JP6858674B2 - Developer housing housing covering device, image forming unit and image forming device - Google Patents

Description

The present invention relates to a developer housing housing covering device, an image forming unit, and an image forming device.

Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a printer, a copying machine, a facsimile, or a multifunction device, for example, in a printer, an image forming unit, an LED head, a transfer unit, a fixing device, and the like are arranged, and the image forming unit is a photoconductor drum. , Charging rollers, developing machines, cleaning blades, toner cartridges, etc.

Then, in the image forming unit, the surface of the photoconductor drum uniformly charged by the charging roller is exposed by the LED head to form an electrostatic latent image, and in the developing device, as a developer on the developing roller. Toner is attached to the electrostatic latent image, and the electrostatic latent image is developed to form a toner image on the photoconductor drum. Subsequently, the toner image is transferred to the paper by the transfer roller of the transfer unit and fixed to the paper in the fixing device to form an image on the paper.

By the way, at the time of shipment of the printer, the main body of the image forming unit, that is, the main body of the image forming unit and the toner cartridge are separately packed and transported, and are assembled to the main body of the printer, that is, the main body of the apparatus when the printer is used. ..

In this case, if the toner in the image forming unit main body leaks from the toner supply port and scatters while the packed image forming unit main body is being conveyed, the periphery of the image forming unit main body is contaminated with the toner.

Therefore, the toner supply port of the image forming unit main body is covered with a covering member so that the toner does not leak from the toner supply port and scatter, and the covering member is removed when the image forming unit main body is assembled to the device main body. A developer-accommodating housing covering device is provided (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2011-164663

However, in the conventional developer accommodating housing covering device, if the image forming unit main body is subjected to vibration, impact, or the like or tilted while the image forming unit main body is being conveyed, the image forming unit main body is subjected to vibration, impact, or the like. When the toner inside adheres to the covering member and the covering member is removed from the image forming unit main body, the toner may scatter and the periphery of the image forming unit main body may become dirty.

The present invention solves the problem of the conventional developer housing housing covering device, and when the covering member is removed from the image forming unit main body, the developing agent scatters and the periphery of the image forming unit main body becomes dirty. It is an object of the present invention to provide a developer housing housing covering device, an image forming unit, and an image forming device.

Therefore, in the developer accommodating housing covering device of the present invention, the developing agent accommodating housing in which the developing agent is accommodating and the housing opening is formed at a predetermined position and the developing agent accommodating housing are attached to and detached from the developing agent accommodating housing. It has a coating member that is freely arranged and that covers the housing opening in a state of being attached to the developing agent containing housing, and a sealing member that is attached to the peripheral edge of the housing opening in the developing agent containing housing. ..

Then, the developer accommodating housing includes a first locking member in the covering member mounting portion for mounting the covering member.

Further, when the covering member is attached to the developing agent containing housing, the covering member is locked with the first locking member at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the covering surface facing the housing opening and the covering member. A second locking member is provided.

Then, the sealing member includes a sealing surface that faces the covering surface when the covering member is attached to the developer housing housing.
Further, the first locking member is arranged so as to correspond to the position of each of the second locking members.
Then, when the covering member is removed from the developer accommodating housing, the portion of the covering surface facing the housing opening before the covering member is removed forms at least an edge forming the housing opening. It is slid with the sealing surface until it comes off the portion.

According to the present invention, in the developing agent accommodating housing covering device, the developing agent accommodating housing in which the developing agent is accommodating and the housing opening is formed at a predetermined position and the developing agent accommodating housing are attached to and detached from the developing agent accommodating housing. It has a coating member that is freely arranged and that covers the housing opening in a state of being attached to the developing agent containing housing, and a sealing member that is attached to the peripheral edge of the housing opening in the developing agent containing housing. ..

Then, the developer accommodating housing includes a first locking member in the covering member mounting portion for mounting the covering member.

Further, when the covering member is attached to the developing agent containing housing, the covering member is locked with the first locking member at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the covering surface facing the housing opening and the covering member. A second locking member is provided.

