JP6515594B2 - Toner container and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a toner storage container containing toner and an image forming apparatus.

  An electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a printer, a facsimile, a copying machine, or a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions transports powder of toner from a toner container as a powder container containing powder toner. The device supplies (replenishes) the developing device. The toner storage container includes a powder storage portion for storing toner, an opening portion provided at one end of the powder storage portion, and an opening for receiving a transport pipe having a powder receiving port for receiving toner from the toner storage container. The transfer tube receiving member provided in the unit, the transfer means for transferring the toner to the opening side of the powder storage portion, and the rotation of the powder storage portion pick up the toner on the opening side to the powder receiving port There is a thing of composition which has a powder pumping part which makes it drop and supplies it (for example, patent documents 1).

  In the case of a method in which the toner is pumped up and supplied to the powder receiving port of the transport pipe inserted into the opening of the transport pipe receiving member, the toner spills out from the pumping surface, so that the toner pumping efficiency by the pumping surface decreases. There was a thing. In addition, when the toner suction efficiency by the suction surface is increased, the toner receiving port may be clogged or clogged due to the characteristics of the toner, the amount of discharged toner decreases, and a large amount of toner remains in the toner container. The toner may not be discharged, and the toner container may need to be replaced.

  In recent years, from the viewpoint of achieving further energy saving, development of technology enabling low-temperature fixing and high-speed copying has been advanced, and for example, a toner excellent in low-temperature fixability using resin, wax and the like having a low softening point It has been considered. However, since the toner excellent in low-temperature fixability is thermally weak, it is apt to be a phenomenon of hardening due to heat generated from the machine being used or heat during storage, that is, blocking phenomenon tends to occur, and heat resistant storage stability There is a problem that it is difficult to secure a sufficient fixing temperature range because hot offset is likely to occur.

  An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned problems in the prior art and to achieve the following objects. That is, according to the present invention, the toner can be efficiently supplied to the powder receiving port of the transport pipe inserted in the toner storage container, and the toner receiving port is blocked or clogged so that the amount of discharged toner does not decrease. An object of the present invention is to provide a toner storage container in which a large amount of toner remains in the toner storage container and the toner is not discharged and replacement of the toner storage container is not required.

  In order to achieve the above object, the toner storage container according to the present invention is mountable with a toner storage container containing toner, and has a powder receiving port for receiving powder from the toner storage container. A toner storage container for use in an image forming apparatus including a transport pipe having an inlet opening upward and rotating a mounted toner storage container at a predetermined number of rotations, containing the toner and the toner A rotatable powder storage portion, an opening portion provided at one end of the powder storage portion and capable of inserting the transport pipe into a position serving as a rotation center of the toner storage container, and protruding into the interior of the container; Spiral projections for conveying the toner in the powder container to the opening, and rotation of the powder container to pick up the toner on the opening and feeding it to the powder receiving port Equipped with The average snow fall angle of the toner is 45 ° to 55 °, and the powder pumping portion has a pumping surface extending from the inner wall surface of the powder containing portion toward the rotation center axis side, and the pumping surface is An inner end portion on the rotation center axis side extends in the rotation center axis direction of the powder containing portion, and an edge of the inner end portion is substantially parallel to the rotation center axis, and the rotation center When viewed from the axial direction, the powder container is inclined at a predetermined range of inclination toward the upstream side in the rotation direction of the powder containing portion with respect to a virtual straight line passing through the rotation center axis and the edge of the inner end portion; The toner storage container is characterized in that the helical protrusion is connected to the pumping surface, and the connected portion extends in the circumferential direction from the pumping surface.

  According to the present invention, the toner, which is the powder in the toner storage container, is efficiently supplied to the powder receiving port of the transport pipe inserted into the toner storage container, and also the toner in the toner storage container with toner It is possible to prevent the clogging of the toner container and to reduce the amount of toner remaining without being discharged from the toner container.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the toner replenishing device and the toner storage container before the toner storage container according to the present invention is mounted. FIG. 1 is an entire configuration view showing an embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a configuration of an image forming unit of the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. 2; FIG. 6 is a schematic perspective view showing a toner storage container installed in the toner supply device. FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing the toner supply device in the image forming apparatus shown in FIG. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a powder storage device and a toner storage container in a state in which the toner storage container is mounted. FIG. 2 is a perspective explanatory view showing the configuration of a toner storage container according to the present invention. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a powder storage device and a toner storage container in a state in which the toner storage container is mounted. FIG. 3 is a view for explaining the configuration of a powder containing portion of a toner containing container according to the present invention and a state in which a nozzle receiving member is removed. The figure which illustrates the state which attached the nozzle receiving member to the powder accommodating part. The perspective explanatory drawing of the nozzle receiving member seen from the container front end side. (A)-(d) is the top view seen from the upper direction explaining the state at the time of mounting | wearing operation | movement of an opening / closing member and a conveyance pipe | tube. The enlarged view which shows the structure of the pumping surface of the powder pumping part which concerns on the 1st Embodiment of this invention. FIG. 7 is a diagram showing the relationship between the amount of remaining toner and the amount of replenishment, which has a pumping characteristic when the pumping surface is inclined in the negative direction. (a) and (b) show the remaining amount of toner having a pumping characteristic when the inclination angle of the pumping surface of the toner container body and the number of rotations of the toner container body are changed according to the mass production model of the toner container according to the present invention Figure comparing the relationship between emissions and emissions. (a) and (b) show the remaining amount of toner and the replenishment amount, which are the pumping characteristics when the inclination angle of the pumping surface of the toner container body and the toner environmental conditions are changed according to the mass production model of the toner container according to the present invention Diagram to compare the relationship. It is a figure which shows the structure of the toner container main body which concerns on the 5th Embodiment of this invention, (a) is a top view, (b) is a side view. FIG. 14 is an enlarged perspective view illustrating the configuration of the opening side of the toner storage container main body according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 14 is an enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration of the opening side of the toner storage container main body according to a fifth embodiment of the present invention. The enlarged view explaining the structure of the pumping face of a powder pumping part to the 5th Embodiment of this invention. (A)-(c) is the operation | movement figure which demonstrated typically the change at the time of rotation of the powder suction part which concerns on the 5th Embodiment of this invention. (A)-(c) is the operation | movement figure which demonstrated typically the change at the time of rotation of the powder suction part following FIG.21 (c). (A) is a schematic view showing the diffusivity of the toner when the internal space of the toner container main body is small, (b) is the diffusion of toner when the internal space of the toner container main body according to the fifth embodiment is expanded The schematic diagram which shows sex.

(Image forming device)
Hereinafter, a plurality of embodiments of the present invention will be described using the drawings. The same members or members having the same functions in the respective embodiments will be denoted by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted in the subsequent embodiment. The following description is an example and does not limit the scope of the claims. Those skilled in the art can easily make other embodiments within the scope of the claims of the present invention, but such modifications and changes are naturally included in the scope of the claims. In the drawings, Y, M, C, and K are suffixes added to constituent members corresponding to (yellow, magenta, cyan, black), and are appropriately omitted.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic block diagram of an electrophotographic tandem color copier (hereinafter referred to as “copier 500”) as an image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied. The copying machine 500 may be a monochrome copying machine. The image forming apparatus may not be a copying machine, but may be a printer, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction machine having a plurality of functions. The copying machine 500 includes a copying machine main body (hereinafter, referred to as “printer unit 100”), a sheet feeding table (hereinafter, referred to as “sheet feeding unit 200”), and an original reading unit (hereinafter referred to as “scanner unit” The main component of the

  The toner storage container storage section 70 as a powder container storage section provided at the upper portion of the printer section 100 includes four toner storage containers 32 (four toner storage containers corresponding to respective colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, black)). Y, M, C, K) are installed detachably (replaceable). An intermediate transfer unit 85 is disposed below the toner storage container storage unit 70.

  The intermediate transfer unit 85 includes an intermediate transfer belt 48 as an intermediate transfer member, four primary transfer bias rollers 49 (Y, M, C, K), a secondary transfer backup roller 82, a plurality of rollers, and an intermediate transfer cleaning device. Etc. The intermediate transfer belt 48 is stretched and supported by a plurality of rollers, and is endlessly moved in the arrow direction in FIG. 2 by rotational driving of a secondary transfer backup roller 82 which is one of the plurality of rollers.

  In the printer unit 100, four image forming units 46 (Y, M, C, K) corresponding to the respective colors are juxtaposed so as to face the intermediate transfer belt 48. Below the four toner containers 32 (Y, M, C, K), toner replenishing devices 60 (Y, M, 60) as four powder replenishing (supplying) devices corresponding to the toner containers of the respective colors. C, K) are arranged. The toner, which is a powder developer stored in the toner storage container 32 (Y, M, C, K), is made into each color by the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) corresponding to each toner. The image is supplied (supplemented) into the developing device provided in the corresponding image forming unit 46 (Y, M, C, K). In the present embodiment, an image forming unit is configured by four image forming units 46 (Y, M, C, K).

As shown in FIG. 2, the printer unit 100 includes an exposure device 47 which is a latent image forming unit below the four image forming units 46. The exposure device 47 exposes and scans the surface of a photosensitive member 41 (Y, M, C, K) as an image carrier, which will be described later, based on the image information of the original image read by the scanner unit 400. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface. The image information may not be read from the scanner unit 400, but may be image information input from an external device such as a personal computer connected to the copying machine 500.
In the present embodiment, a laser beam scanner method using a laser diode is used for the exposure device 47, but another configuration such as one using an LED array may be used as the exposure means.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a schematic configuration of the image forming unit 46Y corresponding to yellow.
The image forming unit 46Y includes a drum-shaped photosensitive member 41Y. The image forming unit 46Y is configured such that a charging roller 44Y that is a charging unit, a developing device 50Y that is a developing unit, a photoconductor cleaning device 42Y, a charge removing device, and the like are disposed around the photoconductor 41Y. Then, an image forming process (charging step, exposure step, developing step, transfer step, cleaning step) is performed on the photosensitive member 41Y to form a yellow toner image on the photosensitive member 41Y.

  The other three image forming units 46 (M, C, K) also have substantially the same configuration as that of the image forming unit 46 Y corresponding to yellow except that the color of the toner used is different. Toner images corresponding to the respective color toners are formed on the photosensitive members 41 (M, C, K). Hereinafter, descriptions of the other three image forming units 46 (M, C, and K) will be appropriately omitted, and only the image forming unit 46 Y corresponding to yellow will be described.

  The photosensitive member 41Y is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3 by a drive motor. The surface of the photosensitive member 41Y is uniformly charged at a position facing the charging roller 44Y (charging step). Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive body 41Y reaches the irradiation position of the laser beam L emitted from the exposure device 47, and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to yellow is formed by exposure scanning at this position (exposure step). Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive member 41Y reaches a position facing the developing device 50Y, and the electrostatic latent image is developed with yellow toner at this position to form a yellow toner image (developing step).

  The four primary transfer bias rollers 49 (Y, M, C, K) of the intermediate transfer unit 85 respectively sandwich the intermediate transfer belt 48 between the photosensitive members 41 (Y, M, C, K) to perform primary transfer. Each forms a nip. A transfer bias reverse to the polarity of the toner is applied to the primary transfer bias rollers 49 (Y, M, C, K).

  The surface of the photosensitive member 41Y on which the toner image is formed in the developing step reaches the primary transfer nip facing the primary transfer bias roller 49Y with the intermediate transfer belt 48 interposed therebetween, and the toner image on the photosensitive member 41Y in the primary transfer nip Is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 48 (primary transfer step). At this time, a slight amount of untransferred toner remains on the photosensitive member 41Y. The surface of the photosensitive member 41Y on which the toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 48 at the primary transfer nip reaches a position facing the photosensitive member cleaning device 42Y. The non-transferred toner remaining on the photosensitive member 41Y is mechanically collected by the cleaning blade 42a provided in the photosensitive member cleaning device 42Y at the opposing position (cleaning step). Finally, the surface of the photosensitive member 41Y reaches a position facing the static elimination device, and the residual potential on the photosensitive member 41Y is removed at this position. Thus, a series of image forming processes performed on the photosensitive member 41Y are completed.

  Such an image forming process is performed in the other image forming units 46 (M, C, K) in the same manner as the yellow image forming unit 46 Y. That is, the laser beam L based on the image information from the exposure device 47 disposed below the imaging units 46 (M, C, K) is a photosensitive member of each of the imaging units 46 (M, C, K) It is irradiated toward 41 (M, C, K). Specifically, the exposure device 47 emits a laser beam L from a light source, and scans the laser beam L with a rotationally driven polygon mirror, while the photosensitive members 41 (M, C, K) are interposed via a plurality of optical elements. Irradiate on top. Thereafter, the toner images of the respective colors formed on the photosensitive members 41 (M, C, K) through the development process are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 48.

  At this time, the intermediate transfer belt 48 travels in the arrow direction in FIG. 2 and sequentially passes through the primary transfer nips of the respective primary transfer bias rollers 49 (Y, M, C, K). As a result, the toner images of the respective colors on the respective photosensitive members 41 (Y, M, C, K) are superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 48 and primarily transferred, and a color toner image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt 48.

  The intermediate transfer belt 48 on which the toner images of the respective colors are superimposed and transferred to form a color toner image reaches a position facing the secondary transfer roller 89. At this position, the secondary transfer backup roller 82 sandwiches the intermediate transfer belt 48 with the secondary transfer roller 89 to form a secondary transfer nip. The color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 48 is, for example, of the transfer bias applied to the secondary transfer backup roller 82 on the recording medium P such as a transfer sheet conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer nip. Transferred by action. At this time, untransferred toner which has not been transferred to the recording medium P remains on the intermediate transfer belt 48. The intermediate transfer belt 48 which has passed through the secondary transfer nip reaches the position of the intermediate transfer cleaning device, the non-transferred toner on the surface is collected, and the series of transfer processes performed on the intermediate transfer belt 48 is completed.

Next, the movement of the recording medium P will be described.
The recording medium P conveyed to the above-described secondary transfer nip includes a sheet feeding roller 27 and a pair of registration rollers 28 from a sheet feeding tray 26 provided in a sheet feeding unit 200 disposed below the printer unit 100. It is transported via. Specifically, a plurality of recording media P are stored in the sheet feeding tray 26 in an overlapping manner. Then, when the feed roller 27 is rotationally driven in the counterclockwise direction in FIG. 2, the top recording medium P is conveyed toward the roller nip formed by the two rollers of the registration roller pair 28.

