JPH09311531A - Toner supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To surely wipe out toner sticking to the outer peripheral surface of a toner cartridge by bringing the inner peripheral surface of a pad into press-contact with the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge by means of an elastic energizing member. SOLUTION: The pad 120 and a pad holding member 130 to which the pad 120 is attached are fitted into an aperture so that they can be moved in the up-and-down direction. The inner peripheral surface 120a of the pad 120 is formed in a circular-arc shape corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the outside cylindrical case of the toner cartridge. Furthermore, a coil spring 133 functioning as the elastic energizing member inserted and fit in a supporting shaft 131 is arranged between the upper surface of the holding member 130 and the upper plate of a supporting member 117. The spring 133 energizes to press the inner peripheral surface 120a of the pad 120 to the outer peripheral surface of the outside cylindrical case constituting the toner cartridge through the holding member 130. Therefore, the toner sticking to the outer peripheral surface of the outside cylindrical case is wiped out in the case of pulling out the toner cartridge.

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 applied to a developing device in an image forming machine such as an electrostatic copying machine or a laser printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art As is well known, in an image forming machine such as an electrostatic copying machine or a laser printer, an electrostatic latent image is formed on an electrostatic photoconductor, and this electrostatic latent image is converted into a toner image by a developing device. It is developed. In a developing device that applies toner to an electrostatic latent image to develop it into a toner image, a toner cartridge system is generally used as a system for supplying toner. In the toner cartridge system, a toner cartridge containing toner is attached to a toner cartridge receiving portion of a developing device through an insertion hole, and toner is supplied by opening a toner discharge opening formed in the toner cartridge. When the toner supplied in this way is consumed and the toner cartridge is replaced, the attached toner cartridge is pulled out from the insertion hole with the toner discharge opening facing up, but toner adheres around the toner discharge opening. Therefore, it is desirable to wipe off this toner. In consideration of this point, a foaming urethane pad having a substantially semicircular inner peripheral surface is mounted on the upper peripheral wall near the insertion opening in the toner cartridge receiving portion, which has been put into practical use.

[0003]

Thus, although the wiping effect of the pad depends on the contact pressure of the pad, the urethane pad mounted on the toner cartridge receiving portion uses its own elastic force to cause the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge. There is a limit to increase the contact pressure because it is in contact with. That is, if the thickness of the urethane pad is increased to increase the contact pressure, it becomes difficult to insert the toner cartridge.

The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and its main technical problem is to reliably wipe off the toner adhering to the toner cartridge without hindering the insertion of the toner cartridge. An object of the present invention is to provide a toner supply device including a cleaning unit.

[0005]

According to the present invention, in order to solve the main technical problems, a toner cartridge receiving portion provided at an upper portion of a developing device and having an insertion hole at one end,
In a toner supply device having a toner cartridge that stores toner and can be inserted into and removed from the toner cartridge receiving portion through the insertion hole, the toner cartridge receiving portion is provided with an opening in an upper peripheral wall near the insertion hole. The opening has an arc-shaped inner peripheral surface corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge, and a pad fitted to the opening, and the pad attached to the pad are movably arranged through the opening. Cleaning means provided with a pad holding member and an elastic biasing member that acts on the pad holding member and presses the pad against the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge.
A toner supply device is provided.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a toner supply device in which the inner peripheral surface of the pad is formed to be inclined in the insertion direction of the toner cartridge.

Further, according to the present invention, there is provided a toner supply device in which guide portions extending upward are provided outside both ends of the opening on the upper peripheral wall of the toner cartridge receiving portion.

[0008]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Preferred embodiments of a toner supply device configured according to the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a toner cartridge receiving section 10 provided in a developing device 1 equipped in an image forming machine, and a toner cartridge 2 loaded in the toner cartridge receiving section 10.

First, the toner cartridge 2 will be described with reference to FIGS. The toner cartridge, generally designated by reference numeral 2, comprises an inner cylindrical container 4, an outer cylindrical case 6 and a sealing member 8.

In the illustrated embodiment, the inner cylindrical container 4 constituting the toner cartridge has three members, that is, the cylindrical member 42 and one end wall member 44 attached to one end of the cylindrical member 42. And the other end wall member 46 attached to the other end of the tubular member 42, and the toner containing space 40 is defined by the tubular member 42 and both end wall members 44, 46.

