JPH0862964A - Developer supplying device and developer container - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To prevent the disabling of the supply of a developer from a new developer container caused by the fact that the plug of a developer container remains in an image forming device main body by providing a projecting part in the developer container of the plug. CONSTITUTION: The plug 25 is removed from a toner bottle 20 fitted to a device main body in a state where an opening 23 is sealed with the plug 25 and a bottle holder is provided with a collet chuck for fitting the plug 25 into the opening part 23, at the time of removing the toner bottle 20 from the device main body and a forward and backward moving means for moving the collet chuck forward/backward with respect to the toner bottle 20. Moreover, the projecting part 28 extended in the toner bottle 20 is provided on the plug 25.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developer replenishing device for an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, a printer, etc., and more specifically, a developer is replenished to a developing device by discharging the developer from its opening. The present invention relates to a developer replenishing device that replenishes a main body of an image forming apparatus with a developer using the developer storing container, and a developer storing container used in the developer replenishing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, various types of developer replenishing devices using a developer storage container are known. For example,
A container for storing a developer, which is provided with a spiral projection on the inner peripheral surface of a cylindrical container body and has an opening formed at one end side of the container body, is installed substantially horizontally in the body of the image forming apparatus. It is known that the developer inside is guided to the opening side by the spiral protrusion and is discharged from the opening by rotating the developer around the center line direction, and the discharged developer is supplied to the developing device. There is. As the developer discharged from the opening, a one-component developing device,
Toner is generally used in both two-component developing devices, but in the two-component developing device, it may be a toner and a magnetic carrier as a starter, or a magnetic carrier as an initializing agent or an exchange agent.

A plug is removably attached to the opening, and the developer storage container is attached to the inside of the image forming apparatus after the plug is removed to open the opening. Therefore, there is a risk that the developer inside will spill out when the developer accommodating container is installed in the image forming apparatus, or the developer remaining inside will spill out when the developer accommodating container is removed from the image forming apparatus. There was a nature.

Therefore, in order to solve such a problem, the present applicant has provided a plug removing means for removing the stopper from the developer accommodating container and a plug attaching means for attaching the stopper to the developing container, and the opening is capped. Attach the developer storage container sealed in with the image forming apparatus, and then remove the stopper with the plug removing means.When removing the developer storage container from the image forming apparatus, use the plug attaching means. Attach the stopper to the opening,
It has been proposed to seal the opening and remove the integrated stopper and developer container from the image forming apparatus (for example, Japanese Patent Application No. 4-361012).

[0005]

However, according to the subsequent research conducted by the present inventors, in the above structure, when the developer accommodating container is detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus, only the developer accommodating container main body is removed. It was found that the plug was sometimes removed and remained in the image forming apparatus. The fact that the stopper remains in the image forming apparatus cannot be seen only by visually observing the apparatus, and therefore the worker attaches a new developer storage container to the image forming apparatus in the state where the stopper remains. Tend to be. In this case, the stopper attached to the newly-installed developer storage container may not be removed because the stopper remaining in the image forming apparatus interferes and cannot be removed. There was a problem that there was.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems. A first object of the present invention is to remove an image of a stopper from an image forming apparatus when the developer container is removed from the image forming apparatus main body in order to replace the developer container. Provided is a developer replenishing device capable of notifying an operator that the stopper remains in the image forming device when the remnant remains in the forming device, and a latent image agent storage container used in the developer replenishing device. To do.

A second object of the invention is that when a developer storage container is removed from the main body of the image forming apparatus in order to replace the developer storage container, and a stopper remains in the image forming apparatus, an operator can make an image. It is an object of the present invention to provide a developer replenishing device capable of easily removing the stopper remaining in the forming device, and a developer storage container used in the developer replenishing device.

[0008]

In order to achieve the above first object, the invention of claim 1 is a developer replenishing device, the developer accommodating device having an opening in a part of its wall surface. A developer accommodating container including a container body and a plug detachably attached to the opening, a container holding unit that detachably holds the developer accommodating container, and the opening is sealed by the plug. In a state where the stopper is removed from the developer accommodating container attached to the container retaining means, and the developer accommodating container is removed from the developer accommodating container prior to being removed from the container retaining means. A stopper attaching means for attaching the stopper in a state to the developer accommodating container;
And a protrusion that extends inside the developer accommodating container when the plug is attached to the developer accommodating container.

