JPH07325470A - Toner supplying device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To remove foreign matter incorporated in toner for preventing the occurrence of a fault in printing and to smoothly supply the toner to a developing unit by a filter in a toner supplying port or the toner receiving port of the developing unit. CONSTITUTION:When a toner replenishing part 2 is opened and the toner 1 is replenished to a toner housing case 3, the replenished toner 1 is supplied to the developing unit 4 via the toner supplying port 5 and the toner receiving port 8 and at this time, the toner 1 passes through the filter 6 to remove the foreign matter incorporated in the toner 1. When the toner 1 in the toner supplying device is partially flocculated because an electrophotographic device is not used for a long period, an actuator 7 is operated to vibrate the filter 6. Thus, the toner 1 flocculated on the filter 6 is dispersed to pass therethrough so that the supply of the toner 1 to the developing unit 4 is never disturbed by the clogging of the toner supplying port 5.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner supply device used in an electrophotographic apparatus for printing by an electrophotographic process using a laser light source.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional toner supply device.

As shown in FIG. 2, a conventional toner supply device used in an electrophotographic apparatus for printing by an electrophotographic process using a laser light source has a toner storage case 13 for storing toner and a toner storage case 13 as shown in FIG. A toner replenishing part 12 provided on the upper surface of the toner supply port 12 and capable of opening and closing, and a toner supply port for delivering the toner 11 to a toner receiving port 18 of a developing device 14 provided on the lower surface of the toner storage case 13 below. And 15.

In the toner supply device configured as described above, when the remaining amount of the toner 11 in the developing device 14 becomes low, the toner replenishing portion 12 is opened to replenish the toner. Foreign matter is mixed from 12 and is sent into the developing device 14 through the toner supply port 15 and the toner reception port 18. As a result, a print failure may occur. Particularly in recent years, this tendency has become remarkable because the electrophotographic apparatus has come to operate at high speed and the toner consumption has increased.

If the electrophotographic apparatus is not used for a long period of time, the toner 1 in the toner supplying apparatus may be damaged due to moisture absorption or the like.
1 may partially harden (the developing device 14 usually has a stirring device, and the toner is stirred by this stirring device, so that the toner is not partially hardened). The partially solidified toner 11 in the inside may be blocked in the toner supply port 15 to hinder the supply of the toner from the toner supply device to the developing device 14.

[0006]

As described above, the toner supply device of the conventional electrophotographic apparatus has a drawback that foreign matter is mixed in when toner is replenished to cause a print failure. Further, when the electrophotographic apparatus is not used for a long period of time, the toner 11 in the toner supply device is partially solidified and clogged in the toner supply port, which hinders the supply of toner to the developing device.

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION A toner supply device of the present invention comprises a toner storage case for storing toner, a toner replenishing portion provided on an upper surface of the toner storage case and capable of opening and closing, and a lower surface of the toner storage case. And a toner supply port for sending the toner to a toner reception port of the developing device provided below the toner supply port, the toner supply port being provided at the toner supply port or the toner reception port of the developing device. It is provided with a filter and an actuator for vibrating the filter.

[0008]

Embodiments of the present invention will now be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

The toner supply device of FIG. 1 is provided with a toner storage case 3 for storing toner, a toner replenishing section 2 which is provided on the upper surface of the toner storage case 3 and can be opened and closed, and a lower surface of the toner storage case 3. A toner supply port 5 for sending the toner 1 to the toner receiving port 8 of the developing device 4 provided below is provided.

The toner receiving port 8 of the developing device 4 has a particle size of 2 mm or less than that of the toner 1 (about 8 to 12 μm) in order to remove foreign matters mixed in the toner 1 supplied from the toner supplying section 2.
A lattice-shaped filter 6 having a large opening of ˜4 μm is provided, and an actuator 7 is connected to the filter 6.

In the toner supply device thus constructed, when the toner replenishing section 2 is opened and the toner 1 is replenished in the toner storage case 3, the replenished toner 1 is supplied through the toner supply port 5 and the toner receiving port 8. It is supplied to the developing device 4,
At this time, since it passes through the filter 6, the foreign matter mixed in the toner 1 is removed.

When the toner 1 in the toner supply device is partially solidified because the electrophotographic apparatus is not used for a long time, the actuator 7 is operated to vibrate the filter 6. As a result, the solidified toner 1 on the filter 6 is dispersed and can pass through the filter 6, so that the toner supply port 5 is not clogged and the toner supply to the developing device is not hindered.

Although the above-described embodiment is an example in which the filter is provided at the toner receiving port of the developing device, even if it is provided at the toner supplying port of the toner supplying device, the same operation and effect can be obtained.

[0015]

As described above, in the toner supply device of the present invention, a filter is provided at the toner supply port or the toner receiving port of the developing device, and further, an actuator for vibrating this filter is provided so that the toner is mixed with the toner. It is possible to remove foreign matter that is present and prevent the occurrence of printing problems.
Since the partially solidified toner in the toner supply device can be dispersed, the toner can be smoothly supplied to the developing device.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing an example of a conventional toner supply device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1/11 Toner 2/12 Toner supply section 3.13 Toner storage case 4.14 Developer 5/15 Toner supply port 6 Filter 7 Actuator 8/18 Toner receiving port

Claims (2)

[Claims] 1. A toner storage case for storing toner,
A toner supply unit that is provided on the upper surface of the toner storage case and that can be opened and closed, and a toner supply that delivers the toner to a toner receiving port of a developing unit that is provided below the toner storage case and is provided below. A toner supply device having a port, comprising: a filter provided at the toner supply port; and an actuator for vibrating the filter. 2. A toner storage case for storing toner,
A toner supply unit that is provided on the upper surface of the toner storage case and that can be opened and closed, and a toner supply that delivers the toner to a toner receiving port of a developing unit that is provided below the toner storage case and is provided below. A toner supply device having a port, comprising: a filter provided at a toner supply port of the developing device; and an actuator for vibrating the filter.