JPH06124045A - Toner cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the scattering of toner without slacking a seal member in a simple constitution by providing a seal taking up member fixing one end part of the seal member and a fixing member releasably fixing a part not covering an opening part in one end. CONSTITUTION:A fixing part 7a fixing a part of the seal member 5 on the top end part of a fixing piece 7 is provided. The seal taking up member 8 is disposed above the fixing surface of the fixing part 7a and the end part of one half part of the seal member 5, that is, the end part of a folded part 5C is fixed on the seal taking up member 8. When the seal taking up member 8 is rotated, the seal member 5 stuck to the fixing part 7a is pulled to the side opposite to the side of the fixing part 7a on which the seal member 5 is fixed and peeled from the side where the seal member 5 is fixed on the seal taking up member 8. Further, when the seal taking up member is continuously rotated, the seal member 5 is peeled from a bent part to release the opening part.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer or a facsimile, and more particularly to a toner cartridge for supplying toner to a toner hopper of a developing device. It is a thing.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An example of an image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. Reference numeral 14 generally indicates a laser printer. The recording paper 16 delivered from the paper supply device 15 in the direction of the arrow a is conveyed toward the surface of the drum by the registration roller 17 in timing with the drum-shaped photoconductor 18. The photoconductor 18 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow, is charged by the charging charger 19, and is exposed by the laser light 21 from the laser writing device 20 to form an electrostatic latent image. The electrostatic latent image is visualized by the developing device 11 and then transferred by the transfer charger 22 onto the recording paper supplied on the surface of the photoconductor. The recording paper on which the visible image is transferred fixes the image when passing through the fixing device 23. The recording paper which has been fixed passes through the discharge passage 24 and is discharged onto the recording paper tray in the direction of arrow b. On the other hand, the photoreceptor 18 after the transfer of the visible image is cleaned by the cleaning device 25 to remove the charges and toner remaining on the surface thereof, and prepares for the recording process after the next charging step. The developing device 11 has a casing 11a for storing and supporting well-known components such as a toner-2 and a developing roller, and a toner for the casing 11a.
And a toner cartridge 1 for supplying. The toner cartridge 1 is attachable to and detachable from the casing 11a, and after the toner cartridge 1 is attached to the casing 11a, the toner cartridge 1 is attached.
A sheet-like sheet that closes the opening 4 of the cartridge 1.
The toner filled in is ejected and the toner is supplied to the developing device 11 by peeling off the ruler member.

A conventional toner cartridge will be described with reference to FIG. In the conventional toner cartridge 1 as shown in FIG. 7, the opening 4 located on the lower surface of the toner cartridge is hermetically fixed by heat-sealing with a sheet-like seal member 5, and the sheet is sealed. The reel member 5 is folded back and the end portion is fixed to the seal winding member 8. However, in such a conventional toner cartridge 1, the seal winding member 8 is rotatably supported by the toner cartridge 1 in the forward and reverse directions. The rotation of the member 8 causes slack in the folded-back portion 5c of the seal member 5 from the time when the opening 4 of the toner cartridge 1 is fixed to the time when the seal winding member 8 is fixed. When the folded-back portion 5c is loosened, the folded-back portion 5c is likely to be hooked on another member before the toner cartridge 1 is attached to the developing device, and as a result, the opening 4 is sealed. The sealed seal member 5 is peeled off and filled with the toner.
There was a problem that 2 was discharged from the opening 4. Also, as shown in FIG.
When the toner cartridge 1 is inserted into the trench insertion opening, the folded-back portion 5c of the seal member 5 is caught by the lower surface 13 of the toner cartridge insertion opening, and further in that state.
As shown in FIG. 4, when the toner cartridge 1 is inserted into the developing device 11, the seal member 5 in the portion which seals the opening 4 on the lower surface 13 of the insertion opening is separated from the bent portion 5b, As a result, the opening 4 that has been sealed is opened,
The filled toner-2 is discharged in the vicinity of the insertion port, and there is a drawback that the toner is scattered outside the apparatus.

[0004] On the other hand, in the actual flat blade 2-62568, a ratchet is provided on the seal winding member so that it can rotate only in one direction so that it can be rotated only in the seal winding direction, and the reel is wound once. A technique is disclosed in which the member is not rewound. This is to regulate the rotation direction of the seal winding member by a ratchet, but since the ratchet is used, the structure of the rotation shaft of the sheet winding member and the portion supporting the rotation shaft becomes complicated. . Furthermore, when the seal winding member is rotated to remove the slack of the seal member before mounting,
If the seal member is accidentally wound up too much, the opening of the toner cartridge may be opened, and the toner may be scattered outside the apparatus.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems of the prior art and provides an excellent toner cartridge with a simple structure in which the seal member does not sag and the toner does not scatter. The purpose is to

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to achieve the above-mentioned object, the present invention provides a toner case which can be attached to and detached from a toner hopper of a developing device and has an opening on its lower surface. A toner cartridge having a sheet-like seal member that seals the opening so that one of the half-folded half portions of the toner case can be peeled off, the toner cartridge being the toner cartridge. And a seal winding member that is rotatably supported by the seal member and fixes the other end of the half of the seal member, and a part of the other half of the half that does not cover the opening. And a fixing means for releasably fixing the fixing means, the fixing means peelably affixes the seal member through an adhesive means, and the fixing is performed by rotating the seal winding member. Fixing surface side of the seal member with respect to the seal member fixed to the means As the pulling force on the opposite side direction is applied, the said fixing means is - configured to positional relationship Le winding member is defined.

