JP6088989B2 - Developer container and image forming apparatus provided with the same - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a developer container that contains a developer therein, and an image forming apparatus including the developer container.

  2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a toner cartridge described in Patent Document 1 is known as a developer storage container that stores a developer therein. The toner cartridge described in Patent Document 1 includes a toner discharge port and a shutter that can open and close the toner discharge port. The toner cartridge has a cylindrical shape and includes an engagement gear on the peripheral surface. When the toner cartridge is mounted on the apparatus main body, the engagement gear on the toner cartridge side and the transmission gear arranged on the apparatus main body side are engaged. When the user rotates the toner cartridge, the shutter is rotated and the toner discharge port is opened by the rotational force transmitted to the engagement gear and the transmission gear.

Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2006-243763

  In the toner cartridge described in Patent Document 1, the rotation operation by the user is necessarily required in order for the toner to become empty and the shutter to be closed.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems, and the shutter closing operation after use is automatically realized, and the developer is prevented from scattering from the developer discharge port. It is an object to provide a developer container and an image forming apparatus including the developer container.

  A developer container according to one aspect of the present invention includes a container main body including a storage space in which a developer is stored, a developer discharge port that is opened in the container main body and discharges the developer, An inner shutter disposed in the container main body and capable of changing a position between a first position for sealing the developer discharge port from the inside of the container main body and a second position for opening the developer discharge port; An outer shutter disposed in the container main body and capable of changing a position between a third position for sealing the developer discharge port from the outside of the container main body and a fourth position for opening the developer discharge port; In response to an empty state in which the developer in the accommodation space is empty, a moving force is transmitted to the inner shutter and the outer shutter, and the inner shutter is moved from the second position to the first position. And move the outside A transfer section for moving the shutter from the fourth position to the third position, and having a.

  According to this configuration, the inner shutter is disposed at the second position and the outer shutter is disposed at the fourth position, so that the developer accommodated in the accommodating space of the container body is allowed to flow into the developer discharge port. It can be discharged from. When the developer in the accommodation space becomes empty, the inner shutter is moved to the first position and the outer shutter is moved to the third position by the transmission unit. As a result, the developer discharge port is sealed from the inside and outside of the container body. Therefore, the closing operation of the inner shutter and the outer shutter is automatically realized after using the developer container. Further, when the user accesses the developer container after use, the developer is prevented from being scattered from the developer discharge port.

  In the above-described configuration, the developer shutter opening the inner shutter that moves from the second position to the first position before the outer shutter that moves from the fourth position to the third position. It is desirable to seal.

  According to this configuration, the inner shutter seals the developer discharge port before the outer shutter. For this reason, it is possible to stably prevent the developer from scattering from the developer discharge port.

  In the above-described configuration, it is desirable to have a lock mechanism that locks the outer shutter in the third position.

  According to this configuration, the outer shutter is prevented from being opened again after the developer container is used.

  Said structure WHEREIN: It is desirable to have further the cover member fixed to the outer peripheral part of the said container main body, and covering the said locking mechanism from the outer side.

  According to this configuration, it is possible to prevent the user from accidentally accessing the lock mechanism of the developer container. As a result, it is possible to reliably prevent the outer shutter from being opened after the developer container is used.

In the above configuration, the cover member further includes a shape that covers the outer shutter,
It is desirable to further include an outer opening that opens to the cover member facing the developer discharge port and communicates with the developer discharge port in a state where the outer shutter is disposed at the fourth position.

  According to this configuration, since the cover member has a shape that covers the outer shutter, it is possible to prevent the outer shutter from being accidentally opened after the developer container is used. Further, when the outer shutter is disposed at the fourth position, the developer discharged from the developer discharge port can be discharged to the outside of the developer container through the outer opening.

  In the above-described configuration, the container main body protrudes from the side wall so as to be continuous with the bottom surface, a bottom surface where the developer discharge port is opened, a side wall standing upright to intersect the bottom surface, and A cylindrical portion including a hollow interior communicating with the accommodation space of the container body, and the inner shutter is inserted into the hollow interior of the cylindrical portion and is rotatable on an inner peripheral portion of the cylindrical portion. A first shutter unit that includes a cylindrical member that is pivotally supported and includes an input unit that is exposed outside in the axial direction of the cylindrical unit and that receives a rotational force that rotates the inner shutter about its axis; and the first shutter unit And a second shutter portion including an inner opening portion that communicates with the developer discharge port at the second position, and is disposed in the housing space along the bottom surface. The first A rotational driving force around the axis of the shutter unit is input, and the second shutter unit rotates integrally with the first shutter unit, so that the inner shutter moves between the first position and the second position. It is desirable to move between.

  According to this configuration, when the rotational driving force around the axis of the first shutter unit is input to the input unit, the developer discharge port is sealed from the inside of the container body as the cylindrical inner shutter rotates. Can be stopped or opened.

  In the above configuration, the outer shutter has a ring shape, includes a plurality of gear teeth on an outer peripheral surface, is externally fitted to the outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical portion, and is rotatable around the cylindrical portion. A gear portion that constitutes a part, and a sealing portion that extends from a part in the circumferential direction of the gear portion along the bottom surface and has a size that covers the developer discharge port from the outside at the third position; The outer shutter moves from the fourth position to the third position by transmitting a rotational driving force around the cylindrical part to the gear part corresponding to the empty state. It is desirable.

  According to this configuration, when the rotational driving force is transmitted to the gear portion, the outer shutter rotates to seal the developer discharge port from the outside of the container main body.

  In the above configuration, the transmission portion has a ring shape, has a plurality of gear teeth on an outer peripheral surface, is fitted to the first shutter portion of the inner shutter, and is connected to the gear portion of the outer shutter. A coupling member disposed adjacent to the axial direction and rotatable integrally with the inner shutter, and corresponding to the empty state, the gear teeth of the coupling member and the gear of the outer shutter When the rotational driving force is simultaneously transmitted to the gear teeth of the unit, the inner shutter and the outer shutter are rotated about the same axis, and the inner shutter moves from the second position to the first position. Preferably, the outer shutter moves from the fourth position to the third position.

  According to this configuration, when the developer in the storage space becomes empty, the rotational driving force is simultaneously transmitted to the gear teeth of the coupling member and the gear teeth of the outer shutter, so that the inner shutter and the outer shutter are Seal the developer outlet. In particular, since the gear teeth of the coupling member and the gear teeth of the gear portion of the outer shutter are arranged adjacent to each other in the axial direction, the rotational driving force can be transmitted from one transmission gear to the coupling member and the gear portion. .

  In the above configuration, the inner shutter is preferably rotatable relative to the outer shutter when a rotational driving force is input to the input unit.

