JPH081531B2 - Toner cartridge - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner cartridge used in a copying machine or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A toner cartridge is usually used to supply toner to a dry copying machine. The toner cartridge is attached to a toner container and turned upside down or inverted inside the toner container. It is designed to be transferred to the container. However, when such a toner cartridge is used, there is a problem that the toner is scattered to the outside during the replenishment, and it is necessary to provide a hopper for accommodating the toner in the developing unit, which makes it impossible to downsize the apparatus. I have a problem.

In order to cope with such a problem, there has been proposed one in which a toner cartridge is loaded in the main body of the apparatus and the internal toner is supplied to the developing unit while rotating the main body. The toner is intermittently replenished from a J-shaped pipe inserted through the mouth while rotating the cartridge with the mouth facing down.
The bottle holder is driven to rotate by a motor, and the cartridge is mounted on the holder. The cartridge is mounted on the bottom of the coupling and the motor is driven to rotate. Alternatively, there is one in which two outer peripheral surfaces of the cartridge are supported by rollers, and another one roller connected to a motor is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the cartridge by a lever to roll. However, the above requires extra space in the main body of the device for mounting the cartridge at an angle, and the above requires a lot of space and parts for the bottle holder and its driving. One requires a space for installing a drive unit at the rear of the mounting position of the cartridge, and the other one requires a smaller mechanism such as a larger mechanism for holding and driving the cartridge. It has various problems.

[0004]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and its object is to:
An object of the present invention is to provide a toner cartridge having a large capacity that can be rotated in a space as small as possible.

[0005]

That is, the present invention provides a toner cartridge for achieving the above object.
An opening that can be inserted into the toner inlet of the toner replenishing device,
A gear that meshes with a drive gear on the main assembly side of the apparatus is provided on the outer periphery in the vicinity of the opening of a cylindrical cartridge provided with means for sending the internal toner toward the opening by rotation in the axial direction. .

[0006]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The details of the present invention will be described below with reference to the illustrated embodiments. FIG. 1 shows a toner cartridge and a toner replenishing unit which are features of the present invention. First, the toner replenishing unit described above will be described. In FIG. 2, an internal developing roller 21, an impeller 22 and the like are provided. The developing unit 2 is attached to the upper part of the copying machine main body 1.
A toner container 3 having an agitator 32 for agitating the toner therein is extended above the casing 23 forming an outer shell of the developing unit 2 and the communication port 33 of the toner container 3 is not shown. A toner replenishing roller 34 that rotates according to the output signal of the toner concentration sensor is provided around the shaft.

The toner replenishing unit 4 shown in FIG. 1 is attached to one end of the toner container 3 described above, holds a toner cartridge 6 which will be described later, and rotates the toner cartridge 6 in synchronization with the toner replenishing roller 34. The toner stored in the inside is sequentially supplied from one end of the toner container 3.

The details will be described below. Reference numeral 4 in FIG.
Reference numeral 1 denotes a cylindrical body protruding from a side plate 39 facing the operation side of the toner container 3, and a shaft 31 of an agitator 32 extending from the inside of the toner container 3 penetrates through the center of the side plate 39. A spiral toner feed plate 43 (FIGS. 3 and 4) for transferring the toner flowing in from the toner inlet 42 formed in the side portion of the cylindrical body 41 into the toner container 3 is attached.

Reference numeral 44 denotes a support cylinder rotatably attached to the periphery of the cylinder 41 so as to cover the cylinder 41, and the mouth of the toner cartridge 6 is rotatably and rotatably provided on the side surface. A lid-shaped receiver 45 for supporting the envelope is integrally attached,
Further, an opening 46 reaching the peripheral wall of the tubular body 41 is bored in the inner side thereof, and when the receiver 45 is rotated to a horizontal position,
The opening 46 is configured to coincide with the above-described toner inflow port 42 of the cylindrical body 41.

Reference numeral 47 denotes an arm for holding the cartridge, which is fixed to the receiver 45 with a screw 48. As shown in FIG. 5, the arm 47 has a holding tray 52 for supporting the lower surface and the end surface of the cartridge 6. , Is placed in a state in which it is constantly urged toward the receiver 45 by a spring 48 stretched between them, and a knob 49 is attached to the lower surface of the arm 47 to rotate the knob 49. As a result, the pin 50 protruding from the arcuate groove 51 onto the bottom surface of the arm 47 is attached to the leg 53.
The holding tray 52 can be moved to the left in the figure against the spring 48 by engaging with.

Reference numeral 56 is a pinion that meshes with the gear 63 of the toner cartridge 6 placed on the holding tray 52 when the arm 47 is rotated horizontally. The pinion 56 projects from the side chamber of the toner container 3. The worm gear 36 (FIGS. 3 and 4) attached to the shaft end of the toner replenishing roller shaft 35 receives a rotational force via an idler 57, and this rotational force drives the toner cartridge 6 in synchronization with the toner replenishing roller 34. Is configured to.

On the other hand, the above holding tray 52 is provided with an engaging groove 58 for receiving a flange-like raised portion 65 projecting on the peripheral surface of the cartridge 6 so that only the cartridge 6 containing the designated toner can be mounted. The bottom plate 54 that supports the lower surface center portion 64 of the toner cartridge 6 is attached to the end portion thereof, and the bottom plate 54 is attracted to the locking portion 11 (FIG. 3) made of a magnetic material provided in the copying machine main body 1. The permanent magnet pieces 55 for holding the held toner cartridges 6 in the horizontal position are fixed.

On the other hand, the toner cartridge 6 placed on the holding tray 52 is integrally formed of a resin material as a one-way container, and as is apparent from FIGS. 1 and 3, the toner cartridge 6 has a cylindrical peripheral surface. Is one or more (1 in this embodiment is one whose position is different depending on the stored toner).
The present invention is provided with a flange-shaped ridge 65, a spiral rib 62 for guiding the stored toner to the mouth 61 is provided on the inner surface thereof, and the pinion 56 and the pinion 56 are provided near the mouth 61. Gear wheels 63 in the form of flanges that mesh with each other are integrally formed so as to also serve as reinforcing portions of the cartridge 6.

Reference numeral 7 in FIG. 2 is a photosensitive drum,
Reference numeral 12 in FIG. 3 is a stopper provided at the rear end of the cartridge mounting position of the copying machine body 1 so that the cartridge 6 cannot be removed when the cartridge 6 is held horizontally, that is, when the toner is being replenished. Reference numeral 37 in 4 indicates a toner replenishing roller shaft which receives a rotation transmission force from a drive source (not shown) via an electromagnetic clutch.

Next, the operation of the apparatus thus constructed will be described. First, the arm 47 is pivoted downward with the tubular body 41 as a fulcrum (solid line position in FIG. 3), the knob 49 is rotated and the holding plate 52 is pushed downward by the pin 50 engaging with the leg 53 (FIG. 3). 2), the toner cartridge 6 is ready to be removed from the holding tray 52.

Therefore, when the empty cartridge 6 in this state is removed and a new cartridge 6 containing the designated toner is mounted therein, the flange-like raised portion 65 on the peripheral surface of the cartridge 6 is attached to the holding tray 52. Since it can be fitted into the engagement groove 58 and attached, the knob 49 is returned to its original position and the pressing by the pin 50 is released, and the cartridge 6 is urged by the spring 48 through the holding plate 52. It is pushed up by the receiver 45.

Next, from this state, the arm 47 is rotated 90 ° in the clockwise direction in the figure, and the permanent magnet 55 in the shape of the holding plate 52 is attracted to the locking piece 11 provided at a predetermined position of the copying machine main body 1 and the arm is moved. When 47 is held horizontally, the gear 63 of the cartridge 6 placed on the holding tray 52 meshes with the pinion 56, and this rotation causes the opening 46 in the receiver 45 to move to the cylindrical body 4.
The toner can be replenished in conformity with the toner inlet 42 formed on one side surface.

When the developing operation is repeated and the toner density in the developing unit 2 decreases, the electromagnetic clutch is actuated by the output signal of the toner density sensor (not shown) and the toner replenishing roller 34 starts to rotate. The worm gear 36 fixed to the shaft 35 rotates the cartridge 6 rotatably supported on the holding tray 52 via the pinion 56. As described above, since the spiral rib 62 is provided on the inner surface of the cartridge 6, the toner stored inside is gradually sent out to the mouth portion 61 by this rotation, and the toner is punched into the receiving portion 45. The toner flows from the toner inlet 42 into the cylindrical body 41 through the dripping opening 46, and is further fed into the toner container 3 by the toner feeding plate 43 on the shaft 31 which is constantly rotating. This is continued until the toner density in the developing unit 2 reaches a predetermined value and the toner supply roller 34 stops again.

