JPH03174234A - Method for stirring fine powder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To improve the flowability of a toner by stirring the fine powder in a vessel by the rotation of stirring blades buried in the fine powder through the fine powder charging inlet of the vessel while vibrating the vessel. CONSTITUTION:A vessel 20 filled with a toner is put on a vibrator 70 so that the toner charging inlet 21 of the vessel 20 is positioned under perpendicular stirring blades 11. The vibrator 70 is actuated to vibrate the vessel 20 and a motor 12 is lowered until the blades 11 are buried in the toner in the vibrating vessel 20 through the inlet 21. An air cylinder 17 is then actuated to move a piston rod 17a downward and the blades 11 are rotated in the toner. The fine powder caked in the vessel is surely pulverized and the flowability of the fine powder is remarkably improved.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a stirring method for stirring fine powder such as toner used in an image forming apparatus after it is packed with high density into a predetermined container. .

(Prior Art) Toner used in image forming apparatuses such as electrophotographic copying machines is usually transported, stored, etc. by being filled in containers such as bottle-shaped or cylindrical containers.

In order to improve the efficiency of filling toner into containers,
For example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 1-124503 discloses an apparatus in which the inside and outside of a toner container are reduced in pressure, and both are simultaneously released to atmospheric pressure and the toner is dropped into the container.

(Problem to be Solved by the Invention) With such a device, the toner filled in the container is
Since the container is filled with high density in a short period of time, there is a risk that it will harden and form a lump inside the container.

As described above, when the toner hardens into a lump within the container, the fluidity of the toner deteriorates, and there is a possibility that all of the toner in the container may not be completely discharged.

In addition, the shape of the container for fine powder such as toner varies depending on the image forming apparatus to which it is installed. For example, in a bottle-shaped container where the fine powder inlet is relatively small compared to the capacity, a stirring member inserted through the fine powder inlet is usually used. Therefore, it is not possible to reliably crush the lumps of fine powder generated in the container, and the fluidity of the toner is not improved much.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and its purpose is to reliably improve the fluidity of fine powder such as toner packed in a container at a high density in a short time, regardless of the shape of the container. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for stirring fine powder that can perform the following steps.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The method for stirring fine powder of the present invention includes opening the inside of a predetermined container from a reduced pressure state to a predetermined pressure and simultaneously charging the fine powder from the fine powder inlet in the container. is a method of stirring fine powder packed in a container at a high density by rotating a stirring blade inserted through a fine powder inlet of the container while applying vibration to the container. The above object is achieved by stirring the fine powder inside.

(Example) The present invention will be described below with reference to Examples.

The fine powder stirring method of the present invention is used to stir the toner in a predetermined container after the toner used in an image forming apparatus is packed in the container at a high density. The toner is stored in a cylindrical container 20, for example, as shown in FIG.
filled inside. The container 20 is provided with a toner inlet 21 projecting upward at the center of its upper end surface. Then, from the state in which the pressure inside the container 20 is reduced below atmospheric pressure,
At the same time as the inside of the container 2o is opened to atmospheric pressure, toner is filled into the container 20 from the toner inlet 21. As a result, the container 20 is filled with toner at a high density in a short time.

A stirring device 10 and a vibrator 70 are used to carry out the stirring method of the present invention. A container 20 filled with toner at a high density is placed on the vibrator 70, and vibrations are applied to the container 20 placed thereon.

The stirring device 10 is disposed above a vibrator 70 in which a container 20 filled with toner at a high density is placed, and is inserted through the toner inlet 21 of the container 20 placed in the vibrator 70. It has a pair of stirring blades 1 and a motor 12 that rotates each stirring blade 11. The motor 12 has an output shaft 1
The connecting plate 13 is attached to the output shaft 12a of the motor 12 in a horizontal state. The upper ends of, for example, four connecting rods 14 arranged vertically are attached to the connecting plate 13, and a support block 15 is attached to the lower end of each connecting rod 14. The support block 15
There is a pair of supports on the lower end surface of the .

The retaining rod 16 is attached in a vertically hanging state. Each stirring blade 11 is attached to the lower end of each support rod 16.
The proximal end portion of is rotatably supported.

Each stirring blade 11 has a triangular shape with a pointed tip, and is normally kept vertical due to its own weight.

An air cylinder 17 is installed on the upper end surface of the support block 15.
It is mounted vertically so that its axis is coaxial with the output shaft 12a of the motor 12.