  According to this configuration, at the start of use when the developer container is used, the inner shutter can be disposed at the first position while the outer shutter is disposed at the fourth position. Then, when the rotational force is input to the input unit, the inner shutter is moved from the first position to the second position while the outer shutter is disposed at the fourth position, and the developer discharge port is opened. be able to.

  An image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention includes a developer container according to any one of the above, an image carrier on which a latent electrostatic image is formed and a developer image is carried. A developing device that replenishes the developer from the developer container and supplies the developer to the image carrier; and a transfer unit that transfers the developer image from the image carrier to a sheet. And

  According to this configuration, the closing operation of the inner shutter and the outer shutter is automatically realized after the developer container is used. As a result, when the user accesses the developer container after use, the developer is prevented from scattering from the developer discharge port.

  In the above configuration, the developer container is disposed in the container main body, is rotationally driven, and includes a rotating member that stirs the developer in the accommodating space, and generates a rotational driving force that rotates the rotating member. And a transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational driving force generated by the driving unit to the rotating member, and the transmission mechanism transmits the rotational driving force in response to the empty state. It is desirable to include a clutch mechanism for transmitting to the part.

  According to this configuration, the closing operation of the inner shutter and the outer shutter can be automatically realized by using the rotational driving force that rotates the rotating member when the developer container is empty.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a developer container in which a shutter closing operation after use is automatically realized and the developer is prevented from being scattered from the developer discharge port, and an image forming apparatus including the developer container. Is done.

1 is a perspective view showing an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a perspective view of a state in which a part of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is opened. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view illustrating an internal structure of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a schematic plan view showing an internal structure of a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2A and 2B are perspective views of a developer container according to an embodiment of the present invention. 3A and 3B are perspective views showing the inside of the developer container according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view (A) and (B) showing a state where a rotational driving force is transmitted to the developer container, which is a part of the developer container and the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a developer container according to an embodiment of the present invention. 2A is a perspective view of an internal shutter and FIG. 2B is a perspective view of an external shutter of a developer container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a perspective view of (A) a coupling member and (B) a perspective view of a transmission gear of a developer container according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a part of the container body of the developer container according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a perspective view illustrating a structure in which a rotational driving force is transmitted to an inner shutter and an outer shutter of the developer container according to the embodiment of the present invention. 4A and 4B are cross-sectional perspective views (A), (B), and (C) illustrating how the inner shutter of the developer container according to the embodiment of the present invention moves from the first position to the second position. The cross-sectional perspective view which shows a mode that the inner side shutter of the developer storage container which concerns on one Embodiment of this invention moves from a 2nd position to a 1st position, and an outer side shutter moves from a 4th position to a 3rd position. It is figure (A), (B) and (C). 6A and 6B are cross-sectional perspective views (A) and (B) showing how the outer shutter of the developer container according to the embodiment of the present invention is locked at a third position.

  Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. 1 and 2 are perspective views of a printer 100 (image forming apparatus) according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 shows a state in which an opening / closing cover 100C described later is opened. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view schematically showing the internal structure of the printer 100 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2. The printer 100 as the image forming apparatus shown in FIGS. 1 to 3 is a so-called monochrome printer. However, in other embodiments, the image forming apparatus is a color printer, a facsimile machine, a multifunction machine having these functions, Another apparatus for forming a toner image on a sheet may be used. Note that the terms used in the following description, such as “up”, “down”, “front”, “rear”, “left” and “right”, are merely for the purpose of clarifying the description. There is no limitation on the principle of the image forming apparatus.

  The printer 100 includes a casing 101 that houses various apparatuses for forming an image on the sheet S. The housing 101 includes an upper wall 102 that defines the upper surface of the housing 101, a bottom wall 103 (FIG. 3) that defines the bottom surface of the housing 101, and a main body rear wall 105 between the upper wall 102 and the bottom wall 103. (FIG. 3) and a main body front wall 104 positioned in front of the main body rear wall 105. The housing 101 includes a main body internal space 107 in which various devices are arranged. A sheet conveyance path PP through which the sheet S is conveyed in a predetermined conveyance direction is extended in the main body internal space 107 of the casing 101. In addition, the printer 100 includes an opening / closing cover 100 </ b> C that is attached to the housing 101 so as to be freely opened and closed.

  The opening / closing cover 100 </ b> C includes a front wall upper portion 104 </ b> B that is an upper portion of the main body front wall 104 and an upper wall front portion 102 </ b> B that is a front portion of the upper wall 102. The opening / closing cover 100C can be opened / closed in the vertical direction with hinge shafts (not shown) disposed on the pair of arm portions 108 disposed at both ends in the left / right direction as fulcrums (FIG. 2). When the opening / closing cover 100 </ b> C is opened, a developing device 20 and a toner container 30, which will be described later, are attached to the developing container 109 formed in the main body internal space 107.

  A paper discharge unit 102 </ b> A is disposed at the center of the upper wall 102. The paper discharge unit 102 </ b> A includes an inclined surface that is inclined downward from the front portion to the rear portion of the upper wall 102. The sheet S on which an image is formed in the image forming unit 120 described later is discharged to the paper discharge unit 102A. In addition, a manual feed tray 104 </ b> A is disposed at the center in the vertical direction of the main body front wall 104. The manual feed tray 104A can be turned up and down with the lower end as a fulcrum (arrow DT in FIG. 3).

  Referring to FIG. 3, the printer 100 includes a cassette 110, a pickup roller 112, a first paper feed roller 113, a second paper feed roller 114, a transport roller 115, a registration roller pair 116, and an image forming unit. 120 and a fixing device 130.

  The cassette 110 accommodates the sheet S inside. The cassette 110 includes a lift plate 111. The lift plate 111 is inclined so as to push up the leading edge of the sheet S. The cassette 110 can be pulled forward with respect to the housing 101. The pickup roller 112 is disposed on the leading edge of the sheet S pushed up by the lift plate 111 and feeds the sheet S from the cassette 110.

  The first paper feed roller 113 is disposed downstream of the pickup roller 112 and sends the sheet S further downstream. The second paper feed roller 114 is disposed on the inner side (rear side) of the fulcrum of the manual feed tray 104A, and draws the sheet S on the manual feed tray 104A into the housing 101. The transport roller 115 is disposed downstream of the first paper feed roller 113 and the second paper feed roller 114 in the sheet transport direction, and further feeds the sheet S sent out by the first paper feed roller 113 and the second paper feed roller 114. Transport downstream. The registration roller pair 116 has a function of correcting the oblique conveyance of the sheet S. Thereby, the position of the image formed on the sheet S is adjusted. The registration roller pair 116 supplies the sheet S to the image forming unit 120 in accordance with the timing of image formation by the image forming unit 120.

  The image forming unit 120 includes a photosensitive drum 121 (image carrier), a charger 122, an exposure device 123, a developing device 20, a toner container 30 (developer storage container), and a transfer roller 126 (transfer unit). And a cleaning device 127.

