unit 5, and a belt type fixing device. It comprises a unit 6 and a transport unit 7 for duplex printing.

  The image forming unit 2 is in contact with the lower running surface 8a of the transfer belt 8 of the transfer belt unit 3 and has four developing devices 9 (9k, 9c, 9m, 9y) arranged in a multistage manner from right to left in FIG. Configured. The image forming unit 2 is held by a frame of the printer 1 main body so as to be movable up and down from a printing execution position shown in FIG. 1 to a maintenance position below it.

  Of the four developing devices 9, three developing devices 9c, 9m, and 9y on the upstream side (the left side in the figure) are cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y), which are subtractive three primary colors, respectively. A mono-color image is formed with the color toner, and the developing device 9k forms a monochrome image mainly with black (K) toner used for characters and dark portions of the image.

  Each of the developing devices 9 has the same configuration except for the color of the toner that develops the image. Therefore, the configuration of the developing device 9y for yellow (Y) toner will be described below as an example.

  The developing device 9 includes a photosensitive drum 10 at the top. The photosensitive drum 10 has a peripheral surface made of, for example, an organic photoconductive material. A cleaner 11, a charging roller 12, an optical writing head 13, and a developing roller 15 of the developing device 14 are disposed in contact with or around the periphery of the photosensitive drum 10.

  The developing device 14 includes a housing 16 that covers the outside, a partition wall 17 provided inside, a developing roller 15, a first stirring and conveying screw 18, and a second stirring and conveying screw 19. Although not specifically shown, the first and second agitating and conveying screws 18 and 19 include a screw shaft and a fin that is integrally formed with the screw shaft and rotates.

  The developing unit 14 includes a toner cartridge 21 of the toner supply unit 4 disposed above the transfer belt unit 3, and black (K), cyan (C), K, C, M, and Y shown in FIG. Either magenta (M) or yellow (Y) toner is supplied.

  The transfer belt unit 3 has an endless transfer belt 8 that extends in the shape of a flat loop in the left-right direction in the figure at approximately the center of the main unit, and the transfer belt 8 is stretched over the transfer belt 8. A driving roller 22 and a driven roller 23 are provided to circulate and move counterclockwise as indicated by an arrow a in the figure.

  A secondary transfer roller 24 is brought into pressure contact with the driving roller 22 via the transfer belt 8, and a secondary transfer toner image on the transfer belt 8 is secondarily transferred to a sheet as a transfer medium conveyed here. The next transfer portion is formed.

  The transfer belt 8 includes a primary transfer roller 25 integrated with the unit. The primary transfer roller 25 is disposed so as to sandwich the transfer belt 8 with respect to the photosensitive drum 10.

  The primary transfer roller 25 directly transfers (primary transfer) the toner image to the lower running surface 8a of the transfer belt 8 that circulates downward. The transfer belt 8 conveys the toner image to the secondary transfer unit in order to further transfer (secondary transfer) the toner image to a sheet.

  Further, a belt cleaner 26 is disposed on the transfer belt 8 so as to abut on the surface of the driven roller 23. Below the belt cleaner 26, a waste toner collecting container 27 for storing waste toner removed from the transfer belt 8 by the belt cleaner 26 is detachably disposed.

  The toner supply unit 4 includes the above-described four toner cartridges 21 disposed above the upper running surface of the transfer belt 8. Although not particularly shown, the toner supply unit 4 is held on the frame of the printer 1 main body so as to be able to be raised and lowered from the printing execution position shown in FIG. 1 to a maintenance position above it.

  The four toner cartridges 21 of the toner supply unit 4 contain black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y) toner, respectively.

  These toner cartridges 21 are detachably attached to and removed from the main body of the printer 1 in the front direction, that is, the front side in the depth direction of the drawing. The toner cartridge 21 has a toner discharge port for supplying toner to the developing unit 9 although it is not visible in FIG.