  The recording medium P conveyed to the registration roller pair 28 is temporarily stopped at the position of the roller nip of the registration roller pair 28 whose rotational driving has been stopped. The registration roller pair 28 is rotationally driven in synchronization with the timing when the color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 48 reaches the secondary transfer nip, whereby the recording medium P is conveyed toward the secondary transfer nip. . Thus, a desired color toner image is transferred onto the recording medium P.

  The recording medium P on which the color toner image is transferred at the secondary transfer nip is conveyed to the position of the fixing device 86. In the fixing device 86, the color toner image transferred onto the surface is fixed on the recording medium P by the heat and pressure of the fixing belt and the pressure roller. The recording medium P having passed through the fixing device 86 passes between the rollers of the discharge roller pair 29 and is discharged to the outside of the apparatus. The recording medium P discharged to the outside of the apparatus by the discharge roller pair 29 is sequentially stacked on the stack unit 30 as an output image. Thus, a series of image forming processes in the copying machine 500 are completed.

  Next, the configuration and operation of the developing device 50 in the image forming unit 46 will be described in more detail. Although the image forming unit 46Y corresponding to yellow is described as an example here, the same configuration and operation are performed in the image forming units 46 (M, C, and K) of other colors.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the developing device 50Y includes a developing roller 51Y as a developer carrier, a doctor blade 52Y as a developer regulating plate, two developer conveying screws 55Y, and a toner concentration detection sensor 56Y. It is done. The developing roller 51Y faces the photosensitive member 41Y, and the doctor blade 52Y faces the developing roller 51Y. The two developer conveying screws 55Y are disposed in the two developer accommodating portions (53Y, 54Y). The developing roller 51Y is configured of a magnet roller fixed inside, a sleeve rotating around the magnet roller, and the like. In the first developer storage portion 53Y and the second developer storage portion 54Y, a two-component developer G composed of a carrier and a toner is stored. The second developer storage portion 54Y communicates with the toner drop transport path 64Y through an opening formed above the second developer storage portion 54Y. The toner concentration detection sensor 56Y detects the concentration of toner in the developer G in the second developer container 54Y.

  The developer G in the developing device 50Y circulates between the first developer containing portion 53Y and the second developer containing portion 54Y while being stirred by the two developer conveying screws 55Y. The developer G in the first developer storage portion 53Y is supplied onto the sleeve surface of the developing roller 51Y by the magnetic field formed by the magnet roller in the developing roller 51Y while being transported to one of the developer transporting screw 55Y. Be done. The sleeve of the developing roller 51Y is rotationally driven counterclockwise as shown by the arrow in FIG. 3, and the developer G carried on the developing roller 51Y moves on the developing roller 51Y with the rotation of the sleeve. At this time, the toner in the developer G is charged to a potential of the reverse polarity to the carrier by the frictional charge with the carrier in the developer G, and is electrostatically attracted to the carrier, and is formed on the developing roller 51Y. It is carried on the developing roller 51Y together with the carrier attracted by the magnetic field.

  The developer G carried on the developing roller 51Y is conveyed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3 and reaches the doctor portion where the doctor blade 52Y and the developing roller 51Y face each other. When the developer G on the developing roller 51Y passes through the doctor portion, the amount thereof is regulated and made appropriate, and thereafter, the developer G is conveyed to a developing region which is a position opposite to the photosensitive member 41Y. In the development area, the toner in the developer G is adsorbed to the latent image formed on the photoreceptor 41Y by the development electric field formed between the development roller 51Y and the photoreceptor 41Y. The developer G remaining on the surface of the developing roller 51Y which has passed through the developing region reaches the upper side of the first developer accommodating portion 53Y as the sleeve rotates, and is separated from the developing roller 51Y at this position.

  The developer G in the developing device 50Y is adjusted such that the toner concentration is within a predetermined range. More specifically, the toner contained in the toner storage container 32Y is stored in the second developer storage container 60Y, which will be described later, according to the development consumption amount of the toner contained in the developer G in the development device 50Y. It is replenished in the part 54Y. The toner supplied into the second developer container 54Y is mixed and stirred together with the developer G by the two developer conveying screws 55Y, while the first developer container 53Y and the second developer container 54Y are mixed. Circulate between

  FIG. 4 is a schematic perspective view showing a state in which the four toner storage containers 32 (Y, M, C, K) are attached to the toner storage container storage unit 70. As shown in FIG. FIG. 5 is a schematic view showing a state in which the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60. As shown in FIG. The toner replenishing devices 60 (Y, M, C, K) of each color have the same configuration except that the color of the toner is different. Therefore, in FIG. 5, (Y, M, C, K) are omitted and the toner replenishing device 60 and the toner storage container 32 are described. In addition, when there is a different configuration for each color, Y, M, C or K, which is a suffix indicating a specific color, is used as a code, but the configuration is not different for each color, or in the case of a common configuration In some cases, (Y, M, C, K) may be added and the suffix may be omitted as appropriate. In FIG. 4, the arrow Q indicates the mounting direction of the toner container 32 of each color to the toner replenishing device 60, and Q 1 indicates the separating direction of the toner container 32 of each color from the toner replenishing device 60.

  The toner in the toner storage containers 32 (Y, M, C, K) mounted in the toner storage container storage unit 70 of the printer unit 100 shown in FIG. 4 is, as shown in FIG. According to the toner consumption, it is appropriately replenished into the developing device. At this time, the toner in each toner container 32 is replenished to the developing device 50 by the toner replenishing device 60 of each color. The toner replenishing device 60 includes a toner container storage portion 70, a transport nozzle 611 as a transport pipe, a transport screw 614 as a transport member, a toner drop transport path 64, a drive portion (container rotation drive portion) 91, etc. There is. When the toner storage container 32 is moved in the toner storage container storage portion 70 of the printer unit 100 by the mounting operation in which the toner storage container 32 is pressed by the user in the mounting direction Q in FIG. The transport nozzles 611 of the toner replenishing device 60 are respectively inserted into the container from the container tip end side in the mounting direction Q. Thereby, the inside of each toner storage container 32 and the inside of each conveyance nozzle 611 are communicated. Details of the configuration for communicating in conjunction with the mounting operation will be described later.

  The toner storage container 32 of each color is also referred to as a toner bottle, and is a holding portion which is held non-rotatably in the toner storage container storage portion 70 and has a container tip side cover 34 as a container cover and a container gear 301 as a container side gear. The toner container body 33 is mainly composed of a substantially cylindrical toner container body 33 as a powder container portion integrally formed. Each toner container body 33 is rotatably held with respect to each container tip side cover 34. The set cover 608 in FIG. 5 is a part of the container cover receiving portion 73 of the toner storage container storage portion 70.

As shown in FIG. 4, the toner container storage unit 70 mainly includes an insertion port forming unit 71, a container receiving unit 72, and a container cover receiving unit 73.
The insertion port forming portion 71 is a portion in which the insertion port 71a is formed at the time of the mounting operation of each toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K). The insertion opening forming portion 71 of the toner storage container storage portion 70 is exposed when the main body cover (not shown) installed on the front side (the front side in the direction perpendicular to the sheet of FIG. 2) of the copying machine 500 is opened. Then, with the longitudinal direction of each toner storage container 32 (Y, M, C, K) being horizontal, the mounting and demounting operation of each toner storage container 32 from the front side of the copying machine 500 (toner storage container 32 (Y, The mounting and demounting operation is performed with the longitudinal direction of M, C, and K) as the mounting and demounting direction.

The container receiving portion 72 is a portion for supporting the toner container main body 33 (Y, M, C, K) of each toner container 32. The container receiving unit 72 is a part that slides and moves the toner storage container 32 (Y, M, C, K) when the toner storage container 32 (Y, M, C, K) is mounted on the toner replenishing device 60. The toner container 32 is divided into four in the width direction W orthogonal to the longitudinal direction (detachment direction) of the toner storage container 32 (Y, M, C, K).
The container receiving portion 72 is formed with a groove portion as a container placing portion which continues from the insertion port forming portion 71 to the container cover receiving portion 73 along the longitudinal direction of the container 32. The toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) of each color is configured to be slidable in the longitudinal direction (mounting direction Q, separating direction Q1) on the groove. The container receiving portion 72 is formed such that the length in the longitudinal direction is substantially equal to the length in the longitudinal direction of the toner container main body 33 (Y, M, C, K) of each color.

The container cover receiving portion 73 includes the container tip side cover 34 (Y, M, C, K) of each toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) and the toner container body 33 (Y, M, C, K). Is a part that holds each). The container cover receiving portion 73 is provided on the container tip side (the mounting direction Q side) in the longitudinal direction (attachment direction) of the container receiving portion 72, and the insertion port forming portion 71 is one end side of the container receiving portion 72 in the longitudinal direction It is provided in the direction Q1).
The four toner containers 32 (Y, M, C, and K) are slidably movable on the container receiving portion 72, respectively. For this reason, with the mounting operation of each toner container (Y, M, C, K), the container tip side cover 34 (Y, M, C, K) passes the insertion port forming portion 71 and then the container for a while It slides on the receiving part 72 and is mounted on the container cover receiving part 73 thereafter.

As shown in FIG. 5, each toner container body 33 is provided with a container gear 301 as a gear. In the toner container body 33, with the container front end side cover 34 mounted on the container cover receiving portion 73, the main body from the drive portion (container rotation drive portion) 91 configured of a drive motor and gear etc. The rotational drive is input to each of the container gears 301 via the container drive gears 601 as side gears. Thereby, the toner container main body 33 of each color is rotationally driven in the rotation direction (hereinafter referred to as the rotation direction A) shown by the arrow A in FIG. The toner in each toner storage container main body 33 is rotated by the respective toner storage container main body 33 itself, so that the toner storage container is formed by a helical projection 302 formed in a spiral shape on the inner peripheral surface of the toner storage container main body 33. The sheet is transported from one end located on the left side in FIG. 5 to the other end located on the right side along the longitudinal direction of the main body. That is, in the present embodiment, the transport means is a helical protrusion 302. As a result, the inside of the transfer nozzle 611 is formed through the nozzle opening 610 as a powder receiving port formed so as to open upward from the container tip side cover 34 side respectively provided at the other end to the transfer nozzle 611 of each color. The toners of the respective colors are respectively supplied to the Each nozzle opening 610 communicates with a shutter support opening 335b described later at an inner position beyond the position where the container gear 301 is provided in the longitudinal direction of each toner storage container body 33. That is, each container gear 301 meshes with the container drive gear 601 on the side of the opening 33 a rather than the position where each nozzle opening 610 and the shutter support opening 335 b communicate with each other.
Conveying screws 614 are disposed in the conveying nozzles 611, respectively. Each conveyance screw 614 is rotated when rotational drive is input from the drive unit (container rotation drive unit) 91 to the conveyance screw gear 605, and conveys the toner supplied into the conveyance nozzle 611. The downstream end of the transport nozzle 611 in the transport direction is connected to the toner drop transport path 64. The toner transported by each transport screw 614 falls in the toner drop transport path 64 by its own weight and is replenished into the developing device 50 (second developer storage portion 54).

  The toner storage containers 32 (Y, M, C, K) are replaced with new ones when their lifetimes are reached (when almost all of the stored toner is consumed and emptied). The end on the opposite side of the container tip side cover 34 (Y, M, C, K) in the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) of each color shown in FIG. The grips 303 (Y, M, C, and K) are provided on each of the parts, and the operator grasps and pulls out the grips 303 (Y, M, C, and K) when replacing the container. The toner storage containers 32 (Y, M, C, K) mounted in the toner storage container storage unit 70 can be removed.

  Here, the configuration of the drive unit 91 will be supplemented using FIG. In FIG. 6, the color identification code is omitted. The drive part 91 is provided with the container drive gear 601 of each color and the conveyance screw gear 605 of each color. Each container drive gear 601 is driven by a drive motor 603 fixed to each mounting substrate 602, and is rotationally driven by rotating its output gear. Each conveyance screw gear 605 is rotationally driven by transmitting the rotation of each output gear via the connecting gear 604 of each color.

  As shown in FIG. 5, in the toner replenishing device 60, the amount of toner supplied to each developing device 50 is controlled by the number of revolutions of each conveying screw 614. Therefore, the toner having passed through each of the transport nozzles 611 is directly transported to each developing device 50 via the toner dropping transport path 64 without controlling the amount supplied to each developing device 50. . As in the present embodiment, the toner replenishing device 60 may be configured to insert the transport nozzle 611 into the toner storage container 32, or may be provided with a temporary toner storage unit such as a toner hopper.

  Next, the toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) and the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) according to the present embodiment will be described in more detail. As described above, the toner container 32 (Y, M, C, K) and the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) have substantially the same configuration except that the color of the toner used is different. It has become. Therefore, the suffixes Y, M, C, and K indicating the color of toner are omitted, and the configuration of one toner storage container 32 and the toner replenishing device 60 will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of the toner replenishing device 60 before mounting the toner storage container 32 and an end portion of the toner storage container 32 at the end of the container. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the toner storage container 32. FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view of the toner replenishing device 60 with the toner storage container 32 mounted and the end of the toner storage container 32 at the tip of the container. is there.

As shown in FIG. 1, the toner replenishing device 60 includes a transport nozzle 611 including a transport screw 614 inside, and a nozzle shutter 612. The nozzle shutter 612 closes the nozzle opening 610 when the toner container 32 is not mounted (in the state of FIG. 1) before the toner container 32 is mounted, and when the toner container 32 is mounted (in the state of FIG. 8) It is slidably mounted on the outer peripheral surface of the transfer nozzle 611 so as to open the opening 610. The nozzle shutter 612 is provided with a nozzle shutter flange 612a as a hook on the downstream side in the mounting direction with respect to the end surface of the nozzle receiving member 330 as a transport pipe receiving member described later that contacts the transport nozzle 611.
On the other hand, at the center of the front end surface of the toner storage container 32 (toner storage container main body), a nozzle reception port 331 as a tube insertion port into which the transport nozzle 611 is inserted at the time of mounting is formed. A container shutter 332 as an opening and closing member for closing 331 is provided.

