JPH0744000A - Housing container and replenishing device for toner - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To excellently discharge toner from a toner discharge port, even in a stage that the toner remaining in a toner housing container has diminished. CONSTITUTION:The toner discharge port 15 is formed on the central part of one end side of a cylindrical container main body 13 and a protruding part 19 is formed on one end of the side where the toner discharge port 15 is formed of the container main body 13. A space part 20 communicated with the inside of the container main body 13 is formed inside the protruding part 19 and a guiding surface 22 is formed for guiding the toner introduced into the space part 20 from the outer peripheral part side of the protruding part 19 to the side of the toner discharge port 15 in accordance with the rotation of the part 19 upward from its lowermost position accompanying the rotation of the toner housing container 3.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner container for replenishing toner by being mounted in an image forming apparatus in a substantially horizontal direction and being rotationally driven in an axial direction, and toner replenishment using this toner container. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In recent years, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a facsimile, a toner storage container has been set in a substantially horizontal state for the purpose of downsizing, and the toner storage container is set in a substantially horizontal state. As a toner replenishing device for use in the above, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 3-2881 and Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 59-1886
There is one disclosed in Japanese Patent Publication No. 78 and the like.

In these toner replenishing devices, a spiral protrusion is formed on the inner peripheral surface of the toner storage container, and the toner storage container is rotated around its center line to cause the toner inside to be toner by the spiral protrusion. The toner is replenished to the developing unit by being conveyed to the ejection port side and ejecting the toner from the toner ejection port.

[0004]

However, in the case where the toner discharge port is formed in the central portion on one end side of the toner storage container in order to further reduce the size of the toner replenishing unit including the toner storage container, the toner is not formed. As the amount of toner remaining in the storage container decreases, the amount of toner discharged from the toner discharge port decreases, and toner supply to the developing unit becomes unstable. Further, when the remaining amount of toner becomes less than a predetermined amount, the toner is not ejected from the toner ejection port, and there is a disadvantage that the toner remains in the toner container and is wasted.

[0005]

The invention according to claim 1 is
In a toner storage container which is mounted in an image forming apparatus in a substantially horizontal direction and is rotationally driven in an axial direction, a toner discharge port is formed at a central portion of one end side of a cylindrical container body, and the toner discharge port in the container body is formed. A protruding portion having a radial dimension from the outer peripheral portion of the toner discharge port to the substantially outer peripheral portion of the container body is formed at one end on the side where the is formed, and inside the container body inside the protruding portion. A communicating space is formed, and an engaging surface that is substantially orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the container body is formed on the outer circumference of the protruding portion, and is substantially orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the container body and rotates in the axial direction. As the protruding portion rotates upward from the lowermost position, a guide surface that guides the toner that has entered the space portion from the outer peripheral side of the space portion to the toner discharge port side is formed on the inner periphery of the protruding portion. Formed.

According to a second aspect of the invention, in the first aspect of the invention, a plurality of protruding portions are formed.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the first aspect of the present invention, a shielding portion extending toward the protruding portion side is provided at the peripheral edge portion of the toner discharge port.

According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a toner storage container according to the first, second or third aspect, and a holding device for holding the toner storage container in a substantially horizontal direction in a state where the toner storage container is in communication with a toner introducing portion to a developing portion. The toner replenishing device is formed by the means and the rotation driving means that engages with the engagement surface of the toner storage container held by the holding means to rotate the toner storage container in the axial direction.

[0009]

In the present invention, the toner storage container held in the substantially horizontal direction by the holding means is rotated in the axial direction by the rotation driving means being driven by engaging with the engaging surface of the protruding portion.
When the protruding portion rotates upward from the lowermost position as the toner storage container rotates, the toner that has entered the space of the protruding portion is ejected from the outer peripheral side of the protruding portion along the guide surface. The toner is guided to the outlet side, and the toner is discharged from the toner discharge port to the toner introducing portion. Further, even when the amount of toner remaining in the toner storage container is low, the toner smoothly enters the space from the container body side, so that the toner is discharged without remaining in the toner storage container.

By forming a plurality of protrusions as in the second aspect of the invention, the toner is guided to the toner discharge port along the guide surface a plurality of times while the toner storage container makes one rotation. Since this is performed, the toner can be ejected from the toner ejection port more favorably even when the remaining amount of toner in the toner container is low. Further, since there are a plurality of engaging surfaces with which the rotation driving means is engaged, the rotation transmission from the rotation driving means to the toner storage container is performed more reliably.

