JPH0371168A - Toner cartridge for electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To reduce the number of toner storing containers and to easily execute the replacing work of toner replenishing containers and waste disposal processing due to the replacing work by dividing the toner packing space of each toner replenishing container into plural toner packing space elements by a diaphragm and forming a feed port and a seal film in each toner packing space element. CONSTITUTION:The toner packing space 22 is divided into two toner packing space elements 22a, 22b by the diaphragm 25. In order to replenish toner 9 to the developing device body 10, a toner cartridge 20 is fitted so that the toner packing space element 22a is opposed to the body 10. When the seal film 31 is peeled off in this state, the feed port 23 is opened and toner 9 is fed to the body 10. In the case of replacing toner, the toner cartridge 20 is inverted and fitted to the body 10. When the seal film 31 is peeled off in this state the toner 9 in the toner packing space element 22b is replenished to the body 10.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Field of Application] The present invention relates to a one-henner cartridge for an electrophotographic apparatus. The amount of toner will decrease, so you may need to replenish an appropriate amount of toner.

Therefore, the conventional phenomenon device, as shown in FIG.
The developing device is composed of a main body 10 and a Lunar cartridge 2 which is detachably attached to the main body 10.

Here, the developing device main body] 0 is the toner cartridge 20
It includes a toner storage chamber 11 that stores the toner 9 replenished from the storage chamber 11, and a developing roller that uses magnetic action or the like to attach the toner 9 in the storage chamber 11 to the photoreceptor drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed. (However, the photosensitive drum, developing roller, etc. are omitted in FIG. 6.)

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 6.7, the toner cartridge 20 is formed into a rectangular shape for convenient stacking and conveyance, and includes a toner supply container 21 forming a toner filling space 22, and a toner supply container 21 forming a toner filling space 22, as shown in FIG. A replenishment port 23 is formed at the bottom of the toner replenishment container 21 as an opening that communicates the toner filling space 22 with the outside. ) is composed of a sealing film 31 that is peelably and releasably adhered to the holder. Here, the sealing film 31 is folded back in the peeling direction (X direction) so that it can be easily peeled off, and one end thereof is drawn out to the outside of the nursery supply container 21 . Note that the henna filling space 22 closed by the sealing film 31 is filled with toner 9 until it reaches a predetermined horizontal level.

Using the toner car 1 to cartridge 20, the developing device main body 1
To replenish toner in the toner 0, as shown in FIG. Peel off from 21. Then, the replenishment port 23 that had been blocked by the film 31 is opened, and the toner 9 in the toner filling space 22 falls from the replenishment port 23 and is replenished into the developing device main body 10. For example, when the sealing film 31 is peeled off by a unit length LO, the Qi 9 loses its footing (not shown by the 2 points @ line in the figure) and falls, and the developing device main body 10 falls as shown by the solid line in the figure. 1 to the storage chamber 11. Similarly, as the seal film 31 is peeled off, the toner 9 portion indicated by the dotted line in the figure also falls one after another and accumulates in the toner storage chamber 11.

[Problem to be solved by the invention] By the way, the lifespan (usage period) of the toner cartridge 20
The lifespan of the cartridge 20 is extremely short compared to the lifespan of the photoreceptor drum, and the cartridge 20 must be replaced several times before the lifespan of the photoreceptor drum ends. For example, if the lifespan of the toner cartridge 20 is equivalent to printing 3,000 sheets of paper and the lifespan of the photosensitive drum is equivalent to printing 10,000 sheets, it is necessary to replace them three times.

Therefore, it is necessary to have a large number of 1-hener cartridges 20 for replacement, which makes it difficult to secure storage space. In addition, since replacement work is performed frequently,
In each case, the electrophotographic apparatus must be stopped, resulting in an inconvenience that the operating rate decreases. In particular, if a spare toner cartridge L-ridge is not at hand, it is difficult to replace it immediately, resulting in a significant decrease in operating efficiency.6Furthermore, due to frequent replacement operations, a large number of used toner cartridges 20
It is a hassle to have to dispose of it.

Therefore, as a measure to reduce the above-mentioned inconvenience by 14 m, the toner cartridge 20 is made larger and a large amount of toner is...
It is conceivable to configure it so that it can be connected to the developing device main body 10 at the same time. However, with this configuration, the developing device main body 10 to which the cartridge 20 is attached must be enlarged, making it impossible to meet the current demand for downsizing of electrophotographic devices. In addition, it becomes difficult to uniformly replenish the toner 9 from the toner cartridges 1 to 20 to the developing device main body 10, and uneven printing occurs at an early stage, which tends to shorten the usage period.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the current situation, an object of the present invention is to provide a toner car 1 to a cartridge for an electrophotographic apparatus, which can reduce the number of stored toner cartridges and facilitate replacement work and associated disposal processing.

