JP6593497B2 - Powder container and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a powder storage container that stores powder such as toner, and an image forming apparatus that transports powder from the powder storage container toward a transport destination.

  In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile using an electrophotographic process, a latent image formed on a photosensitive member is visualized with toner of a developing device, and the latent image is developed. Therefore, it is necessary to replenish the toner in the developing device. Therefore, toner is supplied from the toner container as the powder container to the developing device by the toner replenishing device as the powder supply device provided in the apparatus main body, and the toner is supplied into the developing device. Thus, it is possible to continuously perform development by the developing device in which toner is replenished. The toner container is detachable from the toner replenishing device. When the toner stored in the toner container is exhausted, the toner container is replaced with a toner container storing new toner.

  For example, in Patent Document 1, when a toner container as a powder container is attached to a toner replenishing device as a powder replenishing device, a transfer nozzle having a toner receiving port formed from the toner replenishing device side is located at the opening of the toner container. A powder container and a powder replenishing device that are inserted to open and close an opening / closing member (shutter member) and transport toner that has entered a toner receiving port of a transport nozzle to a toner replenishing device are disclosed. According to this, scattering of the toner when the toner container is detached is prevented. In the powder container of Patent Document 1, when the toner in the interior decreases and the level is lower than the toner receiving port of the transport nozzle, it is necessary to pump the toner below the toner receiving port to the toner receiving port. .

A transport nozzle having a toner receiving port contains a transport screw. When the toner receiving port is provided at the height of the rotation center of the transport screw in the direction of gravity, the width of the toner receiving port in the direction orthogonal to the transport screw rotation axis direction is slightly wider than the diameter of the transport screw. Using such a transport nozzle (see FIG. 12A), when the transport screw rotates to transport the toner pumped to the toner receiving port to the toner replenishing device, the toner pumped to the toner receiving port Since it advances while inclining so as to be rotated, a force to be moved to a position higher than the rotation center of the conveying screw is applied, and it falls from the conveying nozzle.
On the other hand, in the configuration in which the nozzle opening is provided at a position higher than the rotation center of the conveying screw in the gravitational direction (see FIG. 12B), the toner pumped up to the toner receiving port is inclined so as to follow the rotation of the conveying screw. Even if it advances, it can suppress falling from a conveyance nozzle.
However, in the configuration in which the nozzle opening is provided at a position higher than the rotation center of the conveyance screw in the gravity direction, the width of the toner reception port in the direction orthogonal to the conveyance screw rotation axis direction is compared with the configuration in which the toner reception port is provided at the height of the rotation center. Therefore, it is necessary to pump up the toner to a position higher than the toner receiving port and to drop the toner with respect to the narrow opening.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to pump toner up to a position higher than the toner receiving port and to drop the toner pumped to the toner receiving port of the conveying nozzle. It is an object of the present invention to provide a powder container that can prevent toner from spilling from a toner receiving port, and an image forming apparatus including the powder container.

In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the invention of claim 1 includes a transport pipe for transporting powder, a powder receiving port provided in the transport pipe for receiving powder from the powder storage container, and a powder storage container. In a powder storage container that can be attached to a powder replenishing device having a replenishing device-side locking member that can be locked, a nozzle receiving port into which a transfer tube can be inserted, and a nozzle receiving port from which powder is received from one end side Provided on the one end side of the gear, which is provided on the other end side than the gear, and the gear that rotates the conveying means by applying the driving force from the outside, the conveying means that conveys to the other end side provided, can be locked such a locking unit, comprising a, together with the locking portion is provided with a pair, in the state in which the powder container is mounted to the powder supply device, the virtual straight line powder receiving port connecting the pair of engaging portions It is also characterized by passing through a transport pipe provided with It is.

  According to the present invention, since the lifting portion that lifts the toner to a position higher than the toner receiving port in the direction of gravity is provided, the pumped toner flows into the toner receiving port of the conveying nozzle while suppressing the toner that has been pumped from falling from the conveying nozzle. be able to.

FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the toner supply device and the toner container before the toner container is mounted in the first embodiment. 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing a copier common to all embodiments. FIG. 2 is a schematic diagram illustrating an image forming unit of the copier. FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a state where a toner container is installed in a toner supply device in the copier. FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view illustrating a state where a toner container is installed in a toner container housing portion of the copier. FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view of a toner container according to the first embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view of the toner supply device and the toner container before the toner container is mounted in the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the toner replenishing device and the toner container in a state where the toner container is mounted according to Embodiment 1. FIG. 3 is an exploded explanatory view of the agitator assembly in the first embodiment. Exploded perspective view of the agitator assembly in the first embodiment FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of a nozzle receiving member and an agitator of an agitator assembly that is not provided with a central axis in the first embodiment. (A) is a comparative view showing a configuration in which a nozzle opening of a conveyance nozzle and a toner intake port of a nozzle receiving member are provided at the height of the rotation center of the conveyance screw, and (b) is a state in which the conveyance nozzle is inserted. Cross-sectional explanatory drawing which cut | disconnected the nozzle receiving member in the position of the toner intake. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the toner intake when the toner intake and the lifting portion in the first embodiment are viewed from the container rear end side toward the container front end side in the rotation axis direction. (A)-(c) is explanatory drawing which represents continuously a mode that the toner T is made to flow into a toner intake using the structure of the toner intake and lifting part whose angle (theta) shown in FIG. 13 is an obtuse angle. (A)-(c) is sectional explanatory drawing of the structure which provided the bending shape in the lifting part. Explanatory drawing of the structure which installed the fall prevention wall from the side surface by the side of the container front end of the lifting part in Embodiment 1. FIG. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the toner intake when the toner intake and the lifting portion in the first embodiment are viewed from the container rear end side toward the container front end side in the rotation axis direction. (A)-(c) is explanatory drawing which represents continuously a mode that the toner T is made to flow into a toner intake, using the structure of the toner intake and lifting part whose angle (theta) shown in FIG. 17 is an acute angle. Cross-sectional explanatory drawing of the nozzle shutter member common to all the embodiments. FIG. 20 is an explanatory perspective view of the nozzle shutter member of FIG. 19 viewed from the nozzle tip side. The perspective explanatory view which looked at the nozzle shutter member of FIG. 19 from the nozzle base side. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional explanatory view in the vicinity of a conveyance nozzle of a toner replenishing device common to all embodiments. FIG. 4 is a perspective explanatory view of a toner container during storage in the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of a toner container in which an adsorbent is provided on a cap in a second embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective explanatory view of a connector fixed to a toner replenishing device common to all embodiments and a container tip side end of a toner container. FIG. 26 is a perspective explanatory view of the container tip side end of the toner container and the connector in a state where the IC tag holding mechanism of FIG. 25 is disassembled. FIG. 26 is a perspective explanatory view of a container tip side end of the toner container and a connector in a state where the IC tag of FIG. The perspective view which shows the relative positional relationship of an IC tag, a holding lid, and a connector common to all the embodiments. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a state where a toner container having a configuration in which a torque limiter according to Embodiment 3 is provided to limit the rotational drive of the agitator is sufficiently filled with toner. FIG. 30 is an explanatory diagram showing a state when the toner in the toner container of FIG. 29 is depleted. (A), (b) is EE sectional drawing of the toner container of FIG. The cross-sectional perspective view of a torque limiter. (A) is explanatory drawing of the blade | wing type conveyance member applicable to the toner container of FIG. 29, (b) is explanatory drawing of the spring-shaped coil type conveyance member without a rotating shaft applicable to the toner container of FIG. FIG. 30 is an explanatory diagram in which a rotating member having a cam groove is provided on a torque limiter applicable to the toner container of FIG. 29 to reciprocate the blade-type conveying member in the longitudinal direction of the container body. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a toner container in which an agitator assembly according to Embodiment 4 is configured integrally with a container front end side cover. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view of a toner container in which a container tip side cover in Embodiment 5 is configured integrally with a rotation gear. 36A is a cross-sectional view of the toner container in FIG. 36, and FIG. 36B is a cross-sectional view of the container front end cover provided with an inclined surface at the front end of the lifting portion of FIG. Sectional drawing of the container front end side cover which offset and provided the lifting part of (a), (d) is sectional drawing of the container front end side cover which shows the state slightly before (c) in time series. The perspective explanatory drawing of the container front end side cover common to all the embodiments. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the toner supply device and the toner container before the toner container is mounted in the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is an explanatory cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the toner container according to Embodiment 1 is completely attached to the toner supply device. FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the toner supply device and the toner container before the toner container is mounted.

(Image forming device)
<Embodiment 1>
Hereinafter, an embodiment of the present invention in which the present invention is applied to a copier as an image forming apparatus (hereinafter referred to as a copier 500) will be described.
FIG. 2 is a schematic configuration diagram of a copier 500 that is common to all the embodiments. The copying machine 500 includes a copying machine main body (hereinafter referred to as a printer unit 100), a paper feed table (hereinafter referred to as a paper feed unit 200), and a scanner (hereinafter referred to as a scanner unit 400) mounted on the printer unit 100.

  A toner container storage unit 70 provided at the upper part of the printer unit 100 includes four toner container A032 (Y, M, C, K) corresponding to each color (yellow, magenta, cyan, black). ) Is detachably (replaceable). An intermediate transfer unit 85 is disposed below the toner container housing portion 70.

  The intermediate transfer unit 85 includes an intermediate transfer belt 48, four primary transfer bias rollers 49 (Y, M, C, and K), a secondary transfer backup roller 82, a plurality of tension rollers, an intermediate transfer cleaning device (not shown), and the like. Consists of. The intermediate transfer belt 48 is stretched and supported by a plurality of roller members, and moves endlessly in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 by the rotational drive of the secondary transfer backup roller 82 which is one of the plurality of roller members.

  The printer unit 100 is provided with four image forming units 46 (Y, M, C, K) corresponding to the respective colors so as to face the intermediate transfer belt 48. In addition, below the four toner containers A032 (Y, M, C, K), four corresponding toner replenishing devices 60 (Y, M, C, K) are arranged. The toner contained in the toner container A032 (Y, M, C, K) is imaged by the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) corresponding to each image forming unit 46 (Y , M, C, K) is supplied (supplemented) into the developing device (powder material use section).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the printer unit 100 includes an exposure device 47 that is a latent image forming unit below the four image forming units 46. The exposure device 47 exposes the surface of the photoconductor 41 to be described later based on image information of the original image read by the scanner unit 400 or image information input from an external device such as a personal computer. An electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface. The exposure device 47 provided in the printer unit 100 uses a laser beam scanner method using a laser diode, but other configurations such as an exposure unit using an LED array may be used.

FIG. 3 is a schematic diagram showing a schematic configuration of the image forming unit 46Y corresponding to yellow.
The image forming unit 46Y includes a drum-shaped photoreceptor 41Y that is a latent image carrier. Further, the image forming unit 46Y has a configuration in which a charging roller 44Y as a charging unit, a developing device 50Y as a developing unit, a photoconductor cleaning device 42Y, a static eliminator (not shown), and the like are disposed around the photoconductor 41Y. Then, an image forming process (charging process, exposure process, developing process, transfer process, cleaning process) is performed on the photoreceptor 41Y, and a yellow image is formed on the photoreceptor 41Y.

  The other three image forming units 46 (M, C, K) have substantially the same configuration as the image forming unit 46Y corresponding to yellow except that the color of the toner used is different. An image of a color corresponding to each toner is formed on the photoreceptor 41 (M, C, K). Hereinafter, description of the other three image forming units 46 (M, C, K) will be omitted as appropriate, and only the image forming unit 46Y corresponding to yellow will be described.

  The photoreceptor 41Y is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction in FIG. 3 by a drive motor (not shown). Then, the surface of the photoreceptor 41Y is uniformly charged at a position facing the charging roller 44Y (charging process). Thereafter, the surface of the photoreceptor 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 process). Thereafter, the surface of the photoconductor 41Y reaches a position facing the developing device 50Y, and the electrostatic latent image is developed at this position to form a yellow toner image (developing process).

  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 photoreceptor 41 (Y, M, C, K) and perform primary transfer. A nip is formed. Then, a transfer bias reverse to the polarity of the toner is applied to the primary transfer bias roller 49 (Y, M, C, K).

  The surface of the photoconductor 41Y on which the toner image is formed in the developing process reaches a primary transfer nip that faces the primary transfer bias roller 49Y with the intermediate transfer belt 48 interposed therebetween, and the toner image on the photoconductor 41Y at this primary transfer nip. Is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 48 (primary transfer step). At this time, a small amount of untransferred toner remains on the photoreceptor 41Y. The surface of the photoconductor 41Y that has transferred the toner image to the intermediate transfer belt 48 at the primary transfer nip reaches a position facing the photoconductor cleaning device 42Y. Untransferred toner remaining on the photoreceptor 41Y at this facing position is mechanically collected by the cleaning blade 42a (cleaning process). Finally, the surface of the photoconductor 41Y reaches a position facing a static eliminator (not shown), and the residual potential on the photoconductor 41Y is removed at this position. Thus, a series of image forming processes performed on the photoreceptor 41Y is completed.

  Such an image forming process is performed in the other image forming units 46 (M, C, K) similarly to the yellow image forming unit 46Y. That is, the laser beam L based on the image information from the exposure device 47 disposed below the image forming unit 46 (M, C, K) is a photoconductor of each image forming unit 46 (M, C, K). 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 polygon mirror that is rotationally driven, while each photoconductor 41 (M, C, K) via a plurality of optical elements. ) Irradiate the top. Thereafter, the toner images of the respective colors formed on the photoreceptors 41 (M, C, K) through the developing process are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 48.

  At this time, the intermediate transfer belt 48 travels in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 and sequentially passes through the primary transfer nip of each primary transfer bias roller 49 (Y, M, C, K). As a result, the toner images of the respective colors on the respective photoreceptors 41 (Y, M, C, K) are primarily transferred while being superimposed on the intermediate transfer belt 48, 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 transferred in a superimposed manner and the color toner image is formed reaches a position facing the secondary transfer roller 89. At this position, the secondary transfer backup roller 82 sandwiches the intermediate transfer belt 48 between the secondary transfer roller 89 and forms a secondary transfer nip. Then, the color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 48 is transferred onto a recording medium P such as transfer paper conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer nip. At this time, untransferred toner that has not been transferred to the recording medium P remains on the intermediate transfer belt 48. The intermediate transfer belt 48 that has passed through the secondary transfer nip reaches the position of an intermediate transfer cleaning device (not shown), untransferred toner on the surface is collected, and a series of transfer processes performed on the intermediate transfer belt 48 is completed. To do.

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

  The recording medium P transported to the registration roller pair 28 temporarily stops at the position of the roller nip of the registration roller pair 28 whose rotation drive has been stopped. The registration roller pair 28 is rotationally driven in accordance with the timing at which the color toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 48 reaches the secondary transfer nip, and the recording medium P is conveyed toward the secondary transfer nip. As a result, 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 heat and pressure generated by the fixing belt and the pressure roller. The recording medium P that has passed through the fixing device 86 is discharged to the outside of the apparatus after passing between the rollers of the discharge roller pair 29. The recording media P discharged to the outside of the apparatus by the discharge roller pair 29 are sequentially stacked on the stack unit 30 as an output image. Thus, a series of image forming processes in the copying machine 500 is completed.

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

  As shown in FIG. 3, the developing device 50Y includes a developing roller 51Y, a doctor blade 52Y, two developer conveying screws 55Y, a toner concentration detection sensor 56Y, and the like. The developing roller 51Y faces the photoconductor 41Y, and the doctor blade 52Y faces the developing roller 51Y. The two developer transport screws 55Y are disposed in the two developer accommodating portions (53Y, 54Y). The developing roller 51Y includes a magnet roller fixed inside, a sleeve rotating around the magnet roller, and the like. In the first developer accommodating portion 53Y and the second developer accommodating portion 54Y, a two-component developer G composed of a carrier and toner is accommodated. The second developer accommodating portion 54Y communicates with the toner dropping conveyance path 64Y through an opening formed thereabove. Further, the toner concentration detection sensor 56Y detects the toner concentration in the developer G in the second developer accommodating portion 54Y.