  The toner discharge port communicates with a toner supply path extending upward from the rear of the developing device 9 when the toner cartridge 21 is mounted on the main body of the printer 1, and the toner is supplied to the developing device 9 through the toner supply path. Replenish. Although not visible in FIG. 1 because of a cross-sectional view, the toner supply path is arranged around the rear of the transfer belt unit 3.

  On the left side of the toner supply unit 4, an electrical unit 29 is disposed from the left side to the upper side of the belt cleaner 26. A circuit board on which a control device composed of a plurality of electronic components is mounted is mounted on the electrical component 29.

  The paper feed unit 5 includes two paper feed cassettes 31 (31a, 31b) arranged in two upper and lower stages. A paper take-out roller 32, a feed roller 33, a separating roller 34, and a standby conveyance roller pair 35 are arranged in the vicinity of the paper feed opening (right side in the drawing) of the two paper feed cassettes 31, respectively.

  The secondary transfer portion described above is formed in the paper conveyance direction (vertical upward direction in the drawing) of the standby conveyance roller pair 35. A belt-type heat fixing unit 6 is disposed downstream (upward in the drawing) of the secondary transfer portion.

  On the further downstream side of the belt-type heat fixing unit 6, a pair of carry-out rollers 36 for carrying out the fixed paper from the belt-type heat fixing unit 6, and a paper discharge tray 37 formed on the upper surface of the apparatus. A paper discharge roller pair 38 for paper discharge is provided.

  The conveyance unit 7 for double-sided printing also serves as an opening / closing member whose outer surface (right outer surface in the drawing) opens or shields the inside of the printer 1 from the side surface to the outside.

  This duplex printing transport unit 7 has a start return path 39a that branches rightward in the figure from just before the paper discharge roller pair 38, an intermediate return path 39b that bends downward, and further turns leftward to finally return. A return path 39 having an end return path 39c for reversing the paper is provided.

  In the middle of the return path 39, five pairs of return rollers 41 (41a, 41b, 41c, 41d, 41e) are arranged. The exit of the end return path 39 c joins the conveyance path to the pair of standby conveyance rollers 35 corresponding to the sheet feeding cassette 31 b below the sheet feeding unit 5.

  FIG. 2A is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the developing device 14 of the printer 1 and the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment, each of which is easily understood and together with the transfer belt 8, and FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of an initial supply toner cartridge before improvement. In FIG. 2A, the same components as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals as those in FIG.

  The toner cartridge 21 shown in FIG. 2A is detachable from the main body of the printer 1 shown in FIG. 1 in the front direction, that is, as shown by a double-headed arrow b in FIG. Similarly, the transfer belt unit 3 is also detachable from the printer 1 body in the front direction.

  A toner replenishment path 42 is disposed between the toner cartridge 21 and the developing device 14 so as to go around the transfer belt unit 3. In the toner supply path 42, the lower discharge port 43 is connected to the receiving port 44 of the developing device 14.

  The upper receiving port 45 of the toner supply path 42 is connected to the discharge port 46 of the toner cartridge 21 when the toner cartridge 21 is mounted on the mounting portion. A toner conveying screw 47 is disposed inside the toner cartridge 21, and a gear 48 engaged with an external drive system is engaged with the screw shaft.

  The toner conveying screw 47 is rotationally driven by the gear 48 and conveys the toner 50 in the toner cartridge 21 to the discharge port 46 in the direction of arrow A so as to be discharged to the upper receiving port 45 of the toner supply path 42.

  The toner 50 conveyed to the discharge port 46 is freely dropped from the upper receiving port 45 through the toner supply path 42 as indicated by an arrow B, and is supplied to the developing device 14 from the lower discharge port 43 through the receiving port 44. The

  The toner 50 has a predetermined space between the upper interface 50a of the toner 50 and the inner upper surface of the toner cartridge 21 in order to maintain fluidity even when the toner cartridge 21 is filled up from the front to the rear. An appropriate amount is filled so as to form.

