JPH068602Y2 - Developer supply device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a developer replenishing device for replenishing a developing device in an image recording apparatus such as an electrostatographic copying machine or a facsimile.

[Prior Art] In storing or transporting the image recording apparatus for a long period of time, if the developing device of the image recording apparatus is filled with the developer, the developer contact surface portion of the photoconductor deteriorates, Since the photoreceptor surface is damaged by vibration or the developer is moistened, the developing case of the developing device is empty, and the image recording device is used by the user. The developer is replenished in the developing case of the developing device when it reaches the hand.

Conventionally, when replenishing the developer, the developing device is taken out of the device, the toner replenishing hopper of the developing device is disassembled, and the developer is replenished into the developing case through the toner replenishing port.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

However, not only is it time-consuming to disassemble and assemble the toner replenishing hopper, but the developer scatters around and the outer surface of the case and the developing device drive system are contaminated. The developer adhering to the outer surface or the like scatters inside the apparatus, resulting in poor copy performance.

[Means for solving problems]

The present invention has been devised in view of the above circumstances, and an object thereof is to provide a developer replenishing device capable of replenishing the developer in the developing case without the above inconvenience. .

Thus, in the developer cartridge according to the present invention, an opening communicating with the developing opening facing the photoreceptor of the developing case is formed in the cartridge body, and a holding means for detachably holding the cartridge body in the developing case is provided. A developer cartridge, which is provided in the cartridge body and whose opening is closed by a shield member that can be opened, is held in the developing case through the holding means, and is close to the developing opening when the opening is opened. It is characterized in that the developing sleeve arranged in this manner is rotated and the developer in the developer cartridge is fed into the developing case by the magnetic conveying force of the developing sleeve.

[Action]

According to the above characteristic structure, the cartridge body is held in the developing case with the opening of the cartridge body facing the developing opening of the developing case, and the shutter for closing the opening is opened. By doing so, the developer in the cartridge main body can be replenished to the developing opening portion of the developing case, and since the developing sleeve is arranged close to the developing opening, the developing sleeve of the developing device can be rotated thereafter. By this, it is possible to send the developer into the developing case by utilizing the magnetic transport force of the developing sleeve without the need to newly provide a special device.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows the entire developer cartridge A, and FIG. 2 shows the developer cartridge A attached to a developing device 1 extracted from an image recording apparatus. Indicates the status.

In the developing device 1 described above, a toner replenishing hopper 4 is connected to a developing case 3 having a developing opening 2 formed in a portion facing a photoconductor (not shown), and a toner replenishing port of the toner replenishing hopper 4 is provided. 5 is provided with a toner replenishing roller 6 made of sponge or the like, and a developing sleeve 8 in which a magnet 7 for magnetically transporting the developer inside is disposed in the developing case 3 in a stationary state; The tools 9 and 10, and the ear cutting board 11 that cuts the ear of the excess developer with the rotation of the developing sleeve 8 that rotates in the developing direction (counterclockwise direction in the drawing), and the ear cutting board 11 A partition plate 12 is provided which circulates the cut developer toward the toner supply roller 6 side. Incidentally, 13 is a toner replenishing cartridge, and 14 is a cartridge cover.

Next, the specific structure of the developer cartridge A will be described. As shown in FIG. 1, the developer cartridge A has an opening 15 that is detachably connected to the developing opening 2 of the developing case 3. Holding means 25, which is formed on the main body 16 and detachably holds the cartridge main body 16 on the developing case 3, is connected to the cartridge main body 16.
Moreover, the opening 15 is provided with a flexible sheet (an example of a shielding member).
A sheet peeling member 20 for making a notch for peeling off the flexible sheet 19 is provided continuously to the flexible sheet 19 while being sealed with 19, while a side plate portion of the cartridge body 16 is provided.
A cylinder body 22 for replenishing the developer is connected to 21 so that a predetermined amount of the developer is filled in the cartridge body 16 through the cylinder body 22 and the cylinder body 22 is sealed with a cap 23.

The holding means 25 connects an engaging member 18 that engages a reinforcing rib body 17 continuously provided on the lower side of the developing opening 2 to the lower side of the opening 15 of the cartridge body 16 and ,
Flexible members 26, 26 that are elastically deformable are continuously provided on both sides of the cartridge body 16, and each of the flexible members 26, 26 is detachable from the upper surface side member 27 of the developing case 3. A stopper member 28 and an unlocking operation tool 29 are provided.

On the other hand, the sheet peeling member 20 is continuously provided on the side of the engaging member 18 with respect to the flexible sheet 19, is folded back to the side opposite to the engaging member 18, and the sheet peeling member 20
Attach the end of 20 to the top of the cartridge body 16 with adhesive tape 24
It is pasted on.