  The developer G in the developing device 50 circulates between the first developer accommodating portion 53Y and the second developer accommodating portion 54Y while being agitated by the two developer conveying screws 55Y. The developer G in the first developer accommodating 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 conveyed to one of the developer conveying screws 55Y. Is done. The sleeve of the developing roller 51Y is driven to rotate counterclockwise as indicated by the arrow in FIG. 3, and the developer G carried on the developing roller 51Y moves on the developing roller 51Y as the sleeve rotates. At this time, the toner in the developer G is charged on the potential opposite to that of the carrier due to frictional charging with the carrier in the developer G, and is electrostatically attracted to the carrier, and is formed on the developing roller 51Y. Along with the carrier attracted by the magnetic field, it is carried on the developing roller 51Y.

  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. The amount of the developer G on the developing roller 51Y is adjusted to an appropriate amount when passing through the doctor portion, and is then transported to a developing region that is a position facing the photoreceptor 41Y. In the development area, the toner in the developer G is attracted 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 that has passed through the developing region reaches the upper portion of the first developer containing portion 53Y as the sleeve rotates, and is detached from the developing roller 51Y at this position.

The developer G in the developing device 50Y is adjusted so that the toner density is within a predetermined range.
Specifically, the toner contained in the toner container A032Y passes through the toner replenishing device 60Y, which will be described later, according to the consumption amount of the toner contained in the developer G in the developing device 50Y. 54Y is replenished.
The toner replenished in the second developer accommodating portion 54Y is mixed and stirred together with the developer G by the two developer conveying screws 55Y, while the first developer accommodating portion 53Y, the second developer accommodating portion 54Y, Cycle between.

(Toner supply device)
Next, the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) will be described.
FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram showing a state in which the toner container A032Y is installed in the toner replenishing device 60Y, and FIG. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the state made.

  The toner in each toner container A032 (Y, M, C, K) installed in the toner container housing part 70 of the printer unit 100 is consumed by the toner in each color developing device 50 (Y, M, C, K). Accordingly, each developing device 50 (Y, M, C, K) is appropriately replenished. At this time, the toner in each toner container A032 (Y, M, C, K) is supplied by a toner supply device 60 (Y, M, C, K) provided for each toner color. The four toner replenishing devices 60 (Y, M, C, K) and the toner container A032 (Y, M, C, K) have substantially the same structure except that the colors of the toners used in the image forming process are different. . Therefore, only the toner replenishing device 60Y and toner container A032Y corresponding to yellow will be described below, and the toner replenishing device 60 (M, C, K) and toner container A032 (M, C) corresponding to the other three colors will be described. , K) will be omitted as appropriate.

The toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) includes a toner container housing portion 70, a transport nozzle 611 (Y, M, C, K), a transport screw 614 (Y, M, C, K), and a toner drop transport. A path 64 (Y, M, C, K), a rotation drive unit 91 (Y, M, C, K), and the like are included.
When the toner container A032Y moves in the direction of the arrow Q in the drawing and is attached to the toner container housing part 70 of the printer unit 100, the toner replenishing device 60Y of the toner container A032Y starts from the container front end side in conjunction with the attaching operation. The transport nozzle 611Y is inserted. As a result, the toner container A032Y communicates with the inside of the transport nozzle 611Y. Details of the configuration communicating in conjunction with the mounting operation will be described later.

  As a form of the toner container according to the first embodiment, a toner container A032Y according to the present embodiment is a cylindrical toner bottle, and mainly includes a container front end side cover A034Y that is non-rotatably held in the toner container storage unit 70; A container gear A301Y is assembled, and is mainly composed of a nozzle receiving member A330 that is rotatably held by a container front end side cover A034Y, and a cylindrical container body cY.

  The toner container housing part 70 mainly includes a container cover receiving part 73, a container receiving part 72, and an insertion port forming part 71. The container cover receiving part 73 is a part for holding the container front end side cover A034Y of the toner container A032Y, and the container receiving part 72 is a part for holding the container main body A033Y of the toner container A032Y. The insertion port forming portion 71 is a portion that forms an insertion port during the mounting operation of the container receiving portion 72 and the toner container A032Y. When the main body cover (not shown) installed on the front side of the copier 500 (the front side in the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 2) is opened, the insertion port forming portion 71 of the toner container housing portion 70 is exposed. Then, each toner container A032 (Y, M, C, K) is attached / detached from the front side of the copier 500 in a state where the longitudinal direction of each toner container A032 (Y, M, C, K) is horizontal ( An attachment / detachment operation in which the longitudinal direction of the toner container A032 is the attachment / detachment direction is performed. A set cover 608Y in FIG. 4 is a part of the container cover receiving portion 73 of the toner container housing portion 70.

  The container receiving portion 72 is formed so that its length in the longitudinal direction is substantially equal to the length of the container body A033Y in the longitudinal direction. The container cover receiving portion 73 is provided on the container front end side in the longitudinal direction (attachment / detachment direction) of the container receiving portion 72, and the insertion port forming portion 71 is provided on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the container receiving portion 72. Therefore, in accordance with the mounting operation of the toner container A032Y, the container front end side cover A034Y slides on the container receiving portion 72 for a while after passing through the insertion port forming portion 71, and is then mounted on the container cover receiving portion 73. It will be.

  With the container front end side cover A034Y mounted on the container cover receiving portion 73, the rotation receiving portion 91Y composed of a drive motor, a drive gear and the like is assembled to the nozzle receiving member A330 via the main body side drive gear 601Y. When rotational driving is input to the container gear A301Y, the agitator A380Y as a powder conveying member provided in the container main body A033Y is rotationally driven in the direction of arrow A in FIG. By rotating the agitator A380Y, the toner T accommodated in the container main body A033Y is transported from the left side to the right side in FIG. 4 along the longitudinal direction of the container main body, and the inside of the transport nozzle 611Y from the container front end side cover A034Y side. To be supplied.

A transport screw 614Y is disposed in the transport nozzle 611Y, and the transport screw 614Y is rotated and supplied into the transport nozzle 611Y when a rotational driving force is input to the transport screw gear 605Y from the rotation driving unit 91Y. The toner T is conveyed. The downstream end of the transport nozzle 611Y in the transport direction is connected to the toner drop transport path 64Y, and the toner T transported by the transport screw 614Y falls down on the toner drop transport path 64Y by its own weight, thereby developing device 50Y (second developer). The container 54Y) is replenished.
Each of the toner containers A032 (Y, M, C, K) is replaced with a new one when it reaches the end of its life (when the toner T to be stored is almost exhausted). A handle A303 is formed on the container rear end cover A307 provided at the end opposite to the container front end cover A034 in the longitudinal direction of the toner container A032, and an operator can replace the handle portion at the time of replacement. The attached toner container A032 can be removed by grasping A303 and pulling it out.

The control unit 90 may calculate the toner consumption based on the image information used in the exposure device 47 described above, and the control unit 90 may determine that it is necessary to supply the toner T to the developing device 50Y. Further, the controller 90 may detect that the toner density in the developing device 50Y has decreased based on the detection result of the toner density detection sensor 56Y. In these cases, the rotation drive unit 91Y is driven by the control of the control unit 90, and the agitator A380Y and the conveying screw 614Y in the container main body A033Y of the toner container A032Y are rotated for a predetermined time to supply toner to the developing device 50Y. . Further, since the toner T is replenished by rotating the conveying screw 614Y disposed in the conveying nozzle 611Y, the toner supply amount from the toner container A032Y can be accurately detected by detecting the number of rotations of the conveying screw 614Y. It can also be calculated well. When the toner supply amount cumulatively calculated from when the toner container A032Y is mounted reaches the amount of toner in the toner container A032Y at the time of mounting, it is determined that there is no toner T in the toner container A032Y and the copying machine 500 A display notifying the user to replace the toner container A032Y is displayed on a display unit (not shown).
Even if the toner concentration detection sensor 56Y detects a decrease in toner concentration, executes a replenishment operation, and repeats the determination of whether or not the toner concentration has been recovered a plurality of times, the toner concentration is recovered by the toner concentration detection sensor 56Y. May not be detected. Also in this case, it is assumed that there is no toner T in the toner container A032Y, and a display notifying the user to replace the toner container A032Y is displayed on a display unit (not shown) of the copier 500.

FIG. 7 is a perspective explanatory view of the toner replenishing device 60 before the toner container A032 is mounted and the front end side end of the toner container A032.
As shown in FIG. 7, the toner replenishing device 60 includes a nozzle holder 607 that fixes the transport nozzle 611 to the frame 602 of the copying machine 500, and the set cover 608 is fixed to the nozzle holder 607. . Further, a toner drop conveyance path 64 is fixed to the nozzle holder 607 so as to communicate with the inside of the conveyance nozzle 611 from below the conveyance nozzle 611.

  In addition, a rotation drive unit 91 is fixed to the frame 602. The rotation drive unit 91 includes a drive motor 603 and a main body side drive gear 601, and further includes a worm gear 603 a that transmits the rotation drive of the drive motor 603 to the rotation shaft of the main body side drive gear 601. A drive transmission gear 604 is fixed to the rotation shaft of the main body side drive gear 601, and is configured to mesh with the conveyance screw gear 605 fixed to the rotation shaft of the conveyance screw 614. With such a configuration, by driving the drive motor 603 to rotate, driving transmission is transmitted from the main body side drive gear 601 to the container gear A301, and the agitator A380 is rotated via the nozzle receiving member A330 in which the container gear is assembled. it can. Further, the agitator A 380 can be rotated, and the conveyance screw 614 can be rotated via the drive transmission gear 604 and the conveyance screw gear 605.

Next, the transport nozzle 611 of the toner replenishing device 60 will be described.
FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional explanatory diagram of the nozzle shutter 612. 20 is an explanatory perspective view of the nozzle shutter 612 when viewed from the side (nozzle tip side) to which the toner container A032 is attached. FIG. FIG. FIG. 22 is an explanatory sectional view of the vicinity of the transport nozzle 611 of the toner replenishing device 60.

  At the base of the transport nozzle 611, a container setting portion 615 is formed in which the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle receiving member 330 is fitted as a container opening in a state where the toner container A032 is mounted on the toner replenishing device 60. The container setting portion 615 has a cylindrical shape, and is fitted so that its inner peripheral surface 615a and the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle receiving member A330 are slidable. By this fitting, the toner container A032 is positioned with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 in the normal direction to the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle receiving member A330 (the plane direction orthogonal to the rotation axis of the agitator A380). Further, when the nozzle receiving member A330 and the agitator A380 are rotated, the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle receiving member A330 functions as a rotation shaft portion, and the container setting portion 615 functions as a bearing. The position at which the outer peripheral surface of the nozzle receiving member A330 is slidably in contact with the container setting portion 615 and the toner container A032 is positioned with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 is indicated by α in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 19 and the like, the nozzle shutter 612 includes a nozzle shutter flange 612a and a nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612e. A shutter inner peripheral first rib 612b is formed on a part of the upper portion of the inner peripheral surface in the vicinity of the end portion on the nozzle tip side of the nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612e. On the other hand, a shutter inner peripheral second rib 612c and a shutter inner peripheral third rib 612d are formed on the inner peripheral surface in the vicinity of the nozzle base end of the nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612e so as to make one round of the inner peripheral surface. Has been.
The circumferential length of the inner peripheral surface of the shutter inner peripheral first rib 612b is a length that can fit within the circumferential width of the nozzle opening 610 in a state where the nozzle shutter 612 is attached to the transport nozzle 611. is there.

  As shown in FIGS. 1 and 22, the end of the nozzle shutter spring 613 on the nozzle base side abuts against the end surface 615 b of the container setting unit 615. Further, the end of the nozzle shutter spring 613 on the nozzle front end side abuts against the nozzle shutter spring receiving surface 612f of the nozzle shutter flange 612a. In a state where the nozzle shutter spring 613 is compressed, the nozzle shutter 612 receives an urging force in a direction (left direction in FIG. 22) that falls from the nozzle tip side. However, the shutter inner peripheral first rib 612b hits the edge of the nozzle opening 610 on the nozzle tip side, that is, the upper part of the inner wall surface of the nozzle tip 611a of the transport nozzle 611. This prevents the nozzle shutter 612 from moving in the direction of falling off the transport nozzle 611 as compared to the state shown in FIG. Positioning of the nozzle shutter 612 with respect to the transport nozzle 611 in the rotation axis direction is performed by the contact of the shutter inner peripheral first rib 612b and the biasing force of the nozzle shutter spring 613.

(Toner container)
Next, the toner container A032 (Y, M, C, K) and the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) of the first embodiment will be described in more detail. As described above, the toner container A032 (Y, M, C, K) and the toner replenishing device 60 (Y, M, C, K) have substantially the same configuration except that the colors of the toners used are different. It has become. Therefore, in the following description, the suffixes Y, M, C, and K that indicate the color of the toner to be used are omitted.

FIG. 6 is a perspective explanatory view of the toner container A032 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 7 is an explanatory perspective view of the toner replenishing device 60 before the toner container A032 is mounted and the front end side end of the toner container A032.
FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the toner replenishing device 60 before the toner container A032 is mounted and the end of the toner container A032 on the leading end side of the container, and FIG. 8 is a toner replenishing state in which the toner container A032 is mounted. 4 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the device 60 and an end portion of a toner container A032 on the container front end side. FIG.

  The toner replenishing device 60 includes a transport nozzle 611 including a transport screw 614 therein. The toner replenishing device 60 includes a nozzle shutter 612. The nozzle shutter 612 closes the nozzle opening 610 formed in the transport nozzle 611 and is mounted with the toner container A032 when not mounted (the state shown in FIGS. 1 and 7) before the toner container A032 is mounted. At times (state of FIG. 8), the nozzle opening 610 is opened. On the other hand, at the center of the front end surface of the toner container A032, a nozzle receiving port A331 into which the transport nozzle 611 is inserted when mounted is formed, and a container shutter A332 that closes the nozzle receiving port A331 when not mounted is provided.

First, the toner container A032 will be described with reference to FIG.
As described above, the toner container A032 mainly includes the container body A033, the nozzle receiving member A330, the agitator A380, and the container front end side cover A034.
FIG. 9 is an exploded view of the container gear A301, the nozzle receiving member A330, and the agitator A380, which are rotating members among the constituent members of the toner container A032. The broken lines in FIG. 9 indicate the rotation center axes of these rotating members, and the container gear A301, the nozzle receiving member A330, and the agitator A380 are configured to have the same rotation center axis. .

The container main body A033 has a cylindrical shape and accommodates toner and an agitator A380 described later. Hereinafter, a direction parallel to the rotation center axis of the agitator A380 along the longitudinal direction of the container main body A033 is referred to as a “center axis direction”. In the center axis direction, the side on which the nozzle inlet A331 in the toner container A032 is formed (container The side on which the front end side cover A034 is disposed) will be referred to as the “container front end side”. Further, the side of the toner container A032 on which the handle portion A303 is disposed (the side opposite to the container front end side) will be referred to as “container rear end side”. When the toner container A032 is attached to the toner supply device 60, the central axis direction is the horizontal direction. As described above, the agitator A380 is provided inside the container main body A033, and the agitator A380 is rotationally driven by being transmitted through the container gear A301 and the nozzle receiving member A330. When the agitator A380 is rotated in the direction of arrow A in FIG. 8 by this drive transmission, the toner T in the container main body A033 is moved from one end side (container rear end side) to the other end side (container container side) in the central axis direction by the action of the agitator A380. A conveying force toward the tip side is applied.
In the toner container A032, the toner main body A033 is filled with the toner T from the toner filling hole A307a formed in the container rear end cover A307, and then the toner filling port A307a is closed with the cap A311 so that the toner T is accommodated therein. It has become.