  However, since toner is a very expensive consumable, it cannot be provided in large quantities for free services. Therefore, in general, in the case of the initial replenishment toner cartridge 51 shown in FIG. 2B, the toner 50 is filled in such a small amount that it can drive the developing device 14 at the initial time. In other words, a smaller amount of replenishment toner is contained compared to the normal replenishment toner cartridge 21.

  Therefore, as shown in FIG. 2B, when only a small amount of toner 50 is concentrated on the front side of the initial replenishment toner cartridge 51, the toner conveying screw 47 is driven to rotate by the gear 48, and the arrow A direction. Even if the toner 50 is conveyed, it takes time to discharge a predetermined equivalent amount from the discharge port 46.

  2B, even if the average is not biased forward, the layer is thin because the amount is small, and the amount per unit time conveyed by the toner conveying screw 47 is reduced accordingly. In any case, it takes time until the predetermined equivalent amount is discharged from the discharge port 46.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the initial supply toner cartridge according to the first embodiment of the present invention for solving this problem. As shown in FIG. 3, the initial supply toner cartridge 52 of this example has a storage chamber 53 having the same size and volume as the storage chamber of the normal supply toner cartridge 21 as a whole.

  However, in the initial supply toner cartridge 52 of this example, a partition wall 54 is provided at a substantially central portion in the longitudinal direction of the storage chamber 53. Accordingly, the length in the longitudinal direction of the storage chamber 53a that substantially stores the toner 50 on the right side from the partition wall 54 is approximately ½ shorter than the original storage chamber 53, that is, the storage chamber of the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment. It has become. In other words, the volume in which the toner 50 can be accommodated is limited to approximately ½.

  In addition, the length of the toner conveying screw 55 disposed inside is approximately ½ of the toner conveying screw 47 of the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment. The screw pitch of the toner conveying screw 55 is the same as the screw pitch of the toner conveying screw 47 of the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment.

  If the longitudinal direction of the storage chamber 53a that stores the toner 50 is approximately ½ shorter than the storage chamber of the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment, the transport distance from the front end portion where the toner 50 is transported to the discharge port 46 is increased. It becomes about 1/2 shorter.

  If the transport distance is shortened by about 1/2, the screw pitch of the toner transport screw 55 is not changed, and the time until the internal toner 50 is discharged from the discharge port 46 is shortened to about 1/2. Become.

  This time does not change regardless of the state of the toner 50 in the cartridge, that is, even if the toner 50 is biased forward as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the toner cartridge 52 for initial replenishment of this example is used, the time until the predetermined amount of toner 50 is discharged from the discharge port 46 is shortened to about ½.

  The arrangement position of the partition wall 54 provided in the storage chamber 53 is not limited to the center. The substantial amount of the storage chamber 53a may be changed by changing to an arbitrary position corresponding to the storage amount of the initial supply toner 50 stored in the substantial storage chamber 53a.

  FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal configuration of the initial supply toner cartridge according to the second embodiment of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 4, the storage chamber 57 that can store the toner 50 of the initial supply toner cartridge 56 in this example has a shorter length in the longitudinal direction than the storage chamber of the normal supply toner cartridge 21. The volume is limited to be small.

  In the example shown in the figure, the dimension in the longitudinal direction is about ½ of the normal replenishment toner cartridge 21. Note that the length of the toner conveying screw 58 disposed therein is also approximately ½ of the toner conveying screw 47 of the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment. The screw pitch of the toner conveying screw 58 is the same as the screw pitch of the toner conveying screw 47 of the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment.

  If the longitudinal direction of the storage chamber 57 that stores the toner 50 becomes approximately ½ shorter than the storage chamber of the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment, the screw pitch of the toner conveying screw 58 has not changed. The time until the internal toner 50 is discharged from the discharge port 46 is reduced to about ½.

  This time does not change regardless of the state of the toner 50 in the cartridge, that is, even if the toner 50 is biased forward as shown in FIG. Therefore, when the initial supply toner cartridge 56 of this example is used, the time until the predetermined amount of toner 50 is discharged from the discharge port 46 is shortened to about ½.