Further, by forming the shielding portion as in the third aspect of the invention, the opening area of the toner discharge port is narrowed by the shielding portion, so that even in the stage where the amount of toner remaining in the toner container is large. It is possible to prevent more than the required amount of toner from being discharged from the toner discharge port at once.

[0012]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS A first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. First, FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a simplified overall structure of a plain paper copying machine 1 which is an image forming apparatus.
FIG. 1 shows the structure of the toner supply unit in the plain paper copying machine 1. A fixed bracket 2 is fixed to the plain paper copying machine 1, and a fixed bracket 2 has a pair of movable brackets 4 which are holding means for holding a toner storage container 3 storing toner in a substantially horizontal direction. The pins 5 and 6 are rotatably attached in a horizontal plane. Further, the movable bracket 4 is provided with a rotation driving means 7 for rotating the toner storage container 3 held in a substantially horizontal direction in its axial direction. The rotation driving means 7 is driven by a motor 8 and a motor 8. A gear group 9 that is rotationally driven, a gear 10 that meshes with a final gear of the gear group 9 are formed, and a cylindrical rotation transmission member 11 into which the tip end side of the toner storage container 3 is inserted is formed. The cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11 is rotatably held in a toner storage container stopper 12 fixedly held by the movable bracket 4.

A spiral projection 14 is formed in a spiral shape on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical container body 13 of the toner storage container 3, and the toner is discharged to the center of the tip side of the container body 13. The toner discharge port 15 is formed. The spiral protrusion 14 is formed so as to convey the internal toner toward the toner ejection port 15 side as the toner storage container 3 rotates in the axial direction.
In addition, the toner discharge port 15 in the container body 13
A ring-shaped engagement protrusion 16 is formed on the outer peripheral portion on the side where the is formed, and by engaging with the engagement protrusion 16, the removal of the toner storage container 3 held by the movable bracket 4 is regulated. An engagement claw 17 is attached to the toner storage container stopper 12. In addition, the movable bracket 4 is provided with a toner introducing section 1 for supplying the toner discharged from the toner discharging port 15 to a developing section (not shown).
8 are provided.

On the tip end side of the container body 13 where the toner discharge port 15 is formed, a protruding portion 19 having a radial dimension from the outer peripheral portion of the toner discharge port 15 to the substantially outer peripheral portion of the container body 13 is formed. A space portion 20 communicating with the inside of the container body 13 is provided inside the protruding portion 19.
Are formed. Further, on the outer peripheral portion of the projecting portion 19, the toner accommodating container 3 is disposed in the circumferential direction of the container body 13.
An engagement surface 21 is formed that is substantially orthogonal to the rotation direction of the.
Further, the inner periphery of the protruding portion 19 is substantially orthogonal to the rotation direction of the toner storage container 3, and the protrusion portion 19 is rotated upward from the lowermost position as the toner storage container 3 rotates. A guide surface 22 is formed to guide the toner having entered the space 20 from the outer peripheral side of the space 20 to the toner ejection port 15 side.

The tubular rotation transmitting member 11 is provided with an engaging portion 23 which is engaged with the engaging surface 21 to transmit the rotation from the tubular rotation transmitting member 11 to the toner storage container 3. When the tip end side of the toner storage container 3 is inserted into the cylindrical rotation transmission member 11, the engagement portion 23 has the engagement surface 21.
Is engaged with. Further, the engagement surface 21 and the guide surface 22 are the toner storage container 3 in the protruding portion 19.
Is formed on the rear side in the rotation direction of the. further,
The guide surface 22 is formed such that the axial width dimension of the toner storage container 3 on the outer peripheral side of the protruding portion 19 is the largest and the width dimension is gradually narrowed toward the toner ejection port 15, and The edge of the guide surface 22 allows the toner guided on the guide surface 22 to pass through the toner discharge port 1
It is formed in a curved shape for approaching to the 5 side.

Next, a cap inner plug 24 is detachably attached to the toner discharge port 15. On the other hand, on the movable bracket 4, the cap inner plug 24 is attached to the toner discharge port 1 in accordance with the rotating operation of the movable bracket 4.
5 is provided with a cap inner plug attaching / detaching means 25 for removing / attaching the cap inner cap attaching / detaching means 25. The cap inner plug attaching / detaching means 25 picks up a protruding portion 26 formed at the central portion of the cap inner stopper 24 so as to project outward. Collet chuck 27 to separate
And a cam mechanism 28 that opens and closes the toner discharge port 15 by moving the cap inner plug 24 having the protrusion 26 pinched by the collet chuck 27 together with the collet chuck 27 to the opening position and the closing position.

Here, the collet chuck 27 has a cylindrical core 29 slidably held by the boss portion 12a of the toner container stopper 12, and a shaft slidably fitted in the core 29. 30 and shaft 30
And a flexible grip portion 31 fixed to the distal end side of the. Further, the cam mechanism 28 includes the step portion 12 b of the toner storage container stopper 12 and the core 2.
9, a conical coil spring 32 that is interposed between the core 29 and the toner container 3 side, and a roller 33 attached to the rear end of the shaft 30; A guide cam portion 34 for guiding is formed and a bracket hinge 35 fixed to the fixed bracket 2.

In such a structure, first, the procedure for mounting the toner storage container 3 in the plain paper copying machine 1 will be described. The movable bracket 4 is rotated about the pins 5 and 6 as a fulcrum to the position shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. Side is inserted into the toner storage container stopper 12, the toner storage container 3 is held by the movable bracket 4, and the engaging claw 17 is engaged.
6 is engaged. Here, the toner storage container stopper 12
A cylindrical rotation transmission member 11 is rotatably held therein, and by inserting the front end side of the toner storage container 3 into the toner storage container stopper 12, the engagement surface 21 of the protruding portion 19 is rotated cylindrically. The engaging portion 23 of the transmission member 11 is engaged. When the toner storage container 3 is held by the movable bracket 4, the cap inner plug 24 is attached, and the projection 26 of the cap inner plug 24 has the collet chuck 27 as shown in FIG. The cap inner plug 24 is maintained in the closed state while entering between the knob portions 31.

Next, the movable bracket 4 is rotated about the pins 5 and 6 as a fulcrum to a position (toner replenishing position) indicated by a broken line in FIG. Then, with this rotation operation, the roller 33 moves along the guide cam portion 34 from the position shown in FIG. 3B to the position shown in FIG. 4B, and at the same time, the collet chuck 27 moves to the position shown in FIG. From the position shown in a) to FIG.
Slide to the position shown in (a). Here, when the shaft 30 that is a part of the collet chuck 27 and the knob 31 slide slightly toward the position of FIG. 4A, the outer peripheral portion of the knob 31 comes into contact with the core 29 and Bends to
The knob 31 picks the protrusion 26 of the cap inner plug 24. Then, the shaft 30 and the knob 31 are continuously shown in FIG.
By sliding toward the position of (a), the core 2
9 and the cap inner plug 24 pinched by the knob 31 also slide integrally to compress the conical coil spring 32, and eventually the cap inner plug 24 moves to the open position as shown in FIG. 4 (a). At the same time, the toner discharge port 15 is opened, and the toner storage container 3 passes through the toner discharge port 15 and the toner introducing portion 18
And the mounting of the toner storage container 3 is completed. Therefore, when the toner storage container 3 is attached to the plain paper copying machine 1, it is not necessary to open the cap inner plug 24 in advance, and it is possible to prevent the toner from spilling out from the toner discharge port 15 at the time of attachment. It is prevented that the spilled toner stains the worker's hands, clothes, and the movable bracket 4.

Next, copying will be carried out after the mounting of the toner storage container 3 is completed.
When a sensor (not shown) detects that the amount of toner inside is less than or equal to a predetermined amount, the motor 8 is driven based on the detection result. Then, the cylindrical rotation transmission member 11 is rotationally driven by the drive of the motor 8 via the gear group 9 and the gear 10, and the engagement surface 21 of the protruding portion 19 and the cylindrical rotation transmission member 1 are driven.
By engaging with the engaging portion 23 of No. 1, the toner storage container 3 is rotationally driven integrally with the cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11 in its axial direction. When the toner storage container 3 rotates in the axial direction, the toner in the toner storage container 3 is gradually conveyed to the toner discharge port 15 side by the spiral protrusion 14 and the push-out portion 1
9 enters into the space 20 and eventually the toner discharge port 1
5 is discharged. The toner ejected from the toner ejection port 15 passes through the toner dropping opening 36 formed in the toner storage container stopper 12, is supplied to the toner introducing section 18, and is further supplied to the developing section.