Means for Solving Problem 1" The present invention divides the filling spaces 1 to 1 of the toner replenishment container into a plurality of parts, thereby replenishing a large amount of toner to the main body of the developing device in several parts with one unit. It was designed so that it could be done.

That is, 1- a toner replenishment container forming a toner filling space, and a replenishment port communicating the toner filling space with the outside in this toner replenishment container, which is normally closed and can be opened by peeling in a predetermined peeling direction during replenishment; In the toner car 1 to cartridge of an electrophotographic apparatus, each of the toner replenishment containers 1 to 1 is divided into a plurality of toner filling space elements by a partition plate, and each toner filling space element is divided into a plurality of toner filling space elements. Effect of Patent 1 characterized in that the above-mentioned replenishment port and sealing film are provided] In the present invention, when toner is replaced after toner is replenished into the developing device main body from any toner filling space element of the toner replenishment container. Do not remove this toner supply container from the developing device main body. Next, in this state, the container is appropriately rotated and installed so that an unused toner filling space element different from the previous one faces the main body. Next, in this state, the supply of the element concerned is released by peeling off the seal film, and the toners 1 to 1 are supplied to the main body of the developing device.

As a result, it is possible to replenish a large amount of 1 to toner to the main body of the developing device in several batches, reducing the number of cartridges to be stored, and facilitating replacement work and associated disposal. can.

[Example] An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

As shown in FIG. 1, the 1-nurker 1 heritage 20 according to the present embodiment includes a 1-nurer supply container 21, a sealing film 31, and the like.

Components that are the same as those shown in FIGS. 6 to 8 above are designated by the same reference numerals, and their explanations will be omitted or simplified.

The toner cartridge 20 according to the present invention has the toner filling space 22 of the toner replenishing container 2 in a plurality of parts so as to reduce the number of stored toner cartridges and to facilitate replacement work and associated disposal processing. The developing device main body 1
The main body 10 is configured so that a large amount of toner can be supplied to the main body 10 in several batches without increasing the size of the main body 10.

Specifically, filling spaces 2 to 1 of the toner supply container 21
As shown in FIG. 1, the toner filling space 2 is divided into a plurality of toner filling space elements by a partition plate 25, and each toner filling space element is provided with a supply port 23 and a sealing film 31, respectively.

In this embodiment, the toner filling space 22 is divided into two filling space elements 22a and 22b by a partition plate 25 for processing convenience, as shown in FIG. Further, on the upper and lower surfaces of the toner replenishing container 21 in the figure, there are provided replenishment ports 2323 that communicate between each toner filling space element 22a, 22b and the outside, and a seal film 31.31 is attached to the replenishment port 2323. 23 is normally closed and is bonded so that it can be peeled off and opened in a predetermined peeling direction (X direction) at the time of replenishment.

Here, as shown in FIG. 3, the toner supply container 21 is provided with ribs 29 for film adhesion along each supply port 23. As shown in FIG. A sealing film 3] is adhered to each rib 29 by pressing the adhesive-coated surface thereof while applying heat. This seal film 31,
3] filling space elements 22a,
22b is filled with toner 9 until it reaches a predetermined horizontal level. Note that the adhesive strength of each seal film 31 is determined by the toner filling space element 22a of the toner supply container 21,
It is adjusted to support the 1 to 9 fillers 22b and to make it easy to peel them off.

Furthermore, in Figure 2, 16.26 is 1
This is a positioning member for removably attaching the inner cartridge 20 to the developing device main body]0.

Note that the positioning member 26 has a vertically symmetrical structure for ease of mounting. Further, in FIG. 2, 12 is a developing roller.

Next, the effect will be explained.

To replenish the I.Q. 9 into the developing device main body 10, as shown in FIG.
The fill space element 22a is mounted opposite the main body 10 using each positioning member 16.26. next,
In that state, the supply port 2 of the filling space element 22a
3 is opened by peeling off the seal film 31, and toners 1 to 9 are supplied to the developing device main body 10. A predetermined developing operation is performed using the toner 9 thus replenished into the developing device main body 10.

By the way, a predetermined number of sheets (in this example, 300 sheets)
If only 0 sheets have been printed, it is necessary to replace the printers 1 to 1.

To replace l-ner, l-cheaker 1 to ridge 20
is removed from the developing device main body 10. Next, the 0 toner cartridge 20 is inverted, the used toner filling space element 22a is positioned above and the unused toner filling space element 221) is positioned below, and in this state, the 0 toner cartridge 20 is placed in the 1 toner storage chamber. The developing device body 10 is mounted to the developing device main body 10 via each positioning member 16, 26 so as to face the developing device 11.