  The length of the storage chamber 57 in the longitudinal direction is not limited to approximately ½ of the length of the normal replenishment toner cartridge 21 in the longitudinal direction. The accommodation amount of the accommodation chamber 57 may be changed to an arbitrary length corresponding to the accommodation amount of the toner 50 for initial supply stored in the accommodation chamber 57.

  FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal configuration of an initial supply toner cartridge according to Embodiment 3 of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 5, the dimensional configuration of the storage chamber 61 that can store the toner 50 of the toner cartridge 60 for initial supply in this example is the same as the dimensional configuration of the storage chamber of the toner cartridge 21 for normal supply.

  Therefore, the length of the toner conveying screw 62 disposed inside is the same as the length of the toner conveying screw 47 of the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment. However, the screw pitch of the toner conveying screw 62 is approximately twice as wide as the screw pitch of the toner conveying screw 47 of the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment.

  Originally, when the screw pitch of the toner conveying screw is increased, the toner amount between the pitches is increased by the amount of the increased screw pitch, so the toner conveying amount per hour increases, but the toner conveying screw is overloaded. This is not preferable because it causes damage.

  However, in the case of an initial replenishment toner cartridge, the amount of toner 50 accommodated therein is extremely smaller than the toner replenishment amount of the normal replenishment toner cartridge 21, which may cause excessive load on the toner conveying screw. There is no.

  If the toner cartridge 60 for replenishment at the time of this example is used, the screw pitch of the toner conveying screw 62 is approximately twice as wide as the screw pitch of the toner conveying screw 47 of the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment. The amount of toner transport per hit is approximately twice that of the toner cartridge 21 for normal replenishment.

  That is, the time until the internal toner 50 is discharged from the discharge port 46 is shortened to about ½. This time does not change regardless of the state of the toner 50 in the cartridge, that is, even if the toner 50 is biased forward as shown in FIG. Therefore, if the initial supply toner cartridge 60 of this example is used, the time until the predetermined amount of toner 50 is discharged from the discharge port 46 is shortened to about ½.

  The screw pitch of the toner conveying screw 62 of the initial replenishing toner cartridge 60 is approximately twice as wide as the screw pitch of the toner conveying screw 47 of the normal replenishing toner cartridge 21, but the present invention is not limited to this. The screw pitch may be changed to an arbitrary screw pitch according to the amount of the toner 50 for initial supply stored in the storage chamber 61.

Although several embodiments of the present invention have been described, the present invention is included in the invention described in the claims and the equivalents thereof. Hereinafter, the invention described in the scope of claims of the present application will be appended.
[Appendix 1]

An initial replenishment toner cartridge having a discharge port for supplying replenishment toner at an initial stage to a developing device for developing the electrostatic latent image on the image carrier with toner,
Compared with a normal supply toner cartridge having a storage chamber capable of storing the replenishment toner in a first storage amount, the replenishment toner having a second storage amount smaller than the first storage amount is stored, The replenishment toner is formed to be conveyed to the discharge port so that the discharge amount of toner from the discharge port per unit time is equal.
A toner cartridge for initial supply.
[Appendix 2]

A partition wall for restricting the volume in the longitudinal direction of the storage chamber having the same size and volume as the storage chamber of the normal replenishment toner cartridge is provided to limit the volume in which the replenishment toner can be stored;
The toner cartridge for replenishment at the initial stage according to appendix 1.
[Appendix 3]

The size in the longitudinal direction is shorter than that of the normal replenishing toner cartridge, and the volume that can be accommodated in the replenishing toner is limited to be small.
The toner cartridge for replenishment at the initial stage according to appendix 1.
[Appendix 4]

The normal supply toner cartridge has a storage chamber having the same size and volume as the storage chamber of the normal supply toner cartridge, and the screw pitch of a transfer screw for transferring the internal supply toner to the discharge port. It is formed larger than the screw pitch of the conveying screw.
The toner cartridge for replenishment at the initial stage according to appendix 1.
[Appendix 5]