  The transfer nozzle 611 is disposed at the center of the set cover 608. The transport nozzle 611 protrudes from the end surface 615 b on the downstream side in the mounting direction at the downstream side in the mounting direction Q of the toner storage container 32 toward the upstream side in the mounting direction into the container cover receiving portion 73. It is arranged. A container setting portion 615 as a container receiving portion stands upright toward the mounting direction of the toner storage container 32 in the projecting direction of the conveyance nozzle 611 so as to surround the periphery of the conveyance nozzle 611. That is, the container setting portion 615 is disposed at the root of the transport nozzle 611, and functions as a rotation center shaft when the transport means in the toner storage container 32 rotates to transport the toner in the toner storage container 32. It is a positioning part to the toner storage container accommodating part 70 of the container opening part 33a. That is, the container opening 33a is inserted into and fitted to the container setting portion 615, whereby the radial position of the container opening 33a is determined. In a state where the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 is fitted in a slidable manner with the container setting portion 615.

  When the inner peripheral surface 615a of the end of the container setting portion 615 and the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a of the toner container 32 are fitted, the longitudinal direction of the toner container 32 with respect to the toner supply device 60 of the toner container 32 Positioning in the radial direction orthogonal to the mounting / dismounting direction) is performed. Further, when the toner storage container 32 rotates, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a functions as a rotation center shaft, and the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615 functions as a bearing. At this time, the outer peripheral surface 33b of the container opening 33a is slidably brought into contact with the end inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615, and the position where the toner container 32 is positioned in the radial direction with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 is shown. Indicated by α in 8.

  As shown in FIG. 9, the toner storage container main body 33 is substantially cylindrical, and is configured to rotate with the central axis of the cylinder as the rotation center axis O. Hereinafter, in the longitudinal direction of the toner storage container 32, the side where the nozzle receiving port 331 is formed in the toner storage container 32 (the side where the container front end side cover 34 is disposed) will be referred to as "container front end side". . Further, the side of the toner container 32 on which the handle portion 303 is disposed (the side opposite to the container front end side) will be referred to as the “container rear end side”. The longitudinal direction of the toner storage container 32 is the rotation center axis direction, and in the state where the toner storage container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the longitudinal direction is the horizontal direction. An outer diameter of the container rear end side of the toner storage container main body 33 is larger than that of the container front end side than the container gear 301, and a spiral projection 302 is formed on the inner peripheral surface. Then, when the toner storage container main body 33 rotates in the rotation direction A in the figure, the toner in the toner storage container main body 33 is moved from one end side (container rear end side) in the rotation center axis direction by the action of the spiral projection 302 A conveying force toward the side (container tip side) is applied.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the inner wall of the toner container main body 33 is transported to the container front end side by the helical projection 302 as the toner container main body 33 rotates in the rotation direction A. A powder scooping portion 304 is formed which scoops the toner by the rotation of the toner container body 33. The powder pick-up portion 304 picks up the toner conveyed by the conveying force of the helical projection 302 by the pick-up surface 3040 according to the rotation of the toner container main body 33. Thus, the toner can be pumped up above the inserted transport nozzle 611. Also, as shown in FIG. 9 and FIG. 10, similarly to the helical projection 302, the inner circumferential surface of the powder suction portion 304 is a suction portion as a conveyance portion for feeding the toner inside to the suction surface 3040. Is formed. The details of the powder pumping section 304 will be described in detail later.

  A container gear 301 is formed on the tip end side of the powder suction portion 304 of the toner container main body 33 at the end of the container. The container front end side cover 34 is provided with a gear exposure opening 34a so that a part (the back side in FIG. 7) of the container gear 301 is exposed in a state of being attached to the toner storage container main body 33. . Then, by mounting the toner container 32 on the toner replenishing device 60, the container gear 301 exposed from the gear exposure opening 34a meshes with the container driving gear 601 on the toner replenishing device 60 side. The container gear 301 is provided on the container opening 33 a side (in the vicinity of the container opening 33 a) in the longitudinal direction of the toner storage container body 33 than the nozzle opening 610, and is disposed to be able to mesh with the container drive gear 601. . The container gear 301 meshes with the container drive gear 601 to make the transport means rotatable.

  A cylindrical container opening 33 a is formed coaxially with the container gear 301 on the container tip end side of the container gear 301 of the toner container main body 33. Then, as shown in FIG. 10, the receiving member fixing portion 337 of the nozzle receiving member 330 is press-fitted into the container opening 33a coaxially with the container opening 33a, whereby the nozzle receiving member 330 with respect to the toner container body 33 is formed. Can be fixed. The toner container 32 is filled with toner from the opening of a container opening 33a as an opening provided on one end side of the toner container main body 33, and then the nozzle receiving member 330 is stored with toner as shown in FIG. It is configured to be inserted into and fixed to the container opening 33 a of the container body 33. That is, the container opening 33a can be inserted into the position where the transport nozzle 611 is the rotation center of the toner storage container 32.

  As shown in FIG. 10, a cover claw hooking portion 306 as a hooking portion is formed between the container opening 33a of the toner container body 33 and the container gear 301. The cover claw hooking portion 306 has a ring shape extending in the rotational direction (circumferential direction) at the distal end portion of the container distal end side cover 34 in the mounting direction. The cover claw hooking portion 306 is formed to go around the outer peripheral surface of the container opening 33a.

  The container front end cover 34 is assembled to the toner storage container 32 (toner storage container main body 33) from the container front end side (the lower left side in FIG. 8), as shown in FIGS. As a result, the toner storage container main body 33 penetrates the container front end side cover 34 in the longitudinal direction, and the cover claw portion 341 as a protrusion is hooked on the cover claw hooking portion 306 as a hooking portion. The toner accommodating container main body 33 and the container leading end side cover 34 are mounted so as to be relatively rotatable by the cover claw portion 341 being caught by the cover claw hooking portion 306.

When toner container 32 is held in toner container storage portion 70 shown in FIG. 5, reaction force (restoring force) of the force that causes toner container 32 to compress container shutter spring 336 as shown in FIG. And a reaction force generated by compressing the nozzle shutter spring 613.
The toner storage container 32 in the present embodiment is mounted with a toner storage container 32 containing toner for forming an image, and a transport nozzle 611 as a transport pipe for transporting the toner, and a powder receiver provided on the transport nozzle A nozzle shutter 612 as a powder inlet opening and closing member for opening and closing the nozzle opening 610 as an inlet, a nozzle shutter spring 613 as an urging member for urging the nozzle shutter 612 to close the nozzle opening 610, a driving force A container drive gear 601 as a body-side gear for transmitting the toner to the transport means in the toner storage container 32, and a container reception receiver for receiving the toner storage container 32 arranged coaxially with the transport nozzle 611 and around the transport nozzle 611 It is a toner storage container mountable to the copying machine 500 including a container setting unit 615 as a part.

Next, the nozzle receiving member 330 fixed to the toner container main body 33 will be described.
As shown in FIG. 11, the nozzle receiving member 330 receives a container shutter supporting member 340 as a supporting member, a container shutter 332, a container seal 333 as a sealing member, a container shutter spring 336 as biasing means, and It is composed of a member fixing portion 337. The container shutter support member 340 includes a shutter rear end support portion 335, a shutter side surface support portion 335a as a side surface portion, a shutter support opening 335b as a side surface opening portion, and a receiving member fixing portion 337. . The shutter side support portion 335a and the shutter support opening 335b provided in the container shutter support member 340 are arranged adjacent to each other in the toner container rotation direction, and two mutually opposing shutter side support portions 335a have a cylindrical shape. , And the cylindrical shape is largely cut off at a portion (two points) of the shutter support opening 335b. With such a shape, the container shutter 332 can be guided to move in the longitudinal direction in a cylindrical space formed inside the cylindrical shape.

  The nozzle receiving member 330 fixed to the toner storage container main body 33 rotates together with the toner storage container main body 33 when the toner storage container main body 33 rotates, but at this time, the shutter side surface support portion 335a of the nozzle receiving member 330 supplies toner. It rotates around the transport nozzle 611 on the device 60 side. For this reason, the rotating shutter side support portion 335 a passes a space immediately above the nozzle opening 610 formed in the upper part of the transfer nozzle 611. As a result, even if toner is instantaneously deposited above the nozzle opening 610, the deposited toner is broken across the shutter side support portion 335a, and the deposited toner is aggregated when it is left, and the toner is transported when it is restarted. It is possible to suppress the occurrence of defects. On the other hand, at the timing when the shutter side support portion 335a is located to the side of the transport nozzle 611 and the nozzle opening 610 and the shutter support opening 335b face each other, as shown by arrow β in FIG. Is supplied into the transport nozzle 611.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the container shutter 332 includes a tip cylindrical portion 332c as a closing member, a sliding portion 332d, a guide rod 332e, and a shutter slippage prevention claw 332a. The tip cylindrical portion 332 c is a portion on the tip side of the container in close contact with the cylindrical opening (nozzle inlet 331) of the container seal 333. The sliding portion 332 d is a cylindrical portion which is formed closer to the rear end of the container than the tip cylindrical portion 332 c, has a slightly larger outer diameter than the tip cylindrical portion 332 c, and slides on the inner peripheral surfaces of the pair of shutter side support portions 335 a. is there.

  The guide rod 332e is a cylindrical column standing upright from the inside of the cylinder of the tip cylindrical portion 332c toward the rear end of the container, and is a rod that guides the container shutter spring 336 not to buckle by being inserted into the coil of the container shutter spring 336 It is a part. The shutter slip prevention claws 332 a are a pair of claw parts that are formed at the end opposite to the raised root of the guide lot 332 e and prevent the container shutter support member 340 from falling off the container shutter 332.

  The front end side end of the container shutter spring 336 abuts against the inner wall surface of the front end cylindrical portion 332 c, and the rear end side end of the container shutter spring 336 abuts against the wall surface of the shutter rear end support portion 335. At this time, since the container shutter spring 336 is in a compressed state, the container shutter 332 receives an urging force in a direction away from the shutter rear end support portion 335 (container tip direction). However, the shutter slippage prevention claw 332 a formed at the container rear end side end of the container shutter 332 is hooked on the outer wall surface of the shutter rear end support portion 335. Thus, the container shutter 332 is prevented from moving away from the shutter rear end support portion 335. Positioning is performed by the hooking of the shutter slip prevention claw 332 a with the shutter rear end support portion 335 and the biasing force of the container shutter spring 336.

  As shown in FIG. 8, when the toner container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the nozzle shutter flange portion 612 a of the nozzle shutter 612 on the toner replenishing device 60 side is biased by the nozzle shutter spring 613 to seal the container seal 333. Crush the protruding part of The nozzle shutter flange 612a further enters and abuts against the container tip end of the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337a shown in FIG. 11, covers the tip end of the container seal 333 and shields it from the outside of the container. Thereby, the sealing property around the transport nozzle 611 in the nozzle receiving port 331 at the time of mounting can be secured, and toner leakage can be prevented.

  As shown in FIG. 8, the back side of the nozzle shutter spring receiving surface 612 f of the nozzle shutter flange 612 a urged by the nozzle shutter spring 613 abuts against the nozzle shutter abutment rib 337 a, whereby the toner storage container 32 of the nozzle shutter 612 is The position in the longitudinal direction with respect to Thereby, the end surface of the container seal 333 on the container tip side and the end surface of the container tip 333 on the container tip side (internal space of the cylindrical receiving member fixing portion 337 disposed in the container opening 33a described later); The positional relationship in the longitudinal direction with the nozzle shutter 612 is determined.

  Next, operations of the container shutter 332 and the transport nozzle 611 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 8, and 12 (a) to 12 (d). Before mounting the toner storage container 32 in the toner replenishing device 60, as shown in FIG. 1, the container shutter 332 is biased by the container shutter spring 336 toward the closing position for closing the nozzle receiving port 331. The appearance of the container shutter 332 and the transport nozzle 611 at this time is shown in FIG. Then, when the toner storage container 32 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the transport nozzle 611 is inserted into the nozzle receiving port 331 as shown in FIG. 12 (b). When the toner container 32 is further pushed into the toner replenishing device 60, the end surface 332 h of the tip cylindrical portion 332 c which is the end surface of the container shutter 332 (hereinafter referred to as “container shutter end surface 332 h”) and the position of the transport nozzle 611 in the insertion direction And an end surface 611a (hereinafter referred to as "the end surface 611a of the transport nozzle") are in contact with each other. When the toner container 32 is further pushed in from this state, as shown in FIG. 12C, the container shutter 332 is pushed in, and as shown in FIG. It is inserted into the rear end support portion 335. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 8, the transport nozzle 611 is inserted into the toner storage container main body 33 to be in the set position. At this time, as shown in FIG. 12D, the nozzle opening 610 is at a position overlapping the shutter support opening 335b.

  Thereafter, when the toner container main body 33 is rotated, the toner pumped up above the transport nozzle 611 by the powder scooping unit 304 is dropped and introduced into the transport nozzle 611 from the nozzle opening 610 opened upward. Ru. The toner introduced into the conveyance nozzle 611 is conveyed toward the toner drop conveyance path 64 in the conveyance nozzle 611 by the rotation of the conveyance screw 614, and is dropped from the toner drop conveyance path 64 to the developing device 50 and supplied. Be done.

  As described above, the powder is drawn up by the powder pick-up portion 304 with respect to the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 inserted into the tip end opening 305 serving as the opening of the nozzle receiving member 330 fixed to the toner container body 33. When the toner T is supplied, the toner T may not be efficiently supplied from the powder suction portion 304 to the nozzle opening 610 depending on the fluidity of the toner, the rotation speed of the toner storage container main body 33, and the like. Therefore, the present inventors examined the configuration of the powder suction portion 304 (toner container body 33) and found some effective forms. The configuration will be described in detail below.

  As shown in FIG. 13, in the present embodiment, in the powder pumping portion 304 (FIG. 9) formed on the container opening 33 a (FIG. 9) side of the toner container main body 33, the toner container body 33 rotates in the rotational direction. By rotating to A, the toner T conveyed to the container opening 33a side is drawn up and supplied to the nozzle opening 610 (see FIG. 13). In addition, since the nozzle receiving member 330 (FIG. 9) is inserted and fixed to the container opening 33a, the opening 33a of the main container 33 serves as the nozzle inlet 331 in the following description of the powder scooping unit 304. explain.