Then, the sealing member includes a sealing surface that faces the covering surface when the covering member is attached to the developer housing housing.
Further, the first locking member is arranged so as to correspond to the position of each of the second locking members.
Then, when the covering member is removed from the developer accommodating housing, the portion of the covering surface facing the housing opening before the covering member is removed forms at least an edge forming the housing opening. It is slid with the sealing surface until it comes off the portion.

In this case, the covering surface of the covering member and the sealing surface of the sealing member are opposed to each other with the covering member attached to the developing agent accommodating housing, and slide when the covering member is removed from the developing agent accommodating housing. Therefore, while the developer accommodating housing is being conveyed, the developer accommodating housing is subjected to vibration, impact, etc., or is tilted, so that the developing agent in the developing agent accommodating housing is a covering member. Even if it adheres to the coated surface, the adhered developer can be removed by the sealing member.

Therefore, when the covering member is removed from the image forming unit main body, the developer does not scatter and the periphery of the image forming unit main body is not contaminated.

It is a figure for demonstrating operation of the developer containing housing housing coating apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the image formation unit in embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing of the image formation unit main body in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the image formation unit main body in embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view of the developer containing housing housing coating apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is an exploded perspective view of the developer containing housing housing coating apparatus in embodiment of this invention. It is a 1st perspective view of the covering member attachment part in embodiment of this invention. It is a second perspective view of the covering member attachment part in embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged view of the main part of the covering member mounting part in embodiment of this invention. It is a 1st perspective view which shows the state which the sponge member is attached to the covering member attachment part in embodiment of this invention. It is a 2nd perspective view which shows the state which the sponge member is attached to the covering member attachment part in embodiment of this invention. FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. It is an enlarged view of the main part of FIG. It is a 1st perspective view when the covering member in embodiment of this invention is seen from the upper surface side. 2 is a second perspective view of the covering member according to the embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the upper surface side. It is a 1st perspective view when the covering member in embodiment of this invention is seen from the back side. 2 is a second perspective view of the covering member according to the embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the back surface side. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. It is a figure for demonstrating the relationship between the covering member attached to the image forming unit main body and the covering member attachment part in embodiment of this invention. It is an enlarged view of the main part for demonstrating the relationship between the covering member attached to the image forming unit main body and the covering member attachment part in embodiment of this invention. It is a first cross-sectional view of the developer containing housing housing covering apparatus when the covering member is rotated by a predetermined amount at the time of removing the covering member from the image forming unit main body in embodiment of this invention. It is a second cross-sectional view of the developer containing housing housing covering apparatus when the covering member is rotated by a predetermined amount at the time of removing the covering member from the image forming unit main body in embodiment of this invention. It is a first cross-sectional view of the developer containing housing housing covering apparatus when the covering member is further rotated when removing the covering member from the image forming unit main body in embodiment of this invention. It is a second sectional view of the developer containing housing housing covering apparatus when the covering member is further rotated when removing the covering member from the image forming unit main body in embodiment of this invention.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In this case, a printer (not shown) as an image forming apparatus will be described.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the image forming unit according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a sectional view of the image forming unit main body according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view of the image forming unit main body according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the developer accommodating housing covering device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 6 is an exploded perspective view of the developer accommodating housing covering device according to the embodiment of the present invention.

In the figure, 11 is an image forming unit, 12 is a main body of the image forming unit 11, that is, an image forming unit main body as a developer accommodating housing, and 14 is detachably attached to the image forming unit main body 12. It is a toner cartridge as a developing agent accommodating portion, and toner (not shown) as a developing agent contained in the toner cartridge 14 is supplied to a developing device 16 as a developing device in an image forming unit main body 12.