Cylindrical member 4 constituting the inner cylindrical container 4
2 is preferably cylindrical. Such a tubular member 42 can be formed from a cardboard having an inner peripheral surface laminated with aluminum foil and an outer peripheral surface covered with a suitable synthetic resin film such as a nylon film. In addition,
The tubular member 42 may be molded from an appropriate synthetic resin. The cylindrical member 42 has a toner discharge opening 422 extending in the longitudinal direction in the illustrated embodiment. The toner discharge opening 422 is located on the lower side of the tubular member 42 in the illustrated state.

Cylindrical member 4 constituting the inner cylindrical container 4
The one end wall member 44 attached to one end of the two is formed into a cup shape with an appropriate synthetic resin, and has a cylindrical short tubular wall portion fitted to one end of the tubular member 42. 44
2 and an end wall 44 formed at the inner end of the short tubular wall portion 442.
4 and an annular wall portion 446 formed at the outer end of the short tubular wall portion 442 so as to extend radially outward. The outer diameter of the fixed portion 443 formed at the outer end of the short tubular wall portion 442 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the tubular member 42, and the outer peripheral surface of the fixed portion 443 is tubular with an appropriate adhesive. The end wall member 44 is fixed to the one end portion of the tubular member 42 by being fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the one end portion (the left end portion in FIG. 2) of the member 42.

Cylindrical member 4 constituting the inner cylindrical container 4
The other end wall member 46 attached to the other end portion of 2 is made of an appropriate synthetic resin, and is a cylindrical short tubular wall portion 462 fitted to the other end portion of the tubular member 42. And an end wall 463 formed at the inner end of the short tubular wall portion 462, and an annular wall portion 464 formed at the outer end of the short tubular wall portion 462 extending radially outward. There is. The outer diameter of the outer end portion of the short tubular wall portion 462 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the tubular member 42, and the outer peripheral surface of the outer end portion is attached to the other end portion of the tubular member 42 by an appropriate adhesive ( The end wall member 44 is fixed to the other end portion of the tubular member 42 by being fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the right end portion in FIG. In the illustrated embodiment, the end wall 463 forming the end wall member 46 is provided with four rotation restricting members 465 formed so as to project outward. The rotation restricting member 465 engages with a locking member provided in the toner cartridge receiving portion 10 of the developing device 1 to be described later in a state where the toner cartridge 2 is loaded in the toner cartridge receiving portion 10 of the developing device 1, and the rotation restricting member 465 It has the function of restricting rotation. The end wall 463 forming the end wall member 46 is provided with a toner filling port 466, and the closing plug 47 is detachably fitted to the toner filling port 466.

The outer cylindrical case 6 constituting the toner cartridge is the inner cylindrical container 4 in the embodiment.
A tubular member 62 having an inner diameter larger than the outer diameter of the tubular member 42, which is fitted onto the tubular member 42, a rotating member 64 attached to one end of the tubular member 62, and a tubular member. The support member 66 is attached to the other end of the member 62.

The tubular member 62 constituting the outer tubular case 6 can be formed from cardboard whose outer peripheral surface is coated with a suitable synthetic resin film such as nylon film, and the length thereof is the inner tubular shape. It is configured to be longer than the tubular member 42 that constitutes the container 4. The outer tubular case 6 may be made of an appropriate synthetic resin. The toner passage opening 622 extending in the longitudinal direction is formed in the cylindrical member 62 configured as described above. The toner passage opening 622 is located on the upper side of the tubular member 42 in the state shown in FIG. The toner passage opening 46 formed in the cylindrical member 62 may be formed in a shape corresponding to the toner discharge opening 422 formed in the cylindrical member 42 forming the inner cylindrical container 4, and may be formed in a rectangular shape. You may form in a shape. In addition, the tubular member 6
It is desirable that the toner passage opening 622 formed in No. 2 has a lengthwise dimension and a circumferential dimension that are slightly larger than the toner discharge opening 422.

The rotating member 64 forming the outer cylindrical case 6 is made of an appropriate synthetic resin, and is supported so as to be rotatable relative to the end wall member 44 forming the inner cylindrical container 4. The portion 642, the cylindrical fixing portion 643 that fits into one end of the tubular member 62 that forms the outer tubular case 6, and the annular portion 644 that has an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the tubular member 62. , And a grip portion 645 formed so as to project from the annular portion 644. The outer diameter of the cylindrical fixing portion 643 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the cylindrical member 62, and the outer peripheral surface of the fixing portion 643 is provided with an appropriate adhesive at one end (the left end in FIG. 2) of the cylindrical member 62. The rotating member 64 is fixed to one end of the tubular member 42 by being fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the. A positioning protrusion 646 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the annular portion 644.