The piston rod 17a of the air cylinder 17 is inserted through the support block ls, and a pressing member 18 is attached to the lower end thereof. The pressing member 18 has a cylindrical shape with a conically pointed lower end, and is connected to the air cylinder 17.
As the piston rod 17a advances downward,
It comes into contact with the base end of each stirring blade 11.

As a result, each stirring blade is rotated from a vertical position so that its tip moves upward.

In the agitating device 10 having such a configuration, first, the piston rod 17a of the air cylinder 17 is moved upward, so that the pressing member 18 is separated from each of the agitating blades 11 so as not to come into contact with them. Thereby, each stirring blade 11 is brought into a substantially vertical state. In this state, the container 20 filled with toner at a high density is placed on the vibrator 70, and the j.toner injection port 21 is positioned below each vertical stirring blade 11. Thereafter, the vibrator 7o is driven, and the entire motor 12 is lowered while the container 20 is being vibrated. As a result, each stirring blade 11 passes through the toner inlet 21 of the container 20 and fits into the toner in the container 20, which is being vibrated, as shown in FIG. Each stirring blade 11
The tips of the stirring blades 11 are sharp, and since the toner is vibrated, each stirring blade 11 easily enters into the toner even if the toner is solidified. .

When each stirring blade 11 is fitted into the toner, the air cylinder 17 is driven, and the piston a and throat 17a are moved downward. Due to the downward movement of the piston rod 17a, the pressing member 18 attached to the lower end of the piston rod 17a
is in contact with the base end of each stirring blade 11, and each stirring blade 1
1 is rotated so that each tip moves upward. As a result, the stirring blades 11 are spread out so that their respective tips are separated from each other, as shown in FIG.
For example, it will be tilted at about 45 degrees with respect to the horizontal.

In this case as well, since the toner is vibrated, each stirring blade 11 easily rotates within the toner. The rotation imparts some fluidity to the toner.

After that, the motor 12 is rotationally driven, and the motor 1
2 is transmitted to each stirring blade 11 via the output shaft 12a1 connection plate 13, a pair of connection rods 17, the support block 15, and each support rod 16, and each stirring blade 11 rotates around the piston rod 17a. rotate. As a result, each stirring blade 11 rotates inside the toner and stirs the toner. In this case as well, since the toner is vibrated by the vibrator 70, the toner lumped in the container 20 is reliably crushed, and the fluidity of the toner is significantly improved. When stirring the toner, the vibration of the vibrator 70 is at a high frequency, and since the stirring blades 11 hardly move in the vertical direction when stirring the toner, scattering of the toner outside the container is suppressed.

In this way, the toner is stirred, and when the stirring is finished, the piston rod 17a of the air cylinder 17 is moved upward, and the pressing member 18 is separated from each stirring blade 11. As a result, the tip of each stirring blade If moves downward due to its own weight, and becomes vertical.

In this state, the motor 12 is raised, and each stirring blade 11 passes through the toner inlet 21 of the container 20 and is withdrawn from the container 20. Then, the driving of the vibrator 70 is also stopped.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the stirring device used to carry out the stirring method of the present invention. Stirring device 30 of this embodiment
A horizontal connecting plate 33 is attached to an output shaft 32a of a motor 32 that can be raised and lowered, and four vertical connecting rods 34 are attached to the connecting plate 33 in a hanging state. A support block 35 is attached to the lower end of each connecting rod 34, and an air cylinder 37 is provided on the support block 35. The air cylinder 37
The piston rod 37a extends downward through the support block 35, and has a support member 38 attached to its tip. The support member 38 has a cylindrical shape with a conically pointed lower end.

The upper end surface of a vertical cylindrical mounting member 3δ is attached to the lower surface of the support block 35, and the piston rod 37a of the air cylinder 37 is inserted through the axial center of the mounting member 36. . Between the lower end of the mounting member 36 and the support member 38 attached to the piston wood 37a, a cylindrical stirring blade 31 made of a flexible material such as rubber is attached to the piston rod. 37a
It is attached concentrically with the. When the piston rod 37a moves downward, the stirring blade 31 is attached to a support member 38 attached to the lower end of the piston mouth/nod 37a.
However, when it is separated from the mounting member 36, it becomes cylindrical and coaxial with the piston rod 37a.On the other hand, when the piston rod 37a moves upward and the support member 38 approaches the mounting member 36, the stirring As the blades 31 move, their central portions in the axial direction successively protrude outward, forming a disk shape as shown in FIG. 4.