In order to replenish the developer into the developing case 3 of the developing device 1, first, the developing device 1 is taken out of the device, and the reinforcing rib body 17 of the developing device 1 is engaged with the engaging member of the cartridge body 16.
18 is engaged from below, and the locking members 28, 28 are locked to the upper surface side member 27 of the developing case 3 so that the opening 15 of the cartridge body 16 corresponds to the developing opening 2 of the developing case 3. The cartridge main body 16 is held in the developing case 3 in the state of being positioned.

After that, the adhesive tape 24 is peeled off, and the sheet peeling member 20
Hold the edge of the and pull it upwards to create a flexible sheet
19 is peeled off from below the opening 15.

As a result, the developing opening 2 of the developing case 3 and the opening 15 of the cartridge body 16 communicate with each other, and the developer in the cartridge body 16 flows into the developing opening 2.

Here, since the developing sleeve 8 is arranged close to the developing opening, by rotating it, the developer in the cartridge body 16 can be surely utilized by utilizing the magnetic carrying force of the developing sleeve 8. It will be sent into the inside of the developing case 3.

Therefore, without disassembling the developing device 1 as in the conventional case,
In addition, the developer is not scattered and the developer can be replenished into the developing case 3 very easily and reliably.

The developing sleeve 8 can be easily rotated by, for example, manually turning a drive gear connected to the sleeve shaft. Alternatively, a rotating handle may be attached to the sleeve shaft, or It is also possible to employ means such as engaging a motor-driven gear with the drive gear.

FIG. 3 shows another embodiment of the flexible sheet 19 which is an example of the shielding member. This is one in which a developer replenishing opening 15a smaller than the developing opening 2 is formed in a first flexible sheet portion 19a which is large enough to close the developing opening 2 of the developing case 3. The opening 15a is defined as the second flexible sheet portion.
The sheet is hermetically sealed at 19b, and both sheet portions 19a, 19
b, the first and second sheet peeling members 20a and 20b are connected in series, respectively. Although not shown, the peeling member continuous side is engaged with the engaging member 18 as in the case shown in FIG. The first seat portion 19a closes the opening 15 of the cartridge body 16 in a state of being positioned on the side.
First and second sheet peeling members 20a and 20b connected to the 19a and second sheet portions 19b are attached to the upper surface of the cartridge body 16 with a tape 24.

With this configuration, the large opening 15 can be obtained by peeling the first sheet portion 19a, and the small opening 15a can be obtained by peeling the second sheet portion 19b. Therefore, there is a feature that the size of the developing opening 2 of the developing device 1 can be dealt with.

FIG. 4 shows another embodiment of the shielding member. This is one in which a plate-shaped shutter 30 that seals the opening 15 is provided inside the opening 15 so as to be rotatable around a support shaft 31,
A rotating operation tool 32 for rotating the shutter 30 outside the cartridge body 16 is connected to the shutter 30.

[Effect of device]

As described above, according to the developer supply device of the present invention,
When the developing device is taken out of the device, the cartridge main body is held in the developing case with the opening of the cartridge main body corresponding to the developing opening of the developing device, and a shielding member for sealing the opening is provided. By opening it, the developer in the cartridge main body can be replenished to the developing opening, and since the developing sleeve is arranged in the vicinity of the developing opening, the magnetic carrying force originally possessed by this developing sleeve is provided. By effectively utilizing this, by rotating the developing sleeve, the developer in the vicinity of the developing opening can be sent into the inside of the developing case. It is extremely easy to assemble and does not stain the surrounding area with a developer or deteriorate copy performance. Than it came to be able to achieve the supply of easily and reliably developer.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 shows an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 1 is an overall perspective view of a developer cartridge, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of developer replenishment with a developer cartridge attached to a developing opening of a developing device, and FIG. FIG. 4 and FIG. 4 respectively show another embodiment of the shielding member, FIG. 3 is a plan view and FIG. 4 is a sectional view. 2 ... development opening, 3 ... development case, 15 ... opening,
16 …… Cartridge body, 19,30 …… Shielding member (flexible sheet, shutter), 20 …… Sheet peeling member, 25 ……
Holding means, 32 ... Operation tool.

Claims (3)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A cartridge body is provided with an opening communicating with a developing opening of the developing case which faces a photoconductor, and holding means for detachably holding the cartridge body in the developing case is provided in the cartridge body, and A developer cartridge in which the opening is closed by a shield member that can be opened is held in the developing case through the holding means, and the developing sleeve is arranged close to the developing opening in a state where the opening is opened. The developer replenishing device is characterized in that the developer in the developer cartridge is fed into the developing case by the magnetic conveying force of the developing sleeve by rotating the. 2. The shielding member is made of a flexible sheet that releasably seals the opening, and a sheet peeling member for peeling the flexible sheet is provided on the flexible sheet. In the utility model registration claim (1), the sheet peeling member is folded back in the peeling direction and the end is separably joined to the cartridge body. Developer supply device. 3. A utility model in which the shielding member comprises a shutter that opens and closes the opening, and an operating tool for opening and closing the shutter outside the cartridge body is connected to the shutter. Scope of registration request
The developer replenishing device according to the item (1).