The supporting member 66 forming the outer cylindrical case 6 is made of an appropriate synthetic resin, and is a cylindrical fixing portion 66 fitted to the other end of the cylindrical member 62.
2 and an annular portion 664 having an outer diameter larger than the outer diameter of the tubular member 62. The cylindrical fixing portion 66
The outer diameter of 2 is substantially the same as the inner diameter of the tubular member 62, and the outer peripheral surface of the fixing portion 662 is attached to the tubular member 6 by an appropriate adhesive.
The support member 66 is fixed to the other end portion of the tubular member 42 by being fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the other end portion (the right end portion in FIG. 2) of 2.

The seal member 8 constituting the toner cartridge is formed of an appropriate flexible synthetic resin film such as a nylon film, and as shown in FIG. 3, the cylindrical member constituting the inner cylindrical container 4 is formed. A sealing portion 82 for covering the toner discharge opening 422 formed on the sealing member 42;
2 and an action portion 84 extending from 2.

The sealing portion 82 defining one end of the sealing member 8 is located on the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member 42 and covers the toner discharge opening 422. Then, the toner discharge opening 42
The peripheral region of the sealing portion 82 surrounding the 2 is formed as a sticking portion 820, and is peelably stuck to the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member 42. The sticking portion 820 can be stuck to the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member 42 by fusion or an adhesive.

The operating portion 84 defining the other end of the sealing member 8 is folded back from one side edge of the sealing portion 82 and extends over the sealing portion 82 as shown in FIG. 3 along the outer peripheral surface thereof in the clockwise direction, and extends through a toner passage opening 622 formed in the cylindrical member 62 forming the outer cylindrical case 6. The leading end of the action portion 84 has the toner passage opening 6
It is folded back along one side edge of 22, and further extends along the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member 62. The tip portion of the action portion 84, that is, the attachment portion 840 is fused to the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member 62. The attaching portion 840 may be fixed to the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member 62 with an adhesive.

The toner cartridge 2 constructed as described above is filled with toner. After the toner cartridge 2 is assembled as shown in FIG. 2, the toner is removed by removing the closing plug 47 attached to the toner filling port 466 formed in the end wall member 46 that constitutes the inner cylindrical container 4. The toner storage space 40 is filled from the filling port 466.
When the toner storage space 40 of the inner cylindrical container 4 constituting the toner cartridge 2 is filled with the toner, the closing plug 47 is attached to the toner filling port 466. In this way, the toner cartridge 2 filled with toner is mounted in the developing device when it is used.

Next, the toner cartridge receiving portion 10 provided in the developing device 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 1, 6 and 7. Toner cartridge receiving section 1 shown
0 is an upper part of a hopper 10 provided on the upper part of the developing device 1.
1 and a hopper cover 110 that covers the hopper upper part 101.
It consists of On one end surface of the hopper upper part 101,
An opening 102 having a semicircular cross section that forms the insertion hole 100 is formed. Further, at a predetermined angular position on the one end face portion of the hopper upper part 101, a positioning protrusion 646 provided on the rotating member 64 constituting the outer cylindrical case 6 is provided.
A positioning groove 103 into which is inserted is formed.
The alignment protrusion 6 formed over an angle of 80 °
A guide groove 104 for guiding 46 is provided. Therefore, in the toner cartridge 2 mounted in the toner cartridge receiving portion 10, the outer cylindrical case 6 can rotate over an angle of about 180 °.

The hopper cover 110 has an inner peripheral surface 111 made of synthetic resin and having a semicircular cross section.
Mounting flanges 112, 1 extending longitudinally on both sides thereof
12 are provided respectively, and this mounting flange 11
A plurality of mounting holes 112a are formed in the holes 2 and 112. The hopper cover 110 configured in this way is
As shown in FIG. 1, it is placed at a predetermined position on the hopper upper part 101 and fixed by a screw 113 screwed through a mounting hole 112a formed in the mounting flanges 112, 112. By mounting the hopper cover 110 on the hopper upper portion 101 in this manner, a circular insertion hole 100 is formed at one end of the toner cartridge receiving portion 10, and the toner cartridge receiving portion 10 is substantially extended from the insertion hole 100 to the other end. A horizontally extending receiving space is formed. The insertion hole 100 is a circular shape having an inner diameter corresponding to the outer diameters of the rotating member 64 and the supporting member 66 that form the outer cylindrical case 6 of the toner cartridge 2, and the cross-sectional shape of the receiving space corresponds to the insertion hole 100. It is a corresponding circular shape. Further, on the other end surfaces of the hopper upper part 101 and the hopper cover 110 which constitute the toner cartridge receiving portion 10, a rotation regulating member 465 which is formed so as to project to the other end wall member 46 which constitutes the inner cylindrical container 4 is engaged. A mating locking member 106 is provided.

The insertion hole 11 is formed in the hopper cover 110 which constitutes the upper peripheral wall of the toner cartridge receiving portion 10.
An elongated opening 115 is formed in the circumferential direction at a position close to 0. Guide portions 116, 116, which are provided so as to project upward, are integrally formed on the outer peripheral surface of the hopper cover 110 at both outer sides of the opening 115. A bridge-shaped support member 117, which is configured to straddle the opening 115, is integrally formed on the outer peripheral surface of the hopper cover 110 above the center of the opening 115. A hole 117a is provided in the upper plate of the support member 117.

A pad 120 and a pad holding member 130 on which the pad 120 is mounted are fitted into the opening 115 so as to be vertically movable. When the pad 120 and the pad holding member 130 are fitted together, the guide portions 116, 116 provided on the outer sides of both ends of the opening 115 function as guides and can be fitted smoothly. The pad 120 is
It is made of urethane foam and its inner surface 12
0a is formed on an arc surface corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical case 6 of the toner cartridge 2. Pad 12
0 has a size corresponding to the opening 115, and its circumferential direction is formed over an angle of 120 to 130 °. The thickness of the pad 120 may be about 4 to 5 mm and its width may be about 30 mm. The pad holding member 130 is made of synthetic resin, and a support shaft 131 is integrally formed at the center thereof. This support shaft 131 has a hole 11 formed in the support member 117.
7a is inserted and arrange | positioned. An annular groove 131 formed in the upper end portion of the support shaft 131 which is arranged by inserting the hole 117a.
A retaining member 132 such as a snap ring is attached to a. A coil spring 133 as an elastic biasing member fitted to the support shaft 131 is disposed between the upper surface of the pad holding member 130 and the upper plate of the support member 117. The coil spring 133 has a pad holding member 1
The inner peripheral surface 120 a of the pad 120 is urged via 30 to press the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical case 6 constituting the toner cartridge 2. Therefore, the inner peripheral surface 120a of the pad 120 is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical case 6 forming the toner cartridge 2, and therefore adheres to the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical case 6 when the toner cartridge 2 is pulled out. Wipe off the toner. As described above, in the illustrated embodiment, the pad 120, the pad holding member 130, and the coil spring 133 serving as the elastic biasing member remove the toner attached to the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge 2 when the toner cartridge 2 is pulled out. It constitutes a cleaning means for wiping.

The toner supply device in the illustrated embodiment is configured as described above. The loading of the toner cartridge 2 into the developing device, the supply of toner and the removal of the toner cartridge 2 will be described below. The toner cartridge 2 is inserted into the toner cartridge receiving portion 10 from the other end wall member 46 side through the insertion hole 100 of the developing device 10. At this time, by aligning the alignment protrusion 646 provided on the rotating member 64 forming the outer cylindrical case 6 with the positioning groove 103 formed on the hopper upper portion 101 forming the toner cartridge receiving portion 10, the toner cartridge is formed. 2 can be inserted up to a predetermined position. When the toner cartridge 2 is inserted into the toner cartridge receiving portion 10, the pad 120 and the pad holding member 130 are moved upward against the spring force of the coil spring 133, but at this time, both ends of the opening 115 are outside. The guide portions 116, 116 provided in the function as guides and can move smoothly. When the toner cartridge 2 is inserted into the toner cartridge receiving portion 10 at a predetermined position, the rotation restricting member 465 formed on the other end wall member 46 of the inner cylindrical container 4 constitutes the toner cartridge receiving portion 10. The inner cylindrical container 4 is restricted from rotating by engaging with a locking member 106 provided on the other end surfaces of the upper part 101 and the hopper cover 110. Then, the rotating member 64 that constitutes the outer tubular case 6
The grip portion 645 provided at the position is projected and positioned on the front side of the toner cartridge receiving portion 10. At this point, the toner discharge opening 422 formed in the cylindrical member 42 forming the inner cylindrical container 4 is positioned at the lower side as shown in FIG. 3, and the cylindrical shape forming the outer cylindrical case 6 is formed. The toner passage opening 622 formed in the member 62 is located on the upper side as shown in FIG.

