JPH11102107A - Rotary shaft supporting part structure in toner container - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To reduce the driving torque of a rotary shaft by preventing toner from being retained between the rotary shaft and a bearing part. SOLUTION: The rotary shaft 16 is rotatably arranged in a toner housing part 3 and the small-diameter part 17 of the rotary shaft 16 is supported by a blind cylindrical bearing part 19 provided by recessing the inwall 29 of the toner housing part, 3. In the small-diameter part 17 of the rotary shaft 16, a toner scraping groove 20 for guiding the toner infiltrated into the gap between the small-diameter part 17 of the rotary shaft 16 and the bearing part 19 to the outside of the bearing part 19, at the time of rotating the rotary shaft 16 is formed. The toner scraping groove 20 is provided with a linear groove part 20a extended in the axial direction of the rotary shaft from the end part of the small-diameter part 17 of the rotary shaft 16 and an inclined groove part 20b formed in a state that it is inclined at a fixed angle from the linear groove part 20a to the downstream side in the rotational direction of the rotary shaft. Further, the toner scraping groove 20 is formed in the length in the axial direction of the rotary shaft opened outward of the bearing part 19.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a structure for supporting a rotary shaft disposed in a toner container such as a developing device, a cleaning device, and a toner cartridge.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In general, an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile or the like develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a photoreceptor into a toner image by a developing device, and converts the toner image into a sheet as a recording medium. The toner is transferred by a transfer device, the transferred toner is removed from the photoconductor by a cleaning device, and the used toner is collected in a collection tank, a toner recycling device, or the like. The developing device is supplied with toner from a toner cartridge.

[0003] Since the toner used in such an image forming apparatus contains a binder of a thermoplastic resin, there is a possibility that the toners are combined and aggregated by the influence of the binder. In order to prevent such agglomeration of the toner, the cartridge or the developing device arranges a rotating shaft having a paddle, a stirring plate or a spiral member in a container (toner container) for storing the toner, and attaches the rotating shaft to the container. By rotating the toner, the toner is stirred and transported by a paddle, a stirring plate, or a spiral member.

In the above-described cleaning device, a rotary shaft having a spiral member is disposed in a container for storing toner, and by rotating this rotary shaft, the toner removed from the photoreceptor is removed by the spiral member. It is designed to be carried out of the container.

The above-described developing device, toner cartridge, cleaning device, etc. have a bottom with one end of a rotating shaft recessed in a toner container in order to reduce the possibility of toner leakage and facilitate assembly. It is rotatably supported by a cylindrical bearing (see, for example, Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 8-314250).

[0006]

However, in the case of a configuration in which one end of the rotating shaft is supported by a bottomed cylindrical bearing recessed in the inner wall of the container, if toner enters the gap between the rotating shaft and the bearing, Since there is no place for the toner to escape, the toner hardens due to the action of the contact pressure between the rotating shaft and the bearing portion, and the powdery toner accumulates in the gap. Then, due to the effect of the toner accumulated in the gap or the toner solidified in the gap, a resistance that hinders the rotation of the rotating shaft acts on the rotating shaft, and the driving torque of the rotating shaft increases.

Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to prevent toner from accumulating between a rotating shaft and a bearing portion, and to reduce the driving torque of the rotating shaft.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, there is provided a bottomed cylindrical bearing in which a rotating shaft is rotatably arranged in a container containing toner, and one end of the rotating shaft is recessed in an inner wall of the container. A rotating shaft supporting portion structure of the toner container supported by the above. The toner that has entered the gap between the one end of the rotating shaft and the bearing portion is provided at one end of the rotating shaft outside the bearing portion when the rotating shaft rotates. And a toner ejection groove for guiding the toner is formed.

According to the present invention having such a configuration, even if the toner in the toner container enters between the rotating shaft and the bearing portion, if the rotating shaft rotates, the toner container is formed at one end of the rotating shaft. The toner is scraped out of the bearing portion by the toner scraping groove, and the resistance acting on the rotating shaft is reduced, so that the rotating shaft rotates smoothly.

Further, according to the present invention, the toner scraping groove is
The rotating shaft is formed so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle from the one end of the rotating shaft toward the downstream side in the rotating direction of the rotating shaft, and is formed to have a length in the rotating shaft axial direction that opens outward from the bearing portion. I have.

According to the present invention having such a configuration, when the rotating shaft rotates, the toner that has entered the gap between the rotating shaft and the bearing portion is captured by the toner scraping groove, and the toner flows along the toner scraping groove. It is led out of the bearing.