  The photosensitive drum 121 has a cylindrical shape. The photosensitive drum 121 has a surface on which an electrostatic latent image is formed, and carries a toner image (developer image) corresponding to the electrostatic latent image on the surface. The charger 122 is applied with a predetermined voltage and charges the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 121 substantially uniformly. The exposure device 123 irradiates the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 121 charged by the charger 122 with laser light. The laser light is emitted in accordance with image data output from an external device (not shown) such as a personal computer connected to the printer 100 so as to be communicable. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image data is formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 121.

  The developing device 20 supplies toner to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 121 on which the electrostatic latent image is formed. The toner container 30 supplies toner to the developing device 20. The toner container 30 is detachably disposed with respect to the developing device 20. When the developing device 20 supplies toner to the photosensitive drum 121, the electrostatic latent image formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 121 is developed (visualized). As a result, a toner image (developer image) is formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 121.

  The transfer roller 126 is disposed below the photosensitive drum 121 so as to face the photosensitive drum 121 with the sheet conveyance path PP interposed therebetween. The transfer roller 126 forms a transfer nip portion N with the photosensitive drum 121, and transfers the toner image onto the sheet S. The cleaning device 127 removes the toner remaining on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 121 after the toner image is transferred to the sheet S. The fixing device 130 is disposed downstream of the image forming unit 120 in the transport direction, and fixes the toner image on the sheet S. The fixing device 130 includes a heating roller 131 that melts the toner on the sheet S and a pressure roller 132 that causes the sheet S to adhere to the heating roller 131.

  The printer 100 further includes a transport roller pair 133 disposed downstream of the fixing device 130 and a discharge roller pair 134 disposed downstream of the transport roller pair 133. The sheet S is conveyed upward by the conveyance roller pair 133 and is finally discharged from the housing 101 by the discharge roller pair 134. The sheets S discharged from the housing 101 are stacked on the paper discharge unit 102A.

<About development device>
FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the developing device 20. The developing device 20 includes a developing housing 210 having a box shape that is long in one direction (the axial direction of the developing roller 21 and the left-right direction). The developing housing 210 has a storage space 220. In the storage space 220, a developing roller 21, a first stirring screw 23, a second stirring screw 24, and a toner supply port 25 are disposed. In the present embodiment, a one-component developing system is applied, and the storage space 220 is filled with toner as a developer. On the other hand, in the case of the two-component development method, a mixture of toner and a carrier made of a magnetic material is filled as a developer. The toner is agitated and conveyed in the storage space 220 and is sequentially supplied from the developing roller 21 to the photosensitive drum 121 in order to develop the electrostatic latent image.

  The developing roller 21 has a cylindrical shape that extends in the longitudinal direction of the developing housing 210 and has a sleeve portion that is rotationally driven on the outer periphery.

  The storage space 220 of the developing housing 210 is covered with a top plate (not shown), and is partitioned into a first transport path 221 and a second transport path 222 that are long in the left-right direction by a partition plate 22 extending in the left-right direction. Yes. The partition plate 22 is shorter than the width of the developing housing 210 in the left-right direction, and a first communication path 223 and a first communication path 223 that respectively connect the first transport path 221 and the second transport path 222 to the left end and the right end of the partition plate 22. A double communication path 224 is provided. Thereby, a circulation path that reaches the first conveyance path 221, the second communication path 224, the second conveyance path 222, and the first communication path 223 is formed in the storage space 220. The toner is conveyed counterclockwise in the circulation path in FIG.

  The toner supply port 25 is an opening formed in the top plate, and is disposed above the left end of the first conveyance path 221. The toner replenishing port 25 is disposed so as to face the above-described circulation path, and has a function of receiving replenished toner (supplemented developer) replenished from the toner container 30 into the storage space 220.

  The first stirring screw 23 is disposed in the first conveyance path 221. The first stirring screw 23 includes a first rotating shaft 23a and a first spiral blade 23b projecting in a spiral shape on the circumference of the first rotating shaft 23a. The first stirring screw 23 is driven to rotate about the first rotation shaft 23a (arrow R2), thereby conveying the toner in the direction of arrow D1 in FIG. The first agitating screw 23 has a function of conveying new toner flowing in from the toner replenishing port 25 and toner carried in the first conveying path 221 from the second conveying path 222 side while mixing. A first paddle 23 c is disposed downstream of the first stirring screw 23 in the toner conveyance direction. The first paddle 23c delivers toner from the first conveyance path 221 to the second conveyance path 222 in the direction of arrow D4 in FIG.

  The second stirring screw 24 is disposed in the second conveyance path 222. The second stirring screw 24 includes a second rotating shaft 24a and a second spiral blade 24b. The second agitating screw 24 is driven to rotate about the second rotation shaft 24a (arrow R1), thereby supplying the toner to the developing roller 21 while conveying the toner in the direction of arrow D2 in FIG. A second paddle 24 c is disposed downstream of the second stirring screw 24 in the toner conveyance direction. The second paddle 24c delivers toner from the second conveyance path 222 to the first conveyance path 221 in the direction of arrow D3 in FIG.

  The toner container 30 (FIG. 3) is disposed above the toner supply port 25 of the development housing 210. The toner container 30 includes a main body opening 310 (FIG. 8). The main body opening 310 is disposed above the toner supply port 25 of the developing device 20. The toner dropped from the main body opening 310 is supplied to the developing device 20 from the toner supply port 25.

  Further, the developing device 20 includes a toner sensor 26 (FIG. 4). The toner sensor 26 is disposed on the wall portion of the development housing 210 so as to face the first conveyance path 221. The toner sensor 26 includes a pressure sensor and detects toner in the first transport path 221. The toner sensor 26 outputs a different voltage according to the amount of toner conveyed through the first conveyance path 221. A voltage output from the toner sensor 26 is referred to by a control unit (not shown), and a stirring paddle 36 and a conveying screw 37 of a toner container 30 described later are rotationally driven.

<About toner container structure>
Next, a toner container 30 (developer container) according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 5 is a perspective view (A) and (B) of the toner container 30. FIG. 6 is a perspective view (A) and (B) showing the inside of the toner container 30. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the toner container 30 and the drive transmission unit 15 of the printer 100, and is a perspective view (A) and (B) showing a state where the rotational driving force is transmitted to the toner container 30. FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the toner container 30 as viewed from below. 9A is a perspective view of the inner shutter portion 33A of the toner container 30, and FIG. 9B is a perspective view of the outer shutter portion 34. 10A is a perspective view of the coupling 33B of the toner container 30 and FIG. 10B is a perspective view of the transmission gear 155. FIG. FIG. 11 is a perspective view of a part of the container main body 31 of the toner container 30. FIG. 12 is a perspective view showing a structure in which the rotational driving force is transmitted to the inner shutter portion 33A and the outer shutter portion 34 of the toner container 30. FIG.