Here, when a large amount of toner is present in the toner container 3, the ejection of the toner from the toner ejection port 15 does not have to be effected by the guide surface 22 formed in the protruding portion 19. Well done. However, when the amount of toner remaining in the toner storage container 3 is low, the toner that has entered the space 20 moves along the guide surface 22 as the protruding portion 19 rotates upward from the lowermost position. The toner moves to the ejection port 15 side and is eventually ejected from the toner ejection port 15. Therefore, by forming the projecting portion 19 and the guide surface 22, the toner is satisfactorily discharged from the toner discharge port 15 even when the amount of toner remaining in the toner storage container 3 is low, and the toner storage container 3 is discharged. The toner in 3 can be used without waste. Since the guide surface 22 is located on the rear side of the protruding portion 19 in the rotation direction of the toner storage container 3, the toner that has entered the space 20 does not move rearward in the rotation direction even if the toner storage container 3 rotates. Instead, it moves along the guide surface 22 to the toner ejection port 15 side.

The engaging surface 2 formed on the protruding portion 19
1 is used to transmit the rotation from the cylindrical rotation transmission member 11 to the toner storage container 3, the toner storage container 3
It is not necessary to separately form a projection or the like for transmitting rotation to the engaging portion 23, and the rotation is reliably transmitted by engaging the engaging portion 23 with the engaging surface 21.

Next, when there is no more toner in the toner storage container 3, the toner storage container 3 is replaced with a new one. At the time of this replacement, the movable bracket 4 is shown with the pins 5 and 6 as fulcrums. In FIG. 2, the toner container 3 is rotated to the attachment / detachment position indicated by the chain double-dashed line. Then, with this rotation operation, the roller 33 moves from the position shown in FIG. 4B toward the position shown in FIG. 3B along the guide cam portion 34, and at the same time, the collet chuck 27 moves. From the position shown in FIG. 4A together with the cap inner plug 24, FIG.
It slides toward the position shown in (a), and the toner discharge port 15 is closed by the cap inner plug 24. Further, since the flange 29a of the core 29 comes into contact with the tip of the toner discharge port 15 and the slide is restricted, the dimensions are set so that the shaft 30 and the knob 31 slide slightly. Immediately after the flange portion 29a comes into contact with the tip portion of the toner discharge port 15, the pick portion 31 bends outward, and the picked state of the protrusion 26 by the pick portion 31 is released. Therefore, when the toner storage container 3 that has run out of toner is removed from the movable bracket 4, the toner discharge port 15 is closed by the cap inner plug 24.
When the toner is removed, the toner slightly remaining in the toner storage container 3 does not spill out to the outside, and the spilled toner is prevented from soiling the operator's hand, clothes, and the movable bracket 4.

In this embodiment, the container body 13
Toner storage container 3 having spiral protrusions 14 formed on the inner peripheral surface of
Although the spiral protrusion 14 is not always necessary, the inner peripheral surface of the container body may be a smooth surface. When the inner peripheral surface of the container main body is a smooth surface, the container main body is formed into a cylindrical body that gradually expands toward the toner discharge port 15 side, or the container main body has the toner discharge port 15 downward. By mounting it so that it is slightly inclined so that the toner is conveyed with rotation, the spiral protrusion 14
Is performed in substantially the same manner as in the case of forming.

Further, the shape of the protruding portion is not limited to the above-mentioned shape. For example, as shown in FIG. 6, the protruding portion protruding with a cross-sectional shape of approximately 1/2 of the container body 13 is used. 19a and the container body 1 as shown in FIG.
The protruding portion 19b protruding in a cross-sectional shape of approximately 1/4 of 3
May be The guide surface 22a formed in the projecting portions 19a and 19b may be a flat surface that does not bend the edge portion.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. The same parts as those described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 5 are designated by the same reference numerals, and description thereof will be omitted (the same applies hereinafter). In this embodiment, two protruding portions 19 are formed on the front end side of the toner storage container 3 with 180 ° apart from each other, and these protruding portions 19 are formed on the cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11.
The two engaging portions 23 that engage with the engaging surface 21 are formed. A guide surface 22 is formed on the inner circumference of each of the two protruding portions 19.

In such a structure, the toner discharge port 1 along the guide surface 22 while the toner storage container 3 makes one rotation.
Since the toner is guided to the toner container 5 twice, the toner can be more favorably ejected from the toner ejection port 15 when the remaining amount of the toner in the toner container 3 is low. Further, the engagement surface 21 and the engagement portion 2 for transmitting the rotation from the cylindrical rotation transmission member 11 to the toner storage container 3.
Since there are two engaging portions with the toner 3, the rotation transmission from the cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11 to the toner storage container 3 is performed more reliably.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. In this embodiment, four protruding portions 19 are formed on the front end side of the toner storage container 3 so as to be spaced 90 ° apart from each other, and the cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11 is provided with the engaging surfaces 21 of these protruding portions 19. Four engaging parts 2 that engage with
3 is formed. In addition, the four protruding parts 19
A guide surface 22 is formed on each of the inner circumferences of the.