The nozzle receiving member A330 is a shutter support portion A330a that movably supports the container shutter A332, and a bottom portion (container rear end side) of the shutter support portion A330a. The container shutter spring support portion A330b with which the end portion of the container shutter spring A336 abuts. And having.
And it has 1st outer peripheral surface A330c rotatably supported by the container front end side cover A034, and 2nd outer peripheral surface A330d larger in outer diameter than the 1st outer peripheral surface and supported by 1st container cover A308. The first outer peripheral surface A330c has a toner intake A392 and a convex portion A391 that prevents the container gear A301 from rotating. The second outer peripheral surface A330d is an outer peripheral surface of the nozzle receiving member A330 that is rotatably supported by the container setting unit 615 of the toner replenishing device when the toner container A032 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60.
Further, the inner peripheral surface side of the nozzle receiving member is provided between the shutter support portion A330a described above, the inner peripheral surface A330e having a larger inner diameter than the shutter support portion A330a, and the shutter support portion A330a and the inner peripheral surface A330e. And a stepped portion A330f. One end surface of the container seal A333 is attached to the nozzle receiving member A330 with one end face attached to the stepped portion A330f. The other end face of the container seal A333 and the inner peripheral face A330e described above form a tip opening A305 that is a cylindrical space region. The nozzle receiving port A331 is sealed by bringing the outer peripheral surface of the container shutter A332 into contact with the inner peripheral surface of the container seal A333. A transport nozzle 611 of the toner replenishing device is inserted into the nozzle receiving port A331. In the toner container A032, the nozzle receiving port A331 of the nozzle receiving member A330 is an opening into which the transfer nozzle 611 can be inserted, and the outer peripheral surface (second outer peripheral surface A330d) of the tip opening A305 is a container opening. .
It should be noted that an insertion guide member having good sliding properties such as Teflon (registered trademark) may be provided on the shutter support portion A330a so that the transport nozzle 611 can be smoothly inserted into the nozzle receiving port A331.

The nozzle receiving member A330 includes a container shutter A332 made of a resin member such as ABS, PS, or POM, SW-C (hard steel wire), SWP-A (piano wire), or SUS304 (stainless steel wire for spring). The container shutter spring A336 is made of a different material.
For this reason, by easily removing the nozzle receiving member A330 from the container main body 33 made of PET (polyethylene terephthalate) or the like, material recycling can be easily performed by disassembling the toner container 32 and selecting the material.

The agitator A380 applies a conveying force from one end side (container rear end side) to the other end side (container front end side) in the central axis direction with respect to the toner T contained in the container main body A033. A lifting portion A382 that extends from the vicinity of the toner inlet A392 of the nozzle receiving member toward the inner peripheral surface of the container main body A033 is provided on the container front end side of the agitator A380.
The lifting portion A382 extends from the upstream side in the rotation direction of the nozzle receiving member A330 with respect to the toner intake port A392, and lifts the toner T from below by the rotation of the agitator A380 to flow the toner into the toner intake port A392. be able to. The agitator A380 is attached to the nozzle receiving member A330 so that the lifting portion A382 forms a predetermined angle with respect to the tangential direction at the edge of the toner intake port A392.
When the toner container A032 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the toner inlet A392 and the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 inserted from the nozzle inlet A331 of the nozzle receiving member A330 communicate with each other. Therefore, the toner T can be supplied from the toner container A032 to the toner supply device 60.
In the configuration shown in FIGS. 1 and 8, etc., the agitator A380 has a shape in which a pair of flat plates are spirally twisted with the central axis as a symmetry axis, and the lifting portion A382 has a paddle blade shape with respect to the rotation direction. is there.

The container front end side cover A034 covers the container gear A301 from the container front end side, holds an IC tag 700 described later, and rotatably supports the second outer peripheral surface A330d of the nozzle receiving member described above, It consists of a second container cover A308b fixed to the container front end side of the container body A033 and rotatably supporting the first outer peripheral surface A330c of the nozzle receiving member. The first container cover A 308a is fixed to the second container cover A 308b and constitutes the container front end side cover A034. The container front end side cover A034 has a pair of slide guides A361 provided on both lower side surfaces thereof, a container lock portion A339, and a color non-compatible rib A034b protruding in a direction perpendicular to the attaching / detaching direction of the toner container A032. .
A pair of slide guides A361 provided on both lower side surfaces of the container front end cover A034 is a guide for sliding the container container A032 on the container receiving portion 72 in FIG. Function. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 5, grooves extending from the insertion port forming portion 71 to the container cover receiving portion 73 are formed directly below the four toner containers A032, with the axial direction of the container main body A033 as the longitudinal direction. It fits in this groove and allows sliding movement. More specifically, the groove of the container receiving portion 72 has a pair of slide rails protruding from both side surfaces thereof. The slide guide A361 includes a pair of slide rails that are sandwiched from above and below when sliding the pair of slide rails. A slide groove A361a parallel to the central axis direction is formed.
Further, the container lock portion A339 engages with a replenishment device side lock member 609 provided on the set cover 608 when the toner replenishment device 60 is mounted. Then, a guide groove A339b that guides relative movement with the replenishing device side lock member 609 and a locking hole A339d that is engaged with the replenishing device side lock member 609 in a state where the toner container A032 is mounted on the toner replenishing device 60. Is provided.

The first container cover A308a of the container front end side cover A034 includes an ID tag (IC tag) 700 that records a part of the above-described guide groove A339b and records data such as the usage status of the toner container A032. And the container front end side edge part of nozzle receiving member A330 penetrates and has through-hole A308e for exposing 2nd outer peripheral surface A330d. Further, the first container cover A308a is restricted in relative positional relationship in the longitudinal direction with the nozzle receiving member A330 by a restriction ring A306 fitted from the container front end side of the nozzle receiving member A330.
Further, the color incompatible rib A034b prevents the toner container A032 having different toner color from being mounted on the set cover 608 corresponding to another color.

The container front end cover A034 is formed with a gear exposure opening A034a that exposes a part of the container gear A301 described above (the back side in FIG. 6). With such a configuration, when the toner container A032 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the container gear A301 exposed from the gear exposure opening A034a can be engaged with the main body side drive gear 601 on the toner replenishing device 60 side. Drive can be transmitted from the forming apparatus main body side to the rotating member of the toner container A032.
FIG. 9 is an exploded view of an agitator assembly A390 mainly composed of a container gear A301, a nozzle receiving member A330, and an agitator A380, which are rotating members among the constituent members of the toner container A032. The broken lines in FIG. 9 indicate the rotation center axes of these rotating members, and the container gear A301, the nozzle receiving member A330, and the agitator A380 are configured to have the same rotation center axis. .

(Rotating member)
Next, an agitator assembly A390 including a nozzle receiving member A330, an agitator A380, and the like that are rotatably provided to the container body A033 will be described.
10 is an exploded perspective view of the agitator assembly A390 including the nozzle receiving member A330, the agitator A380, and the like. FIG. FIG.

  As shown in FIGS. 9 and 10, the agitator assembly A 390 is configured by assembling a container gear A 301, two agitators A 380, and a central axis A 334 with respect to the nozzle receiving member A 330. After the container shutter spring A336 and the container shutter A332 are inserted into the nozzle receiving port A331 of the nozzle receiving member A330 and assembled, the pin A340 is inserted from the direction orthogonal to the rotation axis direction, the hole of the container shutter A332 and the guide slit of the nozzle receiving member. Insert and assemble to penetrate 330g. The container shutter A332 is provided with a prevention claw for preventing it from being removed, and the container shutter spring support A330b of the nozzle receiving member A330 is provided with a hole for catching the prevention claw so that the container shutter A332 is assembled to the nozzle receiving member A330. good.

In the agitator assembly A390, the main body side drive gear 601 of the toner supply device main body is driven by the container gear A301, whereby the nozzle receiving member A330 is rotated and the agitator A380 is rotated. When the agitator A380 is rotated, the toner T on the container rear end side of the container main body A033 is transported to the container front end side where the toner intake port A392 is provided, and the toner T in the container main body A033 is loosened. . In addition, as described above, the lifting portion A382 is formed on the container tip side of the agitator A380, and the toner T conveyed to the container tip side is formed in the nozzle receiving member A330 by the rotation of the agitator A380. It is lifted up to A392 and poured. The toner T that has flowed into the toner intake port A392 is inserted into the nozzle receiving port A331, is taken into the transport nozzle 611 from the nozzle opening 610 that communicates with the toner intake port A392, and is transported into the toner supply device 60.
In the example shown in FIG. 10, the container gear A301 and the nozzle receiving member A330 are joined by a rotation-preventing convex portion A391 formed on the first outer peripheral surface A330c of the nozzle receiving member A330. The structure is not limited to this structure, and may be bonded with an adhesive or the like, or may be fixed with a slide pin or the like. Any structure may be used as long as the drive from the toner replenishing device main body can be transmitted to the nozzle receiving member A330. It may be.

Further, the nozzle receiving member A330 and the container gear A301 may be molded integrally, or the nozzle receiving member A330 and the agitator A380 may be molded integrally.
Thereby, an assembly process can be reduced and a cost reduction is attained.
Further, the center axis A334 is provided in order to suppress the center shake (unevenness of rotation) when the nozzle receiving member A330 is rotated. As such, a configuration without a central axis may be used. In the case of this configuration, a center pin A381 may be provided on the container rear end side of the agitator A380 so that the agitator A380 is rotatably supported at the center of the container rear end lid A307.
Further, a bearing may be provided in a sliding portion between the nozzle receiving member A330, the container front end side cover A034, and the first container cover A308. The bearing preferably has a toner sealing property.

  When the toner container A032 having the above-described configuration is inserted into the toner container storage unit 70, the leading end of the transport nozzle 611 enters the nozzle receiving port A331. When the toner container A032 is further inserted into the toner container storage unit 70, the leading end of the transport nozzle 611 comes into contact with the container shutter A332, and the container shutter A332 resists the urging force of the container shutter spring A336, and the container rear end side. Is pushed into. Then, the container shutter A 332 moves toward the container rear end, and the toner intake A 392 and the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 communicate with each other.

  The toner T can be taken in (supplied) when the toner inlet A392 and the nozzle opening 610 of the conveying nozzle 611 communicate with each other. However, the positional relationship between the toner inlet A392 and the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380 is related to the toner inlet A392. It is desirable to set the position where toner T enters smoothly.

FIG. 12B shows a cross-section of the nozzle receiving member A330 in a state in which the conveyance nozzle 611 containing the conveyance screw 614 is inserted at the position of the toner intake A392 from the container front end side to the container rear end side. FIG. FIG. 12A is a comparative view showing a configuration in which the nozzle opening 610 of the conveyance nozzle and the toner intake A392 of the nozzle receiving member are provided at the height of the rotation center of the conveyance screw 614. The conveying screw 614 conveys the toner T to the toner replenishing device 60 by rotating clockwise in the drawing.
In the configuration shown in FIG. 12A, the nozzle opening 610 and the toner intake A 392 are opened at the height of the rotation center of the conveying screw 614 in the direction of gravity, and both openings are wider than the diameter of the conveying screw 614. Then, by dropping the toner T from a position higher than the nozzle opening 610 and the toner inlet A392, the toner can be taken into the transport nozzle 611 from the nozzle opening 610 communicating with the toner inlet A392. However, the area where the conveying screw 614 is covered by the conveying nozzle 611 is a lower half area, and the toner T supplied through the nozzle opening 610 causes the conveying screw 614 to convey the toner T to the toner replenishing device 60. When the rotation is performed in the forward direction, the process proceeds while tilting so as to rotate with the rotation, so that the upper half of the transport nozzle 611 falls outward. Therefore, the amount of toner transported to the toner replenishing device 60 by the transport screw 614 is smaller than the amount of toner supplied into the transport nozzle 611 via the toner inlet A392 and the nozzle opening 610.
On the other hand, in the configuration shown in FIG. 12B, the nozzle opening 610 and the toner intake port A392 are located at a position higher than the rotation center of the conveying screw 614 in the gravity direction and higher than the upper end of the conveying screw 614. It is open. Each opening is narrower than the diameter of the conveying screw 614.
Then, by dropping the toner T from a position higher than the nozzle opening 610 and the toner inlet A392, the toner can be taken into the transport nozzle 611 from the nozzle opening 610 communicating with the toner inlet A392. In this configuration, the transport screw 614 is covered by the transport nozzle 611 up to the upper region (near the upper end of the transport screw 614) than the configuration illustrated in FIG. For this reason, the toner T supplied through the nozzle opening 610 advances while being inclined so as to rotate along with the rotation of the conveying screw 614 to convey the toner T to the toner replenishing device 60. It is transported while being held in the transport nozzle 611 so as not to fall outward by the wall surface. Accordingly, in the configuration shown in FIG. 12B, the amount of toner supplied into the transport nozzle 611 via the toner intake A392 and the nozzle opening 610, and the amount of toner transported to the toner replenishing device 60 by the transport screw 614 Therefore, it is easy to control the amount of toner supplied from the toner container A032 to the toner supply device 60.
Further, the nozzle receiving member A330 of the first embodiment supports the container shutter 332 by the shutter support portion A330a and holds the container shutter spring A336.

  In the configuration shown in FIG. 12A, the circumferential direction of the container shutter spring A336 is held by the lower half inner circumferential surface (shutter support portion) A330a in the gravity direction of the nozzle receiving member A330. A container shutter A332 is provided on the container front end side of the container shutter spring A336, and the container rear end side is held by a container shutter spring support A330b of the nozzle receiving member. The transfer nozzle 611 is inserted into the nozzle receiving member A330 from the nozzle receiving port A331, the tip of the transfer nozzle 611 comes into contact with the container front end side of the container shutter A332, and the container shutter A332 moves to the container rear end side. At this time, when trying to compress the container shutter spring A336, the container shutter spring A336 is not covered with the inner peripheral surface (shutter support portion) A330a of the nozzle receiving member, so that the force to be compressed escapes upward and buckles. There is a risk that. If the container shutter spring A336 is buckled, the nozzle receiving port A331 cannot be closed by itself, so that when the toner container A032 is removed from the toner supply device 60, the toner is scattered from the nozzle receiving port A331.

  On the other hand, in the configuration shown in FIG. 12B, the container shutter spring A336 is covered with the shutter support portion A330a in the peripheral surface area excluding the toner intake port A392. Therefore, when the transfer nozzle 611 is inserted from the nozzle receiving port A331, the tip of the transfer nozzle 611 comes into contact with the container front end side of the container shutter A332, and the container shutter spring A336 is compressed when the container shutter A332 moves to the container rear end side. When trying to do so, the container shutter spring A336 is also held by the inner peripheral surface (shutter support portion) A330a of the nozzle receiving member from the circumferential direction. It is compressed in the moving direction of A332. Therefore, in the configuration shown in FIG. 12B, it is possible to prevent the container shutter spring A336 from buckling and the nozzle receiving port A331 from being self-closed.

  As shown in FIG. 12A, the nozzle opening 610 and the toner intake port A392 are opened at the height of the rotation center of the conveying screw 614 in the direction of gravity as shown in FIG. The configuration in which the nozzle opening 610 and the toner intake A392 are opened at a position higher than the rotation center of the conveying screw 614 in the gravity direction is advantageous in that the stability of the toner replenishment amount and the effect of suppressing the toner scattering can be expected. However, it is necessary to lift the toner to a higher position in the direction of gravity. Compared to the configuration of FIG. 12A, the configuration in which the nozzle opening 610 and the toner intake A392 are provided at a position higher than the rotation center of the conveying screw 614 in the direction of gravity shown in FIG. Therefore, it is necessary to smoothly flow the toner T at the timing when the nozzle opening 610 and the toner intake port A392 communicate with each other.