Therefore, a toner discharge port 21 as a developer discharge port is formed on the lower surface of the case 18 as the first housing of the toner cartridge 14, and the lower end of the case 18 is opened and closed in order to open and close the toner discharge port 21. A shutter 23 as an opening / closing member is movably arranged in the portion, and in the present embodiment, is rotatably arranged. An opening 24 is formed in the shutter 23, and an operation lever (not shown) as an operation unit formed integrally with the shutter 23 is rotated to move the shutter 23. In the present embodiment, the shutter 23 is rotated. By aligning the toner discharge port 21 and the opening 24, the toner discharge port 21 can be opened. Further, the toner discharge port 21 can be closed by rotating the operation lever, rotating the shutter 23, and shifting the toner discharge port 21 and the opening 24.

The image forming unit main body 12 includes a lower frame LF, an upper frame UF, a side frame SFL located on the left side when the downstream side in the paper transport direction (not shown) as a medium is viewed, and the downstream side in the paper transport direction. A frame 27 as a second housing composed of a side frame SFR located on the right side when viewed is provided.

Then, in order to set the toner cartridge 14, the upper frame UF is formed with a pair of support portions 28f and 28r extending between the side frames SFL and SFR on the downstream side and the upstream side in the paper transport direction. A developer accommodating portion mounting surface Sa as a first mounting surface composed of a concave surface curved with a predetermined curvature is formed between the support portions 28f and 28r, and the longitudinal direction of the developer accommodating portion mounting surface Sa. A toner supply port 26 is formed as a housing opening and as a developer supply port in correspondence with the toner discharge port 21 at substantially the center of the above. Therefore, when the toner discharge port 21 is opened, the toner in the toner cartridge 14 is supplied to the toner storage unit 25 as a developer storage unit in the image forming unit main body 12 via the toner supply port 26.

Further, an elastic material, and in the present embodiment, a sponge member 29 as a sealing member made of a sponge is attached to the peripheral edge of the toner supply port 26 on the developer accommodating portion mounting surface Sa, and the sponge member is attached. An opening 30 is formed in the 29 so as to communicate with the toner supply port 26. The sponge member 29 seals and seals between the toner cartridge 14 and the image forming unit main body 12, so that when the toner in the toner cartridge 14 is supplied into the image forming unit main body 12, the toner cartridge is sealed. Toner is prevented from leaking from between 14 and the image forming unit main body 12.

The image forming unit 11 holds a photoconductor drum 31 as an image carrier, a charging roller 32 as a charging device for uniformly charging the surface of the photoconductor drum 31, and toner, and supplies the toner to the photoconductor drum 31. A developing roller 33 as a developer carrier that develops an electrostatic latent image as a latent image to form a toner image as a developer image, and a toner supply as a developer supply member that supplies toner to the developing roller 33. The roller 34, the developing blade 35 as a developer layer regulating member for thinning the toner supplied on the developing roller 33, and the toner remaining on the photoconductor drum 31 after the toner image is transferred to the paper are scraped off. A cleaning blade 36 or the like as a cleaning member is provided. The developing roller 33, the toner supply roller 34, and the developing blade 35 are arranged in the toner storage unit 25 to form the developing device 16.

The charging roller 32, the developing roller 33, and the cleaning blade 36 are arranged in contact with the photoconductor drum 31, and the toner supply roller 34 and the developing blade 35 are arranged in contact with the developing roller 33. Further, a power source for the developing roller, a power source for the toner supply roller, and a power source for the developing blade, which are not shown, are connected to the developing roller 33, the toner supply roller 34, and the developing blade 35, respectively, and the developing roller 33, the toner supply roller 34, and the developing blade 35 are connected to each other. A bias voltage is applied to the developing blade 35.

By the way, at the time of shipment of the printer, the image forming unit main body 12 and the toner cartridge 14 are separately packed and conveyed, and when the printer is used, the image forming unit main body 12 and the toner cartridge 14 are assembled to the main body of the printer, that is, the main body of the apparatus by an operator.

In this case, if the toner pre-filled in the image forming unit main body 12 leaks from the toner supply port 26 and scatters while the image forming unit main body 12 is being conveyed, the periphery of the image forming unit main body 12 is covered with toner. It gets dirty.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, the covering member 37 is detachably arranged with respect to the image forming unit main body 12, and the covering member 37 is an image. While attached to the forming unit main body 12, the toner supply port 26 of the image forming unit main body 12 is covered to prevent the toner from leaking from the toner supply port 26 and scattering, and the image forming unit 11 is attached to the device main body. When assembled, it is removed from the image forming unit main body 12.