An image recording apparatus comprising an initial replenishment toner cartridge having a discharge port for supplying replenishment toner to a developer that develops an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier with toner;
The initial supply toner cartridge has a second storage amount smaller than the first storage amount compared to a normal supply toner cartridge having a storage chamber capable of storing the supply toner in a first storage amount. The replenishment toner is accommodated, and the replenishment toner is transported to the discharge port so that the discharge amount of the replenishment toner from the discharge port per unit time is equal.
An image recording apparatus.

  The present invention can be used in an initial supply toner cartridge capable of supplying an appropriate amount of toner in an initial time in a short time and an image forming apparatus including the same.

1 Full-color image forming device (printer)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 2 Image formation part 3 Transfer belt unit 4 Toner supply part 5 Paper feed part 6 Belt type fixing unit 7 Conveyance unit for double-sided printing 8 Transfer belt 8a Lower traveling surface 8b Back surface 9 (9y, 9m, 9c, 9k) Developing device 10 Photosensitive Body drum 11 Cleaner 12 Charging roller 13 Optical writing head 14 Developer 15 Developing roller 16 Housing 17 Bulkhead 15 Developing roller 18 First agitating and conveying screw 19 Second agitating and conveying screw 21 Toner cartridge 22 Drive roller 23 Followed roller 24 Secondary transfer roller 25 Primary transfer roller 26 Belt cleaner 27 Waste toner collection container 29 Electrical unit 31 (31a, 31b) Paper feed cassette 32 Paper take-out roller 33 Feed roller 34 Rolling roller 35 Standby transport roller pair 36 Transport roller pair 37 Discharge Paper tray 38 Paper discharge roller pair 39 return path 39a start return path 39b intermediate return path 39c end return path 41 (41a, 41b, 41c, 41d, 41e) return roller pair 42 toner supply path 43 lower discharge port 44 receiving port 45 upper receiving port 46 discharge port 47 toner Conveying screw 48 Gear 50 Toner 50a Upper interface 51 Conventional toner cartridge for initial replenishment 52 Initial replenishing toner cartridge according to Example 1 53 Original storage chamber 53a Substantial storage chamber 54 Partition wall 55 Toner transport screw 56 Example Toner cartridge for initial replenishment 2 according to 2 57 storage chamber 58 toner transfer screw

Claims (4)

A toner is stored in a storage chamber having a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction, and a discharge port for discharging the toner toward the developing device is provided on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the storage chamber. A second type toner cartridge that is attached to an image forming apparatus to which the first type toner cartridge can be attached and detached instead of the first type toner cartridge when the image forming apparatus is delivered. There,
The length of the storage chamber in which the toner is stored is shorter than the predetermined length, and the toner is discharged toward the developing unit on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the storage chamber. And a toner cartridge formed so that a discharge amount per unit time from the toner discharge port is equal to that of the first type toner cartridge. A transport screw for transporting toner toward the discharge port is provided in the storage chamber of the second type toner cartridge, and the length of the transport screw is the storage chamber of the first type toner cartridge. The toner cartridge according to claim 1, wherein the toner cartridge is shorter than a length of a conveying screw provided in the toner cartridge. A second type toner cartridge to be mounted in place of the first type toner cartridge when the image forming apparatus is delivered;
The length of the storage chamber in which the toner is stored is shorter than the length of the first type toner cartridge , and the discharge amount per unit time from the toner discharge port is the first discharge amount. A discharge port for discharging the toner toward the developing device on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the storage chamber is equivalent to the first type toner cartridge so as to be equivalent to the toner cartridge of the first type. A toner cartridge provided in the same manner. The toner according to claim 3, wherein a length of a conveying screw for conveying the toner toward the discharge port is shorter than a length of the conveying screw in the first type toner cartridge. cartridge.