Next, a configuration in which the toner is lifted above the toner inlet A392 and flows into the toner inlet A392 will be described.
FIGS. 13 to 18 are explanatory diagrams showing the positional relationship in the rotational direction between the toner intake A392 where the toner T smoothly enters the toner intake A392 and the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380.
In order to smoothly lift the toner T conveyed to the front end side of the container inside the container main body A033 by the agitator A380 by the lifting portion A382 and flow into the toner intake A392, a toner pool is formed in the vicinity of the lifting portion A382. It is desirable. The attachment angle of the lifting portion A382 with respect to the first outer peripheral surface A330c including the toner intake port A392 of the nozzle receiving member A330 is important.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the toner inlet A392 when the toner inlet A392 of the nozzle receiving member A330 and the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380 are viewed from the container rear end side toward the container front end side in the rotation axis direction. is there. Note that an agitator assembly A390 including a nozzle receiving member A330 having a toner intake A392 and an agitator A380 is configured to rotate counterclockwise in FIG.
In FIG. 13, only one set of the toner intake A392 and the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380 is shown as a representative example. However, as shown in FIG. Alternatively, another set of toner intake port A392 and lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380 may be disposed. It is possible to arrange not only two sets but also a plurality of sets, and the number of sets may be determined according to a desired toner replenishment speed. Further, when a plurality of sets of the toner intake port A392 and the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380 are arranged, if the toner intake ports A392 are arranged at equal intervals, the time interval at which the toner flows into the toner intake port A392 is made constant. This is preferable because it is possible.

  In the example shown in FIG. 13, the lifting portion A382 forms an angle θ with respect to the tangential direction (shown by a broken line in the drawing) at the upstream edge portion of the rotation direction of the nozzle receiving member A330 of the toner intake port A392. An agitator A380 is attached to the nozzle receiving member A330. More specifically, a normal line orthogonal to a perpendicular line drawn from the center axis of the transport nozzle 611 (the rotation center axis of the transport screw 614) to the edge of the toner receiving port A392 upstream of the nozzle receiving member A330 in the rotational direction. On the other hand, the angle on the toner intake side formed by the surface on the toner intake side at the base of the lifting portion A382 is defined as an angle θ. This is because the relationship between the surface on the toner intake side at the base of the lifting portion A382 and the toner intake A392 is essential when considering the function of smoothly flowing the toner T into the toner intake A392 by the lifting portion A382. In FIG. 13, the angle θ described above is an obtuse angle, and when the toner intake port A392 is positioned above, the lifting portion A382 is opened with respect to the toner intake port A392 so as to be an inclined surface. Yes. Then, the lifting portion A382 can function as a staying portion that lifts the toner T to a position higher in the direction of gravity than the toner intake port A392 in a state where the toner T is held on the lifting portion A382.

FIGS. 14A to 14C show the configuration of the toner intake A392 and the lifting portion A382 having the obtuse angle θ shown in FIG. 13 and lift the toner T to a position higher than the toner intake A392. FIG. 6 is an explanatory view continuously showing how the toner T flows into the toner intake port A392. In the time series, after the state shown in FIG. 14A, the state shown in FIG. 14B is obtained, and thereafter, the state shown in FIG. 14C is obtained. In FIGS. 14A to 14C, the conveyance screw 614 of the conveyance nozzle inserted into the nozzle receiving member A330 is omitted for the sake of simplicity.
With the toner container A032 set in the toner replenishing device 60, the drive motor 603 is driven to transmit drive from the main body side drive gear 601 to the container gear A301, and the nozzle receiving member A330 moves in the direction of arrow B in FIG. When rotated, the toner T in the vicinity of the lifting portion A382 is lifted. Further, when the nozzle receiving member A330 rotates in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 14A, the lifting portion A382 extends in a substantially horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 14B, and the toner T is placed on the lifting portion A382. Will be in a state of riding. Then, when the nozzle receiving member A330 further rotates in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 14B, the lifting portion A382 forms an inclined surface with respect to the toner inlet A392 as shown in FIG. 14C (FIG. 13). In this state, the toner T on the lifting portion A382 is further lifted, and the toner T flows into the toner intake A392 so as to slide down the inclined surface.

  Then, the toner T falls into the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 included in the nozzle receiving member A330 via the toner intake A392, and the transport screw 614 rotates, so that the toner T enters the toner replenishing device 60. Supplied. As described above, the lifting portion A382 shown in FIG. 13 forms an obtuse angle θ with respect to the tangential direction (shown by a broken line in the drawing) at the upstream edge portion of the rotation direction of the nozzle receiving member A330 of the toner intake port A392. As described above, in the configuration in which the agitator A380 is attached to the nozzle receiving member A330, since the lifting portion that lifts the toner to a position higher than the toner receiving port in the direction of gravity is provided, the pumped toner is suppressed from falling off the conveying nozzle. The pumped toner can be poured into the toner receiving port of the transport nozzle.

In addition, the cross-sectional shape in the cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis direction of the lifting portion A382 is not limited to the linear shape as illustrated in FIGS. 13 and 14A to 14C. As shown in FIG. 15A, the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380 is opposite to the side attached in the vicinity of the toner intake port A392, and the end on the side extending toward the inner peripheral surface of the container main body A033. The portion may be bent so as to be bent toward the downstream side in the rotation direction indicated by arrow B in the drawing. Further, as shown in FIG. 15B, with respect to the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380, the entire lifting portion A382 extending toward the inner peripheral surface of the container body A033 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow B in the figure. It is good also as a curved shape which provides the predetermined curvature which becomes concave with respect to. In the example of FIG. 15B, the entire lifting portion A382 has a curved shape, but a part of the vicinity of the end portion on the side extending toward the inner peripheral surface of the container body A033 has a curved shape. Also good. Moreover, as shown in FIG.15 (c), it is good also as a multiple bending shape by further bend | folding the edge part side from the bending shape of Fig.15 (a).
15A to 15C, the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380 has a bent shape that is concave with respect to the rotation direction indicated by the arrow B in the figure as a cross-sectional shape in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis direction. With these cross-sectional shapes, the lifted toner T can be easily held on the lifting portion A382. Then, similarly to the configuration described with reference to FIG. 13, the nozzle receiving member is configured such that the lifting portion A382 forms an obtuse angle θ with respect to the tangential direction at the upstream edge portion of the toner receiving port A392 in the rotational direction of the nozzle receiving member A330. Since the agitator A380 is attached to the A330, the toner T on the lifting portion A382 can be easily slid into the toner intake port A392.

FIG. 16 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration in which a fall prevention wall A383 is erected from the side surface on the container front end side of the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380. The toner T is given a conveying force from the container rear end side to the container front end side by the agitator A380. Therefore, similarly, a conveying force from the container rear end side toward the container front end side is applied to the toner T at the position of the lifting portion A382. Due to this conveying force, the toner T riding on the lifting portion A382 may fall from the front end side of the container in the lifting portion A382. Therefore, a fall prevention wall A383 is erected from the side surface of the lifting portion A382 on the container front end side. By the fall prevention wall A383, it is possible to effectively reduce the toner T on the lifting portion A382 from dropping to the container front end side.
Further, in FIG. 16, the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380 is curved in two places, ie, in the vicinity of the mounting portion and in the vicinity of the end, as a cross-sectional shape in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis direction. It has become. This cross-sectional shape also has a bent shape that is concave with respect to the rotational direction indicated by arrow B in the figure, and thus lifted toner T is lifted in the same manner as in the configurations shown in FIGS. It can be easily held on the part A382. Then, similarly to the configuration described with reference to FIG. 13, the nozzle receiving member is configured such that the lifting portion A382 forms an obtuse angle θ with respect to the tangential direction at the upstream edge portion of the toner receiving port A392 in the rotational direction of the nozzle receiving member A330. Since the agitator A380 is attached to the A330, the toner T on the lifting portion A382 can be easily slid into the toner intake port A392.
Note that the fall prevention wall A383 described with reference to FIG. 16 is used for the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380 in FIGS. 13 and 15A to 15C, so that the configuration shown in FIG. In addition, the toner T on the lifting portion A382 can be effectively reduced from dropping to the container front end side.

FIG. 17 shows a toner intake when the toner intake A392 of the nozzle receiving member A330 and the lifting portion A382 of the agitator A380 are viewed from the rear end side of the container toward the front end side of the container in the rotational axis direction, as in FIG. It is sectional drawing of A392 vicinity.
The configuration shown in FIG. 17 is the same as the configuration shown in FIG. 13 and the lifting portion A382 is formed with respect to the tangential direction (indicated by the broken line in the drawing) at the upstream edge portion of the toner receiving port A392 in the rotational direction of the nozzle receiving member A330. The configuration is the same except that the angle θ is an acute angle.

18 (a) to 18 (c) show a state in which the toner T flows into the toner intake port A392 using the configuration of the toner intake port A392 and the lifting portion A382 having an acute angle θ shown in FIG. It is explanatory drawing represented to. In the time series, after the state shown in FIG. 18A, the state shown in FIG. 18B is obtained, and thereafter, the state shown in FIG. 18C is obtained. In FIGS. 18A to 18C, the transport nozzle 611 and the transport screw 614 included in the nozzle receiving member A330 are omitted for the sake of simplicity.
With the toner container A032 set in the toner replenishing device 60, the drive motor 603 is driven to transmit drive from the main body side drive gear 601 to the container gear A301, and the nozzle receiving member A330 rotates and the lift A382 of the agitator A380 Rotate. As shown in FIG. 18A, in a state where the lifting portion A382 extends in a substantially horizontal direction, the toner T is put on the lifting portion A382. When rotated in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 18A, the lifting portion A382 forms an inclined surface with respect to the toner intake A392 as shown in FIG. 18B. However, since the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 is opened upward in the drawing to receive the toner T falling due to gravity, in the state shown in FIG. 18B, the toner inlet A392 and the nozzle opening 610 is not in communication with the toner T, and the toner T cannot pass through the toner intake A392 and the nozzle opening 610 and be supplied into the transport nozzle 611.
Then, when the toner T further rotates in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 18B, the toner T starts to fall by its own weight from above the lifting portion A382 before the toner inlet A392 and the nozzle opening 610 communicate with each other. Therefore, in a state where the toner inlet A392 and the nozzle opening 610 communicate with each other as shown in FIG. 18C, only a small amount of the toner T lifted by the lifting portion A382 remains in the vicinity of the toner inlet A392, and the nozzle opening 610 Therefore, the amount of toner supplied into the toner replenishing device 60 is also small.
As described with reference to FIGS. 18A to 18C, the lifting portion A382 is in the tangential direction (indicated by a broken line in the drawing) at the upstream edge portion of the toner receiving port A392 in the rotational direction of the nozzle receiving member A330. Compared to the configuration shown in FIGS. 13, 14 (a) to (c), and FIGS. 15 (a) to (c), when the angle θ formed with respect to the angle is an acute angle, the angle θ is an obtuse angle. The amount of toner supplied from the nozzle opening 610 into the toner supply device 60 is also small.
However, by providing a plurality of toner intakes A392 and a plurality of lifting portions A382 of the agitator A380, it is possible to increase the toner supply amount per point of the agitator assembly A390. Further, such a configuration may be used as long as a sufficient supply amount can be secured by the relationship between the rotational speed of the agitator assembly A 390 and the toner supply amount.

Next, a process of attaching the toner container A032 to the toner supply device 60 will be described.
By moving the toner container A032 in the direction of the toner replenishing device 60 as indicated by an arrow Q in FIGS. 7 and 1, the nozzle tip side of the transport nozzle 611 is inserted into the nozzle receiving port A331, and the toner container A032 is further moved. When moved, the nozzle tip 611a of the transport nozzle 611 contacts the end surface of the container shutter A332 on the container tip side. Further, by moving the toner container A032 in the direction of the toner replenishing device 60, the transport nozzle 611 presses the end surface of the container shutter A332 on the container front end side, whereby the container shutter spring A336 is contracted, and accordingly the container shutter A332. Is pushed into the inner side of the toner container A032 (the container rear end side). At this time, the nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612e on the nozzle tip side of the nozzle shutter 612a in the nozzle shutter 612 is also inserted into the nozzle receiving port A331 together with the transport nozzle 611.

Further, by moving the toner container A032 toward the toner supply device 60, the surface of the nozzle shutter collar 612a opposite to the nozzle shutter spring receiving surface comes into contact with the end surface of the container seal A333 on the front end side of the container. As a result, the relative position of the nozzle shutter 612 in the central axis direction with respect to the toner container A032 is fixed.
Further, by moving the toner container A032 toward the toner supply device 60, the transport nozzle 611 is further inserted into the toner container A032. At this time, the nozzle shutter 612 that has come into contact with the end surface of the container seal A333 on the container front end side is pushed back toward the nozzle base with respect to the transport nozzle 611. As a result, the nozzle shutter spring 613 contracts, and the relative position of the nozzle shutter 612 with respect to the transport nozzle 611 moves to the nozzle base side. Along with the movement of the relative position, the nozzle opening 610 covered with the nozzle shutter 612 is exposed inside the container main body A033, and the inside of the container main body A033 communicates with the inside of the transport nozzle 611.

  In a state where the transport nozzle 611 is inserted into the nozzle receiving port A331, the toner container A032 is pushed back against the toner supply device 60 by the biasing force of the contracted container shutter spring A336 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 (arrow in the figure). A force in the opposite direction to Q acts. However, when the toner container A032 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the toner container A032 is moved in the direction of the toner replenishing device 60 to a position where the container lock portion A339 engages with the replenishing device side lock member 609 against this force. Move to. As a result, the urging force of the container shutter spring A336 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 and the hooking of the container lock portion A339 to the replenishing device side lock member 609 act. By such an action of the urging force and the catch, the toner container A032 is positioned in the central axis direction with respect to the toner supply device 60 in the state shown in FIG.

As shown in FIG. 7, the container lock portion A339 includes a guide protrusion A339a as a guide portion, a guide groove A339b, a climbing portion A339c, and a square locking hole A339d. The lids are arranged so as to form a pair on both sides of the container front end side cover A034 with a vertical line passing through the nozzle receiving port A331 as a target. The guide protrusion A339a is disposed on a vertical surface on the front end side of the container front end cover A034 and on a horizontal line passing through the center of the nozzle receiving port A331. The guide protrusion A339a has an inclined surface connected to the guide groove A339b so that the replenishment device side lock member 609 is brought into contact with the toner container A032 and can be guided toward the guide groove A339b. The guide groove A339b is a groove that is one step lower than the side peripheral surface of the container front end side cover A034.

The groove width of the guide groove A339b is set to be slightly larger than the width of the replenishing device side lock member 609 so that the replenishing device side lock member 609 does not fall out of the groove.
The container rear end side of the guide groove A339b has a terminal end rather than a shape directly connected to the locking hole A339d, and is the height of the side peripheral surface of the container front end side cover A034. That is, there is an outer peripheral surface of the container front end side cover A034 having a width of about 1 [mm] between the guide groove A339b and the locking hole A339d, and this corresponds to the climbing portion A339c. The replenishing device side lock member 609 climbs over the overpass portion A339c and falls into the locking hole A339d, and the connection between the toner container A032 and the toner replenishing device 60 is achieved.
In the toner container A032 of the first embodiment, the container front end cover A034 has a first container cover A308. For the convenience of attaching the first container cover A308 to the container front end side cover A034 from the container front end side, the first container cover A308 covers the container front end side cover A034 from the outside. A stop hole A339d may be provided and a slit may be provided in the first container cover A308, and when the two are combined, the slit provided in the first container cover A308 may function as the guide groove A339b.