At this time, the sealing film 3]- is 1 to ner supply container 2.
Since the toner filling space element 22b of No. 1 is adhered to the container 21 with sufficient adhesive force to support the toner 9 filled in the toner filling space element 22b, when the toner carts 1 to 20 are turned over, the toner carts 1 to 9 may be accidentally peeled off. There's no way that Power 5 will leak out.

Further, since the positioning member 26 has a vertically symmetrical structure, the toner cartridge 20 can be smoothly installed.

Next, by peeling off the seal film 31 in this state, the toner 9 in the toner filling space element 22b is replenished into the developing device main body 10. At this time, even if toner remains in the used toner filling space element 22a, the element 2
Since the replenishment port 23 of the toner 2a is mounted facing upward, residual toner will not leak out by 11 degrees, ensuring high definition printing.

According to this embodiment, the toner filling space 22 of the toner replenishing container 21 is divided into a plurality of filling space elements 22a and 22b by the partition plate 25, and each toner filling space element 22a and 22b has a replenishment port. 23 and a sealing film 31, a large amount of toner can be supplied to the developing device main body 10 in several batches, reducing the number of toners to be stored and reducing the replacement work and accompanying work. Disposal processing can be easily performed.

Furthermore, the partition plate 25 divides the toner filling space 22 of the toner supply container 21 into two filling space elements 22a of the toner supply container 21.
, 22b, it is convenient for processing. Additionally, due to the configuration, used toner filling space elements (22
Since the replenishment port 23 in a) is mounted facing upward, even if toner remains in the element, it will not leak out to the outside, ensuring high definition printing.

In addition, in the above embodiment, 1 to 1 filling space elements 2
When the developing device water (*toner in 10) 2-9 is replenished from 2a and 22b, the toner 9 is moved toward the peeling direction of the seal film 31 (X) due to its fluidity, as shown in FIG. direction) and place the next supply of toner 1 to toner 9 on top of the toner 9 that has been inspected, as shown by the two-dot chain line in the figure.
Since the phenomenon of stacking of toner particles is repeated and accumulated, the toner height may not be uniform, and printing unevenness may occur at an early stage.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, even if there are two partition plates 25 for each of the filling space elements 22a, 22b6, the volume is continuous or stepped in the peeling direction (X direction) of the sealing film 31. By gradually decreasing the amount of 1 henna falling per unit length in the peeling direction, it is possible to absorb the fluidity of the toner and replenish the toner more uniformly.

Furthermore, in the embodiment described in "-", the l hener filling space 22 of the toner supply container 21 is divided into two parts by the partition plate 25.
Although the filling space elements 22a and 22b are divided into four filling space elements 22a and 22b, the number of divisions is not limited to this and can be arbitrarily selected from 3 to 3. For example, as shown in FIG.
4. (1 to 1 filling space elements 22a22 of flll
It is also possible to partition into b 22c 22d.

When the filling space 22 is divided into four sections in this way, 1
A larger amount of toner can be divided and replenished into the developing device main body 10 on the stand, and the number of stored toners can be reduced by a step, and replacement work and accompanying disposal processing can be easily performed.

[Effects of the Invention] In the present invention, the filling space 1 to 1 of the toner sleeve supply container is divided into a plurality of toner filling space elements by a partition plate, and each toner filling space element is provided with a replenishment port and a sealing film. With this configuration, it is possible to reduce the number of books to be stored, and to easily carry out replacement work and the associated disposal process.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figures 1 to 3 are diagrams showing one embodiment of the present invention, 4 Figure 1 is a diagram for explaining the toner replenishment operation, and Figure 2 is an exploded view of a developing device to which this embodiment is applied. The perspective view and FIG. 3 are bottom views. FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing still another embodiment of the present invention. Figures 6 to 8 are diagrams showing a conventional toner cartridge. Figure 6 is a diagram for explaining the first to last feeding operations, Figure 7 is an external perspective view, and Figure 8 is a bottom view. It is. 20... Toner cartridge, 21... Toner supply container, 22... Toner filling space, 23... Supply port, 25... Partition plate, 31... Seal film.

Claims (1)

[Claims] (1) A toner replenishment container that forms a toner filling space, and a replenishment port that communicates the toner filling space with the outside in this toner replenishment container, which is normally closed and can be opened by peeling in a predetermined peeling direction during replenishment. In a toner cartridge for an electrophotographic apparatus, the toner filling space of the toner supply container is divided into a plurality of toner filling space elements by a partition plate, and each toner filling space element is provided with the replenishment port and a sealing film. A toner cartridge for an electrophotographic device, comprising: