JPH10247011A - Toner replenishing device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toner replenishing device where the fixed quantity of toner is replenished to a developing part even though the fluidity of the toner is changed or toner quantity at the inside of a toner housing container is changed, whose operation is made easy and by which the hands of an operator are not soiled and which is inexpensive. SOLUTION: This device possesses the toner housing container 14 having a toner discharge port, a container holding means 18 holding the toner housing container 14, a rotating driving means 13 rotating the toner housing container 14 around a center axis in a longitudinal direction and a toner replenishment regulating member 35 arranged at the inside of a toner passage guiding the toner discharged from the toner discharge port to a developing device. Then, the toner replenishment regulating member 35 possesses plural apertures 19a, 19b and 19c having different sizes, and is moved by a handle 35a, so that the aperture having a desired size is selected and the replenishing quantity of the toner is adjusted.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a developing device used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and more particularly, to a toner replenishing device attached to the developing device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a developing device attaches toner to an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor drum to visualize the image.
The image of the document is copied by fusing and fixing the toner.

The toner is supplied to the developing device from a toner replenishing device provided adjacent to the developing device. The toner replenishing device includes a cylindrical toner storage container in which toner is stored, and a container holding member (receptacle) to which the toner storage container is detachably attached. A spiral projection is provided in the toner storage container, and a drive unit such as a motor for rotating the toner storage container around the central axis of the cylinder is provided on the receiving table. Then, when the driving means rotates the toner storage container, the internal spiral projection serves as a screw conveyor to push out the toner to the discharge port. The extruded toner passes through the toner passage in the receiving table and is sent to the developing device.

However, if the toner discharged from the toner storage container is sent to the developing device without any limitation, the toner supply amount becomes excessive and causes an abnormal image. Therefore, a toner supply regulating member is usually provided in the toner passage so that an appropriate amount of toner is sent to the developing device. An opening is usually used as a toner supply regulating member used for such a purpose. That is, the amount of toner passing therethrough is regulated depending on the size of the opening area.

However, since the conventional toner supply regulating member has only a single opening, it can handle only one type of toner, and the amount of toner supplied varies when toners having different fluidities are used. There was a problem that would.

Specifically, as the fluidity of the toner increases,
If the toner tends to be replenished excessively and the fluidity decreases, the toner tends to be replenished insufficiently, and in any case, it causes an abnormal image.

[0007] Further, even when the same type of toner is used, there is a problem that the toner replenishment amount varies depending on the remaining amount of toner in the toner storage container. For example, when the amount of toner in the toner container decreases, the toner supply amount decreases.

On the other hand, in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 6-186853, the above-mentioned opening is constituted by a small hole formed in a sliding plate.
Prepare several plates with different diameters and numbers of small holes,
In order to adjust the toner supply amount, a toner supply device has been proposed in which the above-mentioned plate (toner supply regulating member) is removed and replaced with one having a small hole having a desired diameter and number. . According to this, a plurality of unused toner supply restricting members need to be stored somewhere.

However, when the toner replenishment restricting member to which the toner is attached is stored, there is a problem that the periphery of the member may be stained with the toner, and the operator's hands become dirty during the replacement work.

[0010] The present invention solves the above-mentioned problems, and it is possible to continuously supply a constant amount of toner to the developing unit even when the fluidity of the toner changes or the amount of toner in the toner container changes. It is an object of the present invention to provide an inexpensive toner replenishing device which is easy to operate, does not stain hands, and is inexpensive.

[0011]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a toner container having a toner discharge port and a toner container provided in a toner passage for feeding the toner discharged from the toner discharge port to a developing device. The toner supply restricting member having a plurality of openings having different sizes, and by moving the toner supply restricting member, a desired number of openings can be obtained from the plurality of openings. The size of the opening is selected so that the toner supply amount can be adjusted.

[0012] Alternatively, a toner container having a toner discharge port formed at one end of a cylindrical container body, and the toner container being horizontally oriented so that toner can be introduced from the toner discharge port into a toner introduction section of a developing device. , A rotation driving means for rotating the toner container held by the container holding means around a central axis in a longitudinal direction, and a toner introduction unit for supplying toner discharged from the toner discharge port. A toner supply restricting member disposed in a toner passage to be introduced into the toner supply device, wherein the toner supply restricting member has a plurality of openings having different sizes, and is moved by moving the toner supply restricting member. The toner supply amount can be adjusted by selecting an opening having a desired size from the plurality of openings.

The container holding means has a hopper having a cylindrical shape and a window portion opened in the periphery, the toner supply restricting member is formed in an arc shape, and the opening is selectively provided in the window portion of the hopper. A configuration in which the overlapping toner is allowed to pass, and the toner supply restricting member is operable from outside the hopper, and the toner supply restricting member is disposed inside the hopper, and the hopper operates the toner supply restricting member. Or a configuration in which the toner supply restricting member has a handle protruding outside the operation window, or a scale corresponding to the handle is provided in the operation window, and the handle is aligned with the position of the scale. Thus, a configuration showing the selected opening or a configuration in which the opening is slit-shaped can be adopted.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of an image forming apparatus provided with a toner supply device of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of a process cartridge A which is a central part of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a process cartridge.

In these figures, the photoreceptor 1 rotates clockwise in FIG. 1, is neutralized by the neutralizing light 7, and the surface potential is averaged to a reference potential of 0 to -150V. Next, it is charged by the charging roller 2, and the surface potential becomes around -1100V.

Next, the portion (image portion) exposed to light 3 at the exposure portion has a surface potential of 0 to -290 V, and an electrostatic latent image is formed. The image portion composed of the electrostatic latent image comes into contact with the developing sleeve 4 of the developing device to which a bias of about -800 V is applied, and the toner on the developing sleeve 4 adheres to be visualized as a toner image.

When the photosensitive member 1 on which the toner image is formed is rotated and reaches the transfer roller 5, the transfer paper is fed from a paper supply unit (not shown) so that the leading end position of the transfer image and the leading end position of the toner image are in a desired positional relationship. Supplied at the same timing.

The transfer roller 5 transfers the toner image on the surface of the photoreceptor 1 to transfer paper. Thereafter, the transfer paper is sent to a fixing unit (not shown), where the toner is fixed by fusing the toner to the transfer paper by heat and pressure, and is discharged as a copy.

On the other hand, the residual toner remaining on the photoreceptor is scraped off by the cleaning blade 6, and then the photoreceptor 1 is brought into a flat state without toner. Move to process. The above is the basic operation of the image forming apparatus.

The above-mentioned photosensitive member 1, charging roller 2, developing sleeve 4 and cleaning blade 6 are integrated,
It is housed in the process cartridge A.

The process cartridge A further includes a toner conveying device 8 using a screw conveyor. Residual toner collected by the cleaning device 6 is conveyed by the toner conveying device 8, and is recycled by the recycle toner conveying section. Stirring screw 1 for developer by belt 9
1 and the toner is recycled.

Next, the developing device in the process cartridge A will be described. The developing sleeve 4 has a fixed shaft in which a five-pole magnet is disposed, and its outer peripheral surface is covered with a non-magnetic pipe material. Move up.

The developer is a two-component developer composed of a small iron ball called a carrier and toner. The stirring screw 11 circulates and stirs the developer, so that the toner has a charge, adheres to the carrier, is carried to the surface of the photoconductor, and can be attached to the photoconductor by the action of electrostatic force. Of the developer, the carrier circulates, but the toner is consumed because it adheres to the image portion on the photoconductor. Therefore, it is necessary to replenish appropriately.

If the amount of the developer to be supplied to the photoreceptor is not constant, an image density defect or density unevenness occurs. Therefore, a doctor blade 10 is provided to regulate the amount of the developer flowing in. ing.

Next, the toner supply device B will be described.
FIG. 4 is an external view of the toner supply device, and FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the toner supply device. FIG. 1 shows the toner supply device B
2 shows a cross-section of FIG. Reference numeral 12 shown in FIG. 1 and the like denotes a toner introduction unit that supplies toner from the process cartridge B to the developing device. The supplied toner is gradually mixed with the developer while being stirred by the stirring screw 11. The developer circulates as shown by the arrow in FIG. 2 and is uniformly mixed.

The driving section 13 of the toner replenishing apparatus B comprises a joint 13c, a spring 13d, a case section 13e containing a motor and a shaft, and is fixed to the rear side plate 31 of the image forming apparatus main body by screws.

The toner container 14 is a cylindrical bottle having a toner discharge port 14d at the center at one end and a protrusion at the other end, that is, the bottom surface of the toner container, as shown in FIG. Parts 14a and 14b are formed. The circular projection 14b at the center enters a positioning hole 13b provided in the joint 13c of the drive unit 13, and positions the bottom of the toner container. Also, the side surface of the quadrangular prism-shaped protrusion 14a is the same as the protrusion side surface 1 of the joint 13c.
3a to rotate the toner container.

The head of the toner container 14 is held by a bottle holding member 16. An extruding member 17 made of an elastic material such as mylar or rubber is attached to a rib 16a formed integrally with the bottle holding member 16 with a double-sided tape or the like.

A spiral projection is provided on the inner wall surface of the toner storage container 14. When the spiral container is rotated, the spiral projection becomes a screw conveyor and discharges toner from the toner discharge port 14d. A cap 15 for preventing the toner from being discharged is fitted into the discharge port 14d.