  Referring to FIG. 5, toner container 30 includes a main body 30H (container main body). The main body portion 30H is a main body portion of the toner container 30 and includes an accommodation space 30S (FIG. 6) in which toner is accommodated. The main body 30 </ b> H includes a container main body 31 and a lid 32. The container main body 31 defines a lower part of the main body 30H. The lid 32 defines an upper part of the main body 30 </ b> H and is attached to the upper surface of the container main body 31. As shown in FIG. 5 (A), the flange portions 31W and 32W arranged in a rectangular shape in the top view are superimposed on the container body 31 and the lid portion 32, respectively, and then bonded to form the body portion 30H. Is done.

  The container main body 31 is classified into a stirring unit 31A and a transport unit 31B. The stirring unit 31 </ b> A is a toner container that extends in the left-right direction on the front side of the container body 31. The bottom of the stirring unit 31A has a substantially semi-cylindrical shape. Inside the stirring unit 31A, a stirring paddle 36 (rotating member) (FIG. 6A) is rotatably supported. The stirring paddle 36 includes a paddle shaft 36A and a blade portion 36B extending from the paddle shaft 36A. A blade opening 36C that is opened in a rectangular shape is formed in the blade portion 36B. The agitation paddle 36 is driven to rotate, and sends the toner to the conveyance unit 31B side while agitating the toner accommodated in the accommodation space 30S. The conveyance unit 31 </ b> B is a toner storage unit that extends in the left-right direction on the rear side of the container main body 31. The bottom of the transport unit 31B also has a substantially semi-cylindrical shape. The conveyance unit 31B has a smaller diameter than the stirring unit 31A. Inside the transport unit 31B, a transport screw 37 (rotating member) (FIG. 6B) is rotatably supported. The conveying screw 37 is a screw member that includes a rotation shaft and spiral blades provided around the rotation shaft. The conveying screw 37 is driven to rotate and conveys the toner fed by the stirring paddle 36 toward a main body opening 310 (FIG. 8) described later.

  The stirring paddle 36 and the conveying screw 37 are connected to a paddle gear 319 and a screw gear 318 (FIG. 7A) disposed on the right side wall of the main body 30H, respectively. The paddle gear 319 and the screw gear 318 are connected to the drive transmission unit 15 described later. When the toner container 30 is attached to the printer 100, rotational driving force is transmitted to the paddle gear 319 and the screw gear 318 from the drive motor M (FIG. 7B) described later via the drive transmission unit 15. Then, when the drive motor M is rotationally driven in accordance with the output of the toner sensor 26 (FIG. 4) of the developing device 20 and the stirring paddle 36 and the conveying screw 37 are rotated, the toner is supplied to the developing device 20.

  Further, the container main body 31 includes a main body cylindrical surface 315 (FIGS. 8 and 11) (bottom surface), a left wall 31 </ b> L (FIGS. 7B and 11) (side wall), a toner filling port 311, and a main body opening. 310 (developer outlet), a main body guide portion 312 (FIG. 8), a main body cylindrical portion 313 (cylindrical portion), and a shutter support portion 314.

  The main body cylindrical surface 315 is a cylindrical surface formed at the left end of the bottom of the transport section 31B of the container main body 31. The main body cylindrical surface 315 corresponds to a part of the bottom of the container main body 31. The curved shape of the main body cylindrical surface 315 is formed along the outer periphery of the conveying screw 37. The left wall 31L is a left side wall of the container body 31. The container main body 31K is erected so as to intersect the main body cylindrical surface 315.

  The toner filling port 311 is a circular opening that is opened substantially at the center of the left wall 31L. The toner filling port 311 protrudes in a cylindrical shape with a slight height from the left wall 31L. A cap 311S (see FIG. 7B) is attached to the toner filling port 311. When the toner container 30 is manufactured, the toner is filled into the accommodation space 30 </ b> S from the toner filling port 311.

  The main body opening 310 (FIGS. 7B and 11) is an opening opened in the main body cylindrical surface 315. The main body opening 310 has a substantially rectangular shape. The toner stored in the storage space 30 </ b> S is discharged toward the developing device 20 from the main body opening 310.

  The main body guide portion 312 is a guide member provided on the main body cylindrical surface 315 of the container main body 31. A predetermined groove is formed along the circumferential surface of the main body cylindrical surface 315 between the main body guide portion 312 and the main body cylindrical surface 315. A part of the outer shutter portion 34 described later is inserted into the groove.

  The main body cylindrical portion 313 (FIG. 11) is a cylindrical portion that protrudes leftward from the rear and lower end of the left wall 31 </ b> L so as to continue to the main body cylindrical surface 315. The main body cylindrical portion 313 includes a hollow interior communicating with the accommodation space 30S. The main body cylindrical portion 313 includes a cylindrical protrusion 313A and a main body seal portion 313B. The cylindrical protruding portion 313A is a protruding portion that protrudes upward from the outer peripheral portion of the main body cylindrical portion 313. The cylindrical protrusion 313A positions an outer shutter 34 described later. The main body seal portion 313B is a seal member arranged in a ring shape at the base end portion on the left wall 31L side in the inner peripheral portion of the main body cylindrical portion 313. The main body seal portion 313B prevents the toner in the accommodation space 30S from leaking, and pivotally supports an inner shutter portion 33A described later in a rotatable manner.

  The shutter support portion 314 is a shaft support portion disposed on the inner wall of the container main body 31 in the transport portion 31B. The shutter support portion 314 supports a cylindrical end portion 334 of the inner shutter portion 33 described later so as to be rotatable.

  Further, the toner container 30 includes a shutter rotation unit 33 (FIGS. 7 and 8), an outer shutter unit 34 (outer shutter), and a shutter cover 35 (cover member). The shutter rotation unit 33 includes an inner shutter unit 33A (inner shutter) and a coupling 33B (coupling member).

  With reference to FIG. 9A and FIG. 11, the inner shutter portion 33 </ b> A is formed of a cylindrical member that is inserted into the hollow interior of the main body cylindrical portion 313 and is rotatably supported by the inner peripheral portion of the main body cylindrical portion 313. . By rotating the inner shutter portion 33A, the position of the inner shutter portion 33A can be changed between a first position for sealing the main body opening 310 from the inside of the container main body 31 and a second position for opening the main body opening 310. The The inner shutter part 33 includes an engaging part 331 (first shutter part), a first cylindrical part 332, a second cylindrical part 333 (second shutter part), and a cylindrical end part 334.