Further, according to the present invention, the toner scraping groove is
A linear groove extending in the axial direction from an end on one end side of the rotary shaft, and an inclined groove formed at a predetermined angle from the linear groove toward the downstream side in the rotational direction of the rotary shaft; The opening is formed to have a length in the axial direction of the rotating shaft.

According to the present invention having such a configuration, when the rotation shaft rotates, the toner captured by the linear groove is guided to the outside of the bearing along the inclined groove.

[0014]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the drawings. Hereinafter, a description will be given of an example of a developing device to which a structure for supporting a rotating shaft of a toner container according to an embodiment of the present invention is applied.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a schematic configuration of the developing device 1. The developing device 1 shown in FIG. 1 includes a developing housing 2 made of a synthetic resin material, and a toner housing (container) 3 is formed in the developing housing 2. A rectangular toner inlet 6 for introducing toner from the toner cartridge 5 is formed in the upper part of the toner container 3 in the drawing. The cartridge mounting portion 9 for detachably mounting the cartridge is formed (see FIG. 2).

The developing housing 2 has a developing roller 10 pressed against a photosensitive member (not shown), a supply roller 11 pressed against the developing roller 10, and a toner amount (thickness of the toner layer) of the developing roller 10. Toner regulating means 1 for regulating
2 are arranged. Among them, the toner regulating means 1
2, a blade 13 made of a hard material such as glass is pressed against the outer periphery of the developing roller 10 by the spring force of the coil spring 15, and the thickness of the toner layer on the outer periphery of the developing roller 10 is adjusted by the blade 13 to a desired thickness. The thickness is regulated.

A rotary shaft 16 is disposed in the toner container 3 of the developing housing 2 so as to be rotatable. As shown in FIG. 5, the rotary shaft 16 has a small-diameter portion 17 at one end thereof rotatably supported by a bottomed cylindrical bearing 19 which is recessed in the inner wall of the developing housing 2. As shown in FIG. 5 and FIG.
A pair of toner scraping grooves 20 are formed at intervals of 180 degrees in the circumferential direction for guiding the toner that has entered the gap between the bearing 7 and the bearing portion 19 to the toner storage portion 3 (outside the bearing portion 19). The toner scraping groove 20 includes a linear groove 20a extending in the axial direction from an end of the small diameter portion 17, and an inclined groove 20b formed at a predetermined angle from the linear groove 20a. The length of the toner scraping groove 20 in the rotation axis direction is determined so that the toner scraping groove 20 is opened outward of the bearing portion 19.

Here, the inclination direction of the inclined groove portion 20b of the toner scraping groove 20 is determined in consideration of the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 16. That is, in FIG. 5, since the rotation axis rotates in the direction A, the inclined groove portion 20b is formed to be inclined upward and to the left. In other words, the inclined groove 20b
Are formed so as to be inclined at a predetermined angle toward the downstream side in the rotation direction of the rotating shaft 16. Thus, the toner scraping groove 20
Is formed, the toner captured by the linear groove portion 20a can be guided to the outside of the bearing portion 19 along the inclined groove portion 20b. As shown in FIG. 6, the toner ejection groove 20 has a small diameter portion 1 to secure the strength of the small diameter portion 17.
7 is formed to have a predetermined thickness (ΔT).
Further, the toner scraping groove 20 may be constituted only by the inclined groove portion. However, as shown in FIG. 5, if the straight groove portion 20a is provided, the toner scraping groove end portion 20c is no longer at an acute angle, so that the toner scraping groove end portion 20c is less likely to be damaged. Further, the toner scraping groove 2 of the present embodiment
Although 0 indicates a mode in which two are arranged in the outer circumferential direction, the present invention is not limited to this, and only one location may be provided, or two or more locations may be provided. Further, the toner scraping groove 20 may be spirally formed on the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 16.

As a result, the toner scraping groove 20 is reliably opened to the outside of the bearing 19, and the small-diameter portion 1
The toner that has entered the gap between the bearing 7 and the bearing 19 is captured by the toner scraping groove 20, and the toner can be reliably scraped out of the bearing 19 by the toner scraping groove 20. As a result, the driving torque of the rotating shaft 16 does not increase due to the influence of the toner entering the gap between the small diameter portion 17 and the bearing portion 19, and the rotating shaft 16 rotates smoothly.

As shown in FIG. 7, the other end of the rotating shaft 16 has one end of a metal shaft 23 fitted and fixed in a mounting hole 22 of a main body 21 made of a synthetic resin material. Shaft 23
Project through the side wall 25 of the developing housing 2 to the outside. The metal shaft portion 23 is rotatably supported by a bearing 26 having a sealing function attached to a side wall 25 of the developing housing 2.
A gear 27 that meshes with a drive-side gear (not shown) is attached to the distal end of 3.