The toner container A032 is configured such that a container shutter A332 is positioned at the center of a line segment connecting two container lock portions A339 on a virtual plane orthogonal to the rotation axis. If the container shutter A332 is not on the line segment connecting the two container lock portions A339, the following may occur. That is, due to the urging force of the container shutter spring A336 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 acting at the position of the container shutter A332, the distance from the line segment to the container shutter A332 becomes a moment arm, and the toner container A032 is rotated around the line segment. A moment of force acts. Due to the action of this moment of force, the toner container A032 may be inclined with respect to the toner supply device 60. In this case, the mounting load of the toner container A032 increases, and a load is applied to the nozzle receiving member A330 that holds and guides the container shutter A332.

  In particular, when the toner container A032 is a new article sufficiently containing toner, the toner weight is also taken into account when the toner container A032 is pushed from the rear end side so that the conveying nozzle 611 protruding from the horizontal direction is inserted. A moment of force for rotating the toner container A032 acts. As a result, a load is applied to the nozzle receiving member A330 into which the transport nozzle 611 is inserted, and the nozzle receiving member A330 may be deformed or damaged in the worst case. On the other hand, in the toner container A032 of this embodiment, the container shutter A332 is positioned on a line segment connecting the two container lock portions A339. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the toner container A032 from being inclined with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 due to the urging force of the container shutter spring A336 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 acting at the position of the container shutter A332.

As shown in FIG. 8, with the toner container A032 attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the end surface of the nozzle receiving member A330 of the toner container A032 is not in contact with the end surface 615b of the container setting portion 615. It has a configuration. This is due to the following reason. Suppose that the end surface of the container receiving side of the nozzle receiving member A330 is in contact with the end surface 615b of the container setting portion 615. With such a configuration, the end surface on the container front end side of the nozzle receiving member A330 may abut against the end surface 615b of the container setting portion 615 before the locking hole A339d of the container lock portion A339 is caught by the replenishing device side lock member 609. There is. If it hits in this way, the toner container A032 can no longer be moved to the toner supply device 60 side. In order to prevent this, when the toner container A032 is mounted on the toner replenishing device 60, a slight gap is formed between the end surface of the nozzle receiving member A330 on the front end side of the container and the end surface 615b of the container setting portion 615. To have.

  Further, in such a state in which the positioning in the central axis direction is performed, the second outer peripheral surface A330d of the nozzle receiving member A330 is slidably fitted to the inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion 615. Therefore, as described above, the toner container A032 is positioned with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 in the plane direction orthogonal to the central axis. Thereby, the mounting of the toner container A032 to the toner supply device 60 is completed.

In a state where the toner container A032 is completely attached, the drive motor 603 is rotated to rotate the agitator assembly A390 of the toner container A032 and the transport screw 614 in the transport nozzle 611.
By rotating the agitator A380 of the agitator assembly A390, the toner T in the container main body A033 is conveyed to the container front end side of the container main body A033. The toner T that has reached the lifting portion A382 by this conveyance is lifted above the toner intake A392 by the lifting portion A382 as the agitator A380 rotates. The toner T lifted above the toner inlet A392 falls into the nozzle opening 610 communicating with the toner inlet A392, whereby the toner T is supplied into the transport nozzle 611. The toner T supplied into the transport nozzle 611 is transported by the transport screw 614 and supplied to the developing device 50 through the toner dropping transport path 64. The flow of the toner T from the inside of the container main body A033 to the toner dropping conveyance path 64 at this time is indicated by an arrow β in FIG.

  Further, as described above, the position at which the second outer peripheral surface A330d of the nozzle receiving member A330 slidably contacts the container setting portion 615 and the toner container A032 is positioned with respect to the toner replenishing device 60 is indicated by α in FIG. Is shown. Here, the position α in FIG. 8 is not limited to the configuration having both functions of the sliding portion and the positioning portion, and may be configured to have either the sliding portion or the positioning portion. .

  Further, as described above, when the toner container A032 is mounted on the toner replenishing device 60, the container seal A333 is crushed by the nozzle shutter collar 612a. As a result, the nozzle shutter collar 612a is brought into a state where it is tightly pressed against the container seal A333, and toner leakage can be prevented more reliably. By arranging the container shutter A332 in the longitudinal direction inner side (container rear end side) from the opening position, a circle is formed between the tip of the nozzle receiving member A330 and the end surfaces of the container shutter A332 and the container seal A333 on the container front end side. A columnar space is formed.

The nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 closes the nozzle shutter 612 when the toner container A032 is not attached to the toner supply device 60. Further, in a state where the toner container A032 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, it is necessary to open the nozzle shutter 612 so that the toner can be received.
In the toner replenishing device 60, a cylindrical space (front end opening A305) is formed between the container front end side end of the nozzle receiving member A330 and the container shutter A332 and container seal A333 end surfaces on the container front end side. The retreat space is configured so that all or part of the retreat space of the nozzle shutter 612 when the nozzle shutter 612 is opened is accommodated in the space portion. In addition, all or part of the nozzle shutter spring 613 for closing the nozzle shutter 612 is also accommodated in this retreat space. With such a configuration, the arrangement space of the nozzle shutter 612 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 can be saved.

As shown in FIG. 8, in this embodiment, when the toner container A032 is mounted on the toner replenishing device 60, the retracted position of the nozzle shutter 612 is the container seal A333 on the nozzle tip side of the nozzle shutter collar 612a. Located inside. The nozzle base side of the nozzle shutter collar 612a is substantially contained in a cylindrical space formed between the opening position of the tip opening A305 (the container tip side end) and the container seal A333 end surface on the container tip side. . Further, the compressed nozzle shutter spring 613 is also substantially contained in this cylindrical space.
With this configuration, the position from the opening position of the leading end opening A305, which is the foremost portion of the toner container A032, to the toner dropping portion of the toner supply device 60 (the position where the toner dropping conveyance path 64 is connected to the conveyance nozzle 611). The distance can be shortened. Thereby, size reduction of an apparatus main body can be achieved.

  The back side of the nozzle shutter spring receiving surface 612f of the nozzle shutter collar 612a biased by the nozzle shutter spring 613 contacts the end surface of the container seal A333 on the container front end side, so that the rotation direction of the nozzle shutter 612 relative to the toner container A032 The position of is determined. As a result, the end surface on the container front end side of the container seal A333 and the end surface on the container front end of the end opening A305 (the space formed by the inner peripheral surface A330e of the nozzle receiving member and the end surface on the container front end side of the container seal A333), and the nozzle The positional relationship with the shutter 612 in the rotation axis direction is determined.

  As shown in FIG. 8 and the like, when the toner container A032 is attached to the main body of the toner replenishing device 60, a nozzle shutter 612 as a contact member and a nozzle as an urging member are inserted into a tip opening A305 that is a cylindrical internal space. The shutter spring 613 is accommodated. Here, in order to realize such a configuration, the diameters of the second outer peripheral surface A330d of the nozzle receiving member A330, the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface A330e, and the diameters of the configurations of the container setting unit 615 of the toner replenishing device 60, etc. The relationship will be described.

FIG. 41 is an explanatory diagram showing the relationship among the diameters of the second outer peripheral surface A330d, the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface A330e, and the diameters of the configuration of the container setting unit 615 of the toner replenishing device 60.
As will be described later, the container setting portion 615 includes a container setting portion inner peripheral surface 615a that fits with the second outer peripheral surface A330d of the nozzle receiving member of the toner container A032 when the toner container A032 is set, and the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface. Is D1. And let the diameter of 2nd outer peripheral surface A330d be d1.
The nozzle shutter 612 provided in the transport nozzle 611 has a nozzle shutter collar 612a, and the outer diameter of the nozzle shutter collar 612a is D2. Further, the inner diameter of the inner peripheral surface A330e of the nozzle receiving member is d2, and the outer diameter of the container seal A333 is d3. The outer diameter of the nozzle shutter 612 (the outer diameter of a nozzle shutter cylindrical portion 612e described later) is D3, and the inner diameter of the container seal A333 is d4. In the toner container A032 of the first embodiment, “d2 = d3”.

  When the toner container A032 is mounted, the transport nozzle 611 enters the nozzle receiving port A331 while the nozzle opening 610 is closed by the nozzle shutter 612. Then, after the nozzle shutter collar 612a contacts the container seal member A333, it is crushed. The nozzle opening 610 is opened, and the inside of the toner container A032 and the inside of the transport nozzle 611 are communicated. At this time, the second outer peripheral surface A330d of the nozzle receiving member of the toner container A032 and the inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion are fitted, and the nozzle receiving member A330 is rotatably held at the fitting portion. Then, the nozzle receiving member A330 is rotatably held, so that the agitator assembly A390 can rotate with the fitting portion as a bearing.

  Since the second outer peripheral surface A330d of the nozzle receiving member of the toner container A032 and the container setting portion inner peripheral surface 615a are rotatably fitted, the diameter d1 of the second outer peripheral surface A330d of the nozzle receiving member and the inner peripheral surface of the container setting portion The inner diameter D1 of 615a is set so as to satisfy the relationship of “d1 <D1”. Further, d1 and D1 are set to a fitting tolerance of about 0.01 to 0.1 [mm]. Thus, by having a relationship of “d1 <D1”, the nozzle receiving member A330 can be rotationally driven while being held by the container setting portion 615.

  The transport nozzle 611 and the nozzle shutter 612 are configured to enter the nozzle receiving port A331 while the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611 is closed by the nozzle shutter 612. In order to realize this configuration, the outer diameter D2 of the nozzle shutter collar 612a and the inner diameter d2 of the inner peripheral surface A330e of the nozzle receiving member are set so as to satisfy the relationship “D2 <d2”.

  With this setting, the nozzle shutter 612 can be stored in the front end opening A305 of the toner container A032. Since the nozzle shutter collar 612a crushes the container seal A333 and is in an adequately close contact state, toner scattering that occurs when the toner container A032 is attached can be reduced.

Further, the outer diameter D3 of the nozzle shutter 612 and the container seal A333 inner diameter d4 of the nozzle receiving member A330 are set so as to satisfy the relationship “d4 <D3”. By setting in this way, the container seal A333 can be appropriately adhered to the nozzle shutter 612 with the inner diameter being expanded as the transport nozzle 611 enters. Therefore, it is possible to prevent toner leakage from the toner container A032 to the outside when the transport nozzle 611 is inserted.
To summarize the above relationship, each part of the toner container A032 is set so as to satisfy the diameter relationship of “d4 <D3 <D2 <d2 <d1 <D1”. By setting in this way, the sealing property that does not cause toner scattering or toner leakage from the toner container A032 and the accommodation property that accommodates the nozzle shutter 612 and the nozzle shutter spring 613 are combined. it can.

  As will be described later, when the toner container A032 is mounted, the nozzle opening 610 starts to open after the relative position of the nozzle shutter 612 with respect to the toner container A032 is substantially fixed. On the other hand, when the toner container A032 is removed, even if the conveying nozzle 611 starts to come out of the toner container A032, in the state where the nozzle opening 610 is opened, the nozzle shutter spring 613 biases the nozzle shutter 612 relative to the toner container A032. The general position does not change.

  When the toner container A032 is pulled out, the relative position of the toner container A032 with respect to the transport nozzle 611 changes, so the relative position of the nozzle shutter 612 with respect to the transport nozzle 611 also changes, and the nozzle shutter 612 closes the nozzle opening 610. Begin to. At this time, as the toner container A032 is pulled out, the distance between the toner container A032 and the container setting unit 615 increases. As a result, the nozzle shutter spring 613 starts to return to its natural length by its own restoring force, and the urging force against the nozzle shutter 612 begins to decrease.

Further, when the toner container A032 is pulled out and the nozzle shutter 612 completes the closing of the nozzle opening 610, a part of the nozzle shutter 612 abuts against a part of the transport nozzle 611.
Thereafter, the toner container A032 is further pulled out, so that the nozzle shutter 612 is removed from the toner container A032 together with the transport nozzle 611.

  In a state in which the nozzle shutter collar 612a is in contact with the container seal A333, the portion of the transport nozzle 611 where the nozzle opening 610 is formed is sufficiently inside the toner container A032 (the container rear end) than the inlet portion of the nozzle receiving port A331. (Side, back side). More specifically, the nozzle opening 610 is disposed at a position facing the lifting portion A382 beyond the container gear A301 in the direction of the rotation axis toward the container rear end. Since the nozzle opening 610 opens and closes from a state where it is sufficiently located inside the toner container A032, toner leakage from the nozzle opening 610 to the outside can be prevented.

(IC tag)
Next, a holding mechanism for the IC tag (ID tag, ID chip, IC chip) 700 provided in the toner container A032 of Embodiment 1 will be described.
FIG. 25 is a perspective explanatory view of the connector 800 fixed to the toner replenishing device 60 and the end of the toner container A032 at the front end side of the container. As shown in FIG. 25, the toner container A032 is attached to the container main body A033 in such a manner as to expose the container main body A033 and the tip opening A305 of the nozzle receiving member which is held by the container main body A033 and provided with the nozzle receiving port A331. A container tip side cover A034 is provided. Further, the toner container A032 includes an IC tag 700 as an information storage device attached to the tip of the container tip side cover A034, and an IC tag holding mechanism 345 for holding the IC tag 700.

The IC tag 700 of the present embodiment is mounted with what is disclosed in Japanese Patent Application No. 2011-121688 as an information storage device, and its communication method is a contact type. Therefore, the connector 800 is disposed at a position facing the container front end side end surface of the main body side container front end cover A034 of the toner replenishing device 60.
FIG. 26 is a perspective explanatory view of the container tip side end portion of the toner container A032 and the connector 800 in a state where the IC tag holding mechanism 345 is disassembled. As shown in FIG. 26, an IC tag hole 701 for positioning is formed in the IC tag 700, and when the toner container A032 is attached to the toner replenishing device 60, the connector 800 is provided in the IC tag hole 701. The positioning pin 801 is inserted.

  The IC tag holding mechanism 345 holds the IC tag 700 movably in the XZ direction in the drawing and is detachably fitted to the holding portion 343 while holding the IC tag 700. And a holding member 344 as a cover member. The IC tag 700 and its holding mechanism 345 are arranged in a space obliquely on the right side of the container front end side cover A034 when the toner container A032 is viewed from the container front end side along the rotation axis. In this case, when the toner container A032 of another color is provided side by side, the holding mechanism 345 is disposed on the container front end side cover A034 using a space on the right side that is a dead space. Accordingly, it is possible to provide a compact toner replenishing device capable of arranging cylindrical toner containers A032 close to each other. Note that a container gear A301 and a container drive gear 601 on the main body side are disposed in a space obliquely above the left side of the container front end side cover A034. The IC tag 700, the holding mechanism 345, and the main body side terminal 804 and the main body side container drive gear 601 are arranged so as not to interfere with each other so that adjacent toner supply systems do not interfere with each other.

  FIG. 27 is a perspective explanatory view of the container tip side end of the toner container A032 and the connector 800 in a state where the IC tag 700 is temporarily fixed to the holding member 344. FIG. As shown in FIG. 27, the holding portion 343 is formed on the IC tag mounting surface 357 at the container tip side end portion of the container tip side cover A034, and has four prisms that support the substrate surface without wiring on the back surface of the IC tag 700. A pedestal 358 is provided. The holding member 344 includes a frame 352 and a holding member protrusion 353. The frame 352 is a frame formed so as to prevent the IC tag 700 from coming off by surrounding the pedestal 358 from the outside when fitted to the holding portion 343. The holding member protruding portion 353 is a portion that protrudes from the inner wall surface of the frame 352 so as to cover an area without terminals on the surface of the IC tag 700. Regarding the frame 352 provided in the holding member 344, when the IC tag 700 is set inside the frame so that the IC tag having a rectangular outer shape can be accommodated inside the frame shape, It is held so as to be movable to some extent in the Z direction.