In order to achieve the second object, the invention of claim 2 is the developer replenishing device of claim 1, characterized in that a handle is provided on the projection.

In order to achieve the first object, the invention of claim 3 is a developer accommodating container, wherein the accommodating container main body is provided with an opening in a part of a wall surface, and is detachably attached to the opening. And a stopper provided in the developer storage container,
It is characterized in that the plug is provided with a protrusion extending inside the developer container when the plug is attached to the developer container main body.

In order to achieve the second object, the invention of claim 4 is the developer accommodating container according to claim 3, characterized in that a handle is provided on the projection.

[0012]

According to the developer supply device of the first aspect and the developer storage container of the third aspect, when the operator tries to install a new developer storage container in the main body of the apparatus, the stopper is provided in the main body of the apparatus. If it remains, a new developer accommodating container collides with the protrusion provided on the stopper and cannot be mounted in a normal position. Therefore, the operator can notice that the plug remains in the device and needs to be removed.

In the developer supply device according to the second aspect and the developer container according to the fourth aspect, the operator can pull out the stopper from the main body of the apparatus by using the handle provided on the protruding portion of the stopper.

[0014]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment in which the present invention is applied to an electrophotographic copying machine (hereinafter referred to as a copying machine) which is an image forming apparatus will be described below. FIG. 1A is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a copying machine according to this embodiment. A contact glass 1 for placing an original is provided on the upper part of the copying machine. Below the contact glass 1, an original irradiation lamp 2a, a reflection mirror 2b,
An optical unit including a lens and the like is provided. A drum-shaped photosensitive member 3 is rotatably provided below the optical unit, and a charging device 4, a developing device 5, a transfer device 6 (transfer charger), a cleaning device 7, a charge eliminating device 8 and the like are arranged around the photosensitive member 3. ing. Further, a fixing device 9 for fixing the toner image on the transfer paper on which the toner image is transferred by the transfer device is disposed on the left side of the photoconductor, and the transfer paper is stocked in the lower part of the copying machine and the photosensitive paper is exposed. A paper feed unit 10 for feeding the transfer paper toward the body 3 is provided. Since the operation of the entire copying machine is well known, its explanation is omitted.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic structure of the developing device. This developing device is a general dry developing device using a two-component developer, and the developing roller 1 is installed inside the developing device.
1, stirring impeller 12, mixing roller 13, separator 1
4, a horizontal stirring screw 15 and the like are provided. Then, a hopper 16 as a toner introducing portion for replenishing the toner in the developing device is attached to the upper portion of the hopper 16.
In the hopper 16, the toner feeding screw 1 is used to carry in and agitate toner from a toner replenishing unit 17 (see FIG. 1) as a developer replenishing device described later.
8 is provided, and a toner replenishing roller 19 that is rotated by an output signal of a toner concentration sensor (not shown) for replenishing the toner in the developing device is provided at a communication port with the developing device 5.

The toner replenishing unit 17 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), a bottle holder 2 as a container holding means, which is provided at the upper part on the front side of the copying machine and detachably holds a toner bottle 20 as a developer accommodating container.
One. This bottle holder 21 is shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), it is configured to be rotatable about the center of rotation Z of the rotary shaft portion 22 at the right end of the unit within a range of approximately 90 degrees in a substantially horizontal plane, and as shown by A in the drawing, the left end of the unit. A bottle mounting position A for mounting the toner bottle 20 whose side is pulled out in front of the copying machine, and a toner supplying position B in which the entire unit is parallel to the front surface of the copying machine as shown by B in the figure. Can be taken. At least at the toner replenishment position B, the toner dropping opening formed in the lower wall of the bottle holder 21 is located on the toner receiving portion of the hopper 16 extending to the front side of the copying machine. The toner supply unit 17
Is provided inside a front cover (not shown) that covers the front of the copying machine. With the front cover open, the toner supply unit 1
It is desirable that 7 can be pulled out to the bottle mounting position A.

FIG. 3A is a vertical sectional view of the toner bottle 20 that can be used in this embodiment, and FIG. 3B is an enlarged view of the opening 23 thereof. Toner bottle 2 in this example
0 has a substantially cylindrical shape, and an opening 23 having a diameter smaller than that of the cylindrical portion is formed substantially at the center of one end surface thereof. In the illustrated example, the opening 23 is formed at the tip of the collar 24 protruding outward, and the stopper 2 is formed so as to seal the opening 23.
5 are provided.

As this plug 25, for example, as shown in FIG. 3B, a connecting peripheral wall portion for connecting a fitting peripheral wall portion 81 fitted to the inner peripheral surface of the opening collar 24 and a bottom wall portion 82 of the plug 25. The portion 83 has a predetermined angle, preferably 45 degrees or less,
With the plug 25 smaller than the outer diameter of the fitting peripheral wall portion 81.
The bottom wall 82 may have a smaller diameter. A knob portion 26 that engages with a later-described stopper removing mechanism for automatically removing the stopper is formed substantially at the center of the outer surface of the bottle of the bottom wall portion 82. In addition, a protrusion 28, which will be described in detail later, is formed in substantially the center of the inner peripheral surface of the bottom wall 82 of the stopper 25. Then, on the inner peripheral surface of the cylindrical portion, a guide groove for guiding the stored toner inside to the opening 23 side by the rotation of the toner bottle 20 as in the above-mentioned JP-A-59-188678. 27 is formed in a spiral shape.

4 (a), (b) and (c) are shown in FIG.
As shown in (a), a cap removing means for removing the cap 25 from the toner bottle 20 in which the opening 23 is sealed by the cap 25, and the toner bottle 2 in which the cap 25 is removed.
It is explanatory drawing of schematic structure and operation | movement of the stopper attachment means which makes the state which sealed the opening part 23 by attaching the stopper 25 to 0. In this embodiment, the plug removing means and the plug attaching means have the same mechanism, each of which is composed of a collet chuck 30 and an unillustrated advancing / retreating moving means for advancing / retreating the collet chuck 30 with respect to the toner bottle 20. It In the illustrated example, the collet chuck 30 is supported by the hole 32 of the support wall 31 formed in a part of the bottle holder 21,
In the free state shown in (a), the holding portion 33 formed at the tip thereof is urged to expand. FIG.
(B) shows the state when the toner bottle 20 is placed at the set position of the bottle holder 21. Here, when the advancing / retreating means moves it to a position farther away from the toner bottle 20, the large diameter portion of the outer periphery of the collet chuck 30 is pushed by the inner peripheral surface of the hole portion 32, and the holding portion. 33
Is narrowed so that the knob 26 of the stopper 25 can be held. The collet chuck 30 holds the stopper 25 by gripping the picking portion 26 of the stopper 25, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (c), the stopper 25 is moved to a position where the opening 23 can be completely opened. As a specific configuration of the advancing / retreating movement mechanism, for example, a configuration in which the collet chuck 30 is moved by a cam mechanism that interlocks with the rotational movement of the toner shaft 21 of the toner holder 21 can be employed (the above-mentioned Japanese Patent Application No. Hei. -361012).

Preferably, the holding position of the stopper 25 when the opening 23 is opened by the advancing / retracting moving means is sent to the opening 23 side by the rotation of the toner bottle 20 and discharged from the opening 23. The toner amount is set to a position where a part of the stopper 25 can regulate. For example, FIG. 4 (c)
Then, the bottom wall portion 82 of the plug 25 and a part of the connecting peripheral wall portion 83 remain in the opening collar 24 (only S _{0 in the} figure), and the surface of the connecting peripheral wall peripheral wall portion 83 and the opening collar 24. A space in which toner can be moved is formed between the inner peripheral surface and the inner peripheral surface, and the size of this toner moving space is set to a position where the toner discharge amount can be regulated. Such a removal mechanism 29
By providing the toner replenishing unit 17 with the toner bottle 20, the toner bottle 20 can be placed on the bottle holder 21 while the opening 23 is still sealed with the stopper 25. Unlike the case where the bottle holder 21 is opened and then placed on the bottle holder 21, the toner or the spilled toner from the opening 23 does not stain the hand or clothes of the bottle exchanger when the bottle is placed. In particular, as shown in FIG.
Even when the toner bottle 20 is placed on the bottle holder 21 in a substantially horizontal state as shown in (b), it is possible to prevent toner leakage from the opening 23.

Further, the removing mechanism 29 moves the stopper 25 to open the opening 23, and the stopper 25 is directly inserted into the opening 23.
Since the amount of toner discharged from the printer is held at a position where it can be regulated, the toner discharge amount can be stabilized regardless of the remaining amount in the toner bottle 20. Further, in this embodiment, the toner in the toner bottle 20 is consumed and emptied, and when the toner bottle 20 is taken out from the bottle holder 21, the collet chuck 3 is moved by the advancing / retracting moving means.
It is configured such that 0 is moved in the opposite direction and the stopper 25 is attached to the opening 23 of the empty toner bottle 20.
Therefore, when the toner bottle 20 is taken out from the bottle holder 21, since the opening 23 is in the state of being sealed with the stopper 25, the toner attached to the opening 23 may drop and stain the hand and clothes of the bottle exchanger. There is no. Further, when removing the toner bottle 20 from the bottle holder 21, the stopper 25
Is attached to the toner bottle 20,
The stopper 25 is taken out together with the toner bottle 20, and the bottle holder 21 is ready for mounting a new toner bottle 20 '.

In the normal state, the stopper 25 is operated as described above.
Are taken out together with the toner bottle 21. However, as described above, as a result of the research conducted by the present inventors, it was found that the stopper 25 was not completely attached to the toner bottle 20.
It has been found that the toner may remain in the bottle holder 21 without being taken out together with the toner bottle 20. Figure 5
(A) shows that the stopper 25 remains in the bottle holder 21. In this state, a new toner bottle 20 '
When you try to attach it to the bottle holder 21,
As shown in (b), the protruding portion 28 of the stopper 25 hits the stopper 25 'of the new toner bottle 20', and the new toner bottle 20 'cannot be attached at a normal position as compared with the normal state. . Therefore, the worker can notice that some abnormality has occurred. In addition, if an operation manual or a label attached to the main body of the copying machine is provided with a cautionary note, and if the cautionary note cannot be set to a normal position when the toner bottle 20 is mounted on the main body of the apparatus, the stopper 25 remains in the bottle holder 21. If you mention that
The operator can be notified that the plug 25 remains.

In order to take out the remaining plug 25 and put a new toner bottle 20 'in a mountable state,
Toner bottle 20 once taken out, bottle holder 21
The toner bottle 20 may be taken out of the bottle holder 21 again after the plug 25 is attached to the toner bottle 20 again. By this operation, the stopper 25 is taken out together with the toner bottle 20.
In addition, the above-mentioned operation for removing the stopper 25 is described in the above-mentioned cautionary note, for example, "If the toner bottle cannot be set in the proper position, set the toner bottle used last time and perform the detaching operation." It is desirable to put it in the text.

In the above-described embodiment, when the toner bottle is replaced, the new toner bottle 20 'cannot be set in the proper position so that the operator notices the remaining plug 25. Alternatively, a configuration may be adopted in which the operator can visually confirm the remaining plug 25. Specifically, the length of the protrusion 28 may be set to be long enough for the operator who replaces the toner bottle 20 to recognize when the stopper 25 remains in the bottle holder 21. In addition to this, if the protrusions 28 are colored in a color that is easily noticeable, such as red and yellow, it is easier to visually confirm the remaining plugs 25.

In the embodiment described above, the protrusion 28 is provided substantially at the center of the inner peripheral surface of the bottom wall 82 of the stopper 25. However, if the pressure receiving resistance from the toner at the time of rotation of the toner bottle 20 for guiding the toner to the opening 23 side is sufficiently small and the toner does not hinder the movement in the toner bottle 20, the bottom The protrusion 28 can be provided at an arbitrary position inside the wall 82.