  The engaging portion 331 is a member provided at the left end portion of the inner shutter portion 33A. The engaging portion 331 corresponds to a region where the outer diameter is partially set on the left side of the cylindrical first cylindrical portion 332. The engaging portion 331 is exposed on the axially outer side (left side) of the main body cylindrical portion 313. The engaging part 331 includes an engaging protrusion 331A (input part), a first protruding piece 331B, and a second protruding piece 331C. The engagement protrusion 331 </ b> A is a cylindrical portion that protrudes leftward from the engagement portion 331. As shown in FIG. 9A, a groove is formed at the tip of the engaging protrusion 331A. A rotational force that rotates the inner shutter portion 33A about the axis is input to the engagement protrusion 331A. Specifically, when the toner container 30 is attached to the printer 100, a lever (not shown) provided in the developing housing 210 (FIG. 4) of the developing device 20 engages with the groove of the engaging protrusion 331A. When the lever is rotated by the user, the inner shutter portion 33A rotates through the engagement protrusion 331A. The first cylindrical part 332 is a cylindrical part connected to the right side of the engaging part 331. The first cylindrical portion 332 is disposed inside the hollow portion of the main body cylindrical portion 313 (FIG. 11). Note that a seal (not shown) is arranged in a ring shape on the second cylindrical portion 333 side of the first cylindrical portion 332. The seal is fitted into the main body seal portion 313B (FIG. 11) to prevent the toner from leaking from the accommodation space 30S through the main body cylindrical portion 313.

  The second cylindrical portion 333 is disposed along the main body cylindrical surface 315 in the accommodation space 30S. The second cylindrical part 333 is a cylindrical part connected to the right side of the first cylindrical part 332. In the present embodiment, the second cylindrical portion 333 is made of a semi-cylindrical member. A part of the above-described transport screw 37 is inserted into the cylinder of the second cylindrical portion 333. The second cylindrical portion 333 includes a shutter opening 330 (inner opening) and a cylindrical insertion hole 333S. The shutter opening 330 is opened with a substantially rectangular shape on the peripheral surface of the second cylindrical portion 333. When the inner shutter portion 33A is disposed at the second position along with the rotation of the inner shutter portion 33A, the shutter opening portion 330 is disposed downward. As a result, the shutter opening 330 and the main body opening 310 communicate with each other. The cylindrical end portion 334 is a portion formed in an arch shape along the circumferential direction at the right end portion of the second cylindrical portion 333. The cylindrical end portion 334 is supported by the shutter support portion 314 (FIG. 11) described above. The cylindrical insertion hole 333S is formed by opening right end surfaces of the second cylindrical portion 333 and the cylindrical end portion 334. The conveying screw 37 is inserted into the inner shutter portion 33A through the cylindrical insertion hole 333S.

  With reference to FIGS. 8 and 9B, the outer shutter portion 34 is a shutter member disposed outside the container main body 31. The outer shutter part 34 can be repositioned between a third position for sealing the main body opening 310 from the outside of the container main body 31 and a fourth position for opening the main body opening 310 by rotating. Has been. The outer shutter part 34 includes a shutter gear part 34G (gear part), a sealing part 341, and a shutter claw part 342. The shutter gear portion 34G has a ring shape and includes a plurality of gear teeth on the outer peripheral surface. A gear space portion 34S is formed inside the shutter gear portion 34G. The shutter gear portion 34G is fitted on the outer peripheral portion of the main body cylindrical portion 313 (FIG. 11), and is rotatable around the main body cylindrical portion 313. The shutter gear part 34G constitutes a part of the transmission part 30G of the present embodiment.

  The sealing portion 341 is a plate-like portion extending along the main body cylindrical surface 315 from a part in the circumferential direction of the shutter gear portion 34G. The sealing part 341 has an arc shape along the main body cylindrical surface 315. The sealing part 341 has a size that closes the main body opening 310 from the outside when the outer shutter part 34 is disposed at the third position. The shutter claw part 342 is a protrusion formed slightly to the left of the central part of the sealing part 341. The shutter claw part 342 is a claw part formed by cutting out a part of the sealing part 341. The shutter claw portion 342 can be engaged with a first locking claw 316 and a second locking claw 317 (FIG. 9) described later.

  Referring to FIG. 10A, the coupling 33B has a substantially cylindrical shape (ring shape). By coupling the coupling 33B to the inner shutter portion 33A, the shutter rotation portion 33 is formed. The coupling 33B includes a coupling gear portion 33G and a pair of coupling convex portions 33B1. The coupling gear portion 33G is a plurality of gear teeth formed on the outer peripheral surface of the coupling 33B. The coupling convex portion 33B1 is a convex portion formed by partially protruding leftward in the circumferential direction on the left side surface of the coupling 33B. In the circumferential direction, a pair of coupling recesses 33B2 is formed between the pair of coupling projections 33B1.

  As described above, the coupling gear portion 33G constitutes a part of the transmission portion 30G of the present embodiment together with the shutter gear portion 34G (FIG. 12). The transmission unit 30G transmits a moving force to the inner shutter unit 33A and the outer shutter unit 34 in response to an empty state in which the toner in the accommodation space 30S of the toner container 30 is empty, and the inner shutter unit 33A is transmitted to the second shutter unit 33A. A function of moving from the position to the first position and moving the outer shutter part 34 from the fourth position to the third position is provided.

  The coupling 33B is fitted on the first cylindrical portion 332 of the inner shutter portion 33A. Specifically, the second cylindrical portion 333 of the inner shutter portion 33A is inserted from the left inside the cylinder of the coupling 33B. The first cylindrical portion 332 is disposed inside the cylinder of the coupling 33B, and the first protruding piece 331B and the second protruding piece 331C of the inner shutter portion 33A are fitted in the pair of coupling recesses 33B2 of the coupling 33B. I'm stuck. As a result, the inner shutter portion 33A and the coupling 33B can be rotated together. As shown in FIG. 8, the coupling 33 </ b> B is disposed adjacent to the shutter gear portion 34 </ b> G of the outer shutter portion 34 in the axial direction.

  With reference to FIG. 8, the shutter cover 35 is a box-shaped member formed so as to cover the left side portion of the outer shutter portion 34. In particular, the shutter cover 35 covers the shutter claw part 342 (FIG. 9B) of the outer shutter part 34 from the outside. The shutter cover 35 includes a first cover engaging portion 35A and a second cover engaging portion 35B (see FIG. 15B). On the other hand, the container main body 31 includes a first cover support portion 31C and a second cover support portion 31D. The first cover support portion 31 </ b> C is a protruding piece that protrudes from the rear side wall of the container main body 31. The second cover support portion 31D is a plate-like member that protrudes downward from the boundary portion between the stirring portion 31A and the transport portion 31B, and includes an opening formed so as to penetrate in the front-rear direction. As shown in FIG. 15B, in the state in which the first cover engaging portion 35A protruding forward from the rear side wall of the shutter cover 35 is engaged with the first cover supporting portion 31C, A second cover engagement portion 35B protruding forward from the front side wall of the cover 35 is inserted into the opening of the second cover support portion 31D. The second cover engaging portion 35B has a hook shape whose tip is bent downward. Accordingly, the shutter cover 35 is fixed to the container main body 31 so as to cover the main body cylindrical surface 315 of the container main body 31 from below. The shutter cover 35 may be further bonded and fixed to the container body 31.

