JPH03267965A - Developer replenishing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To obtain a powder replenishing device which is surely discriminated in the case of being loaded and is excellent in operability and whose structure is simple by making it possible to load only a specified developer container for supplying specified developer to a receiving device among various kinds of developer containers. CONSTITUTION:A right side wall(front side) 15C and a left side wall(back side) 15D are formed on the lower parts at the right and left ends of a slide cover 15. Then, plural discrimination parts consisting of a projection part or a notching part are provided on the respective side walls 15C and 15D. The plural discrimination parts consisting of the notching part or the projection part corresponding to the plural discrimination parts thereof are provided in a loading device on a developer replenishing part(receiving device) side. Only the specified developer container 10 fitted for the developer replenishing part can be fitted in the discrimination part 150 and the other developer container can not be loaded because it can not be fitted there. Thus, a trouble which occurs because different kind of developer contaminates the receiving device is prevented from occurring.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention [Field of Industrial Application] This invention relates to an improvement in a cartridge-shaped developer replenishment container filled with powdered developer. The present invention relates to an improvement in a replaceable developer container and a developer receiving device which are used by being removably attached to a developing device of an electronic image forming apparatus for replenishing developer.

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, as a means of replenishing easily scattered powder into a powder receiving device, a powder container has been used in which the powder is stored in a container and the powder outlet opening of the container is sealed with a film-like sealing material. has been done. When replenishing powder, the powder container is inverted and attached to the mounting part of the powder receiving device with the opening facing down, and the powder is flowed out from the opening by peeling off the sealing material and placed in the receiving device. Replenish into the hopper.

Powder containers as described above are widely used because the opening structure can be made simpler and sealing is more complete than containers whose openings are sealed with lids.

In an electrostatic image forming apparatus, an electrostatic latent image on a rotating charge carrier is developed by a developing device, and powder toner in a developer is attached to the electrostatic latent image area to form a toner image. This is then transferred and fixed onto recording paper. Since the above-mentioned powder toner is consumed together with development, it is necessary to replenish the toner to the developing device according to consumption.
is provided.

The developer supply section contains a large amount of toner, and before it is completely consumed, the toner container (developer container)
The developer hopper is replenished with toner.

The above description is about toner replenishment for an electrostatic recording device that uses a dry two-component developer, but similar developer replenishment is also required for an electrostatic image forming device that uses a -component developer.

In any of the above-mentioned developers, the developer is generally replenished by charging the developer into a developer hopper from a developer container containing the developer.

The above-mentioned powder developer is easily scattered, and when replenishing the developer, it may scatter or float outside from the developer container opening or hopper opening, or it may flow out or disturb the outside, causing damage to the equipment, outside air, clothing, etc. Many proposals have been made to prevent this from happening.

Among these proposals is a developer container disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Application Publication No. 59-114572. This developer container is
A container body, a fixed cap that tightly seals the upper part of the container body, a cap member that connects to the lower part of the container body, a film-like seal member that allows the opening of the lower part of the container body to be peeled off, and which slides on the cap member and wraps the seal member. It consists of an engaging slide lid.

By setting the developer container in the developer receiving device of an electrostatic image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and moving the slide lid to the right, the seal member is pulled and the replenishment port is opened and the container body is opened. The developer inside falls from the supply port and is replenished into the hopper.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

2. Description of the Related Art In electrostatic image forming apparatuses such as copying machines, a developer having a predetermined formulation adapted to the model of the copying machine is used. The settings are made so that the best copy image can be obtained when using this predetermined developer. If you attach a developer container filled with a developer other than the specified developer to the developer replenishment unit on the copying machine side and replenish the developer, the different developer will get mixed in and the copied image will deteriorate. Or, an abnormality may occur in the developing device of the copying machine.

In particular, if the receiving device of the developer replenishment section and the cap member of the developer container have the same structure and there are multiple models of copying machines that use different developers, it may be mistaken to inject a different developer for another model of copying machine. There is a risk that it will happen.

In order to prevent such problems from occurring, the structures of the receiving device and developer container are completely different depending on the copying machine model, making them incompatible. It cannot be standardized across models, leading to problems such as increased parts costs and maintenance.

In addition, color image forming devices and monochrome copying machines that can select multiple toner colors are equipped with multiple developing devices for each color, and each developing device is equipped with a dedicated developer container filled with the specified color toner. Must. Therefore, it is necessary to provide an identification member that associates a developing device for each color with a dedicated developer container. I: There is a similar problem with general powder containers.