A toner agitating plate 30 is fixed to the rotating shaft 16 so as to slide on the inner wall 29 of the toner container 3 of the developing housing 2 while being elastically deformed (see FIG. 4). The toner stirring plate 30 rotates together with the rotation shaft 16 (rotates clockwise in FIG. 1), and the vertical wall portion 29a, the inclined wall portion 29b, and the arc-shaped bottom wall portion 29c of the toner container 3 are formed.
The toner is agitated while sliding on. The toner stirring plate 30 is formed of a transparent thin plate made of a synthetic resin material, and has a plurality of rectangular holes 31 formed in two rows at the tip end. The hole 31 of the toner stirring plate 30 is
This is for allowing the toner to escape from between the toner stirring plate 30 and the inner wall 29. Thus, the holes 3 are formed in the toner stirring plate 30.
By providing 1, the toner can be prevented from being pinched and solidified by the toner stirring plate 30 and the inner wall 29 of the toner container 3. By providing the hole 31 in the toner stirring plate 30, the rigidity of the tip side of the toner stirring plate 30 can be adjusted, and the effect that the toner stirring plate 30 can be elastically deformed flexibly can be obtained.

As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, a transparent diaphragm 40 made of a synthetic resin material is attached to the toner inlet 6 of the toner container 3 (see FIG. 3). This diaphragm 4
3 has a pair of horizontal beams 41 extending in the left-right direction in FIG. 3 and a plurality of vertical beams 42 connecting the horizontal beams 41, as shown in detail in FIG. A rectangular hole 43 is formed between the portions 42. Also, this diaphragm 4
Reference numeral 0 indicates that one (upper side in FIG. 3) cross beam portion 41 is further extended, mounting bases 45 are integrally formed at both ends of the cross beam portion 41, and a rectangular fixing piece 4 is attached to the tip of the mounting base 45.
6 (shaded portions in FIG. 3) are integrally formed. The fixing plate 46 is bonded and fixed to both side edges 7 of the toner introduction port at the end of the toner introduction port of the developing housing 2, so that the diaphragm 40 is attached to the toner introduction port 6 in a flexibly deformable state (see FIG. 2). .

Here, the diaphragm 40 is, as described above,
Since the pair of horizontal beams 41 are connected by the plurality of vertical beams 42, the toner stirring plate 30 that rotates together with the rotation shaft 16 can be prevented from protruding toward the toner cartridge 5. Further, the diaphragm 40 is, as described above,
Since the hole 43 is formed in a rectangular shape, a sufficient opening area can be secured, and the toner can be efficiently introduced from the toner cartridge 5 into the toner storage portion 3 of the developing housing 2. A fixing piece 46 located at one end of the vibration plate 40 is fixed to the developing housing 2 on the upstream side in the rotation direction of the toner stirring plate 30 (direction B in FIG. 1).
On the other hand, the horizontal beam portion 41 on the other end side of the vibration plate 40 is located near the end of the toner inlet 6 on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the toner stirring plate 30 (direction B in FIG. 1).

Further, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the diaphragm 51 has a weight 4 above the other (free end side) cross beam portion 41.
7 is fixed with an adhesive or a double-sided tape. Therefore, the vibration plate 40 is configured such that the fixing piece 46 is
As shown in FIG. 1, as a result, the entirety is inward of the toner container 3 (downward in the figure) due to the effect of the weight 47 at the tip.
Deflected to the side. Such a vibration plate 40 is deformed upward in FIG. 1 so that the bending deformation is corrected when the rotating toner stirring plate 30 slides, but does not enter the toner cartridge 5 side. That is, the diaphragm 40
Is such that even if the elastic force of the toner stirring plate 30 acts, the deformation is such that it does not enter the toner cartridge 5 side.
Its strength and weight 47 are designed. Then, when the toner stirring plate 30 that has been in sliding contact with the vibration plate 40 comes off,
Due to the weight of the weight 47, it is bent downward in FIG.
Vibrates in the middle arrow direction. As a result, the peak of the toner in the toner container 3 is broken by the vibrating diaphragm 40.
The weight 47 is formed of a synthetic resin, metal, or the like, and a material that matches the design conditions is appropriately selected.

When the toner runs out, the toner cartridge 5 is pulled out to the right in FIG. 1 from the cartridge mounting portion 9 of the developing housing 2 and separated from the developing housing 2. At this time, as described above, since the vibration plate 40 does not protrude toward the toner cartridge 5 and the toner stirring plate 30 is prevented from protruding toward the toner cartridge 5 by the vibration plate 40, the toner stirring plate 30 The vibration plate 40 is not damaged by the toner cartridge 5.