The projection 16b provided on the inner wall surface of the bottle holding member 16 is caught by the flat head portion 14c provided on the toner container 14, and the bottle holding member 16 and the toner container 14 rotate integrally.

The sealing member 20 seals the space between the cap 15 and the cylindrical case 22. The collet chuck 21 picks and separates the cap 15, is built in the cylindrical case 22, and is integrated with the shaft member 23 by screws 24.

The seal member 25 seals between the cylindrical case 22 and the hopper 18a of the container holding means 18 of the toner replenishing device B. The coil spring 28 includes the collet chuck 21, the cylindrical case 22, the shaft member 23 and the like. A series of components is constantly pressed toward the toner container 4.

The collet chuck 21, the cylindrical case 22, and the shaft member 23 are connected to a hopper 18a of the toner replenishing device.
Is held within. The handle 26 is for opening and closing the toner discharge port of the toner container 4 with the cap 15, and the shaft 26 b is rotatable into the central shaft 32 of the hopper 18 a.

The slide shaft 27 enters a hole 23a provided in the shaft member 23 and is in contact with a cam portion 26a provided in the handle 26. The rotation of the handle 26 causes the collet chuck 21 and the cylindrical case 22 to rotate. A series of parts of the shaft member 23 can be slid in a direction away from the toner storage container 4.

FIG. 6 shows that the cap 15 is
3 shows a state in which the toner discharge port 14d of FIG. When the handle 26 is rotated from this state in the direction of the arrow (downward) shown in FIG. 4, the cam portion 26a pulls the slide shaft 27 in the direction of the arrow shown in FIG. Then, the shaft member 23 also moves in the same direction, and the collet chuck 21 comes into contact with the projection 22a of the cylindrical case 22. With this, the collet chuck 21 closes and the cap 15 is gripped. When the movement in the direction of the arrow further proceeds in this state, as shown in FIG.
The cap 15 of the toner container 14 is removed by the collet chuck 21, and the toner in the toner container 14 flows into the hopper 18a. However, when the amount of toner in the toner storage container 14 is small, the toner does not flow out unless the outflow amount is reduced or the toner storage container 14 is rotated by the drive unit 13.

FIG. 7 shows a state in which the setting of the toner supply device B is completed. To supply toner, the toner density in the developing device is detected by the magnetic permeability measurement sensor 34 in FIG. 2, and when the toner density falls below the reference density, the drive unit 13 shown in FIGS. Rotate in the direction. Then, the joint 13a engages with the toner container bottom 14a, and the toner container 14 rotates. When the toner container 14 rotates, as shown in FIG.
The toner is discharged from 4d and accumulates in the hopper 18a. At the same time, the rotation of the toner storage container 14 is transmitted through a rib 16b (FIG. 5) integral with the bottle holding member 16, and the pushing member 17 slides and rotates on the inner wall surface of the hopper 18a of the container holding means 18. And the toner accumulated in the hopper 18a is scraped up.

When the pushing member 17 passes through one of the slit-shaped openings 19a, 19b, 19c in the window 18d, the toner is pushed out of the opening. The extruded toner falls into the cover 29 and passes through the opening 29a on the lower side of the cover 29, so that the toner introduction section 1 of the developing device 1
Then, the toner is supplied to the developing device. In the above configuration, the toner passage 37 extends from the toner discharge port 14 to the toner introduction unit 12.

Next, the hopper 18a will be described with reference to FIG. The hopper 18a includes an inner partition 18b and an outer partition 18.
c, and both partition walls are open at the window 18d. An operation window 18e is provided on the outer partition 18b.
Is open.

The toner supply regulating member 35 is slidable between the inner and outer partitions. Control member 3
As shown in FIG. 8, 5 has an arc-shaped opening forming portion 35b, 35c, 35d having the same shape, and a handle 35a, and the handle 35a protrudes outside from the operation window 18d. The opening forming portions 35b, 35c, 35d have slit-shaped openings 19a, 19b,
19c is affixed with an elastic member 19 having an adhesive applied to both sides.

In FIG. 1, by moving the handle 35a in the direction of the arrow, the toner supply regulating member 35 enters the double structure between the inner and outer partitions 18a and 18b.
In the window 18c, an opening 35b, an elastic member 19 adhered to the opening 35b, and an opening 19a appear. When the handle 35a is moved to move the toner supply restricting member 35, the next opening 35c is newly formed there. The formed opening 19b appears. By further moving the handle 35a, the opening forming portion 35d and the opening 19c appear this time.

Since the elastic member 19 is provided around the opening of the toner supply regulating member 35, the space between the inner and outer partitions can be sealed, and the leakage of toner to the outside can be prevented.