The image forming unit main body 12 and the covering member 37 constitute a developing agent containing housing covering device.

Next, the developer housing housing covering device will be described.

FIG. 7 is a first perspective view of the covering member mounting portion according to the embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 8 is a second perspective view of the covering member mounting portion according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 9 is an embodiment of the present invention. An enlarged view of a main part of the covering member mounting portion in the embodiment, FIG. 10 is a first perspective view showing a state in which a sponge member is attached to the covering member mounting portion in the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 11 is an embodiment of the present invention. A second perspective view showing a state in which the sponge member is attached to the covering member attachment portion in the embodiment, FIG. 12 is a sectional view taken along the line AA of FIG. 10, FIG. 13 is an enlarged view of a main part of FIG. 12, and FIG. 14 is the present invention. 1 is a first perspective view when the covering member according to the embodiment of the present invention is viewed from the upper surface side, FIG. 15 is a second perspective view when the covering member according to the embodiment of the present invention is viewed from the upper surface side, FIG. A first perspective view of the covering member according to the embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the back side, and FIG. 17 is a second perspective view of the covering member according to the embodiment of the present invention when viewed from the back side. ..

In the figure, 12 is the main body of the image forming unit, Sa is the mounting surface of the developer accommodating portion, 25 is the toner storage portion, 26 is the toner supply port, 28f and 28r are the support portions, 29 is the sponge member, 30 is the opening, and 37 is. The covering member 41 is a covering member mounting portion for mounting the covering member 37 to the image forming unit main body 12.

The covering member mounting portion 41 is formed by locally raising the developing agent accommodating portion mounting surface Sa with a constant thickness at substantially the center in the longitudinal direction of the developing agent accommodating portion mounting surface Sa, and is formed by raising the side frame SFL. It includes an edge eg1 on the side (FIG. 4), an edge eg2 on the side frame SFR side, an edge eg3 on the downstream side in the paper transport direction, and an edge eg4 on the upstream side in the paper transport direction.

Further, the covering member mounting portion 41 has a predetermined shape, and in the present embodiment, a rectangular shape, and the developer accommodating portion mounting surface Sa is raised by the amount raised from the developing agent accommodating portion mounting surface Sa. A covering member mounting surface Sb as a second mounting surface composed of a concave surface curved with a larger predetermined curvature is provided, and the toner supply port 26 is provided in the width direction of the covering member mounting portion 41 (covering member mounting surface Sb). It is formed so as to extend in the longitudinal direction of the covering member mounting portion 41 at the center in the circumferential direction).

The developer accommodating portion mounting surface Sa and the covering member mounting surface Sb are formed in concentric circles having different diameters. Further, the width and length of the toner supply port 26 are made equal to the width and length of the toner discharge port 21 (FIG. 2) and the opening 24.

Then, as a guide portion for guiding the covering member 37 to the edges eg1 and eg2 of the covering member mounting portion 41 and locking the covering member 37 with respect to the covering member mounting portion 41 at a predetermined position, and as a first first. Guides 43 and 44 as locking members are formed so as to rise inward in the radial direction from the covering member mounting surface Sb.

The guides 43 and 44 are formed along the covering member mounting surface Sb at a predetermined height over a predetermined distance in the width direction of the covering member mounting portion 41, and are formed so as to rise from the covering member mounting surface Sb. The side wall portion Sw and the top wall portion Tw formed by being curved with a predetermined curvature larger than the covering member mounting surface Sb by the amount formed by rising from the covering member mounting surface Sb are provided. Then, the surface facing each other, that is, the surface facing the guide 44 in the guide 43 and the surface facing the guide 43 in the guide 44 are opened by the covering member mounting surface Sb, the side wall portion Sw, and the top wall portion Tw. A guide groove Gm having a "U" -shaped cross section is formed. Then, one end of each guide groove Gm, in the present embodiment, the side wall portion Sw on the edge egg4 side forms a stopper Bs as a stop portion.