Here, the holding mechanism 345 will be described in more detail.
The frame 352 provided in the holding member 344 is formed longer than the length of the pedestal 358 in the Y-axis direction in the drawing (the height from the IC tag mounting surface 357). Therefore, when the IC tag 700 is installed on the pedestal 358, the IC tag 700 is not fixed to the container front end side cover A034. Further, it is installed with a gap from the frame 352 existing so as to surround the outside of the IC tag 700 in the XZ direction. Further, since the IC tag 700 has a slight gap with respect to the holding member protruding portion 353 included in the holding member 344, the IC tag 700 is not fixed to the container front end side cover A034 but does not come off. When the toner container A032 is lightly shaken, the IC tag 700 is held in a holding member 344 so as to be rattled and moved.

  When the IC tag 700 is assembled, as shown in FIG. 27, the IC tag 700 is hooked on the inner wall rib 351 (see FIG. 26) of the holding member 344 and temporarily fixed to the base 358 of the holding portion 343. Assembled. At this time, the outside of the pedestal 358 composed of four prisms serves as a guide for the holding member 344, and the IC tag 700 after being assembled to the pedestal is placed on the end surface of the four pedestals 358 on the container front end side away from the inner wall rib 351. Become so.

Next, the attachment of the holding member 344 will be described in detail.
In the toner container A032 according to the first embodiment, the holding member 344 is not fixed to the container tip side cover A034 by being processed by heat caulking or the like or by a fastening member, but is fixed by a fitting method using a claw member. .
As shown in FIG. 26, the holding member 344 includes a holding member upper claw 355, a holding member lower claw 354, and a holding member right side claw 356 on the holding member upper part 350, the holding member lower part 348, and the holding member right side part 349, respectively. ing.
Around the IC tag mounting surface 357 on the container front side cover A034 side, there are three positions facing the respective claw portions of the holding member upper claw 355, the holding member lower claw 354, and the holding member right side claw 356. The hook part of the location is formed. Specifically, a hooking portion 359a on the mounting surface is formed at a position facing the holding member upper claws 355 around the IC tag mounting surface 357. Further, a mounting surface lower hook portion 359b is formed at a position facing the holding member lower claw 354 around the IC tag mounting surface 357, and a mounting surface side hook is formed at a position facing the holding member right side claw 356. A groove portion 360 is formed.

When the holding member 344 is set on the container front end side cover A034, the three claw portions (355, 354 and 356) on the holding member 344 side are set to the three hook portions (359a, 359b and 360). As for the three hooking portions, the mounting surface upper hooking portion 359a and the mounting surface lower hooking portion 359b have a hole shape, and one mounting surface lateral hooking portion 360 has a claw shape. ing.
For the hole-shaped mounting surface upper hook portion 359a and the mounting surface lower hook portion 359b, the inclination of the two claw portion tips of the holding member upper claw 355 and the holding member lower claw 354 and the elasticity of the claw portion are used. Set. The claw-shaped attachment surface lateral hooking portion 360 is set using the inclination of the tip of the holding member right side surface pawl 356 and the attachment surface lateral hooking portion inclined surface 360a of the attachment surface lateral hooking portion 360. To do.

In such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 27, the IC tag 700 is temporarily set inside the frame 352 of the holding member 344, and the holding member 344 is moved along the base 358 on the container tip side cover A034 side. As a result, the claw portions (355, 354, and 356) formed on the holding member 344 side engage with the hook portions (359a, 359b, and 360) formed on the container front end side cover A034 side, and the two are fitted. Thus, the holding member 344 can be fixed to the container front end side cover A034.
In addition, in the example demonstrated using FIGS. 25-27, the upper and lower two places and the right one place of the holding member 344 are a nail | claw part (355, 354, and 356) and a hook part (359a, 359b, and 360). It was set as the fitting part. The fitting portion of the holding member 344 is not limited to the combination of the upper and lower sides and the right side, but may be only the upper and lower sides, only the left and right sides, or the upper and lower sides and the right side of the holding member 344. Not what you want.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the fitting method using the claw member has been described. However, in some cases, the holding member 344 is fixed to the container front end side cover A034 by processing such as heat caulking or the like with a fastening member. You can also Furthermore, there may be a case where there is a demand to attach the IC tag holding member 344 more firmly, or a case where there is a jig that can be rewritten (rewritten) without removing it from the container front end side cover A034 when recycling the IC tag. Can do.

  In the IC tag 700 of this embodiment, only one IC tag hole 701 is formed on the substrate 702, and the IC tag hole 701 is a plurality of metal pads 710 (710a, 710b, 710c) made of a rectangular metal plate. ).

Next, protection means for the toner container A032 when not in use will be described.
FIG. 23 is a perspective explanatory view of the toner container A032 during storage, and shows a state in which a cap 370 as a sealing member for sealing the opening of the front end opening A305 of the toner container A032 shown in FIG. 6 is attached.

  A toner container A032 shown in FIG. 23 includes the following invention. That is, the toner container A032 accommodates the toner T as a powdery developer inside, and forms a cap 370 as a sealing member for sealing the nozzle receiving port A331 serving as the developer discharge port, and forms a front end opening. It is a powder container that can be attached to the tip opening A305. As described above, the tip opening A305 is a part of the nozzle receiving member A330. As shown in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7, the nozzle receiving member A330 places the toner container A032 in the toner replenishing device 60. A front end opening A305 is formed so as to penetrate the container front end side cover A034 necessary for fixing. Thereby, the front end opening A305 of the container main body A033 can be exposed from the container front end side cover A034, and the front end opening A305 that is a part of the container main body A033 in which the toner T is stored can be directly sealed by the cap 370. As a result, the sealing effect is improved and toner leakage can be more reliably prevented.

In the toner container A032 according to Embodiment 1, the cap collar 371 is provided on the cap 370, and the cap collar 371 is attached to the first container cover A308 as shown in FIG. 23 when the cap 370 is attached to the toner container A032. The IC tag 700 provided is hidden. As a result, external contact and impact on the IC tag 700 when the toner container A032 is stored can be prevented, and the IC tag 700 can be protected.
Further, in the toner container A032 of this embodiment, the cap collar portion 371 of the cap 370 is made larger than the outer diameter of the container front end side cover A034 and the container main body A033. As a result, the toner container A032 can be prevented from being damaged when dropped, and the toner container A032 can be protected.

  Further, a tip opening A305 having a nozzle receiving port A331 at the inner bottom of the cylindrical space is directly sealed by a cap 370, and is a member separate from the nozzle receiving member A330 having the nozzle receiving port A331 (for example, a container tip) The sealing effect is high as compared with the configuration of sealing via the side cover A034). And if it is the structure which seals front-end | tip opening A305 directly, it is also possible to substantially seal the container main body A033, and if it can be sealed, the invasion of air and moisture into the container main body A033 can be prevented and stored. It is possible to reduce the packing material for the toner container A032.

When the toner container A032 is used (attached to the toner replenishing device 60), the cap 370 is removed for use. As a method for attaching the cap 370 to the toner container A032, any method may be used as long as it can be fixed by a screw method or a hook method. At this time, a fixing portion on the toner container A032 side such as a screw-type screw thread or a hook-type hook is provided on the outer peripheral surface (second outer peripheral surface A330d) of the front end opening A305 exposed from the container front end side cover A034. In the toner container A032 of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 24, a cap fixing screw thread A309 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the tip opening A305, and a screw method is adopted as a fixing method of the sealing member.
In addition, the configuration for sealing the opening formed by the tip opening A305 is not limited to the one in which the cap 370 is fixed by a screw method, and the opening is sealed by pressing the film member to the container tip side end of the tip opening A305. You may stop.

<Embodiment 2>
Next, as a second embodiment, a toner container A032 that uses an adsorbent such as a desiccant during storage will be described with reference to FIG. FIG. 24 is an explanatory cross-sectional view of a toner container A032 in which an adsorbent B2372 is provided on a cap B370. In the following description of the second embodiment, the same reference numerals are used for the same components as those in the first embodiment.
In the second embodiment, the adsorbent adsorbs not only moisture but also various things (gas etc.). Therefore, the desiccant is included in the adsorbent. Examples of the adsorbent include silica gel, aluminum oxide, zeolite, and the like, but any adsorbent may be used.

Here, if the nozzle receiving port A331 at the inner bottom portion of the tip opening A305 of the nozzle receiving member A330 is completely sealed by the cap B370, the adsorbent is not necessary because air and moisture can be prevented from entering, and the packing material is also reduced accordingly. It becomes unnecessary. In this method, the environmental load can be reduced by reducing the material used by reducing the packaging material such as the bag, the cushioning material, and the individual packaging box for packaging the toner container 32 and reducing the size of the packaging.
However, the inventors of the present invention have confirmed that gas is generated from the toner itself, which is a powder, and aggregates that are small lumps of toner are generated, although aggregation and solidification are not reached. Since such an aggregate leads to generation of abnormal images such as white spots and spots of each color, it is necessary to suppress the generation.
As long as the gas does not generate from the toner itself, as shown in FIG. 23, a configuration may be adopted in which the adsorbent is not provided and the toner is sealed. It is desirable to have an adsorbent that adsorbs.

  A toner container A032 shown in FIG. 24 includes the following invention. That is, a toner container A032 shown in FIG. 24 contains toner T as a powdery developer inside, and has a cap B370 as a sealing member for sealing the nozzle receiving port A331 serving as a developer discharge port. This is a powder container that can be attached to the tip opening A305 that forms the tip opening so that the inside of the container main body A033 is substantially sealed. Further, the toner container A032 shown in FIG. 24 is provided with an adsorbent B372 inside a cap B370 that seals the tip opening A305. Further, the toner container A032 shown in FIG. 24 is arranged so that at least a part of the adsorbent B372 is accommodated in the recess (tip opening A305) at the tip of the toner container A032. Here, the concave portion at the front end of the toner container A032 is a cylindrical space formed between the opening position of the front end opening A305 and the container front end side end surface of the container seal A333.

The toner container A032 shown in FIG. 24 is provided with the adsorbent B372 on the cap B370, and the operability is improved because the adsorbent B372 can be removed together with the cap B370 by removing the cap B370 when in use.
In addition, since the space for storing the toner T (the internal space of the container main body A033) is substantially sealed by the cap B370, the intrusion of air and moisture into the space for storing the toner T can be prevented. Further, since the adsorbent B372 is provided inside the space that is substantially sealed, gas generated from the toner itself can be adsorbed, and the adsorbing performance is improved.

  The toner container A032 shown in FIG. 24 is arranged so that at least a part of the adsorbent B372 is accommodated in the recess at the tip of the toner container B32, so that the length of the cap B370 in the rotation axis direction can be shortened. Thus, the toner container A032 during storage can be reduced in size.

In the case where the toner container A032 is sealed with the cap B370, a packing material or the like may be used to improve the adhesion between the end surface of the front end opening A305 of the toner container A032 and the inner surface of the cap B370.
In addition, as a configuration in which the adsorbent B372 is provided in the cap B370, the adsorbent B372 may be provided integrally with the cap B370 (fixed to the cap B370) or may be provided separately (not fixed to the cap B370). However, if the adsorbent B372 is fixed to the cap B370 and provided integrally, the cap B370 and the adsorbent B372 can be taken out together, so that the adsorbent B372 is not forgotten to be taken out and the operability is improved.

<Embodiment 3>
The third embodiment includes the following invention. In the third embodiment, the toner replenishing device 60 is the same as that in the first to third embodiments, so that the reference numerals are also the same.
Usually, the toner T in the toner container D032 as a powder container is filled with the fluidized toner T at the time of toner filling. Since the toner T at the time of filling is mixed with air and filled, the toner T is degassed after a predetermined time and the amount of toner powder is reduced. For example, the amount is about 70 to 90 [%] in the container body D033.
When a new toner container D032 containing the toner T is installed in the toner replenishing device 60 and begins to be used, there is a lot of toner T in the vicinity of the toner intake D392, so that the agitator D380 is rotated and fluidized or the container tip side The toner can be taken into the transport nozzle 611 via the toner intake D392 and the nozzle opening 610 without being transported to the transport nozzle. On the contrary, if the agitator D380 is rotated in such a state that the amount of toner T is large, a large load of toner T is present in the container body D033, so that the rotation load becomes large.
Further, when the toner T in the container body D033 is low, the agitator D380 needs to be rotated so that the toner T is transported toward the front end side of the container and lifted up to the toner intake D392 by the lifting portion D382. .
Therefore, in the toner container D032 according to the third embodiment, the agitator assembly D390 and the central axis D334 are connected via the torque limiter D900. Thus, when the new toner container D032 is started to be used, the rotation of the agitator D380 is restricted when there is a lot of toner T in the vicinity of the toner intake D392.

  FIG. 29 illustrates a state in which the toner container D032 having a configuration in which the torque limiter 900 is provided to limit the rotational drive of the agitator D380 is sufficiently filled with the toner T and is set in the toner supply device 60. FIGS. 30A and 30B are explanatory views showing a state where the toner in the toner container D032 in FIG. 29 is low, and FIGS. 31A and 31B are views of the EE cross section of FIG. FIG. 32 is a cross-sectional perspective view of the torque limiter D900. FIG. 32 is an explanatory view showing toner supply by the lifting portion (conveying blade) D382 when the internal toner T is reduced.

As shown in FIG. 29, the toner container D032 of the third embodiment is configured to connect the agitator assembly D390 and the central axis D334 via the torque limiter D900 to the toner container A032 described in the first embodiment. Are different. The nozzle receiving member D330 and the container gear D301 of the agitator assembly D390 are integrated, and the agitator D380 and the lifting portion (conveying blade) D382 are different from each other. Furthermore, the first container cover A 308a and the second container cover A 308b are integrated to form a container front end side cover D034, which is different in that the nozzle receiving member D330 is supported via a bearing D905. In the third embodiment, an IC tag 700 is provided on the container front end side cover D034 as in the first embodiment.
As described above, the torque limiter D900 is provided at the container rear end side end of the nozzle receiving member D330 of the agitator assembly D390, and is connected to the central axis D334. An agitator D380 is provided on the central shaft D334 so as to rotate integrally with the shaft.

As shown in FIG. 32, the torque limiter D900 includes a housing D901, an inner ring D902 to which a central axis D334 is connected, a leaf spring D903 that controls driving torque, and a shield member D904. This torque limiter D900 limits drive transmission when the toner T is sufficiently filled in the container body D033, and transmits drive when the toner T is consumed and the internal toner T is reduced. Torque is set.
Specifically, when the toner in the container main body D033 is in a large state as shown in FIG. 29, a driving force is applied to the container gear D301 of the agitator assembly D390, and the nozzle receiving member D330 and the lifting portion D382 rotate integrally. However, the torque setting is such that the torque limiter D900 slips and the central axis D334 and the agitator D380 do not rotate. When the amount of toner in the container main body D033 is low as shown in FIG. 30, the torque limiter D900 is set so that the nozzle receiving member D330 of the agitator assembly D390 and the central axis D334 rotate integrally.