In this way, by selecting an opening having an appropriate opening width according to the type of toner to be used, an appropriate amount of toner can be supplied at any time regardless of the type of toner.

As shown in FIG. 9, an operation window 18e is cut out on the outer partition wall 18c of the hopper 18a for operating the handle 35a.
6 are provided as many as the number of openings. This is the position of the handle 35a when the window 18d of the hopper 18a and each of the openings 19a, 19b, 19c provided in the toner supply regulating member 35 match, and on which scale 36 the handle 35a is located. The purpose of this is to make it possible to see at a glance which opening width is being used.

The toner discharged from the toner discharge port 14d of the toner container 14 in this manner is supplied to the openings 19a, 1a.
The toner is supplied to the toner introduction unit 12 of the developing device through one of 9b and 19c, through the cover 29, and through the opening 29a on the lower side of the cover 29.

[0045]

As described above, according to the present invention, since a plurality of openings having different sizes are formed in one toner supply regulating member, an appropriate size can be obtained by moving the toner supply regulating member. The toner can be supplied from the opening, so that it is possible to easily use a toner having a different fluidity or to change the remaining amount of the toner. Further, since there is no need to remove the toner supply member, there is no need to contaminate the hands with toner and to consider a storage location for the removed components.

Also, since the toner supply amount can be adjusted,
A plurality of types of toner can be used by the same toner replenishing device, and the number of uses can be increased. In addition, the toner replenishing device can be used in common, thereby achieving a significant cost reduction. Also, if you attach the handle to the toner supply member, the operation becomes easier,
By attaching a scale indicating the position of the handle, the currently selected toner supply amount can be understood at a glance.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view showing a main part of an image forming apparatus provided with a toner supply device of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the inside of a process cartridge A of the image forming apparatus.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating an appearance of a process cartridge.

FIG. 4 is an external view of the toner supply device.

FIG. 5A is an exploded perspective view of a toner supply device, and FIG.
FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a bottom surface of the toner storage container.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state in which the toner storage container is capped.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a state where a cap of the toner storage container is removed.

FIG. 8A is a perspective view of a toner supply regulating member, and FIG.
FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing details of an opening.

FIG. 9 is a perspective view showing a state in which the hopper is scaled.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 12 Toner introduction unit 13 Drive unit 14 Toner container 14d Toner discharge port 18 Container holding means 18a Hopper 18d Window 18e Operation window 19a, 19b, 19c Opening 35 Toner supply regulating member 35a Handle 36 Scale 37 Toner passage

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing on the front page (72) Inventor Shigeru Watanabe 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Toshitaka Yamaguchi 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Share Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Kenzo Tatsumi 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Stock Company Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Takeo Suda 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Stock Company Ricoh ( 72) Inventor Hiroshi Yoshinaga 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company (72) Inventor Mayumi Ohori 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Company

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A toner replenishing apparatus comprising: a toner container having a toner discharge port; and a toner replenishment regulating member provided in a toner passage for feeding toner discharged from the toner discharge port to a developing device. The supply restricting member has a plurality of openings having different sizes, and by moving the toner supply restricting member, an opening of a desired size can be selected from the plurality of openings to adjust the toner supply amount. A toner replenishing device characterized in that: 2. A toner container in which a toner discharge port is formed at one end of a cylindrical container body, and the toner container is horizontally oriented so that toner can be introduced from the toner discharge port into a toner introduction section of a developing device. , A rotation driving means for rotating the toner container held by the container holding means around a central axis in a longitudinal direction, and a toner introduction unit for supplying toner discharged from the toner discharge port. A toner supply restricting member disposed in a toner passage to be introduced into the toner supply device, wherein the toner supply restricting member has a plurality of openings having different sizes, and is moved by moving the toner supply restricting member. A toner replenishing device wherein an opening having a desired size is selected from the plurality of openings to adjust a toner replenishing amount. 3. The container holding means has a hopper having a cylindrical shape and a window portion opened in a periphery thereof, the toner supply regulating member is formed in an arc shape, and the opening is selectively provided in the window of the hopper. 3. The toner replenishing apparatus according to claim 2, wherein said toner replenishment restricting member is operable from outside of the hopper so that the toner overlaps with said portion. 4. The toner replenishing device according to claim 3, wherein the toner replenishment regulating member is disposed inside the hopper, and the hopper has an operation window for operating the toner replenishment regulating member. 5. The toner replenishing device according to claim 4, wherein the toner replenishment regulating member has a handle protruding outside the operation window. 6. The toner replenishing device according to claim 5, wherein a scale corresponding to the handle is provided in the operation window, and an opening selected by adjusting the handle to the position of the scale is indicated. 7. The toner replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein said opening has a slit shape.