An evaluation model was created and evaluated for the effective range of the inclination angle θ of the pumping surface 3040. If the content of the inclination surface θ of the pumping surface is minus (-), the toner remaining amount is (g) is defective, and the follow-up ability (%) of the toner replenishment amount is also negative (-), but when the inclination angle θ (degree) of the pumping surface is 0 degree, 15 degrees, 25 degrees, the toner remaining amount ( g) was good, and the followability (%) of the toner replenishment amount also increased to 35%, 70% and 100% respectively in order. (Since it has already reached 100% at an inclination angle of 25 degrees, it does not make much sense to continue to evaluate the inclination angle θ more than 25 degrees.) Here, the follow-up property of the toner replenishment amount is predetermined. The difference between the actual supply amount (the actual supply amount) and the set supply amount shown is indicated by a ratio (%). With the followability 100%, the actual supply amount satisfies the set supply amount and there is no shortage of supply Indicates the status.
However, in order to make comparison easier, this evaluation result quantitatively shows the influence of changing the inclination angle θ of the pumping surface 3040 for one type of toner container and one type of toner ( It can not be overemphasized that it is a numerical value), and the toner container of other shapes and sizes targeted by the present invention, and the same numerical value as the numerical value result when other types of toner are used. .
The toner bottles prepared (prototypes) as a plurality of evaluation models in which the inclination angle θ of the pumping surface is changed are mounted on the copying machine 500 which is an image forming apparatus for evaluation. The remaining amount of toner in the container was measured after rotating at a constant speed for a fixed time.

  In the present invention, the inclination angle θ (see FIG. 13) of the pumping surface 3040 is 0 degrees, where the pumping surface 3040 is positioned substantially parallel to the virtual straight line X1 (see FIG. 13) passing horizontally through the rotation center axis O. The case where the position of the pumping surface 3040 at that time is above the virtual straight line X1 (downstream in the rotational direction A) is plus (+), and the position of the pumping surface 3040 at this time is below the virtual straight line X1 (rotation direction A In the case of (upstream side) in the case of () is negative (-).

  In other words, in the positional relationship in which the virtual straight line X and X1 overlap, that is, in the state where the rotation center axis O and the edge (side portion) 3042 are horizontally aligned, the pumping surface 3040 is in the rotation direction A of the toner container body 33. The case of being inclined toward the upstream side is plus (+), and the case of being inclined toward the downstream side in the rotational direction A of the toner container main body 33 is minus (-).

In addition, an angle θ that the pumping surface 3040 forms with the virtual straight line X is referred to as an inclination angle θ. The virtual straight line X can be drawn by drawing a straight line so as to pass through the rotation center axis O and the edge (side portion) 3042 in the rotation center axial direction cross section of the toner storage container 32, and the two pumping surfaces 3040 can be drawn. In the case of the toner container 32 having such, it can also be constructed by drawing a straight line so as to pass through the two edges (sides) 3042.
The toner remaining amount g indicates the amount of toner T remaining in the toner container body 33.

  The follow-up ability of the toner replenishment amount is the ratio (%) of the difference between the actual replenishment amount (actual replenishment amount) and the predetermined set replenishment amount. The followability 100% means that the actual replenishment amount satisfies the set replenishment amount and there is no shortage of replenishment. This is a state in which the necessary and sufficient toner T can be supplied to the developing device 50 (see FIG. 4), which is the most preferable state. As the follow-up value decreases, the actual replenishment amount becomes less than the set replenishment amount, and the toner supply amount to the developing device 50 (see FIG. 4) decreases.

  The amount of toner (residual toner) remaining in the toner container main body 33 is, for example, 15 g as a reference value, and it is preferable that the amount is equal to or less than the reference value. The reference value differs depending on the type of the toner container body 33, and is not limited to this value.

  FIG. 14 shows the relationship between the amount of toner remaining and the amount of replenishment, which is the pumping characteristic when the inclination angle θ of the pumping surface 3040 is on the negative side. As shown in FIG. 14, when the inclination angle θ is set to the negative side, the toner remaining amount largely remains with respect to the reference value, and the toner remaining amount can not satisfy the reference value.

FIGS. 15A and 15B are diagrams comparing the toner discharge amount for each inclination angle θ of the suction surface 3040 of the toner container main body 33 of the mass production model under the same condition. In FIG. 15A, four mass production models of the toner storage container main body 33 with inclination angles θ of 0 °, 15 °, 25 °, 45 ° are attached to an actual machine and rotated at a bottle rotation speed of 95 rpm. The evaluation results of the toner discharge amount (g) when In FIG. 15 (b), four mass production models of the toner storage container main body 33 with inclination angles θ of 0 °, 15 °, 25 °, 45 ° are attached to the actual machine and rotated at a bottle rotation speed of 120 rpm. The evaluation results of the toner discharge amount [g] at the time of
In the evaluation, the higher the toner discharge amount [g] in the region where the toner remaining amount is small, the more advantageous. As shown in FIG. 15 (a), at a low rotational speed (95 rpm), the inclination angle θ is approximately equal to 15 ° and 30 °, and the discharge amount peaks. On the other hand, when the inclination angle θ is 0 °, the discharge amount is extremely inferior, and when the inclination angle θ is increased to 45 °, the discharge amount drops. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 15 (b), at a high rotational speed (120 rpm), the inclination angle θ has a peak of 15 °, and then the inclination angle θ of 30 ° and 45 ° are almost equal. It can be seen that θ is 0 ° the most inferior. Since the target value of the bottle rotation speed of the actual machine is between the above two conditions, it is understood that the optimum inclination angle θ is in the range of 15 ° to 30 °.

  In addition, since the larger the amount of discharged toner, the larger the amount of discharged toner, the larger the amount of discharged toner, the smaller the amount of discharged toner shown in the broken line, which is the amount of discharge required for the machine. Things are also a problem. When the plots of inclination angles θ are compared on the basis of the required emissions, the inclination angles θ of 15 ° and 30 ° are the most superior, achieving the goal that the emissions exceed the required emissions up to the remaining amount of 5 g . The next point is achieved when the inclination angle θ is 45 ° and the discharge amount exceeds the required discharge amount until the remaining amount is about 15 to 25 g, and the most inferior inclination angle θ at 0 ° discharges only the remaining amount 60 to 90 g However, from this point of view it can be seen that the optimum inclination angle θ is in the range of 15 ° to 30 °.

  FIGS. 16 (a) and 16 (b) are diagrams comparing the fluctuation range due to environmental load of the toner replenishment amount for each inclination angle of the pumping surface 3040 of the toner storage container main body 33 of the mass production model. FIG. 16A shows the case where the mass production model toner container main body 33 of one mass production model with an inclination angle θ of 15 ° is attached to an actual machine and rotated at a constant rotation speed, and environmental conditions are changed. The evaluation results of the toner replenishment amount (g / sec) are shown. FIG. 16B shows the case where the mass production model toner container main body 33 of one mass production model with a tilt angle θ of 25 ° is attached to an actual machine and rotated at a fixed number of rotations, and environmental conditions are changed. The evaluation results of the toner replenishment amount (g / sec) are shown.

  In the evaluation, the smaller the difference in supply amount due to the environment or conditions, the more stable the supply is considered to be possible. As shown in FIG. 16 (a) and FIG. 16 (b), the factors (such as temperature and humidity) affecting the replenishment rate under the most prevailing conditions are those under the N1 condition and the most adverse conditions. As the N2 condition, superiority to environmental change was compared in the range of bottle rotation speed 95 to 120 rpm determined in FIG. 15 (a) and FIG. 15 (b) and inclination angle θ of 15 ° to 30 °. As a specific value, the bottle rotation speed is 110 rpm, and the inclination angle θ is 15 ° and the inclination angle θ is compared in the toner container main body having an angle of 25 °. The broken line in the figure indicates the target replenishment amount (target value) of the replenishment amount per unit time. As a comparison result, both of the inclination angle θ of the pumping surface 3040 of 15 ° and 25 ° achieve the target replenishment amount (target value) in the region where the toner remaining amount is small, and the replenishment amount is almost equal. However, focusing on the magnitude relationship of the environmental fluctuation range, which is the difference between the replenishment amount in the case of the N1 condition located above the standard condition and the N2 condition located below the standard condition, the case where the inclination angle θ is 15 ° It can be understood that the environmental fluctuation range is smaller and the inclination angle θ of 25 ° is more advantageous than the inclination angle θ of 25 °.

  As described above, regardless of the evaluation model and the mass production model, the inclination angle θ of the pumping surface 3040 is the rotational direction A of the toner container main body 33 with respect to the virtual straight line X passing through the rotation center axis O and the edge (side portion) 3042 It is desirable that the pumping surface 3040 be inclined in the range of 25 degrees ± 5 degrees on the upstream side. Further, it is desirable that the range of the rotational speed of the toner storage container 32 in that case is in the range of 110 rpm ± 15 rpm.

Next, the movement of the toner in the toner storage container main body 33 in the vicinity of the container opening 33a of the toner bottle 32 which is the toner storage container will be described.
When the toner bottle 32 which is a powder and in which the toner as the developer is enclosed in the toner container main body 33 is placed in the same posture for a long period of time, the toner may be solidified. For this reason, a preliminary operation may be required to shake the toner up and down or right and left before use. In addition, it is generally recommended that the toner bottle 32 be placed and stored horizontally as in the state of mounting on the toner supply device 60 (copier 500). However, due to the storage space, the toner bottle 32 may be stored with the container opening 33a facing downward.

In such a case, when it is attached to the toner replenishing device 60 (the copying machine 500) by swinging up and down or left and right, corresponding to the number of reciprocations set based on the storage state in the horizontal state, the transport nozzle 611 is sufficient at the container opening 33a. There was a case that could not be inserted. When this cause was investigated, as shown to Fig.25 (a), the shape of inner wall 33c 'of the toner container main body 33 connected with the edge 3042 (3042 B-D) of the pumping face 3040 (3040 B-D) is concave. Because even if the toner bottle 32 is shaken to perform a preparatory operation, the force is dispersed by the above-mentioned concave surface and the escape place of the toner in the container is restricted. It has been discovered that it can not be sufficiently understood (it is impossible to cause the force to act on the toner).
Therefore, in the present embodiment, the shape of the inner wall 33c 'of the toner storage container main body 33 protruding into the inside of the container in a concave shape is changed to a convex shape, that is, the shape of the powder pumping portion is changed. The configuration in which the relief space of the toner is not restricted by concentrating the force with the convex shape and increasing the relief space of the toner in the container.

  Hereinafter, the configuration of the toner storage container according to the present embodiment will be described using FIGS. 17 to 23. The difference from the first to fourth embodiments is that the configuration of the powder suction portion 304E formed in the toner container main body 33 is different from that of the other forms of the suction portion 304 (304B to 304D). Basically, it is the same as the above embodiment. Therefore, the configuration of the powder suction unit 304E according to the present embodiment will be mainly described.

  FIG. 17 (a) is a plan view showing the configuration of the toner container main body 33 provided with the powder suction portion 304E, and FIG. 17 (b) shows the configuration of the toner container main body 33 provided with the powder suction portion 304E. FIG. FIG. 19 is an enlarged cross-sectional view for explaining the configuration of the opening side of the toner container main body. FIG. 20 is an enlarged view for explaining the configuration of the pumping surface 3040E of the powder pumping portion 304E, and is a cross-sectional view as viewed from the container rear end side toward the container front end side. FIGS. 21 (a) to 21 (c) are operation diagrams schematically illustrating the change during rotation of the powder pumping portion 304E, and FIGS. 22 (a) to 22 (c) continue from FIG. 21 (c). FIG. 21 is an operation diagram schematically explaining a change at the time of rotation of a powder pumping portion 3040E. 21 and 22 show sectional views as viewed from the rear end side of the container to the front end side of the container as in FIG. FIG. 23 (a) is a schematic view showing the diffusion of toner when the internal space of the toner container main body 33 is small, and FIG. 23 (b) is a toner container provided with the powder scooping portion 304E according to the present embodiment. FIG. 14 is a schematic view showing the diffusivity of toner when the internal space of the container body 33 is expanded.

  In the present embodiment, the powder suction portion 304E formed on the side of the container opening 33a of the toner container body 33 is transported to the side of the container opening 33a by the rotation of the toner container body 33 in the rotation direction A. The toner T is drawn up and supplied to the nozzle opening 610 (see FIG. 15). In addition, since the nozzle receiving member 330 is inserted and fixed to the container opening 33a, the opening 33a of the main container 33 will be described as the nozzle inlet 331 in the following description of the powder scooping unit 304. That is, as shown in FIGS. 18 and 20, on the inner wall of the toner storage container main body 33 at the tip end side of the toner storage container main body 33, there is formed a powder pumping portion 304E which lifts upward by the rotation of the toner storage container main body 33. The powder scooping portion 304E scoops the toner conveyed by the conveying force of the spiral projection 302 by the scoop surface 3040E in response to the rotation of the toner container main body 33. Thus, the toner can be pumped up above the inserted transport nozzle 611. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 20, two powder scooping portions 304E are provided at positions shifted in phase by 180 degrees with respect to the rotation center axis O. As shown in FIG.

Further, as shown in FIG. 18 and FIG. 19, on the inner circumferential surface of each powder suction portion 304E, a spiral as a transport portion for feeding the toner to the inner surface 3040E of the toner as well as the helical projections 302. The scoop-up portion helical projections 304a formed in the shape of a circle are respectively formed.
In the present embodiment, each powder scooping portion 304E has a scooping surface 3040E extending from the inner wall surface 33c of the toner container body 33 toward the rotation center axis O (however, an extension line of the scooping surface 3040E). Does not pass the rotation center axis O).
An inner end portion 3040Ea on the side of the rotation center axis O extends in a direction along the rotation center axis direction of the toner storage container main body 33 in the pumping-up surface 3040E. Specifically, an edge (heli, side) 3042E formed on the inner end portion 3040Ea closest to the rotation center axis O extends substantially in a row with the rotation center axis O, and the inner wall surface of the toner container main body 33 The ridgeline along the rotation center axis O is formed between the raised portion 33c 'on the side of the rotation center axis O and the pumping surface 3040E. Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 20, the pumping surface 3040E is a toner container main body 33 than the virtual straight line X passing through the rotation center axis O and the edge (side portion) 3042E of the inner end when viewed from the rotation center axis direction. It is formed to be inclined in a predetermined angle range toward the upstream side in the rotational direction A of the angle. Also in the present embodiment, the predetermined range of each inclination angle θ is 25 ° ± 5 ° (25 ° ± 5 °).

  In the present embodiment, each powder pumping portion 304E is formed by raising the pumping surface 3040E from the inner wall 33c toward the inside of the bottle, and the edge (heli, side) 3042E of the pumping surface 3040 located most inside the bottle It was made to be a mountain shape at the top. Specifically, the inner wall 3043 connected from the edge (side portion) 3042E is formed in a mountain shape having the edge 3042E as a vertex and forms an angle θ2 which is a substantially acute angle with the pumping surface 3040E.