  9 to 12, when the shutter rotation unit 33, the outer shutter unit 34, and the shutter cover 35 are attached to the container main body 31, first, the shutter gear unit 34 </ b> G of the outer shutter unit 34 is attached to the container main unit 31. The main body cylindrical portion 313 (FIG. 11) is externally fitted. At this time, the position of the shutter gear portion 34G in the axial direction is regulated by the right side surface of the shutter gear portion 34G coming into contact with the cylindrical protrusion 313A. And as shown in FIG. 8, the sealing part 341 of the outer side shutter part 34 is arrange | positioned so that the main body cylindrical surface 315 may be followed. In the manufacturing stage of the toner container 30 and the use stage of the toner container 30, the sealing portion 341 is disposed behind the main body opening 310 (fourth position of the outer shutter portion 34). And a part of right side front-end | tip part of the sealing part 341 is penetrated by the groove part between the main body guide part 312 and the main body cylindrical surface 315 (FIG. 8).

  When the outer shutter part 34 is attached to the container main body 31, the second cylindrical part 333 of the inner shutter part 33A is inserted into the hollow interior of the main body cylindrical part 313 among the inner shutter part 33A and the coupling 33B integrated in advance. Is done. At this time, a stirring paddle 36 and a conveying screw 37 are inserted in the container body 31 in advance. While the conveyance screw 37 is inserted into the second cylindrical portion 333, the cylindrical end portion 334 of the second cylindrical portion 333 is supported by the shutter support portion 314 (FIG. 6B). As a result, the inner shutter portion 33A, the coupling 33B, and the outer shutter portion 34 are in a positional relationship as shown in FIG. In addition, in FIG. 12, illustration of the container main body 31 is abbreviate | omitted for description. Thereafter, the shutter cover 35 is fixed to the container body 31 as described above.

  Further, referring to FIGS. 7A, 7B, and 12, printer 100 includes drive motor M and drive transmission unit 15 (transmission mechanism). The drive motor M generates a rotational driving force that rotates the stirring paddle 36 and the conveying screw 37. The drive transmission unit 15 transmits the rotational driving force generated by the drive motor M to the stirring paddle 36 and the conveying screw 37. Specifically, the drive transmission unit 15 includes an input gear 151, an idler gear 152, a clutch 153 (clutch mechanism), a transmission shaft 154, and a transmission gear 155. The input gear 151 is a gear connected to the drive motor M. The input gear 151 is connected to the above-described screw gear 318 when the toner container 30 is attached to the printer 100. The screw gear 318 rotates integrally with the rotation shaft of the conveying screw 37. The screw gear 318 is connected to the paddle gear 319 on the side opposite to the input gear 151. The paddle gear 319 rotates integrally with the paddle shaft 36 </ b> A of the stirring paddle 36. Therefore, when the rotational driving force is transmitted from the input gear 151 to the screw gear 318, the stirring paddle 36 and the conveying screw 37 are rotated in synchronization.

  The idler gear 152 is connected to the input gear 151 and is also connected to the clutch 153. The clutch 153 is an electromagnetic clutch controlled by a control unit (not shown), and the rotational driving force of the drive motor M is transmitted to the transmission unit 30G of the toner container 30 in response to an empty state where the toner in the toner container 30 is empty. To communicate. The transmission shaft 154 extends from the clutch 153 toward the left below the toner container 30. A transmission gear 155 (FIGS. 7B and 12) is connected to the distal end side (left end side) of the transmission shaft 154.

  Referring to FIG. 10B, the transmission gear 155 is a rotating gear fixed to the transmission shaft 154. The transmission gear 155 includes a shaft hole 155A and an engagement gear portion 155B. The shaft hole 155 </ b> A is a shaft hole opened in a D hole shape at the center of the transmission gear 155. As shown in FIG. 12, the transmission shaft 154 and the transmission gear 155 rotate integrally as a result of the tip end of the transmission shaft 154 having a D-axis shape. The engagement gear portion 155B is composed of a plurality of gear teeth formed on a part of the peripheral surface of the transmission gear 155. The engagement gear portion 155B can be engaged with the coupling gear portion 33G and the shutter gear portion 34G constituting the transmission portion 30G. For this reason, the engagement gear portion 155B is disposed so as to straddle the coupling gear portion 33G and the shutter gear portion 34G in the axial direction (left-right direction).

  Next, the movement of the inner shutter portion 33A and the outer shutter portion 34 in the printer 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 to 15 in addition to FIGS. FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional perspective view (A), (B), and (C) showing how the inner shutter portion 33A of the toner container 30 moves from the first position to the second position. FIG. 14 is a cross-sectional perspective view showing a state where the inner shutter portion 33A of the toner container 30 moves from the second position to the first position and the outer shutter portion 34 moves from the fourth position to the third position. (A), (B) and (C). FIGS. 15A and 15B are cross-sectional perspective views (A) and (B) showing a state in which the outer shutter portion 34 is locked at the third position. FIG. 15B is an enlarged view of part of FIG.

  When the toner container 30 is attached to the printer 100, the outer shutter portion 34 is disposed at a position (fourth position) (FIGS. 8 and 13A) where the main body opening 310 is opened. On the other hand, the inner shutter portion 33A is disposed at a position (first position) (FIG. 13A) where the main body opening 310 is sealed from the inner side of the container main body 31. The toner container 30 is mounted on the printer 100, and the user rotates a lever (not shown) disposed in the developing device 20 as described above, whereby the engagement shutter 331A (FIGS. 9 and 12) has an inner shutter portion 33A. The rotational driving force around the axis is input. As described above, the inner shutter portion 33 </ b> A is rotatably supported on the inner peripheral portion of the main body cylindrical portion 313. Therefore, the engagement portion 331, the first cylindrical portion 332, and the second cylindrical portion 333 (FIG. 9) rotate integrally in the direction of the arrow in FIG. The surface is separated from the main body opening 310, and the shutter opening 330 is disposed above the main body opening 310 (FIG. 13C). That is, the inner shutter portion 33A is moved from the first position to the second position. Therefore, the toner in the accommodation space 30S can be supplied to the developing device 20 through the shutter opening 330 and the main body opening 310. As described above, when a rotational force is input to the engagement protrusion 331 </ b> A, the inner shutter portion 33 </ b> A rotates relative to the outer shutter portion 34.