In the agitation device 30 having such a configuration, first, the piston rod 37a of the air cylinder 37 is moved downward, so that the agitation blades 31 are in an extended cylindrical state, and the container 20 filled with toner at a high density is moved to the vibrator 70. The toner inlet 21 is located below the stirring blade 31.

In this state, the vibrator 70 is driven and the toner is vibrated, and the motor 32 is lowered to sequentially open the toner inlet 2 from the pointed part of the support member 38 at the lowest end.
1 into the container 20, and the stirring blade 31
The toner is inserted through the toner inlet 21 and enters the vibrating toner inside the container 20. Also in this case, since the toner is vibrating, the stirring blade 31 easily enters into the toner.

Then, when the entire stirring blade 31 is inserted into the toner and the state shown in FIG. 3 is reached, the lowering of the motor 32 is stopped.

In this state, the air cylinder 37 is driven and the piston rod 37a is moved upward.

As a result, the support member 38 attached to the lower end of the piston rod 37a approaches the attachment member 36, and the stirring blade 31 provided between the two moves in the axial direction as the support member 38 moves upward. The center portion of the stirring blade 31 gradually projects outward, and the stirring blade 31 becomes disc-shaped as shown in FIG. Also in this case, since the toner is vibrating, the stirring blade 31 can easily protrude into the toner.

Thereafter, the motor 32 is driven to rotate, and the stirring blade 31 is rotated around the piston rod 37a.

As a result, the agitating blade 31 rotates the vibrating toner to agitate the toner, reliably pulverizes lumped toner, and significantly improves the fluidity of the toner. In this embodiment as well, when stirring the toner, the vibration of the vibrator 70 is at a high frequency, and since the stirring blade 31 hardly moves in the vertical direction when stirring the toner, scattering of the toner outside the container is suppressed. .

When the agitation of the toner is completed in this manner, the drive of the motor 32 is stopped, the piston rod 37a of the air cylinder 37 is moved downward, and the support member 38 is separated from the mounting member. When the stirring blade 31 returns to its original cylindrical state, the motor 32 is raised to move the stirring blade 31 out of the toner and the container 2o. The vibrator 70 is then stopped.

In this embodiment, the stirring blade 31 is shaped like a disk, but by rotating the support member 38 when raising it, the stirring blade 31 can be made into a twisted screw shape.
It is also possible to use By doing so, the stirring ability is further improved.

In each of the above embodiments, after the toner is stirred by the stirring blade, with the toner inlet 21 of the container 20 closed, the container 20 is turned over so that the toner inlet 21 is on the lower side, and the container 20 is turned over in the vertical direction. It may also be made to oscillate. By doing so, the toner in the container 20 has good fluidity, and the toner discharge performance when the container 20 is attached to an image forming apparatus is improved. In particular, in the case of a container in which the toner discharge port is provided on the opposite side to the toner input port 21, there is a high probability that the toner will form a lump near the toner discharge port. By rocking the toner in the same state, the fluidity of the toner is improved, and the toner discharge performance is significantly improved.

In addition, in the above embodiment, a case was explained in which the toner packed in a container at a high density was stirred, but the present invention can be applied not only to toner but also to stirring other fine powders packed in a container at a high density. The invention is applicable.

Further, the container in which the fine powder is stored is not limited to the bottle shape as in each of the above embodiments, but may be, for example, cylindrical or rectangular.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, in the method for stirring fine powder of the present invention, since the fine powder packed in the container at a high density is stirred by the stirring blade while being vibrated, the fine powder is not formed into lumps in the container. The resulting fine powder is reliably crushed, and the fluidity of the fine powder is significantly improved.

In addition, there is relatively little scattering of fine powder, and the working environment is improved.

4. Figure 1 is a side view showing an example of the implementation state of the stirring method of the present invention together with a cross section of the container, Figure 2 is an explanatory diagram of its operation, and Figure 3 is an illustration of the implementation of the stirring method of the present invention. A side view showing another example of the state together with a cross section of the container, and FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram of the operation.

10, 30... Stirring device, IIJI... Stirring blade,
12.32...Motor 17.37...Air cylinder, 17a, 37a...Piston rod, 20...
- Container, 21... Toner inlet.

that's all

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. The fine powder packed in the container at a high density is stirred by releasing the pressure inside the container from a reduced pressure to a predetermined pressure and simultaneously introducing the fine powder from the fine powder inlet in the container. A method, comprising: applying vibration to the container;
A method for stirring fine powder, characterized in that the fine powder in the container is stirred by rotation of a stirring blade inserted through a fine powder inlet of the container.