Further, as shown in FIG. 6, it is desirable to provide a handle 50 having, for example, a U-shape or a semicircular shape at the tip of the protrusion 28 or the like. If the handle 50 is provided, an operator who replaces the toner bottle can easily remove the stopper 25 by gripping the toner bottle with the handle 50 and pulling out the stopper 25 remaining in the bottle holder 21. Also, even if you dispose of the toner bottle you used last time,
The stopper 25 can be removed.

[0027]

According to the first aspect of the invention, when the operator tries to mount a new developer storage container on the apparatus main body,
If the stopper remains in the main body of the apparatus, a new developer storage container collides with a protrusion provided on the stopper, and the developer cannot be mounted in a normal position. Therefore, it is possible to inform the operator that the stopper remains in the image forming apparatus.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the operator can pull out the stopper from the apparatus main body by using the handle provided on the protruding portion of the stopper. Therefore, when the developer accommodating container is removed from the image forming apparatus main body to replace the developer accommodating container and the plug remains in the image forming apparatus, the operator can easily remove the cap.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, when the operator tries to mount a new developer accommodating container on the apparatus main body, if the stopper remains in the apparatus main body, the stopper is provided on the apparatus main body. A new developer storage container collides with the protrusion and cannot be installed in the normal position. Therefore, it is possible to inform the operator that the stopper remains in the image forming apparatus.

According to the invention of claim 4, the operator can pull out the stopper from the main body of the apparatus by using the handle provided on the protrusion of the stopper. Therefore, when the developer accommodating container is removed from the image forming apparatus main body to replace the developer accommodating container and the plug remains in the image forming apparatus, the operator can easily remove the cap.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1A is a front view showing a schematic configuration of a copying machine according to an embodiment. (B) is the same top view.

FIG. 2 is a front view showing a schematic configuration of the copying machine.

FIG. 3A is a front view of a toner bottle of the copying machine.
(B) is a partially enlarged view of the bottle.

4A to 4C are process diagrams of removing the stopper from the toner bottle.

5A and 5B are process diagrams showing a process of mounting a new toner bottle.

FIG. 6 is a front view of a stopper according to a modified example.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Contact Glass 2a Document Reflecting Lamp 2b Reflecting Mirror 3 Photosensitive Member 4 Charging Device 5 Developing Device 6 Transfer Device 7 Cleaning Device 8 Electrifying Device 9 Fixing Device 10 Paper Feeding Part 11 Developing Roller 12 Stirring Impeller 13 Mixing Roller 14 Separator 15 Horizontal Stirring screw 16 Hopper 17 Toner replenishing unit 18 Toner conveying screw 19 Toner replenishing roller 20 Toner bottle (developer storage container) 21 Bottle holder (container holding means) 22 Rotating shaft 23 Opening 24 Opening collar 25 Plug 26 Picking 27 Guide groove 28 Projection portion 30 Collet chuck 31 Support wall 32 Hole portion 33 Holding portion 50 Handle 81 Fitting peripheral wall portion 82 Bottom wall 83 Connecting peripheral wall portion

Claims (4)

[Claims] 1. A developer accommodating container comprising a developer accommodating container body having an opening formed in a part of its wall surface, and a stopper detachably attached to the opening, and the developer accommodating container being detachable. Container holding means for holding freely, cap removing means for removing the stopper from the developer storage container attached to the container holding means with the opening sealed by the stopper, and the developer storage Prior to removing the container from the container holding means, there is provided a stopper attaching means for attaching the stopper, which is removed from the developer accommodating container, to the developer accommodating container. A developer replenishing device, characterized in that a protrusion extending inside the developer accommodating container in a state of being attached to the developer accommodating container is provided. 2. The developer replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein a handle is provided on the protrusion. 3. A developer accommodating container comprising: a container main body having an opening formed in a part of a wall surface; and a stopper detachably provided in the opening, wherein the stopper is provided with the stopper. A developer accommodating container, wherein a protrusion extending inside the developer accommodating container is provided in a state where the developer accommodating container is attached to the developer accommodating container body. 4. The developer accommodating container according to claim 3, wherein a handle is provided on the protrusion.