Further, the sponge member 29 has a predetermined shape, in the present embodiment, a rectangular shape, a predetermined thickness, and is formed of a concave surface curved with a predetermined curvature which is larger by the thickness. A sealing surface Sc is provided, and the sealing surface Sc seals between the image forming unit main body 12 and the toner cartridge 14. Then, the opening extends in the center in the width direction of the sponge member 29 (circumferential direction of the sealing surface Sc) with a predetermined length in the longitudinal direction of the sponge member 29 and communicates with the toner supply port 26. The portion 30 is formed.

The covering member mounting surface Sb and the sealing surface Sc are formed in concentric circles having different diameters. Further, the width and length of the opening 30 are made equal to the width and length of the toner supply port 26.

The sponge member 29 includes an edge eg11 on the SFL side of the side frame, an edge eg12 on the SFR side of the side frame, an edge eg13 on the downstream side in the paper transport direction, and an edge eg14 on the upstream side in the paper transport direction. The width of the member 29 is made equal to the width of the covering member mounting portion 41, and the lengths of the sponge member 29 are overlapped with the edges eg3 and eg4 of the covering member mounting portion 41 and the edges eg13 and eg14 of the sponge member 29. Is made smaller than the length of the covering member mounting portion 41, and the edges eg11 and eg12 of the sponge member 29 are positioned adjacent to the guide grooves Gm of the guides 43 and 44.

Further, the covering member 37 is pressed against the sponge member 29, rotated in a compressed state of the sponge member 29, and attached to the covering member mounting portion 41 of the image forming unit main body 12, and the toner supply port 26 is provided. Cover.

Then, the sponge member 29 is pressed toward the covering member mounting portion 41 of the image forming unit main body 12 by the covering member 37 attached to the image forming unit main body 12, and the covering member 37 and the image forming unit main body 12 are pressed against each other. Seal between.

Therefore, the covering member 37 is made of a box-shaped body having an open upper surface, is rotatably arranged with respect to the image forming unit main body 12, and the covering member 37 is attached to the image forming unit main body as shown in FIG. When attached to 12, the front panel fp located in the front in the paper transport direction, the rear panel rp located in the rear in the paper transport direction, the side panel sp1 located on the side frame SFL side, and the side frame SFR side. The side panel sp2, the bottom panel bp covering the lower surface, and the handle 46 formed by rising from the bottom panel bp in parallel with the front panel fp and the rear panel rp toward the front panel fp side from the center are provided.

The height of the front panel fp from the bottom panel bp, which is the distance from the upper edge to the lower edge of the front panel fp, is the height from the bottom panel bp of the rear panel rp, which is the distance from the upper edge to the lower edge of the rear panel rp. It is made smaller than that. That is, the covering member 37 is shallow on the downstream side in the paper transport direction and deep on the upstream side.

The bottom panel bp has a rectangular shape on the back side, and includes a covering surface Sd formed of a convex surface curved with a predetermined curvature larger than the covering member mounting surface Sb and the sealing surface Sc.

In the state where the covering member 37 is attached to the image forming unit main body 12, the sealing surface Sc of the sponge member 29 is made to face the covering surface Sd, and the covering surface Sd is made to face the toner supply port 26.

Further, on the bottom panel bp, a protrusion 48 as a guided portion having an arc shape and as a second locking member along the lower edge of the side panel sp1 is provided on the side frame. A protrusion 49, which is formed so as to project toward the SFL and has an arcuate shape along the lower edge of the side panel sp2 as a guided portion and as a second locking member, is provided on the side. It is formed so as to project toward the frame SFR. Therefore, the covering member 37 is guided by the guides 43 and 44 via the protrusions 48 and 49.