[Means to solve the problem]

This invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems with developer containers, and among various developer containers, only a predetermined developer container for replenishing a predetermined developer to a receiving device is used. It provides a replenishment device that can be worn, has reliable identification when worn, and has excellent operability.
This provides a powder replenishing device with a simple structure.

A powder container of the present invention that achieves the above object includes a container body that contains a developer and has an opening at the bottom, and a replenishment port that is integrated with the container body and is provided above a developer receiving device of a developing device. a flexible sealing member that removably seals a developer outflow opening provided on the cap member, and a flexible sealing member that is slidably connected to the cap member and that A developer replenishment container configured of a movable lid member that allows the opening to be opened and closed by peeling off a sealing member, wherein the movable lid member is provided with a plurality of protrusions or notches, and the developer receiving container is provided with a plurality of protrusions or notches. The device is characterized in that a plurality of notches or protrusions that can be fitted in correspondence with the protrusions or notches are provided in the supply port of the device.

Further, the developer container according to the present invention is characterized in that the protrusion provided on the movable lid member can be broken off.

Furthermore, the developer container according to the present invention is characterized in that an insertion member can be loaded into the notch provided in the movable lid member.

[Effect]

The multiple protrusions or notches provided on the developer container side are
This device identifies the type of developer filled in the developer container, and by engaging with and identifying the type of developer provided in the corresponding developer receiving device of the developing device, the image of a copying machine, etc. Identify the type of developer supply container used in the forming device.

[Actual example]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of the developer container according to the present invention, FIG. 82 is a sectional view thereof, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the developer container with the bottom opening opened, and FIG. FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of the main components of the developer container.

The developer container 1O mainly includes a container body 11 that accommodates a powdered developer, a cap member 12 that is connected to the bottom of the container body 11 and has an opening, and a cap member 12 that closes the top opening of the container body 11. The cap member 13 is integrally formed. The container body 11 has a rectangular tube shape with an open top opening and an open bottom opening. Further, at the bottom of the cap member 12, there is a flexible seal member I4 that seals the opening 12A, and a movable lid member that is below the seal member 14 and slidably engages with the cap member 12. (Sliding lid) 15 is movably provided.

The cap member 12 includes the opening 12A and the front edge 12B.
.

A lock portion 12c provided on the front edge portion 12B and a rear edge portion 12D.
Two rail portions 12F, 12F are formed on the left and right sides of the sealing surface 12E1 around the opening 12A on the bottom surface side.

One end of the sealing member 14 is the rear edge 1 of the cap member 12.
The other end is fixed to the upper surface of the rear edge 120 on the lower surface of the slider 2D, and the slide lid 15 is wound around the slide lid 15. The slide lid 15 is closed to the opening 12 before replenishing the developer.
Position C that protects and closes the seal member 14 that seals A
(See Figure 82).

That is, in a state in which the developer is filled into the container body 11 before replenishment, the sealing member 14 is releasably heat-sealed to the sealing surface 12E, and the opening 12A is sealed.

The slide lid 15 has an H-shaped cross section. central plate 11
5A winds the sealing member I4 so that the opening 12A of the cap member 12 can be opened and closed. Concave groove 1 at the top of both left and right ends
5B and 15B are the rail portions 12F of the base member 12,
12F to make the slide lid 15 slidable.

The lower parts of both left and right ends of the slide lid 15 are the right side wall (front side) 15
G, left side wall (back side) forming 15D. Each side wall 15c, 15D is provided with a plurality of identification portions 15E consisting of protrusions or cutouts. Developer supply section (
The mounting device on the receiving device) 20 side also has the plurality of identification parts 1
A plurality of identification parts each consisting of a notch or a protrusion corresponding to 5E is provided.

These identification parts 150 can be fitted only with a predetermined developer container 10 that is compatible with the developer supply part 20, and cannot be fitted with other developer containers.

When 1 to n protrusions or notches are set as the identification portions 150, the number of combinations of these identification portions 150 is expressed by the following equation.

nca+nC, + nC, 10= + nCn-+ 10n
Cn, that is, 4 types of identification are possible when n=2, 8 types when n-3, and 16 types when n=4. Therefore, when n=2, it is possible to identify a maximum of 4 types of developer, when n-3, a maximum of 8 types, and when n = 4, a maximum of 16 types of developer containers 10 containing different developers with different performances and compositions. .

The perspective view of the slide lid 15 shown in FIG. 4 shows an embodiment of the above-mentioned identification part, and the left side wall 15D of the slide lid 15 is provided with four identification parts 150, cutouts 151, 152, 153, and 154. It is set up.