  When the toner container 30 is attached to the printer 100, as shown in FIG. 12, the coupling gear portion 33G of the coupling 33B and the shutter gear portion 34G of the outer shutter portion 34 are disposed behind and above the transmission gear 155. Is done. At this time, the engagement gear portion 155B (FIG. 10) of the transmission gear 155 is disposed at a position spaced in the circumferential direction from the gear teeth of the coupling gear portion 33G and the shutter gear portion 34G. A control unit (not shown) controls the clutch 153, whereby a part of the rotational driving force for rotating the stirring paddle 36 and the conveying screw 37 is transmitted to the transmission gear 155. In this embodiment, when the control unit detects a state where the toner in the toner container 30 is empty (empty state) based on the output of the toner sensor 26 of the developing device 20, the clutch 153 is turned on and the transmission gear 155 is turned on. Is rotated in the direction of the arrow in FIG.

  When the transmission gear 155 rotates, the engagement gear portion 155B is simultaneously engaged with the coupling gear portion 33G and the shutter gear portion 34G, and the inner shutter portion 33A, the coupling 33B, and the outer shutter portion 34 are rotated about the same axis. The inner shutter portion 33A and the outer shutter portion 34 are moved from the second and fourth positions shown in FIG. 14 (A) to the positions shown in FIG. 14 (B), respectively, and shown in FIG. 14 (C). Moved to the 1st and 3rd positions. As a result, the main body opening 310 is sealed from the inside and the outside of the container main body 31. Therefore, after the toner container 30 is used, the closing operation of the inner shutter portion 33A and the outer shutter portion 34 is automatically realized. Further, when the user accesses the toner container 30 after use, the toner is prevented from scattering from the main body opening 310. In the present embodiment, in particular, when the toner in the toner container 30 becomes empty, the closing operation of the inner shutter portion 33A and the outer shutter portion 34 is performed using the rotational driving force that rotates the stirring paddle 36 and the conveying screw 37. Can be realized automatically.

  Furthermore, in the present embodiment, referring to FIG. 14B, the inner shutter portion 33A that moves from the second position to the first position is moved to the outer shutter portion that moves from the fourth position to the third position. The shapes of the inner shutter portion 33 </ b> A and the outer shutter portion 34 are set so as to seal the main body opening portion 310 before 34. For this reason, the inner shutter portion 33A closer to the accommodation space 30S first closes the main body opening 310, so that the toner is stably prevented from scattering from the main body opening 310.

  In this embodiment, since the coupling gear portion 33G of the coupling 33B and the shutter gear portion 34G of the outer shutter portion 34 are disposed adjacent to each other in the axial direction, the coupling 33B and the outer shutter are moved from one transmission gear 155. A rotational driving force can be transmitted to the portion 34.

  Furthermore, as described above, the inner shutter portion 33 </ b> A can rotate relative to the outer shutter portion 34. For this reason, when the use of the toner container 30 is started, the inner shutter portion 33A can be disposed at the first position while the outer shutter portion 34 is disposed at the fourth position. Then, when a rotational force is input to the engagement protrusion 331A, the inner shutter portion 33A is moved from the first position to the second position while the outer shutter portion 34 remains in the fourth position, and the main body The opening 310 can be opened.

  Furthermore, with reference to FIG. 15B, the container main body 31 includes a first locking claw 316 and a second locking claw 317. The first locking claw 316 and the second locking claw 317 are projecting pieces that project downward from the main body cylindrical surface 315. The second locking claw 317 is disposed immediately below the rotation shaft of the conveying screw 37. Further, the first locking claw 316 is disposed behind the second locking claw 317. The second locking claw 317 functions as a locking mechanism of this embodiment together with the shutter claw part 342 of the outer shutter part 34. The lock mechanism locks the outer shutter portion 34 at the third position.

  Referring to FIG. 15B, when the outer shutter portion 34 is disposed at the fourth position, the shutter claw portion 342 of the outer shutter portion 34 is in contact with the first locking claw 316 from the rear. As a result, the position of the outer shutter portion 34 is regulated. On the other hand, as described above, when the outer shutter portion 34 moves from the fourth position to the third position (arrow DS in FIG. 15B), the shutter claw portion 344 of the outer shutter portion 34 is in the first locking state. While getting over the claw 316, it gets over the second locking claw 317. As a result, the shutter claw portion 342 is engaged with the front portion of the second locking claw 317, and the outer shutter portion 34 is prevented from moving again to the fourth position. That is, the outer shutter portion 34 is prevented from being opened again after the toner container 30 is used.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 8 and 15A and 15B, the shutter cover 35 fixed to the outer peripheral portion of the container main body 31 is provided with a lock mechanism (the shutter claw portion 344 and the second engagement member). The pawl 317) is disposed so as to cover from the outside. This prevents the user from accidentally accessing the lock mechanism of the toner container 30. As a result, the outer shutter portion 34 is reliably prevented from being opened after the toner container 30 is used.

  As described above, the toner container 30 and the printer 100 including the toner container 30 according to the embodiment of the present invention have been described. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and for example, the following modified embodiment can be adopted. .

  (1) In the above embodiment, the shutter cover 35 is described as having a shape that covers the lock mechanism, but the present invention is not limited to this. In another modified embodiment, the shutter cover 35 may have a shape that covers the entire outer shutter portion 34. In this case, the outer opening (not shown) may be opened in the shutter cover 35 so as to face the main body opening 310. The outer opening communicates with the main body opening 310 in a state where the outer shutter 34 is disposed at the fourth position. Accordingly, the toner discharged from the main body opening 310 is supplied to the developing device 20 while passing through the outer opening. According to such a configuration, since the shutter cover 35 has a shape that covers the outer shutter portion 34, it is possible to prevent the outer shutter portion 34 from being accidentally opened after the toner container 30 is used.

  (2) In the above embodiment, the driving force is transmitted from the clutch 153 to the transmission unit 30G. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Another driving unit may be arranged in the printer 100, and the transmission unit 30G may be directly rotated by the rotational force generated by the driving unit.

  (3) In the above embodiment, the outer shutter portion 34 is described as a plate member having an arc shape. However, the present invention is not limited to this. Similar to the inner shutter portion 33A, the outer shutter portion 34 may be formed with an opening through which toner can pass.

100 Printer (image forming device)
121 Photosensitive drum (image carrier)
126 Transfer roller (transfer section)
15 Drive transmission part (transmission mechanism)
151 Input gear 152 Idler gear 153 Clutch (clutch mechanism)
154 Transmission shaft 155 Transmission gear 155A Shaft hole 155B Engagement gear portion 30 Toner container 30G Transmission portion 30H Body portion (container body)
30S accommodation space 31 container body 310 body opening (developer outlet)
311 Toner filling port 311S cap 312 Main body guide portion 313 Main body cylindrical portion (cylindrical portion)
313A Cylindrical protrusion 313B Main body seal 314 Shutter support 315 Main body cylindrical surface (bottom surface)
316 First locking claw 317 Second locking claw (locking mechanism)
318 Screw gear 319 Paddle gear 31A Stirring unit 31B Conveying unit 31C First cover support unit 31D Second cover support unit 31L Left wall (side wall)
32 Lid part 33 Shutter rotation part 33A Inner shutter part (inner shutter)
33B Coupling (coupling member)
33B1 Coupling convex part 33B2 Coupling concave part 33G Coupling gear part 330 Shutter opening part (inner opening part)
331 engaging portion (first shutter portion)
331A Engagement protrusion (input part)
331B 1st protrusion 331C 2nd protrusion 332 1st cylindrical part 333 2nd cylindrical part (2nd shutter part)
333S cylindrical insertion hole 334 cylindrical end 34 outer shutter (outer shutter)
341 Sealing part 342 Shutter claw part (locking mechanism)
34G Shutter gear part (gear part)
34S Gear space 35 Shutter cover (cover member)
35A 1st cover engaging part 35B 2nd cover engaging part 36 Stir paddle (rotating member)
36A Paddle shaft 36B Blade portion 36C Blade opening 37 Transport screw (rotating member)

Claims (9)

A container body provided with a storage space in which a developer is stored;
A developer outlet that is opened in the container body and from which the developer is discharged;
An inner shutter disposed in the container main body and capable of changing a position between a first position for sealing the developer discharge port from the inside of the container main body and a second position for opening the developer discharge port; ,
An outer shutter disposed in the container main body and capable of changing a position between a third position for sealing the developer discharge port from the outside of the container main body and a fourth position for opening the developer discharge port; ,
Corresponding to the empty state in which the developer in the accommodation space is empty, a moving force is transmitted to the inner shutter and the outer shutter, and the inner shutter is moved from the second position to the first position. And a transmission unit that moves the outer shutter from the fourth position to the third position;
I have a,
The container body is
A bottom surface where the developer outlet is opened;
A side wall erected so as to intersect the bottom surface;
A cylindrical portion that protrudes from the side wall so as to be continuous with the bottom surface and includes a hollow interior that communicates with the accommodation space of the container body;
Have
The inner shutter is inserted into the hollow interior of the cylindrical portion and is composed of a cylindrical member that is rotatably supported on the inner peripheral portion of the cylindrical portion.
A first shutter unit that includes an input unit that is exposed outside in the axial direction of the cylindrical unit and that receives a rotational force that rotates the inner shutter about its axis;
A second shutter unit connected to the first shutter unit, disposed in the housing space along the bottom surface, and including an inner opening communicating with the developer discharge port at the second position;
Have
A rotational driving force about the axis of the first shutter unit is input to the input unit, and the second shutter unit rotates integrally with the first shutter unit, so that the inner shutter moves to the first position. And between the second position and
The outer shutter is
A gear portion having a ring shape, including a plurality of gear teeth on the outer peripheral surface, fitted on the outer peripheral portion of the cylindrical portion, and rotatable around the cylindrical portion; and constituting a part of the transmitting portion;
A sealing portion that extends from a part in the circumferential direction of the gear portion along the bottom surface and has a size that covers the developer discharge port from the outside at the third position;
Have
Corresponding to the empty state, a rotational driving force around the cylindrical portion is transmitted to the gear portion, so that the outer shutter moves from the fourth position to the third position,
The transmission portion has a ring shape, has a plurality of gear teeth on an outer peripheral surface, is fitted to the first shutter portion of the inner shutter, and is adjacent to the gear portion of the outer shutter in the axial direction. And a coupling member that can rotate integrally with the inner shutter,
Corresponding to the empty state, a rotational driving force is simultaneously transmitted to the gear teeth of the coupling member and the gear teeth of the gear portion of the outer shutter, so that the inner shutter and the outer shutter rotate about the same axis. And the inner shutter moves from the second position to the first position, and the outer shutter moves from the fourth position to the third position. container.   The inner shutter that moves from the second position to the first position seals the developer discharge port before the outer shutter that moves from the fourth position to the third position. The developer container according to claim 1.   The developer storage container according to claim 1, further comprising a lock mechanism that locks the outer shutter at the third position.   The developer container according to claim 3, further comprising a cover member that is fixed to an outer peripheral portion of the container body and covers the lock mechanism from the outside. The cover member further includes a shape that covers the outer shutter,
It further has an outer opening that is open to the cover member facing the developer discharge port and communicates with the developer discharge port in a state where the outer shutter is disposed at the fourth position. The developer container according to claim 4. 6. The inner shutter according to claim 1, wherein the inner shutter is rotatable relative to the outer shutter when a rotational driving force is input to the input unit. 7 . Developer container. The developer container according to any one of claims 1 to 6 ,
An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface, and an image carrier that carries a developer image;
A developing device that replenishes the developer from the developer container and supplies the developer to the image carrier;
A transfer unit for transferring the developer image from the image carrier to a sheet;
An image forming apparatus comprising: The developer storage container is disposed in the container main body, is rotationally driven, and includes a rotating member that stirs the developer in the storage space.
A driving unit that generates a rotational driving force for rotating the rotating member;
A transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational driving force generated by the driving unit to the rotating member;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 7 , wherein the transmission mechanism includes a clutch mechanism that transmits the rotational driving force to the transmission unit in response to the empty state. A developer container;
An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface, and an image carrier that carries a developer image;
A developing device that replenishes the developer from the developer container and supplies the developer to the image carrier;
A transfer unit for transferring the developer image from the image carrier to a sheet;
Have
The developer container is
A container body provided with a storage space in which a developer is stored;
A developer outlet that is opened in the container body and from which the developer is discharged;
An inner shutter disposed in the container main body and capable of changing a position between a first position for sealing the developer discharge port from the inside of the container main body and a second position for opening the developer discharge port; ,
An outer shutter disposed in the container main body and capable of changing a position between a third position for sealing the developer discharge port from the outside of the container main body and a fourth position for opening the developer discharge port; ,
Corresponding to the empty state in which the developer in the accommodation space is empty, a moving force is transmitted to the inner shutter and the outer shutter, and the inner shutter is moved from the second position to the first position. And a transmission unit that moves the outer shutter from the fourth position to the third position;
A rotating member that is disposed within the container body, is driven to rotate, and stirs the developer in the housing space;
Have
A driving unit that generates a rotational driving force for rotating the rotating member;
A transmission mechanism that transmits the rotational driving force generated by the driving unit to the rotating member;
The image forming apparatus, wherein the transmission mechanism includes a clutch mechanism that transmits the rotational driving force to the transmission unit in response to the empty state.