[0007]

In the state before mounting, the half of the seal member folded back in half is closed so as not to cause slack in the half on the side not sealing the opening of the toner cartridge. Is partially fixed by the fixing means. After the mounting, when the seal winding member supported by the toner cartridge is rotated, first, the sealing member adhered to the fixing portion by the fixing means is fixed to the seal winding member. Is peeled from the side that is being treated. Further, by rotating the seal winding means in the same direction, the reel member is wound while peeling off the seal member closing the opening of the toner case, and the opening of the toner case is opened. The stored toner is discharged and supplied.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings, with the same members as those of the related art given the same reference numerals. 1 and 2 are for explaining an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a toner cartridge of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is an AA portion shown in FIG. FIG. The toner cartridge 1 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2 has a box-shaped toner case 3 for containing the toner-2. The toner case 3 has an opening 4 on the bottom surface thereof.
In the opening portion 4, the toner case 3 is filled with the toner and the toner is supplied to the developing device. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the toner cartridge 1 is mounted on the developing device with the opening 4 facing downward. Flange 3a, 3a for securing a space for sticking the seal member is formed on both side edges of the opening 4 in the longitudinal direction. The opening 4 is heat-bondable or adhesive and an adhesive tape capable of peeling off one of the half portions from the base end portion 5a of the seal member 5 folded in half at the bent portion 5b to the bent portion 5b.
It is closed by being adhered to the edge portion of the opening 4 by adhesion via a press or the like. A folded-back portion 5c, which is the other half of the seal member that is folded back at the folded portion 5b and extends toward the base end portion 5a, is drawn into the recess 6 from the guide hole 3b. Therefore, the sheet-shaped seal member 5 covers the opening 4 in a substantially doubled state. The seal member 5 is fixed in the recess 6 by a fixing piece 7 as a fixing means, and is formed so that it can be wound by the rotation of the seal winding member 8. The fixing piece 7 of this fixing means is
By heat-bonding which is provided so as to project in the concave portion 6 and a part of the folded-back portion 5c of the seal member 5 can be peeled off by the fixing portion 7a at the tip portion of the fixing piece 7, or by adhesion through an adhesive or an adhesive tape. It is fixed. The roller-shaped seal winding member 8 is
The end of the folded-back portion 5c of the seal member 5 is fixed by a convenient means such as inserting or adhering, and both shaft ends (not shown) of the seal winding member 8 are rotated to the opposite side walls of the recess 6. It is supported freely. The toner case 3 has a toner insertion opening 9
It is also possible to have a structure in which the cap is formed and the cap 10 tightly plugs.

Next, the operation for supplying the toner to the toner hopper of the developing device will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.
The toner cartridge 1 is a toner hopper 12 of the developing device.
When it is set at a predetermined position above, the drive source (not shown) of the apparatus main body and the seal winding member 8 are engaged with each other. The rotation of the drive source is the rotation of the seal winding member. 8 is transmitted. The seal winding member 8 is rotated,
By the rotation of the seal winding member 8, the seal member 5 is wound around the seal winding member 8 and separated from the fixing portion 7a of the fixing piece 7 as a fixing means. Then, the seal member of the portion that seals the opening 4 is peeled off from the bent portion 5b. Finally, the seal member 5 is wound by the seal winding member 8. The opening 4 is opened, and the toner-2 is supplied from the opening 4 to the toner hopper 12 of the developing device.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the end portion of the toner cartridge. As shown in FIG. 3, a guide hole 3b is provided on the lower surface of the recess 6 on the opening side. This guide hole 3b
In the vicinity of, a fixing piece 7 as a fixing means is provided so as to project upward from the lower surface of the concave portion 6. A fixing portion 7a for fixing a part of the seal member 5 is provided at a tip portion of the fixing piece 7, and a part of the seal member 5 is fixed on a fixing surface provided on the fixing portion 7a. . The folded-back portion 5c, which is the other half of the folded-back seal member 5, extends from the guide hole 3b to the concave portion 6.
A part of the folded-back portion 5c that has been drawn in is fixed to the fixing portion 7a of the fixing piece 7 by heat adhesion or adhesion via an adhesive and an adhesive tape or the like. A seal winding member 8 is disposed above the fixing surface of the fixing portion 7a, and the end of the other half of the seal member 5, that is, the end of the folded portion 5c is attached to the seal winding member 8. The part is fixed. When the seal winding member 8 is rotated, the seal member 5 adhered to the fixed portion 7a is pulled to the side opposite to the fixed portion 7a side to which the seal member 5 is fixed, and thus the reel is wound. It is separated from the side fixed to the removing member 8. As described above, if the seal winding member is further rotated,
The ruler member 5 can be separated from the bent portion to open the opening.

Further, in FIGS. 4A and 4B,
9 illustrates an end of a toner cartridge according to another embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 4 (A), the fixing piece 7 as the fixing means is
It is laterally projected from the side surface of the recess 6 on the toner case side, and is disposed near the opening of the recess 6. The tip of the fixing piece 7 has a fixing portion 7a for fixing a part of the folded-back portion 5c of the seal member drawn from the guide hole 3b. The seal take-up member 8 is disposed below the laterally projecting fixing piece 7, and the seal member of the folding back portion 5c fixed by the fixing portion 7a is folded back to fix one end thereof. There is. Thus, the fixing portion 7a to which the seal member is fixed
Since it is provided near the opening of the concave portion 6, it becomes easy to attach the seal member to the fixing portion 7a. Further, since the seal member fixed by the fixing portion 7a is folded back and fixed to the seal winding member 8, the seal member can be easily peeled from the fixing portion 7a. Also, FIG.
As shown in (B), a fixing portion 7a is directly provided on the lower surface in the recess 6, and a part of the folded-back portion 5c of the seal member drawn from the guide hole 3b is fixed to the fixing portion 7a. The member may be attached. Thus, a part of the folded-back portion 5c of the seal member may be directly attached to the inner surface of the recess 6. The present invention is not limited to the embodiment as described above, and the seal winding member pulls the seal member in the direction opposite to the fixed side of the seal member fixed to the fixed portion. In addition, the seal winding member may be provided.
In the present invention, instead of the fixing means for fixing via the adhesive means as described above, a part of the folded-back portion of the sheet-shaped seal member is fixed in the direction to be pressed against the side surface inside the recess of the toner cartridge. You may fix by applying a biasing force with the fixing piece as a means. As an example, as shown in FIG. 5, an elastic leaf spring is used for the fixing piece 7 as the fixing means, one end of the leaf spring is fixed to the lower surface in the recess 6, and the fixing portion 7a at the other end is the recess. Press on the side of 6 inside. A part of the folded-back portion 5c is sandwiched between the leaf spring and the side surface inside the concave portion 6, and in that state, the leaf spring applies an urging force and fixes the portion. In that case, the biasing force applied to a part of the folded-back portion 5c is
When c is put in a tensioned state, that tensioned state can be maintained,
When the reel member is wound by the reel member 8, the reel member must be of a size that can be comfortably wound.

[0012]

According to the present invention, the seam from the bent portion is
By using the fixing means for fixing the folded-back portion of the toe-shaped seal member, the folded-back portion can be fixed in a tensioned state, whereby the slack of the folded-back portion is eliminated,
When the toner cartridge is mounted on the developing device, the folded portion is not caught by another member to open the opening of the toner cartridge, so that the toner can be prevented from scattering. Further, according to the present invention, a sheet fixed to the fixing means.
By determining the positional relationship between the fixing means and the seal winding member so that a tensile force acts on the seal member in the direction of the surface opposite to the fixing surface of the seal member, the seal winding member is determined. The seal member can be easily peeled from the fixing portion of the fixing means by rotating.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a toner cartridge according to one embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing a cross section taken along the line AA of FIG.

3 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an end portion of the toner cartridge shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a partial sectional view showing an end portion of a toner cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a partial cross-sectional view showing an end portion of a toner cartridge according to another embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a schematic configuration diagram showing an image forming apparatus using a toner cartridge.

FIG. 7 is a sectional view showing a conventional toner cartridge.

FIG. 8 is an explanatory diagram showing a time when a conventional toner cartridge insertion is started.

FIG. 9 is an explanatory diagram showing toner scattering in a conventional toner cartridge insertion process.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Toner cartridge 2 Toner 3 Toner case 3a Guide hole 4 Opening 5 Sheet-shaped seal member 5a Base end part 5b Bending part 5c Folding part 7 Fixing piece 7a Fixing part 8 Seal Winding member

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A toner case which is attachable to and detachable from a toner hopper of a developing device and has an opening on the lower surface, and one half of the half-folded half on the toner case. In a toner cartridge having a sheet-like seal member capable of sealing the opening portion, the other half of the half portion of the seal member is rotatably supported by the toner cartridge. And a fixing means for releasably fixing a part of the other half of the half part that does not cover the opening part. Toner Car
Tridge. 2. The fixing means peelably attaches and fixes a seal member via an adhesive means, and the seal is fixed to the fixing means by rotating a seal winding member. The positional relationship between the fixing means and the seal winding member is determined so that a tensile force acts on the member in the direction opposite to the fixing surface side of the seal member. The toner cartridge according to claim 1.