  When the toner storage container main body 33 is blow-molded, it is difficult to form only the pumping-up surface 3040E with respect to such a pumping-up portion 304E by projecting it from the inner wall 33c in a plate shape. Therefore, when the pumping up section 304E is configured to form θ2 which is a substantially acute angle with the edge 3042E as a vertex when viewed in a cross section orthogonal to the rotation center axis (FIG. 20), the molding is simplified by blow molding. The toner container body 33 can be formed, and the internal space can be secured as shown by the dotted line in FIG.

As shown in FIGS. 18 and 19, the end 304a1 of the helical projection extends so as to be connected to the pumping surface 3040E. In the present embodiment, the end (end portion) 304a1 of the helical projection is shaped so as to rise substantially perpendicularly to the pumping surface 3040E from the pumping surface 3040E. In other words, the end (end portion) 304 a 1 of the helical protrusion extends in the circumferential direction of the rotation center axis O of the toner storage container 32. As a result, the space surrounded by the end portion 304a1 of the spiral projection, the pumping surface 3040E, and the inner wall surface 33c of the toner storage container 32 can function as a holding portion capable of holding a larger amount of toner.
The toner storage container 32 is an image forming apparatus (toner supply device) at the opening 33a side of the toner storage container 32 in the rotation center axis direction with respect to the end (end portion) 304a1 of the spiral projection in the pumping surface 3040E. When mounted on the head, it is configured to be at a position where it can face the nozzle opening 610.

With this configuration, the holding portion formed by the end portion 304a1 of the helical projection and the pumping surface 3040E of the toner conveyed by the helical projection 304a can face the nozzle opening 610, and the powder pumping portion 304E is formed. Thus, the toner can be efficiently pumped up and poured into the nozzle opening 610.
Further, since the end 304a1 of the helical projection is also substantially perpendicular to the direction in which the nozzle opening 610 extends (the axial direction of the transport nozzle 611), there is also an advantage that it does not interfere with the flow of toner.
Of course, also in this embodiment, the edge (side) 3042 E of each inner end is attached to the toner replenishing device 60 and the toner container main body 33 is rotated in the rotational direction A to the position shown in FIG. When rotating, it is formed to be located within the cross-sectional range W1 of the transport nozzle 611, preferably within the opening range W2 of the nozzle opening 610, above the nozzle opening 610.

  The pumping operation by the powder pumping section 304E having such a configuration will be described with reference to FIGS. 21 and 22. FIG. 21A shows a state before the toner container main body 33 is mounted to the toner replenishing device 60 (copier 500) and rotated. This state is assumed to be a posture of 0 °. At this posture of 0 °, the pair of shutter side surface support portions 335a, 335a of the nozzle receiving member 330, which are opposite to each other, are 180 ° out of phase with the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 located above. They are respectively disposed below the transport nozzles 611. In addition, the pumping surface 3040E has the edge 3042E below the imaginary straight line X passing through the rotation center axis O, and the rotational direction of the toner container main body 33 with respect to the virtual straight line X1 passing through the rotation center axis O and the edge 3042E. It has a posture inclined by a predetermined angle θ on the upstream side of A. Thus, the positional relationship in the rotational direction A is substantially orthogonal to the central axis O of rotation of the pair of shutter side surface support portions 335a and 335a of the nozzle receiving member 330 facing each other and the two pumping surfaces 3040E. It is an arrangement relationship.

  More specifically, the shutter side supports 335a, 335a are not positioned opposite to the edge 3042E of the pumping surface, that is, in the rotational direction out of the imaginary straight line X passing through the edge 3042E of the pumping surface and the rotation center axis O. It is arranged. With such a configuration, it is possible to suppress that the toner falling from the drawing-up surface 3040E is prevented from falling to the nozzle opening 610 by the shutter side support portions 335a and 335a.

  Preferably, as shown in FIG. 20, when focusing on the shutter side surface support member 335a located above (downstream in the rotational direction A) one of the toner raising surfaces 3040E on which the toner T is already held, The distance D1 between the end (right side in FIG. 20) on the upstream side in the rotational direction A of the shutter side support member 335a and the edge 3042E of the one pumping surface 3040E is the rotational direction of the shutter side support member 335a. The distance D2 between the downstream end A (left side in FIG. 20) and the edge 3042E of the other pumping surface (left side in FIG. 20 than the shutter side support member 335a in FIG. 20) desirable. Such an arrangement relationship makes it easier to secure the flow path through which the toner flows.

  Incidentally, at the posture of 0 °, the toner T is already held on one of the pumping surfaces 3040E. From this state, when the toner container main body 33 rotates counterclockwise in the drawing indicated by the arrow A, as shown in FIG. 21B, the toner T on the pumping surface 3040E is further held upward and moved . FIG. 21 (b) shows a state in which the posture is advanced 30 degrees counterclockwise from the posture 0 °. When the toner container body 33 further rotates in the counterclockwise direction shown by the arrow A, the pair of shutter side support portions 335a and 335a of the nozzle receiving member 330 also integrally rotate, as shown in FIG. 21C. As described above, the toner T on the pumping surface 3040E is further moved upward while being held upward. FIG. 21 (c) shows the state of the posture 60 ° in which the rotation has progressed counterclockwise from the posture 30 ° to 60 °. In this state, the shutter side surface support portion 335a is further moved from above the nozzle opening 610 to open the nozzle opening 610, and the pumping surface 3040E is inclined downward with respect to the rotation center axis O. The toner T on the 3040 E gradually slides on the suction surface 3040 E by its own weight and starts to fall into the nozzle opening 610.

  As shown in FIG. 22A, when the rotation of the toner container main body 33 advances from the posture 60 ° to the posture 90 °, all the toner T on the pumping surface 3040E falls by its own weight and is supplied to the nozzle opening 610. When the posture is 90 °, the other powder suction portion 3040E is located at the lower portion of the toner container main body 33, and the toner T accumulated at the lower portion is caught by the suction surface 3040E.

  As shown in FIG. 22B, when the rotation of the toner container main body 33 progresses and the posture changes from 90 ° to 120 °, a new pumping of the toner T accumulated in the lower part by the pumping surface 3040E is started. And the other shutter side support portion 335 a covers a part of the upper part of the nozzle opening 610.

Then, as shown in FIG. 22C, when the rotation of the toner container main body 33 advances from the posture 120 ° and becomes the posture 150 °, while the toner lifting by the lifting surface 3040E proceeds, the other shutter side surface support portion 335a Is moved further above the nozzle opening 610 to prevent toner replenishment.
As described above, when the toner container main body 33 rotates in the rotation direction A, the toner T drawn up by the drawing up surface 3040 E can be supplied into the transport nozzle 611 from the upper part of the nozzle opening 610.

  Further, in the present embodiment, each powder pumping portion 304E is formed by raising the pumping surface 3040E from the inner wall 33c toward the inside of the bottle, and the edge (heli, side) of the pumping surface 3040 located most inside the bottle It was made to be a mountain shape with 3042E at the top. Specifically, the inner wall 3043 connected from the edge (side portion) 3042E is formed in a mountain shape having the edge 3042E as a vertex and forms an angle θ2 which is a substantially acute angle with the pumping surface 3040E. For this reason, as shown in FIG. 23 (b), the internal space in the toner container main body 33 can be secured considerably wider than that of FIG. Since the space S2 (see FIG. 20 and FIG. 21) between them also expands, the escape place of the toner T at the time of the preliminary operation increases and the toner T becomes easy to unwind.

In the configuration of the device according to the present invention, the toner scooping surface has a predetermined range of inclination toward the upstream side in the rotation direction of the powder containing portion with respect to a virtual straight line passing through the center of rotation of the container and the edge of the inner end Because it is inclined at the corner, pumping capacity is improved.
Furthermore, a helical protrusion is connected to the pumping surface, and the connected portion extends circumferentially from the pumping surface. As a result, the space surrounded by the end portion 304a1 of the spiral projection, the pumping surface 3040E, and the inner wall surface 33c of the toner storage container 32 can function as a holding portion capable of holding a larger amount of toner.
The container according to the present invention, by the above-described configuration, can efficiently pump up a large amount of toner and pour it into the powder receiving port of the transport pipe.

However, as a result of the inventor's investigation, it was found that the following situation occurs depending on the characteristics of the toner.
(1) While a large amount of toner is held by the pumping surface (without spilling from the pumping surface), it is pumped up.
(2) A large amount of toner is lumped and drops into the powder receiving port at a stretch.
(3) When the powder receiving port is covered with a part of the toner, the toner remains without being broken (4) As a result, the powder receiving port is blocked and the toner can not be discharged.

In addition, the following problems have also been confirmed depending on the characteristics of the toner.
That is, when the toner dropped to the powder receiving port is transported by the screw in the transport pipe, it remains attached to the screw on the downstream side of the screw without being discharged from the transport pipe (without being dropped).
Once this state occurs, the toner on the downstream side is pressed against the toner conveyed from the screw upstream side by the force of the screw, the toner is pressed and solidified, the toner is clogged from the downstream side, and the toner is discharged. Becomes impossible.
The inventors of the present invention were able to obtain the following findings as a result of focusing on the mean avalanche angle which is one of the fluidity indexes of the toner for the above-mentioned problems.

(toner)
The toner of the present invention contains at least toner base particles containing a binder resin, and an external additive, and further contains other components as required.

<On the average snowfall angle of toner>
Next, the toner stored in the toner storage container of the present invention will be described.
In the present invention, in the present invention dealing with the transportability from a container having a complex shape of a highly cohesive powder such as toner, the average avalanche angle is used as one of the scales.

<< About the measurement of the average snowfall angle of toner >>
The average snow fall angle of the toner is an index representing the fluidity of the toner, and is an index of the replenishment property of the toner.
In the present specification, the term "slope angle" means that a powder containing a predetermined amount of powder is slowly rotated at a constant speed about a vertical line perpendicular to the center of the bottom to rotate the powder with the rotation of the cylindrical container. Is slowly rising along the wall of the container, and the balance between adhesion between particles and gravity collapses and an avalanche (fall of the powder stack) occurs just before the slope (horizontal and horizontal surfaces of the powder stack) The angle between the The avalanche angle is the angle of the powder as measured at the maximum potential energy before the occurrence of the avalanche, and it is known that the smaller the avalanche angle, the better the fluidity can be obtained.
A rotary drum image analysis and measurement device is used to measure the average snow fall angle.
The rotary drum type image analysis and measurement apparatus comprises a cylindrical container (drum) having a transparent lid portion, a rotating device for rotating the cylindrical container along the circumference, a camera for capturing the inside from the cylindrical lid direction, and a direction opposite to the camera It is a measuring device that consists of a back light that illuminates the inside of the cylindrical container, and when a predetermined amount of powder is put in the cylindrical container, the drum is rotated slowly, and the deposited layer of powder rotates slowly with the rotation of the drum. It is pulled up along the top, but it is an apparatus to quantify by analyzing the size of an avalanche (collapsing of powder stack) which occurs when the balance of adhesion between particles and gravity at that time is broken. is there. In addition, since the measurement is repeated while the particle filling state is constant, good repeatability data can be obtained, and the flowability including the properties of the powder itself and the influence of the external environment, Since the sensitivity can be detected with high sensitivity, and in particular, the fluidity is measured by the value obtained by the avalanche, the fluidity of the upper layer, which is the adhesion between toners, can be expressed as compared with the conventional method.
As a rotating drum type image analysis measurement device, for example, powder analyzer REVOLUTION (manufactured by Mercury Science Inc.) and the like can be mentioned.
As a specific measuring method, first, an inner diameter of 50 mm, a cylindrical container volume 68.7Cm ^3, without particularly performing the tapping or the like of the toner is filled bulk volume 30 cm ³ minutes. While filled, place the cylindrical container on a rotating table, rotate at 0.6 rpm, and gently stir.
Next, the image processing unit is adjusted. While monitoring the camera in the measuring device in real time with a personal computer connected to a rotating drum type image analysis and measurement device, adjustment of an avalanche change amount considered as powder is an avalanche, an image light amount, and a measurement region. Avalanche change amount is fixed at 0.65% according to the result of examination. The image light amount is necessary to adjust the sensitivity of the camera by adjusting the light amount of the background, and is adjusted to, for example, about 24 db. In addition, the measurement area is necessary to improve measurement accuracy by appropriately excluding the range in which the avalanche response does not occur to the rotation due to the powder sticking to the wall etc., and monitoring in real time While setting, it is optional to avoid the range of fixed powder.
Further, after rotating the drum for 100 seconds (one rotation of the drum), the same sample is measured 50 times until avalanche occurs, and from the sum of the individual avalanche angles obtained by image processing, the average avalanche angle is calculated. calculate.
The measurement is carried out by conditioning the toner at 23 ° C. and 53% RH for 24 hours.

The average snow fall angle of the toner is 45 ° to 55 °, and more preferably 45 ° to 51 °.
When the average snow fall angle of the toner exceeds 55 °, the powder receiving port of the toner container is closed as described above, and the toner can not be discharged, and the toner drops to the powder receiving port. When the toner is transported by the screw in the transport pipe, it is not discharged from the transport pipe on the downstream side of the screw but adheres to the screw (without falling) and the toner is compressed and clogged, and the toner is clogged from the downstream side There is a problem that the
If the average snow fall angle of the toner is 45 ° to 55 °, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of the problem that the discharge of the toner becomes impossible. In addition, it is possible to prevent the toner from being discharged while a large amount of toner remains in the toner container and it becomes necessary to replace the toner container.
If the average snow fall angle of the toner is less than 45 °, the adhesion between the toners is reduced and the flowability is reduced, so that the toner can not be discharged from the toner storage container, and the toner can not be replenished. The amount of drawing up of the toner in the toner container is not stable, and an excessive amount of toner may be replenished, so that the toner may be scattered in the developing machine.

  The method of adjusting the average avalanche angle of the toner is not particularly limited and may be appropriately selected according to the purpose. For example, the shape of toner base particles, the type of external additive, and the content of external additive in toner And the addition conditions of the external additive to the toner base particles.