By the way, in the embodiment shown in FIG. 6, the identification member 8 for the stored toner, which is constructed separately from the toner cartridge 6.
Then, the cylindrical main body 81 formed so as to be frictionally covered on the outer periphery of the cartridge 6 has the engaging groove 5 of the above-mentioned holding tray 52.
8 and two flange-shaped ridges 8 in a positional relationship with
Nos. 5 and 85 are integrally formed with the gear 83 and are fitted together until they come into contact with the positioning flange 66 of the cartridge 6. According to this embodiment, regardless of the toner to be stored. The cartridge 6 can be formed in the same shape, and a combination of removing either of the flange-like ridges 85, 85 or providing them together can enable identification of various types of toner.

In each of the above-described embodiments, the toner identifying portion is provided on the cartridge 6 side in order to maximize the storage capacity of the cartridge 6, but the identifying portion is provided on the holding tray 52 side. The cartridge 6 may be provided with an engaging groove corresponding thereto.

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a continuous spiral rib 62 is provided on the inner peripheral surface of the cartridge 6 as a means for discharging the stored toner toward the mouth portion 61. The discontinuous spiral ribs 62a as shown in FIG. 7A, or the pin-shaped or plate-shaped protrusions 62b and 62c arranged in a spiral (FIG. 7B).
(C)), and when the toner has good fluidity, these guiding protrusions are omitted, and the shape of the cartridge 6 is as shown in FIGS. 8 (a) and 8 (b) if necessary. It is also possible to make the toner flow out easily by forming a truncated cone or a cone.

On the other hand, as for the mouth portion 61 of the cartridge 6, a large number of fan-shaped holes (FIG. 9 (A)) or circular holes 68 (FIG. 9 (B)) as shown in FIG. 9 are formed in this portion. It is also necessary to attach the above inner lid 67 to prevent the toner from collapsing from the opening 61 immediately after being set in the toner replenishing unit 4. These inner lids 67 may be attached to the outer end of the mouth portion 61 with double-sided tape after the toner is filled, but in the blade type as shown in FIGS. It is advisable to form the diameter slightly larger than the inner diameter of the cartridge 6 and use its elasticity to press and fix the toner after filling it. Further, as shown in (e) of the figure, a filling port 68a is formed in the center of the inner lid 67 in advance,
After filling the toner from here, this portion may be sealed with a cap or a seal.

Finally, touching on the setting angle of the cartridge 6 to the toner replenishing unit 4, the horizontal holding as described above is adopted in the normal form, but for example, it is constant at the beginning of setting from the newly replaced cartridge 6. When the toner end sensor is configured to be reset by supplying more than the amount of toner, it is better to set the setting angle of the cartridge 6 slightly downward from the horizontal direction. In this case, however, the toner may be excessively supplied. Since the hopper is liable to be clogged with the toner, the replenishment amount becomes unstable, and the frictional electrification action becomes defective. For example, depending on the fluidity of the toner used, for example, the holding tray 5 is used.
It is also necessary to be able to change the holding angle of the cartridge 6 by changing the mounting position of the permanent magnet 55 on the cartridge 2.

[0024]

As described above, according to the present invention, the tubular shape
Of the outer circumference of the toner cartridge, set in the toner replenishing apparatus
Since the digit drive gear meshing with the gear digits set, and at the same time can be increased up to the limit of the toner capacity of the cartridge relative to the mounting space, simply drive the cartridges side gear
Insert the toner cartridge so that it meshes with the dynamic gear.
Since it only needs to be mounted on the main body of the device , the structure is extremely compact.
In addition , simplification and ease of mounting operation can be achieved.

[Brief description of drawings]

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

FIG. 2 is a side view showing the relationship between the same apparatus and developing unit.

FIG. 3 is a side view of the same device.

FIG. 4 is a top view of the same apparatus.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of a main part.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a toner cartridge showing another embodiment of the present invention.

7A to 7C are perspective views showing another embodiment of the toner cartridge.

8A and 8B are perspective views showing another embodiment of the shape of the cartridge.

9A to 9E are perspective views showing another embodiment of the mouth portion.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 developing unit 3 toner container 4 toner replenishing unit 44 support cylinder 45 receiver 52 holding tray 58 engagement groove 6 toner cartridge 62 spiral rib 63 gear 65 65 flange-like raised portion 8 discriminator 85 flange-like raised portion

Claims (1)

[Claims] And 1. A fitted possible opening to the toner inlet of the toner supply device, the interior of the toner to the outer circumference of the cylindrical cartridge provided with means for feeding toward said opening by rotation of the cartridge, toner A gear that meshes with the drive gear provided on the replenishing device side is provided, and the gear is provided on the toner replenishing device side.
The drive force of the drive gear is provided on the outer circumference of the cartridge.
A toner cartridge characterized by being received by a gear and rotated .