The number of identifications made by these four identification sections + 50 is 16 based on the above calculation formula.

Table 1 shows these four identification parts 151, 152, 153.1
54, in which the O mark indicates the presence of a protrusion or notch, and the x mark indicates its absence, that is,
(1) in Table 1 above indicates the cutout portion 151°15 of the identification portion 150.
2, 153.
) is the one without the notch 153, and (4) in Table 1 is the one without the notch 1.
51° 152, (5) shows one without cutout 152, and (6) shows one without cutout 152, 154. Similarly, the following (7) to (16) have different forms depending on the presence or absence of the four notches.

Further, an identification portion 15 is also provided on the right side 1115c of the slide lid 15.
By providing 0, the number of identifications can be further increased. For example, four cutouts 151, 152, 153, and 154 provided on the left side wall 15D display the type of developer suitable for 16 types of image forming apparatuses, and three cutouts provided on the right side wall 15C display the types of developer suitable for 16 types of image forming apparatuses. 155, 156,
157, it is possible to identify eight color developers.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the developer replenishing section (developer receiving device) 20. A mounting frame 22 is provided on the upper surface of the developer supply section 20.
and a fixing M21 having an elongated hole 23 is fixed.

The inside of the mounting frame 22 is an opening, and a sliding member M24 is provided below the opening so that it can be opened and closed.

The sliding lid 24 is fixed to an opening/closing part (not shown) and has an elongated hole 23.
The opening is opened and closed by a lever 25 projecting upwardly through the opening.

On the left side of the mounting frame 22, a guide portion 27 that allows the lock claw member 26 to slide freely is formed integrally with the upper lid 21.

Four identification portions are provided on the rear side of the upper surface of the sliding lid 24. In the fifth ViA, 241, 242, 243, and 244 are all identification portions 240 consisting of protrusions.

These four protrusions 241, 242, 243, 244 correspond to the notch 151 of the identification portion 150 on the side of the developer container 10 described above.
．． 152, 153° and 154, respectively.

Further, three identification portions are provided on the upper surface side of the sliding lid 24 on the front side. 245, 246, and 247 are all identification parts 240 consisting of protrusions. Then, the developer container 10 can be attached to the developer replenishing section 20 only when the notches and protrusions of both the identification sections 150 and 240 all match.

Next, the operation of attaching the developer container 10 according to the present invention to the developer replenishing section 20 installed in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine and replenishing the developer will be described with reference to FIG.

(A) First, grasp the container body 11 of the developer container 10 filled with new developer to be replenished, and insert it while tilting so that the rear edge 12D is inserted into the recess 21A of the fixed frame 21, making sure to insert it securely. After that, the container body 11 is stood up and placed in the mounting position.

(B) At this time, the identification portion 150 (notches 151 to 157) formed on the cap member 12 of the developer container IO and the identification portion 2 formed on the sliding portion M24 on the upper surface of the developer replenishing portion 20
40 (projections 241 to 247) are all aligned, the developer container 10 can be installed.

(C) In this state where the developer container IO is installed, grip the lever 25 and slide it to the right. This sliding action allows
First, the lock claw member 26 moves to the right and engages with the lock portion 12c of the cap member 12, and the developer container 10 is fixed.

(D) Continue to move the lever 24 further to the right.

This sliding movement moves the sliding lid 24 inside the mounting device 20 to the right, and the hopper of the developer replenishing section 20 is opened. In conjunction with this sliding lid 24, the sliding lid 15 moves to the right and gradually peels off the sealing member 14 of the developer container 10 from the left end of the sealing surface to the right, and the supply port 12A is opened. Eventually, it will be fully opened.

In this opening process, the developer contained in the container body 11 falls according to the opening, and the entire amount is replenished into the hopper of the replenishing section.

(E) When developer replenishment is completed, move the lever 25 to the left and return it to its original position. In conjunction with this, the slide lid 15 moves and the seal member 15 rotates, opening the replenishment opening of the developer container. 12A is closed by a seal member 11 and a slide lid 15.

(F) If the lever 25 is further moved to the left and returned to its original position, the lock is released and the developer container can be taken out from the mounting frame 22.

Note that when the above-mentioned developer container IO is installed, the identification section 150
．． In order to facilitate and ensure the attachment of 240, the notch 151 is
-157 may be made into an appropriate shape such as a trapezoid.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing another embodiment in which the structure of the recess at the right end of the opening of the developer replenishing section 20 is changed so that it can be opened and closed freely.