In such a structure, the toner discharge port 1 along the guide surface 22 while the toner storage container 3 makes one rotation.
Since the toner is guided to the toner container 5 four times, the toner can be ejected from the toner ejection port 15 more favorably when the remaining amount of the toner in the toner container 3 is low. Further, the engagement surface 21 and the engagement portion 2 for transmitting the rotation from the cylindrical rotation transmission member 11 to the toner storage container 3.
Since there are four engagement positions with the toner cartridge 3, the rotation transmission from the cylindrical rotation transmission member 11 to the toner storage container 3 is performed more reliably.

Next, a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The toner accommodating container 3 of the present embodiment is formed with one protruding portion 19, and the guide surface 2 of the protruding portion 19 is formed at the peripheral edge of the toner discharge port 15.
A shield portion 37 extending toward the second side is formed. Therefore, the guide surface 22 and the shielding portion 3 in the toner discharge port 15
The opening area of the part sandwiched by 7 is narrowed.

In such a structure, FIG. 12 shows the relationship between the remaining amount of toner in the toner storage container 3 and the toner discharge amount per one rotation of the toner storage container 3, and the shielding portion 3
By forming 7 to narrow the opening area of the toner discharge port 15, it is possible to prevent a large amount of toner from being discharged at a time when the toner remaining amount in the toner storage container 3 is large. The toner is satisfactorily discharged. Specifically, the toner discharge amount per one rotation of the toner storage container 3 is 0.5 g / revolution to 6 which is the optimum range.
g / rev. When the amount of toner remaining in the toner storage container 3 is low, the toner is ejected within the optimum range by the action of the squeezed-out portion 19 and the guide surface 22.

Next, a fifth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG. First, in the toner storage container,
A toner containing a toner having a characteristic of being positively charged,
There is a case in which a toner having a property of being electrically charged is stored, and which property of the toner to be used is predetermined depending on the type of the copying machine. Further, in a copying machine that performs color copying, the location of the toner storage container is determined by the color of the toner stored in the toner storage container.

Therefore, when a toner storage container storing a toner having a negative charging characteristic is mistakenly attached to a copying machine to which a toner storage container storing a toner having a positive charging characteristic is attached, a black toner is used. If the toner storage container containing yellow toner is mistakenly installed in the place where the toner storage container containing the toner is to be installed, normal image formation will not be performed, and moreover, it will not be possible to recover to a normal functioning state. It takes time and effort. Therefore, the present embodiment is intended to prevent the toner storage container from being attached by mistake.

FIG. 13A shows a toner container 3a containing toner having a positively charging characteristic and a cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11a into which the tip of the toner container 3a is inserted.
And the protruding portion 1 of the toner storage container 3a.
The convex portion 38 is provided at a position closer to the outer peripheral portion on the side end surface of 9
a is formed, and a concave portion 39a with which the convex portion 38a engages is formed at a position on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11a defined by the outer peripheral portion. On the other hand, FIG. 13B shows a toner storage container 3 that stores toner having the property of being negatively charged.
2b and a cylindrical rotation transmitting member 11b into which the tip of the toner storage container 3b is inserted, a convex portion is provided at a position closer to the center of the side end surface of the protruding portion 19 of the toner storage container 3b. 38b is formed, and the cylindrical rotation transmission member 11 is formed.
A concave portion 39b with which the convex portion b is engaged is formed at a position close to the central portion on the inner peripheral surface of b.

Therefore, when the toner storage containers 3a and 3b are properly attached, the convex portion 38a and the concave portion 39 are formed.
a, or the convex portion 38b and the concave portion 39b are engaged with each other, so that the toner storage containers 3a and 3b can be attached. On the other hand, when the toner storage containers 3a and 3b are incorrectly attached, the convex portions 38a and the concave portions 39b or the convex portions 38a are formed.
b and the recess 39a do not engage with each other, and the toner storage container 3a,
It is prevented that 3b is attached by mistake.