When the toner cartridge 2 is loaded in the toner cartridge receiving portion 10 of the developing device 10 as described above, the rotating member 64 constituting the outer cylindrical case 6 is formed.
3 to 5, the outer cylindrical case 6 is gripped by a grip portion 645 provided in the clockwise direction about 180 ° in the clockwise direction, that is, the positioning protrusion 646 provided on the rotating member 64 receives the toner cartridge. It is rotated until it comes into contact with the end of the guide groove 104 formed in the hopper upper part 101 that constitutes the part 10. 4 shows a state in which the outer tubular case 6 is rotated clockwise by 90 ° from the state shown in FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 shows a state in which the outer tubular case 6 is rotated by 180 ° clockwise from the state shown in FIG. The figure shows a rotated state.
On the other hand, in the inner cylindrical container 4, the rotation restricting member 465 formed on the end wall member 46 as described above is engaged with the locking member 106 provided on the end surface on the other end side of the toner cartridge receiving portion 10 to rotate. Since the movement is restricted, the state shown in FIG. 3 is maintained. As can be understood from FIGS. 3 to 5, when the outer tubular case 6 is rotated while the inner tubular container 4 is restricted in rotation, the action portion 84 of the seal member 8 is relatively pulled, and Due to the sealing member 8 of the sealing member 8
2 are sequentially peeled off from the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member 42 from the right side edge in FIG.

When the outer cylindrical case 6 is rotated to the state shown in FIG. 5 as described above, the sealing portion 82 of the sealing member 8 has the longitudinal attaching portion 82 opposite to the peeling side thereof.
It is peeled off from the outer peripheral surface of the tubular member 42 leaving only 0.
Then, the toner discharge opening 422 formed in the cylindrical member 42 forming the inner cylindrical container 4 is opened, and the toner passage opening 622 formed in the cylindrical member 62 forming the outer cylindrical case 6 is lowered. It is located on the side.
Therefore, the toner (not shown) contained in the inner cylindrical container 4 is dropped from the toner discharge opening 422 into the hopper of the developing device 1 through the toner passage opening 622.

After substantially all of the toner contained in the inner cylindrical container 4 has been discharged, the toner cartridge 2
When detaching from the developing device 1, the grip portion 645 is gripped and the outer cylindrical case 6 is rotated counterclockwise from the state shown in FIG. 5 to the state shown in FIG. The toner passage opening 622 formed in the tubular member 62 forming the nozzle 6 is again positioned on the upper side, and some toner remaining in the inner tubular container 4 and dropping from the toner discharge opening 422 to the outer tubular case 6 is discharged. Reliably prevent discharge through the toner passage opening 622. In this way, with the outer tubular case 6 returned to the position shown in FIG. 3, the toner cartridge 2 is pulled out from the toner cartridge receiving portion 10 to the front. At this time, the toner passage opening 622 formed in the tubular member 62 forming the outer tubular case 6 is positioned on the upper side, but this toner passage opening 622 is located.
Toner is attached to the area around when the toner is supplied,
If the toner cartridge 2 is pulled out as it is, it may cause contamination by the toner attached around the toner passage opening 622. In the illustrated embodiment, a hopper cover 110 that constitutes the upper peripheral wall of the toner cartridge receiving portion 10 is formed.
Has an elongated opening 115 formed in the circumferential direction at a position close to the insertion hole 110.
Since the cleaning means composed of 20, the pad holding member 130, and the coil spring 133 as the elastic biasing member is provided, the inner peripheral surface 120a of the pad 120 of the tubular member 62 constituting the outer tubular case 6 is formed. Since it is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the upper side, the toner adhering to the periphery of the toner passage opening 622 is surely wiped off.

Next, another embodiment of the pad 120 will be described with reference to FIGS. In the pad 120 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 8, the diameter of the inner peripheral surface 120b is the smallest at the end portion on the insertion hole 100 side, the largest at the end portion on the side opposite to the insertion hole 100, and is inclined in the insertion direction of the toner cartridge 2. It is configured. Therefore, the inner peripheral surface 120b of the pad 120 has a higher pressure contact force with the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical case 6 constituting the toner cartridge 2 at the end portion on the side of the insertion hole 100, so that the toner wiping action is improved.

The pad 120 in the embodiment shown in FIG.
Has the largest diameter of the inner peripheral surface 120c at the end portion on the insertion hole 100 side and the smallest end portion on the side opposite to the insertion hole 100, and is inclined in the insertion direction of the toner cartridge 2.
Therefore, the inner peripheral surface 120c of the pad 120 has the insertion hole 10
Since the pressure contact force to the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical case 6 constituting the toner cartridge 2 is increased at the end portion on the side opposite to the 0 side, the wiping action of the toner is improved.