<On the molecular weight distribution of toner>
The inventors of the present invention have determined GPC (gel (gel) determined by the THF soluble matter of toner based on the technical idea that it is useful for improving the low temperature fixability of toner by sharpening the molecular weight distribution of toner. Molecular weight distribution by permeation chromatography has a main peak between 1,000 and 13,000, and the half width of the main peak is 8,000 to 35,000, thereby achieving excellent low temperature fixability. I found that I could do it.

In the present invention, the main peak refers to the peak with the highest intensity among the measurement results.
If the main peak is less than 1,000, the hot offset property and heat resistant storage stability deteriorate, and if the main peak exceeds 13,000, the low temperature fixability deteriorates, and if the half width is less than 8,000 When the half offset width exceeds 35,000, the low temperature fixability deteriorates.
Here, it is more preferable that the molecular weight distribution has a main peak between 1,000 and 10,000, and the half width of the main peak is 8,000 to 20,000.

  Furthermore, in order to improve hot offset resistance, it is preferable to contain 1 to 10% by weight of a component having a weight average molecular weight of 50,000 or more in the molecular weight distribution. If the amount is less than 1% by weight, the hot offset resistance resulting from the high molecular weight component is diluted, and if the amount is more than 30% by weight, the distribution of the binder resin contributing to the low temperature fixability relatively decreases. Low temperature fixability deteriorates.

[Measurement of molecular weight distribution]
Measuring device: GPC-8220GPC (made by Tosoh Corporation)
Column: TSKgel Super HZM-H 15 cm 3 stations (made by Tosoh Corporation)
Temperature: 40 ° C
Solvent: THF
Flow rate: 0.35 mL / min
Sample: The sample was dissolved in THF to make a sample of 0.15 mass percent concentration, and 0.1 mL was injected.
Calibration curve: In measuring the molecular weight of a sample, the molecular weight distribution of the sample was calculated from the relationship between the logarithmic value of the calibration curve prepared with several types of monodispersed polystyrene standard samples and the count number. As a standard polystyrene sample for preparation of a standard curve, Std. No. S-7300, S-210, S-390, S-875, S-1980, S-10.9, S-629, S-3.0, S-0.580 are dissolved in THF, Solutions of 15 weight percent concentration were made and made using RI (refractive index) detector for the detector.
Of the detected peaks, the largest one was taken as the main peak. When multiple peaks were detected, vertical division was performed at the lower end of the peak and analysis was performed on the main peak. The position of the maximum value of the main peak was taken as the position of the main peak, and the width of the main peak at half the maximum value of the main peak was taken as the half-width.

<Binder resin>
Next, materials used for the toner of the present invention will be described.
The binder resin is not particularly limited, and the molecular weight distribution of the toner according to GPC (Gel Permeation Chromatography) determined by THF soluble matter has a main peak between 1,000 and 13,000. , The half width of the main peak is 8,000 to 35,
Any material known in the prior art can be used appropriately as long as it indicates 000.
The combination of resin (A) and resin (B) shown below is more preferable.

<< Resin (A) >>
The resin (A) used in the present invention is not particularly limited, and a toner having a binder resin obtained by combining with the resin (B) shown below is blended so as to exhibit a molecular weight distribution in the above-mentioned desired range. If it is a thing, it can select suitably from well-known materials.
The resin (A) works effectively to show good hot offset resistance.
If the amount of the resin (A) is too large, the low temperature fixability deteriorates, and if the amount is too small, the hot offset resistance is not satisfied. Therefore, the resin (A) may be blended while considering the balance with other binder resins.

  The resin (A) preferably has a softening temperature (T1 / 2) higher than that of the resin (B) described below. As a softening temperature (T1 / 2) which resin (A) shows, it is preferable in it being the range of 120 degreeC-180 degreeC. When the temperature is less than 120 ° C., the hot offset property is deteriorated, and when the temperature is more than 180 ° C., the low temperature fixability is deteriorated.

  Moreover, it is preferable that the said resin (A) contains the chloroform insoluble part. Moreover, when the said non-crystalline resin (B) contains 5 to 40 weight% of chloroform insolubles, since hot-offset resistance is easily expressed, it is preferable. In addition, it is preferable to make the chloroform insoluble content in the toner 1 to 30% by weight after the toner formation, since the distribution of resins other than the noncrystalline resin (B) can be secured while maintaining the hot offset resistance. . When the chloroform insoluble content in the toner is less than 1% by weight, the hot offset resistance caused by the chloroform insoluble content is diluted, and when it is more than 30% by weight, distribution of the binder resin which contributes to low temperature fixability Low-temperature fixability deteriorates because

[Measurement of softening temperature (T1 / 2)]
Here, the softening temperature (T1 / 2) and chloroform insolubles of the resin are measured as follows.
The softening temperature (T1 / 2) of the resin was measured using an elevated flow tester CFT-500 (manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation), after filling 1 g of a sample with a diameter of 1 mm and a length of 1 mm with a temperature rise rate of 6 ° C./min. The sample was loaded with a load of 20 kg / cm ² by heating with a plunger to plot the plunger drop of the flow tester with respect to the extrusion temperature from the nozzle, and the temperature at which half of the sample flowed out was taken as the softening point.

[Measurement of chloroform insolubles]
About 1.0 g of toner (or binder resin) is weighed, and about 50 g of chloroform is added thereto. The sufficiently dissolved solution is separated by centrifugation and filtered at room temperature using a JIS type (P3801) 5 type C qualitative filter paper. The filter paper residue is insoluble, and the ratio of the weight of toner used to the weight of filter paper residue (% by weight) represents the content of chloroform insolubles.
In addition, when measuring the chloroform insoluble matter when it is used as toner, about 1.0 g of toner is weighed and carried out by the same method as the binder resin, but solid matter such as pigment is present in the filter paper residue Therefore, it is separately determined by thermal analysis.

<< Resin (B) >>
The resin (B) is not particularly limited, and the molecular weight distribution of the toner by GPC determined by THF soluble matter has a main peak between 1,000 and 13,000, and the half of the main peak Although any value range can be selected as long as it exhibits 8,000 to 35,000, the resin (B) may have a molecular weight distribution determined by GPC determined by THF soluble component, 1 More preferably, it has a main peak between 1,000 and 10,000, and the half width of the main peak is from 8,000 to 20,000.
The resin (B) works effectively to show good fixability.
If the main peak is less than 1,000, the hot offset property and heat resistant storage stability deteriorate, and if the main peak exceeds 13,000, the low temperature fixability deteriorates, and if the half width is less than 8,000 When the half offset width exceeds 35,000, the low temperature fixability deteriorates.

When a toner is produced by a combination of resin (A) and resin (B), the case where the proportion of resin (B) is increased is the best balance, the functions of the respective resins are effectively exhibited, and the low temperature fixability, Heat resistant storage stability and hot offset resistance become good. However, when the amount of the resin (B) is too large, the resin exudes during heat-resistant storage and the heat-resistant storage stability is deteriorated.
More preferably, the resin (B) has a softening temperature (T1 / 2) lower than that of the resin (A) by 10 ° C. or more. As a softening temperature (T1 / 2) which resin (B) shows, it is preferable in the range of 70 degreeC-120 degreeC. When the temperature is less than 70 ° C., the hot offset property is deteriorated, and when the temperature is more than 120 ° C., the low temperature fixability is deteriorated.

In the present invention, the resin (B) has a low temperature fixing property, that is, a function that contributes to the lower limit of fixing, and the resin (A) has a hot offset resistance, that is, a function that contributes to the upper limit of fixing. And resin (B) to separate functions and allow them to separate functions.
If it is a combination which can exhibit the function, conventionally well-known materials can be used as resin (A) and resin (B).
For example, styrene resins (homopolymers or copolymers containing styrene or a styrene-substituted compound), vinyl chloride resin, styrene / vinyl acetate copolymer, rosin modified maleic resin, phenol resin, epoxy resin, polyethylene resin, polypropylene Resin, ionomer resin, polyurethane resin, silicone resin, ketone resin, ethylene / ethyl acrylate copolymer, xylene resin, polyvinyl butyral resin, petroleum resin, hydrogenated petroleum resin, etc. may be mentioned.

Examples of the styrene resin (a homopolymer or copolymer containing styrene or a styrene-substituted product) include polystyrene, chloropolystyrene, poly α-methylstyrene, styrene / chlorostyrene copolymer, styrene / propylene copolymer, styrene / Butadiene copolymer, styrene / vinyl chloride copolymer, styrene / vinyl acetate copolymer, styrene / maleic acid copolymer, styrene / acrylic acid ester copolymer (styrene / methyl acrylate copolymer, styrene / Ethyl acrylate copolymer, styrene / butyl acrylate copolymer, styrene / octyl acrylate copolymer, styrene / phenyl acrylate copolymer etc., styrene / methacrylic acid ester copolymer (styrene / methyl methacrylate) Copolymer, styrene / ethyl methacrylate copolymerization , Styrene / butyl methacrylate copolymer, a styrene / phenyl methacrylate copolymer), styrene / alpha-chloromethyl acrylate copolymer, and styrene / acrylonitrile / acrylic acid ester copolymer.
There is no restriction | limiting in particular as a manufacturing method of these resin, It can select suitably, For example, block polymerization, solution polymerization, emulsion polymerization, suspension polymerization can be utilized.
These resins may be used alone or in combination of two or more.

  The resin (A) and the resin (B) used in the present invention are more preferably polyester resins from the viewpoint of low-temperature fixability. As the polyester resin, for example, those generally obtained by condensation polymerization of an alcohol component and a carboxylic acid component can be used.

As the alcohol component, for example, glycols, 1,4-bis (hydroxymethyl) cyclohexane, ethylated bisphenols such as bisphenol A, other dihydric alcohol monomers, trivalent or higher polyhydric alcohol monomers Etc.
Examples of the glycols include ethylene glycol, diethylene glycol, triethylene glycol, propylene glycol and the like.

Moreover, as said carboxylic acid component, a bivalent organic acid monomer, a trivalent or more polyvalent carboxylic acid monomer, etc. are mentioned, for example.
Examples of the divalent organic acid monomer include maleic acid, fumaric acid, phthalic acid, isophthalic acid, terephthalic acid, succinic acid, malonic acid and the like.
Examples of the trivalent or higher polyvalent carboxylic acid monomers include 1,2,4-benzenetricarboxylic acid, 1,2,5-benzenetricarboxylic acid, 1,2,4-cyclohexanetricarboxylic acid, 1,2 2,4-naphthalenetricarboxylic acid, 1,2,5-hexanetricarboxylic acid, 1,3-dicarboxyl-2-methylenecarboxypropane, 1,2,7,8-octanetetracarboxylic acid and the like.

In particular, as the polyester resin, those having a glass transition point Tg of 55 ° C. or higher are preferable, and those having a glass transition temperature of 60 ° C. or higher are more preferable, in view of heat resistant storage stability.
The DSC measurement (endothermic peak and glass transition point Tg) in the present invention is measured by raising the temperature to 20 to 150 ° C. at 10 ° C./min using a differential scanning calorimeter (“DSC-60”; manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) .

  The content of the resin (A) in the toner is preferably 20% by mass to 80% by mass with respect to 100% by mass of the entire binder resin, and the content of the resin (B) is 80% by mass to 20% by mass preferable.

  In the present invention, in order to obtain a toner having a desired main peak and half width, for example, resin (B) having various main peaks and half widths is used in resin (B). For example, when it is desired to produce a toner having a high molecular weight at the main peak and half width, it is preferable to use a resin (B) having a high molecular weight at the main peak and half width.

(Combination of crystalline polyester resin)
When the toner has a predetermined molecular weight distribution and crystalline polyester is used in combination with the binder resin, low temperature fixability and heat resistant storage stability can be imparted to the toner due to its sharp melt property.

  When a crystalline polyester is used in combination with the binder resin, the endotherm due to the crystalline polyester resin (A) in the range of 90 to 130 ° C. in the endothermic peak measurement of the toner by DSC (differential scanning calorimetry; differential scanning calorimetry) It is preferable to have a peak. When the endothermic peak attributed to the crystalline polyester resin (A) exists in the range of 90 to 130 ° C., the crystalline polyester resin does not melt at normal temperature, and the toner melts in a relatively low temperature fixing temperature region, thereby recording Since the toner can be fixed to the medium, the heat resistant storage stability and the low temperature fixing ability can be more effectively exhibited.

Moreover, it is preferable that the endothermic amount of an endothermic peak is 1 J / g or more and 15 J / g or less.
If the amount of heat absorption is less than 1 J / g, the amount of the crystalline polyester resin that works effectively in the toner is too small, so the function of the crystalline polyester resin is not sufficiently exhibited. If the heat absorption amount is more than 15 J / g, the heat resistant storage stability is lowered because the amount of crystalline polyester resin effective in the toner is excessive.

"DSC measurement"
The DSC measurement (endothermic peak, glass transition temperature Tg) in the present invention is measured by raising the temperature to 20 to 150 ° C. at 10 ° C./min using a differential scanning calorimeter (“DSC-60”; manufactured by Shimadzu Corporation) .
In the present invention, the endothermic peak derived from the crystalline polyester is present in the vicinity of 80 to 130 ° C., which is the melting point of the crystalline polyester, and the amount of heat absorption is determined from the area enclosed by the baseline and the endothermic curve. In general, the endotherm in DSC measurement is often measured by raising the temperature twice, but in the present invention, the endothermic peak and the glass transition temperature are measured using an endothermic curve at the time of the first temperature rise. derive.
When the endothermic peak derived from the crystalline polyester (A) overlaps with the endothermic peak of the wax, the endothermic amount of the wax is subtracted from the endothermic amount of the overlapped peak. The endotherm of the wax component is calculated from the endotherm of the wax alone and the wax content in the toner.

<Crystalline polyester resin>
A crystalline polyester resin can be contained as the binder resin.
The term "crystalline polyester resin" refers to a polyester resin in which the proportion of the crystal structure in which the main chain is regularly oriented is particularly high, and the viscosity of the resin largely changes near the melting point.

  Examples of the crystalline polyester resin include, as alcohol components, saturated aliphatic diol compounds having 2 to 12 carbon atoms (especially 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1, 10-decanediol, 1,12-dodecanediol, and derivatives thereof), dicarboxylic acid having 2 to 12 carbon atoms having a double bond (C (C bond) as at least an acid component, or 2 to 2 carbon atoms 12 saturated dicarboxylic acids (especially fumaric acid, 1,4-butanedioic acid, 1,6-hexanedioic acid, 1,8-octanedioic acid, 1,10-decanedioic acid, 1,12-dodecanedioic acid, And crystalline polyester resins synthesized using these derivatives) are preferred.