Regarding the formation of the protrusions 38a and 38b, a protrusion having a long shape is formed on the side end surface of the protruding portion 19 from a position near the center to a position near the outer periphery, and the protrusions You may form the convex part 38a or 38b by cutting-processing a part as needed. By adopting such a method, the toner storage container may be of one type, and the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

[0037]

Since the present invention is configured as described above, when the toner storage container held in the substantially horizontal direction by the holding means is rotated in the axial direction by the rotation driving means, the remaining amount of toner in the toner storage container. Even when the amount of toner is low, the toner inside the container body enters the space, and the toner that enters the space moves along the guide surface as the protruding part rotates upward from the lowest position. Is guided to the toner discharge port side and discharged from the toner discharge port, the toner can be discharged smoothly even when the amount of remaining toner is low, and the toner does not remain in the toner storage container. The toner storage container can be effectively used without waste, and the rotation driving means is engaged with the engaging surface of the protruding portion to transmit the rotation to the toner storage container. Eliminates the need for providing a member for performing rotational transmission separately to be able to reduce the manufacturing cost, moreover, has the effect of such can be reliably transmission of rotation to the toner container.

By forming a plurality of protrusions as in the second aspect of the invention, the toner is guided to the toner discharge port along the guide surface a plurality of times while the toner storage container makes one rotation. Therefore, it is possible to discharge the toner from the toner discharge port even better when the remaining amount of toner in the toner storage container is low. Since it is engaged with the surface, there is an effect that the rotation can be transmitted more reliably from the rotation driving means to the toner storage container.

Further, since the shielding portion is formed as in the third aspect of the present invention, the opening area of the toner discharge port is narrowed by the shielding portion, so that even when the toner remaining amount in the toner container is large. It is possible to prevent more than the required amount of toner from being ejected at once from the toner ejection port, and therefore it is possible to eject an appropriate amount of toner even when the remaining amount of toner is large.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional front view showing the structure of a toner replenishing unit according to a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a plain paper copying machine in a simplified manner.

3A and 3B show a cap inner cap attaching / detaching means in a state in which a movable bracket is rotated to a mounting / demounting position of a toner storage container. FIG. 3A is a vertical side view, and FIG. It is a figure.

FIG. 4 is a view showing a cap inner cap attaching / detaching means in a state in which a movable bracket is rotated to a toner replenishment position,
(A) is a vertical cross-sectional front view, and (b) is a plan view showing a part of the cross section.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view showing a toner storage container, a cylindrical rotation transmission member, and a toner storage container stopper.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a modified example in which the shape of the protruding portion is changed.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing another modified example in which the shape of the protruding portion is changed.

FIG. 8 is an exploded perspective view showing a toner storage container and a cylindrical rotation transmission member according to the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a toner storage container according to a third embodiment of the invention.

FIG. 10 is a vertical sectional front view showing a part of a toner storage container according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 11 is a front view thereof.

FIG. 12 is a graph showing the relationship between the amount of toner remaining in the toner container and the amount of toner discharged.

FIG. 13 is a front view showing a partial cross section of an engagement relationship between a toner storage container and a cylindrical rotation transmission member according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 3, 3a, 3b Toner storage container 4 Holding means 7 Rotational drive means 13 Container body 15 Toner discharge port 18 Toner introduction section 19, 19a, 19b Push-out section 20 Space section 21 Engagement surface 22, 22a Guide surface

Front page continuation (72) Inventor Junichi Murano 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Kazuhisa Sudo 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A toner accommodating container mounted in an image forming apparatus in a substantially horizontal direction and rotationally driven in an axial direction, wherein a toner discharge port is formed at a central portion of one end side of a cylindrical container body, A protruding portion having a radial dimension from the outer peripheral portion of the toner outlet to the substantially outer peripheral portion of the container body is formed at one end on the side where the toner outlet is formed, and the inside of the protruding portion is A space portion communicating with the inside of the container body is formed, and an engagement surface that is substantially orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the container body is formed on the outer periphery of the protruding portion, and is substantially orthogonal to the circumferential direction of the container body and axially. The guide surface that guides the toner that has entered the space portion from the outer peripheral side of the space portion to the toner discharge port side as the push-out portion rotates upward from the lowermost position in accordance with the rotation of Inner circumference of feeding part A toner storage container characterized by being formed into a. 2. The toner storage container according to claim 1, wherein a plurality of protruding portions are formed. 3. The toner storage container according to claim 1, further comprising a shield portion extending toward the protruding portion side, which is provided at a peripheral portion of the toner discharge port. 4. The toner storage container according to claim 1, 2 or 3, holding means for holding the toner storage container in a substantially horizontal direction in a state where the toner storage container is in communication with a toner introducing portion to a developing portion, and the holding means. A toner replenishing device comprising: a rotation driving unit that engages with an engagement surface of the toner storage container held by the shaft and rotates the toner storage container in an axial direction.