JPH0453652Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] The present invention relates to a toner supply device for an electrophotographic copying machine or the like.

In this specification, the term "toner" is used to include not only electrostatic toner of a two-component developer but also a single-component developer.

Generally, in electrophotographic copying machines, it is necessary to replenish the toner consumed during use, but conventional replenishment toner is usually stored in resin bottles or aluminum foil bags. . Therefore, conventionally, replenishment toner is transferred from an opened or unsealed bottle to a replenishment hopper. Scattered indoors,
This causes environmental and sanitary problems such as toner remaining in the bottle spilling into the surrounding area.

As a countermeasure against environmental pollution and hygiene as mentioned above, this invention has a toner outlet formed on the circumferential surface near the tip of the cylindrical mouth of the toner supply bottle with the tip closed, and a toner outlet that is aligned with the outlet. A cylindrical stopper having an opening formed on the circumferential surface near the distal end is slidably fitted into the cylindrical opening while biased toward the distal end by an elastic member,
A closing force is applied to the inside of the hopper opening of the replenishment hopper having a cross section slightly larger than the cylindrical stopper with a spring weaker than the elastic member, the hopper can be pushed open by the cylindrical stopper, and the opening angle is predetermined. A toner replenishing device is proposed in which an opening/closing lid is provided in a state in which the hopper opening is closed from the inside.

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows the relationship between the opening of the toner replenishing bottle 1 and the replenishing hopper 2 of the toner replenishing device according to the present invention. 3 are arranged in series, and the peripheral wall near the tip of the cylindrical opening 3 is provided with an outlet 4 through which the replenishment toner T contained in the toner replenishment bottle 1 can flow out.

Further, a cylindrical plug 5 that can slide along the cylindrical mouth portion 3 is fitted into the cylindrical mouth portion 3, and an opening 6 is formed in the peripheral wall of the cylindrical plug 5 near the tip. and,
The cylindrical stopper 5 is connected to the cylindrical opening 3 by a compression spring 7 as an elastic member interposed between the cylindrical stopper 5 and the toner supply bottle 1.
is biased in the direction of protruding from the
When an external force is applied upward in the figure to the cylindrical stopper 5, the compression spring 7
When the outlet port 4 and the opening 6 are compressed, the outlet port 4 and the opening 6
match, and the replenishment toner T in toner replenishment bottle 1
flows out. The cylindrical stopper 5 is prevented from being pulled out from the cylindrical opening 3 by a stopper projection 8 integrally formed on the back surface of the cylindrical opening 3.

On the other hand, the upper part of the supply hopper 2 is provided with a cap 10 that forms a hopper opening 9 into which the cylindrical stopper 5 and the cylindrical opening 3 can be inserted. It is closed by a lid 12. The opening/closing lid 12 whose opening degree is limited by an integrally molded stopper 13 is urged in the closing direction by a spring 14 which is sufficiently weaker than the compression spring 7 described above.

Since the illustrated embodiment has the structure described above, the outlet 4 is always closed by the cylindrical stopper 5, so that even if the toner supply bottle 1 is turned upside down, the toner supply bottle 1 does not contain the toner. The replenishment toner T will not spill outside. To replenish toner, the toner replenishing bottle 1 is placed upside down and the cylindrical stopper 5 is deeply inserted into the hopper opening 9 as shown in the second figure. That is, when the cylinder stopper 5 is inserted, the cylinder stopper 5 first hits the opening/closing lid 12, the opening/closing lid 12 is pushed open as shown in the second figure, the stopper 13 hits the lower surface of the supply hopper 9, and the opening/closing lid 12 and the cylinder are pushed open as shown in the second figure. The movement of the stopper 5 is stopped. After that, when the toner replenishment bottle 1 is pushed down further, the compression spring 7 is compressed as shown in the third figure, and the outlet 4 and the opening 6 are aligned, so that the replenishment toner T in the toner replenishment bottle 1 is released from the replenishment hop. It will be put in during the 2nd. An air hole provided with a filter or the like may be provided at the bottom (not shown) of the replenishment hopper 2 to prevent toner from scattering.

When the toner replenishment bottle 1 is lifted after toner is added, the opening/closing lid 12 is automatically closed and the outlet 9 is closed with the cylinder stopper 5, so that the toner that has flown up in the replenishment hopper 2 is released from the outside. The toner remaining in the toner supply bottle 1 is prevented from spilling to the outside.

After all, according to the present invention, simply by holding the toner replenishment bottle 1 in your hand and pressing it firmly against the replenishment hopper 2, the opening/closing lid 12 will automatically open and the outlet 4 and opening 6 will match, so the cylinder stopper Since toner replenishment can be performed without touching the 5 etc. at all, toner replenishment can be performed without staining fingertips etc. with toner. Furthermore, in the present invention, the hopper opening 9 is closed with the cylindrical stopper 5 and the cylindrical opening 3 during toner replenishment, and is immediately closed with the opening/closing lid 12 after toner replenishment. Toner never comes out. In the present invention, when the toner supply bottle 1 is lifted, the outlet 4 is automatically closed with the cylindrical stopper 5, so that the toner remaining in the toner supply bottle 1 does not spill outside. can be provided.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing the relationship between the toner replenishment bottle and the replenishment hopper according to the present invention, and FIGS.
The figure is an explanatory diagram of a toner replenishment operation according to the present invention. 1... Toner supply bottle, 2... Supply hopper, 3
...Cylindrical opening, 4... Outlet, 5... Cylinder stopper, 6...
...opening, 9...hopper opening, 12...opening/closing lid.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] A toner supply bottle with a closed tip. A toner outlet is bored on the circumferential surface near the tip of the cylindrical mouth, and a cylindrical stopper with an opening formed on the circumferential surface near the tip that can match the outlet is closed at the tip using an elastic member. A spring weaker than the elastic member applies a closing force to the inside of the hopper opening of the replenishment hopper having a slightly larger cross section than the cylindrical stopper. A toner replenishing device characterized in that an opening/closing lid that can be pushed open by the cylindrical stopper and has a predetermined opening angle is provided in a state in which the hopper opening is closed from the inside.