  Among them, in particular, 1,4-butanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, 1,8-octanediol, 1,10-decanediol, and 1 in that the difference between the endothermic peak temperature and the endothermic shoulder temperature is made smaller. Fumaric acid, 1,4-butanedioic acid, 1,6-hexanedioic acid, 1,8-octanedioic acid, 1,10-decanedioic acid, and any one alcohol component of 12-dodecanediol, It is preferable to be composed of only one kind of dicarboxylic acid component of either or 1, 12-dodecanedioic acid.

Further, as a method of controlling the crystallinity and the softening point of the crystalline polyester resin, at the time of polyester synthesis, a trivalent or more polyhydric alcohol such as glycerin or other trivalent alcohol such as trimellitic anhydride or the like can be used as an alcohol component. The method of designing and using non-linear polyester etc. which polycondensed by adding polyvalent carboxylic acid of this, etc. is mentioned.
The molecular structure of the crystalline polyester resin of the present invention can be confirmed by X-ray diffraction, GC / MS, LC / MS, IR measurement, etc. in addition to NMR measurement with a solution or solid.

  There is no restriction | limiting in particular as content in the said toner of the said crystalline polyester resin, Although it can select suitably according to the objective, 0 mass%-15 mass% are preferable with respect to 100 mass% of whole binding resin. And 5% by mass to 15% by mass are more preferable. When the content is less than 5% by mass, the effect on the low temperature fixability may not be sufficiently obtained. Further, since the crystalline polyester resin has relatively low stress resistance, if the content exceeds 15% by mass, the external additive is buried in the crystalline polyester resin portion on the toner base surface, and the storage stability is deteriorated. It is not preferable.

(Charge control material)
The toner of the present invention can also be blended with a charge control agent as required.
Charge control agents include nigrosins and modified products of fatty acid metal salts, onium salts such as phosphonium salts, lake pigments thereof, triphenylmethane dyes and lake pigments thereof, metal salts of higher fatty acids; dibutyltin oxide, dioctyltin oxide Diorganotin oxides such as dicyclohexyltin oxide; diorganotin borates such as dibutyltin borate, dioctyltin borate, dicyclohexyltin borate, organometallic complexes, chelate compounds, monoazo metal complexes, acetylacetone metal complexes, aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acids, There are metal complexes of aromatic dicarboxylic acid type, quaternary ammonium salts, metal compounds of salicylic acid and the like. Besides, there are aromatic hydroxycarboxylic acids, aromatic mono- and polycarboxylic acids and metal salts thereof, anhydrides, esters, phenol derivatives such as bisphenol, etc., and any of these conventionally known charge control agents (polar control agents ) Can also be used alone or in combination.
The amount of the charge control agent used is 0.1 to 10 parts by weight, preferably 1 to 5 parts by weight, based on the toner resin component.
Among these charge control agents, it is preferable to contain a metal compound of salicylic acid because it can simultaneously improve the hot offset resistance. As a salicylic acid metal compound, the compound represented by the following formula can be used, and Bontron E-84 made by Orient Chemical Industry Co., Ltd. can be mentioned as a metal complex in which M is zinc.

(Colorant)
Examples of colorants used in the toner of the present invention include carbon black, lamp black, iron black, aniline blue, phthalocyanine blue, phthalocyanine green, Hansa yellow G, rhodamine 6 C lake, chalco oil blue, chromium yellow, quinacridone, benzidine yellow, It is possible to use any of conventionally known dyes and pigments, such as dyes such as rose bengal and triallylmethane dyes, singly or in combination, and it can be used as a black toner or a full color toner.
The amount of these colorants used is usually 1 to 30% by weight, preferably 3 to 20% by weight, based on the toner resin component.

(Release agent)
For the toner release agent of the present invention, conventionally known ones can be used. For example, low molecular weight polyolefins such as low molecular weight polyethylene and low molecular weight polypropylene, synthetic hydrocarbon waxes such as Fischer-Tropsch wax, natural waxes such as beeswax, carnauba wax, candelilla wax, rice wax and montan wax, And petroleum waxes such as paraffin wax and microcrystalline wax; higher fatty acids such as stearic acid, palmitic acid and myristic acid; metal salts of higher fatty acids; higher fatty acid amides; synthetic ester waxes; and various modified waxes thereof.
Among these releasing agents, carnauba wax and its modified wax, polyethylene wax and synthetic ester wax are suitably used.
These release agents can be used alone or in combination of two or more. The amount of these releasing agents used is preferably 2 to 15% by weight with respect to the toner. If it is less than 2% by weight, the effect of preventing hot offset is insufficient, and if it exceeds 15% by weight, the transferability and the durability decrease.
The melting point of the release agent is preferably 70 to 150 ° C. When the temperature is lower than 70 ° C., the heat resistant storage stability of the toner is reduced. When the temperature is higher than 150 ° C., the releasability can not be sufficiently achieved.

(About particle size)
The particle diameter of the toner of the present invention is preferably 4 to 10 μm in terms of volume average particle diameter in order to obtain high image quality excellent in fine line reproducibility and the like.
When it is smaller than 4 μm, the cleaning property in the development step and the transfer efficiency in the transfer step are impaired, and the image quality is deteriorated. If it is larger than 10 μm, thin line reproducibility of the image is degraded.
Here, the toner volume average particle diameter can be measured by various methods, but in the present invention, Multisizer 3 manufactured by Beckman Coulter, Inc. is used.

(About the toner manufacturing method)
There is no restriction | limiting in particular as a manufacturing method of the toner of this invention, According to the objective, it can select suitably, For example, a grinding method, a chemical construction method, etc. are mentioned. By using these methods, toner base particles can be obtained.
The toner of the present invention is preferably a pulverized toner produced by using a so-called pulverization method including at least a melt-kneading step in the production process, because the peak ratio C / R can be controlled.
In the pulverizing method, toner materials containing at least a binder resin, and optionally, colorants, release agents, and other materials such as a charge control agent are dry-mixed, melt-kneaded in a kneader, and pulverized. To obtain a pulverized toner.

  The toner of the present invention is preferably a pulverized toner which is subjected to a melt-kneading step in the production process, but if the thickness of the kneaded material is 2.5 mm or more in the cooling step after melt-kneading the raw materials The cooling rate of the product slows down, and the time for recrystallization of the crystalline polyester resin (A) melting in the kneaded material is prolonged, so recrystallization is promoted and the function of the crystalline polyester resin (A) Can be made more effective. Although it is an effective means to incorporate a fatty acid amide as described above to promote recrystallization, the effect can also be obtained by adjusting the manufacturing process in this way. There is no upper limit to the thickness of the kneaded material, but if it is thicker than 8 mm, the efficiency is significantly reduced in the pulverizing step, and the peak ratio C / R is high.

(External additive)
In the present invention, it is preferable to use two or more types of fine particles having different average particle diameters of primary particles as the external additive. Those having a large particle size function as spacers that inhibit the contact between the toner and the member, and those having a small particle size impart fluidity to the toner. The larger the particle size of the external additive is, the more easily it is released from the toner, but by making the external additive (C) have a chargeability opposite to that of the toner, adhesion by electrostatic force is imparted to suppress the release. Can. The fine particles used as the external additive may be inorganic fine particles or organic fine particles.
The properties of the toner can be controlled by the amount of the external additive. The external additive (D) is usually 0.1% by weight or more and 2.0% by weight or less, preferably 0.2% by weight or more and 1.5% by weight or less, and 0.3% by weight or more. It is more preferable that the content be less than or equal to 0 wt%. If it is less than 0.1% by weight, the effect may not be exhibited. If it exceeds 2.0% by weight, the fluidity of the toner may be significantly deteriorated. In addition, the fixability of the toner may be deteriorated. The external additive (D) is usually 0.1% by weight or more and 5.0% by weight or less, preferably 1.0% by weight or more and 4.0% by weight or less, and preferably 1.5% by weight or more. It is more preferable that the content be less than or equal to 0 wt%. If it is less than 0.1% by weight, the fluidity of the toner may be significantly deteriorated. Also, the storage stability of the toner may be deteriorated. If it exceeds 5.0% by weight, the time-dependent change of toner characteristics may be remarkable. In addition, since the adhesion to the toner is low, the released external additive may contaminate the member. When used in combination of two or more as the external additive (D), the total thereof may be within the above range.

<Inorganic fine particle external additive>
Examples of the inorganic fine particles used as the external additive in the present invention include silica, alumina, titanium oxide, barium titanate, magnesium titanate, calcium titanate, calcium titanate, strontium titanate, iron oxide, copper oxide, zinc oxide, tin oxide, silica Sand, clay, mica, wollastonite, diatomaceous earth, chromium oxide, cerium oxide, bengara, antimony trioxide, magnesium oxide, magnesium oxide, zirconium oxide, barium sulfate, barium carbonate, calcium carbonate, silicon carbide, silicon nitride, etc. it can. Among them, silica and titanium oxide are particularly preferable.

<Organic fine particle external additive>
The organic fine particles used as the external additive in the present invention include, for example, polymers of styrene such as polystyrene, poly p-chlorostyrene, polyvinyl toluene and the like, and substitution products thereof; styrene-p-chlorostyrene copolymer, styrene-propylene copolymer Combination, styrene-vinyl toluene copolymer, styrene-vinyl naphthalene copolymer, styrene-methyl acrylate copolymer, styrene-ethyl acrylate copolymer, styrene-butyl acrylate copolymer, styrene-octyl acrylate Copolymer, Styrene-Methyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Styrene-Ethyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Styrene-Butyl Methacrylate Copolymer, Styrene-α-Chloro Methacrylate Copolymer, Styrene-Acrylonitrile Copolymer, Styrene-vinyl methyl ketone copolymer, Styrene-based copolymers such as styrene-butadiene copolymer, styrene-isoprene copolymer, styrene-acrylonitrile-indene copolymer, styrene-maleic acid copolymer, styrene-maleic acid ester copolymer; polymethyl methacrylate , Polybutyl methacrylate, polyvinyl chloride, polyvinyl acetate, polyethylene, polypropylene, polyester, epoxy resin, epoxy polyol resin, polyurethane, polyamide, polyvinyl butyral, polyacrylic resin, rosin, modified rosin, terpene resin, aliphatic or Alicyclic hydrocarbon resins, aromatic petroleum resins, chlorinated paraffin, paraffin wax and the like can be mentioned, and they can be used alone or in combination.

Hydrophobing treatment
The external additive used in the present invention is preferably subjected to a hydrophobization treatment on the surface. For example, as a method of hydrophobizing inorganic fine particles, a method of chemically treating with an organic silicon compound which reacts or physically adsorbs with the inorganic fine particles is used. A preferred method is a method of treating inorganic fine particles produced by vapor phase oxidation of a metal halide with an organosilicon compound.
In the present invention, it is possible to use a silicone oil-treated inorganic particle which has been subjected to a hydrophobic treatment or a non-hydrophobic treatment.

(Developer)
When the toner of the present invention is used as a developer, it may be used as a one-component developer composed of only the toner, or may be mixed with a carrier and used as a two-component developer, although there is no particular limitation. When used in a high-speed printer or the like corresponding to the improvement of the information processing speed in recent years, it is preferable to use as a two-component developer from the viewpoint of life improvement and the like.

  EXAMPLES Hereinafter, examples of the present invention will be described, but the present invention is not limited to the following examples. The term "parts" refers to "parts by mass" unless otherwise specified. "%" Represents "% by mass" unless otherwise specified.

(Composition example)
[Synthesis of Resin A, Resins B-1 to B-11]
Resin A and resin B-1 to resin B-11 are resins obtained as follows.
The alcohol and acid components listed in Tables 1 and 2 are subjected to esterification reaction under normal pressure and at 170 to 260 ° C., non-catalytic conditions, and then 400 ppm of antimony trioxide is added to the reaction system with respect to all carboxylic acid components and 3 Torr. The polycondensation was carried out at 250 ° C. while removing the glycol out of the system under a vacuum of the above to obtain a resin. The crosslinking reaction was carried out until the stirring torque reached 10 kg · cm (100 ppm), and the reaction was stopped by releasing the reduced pressure state of the reaction system.
The composition of the obtained resin and each evaluation are shown in Tables 1 and 2.
Moreover, it was confirmed that the resin B-1 to resin B-11 were completely dissolved in chloroform and did not contain chloroform insolubles.

[Synthesis of Resin C]
The crystalline polyester resin C is subjected to an esterification reaction under the conditions of 170 to 260 ° C., non-catalytic under normal pressure, and then to the reaction system, 400 ppm of 400 ppm of the alcohol component and acid component shown in Table 3 Antimony oxide was added and polycondensation was performed at 250 ° C. while removing glycol out of the system under a vacuum of 3 Torr to obtain a crystalline resin. The crosslinking reaction was carried out until the stirring torque reached 10 kg · cm (100 ppm), and the reaction was stopped by releasing the reduced pressure state of the reaction system.
The composition of the obtained polyester resin and each evaluation are shown in Table 3.
The crystalline polyester resin C was confirmed to be a crystalline polyester because at least one diffraction peak was present at a position of 2θ = 19 ° to 25 ° in an X-ray diffraction pattern by a powder X-ray diffractometer.

<< Toner, developer production example >>
[Production of Toner 1]
<Toner 1 prescription>
Noncrystalline resin A 10 parts by weight Noncrystalline resin: B-1 90 parts by weight Coloring agent (carbon black): p-1 14 parts by weight Releasing agent: carnauba wax (melting point: 81 ° C.) 6 parts by weight Charge control Agent: 2 parts by weight of monoazo metal complex (chromium complex salt dye (Bontron S-34, manufactured by Orient Chemical Industries Co., Ltd.))
After preliminary mixing using a Henschel mixer (FM20B manufactured by Mitsui Miike Kako Co., Ltd.) according to the above recipe, the kneading section 120 ° C., the feeding section 100 are manufactured by a twin-screw kneader (PCM-30 manufactured by Ikegai Co., Ltd.) It was melted and kneaded at ° C. The obtained kneaded product was rolled to a thickness of 2.7 mm by a roller, cooled to room temperature by a belt cooler, and roughly crushed to 200 to 300 μm by a hammer mill. Then, the mixture was finely pulverized using a supersonic jet crusher Rabojet (manufactured by Nippon Pneumatic Mfg. Co., Ltd.), and then the weight average particle diameter was measured by an air flow classifier (MDS-I manufactured by Nippon Pneumatic Mfg. Co., Ltd. The particles were classified while appropriately adjusting the louver opening so as to be 0 ± 0.2 μm to obtain toner base particles.
As an external additive, 0.2 parts by weight of RY-200 (primary particle diameter 12 nm, manufactured by Nippon Aerosil Co., Ltd.) as an additive with respect to 100 parts by mass of toner base particles is stirred and mixed for 1 minute with a Henschel mixer, Subsequently, 1.0 part by weight of silica: H-20TM (manufactured by Clariant Japan Co., Ltd.) was added, and the mixture was further stirred and mixed for 1 minute with a Henschel mixer to prepare Toner 1.
5% by mass of the pulverized toner 1 prepared and 95% by mass of the coated ferrite carrier are uniformly mixed for 5 minutes at 48 rpm using a Tumbler mixer (manufactured by Willy E. Bachkofen (WAB)) to prepare a developer 1 did.