In such a configuration, as shown in FIG. 29, when the toner T is sufficiently present up to the upper portion of the toner intake D392, an agitator assembly is received in response to a toner supply command from the main body of the toner replenishing device 60. Even when D390 rotates, since the torque limiter D900 slips, the central axis D334 and the agitator D380 do not rotate. Therefore, the toner T is not conveyed from the container rear end side to the container front end side, but the toner T existing in the vicinity of the toner intake D392 is lifted by the lifting portion D382 that rotates integrally with the nozzle receiving member D330 of the agitator assembly. The toner is loosened and lifted, and falls to the nozzle opening 610 of the conveying nozzle through the toner intake D392.
As shown in FIG. 30, when the toner in the container main body D033 is low, the torque limiter D900 does not slip when the agitator assembly D390 rotates in response to a toner supply command from the main body of the toner replenishing device 60. The nozzle receiving member D330 and the central axis D334 are drivingly connected so as to be integrally rotatable. Therefore, the toner T is transported from the rear end side of the container to the front end side of the container, and the toner T transported to the front end side of the container is lifted up to the toner inlet D392 by the lifting portion D382 and transported through the toner inlet D392. It falls into the nozzle opening 610 of the nozzle. Thus, as shown in FIGS. 31A and 31B, the toner T in the container body D033 is lifted by the lifting portion (transport blade) D382 and supplied into the transport nozzle 611 via the toner intake D392. The toner T inside the container body D033 can be used up to the end. As in the configuration described with reference to FIG. 13 in the first embodiment, the lifting portion D382 has a tangential direction (indicated by a broken line in the drawing) at the upstream edge portion of the toner receiving port D392 in the rotational direction of the nozzle receiving member D330. In contrast, an agitator A380 is attached to the nozzle receiving member A330 so as to form an angle θ. 31 (a) and 31 (b), the above-described angle θ is an obtuse angle, and when the toner intake D392 is positioned above, the lifting portion D382 is inclined with respect to the toner intake D392. It is an open configuration. In this configuration, since the lifting unit that lifts the toner to a position higher than the toner receiving port in the direction of gravity is provided, the pumped toner can be poured into the toner receiving port of the conveying nozzle while suppressing spillage of the pumped toner from the conveying nozzle. it can. Therefore, in this configuration, the lifting portion D382 functions as a staying portion.

The toner T is coated with a submicron-sized additive around the toner base, and is used as a fluidity or charging aid. However, these additives may not satisfy their original functions when they are supplied to the developing device 50 because the additives are buried in or detached from the toner T due to the movement of the agitator D380 and the like. In the configuration according to the third embodiment, since the torque limiter D900 is provided, the toner T is supplied to the developing device 50 without applying excessive force to the toner T in the container body D033 in which the toner T is accommodated. It becomes possible.
The bearing D905 rotatably supports the nozzle receiving member D330 and has a function of preventing toner leakage from the container body D033.

  In FIG. 29 and the like, the screw-shaped agitator D380 is used. However, the shape is not limited to this, and any shape may be used as long as the toner T can be moved to the lifting member D382 on the container front end side. For example, a blade-type transport member D912 as shown in FIG. 33 (a) or a spring-shaped coil-type transport member D913 without a rotation shaft as shown in FIG. When using the blade-type transport member D912, as shown in FIG. 34, the torque limiter D900 is provided with a rotating member D914 having a cam groove D914a to convert the rotational motion into a reciprocating motion. The toner T may be moved toward the front end of the container by reciprocating with respect to the longitudinal direction (center axis direction) of the main body D033.

<Embodiment 4>
The fourth embodiment includes the following invention. FIG. 35 is a cross-sectional view showing a toner container E032 in which the agitator assembly A390 according to Embodiment 1 is integrated with the second container cover A308b to form an agitator assembly E390.
Unlike the first embodiment, the first container cover E308a (container front end cover E034) rotatably supports the second outer peripheral surface E330e of the nozzle receiving portion E330 of the agitator assembly E390, and the container rear end. The side is fixed and attached to the peripheral surface of the container main body E033.
The agitator assembly E390 of the toner container E032 according to the fifth embodiment is mainly configured by a cylindrical nozzle receiving part E330, a container cover part E308b, a rotation gear part E301, and a central shaft part E334. A container shutter spring E336 and a container shutter E332 are disposed on the inner side of the nozzle receiving port E331 of the agitator assembly E390. The illustrated example shows a state in which the container shutter E332 is in a position for sealing the nozzle receiving port E331 by the urging force of the container shutter spring E336. Further, the lifting member E is attached to the outer peripheral surface E330c provided with the toner intake port E392 of the nozzle receiving portion E330, and the agitator E380 is attached to the central shaft portion E334.

In the toner container E032, when the rotation gear portion E301 receives the rotational driving force from the toner replenishing device 60 and the agitator assembly E390 is rotationally driven, the agitator E380 rotates via the central shaft portion E334, and the inside of the container main body E033 The toner T is moved from the container rear end side to the container front end side. Then, the lifting portion E382 rotates via the nozzle receiving portion E330, and the toner T that has moved to the front end side of the container is lifted and dropped to the toner intake port E392. Then, the toner T is supplied into the transport nozzle 611 at a timing when the toner inlet E392 and the nozzle opening 610 communicate with each other. In the example shown in FIG. 35, the container body E033 is configured not to rotate, but may be configured to rotate with the agitator assembly E390. When the container main body E033 does not rotate, a cross-sectional shape that is difficult to rotate, such as a reverse scallop shape, may be employed as the cross-sectional shape in the central axis direction.
Note that the mounting angle of the lifting portion E382 with respect to the agitator assembly E390 is the same as that described with reference to FIG. 13 in the first embodiment, but the lifting portion E382 is upstream of the rotation direction of the agitator assembly E390 in the toner intake port E392. An obtuse angle θ is formed with respect to the tangential direction at the side edge. In this configuration, since the lifting unit that lifts the toner to a position higher than the toner receiving port in the direction of gravity is provided, the pumped toner can be poured into the toner receiving port of the conveying nozzle while suppressing spillage of the pumped toner from the conveying nozzle. it can. Accordingly, in this configuration, the lifting portion E382 functions as a staying portion as in the first embodiment.

<Embodiment 5>
Embodiment 5 includes the following invention. FIG. 36 is a cross-sectional view showing a toner container F032 in which the second container cover A308b of the container front end side cover in Embodiment 1 is integrated with the container gear A301.
An agitator assembly F390 of the toner container F032 according to the sixth embodiment includes an agitator F380, a support column F381, a central axis F334, a lifting portion F382, a second container cover F308b, and a container gear F301.
The second container cover F308b is covered from the outside in the radial direction by a first container cover F308a whose container rear end side is fixed to the container body F033. The first container cover F308a and the second container cover F308b The container front end side cover F034 is comprised. A lifting member F382 extending toward the rotation center is attached to the inner peripheral surface of the second container cover F308b. A connecting portion between the container main body F033 and the second container cover F308b is a rotation sliding portion F905, which has a sealed configuration. A bearing having a sealing property can be used as the rotating sliding portion.
In FIG. 36, the nozzle receiving member F330 does not rotate with respect to the container main body F033, and is fixed to the first container cover 308a of the container front end side cover F034 by the fixing ring F306. Therefore, the outer peripheral surface F330d of the nozzle receiving member F330 engages with the inner peripheral surface 615a of the container setting portion in a state where the toner container F032 is set in the container setting portion 615 of the toner replenishing device 60, but does not slide.
The nozzle receiving port F331 is provided on the container front end side, and the container seal F333, the container shutter F332, and the container shutter spring F336 are the same as the nozzle receiving member A330 in the first embodiment.
Further, the first container cover F308a of the container front end side cover F034 holds the IC tag 700 as in the first embodiment, and also includes a configuration such as a container lock portion F339 and a slide guide F361.

In the configuration shown in FIG. 36, the container shutter F332 is in a position to seal the nozzle receiving port F331 by the urging force of the container shutter spring F336.
The nozzle receiving member F330 has a convex portion F391 formed on the first outer peripheral surface F330c, and is formed on the inner periphery of the container gear 2F301 that is integral with the second container cover F308b that rotates relative to the nozzle receiving member F330. It fits into the recessed portion F393, and has a function of sealing and preventing coming off. Similar to the rotary sliding portion F905, a bearing having a sealing property can be used instead of the seal configuration including the convex portion F391 and the concave portion F393.
Further, an end F380a on the container front end side of the agitator F380 is connected to a lifting member F382 extending from the inner peripheral surface of the second container cover F308b. The agitator F380 includes a screw F380b, a support column F381, and a central axis F334, and rotates together with the second container cover 308b via a lifting member F382. The rotation of the agitator F380 moves the toner T in the container main body F033 from the container rear end side to the container front end side. Then, the toner T that has moved to the front end side of the container is lifted to the toner intake port F392 by the lifting member F382, falls to the toner intake port F392, and is supplied to the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle 611. In the configuration shown in FIG. 36 according to the fifth embodiment, since the nozzle receiving member F330 does not rotate with respect to the transport nozzle 611, the toner intake port F392 of the nozzle receiving member and the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle are always matched. be able to.
The gap (gap) t between the end of the lifting member F382 on the nozzle receiving member F330 side and the first outer peripheral surface F330c of the nozzle receiving member is 2 mm or less, preferably It is preferable that it is 1 mm or less. In this embodiment, the thickness is 0.75 mm, and both the suppression of toner leakage and smooth rotation without interference of the lifting member F382 are achieved.

  Fig.37 (a) is XX cross section of FIG. 36, and is explanatory drawing when it sees from the container front end side. FIGS. 37 (b) and (c) are modified examples of FIG. 37 (a). FIG. 37 (d) is an explanatory diagram showing the state before FIG. 37 (c) in time series. In FIGS. 37A to 37D, the first container cover F308a on the outer periphery of the second container cover F308b is not shown. Further, the nozzle opening 610 and the toner intake port F392 are opened at a position higher than the rotation center of the conveying screw 614 in the gravity direction and higher than the upper end of the conveying screw 614, and both of the openings are the conveying screw 614. Narrower than the diameter. In the configurations shown in FIGS. 37A to 37D, the toner T is lifted to a position higher than these openings by the lifting portion F382 and then dropped so as to be poured.

In FIG. 37A, when driving is transmitted from the main body side drive gear 601 of the toner replenishing device 60 to the container gear F301 integrated with the second container cover 308b, the second container cover 308b rotates clockwise in the drawing. . The lifting portion F382 extending from the inner peripheral surface of the second container cover 308b rotates clockwise in the drawing together with the second container cover 308b.
When the lifting portion F382 is positioned on the lower side in the figure, the toner T transported to the container front end side by the agitator F380 is the inner side of the second container cover 308b on the downstream side in the rotational direction from the root F382a of the lifting portion F382. Hold between the surrounding surfaces and lift. Further, when rotated clockwise in the figure, the toner T is dropped to a toner intake port F392 provided in the nozzle receiving member F330, and the toner T is supplied from the nozzle opening 610 of the transport nozzle communicating with the toner intake port 392. To supply.
In FIG. 37 (b), the tip F382b of the lifting portion shown in FIG. 37 (a) is bent downstream in the rotational direction and is curved along the first outer peripheral surface F330c of the nozzle receiving member. With this bent shape, a larger amount of toner T than that in FIG. 37A can be held on the lifting portion F382. This bent shape functions as an inclined surface that bridges when the toner T is poured into the toner intake port F992. In the lifting portion F382 in FIG. 37A, when the second container cover F308b rotates to the downstream side in the rotational direction from the position where the lifting portion F382 extends in the horizontal direction, the toner T on the lifting portion F382 is transferred to the nozzle receiving member F330. The first outer peripheral surface F330c of the first and the tip F382b of the lifting portion start to fall. For this reason, the toner T on the lifting portion F382 is slightly reduced at the timing when the leading end F382b of the lifting portion faces the edge of the toner intake port F392 as shown in FIG.

On the other hand, in FIG. 37B, even if the second container cover F308b rotates downstream in the rotational direction from the position where the lifting portion F382 extends in the horizontal direction, the toner T on the lifting portion F382 is removed due to the bent shape. 37 (b), the lifted portion F382b has a bent tip F382b at the timing when it faces the edge of the toner intake port F392, as shown in FIG. The toner T can be held. At this time, the lifting portion F382 functions as a staying portion that lifts the toner T to a position higher than the toner intake port 392, as described with reference to FIG. In FIG. 37 (b), the width of the tip F382b (the length of the second container cover F308b in the rotation direction) is approximately 5 mm.
In addition, as shown in FIG. 37 (c), when the lifting portion F382 does not extend toward the rotation center of the second container cover F308b, but the lifting portion F382 extends in a substantially horizontal direction, the container It can also be configured to extend from a position slightly offset to the downstream side in the rotation direction so as to extend along a position slightly above the rotation center of the front end side cover F308b. With this configuration, as shown in FIG. 37 (d), the root of the lifting portion F382 is located upstream in the rotational direction of the second container cover F308 from the end of the lifting portion F308 facing the nozzle receiving member F330. It can be set as the structure which becomes a position, and becomes a cross-sectional shape where the root was depressed in the upstream compared with the structure of Fig.37 (a). At this time, the lifting portion F382 functions as a staying portion that lifts the toner T to a position higher than the toner intake port 392, as described with reference to FIG.

  In FIGS. 37A to 37C, similarly to the first embodiment, since the transport nozzle 611 is inserted at the substantially rotation center of the second container cover F308b, the nozzle opening 610 and the toner intake port F392 are not connected to the second container cover F308b. The container cover F308b opens above the rotation center (the rotation center of the transport screw 614). 37B and 37C, the toner on the lifting portion F382 is lifted to a position above the rotation center of the second container cover F308b (the rotation center of the transport screw 614), and the toner intake port It can be poured toward F392. In this way, according to the configuration of FIGS. 37B and 37C, the lifting portion F382 is provided with a lifting portion that lifts the toner to a position higher than the toner receiving port in the direction of gravity, so that the pumped toner spills from the transport nozzle. The pumped-up toner can be poured into the toner receiving port of the transport nozzle while suppressing the fall. Accordingly, in this configuration, the lifting portion F382 functions as a staying portion as in the first embodiment.

<Description of Toner Container Mounting Mechanism Common to Embodiments 1 to 5>
FIG. 38 is a perspective explanatory view of the container tip side cover A034 common to all of the first to fifth embodiments, and is a view seen from the gear opening A034a side. FIG. 39 is a cross-sectional view taken along a horizontal plane including the rotation axis of the container main body A033 in Embodiment 1, and is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the toner supply device and the toner container before the toner container is mounted. FIG. 40 is a cross-sectional explanatory view of the state where the toner container of FIG. 39 is completely attached to the toner supply device.
Note that the container front end cover A034 is illustrated as an integral configuration for ease of explanation, but includes a first container cover A308a and a second container cover A308b.
As shown in FIG. 38, on the outer peripheral surface of the container front end side cover A034, there is a gear exposed opening A033a above the container lock A339. The container lock portion A339 extends from the container front end side beyond the container gear A301 in the container longitudinal direction (horizontal direction when the toner container is mounted on the toner supply device).
A state until the toner container is mounted on the toner supply device will be described with reference to FIGS. 39 and 40. FIG. As shown in FIG. 39, the toner replenishing device 60 has a transport nozzle 611 at the center, and includes a lock member 609 as a pair of replenishing device side locking members on both sides thereof. The lock member 609 is rotatably held by the set cover 608 and is urged toward the transport nozzle 610 by a spring. When the toner container 32 is advanced in the direction of the arrow Q from the state shown in FIG. 39, the lock members 609 on both sides first of the guide protrusion A339a as the guide portion, which is the configuration on the container front end side of the lock portion A339 of the toner container 32, respectively. Get on the tapered surface. When the toner container 32 is further advanced, the lock member 609 slides on the guide groove A339b and goes over without interfering with the container gear A301. After that, the lock member 609 passes over the climbing portion A339c, which is a small protrusion, and is fitted into the locking hole A339d by the biasing force of the spring as shown in FIG. Simultaneously with the locking operation of the locking member 609, the container shutter A332 is pushed by the transport nozzle 611 and retracts into the container body A033 against the reaction force accompanying the compression of the container shutter spring A336. The nozzle shutter 612 also contacts the container seal A333 in the tip opening A305, and compresses the nozzle shutter spring 613. The pair of lock members 609 can engage with the locking holes A339d to receive the restoring force of the container shutter spring A336 and the nozzle shutter spring 613, and fix the toner container A032 to a refillable position.
In addition, the toner replenishing device 60 includes a container driving gear 601, and the container driving gear 601 engages with the container gear A301 in the mounting completion state of FIG.

The container lock portion A339 that slides after the lock member 609 is ridden and seen in the longitudinal direction of the toner container A032 and is locked in the locking hole is disposed outside the outer diameter of the container gear A301. There is no interference with the container gear A301. The container lock portion A339 has a locking hole A339d as a locking portion on the container rear end side beyond the container gear A301 when viewed from the front end opening A305 on the container front end side in the container longitudinal direction. Accordingly, in the mounted state, the toner container A032 is held at a position before and after the container gear A301 by the container set and set unit 615 and the container lock member 609, and sufficiently receives the drive of the container gear A301, and the container main body A033. The toner conveyance inside can be stabilized.
Furthermore, as shown in FIG. 40, when the toner container A032 is mounted on the toner replenishing device 60, the locking hole A339d for locking the locking member is inserted into the nozzle receiving member A330 in the container longitudinal direction. The nozzle opening 610 (the hatched area in FIG. 40) of the transport nozzle 611 is at a position facing each other. In other words, the imaginary straight line connecting the centers of the pair of locking holes A339d (the intersections of diagonal lines in the case of the rectangular holes A339d as in the first embodiment) passes through the nozzle openings 610. In this positional relationship, the vicinity of the tip of the transport nozzle 611 (where the nozzle opening 610 is located) is in a state where it is inserted deeply into the nozzle receiving member A330 up to a position beyond the container gear A301 and facing the locking hole A339d. Therefore, it is possible to suppress the rotating nozzle receiving member A330 from being inclined with respect to the container main body A033, and to prevent the meshing of the container gear A301 and the container drive gear 601 from being shifted. If the meshing is greatly deviated, the driving load increases and causes abnormal noise and gear wear. However, in the toner container of the present invention, such a problem can be suppressed.

The present application also includes the following inventions.
"Note 1"
Powder container A032, D032, E032, F032 is installed,
A transfer tube 611 for transferring powder;
A powder receiving port 610 provided in the transfer pipe for receiving powder from the powder container;
A powder replenishing device 60 provided on the transport pipe and having a transport screw 614 for transporting powder received from the powder receiving port, wherein the powder receiver in a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis of the transport screw. The opening width of the inlet is a powder storage container that can be mounted with the horizontal direction as a longitudinal direction to a powder replenishing device that is narrower than the diameter of the conveying screw.
Container main bodies A033, D033, F033 for storing image forming powder to be supplied to the powder supply device;
A powder conveying member A380 that is arranged inside the container body and rotates to convey the powder from one end side in the longitudinal direction of the container body toward the other end side where the cylindrical container opening is provided. , D380, E380, F380,
Pipe receiving members A330, D330, E330, F330 disposed in the container opening and capable of guiding the transport pipe to the inside of the container main body through a pipe receiving port;
Powder inlets A392, D392, E392, F392 capable of communicating between the powder inlet provided in the transfer pipe and the inside of the container body;
A powder container, comprising: lifting members A382, D382, E382, and F382 that lift the powder transported to one end by the transporting member and flow it into the powder intake port.

According to the invention of Note 1, since the lifting unit that lifts the toner to a position higher than the toner receiving port in the direction of gravity is provided, the pumped toner is prevented from spilling from the conveying nozzle and the pumped toner is transferred to the toner receiving port of the conveying nozzle. There is an excellent effect that it can be poured.
"Note 2"
In the powder container described in Note 1,
The pipe receiving member is
Opening and closing members A332, E332, D332, F332 for opening and closing the pipe receiving port;
A powder storage container comprising energizing members A336, E336, D336, and F336 for energizing the open / close member toward a position where the open / close member closes the pipe receiving port.

According to the invention of Note 2, the effects of both the stability of the toner replenishment amount and the toner scattering suppression effect can be expected.
"Note 3"
In the powder container according to Note 1 or 2,
The powder storage container, wherein the lifting member includes a retention portion capable of retaining the powder when the powder is lifted.

According to the invention of Note 3, since the toner can be accumulated in the vicinity of the lifting portion, the toner T transported to the front end side of the container inside the container body by the agitator can be smoothly lifted by the lifting portion and poured into the toner intake port.
"Note 4"
In the powder container according to any one of Notes 1 to 3,
The powder container according to claim 1, wherein the tube receiving member includes an outer peripheral surface serving as a positioning portion for the powder supply device.
"Note 5"
In the powder container described in Note 3,
The tube receiving member has the powder inlet, and is configured to rotate so that the powder inlet crosses the powder inlet.
The lifting member is configured to extend from the peripheral surface of the tube receiving member upstream of the powder intake port in the rotation direction of the tube receiving member toward the inner peripheral surface of the container body. Characteristic powder storage container.
"Note 6"
In the powder container described in Note 5,
The powder container according to claim 1, wherein the root of the lifting portion is configured to form an obtuse angle with respect to a tangential direction at an edge portion on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the tube receiving member at the powder inlet.

According to the invention of Note 6, the function of lifting the toner T according to the inventions of Notes 3 and 5 at the lifting portion can be improved.
"Note 7"
In the powder container described in Note 6,
The powder storage container, wherein the lifting portion is configured to extend from a peripheral surface of the tube receiving member adjacent to an edge of the powder intake port.

According to the invention of Note 7, the function of smoothly flowing the toner T into the toner intake port can be improved.
"Note 8"
In the powder container according to Note 6 or 7,
The staying portion is an inclined surface formed by the lifting portion with respect to the powder inlet when the powder inlet of the tube receiving member and the powder inlet of the transport pipe are aligned in the rotation direction. A powder container characterized by that.

According to the invention of Note 8, it is possible to improve the function of lifting the toner T by the lifting portion and smoothly flowing the lifted toner T into the toner intake port according to the inventions of Notes 3 and 5.
"Note 9"
In the powder container according to Note 6 or 7,
The powder storage container, wherein the staying portion is a concave portion in the lifting portion in which a tip that is opposite to a base in the lifting portion is bent toward the downstream side in the rotation direction of the tube receiving member.
"Note 10"
In the powder container according to Note 6 or 7,
The powder storage container, wherein the staying portion is a concave portion in the lifting portion in which the lifting portion is curved so as to be concave toward the downstream side in the rotation direction of the pipe receiving member.
"Note 11"
In the powder container described in Note 9,
The said storage part is a recessed part formed by bending multiple times in the same direction, The powder container characterized by the above-mentioned.

According to the inventions of Notes 9, 10, and 11, the function of lifting the toner T according to the inventions of Notes 6 and 7 by the lifting portion can be further improved.
"Note12"
In the powder container according to any one of Notes 1 to 11,
The tube receiving member is disposed on the other end side in the longitudinal direction from the conveying member, and has a container gear that receives driving from the powder replenishing device,
The powder container according to claim 1, wherein the conveying member is connected to one end of the tube receiving member via a drive transmission control member.
"Note 13"
In the powder container described in Note 12,
The drive transmission control member restricts drive transmission when the container body is sufficiently filled with powder, and torque setting for transmitting drive when the powder is consumed and the internal powder is reduced The powder container characterized by being.

According to the inventions of Notes 12 and 13, it is possible to reduce the load of rotation of the agitator in a state where a large amount of toner T exists in the container body.
"Note 14"
In the powder container described in Note 3,
Provided on the other end side of the container body, having a container cover rotatable with respect to the container body;
The powder container according to claim 1, wherein the lifting member is configured to extend inward from the inner peripheral surface of the container cover.
"Note 15"
In the powder container described in Note 14,
The retention part is a recess in the lifting part in which the end part on the pipe receiving member side in the lifting part is bent downstream in the rotational direction so as to be along the outer peripheral surface of the pipe receiving member. Storage container.

According to the invention of Note 15, the function of lifting the toner T according to the inventions of Notes 3 and 14 by the lifting portion can be improved.
"Note 19"
In the powder container described in Note 15,
The powder container according to claim 1, wherein a bent portion of the lifting portion is shorter than a portion of the lifting portion extending from the inner peripheral surface of the container cover toward the inside.
"Note 17"
In the powder container described in Note 14,
The retention portion is the lifting portion that is offset toward the downstream side in the rotation direction of the container cover and extends toward the inside with respect to the vertical line that is lowered from the rotation center of the container cover to the inner peripheral surface. Characteristic powder storage container.

According to the inventions of Notes 16 and 17, it is possible to improve the function of lifting the toner T by the lifting portion and smoothly flowing the lifted toner T into the toner intake port.
"Note 18"
In the powder container according to any one of Notes 13 to 17,
The powder container according to claim 1, wherein a gap between an end of the lifting portion on the tube receiving member side and the tube receiving member is 2 mm or less.

According to the invention of Note 18, when the toner T is lifted, it is possible to prevent leakage of toner from the gap between the end of the lifting portion on the tube receiving member side and the tube receiving member.
"Note 19"
Image forming means for forming an image using image forming powder;
A powder replenishing device that detachably holds a powder storage container storing powder, and transports the powder in the powder storage container to an image forming means when the powder storage container is mounted; In an image forming apparatus having
An image forming apparatus using the powder container according to any one of Notes 1 to 17 as the powder container.

26 Paper feed tray 27 Paper feed roller 28 Registration roller pair 29 Paper discharge roller pair 30 Stack unit A032, D032, E032, F032 Toner container (powder container)
A033, D033, E033, F033 Container body (powder storage member)
A034, D034, E034, F034 Container tip side cover (housing part cover member)
A034a Gear exposure opening A034b Color incompatible rib 41 Photoconductor 42a Cleaning blade 42 Photoconductor cleaning device 44 Charging roller 46Y Yellow image forming portion 46 Image forming portion 47 Exposure device 48 Intermediate transfer belt 49 Primary transfer bias roller 50 Developing device 51 Developing roller 52 Doctor blade 53 First developer container 54 Developer container 54 Second developer container 55 Developer conveying screw 56 Toner concentration detection sensor 60 Toner supply device (powder supply device)
64 Toner drop conveyance path 70 Toner container housing portion 71 Insert port forming portion 72 Container receiving portion 73 Cap portion (container cover receiving portion)
82 Secondary transfer backup roller 85 Intermediate transfer unit 86 Fixing device 89 Secondary transfer roller 90 Control unit (information processing means)
91 Agitator rotation drive unit 100 Printer unit (toner image forming means)
200 Paper Feeding Section A301, F301 Container Gear A303 Handle A305 End Opening (End Opening Forming Section)
A306 Regulatory ring (cover claw hook)
A307 Container rear end cover A307a Toner filling hole A308a, F308a First container cover (container front end cover)
A308b, F308b Second container cover A309 Cap fixing thread A311 Cap A330, D330, F330 Nozzle receiving member (tube insertion member)
A330a Shutter support portion A330b Container shutter spring support portion A330c First outer peripheral surface A330d Second outer peripheral surface A330e Inner peripheral surface A330f Stepped portion A330g Guide slit A331, E331, F331 Nozzle receiving port (tube insertion port)
A332, E332, F332 Container shutter (opening / closing member)
A333, F333 Container seal A334, D334, F334 Center axis (Rotation center axis)
A336, E336, F336 Container shutter spring A339, F339 Container lock (container lock claw)
A339a Guide projection A339b Guide groove A339c Overpass part A339d Locking hole A340 Pin 342 Holding member left side 343 Holding part 344 Holding member 345 Holding mechanism 347 Holding member opening 348 Holding member lower 349 Holding member right side 350 Holding member upper 351 Inner wall rib 352 Frame 353 Holding member protruding portion 354 Holding member lower claw portion 355 Holding member upper claw portion 356 Holding member right side claw portion 357 IC tag mounting surface 358 Base 359a Mounting surface upper hook portion 359b Mounting surface lower hook portion 360 Mounting surface Lateral hook portion 360a Mounting surface Lateral hook portion inclined surface A361, F361 Slide guide 370, B370 Cap (cap member)
371 Cap collar A380, D380, E380, F380 Agitator A382, D382, E382, F382 Lifting part (conveying blade)
A390, D390, E390, F390 Agitator assembly (drive transmission member)
A391, F391 Convex part (key-like convex part)
A392, D392, E392, F392 Toner inlet 400 Scanner unit 500 Copying machine (image forming apparatus)
601 Body side drive gear 602 Frame (body frame)
603 Drive motor 604 Drive transmission gear 605 Conveying screw gear 607 Nozzle holder 608 Set cover 609 Container lock member 610 Nozzle opening (powder receiving port)
611 Conveying nozzle (conveying pipe)
611a Nozzle tip 612 Nozzle shutter (powder receiving opening / closing member)
612a Nozzle shutter collar (butting portion)
612b Shutter inner peripheral first rib 612c Shutter inner peripheral second rib 612d Shutter inner peripheral third rib 612e Nozzle shutter tubular portion 612f Nozzle shutter spring receiving surface 612g Inner peripheral first rib tip 613 Nozzle shutter spring (biasing member)
614 Conveying screw 615 Container setting unit 700 IC tag (IC chip, ID tag, ID chip, information storage device)
701 IC tag hole (hole or notch)
702 Substrate 710 Metal pad (container side terminal)
710a First metal pad 710b Second metal pad 710c Third metal pad 800 Connector 801 Positioning pin (protrusion)
804 Main body side terminal B372 Adsorbent D900 Torque limiter D901 Housing D902 Inner ring D903 Leaf spring D904 Shield member D905 Bearing D912 Blade type conveying member D913 Coil type conveying member D914 Rotating member D914a Cam groove E301 Rotating gear portion E308b Nozzle receiving portion E330 E334 Center shaft part F306 Fixing ring F380a End part F380b Screw F381 Post F382a Root F382b Tip F393 Recess F905 Rotating sliding part (bearing)
G Developer L Laser beam P Recording medium T Toner

JP 2012-133349 A

Claims (9)

A transfer tube for transferring powder;
A powder receiving port provided in the transfer pipe and receiving the powder from a powder container;
In a powder container that can be mounted on a powder replenishing device having a replenishing device side lock member capable of locking the powder container,
A nozzle receiving port into which the transport pipe can be inserted;
Conveying means for conveying the powder from one end to the other end provided with the nozzle receiving port;
A gear to which a driving force is applied from the outside and rotates the conveying means;
Than the gear provided on the one end side, a locking portion capable of the replenishing device side locking member is locked,
With
While a pair of the locking portions are provided ,
In a state where the powder container is mounted on the powder replenishing device, an imaginary straight line connecting the pair of locking portions passes through the transport pipe provided with the powder receiving port. Powder container. In the powder container according to claim 1,
A container opening provided on the other end side,
The powder storage container, wherein the pair of locking portions includes a container lock portion extending in a container longitudinal direction beyond the gear from a side where the container opening is provided. The powder container according to claim 2,
The powder container according to claim 1, wherein the engaging portion is provided on a side beyond the gear as viewed in the container longitudinal direction from the container opening. In the powder container according to claim 2 or 3 ,
The powder container according to claim 1, wherein the container lock portion includes a sliding portion on which the replenishing device side locking member can slide. In the powder container according to any one of claims 2 to 4,
A powder container, comprising a container cover that covers the gear and has the container lock portion. The powder container according to claim 5,
The said container cover is equipped with the gear opening part which exposes a part of tooth surface of the said gear, The powder storage container characterized by the above-mentioned. The powder container according to any one of claims 2 to 6,
A powder container, wherein an outer peripheral surface of the container opening is a positioning portion for the powder supply device. In the powder container according to any one of claims 1 to 7,
A powder container comprising an information storage device and a holding mechanism for holding the information storage device. The powder container according to claim 8,
The powder storage container, wherein the information storage device is movably held in the holding mechanism.

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