The protrusions 48 and 49 extend so that the lower surface is flush with the covering surface Sd from the front panel fp side to the rear panel rp side over a predetermined distance in the width direction of the covering member 37. The length of each of the protrusions 48 and 49 is equal to the length of the guides 43 and 44, and the amount of protrusion of each of the protrusions 48 and 49 is equal to the depth of the guide groove Gm.

Therefore, the operator presses the covering member 37 against the sponge member 29, presses it toward the covering member mounting portion 41, pinches the handle 46, and inserts the protrusions 48 and 49 into the guide grooves Gm of the guides 43 and 44, respectively. When the covering surface Sd and the sealing surface Sc are slid while compressing the sponge member 29 and the covering member 37 is rotated until the protrusions 48 and 49 hit the stopper Bs, the protrusions 48 and 49 are guided by the guide groove Gm. , The covering member 37 is attached to the covering member mounting portion 41 of the image forming unit main body 12.

Next, a state in which the covering member 37 is attached to the image forming unit main body 12 will be described.

18 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line BB of FIG. 5, FIG. 19 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line CC of FIG. FIG. 21 is a diagram for explaining the relationship with the portion, and FIG. 21 is an enlarged view of a main part for explaining the relationship between the covering member attached to the image forming unit main body and the covering member attaching portion according to the embodiment of the present invention. Is.

In the figure, 12 is an image forming unit main body, SFR is a side frame, 26 is a toner supply port, 28f and 28r are support parts, 29 is a sponge member, 30 is an opening, 37 is a covering member, and 41 is a covering member mounting part. 43 and 44 are guides, 46 is a handle, Gm is a guide groove, fp is a front panel, rp is a rear panel, sp1 and sp2 are side panels, and bp is a bottom panel.

With the covering member 37 attached to the image forming unit main body 12, the front panel fp, the rear panel rp and the handle 46 are vertically placed, and the ends of the protrusions 48 and 49 on the rear panel rp side are stoppers Bs (FIG. 8). The guide 43 and the protrusion 48 are locked, and the guide 44 and the protrusion 49 are locked in a state of being brought into contact with the guide 44. Further, the sponge member 29 is sandwiched and compressed by the bottom panel bp of the covering member 37 and the covering member mounting portion 41.

In this state, the toner supply port 26 is covered with the bottom panel bp, and the peripheral edge of the toner supply port 26 (the peripheral edge of the opening 30) is sandwiched between the bottom panel bp and the covering member mounting portion 41. It is sealed by the member 29.

Therefore, since the toner supply port 26 is covered with the covering member 37, the toner leaks from the toner supply port 26 and scatters while the image forming unit main body 12 and the toner cartridge 14 (FIG. 2) are being conveyed. Can be prevented.

By the way, if the image forming unit main body 12 receives vibration, impact or the like or is tilted while the image forming unit main body 12 is being conveyed, the toner in the image forming unit main body 12 is transferred to the toner supply port 26 and the opening. It may adhere to the covering member 37, that is, the covering surface Sd of the bottom panel bp via 30, and in that case, when the covering member 37 is removed from the image forming unit main body 12, the toner scatters and forms an image. The periphery of the unit body 12 becomes dirty.

Therefore, in the present embodiment, when the covering member 37 is removed from the image forming unit main body 12, the covering surface Sd of the bottom panel bp of the covering member 37, the sponge member 29, and the sealing surface Sc are slid. It has become.

Next, the operation of the developer housing housing covering device when the covering member 37 is removed from the image forming unit main body 12 will be described.

FIG. 1 is a diagram for explaining the operation of the developer housing housing covering device according to the embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 22 shows the covering member when the covering member according to the embodiment of the present invention is removed from the image forming unit main body. A first cross-sectional view of the developer housing housing covering device when rotated by a predetermined amount, FIG. 23 shows a predetermined amount of the covering member when the covering member according to the embodiment of the present invention is removed from the image forming unit main body. A second cross-sectional view of the developer housing housing covering device when rotated, FIG. 24 shows when the covering member is further rotated when the covering member according to the embodiment of the present invention is removed from the image forming unit main body. 1st cross-sectional view of the developer accommodating housing covering device, FIG. 25 shows a developing agent accommodating housing when the coating member is further rotated when the coating member according to the embodiment of the present invention is removed from the image forming unit main body. It is a second sectional view of the body covering device. 22 and 24 are cross-sectional views of the same locations as in FIG. 18, and FIGS. 23 and 25 are cross-sectional views of the same locations as in FIG.