(1) First, when the developer container 10 is installed, the lever 25 is moved to the right (■-■), the intermediate shaft portion of the lever 25 pushes the rod 28, and further the Lm arm 29 direction. When the tip of the L-shaped arm 29 becomes upright, the recess 21A is opened.

(2) Grasp the developer container 10 and lower it onto the sliding lid 24 from directly above the opening of the developer supply section 20. At this time, as described above, the matching identification of both the identification units 150 and 240 is performed,
The developer container 10 is properly installed.

(3) If you move the lever 25 to the right (arrow ■ direction)
, the sliding lid 24 is opened in the same manner as described above.

FIG. 8(A) is a perspective view showing another embodiment of the identification portion 150 of the developer container 10 according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the protrusion or notch can be freely formed by attaching and detaching a separate insertion piece 158. That is, the side wall 15C of the slide lid 15.

A plurality of 1501 m model recesses 159 and notches are provided, and the insert small piece 158 is inserted into the tree shape 11!1 part 159.
It can be fixed by press-fitting the structural recess. In addition to the above-mentioned wedge-shaped press fitting, the means for fixing the insertion piece 158 can be
Various shapes are possible, and means such as adhesives and heat fusion are also possible. Note that as shown in FIG. 8(B), the notch part is made into a breakable small piece 158A, and the small piece 158A is broken off as appropriate depending on the model of the image forming apparatus, the color type of developer, etc. to form the required protrusion. A section or a notch may be formed.

In addition, by using the insertion small piece 158 as a colored member and making it a colored small piece 158 that corresponds to a color developer,
It is also possible to perform visual confirmation.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing still another embodiment of the identification means according to the present invention. This is the rear edge 15D of the movable lid member 15.
A bridge portion 160 is integrally formed near the lower surface, and the bridge portion 16
0 for identification protrusions or notches 161°162, 16
3.164 were installed in parallel. The sliding lid 24 of the developer replenishing section 20 is also provided with notches or protrusions (not shown) arranged in parallel at corresponding positions.

FIG. 1O is a perspective view showing still another embodiment of the identification means according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the identification section 150 is provided in the horizontal direction, and is a modification of the vertical identification section +50 in the embodiment shown in FIGS. 1 to 4. This is advantageous in that even if the identification section 150 is installed, the total height of the developer container IO does not increase.

The electrostatic image developer container described above may be a container for a single-component developer using magnetic toner, a developer container for a two-component developer, or a toner supply container for a two-component developer using toner and carrier. The present invention is not limited to any of these, as it can also be used for spiders. Furthermore, this identification section means can be applied to powder containers other than developer containers.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, when a developer container is attached to a receiving device such as a developer replenishing section of a copying machine to replenish developer, a predetermined developer is stored and a predetermined identification is performed. Since only a developer container having a section can be attached, it is possible to prevent different types of developer from getting mixed into the receiving device and causing trouble.

In addition, the shape of the identification part is simple and visual identification is possible, but
Even if an attempt is made to erroneously attach a different type of developer container, it is impossible, erroneous operation is completely prevented, and regular developer replenishment can be performed accurately and easily.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a developer container according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view thereof, and FIG.
FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing the state in which the developer container is attached to the developer replenishment section, and FIGS. 8(A), (B), 9, and 10 are other embodiments of the developer container according to the present invention. FIG. 10...Developer container ll...Container body 12.
・・Cap member 14 ・・Flexible seal member 15
...Movable lid member (sliding lid) 15C...Right side 1! 15D...left side wall 1
50... Identification unit 151, 152.153.154, 155.156
．． 157... Notch 158... Small insertion piece 15
9... Wedge-shaped recess 160... Bridge portion 161,
162.163.164...Protrusion 20...Developer supply section (developer receiving device) 24...Sliding lid
240...Identification unit 241, 242, 243, 244,
245, 246, 247...Protrusion 25...Lever

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A container body that accommodates developer and has an opening at the bottom, and a cap member that is integral with the container body and has an attachment part that is detachable from the supply port provided above the developer receiving device of the developing device. a flexible seal member that removably seals a developer outflow opening provided in the cap member; and a flexible seal member that is slidably connected to the cap member and opens and closes the opening by peeling off the seal member. A developer replenishment container configured of a movable lid member that allows the movable lid member to have a plurality of protrusions or notches, and a plurality of protrusions or notches provided in the replenishment port of the developer receiving device. A developer replenishing device characterized by having a plurality of notches or protrusions that can be fitted in correspondence with each other. (2) The developer replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion provided on the movable lid member can be broken off. (3) The developer replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein an insertion member can be loaded into a notch provided in the movable lid member.