Although the present invention has been described based on the illustrated embodiments, the present invention is not limited to the illustrated embodiments, and various modifications can be made within the scope of the technical idea of the present invention. . For example, in the illustrated embodiment, the toner cartridge 2 includes the inner cylindrical container 4 and the outer cylindrical case 6.
However, it is needless to say that the present invention can be applied to a toner cartridge composed of one cylindrical container.

[0034]

Since the toner supply device according to the present invention is constructed as described above, it has the following effects.

That is, according to the present invention, the toner cartridge receiving portion is provided with an opening in the upper peripheral wall near the insertion hole, and has an arcuate inner peripheral surface corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge. A pad that fits into the opening, a pad holding member that is attached to the pad and is movably disposed through the opening, and an elastic biasing member that acts on the pad holding member and presses the pad against the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge. Since the cleaning means including the above is provided, the inner peripheral surface of the pad is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge by the elastic biasing member, so that the toner attached to the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge is surely secured. Can be wiped off. As described above, since the pad is configured to be pressed by the elastic biasing member, it is not necessary to increase the thickness of the pad and increase the compression amount in order to obtain a predetermined contact pressure. It won't hurt.

Further, in the present invention, since the inner peripheral surface of the pad is formed so as to be inclined in the inserting direction of the toner cartridge, the pressure contact force to the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge is high at either one of the ends. Therefore, the wiping action of the toner can be improved.

Further, according to the present invention, the upper peripheral wall of the toner cartridge receiving portion is provided with the guide portions extending upward on both outer sides of the opening, so that the pad and the pad holding member are fitted into the opening. The guide portion functions as a guide and can move smoothly at the time of movement and during movement in the vertical direction.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a preferred embodiment of a toner supply device configured according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a longitudinal sectional view of a toner cartridge that constitutes the toner supply device shown in FIG.

3 is a cross-sectional view of a toner cartridge that constitutes the toner supply device shown in FIG.

4 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating a state in which the outer cylindrical case is rotated 90 degrees with respect to the inner cylindrical container in the toner cartridge that constitutes the toner supply device shown in FIG. 1.

5 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 3, illustrating a state in which the outer cylindrical case is rotated 180 degrees with respect to the inner cylindrical container in the toner cartridge that constitutes the toner supply device illustrated in FIG. 1.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of a cleaning unit arranged in a toner cartridge receiving section which constitutes the toner supply device shown in FIG.

7 is a sectional view taken along the line AA in FIG.

8 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing another embodiment of the cleaning unit that constitutes the toner supply device shown in FIG.

9 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment of the cleaning unit that constitutes the toner supply device shown in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1: Developing Device 2: Toner Cartridge 4: Inner Cylindrical Container 6: Outer Cylindrical Case 8: Sealing Member 10: Toner Cartridge Receiving Section 40: Toner Storage Space 42: Cylindrical Member 44: End Wall Member 46: End Wall Member 47: Blocking plug 62: Cylindrical member 64: Rotating member 66: Support member 82: Sealing part of sealing member 84: Working part of sealing member 101: Upper part of hopper 100: Insertion hole 110: Hopper cover 115: Opening 116: Guide Part 117: Support member 120: Pad 130: Pad holding member 131: Support shaft 133: Coil spring 422: Toner discharge opening 466: Toner filling opening 622: Toner passage opening 820: Adhesive part of seal member

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A toner having a toner cartridge receiving portion provided at an upper portion of a developing device and having an insertion hole at one end, and a toner cartridge that stores toner and can be inserted into and removed from the toner cartridge receiving portion through the insertion hole. In the supply device, the toner cartridge receiving portion is provided with an opening on an upper peripheral wall near the insertion hole, and the opening has an arcuate inner peripheral surface corresponding to the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge. A pad that fits in the opening, a pad holding member that is attached to the pad and is movably arranged through the opening, and a pad holding member that acts on the pad holding member to press the pad against the outer peripheral surface of the toner cartridge. A toner supply device comprising: a cleaning unit including an elastic biasing member. 2. The toner supply device according to claim 1, wherein an inner peripheral surface of the pad is formed to be inclined in an inserting direction of the toner cartridge. 3. The toner supply device according to claim 1, wherein the upper peripheral wall of the toner cartridge receiving portion is provided with guide portions that extend upward outside both ends of the opening.