[Toner 2 to Toner 78, Developer 1 to Developer 78]
Toners 2 to 78 and developers 1 to 78 were manufactured under the manufacturing conditions shown in Tables 4 to 7 instead of the manufacturing conditions for Toner 1 and Developer 1 described above. That is, under the conditions shown in Tables 1 to 7 below, the monomer composition of resin used for toner production, resin of physical properties, toner formulation, kneading conditions, and developer production conditions are shown, and these materials, formulations, Based on the kneading conditions, mixing, kneading, grinding, and additive mixing were performed in the same manner as in the toner 1 to prepare toners 2 to 78.
Further, using the toners 2 to 78, the developers 2 to 78 were prepared in the same manner as the developer 1.

The molecular weight and average snow fall angle of the toner were determined by the following method.
[Measurement of molecular weight distribution]
Measuring device: GPC-8220GPC (made by Tosoh Corporation)
Column: TSKgel Super HZM-H 15 cm 3 stations (made by Tosoh Corporation)
Temperature: 40 ° C
Solvent: THF
Flow rate: 0.35 mL / min
Sample: The sample was dissolved in THF to make a sample of 0.15 mass percent concentration, and 0.1 mL was injected.
Calibration curve: In measuring the molecular weight of a sample, the molecular weight distribution of the sample was calculated from the relationship between the logarithmic value of the calibration curve prepared with several types of monodispersed polystyrene standard samples and the count number. As a standard polystyrene sample for preparation of a calibration curve, Showdex STAN manufactured by Showa Denko KK
DARD Std. No S-7300, S-210, S-390, S-875, S-1
Dissolve 980, S-10.9, S-629, S-3.0, S-0.580 in THF,
A solution of 0.15 weight percent concentration was made and made using an RI (refractive index) detector for the detector.
Of the detected peaks, the largest one was taken as the main peak. When multiple peaks were detected, vertical division was performed at the lower end of the peak and analysis was performed on the main peak. The position of the maximum value of the main peak was taken as the position of the main peak, and the width of the main peak at half the maximum value of the main peak was taken as the half-width.

[Measure of mean avalanche angle]
In the present embodiment, a rotary drum image analysis and measurement apparatus is used to measure the average snow fall angle.
The rotary drum type image analysis and measurement apparatus comprises a cylindrical container (drum) having a transparent lid portion, a rotating device for rotating the cylindrical container along the circumference, a camera for capturing the inside from the cylindrical lid direction, and a direction opposite to the camera It is a measuring device that consists of a back light that illuminates the inside of the cylindrical container, and when a predetermined amount of powder is put in the cylindrical container, the drum is rotated slowly, and the deposited layer of powder rotates slowly with the rotation of the drum. It is pulled up along the top, but it is an apparatus to quantify by analyzing the size of an avalanche (collapsing of powder stack) which occurs when the balance of adhesion between particles and gravity at that time is broken. is there. In addition, since the measurement is repeated while the particle filling state is constant, good repeatability data can be obtained, and the flowability including the properties of the powder itself and the influence of the external environment, Since the sensitivity can be detected with high sensitivity, and in particular, the fluidity is measured by the value obtained by the avalanche, the fluidity of the upper layer, which is the adhesion between toners, can be expressed as compared with the conventional method.
As a rotating drum type image analysis measurement device, for example, powder analyzer REVOLUTION (manufactured by Mercury Science Inc.) and the like can be mentioned.
As a specific measuring method, first, an inner diameter of 50 mm, a cylindrical container volume 68.7Cm ^3, without particularly performing the tapping or the like of the toner is filled bulk volume 30 cm ³ minutes. While filled, place the cylindrical container on a rotating table, rotate at 0.6 rpm, and gently stir.
Next, the image processing unit is adjusted. While monitoring the camera in the measuring device in real time with a personal computer connected to a rotating drum type image analysis and measurement device, adjustment of an avalanche change amount considered as powder is an avalanche, an image light amount, and a measurement region. Avalanche change amount is fixed at 0.65% according to the result of examination. The image light amount is necessary to adjust the sensitivity of the camera by adjusting the light amount of the background, and is adjusted to, for example, about 24 db. In addition, the measurement area is necessary to improve measurement accuracy by appropriately excluding the range in which the avalanche response does not occur to the rotation due to the powder sticking to the wall etc., and monitoring in real time While setting, it is optional to avoid the range of fixed powder.
Further, after rotating the drum for 100 seconds (one rotation of the drum), the same sample is measured 50 times until avalanche occurs, and from the sum of the individual avalanche angles obtained by image processing, the average avalanche angle is calculated. calculate.
The measurement is carried out by conditioning the toner at 23 ° C. and 53% RH for 24 hours.

<Toner container>
The toner container (the cross section of the container opening shown in FIG. 20) shown in FIG. 9 was used. The toner manufactured in the toner manufacturing example was filled in the toner container main body.
The toner storage container shown in FIG. 10 has a suction raising portion integrally formed with the toner storage container main body, a protruding portion is fixed to the toner storage container main body, and the toner storage container main body rotates to raise the suction. The unit lifts the toner from the bottom to the top.

<< Evaluation >>
Tables 8 and 9 show the evaluation results of Examples 1 to 65 and Comparative Examples 1 to 13 evaluated by the following methods.

<Bottle drainability>
The above toner container was evaluated by the following evaluation method.
The dischargeability of the toner from the toner container main body at that time was evaluated by the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Tables 8 and 9.

〔Evaluation method〕
120 g of the toner was filled in the toner container described in detail in FIGS. 1 to 15 (the volume of the toner container is 1,200 mL). The toner container was shaken to sufficiently agitate the toner. The toner container was attached to the replenishing device provided with the transport nozzle described in the present embodiment (see FIG. 9). The toner container was rotated, and the replenishing device was operated to measure the amount of toner discharged from the replenishing device.
Condition: Toner container rotation speed: 110 rpm
Transfer screw pitch in the transfer nozzle of the replenishment device: 12.5 mm
Conveying screw outer diameter: 10 mm
Conveying screw shaft diameter: 4 mm
Conveying screw rotation speed: 460 rpm
Inclination angle of pumping surface 25 °

〔Evaluation criteria〕
(Bottle drainability)
:: The toner is discharged even if the amount of toner in the storage container reaches 70 g.
Fair: The toner can not be discharged before the residual amount of toner in the storage container reaches 70 g only under high temperature and high humidity (50 ° C., 70%) conditions.
X: The toner can not be discharged before the amount of toner in the storage container reaches 70 g.
In this experiment, assuming that the unused filling amount of the toner (the filling amount at the time of product shipment) is 200 g or more, in order to verify the dischargeability, the remaining amount of toner of 70 g was used as the evaluation standard as described above.
○ 合格 is a pass and × is a fail.

<Fixation to toner receiving port>
The above toner container was evaluated by the same evaluation method as the above evaluation method of the dischargeability.
The toner replenishment ability from the toner container main body at that time was evaluated by the following evaluation criteria. The results are shown in Tables 8 and 9.

〔Evaluation criteria〕
:: Good (when the toner continues to be driven until the toner can not be discharged, the toner receiving port in the toner container does not cause the passage obstruction by the toner)
Δ: Allowable level (When the toner continues to be driven until the toner can not be discharged, the toner receiving port in the toner container is partially blocked by the toner)
X: Level at which it can not be used practically (when the driving is continued until the toner can not be discharged, the toner passage opening in the toner container is completely blocked by the toner)
△ was a pass, and x was a fail.

<Low temperature fixability, hot offset resistance>
The image output of the pulverized toner developers 1 to 45 was performed using the above-mentioned image forming apparatus. A solid image with an adhesion amount of 0.4 mg / cm ² was output on paper (Type 6200 manufactured by Ricoh Co., Ltd.) through exposure, development and transfer steps. The fixing linear velocity was 180 mm / sec. The fixing temperature was sequentially output in steps of 5 ° C., and the lower limit temperature at which cold offset did not occur (fixing lower limit temperature: low temperature fixability) and the upper limit temperature at which hot offset did not occur (fixing upper limit temperature: hot offset resistance) were measured. The NIP width of the fixing device was 11 mm

[Low-temperature fixability evaluation criteria]
:: less than 130 ° C. ○: 130 ° C. or more and less than 145 ° C. Δ: 145 ° C. or more and less than 160 ° C. ×: 160 ° C. or more

[Hot offset resistance evaluation criteria]
○: 190 ° C. or more Δ: 170 ° C. or more and less than 190 ° C. ×: less than 170 ° C.

<Heat resistant storage stability>
10 g of each toner is placed in a 30 ml screw vial, tapped 100 times with a tapping machine, stored for 24 hours in a constant temperature bath at 50 ° C. and 70% environment, returned to room temperature, and then inserted with a penetration tester. The degree of heat was measured and evaluated as heat resistant storage evaluation.

[Heat resistant storage stability evaluation criteria]
○: 20 mm or more Δ: 13 mm or more and less than 20 mm ×: less than 13 mm

32Y, 32M, 32C, 32K Toner container 33 Toner container main body (powder container)
33a opening 33c inner wall surface of powder containing portion 34 container front end side cover (container cover)
41 Photoconductor (image carrier)
46Y, 46M, 34C, 46K Image formation unit 50 Development device 60 Toner supply device (powder supply (supply) device)
100 Printer unit (copier main body)
200 paper feed table (paper feed unit)
301 container gear 302 helical projection (conveying means)
304, 304 (BE) Powder pumping section 304a Pumping section helical projection 304a1 End of helical projection (end portion)
304a 2 Ends 3040, 3040 (B to E) on the side away from the opening, Pumping surfaces 3040a, 3040 (Ba to Ea) Inner end of the pumping surface 3041 Wall (container tip side wall)
3042, 3042 (BE) Edge (heli, side)
3043 inner wall 330 nozzle receiving member (conveying pipe receiving member)
331 Nozzle inlet (pipe insertion port)
332 Container shutter (opening and closing member)
335 shutter rear end support portion 335a shutter side surface support portion 335b shutter support opening 340 container shutter support member 500 copying machine (image forming apparatus)
608 Set cover 610 Nozzle opening (powder inlet)
611 Transfer nozzle (transfer tube)
615 Container setting part (container receiving part)
The angle of inclination of the rising surface of θ θ The angle between the projection and the surface of the rising surface θ2 The angle of the two surfaces of the rising portion O Rotation center axis h1 Height of the rising surface h2 Height of the projection S Space S7 S7 start position (start point)
T toner (powder for image formation)
W Opening range of rotational direction of powder inlet W1 Opening range of axial direction of powder inlet X, X1 Virtual straight line P Recording medium G Developer Q Mounting direction Q1 Detaching direction

JP 2012-133349 A

Claims (10)

A toner storage container containing toner is mountable, and has a delivery pipe having a powder receiving port for receiving powder from the toner storage container, the powder receiving port being opened upward.
A toner storage container for use in an image forming apparatus that rotates a mounted toner storage container within a predetermined rotation number range,
With the toner
A rotatable powder container for containing the toner;
An opening portion which is provided at one end of the powder containing portion and which can insert the transport pipe at a position which is a rotation center of the toner containing container;
A helical projection which projects into the interior of the container and conveys the toner in the powder container to the opening;
The powder storage unit includes a powder pumping unit that pumps the toner on the side of the opening by rotation of the powder storage unit and supplies the toner to the powder receiving port.
The average snow fall angle of the toner is 45 ° to 55 ° ,
The powder pumping section has a pumping surface extending from the inner wall surface of the powder storage section toward the rotation center axis side,
The pumping surface is
An inner end portion on the rotation center axis side extends in the rotation center axis direction of the powder containing portion, and an edge of the inner end portion is substantially parallel to the rotation center axis, and
When viewed from the rotation center axis direction, it is inclined at an inclination angle of a predetermined range toward the upstream side in the rotation direction of the powder containing portion with respect to a virtual straight line passing the edges of the rotation center axis and the inner end. Yes,
The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the helical protrusion is connected to the pumping surface, and the connected portion extends in the circumferential direction from the pumping surface.   The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the toner has an average snow fall angle of 45 ° to 51 °.   The toner is characterized in that the molecular weight distribution by GPC determined by THF soluble content has a main peak between 1,000 and 13,000, and the half width of the main peak is 35,000 or less. The toner container according to any one of claims 1 to 2, wherein   The toner is characterized in that the molecular weight distribution by GPC determined by THF soluble content has a main peak between 1,000 and 10,000, and the half width of the main peak is 20,000 or less. The toner container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein   The inclination angle of the pumping surface is, when viewed from the rotation center axis direction, directed upstream in the rotation direction of the powder containing portion with respect to a virtual straight line passing through the rotation center axis and the edge of the inner end The toner container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, wherein the range is 25 degrees ± 5 degrees.   The edge of the inner end portion is positioned within the opening range in the rotation direction of the powder receiving port above the powder receiving port when the powder containing portion is rotated when the powder containing portion is rotated. The toner container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein   The position of the helical projection on the pumping surface is within an opening range in the axial direction of the powder receiving port when the transport pipe is inserted into the opening. The toner container according to.   The inner wall surface of the bottle forming the pumping surface is shaped like a mountain with the end of the pumping surface located most inside the bottle at the top as a vertex. Toner container.   9. The toner container according to claim 8, wherein an angle between two surfaces forming a convex portion having a mountain shape with an end of the pumping surface as a vertex is a substantially acute angle.   An image forming apparatus comprising: the toner storage container according to any one of claims 1 to 9; and an image forming unit configured to form an image on an image carrier using the toner transported from the toner storage container.