In the figure, 12 is an image forming unit main body, 29 is a sponge member, 37 is a covering member, 43 is a guide, 46 is a handle, 48 is a protrusion, and Gm is a guide groove.

When the covering member 37 is removed from the image forming unit main body 12, the operator picks up the handle 46 with the guide 43 and the protrusion 48 locked, and as shown in FIGS. 22 and 23, the covering member When the 37 is rotated by a predetermined amount, the protrusion 48 moves in the guide groove Gm of the guide 43, and during this time, the covering surface Sd and the sealing surface Sc slide while the sponge member 29 is compressed by the bottom panel bp. Be moved. As a result, the toner on the covering surface Sd can be scraped off and removed by the sponge member 29.

Subsequently, when the operator picks up the handle 46 and further rotates the covering member 37 as shown in FIGS. 1, 24 and 25, the protrusion 48 comes out from the guide groove Gm of the guide 43, and the bottom panel bp The sponge member 29 is not compressed.

As described above, in the present embodiment, the covering surface Sd of the covering member 37 and the sealing surface Sc of the sponge member 29 are opposed to each other in a state where the covering member 37 is attached to the image forming unit main body 12, and the covering member Since 37 is slid when it is removed from the image forming unit main body 12, the image forming unit main body 12 may be subjected to vibration, impact, etc. while the image forming unit main body 12 and the toner cartridge 14 are being conveyed. Even if the toner in the image forming unit main body 12 adheres to the coating surface Sd of the coating member 37 due to tilting, the adhered toner can be scraped off and removed by the sponge member 29.

Therefore, when the covering member 37 is removed from the image forming unit main body 12, the toner does not scatter and the periphery of the image forming unit main body 12 is not contaminated.

The present invention is not limited to the above-described embodiment, and various modifications can be made based on the gist of the present invention, and these are not excluded from the scope of the present invention.

12 Image forming unit body 26 Toner supply port 29 Sponge member 37 Covering member Sc Sealing surface Sd Covering surface

Claims (5)

(A) A developer-accommodating housing that houses the developer and has a housing opening formed at a predetermined position.
(B) A coating member that is detachably arranged with respect to the developer housing housing and that covers the housing opening while being attached to the developer housing housing.
(C) It has a seal member attached to the peripheral edge of the housing opening in the developer housing housing, and also has a seal member.
(D) The developer accommodating housing includes a first locking member at a covering member mounting portion for mounting the covering member.
(E) The covering member is locked to the first locking member at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the covering surface facing the housing opening and the covering member when attached to the developing agent containing housing. With a second locking member that can be made
(F) The sealing member includes a sealing surface that faces the covering surface when the covering member is attached to the developer housing housing.
(G) The first locking member is arranged so as to correspond to the position of each of the second locking members.
(H) When the covering member is removed from the developer accommodating housing, a portion of the covering surface facing the housing opening forms at least a housing opening before the covering member is removed. A developer-accommodating housing covering device characterized in that it is slid with the sealing surface until it comes off from the edge portion. (A) The first locking member includes a guide groove formed so as to extend along the sealing surface.
(B) The second locking member is a protrusion.
(C) The developer-accommodating housing covering device according to claim 1, wherein the covering surface and the sealing surface are slid when the protrusions at both ends in the longitudinal direction of the covering member move through the guide groove. .. The developer accommodating housing housing covering device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the developer accommodating housing is an image forming unit main body that constitutes an image forming unit together with a developer accommodating portion. An image forming unit having an image forming unit main body and a developing agent accommodating portion of the developer accommodating housing covering device according to any one of claims 1 to 3. An image forming apparatus having the image forming unit according to claim 4.

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