According to the present embodiment as described above, power is transmitted to the rotating shaft 16 via the gear 27,
When the toner is rotated clockwise in FIG. 1 (direction B), the inner wall surface 29 (vertical wall portion 29a, inclined wall portion 29b, and arc-shaped bottom wall portion 29c) of the toner container 3 is elastically deformed. ), And agitates the toner in the toner storage unit 3 while sliding. At this time, even if the toner has entered the gap between the rotating shaft 16 and the bearing portion 19, the toner is caught by the toner scraping groove 20 of the rotating shaft 16 and the toner
It is scraped out of the bearing 19 along the 0 inclined groove 20b. Therefore, according to the present embodiment, the rotating shaft 16
Toner can be prevented from accumulating in the gap between the rotating shaft 16 and the bearing portion 19, and the resistance acting on the rotating shaft 16 can be reduced. The moving toner stirring plate 30 makes it possible to stir the toner smoothly. As a result, in the present embodiment, the driving torque of the rotating shaft 16 can be reduced,
The power consumption of the developing device 1 can be reduced.

According to the present embodiment, the small-diameter portion 17 of the rotating shaft 16 is rotatably supported by the bottomed cylindrical bearing portion 19, so that the toner is rotatable between the rotating shaft 16 and the bearing. No leakage to the outside of the toner storage section 3 from the gap with the section 19.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the bottomed cylindrical bearing 19 is provided on the inner wall 29 of the toner container 3,
Since the small diameter portion 17 of the rotating shaft 16 is supported by the bearing portion 19, the small diameter portion 1 of the rotating shaft 16 is
A seal member for hermetically sealing the developing device 7 is not required, the number of components can be reduced, the cost of the developing device 1 can be reduced, and the assembling work of the rotating shaft 16 to the toner container 3 becomes easy.

In the above-described embodiment, the mode in which the structure of the rotating shaft support portion in the toner container is applied to the developing device 1 has been described.
However, it is not limited to this. That is, the present invention can be applied to various devices such as a toner cartridge and a cleaning device that stir, transport, supply, and process toner.
This is because, in each device that handles these toners, a rotation shaft is arranged as an auger, a toner stirring rod, a power transmission shaft, and the like in a container that stores the toner.

[0030]

As is apparent from the above description, according to the present invention, a rotating shaft is rotatably disposed in a container containing toner, and one end of the rotating shaft is recessed in the inner wall of the container. A rotating shaft supporting portion structure in the toner container supported by the portion, wherein one end of the rotating shaft receives the toner that has entered the gap between the one end of the rotating shaft and the bearing portion when the rotating shaft rotates. Since the toner ejection groove that leads to the outside is formed, the rotational resistance of the rotating shaft caused by toner entering the gap between one end of the rotating shaft and the bearing part can be reduced, and the driving torque of the rotating shaft can be reduced. can do.

Further, according to the present invention, the toner scraping groove is
Since it is formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle from the end on one end side of the rotation shaft toward the downstream side in the rotation shaft rotation direction, and is formed to have a length in the rotation axis direction that opens outward from the bearing portion,
The toner caught in the toner ejection groove can be reliably ejected to the outside of the bearing portion along the toner ejection groove, and the rotational resistance acting on the rotating shaft can be reduced.

Further, according to the present invention, the toner scraping groove is
A linear groove extending in the axial direction from an end on one end side of the rotary shaft, and an inclined groove formed at a predetermined angle from the linear groove toward the downstream side in the rotational direction of the rotary shaft; The toner trapped in the linear groove portion can be reliably scraped out of the bearing portion along the inclined groove portion. Further, by forming the linear groove portion as in the present invention, the end portion of the toner scraping groove can be hardly damaged.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a front cross-sectional view of a developing device according to an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a plan view showing a part of the developing device with the part omitted.

FIG. 3 is a plan view of a diaphragm.

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a toner stirring plate.

FIG. 5 is an enlarged sectional view of a structure of a support portion of a rotating shaft.

FIG. 6 is a front view of one end of a rotating shaft.

FIG. 7 is an enlarged sectional view of the other end of the rotating shaft.

[Explanation of symbols]

 3 toner storage unit (container) 16 rotating shaft 17 small-diameter portion (one end side) 19 bearing unit 20 toner scraping groove 20a linear groove unit 20b inclined groove unit 29 ・ ・ ・ Inner wall

 ──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continuing from the front page (72) Inventor Takeshi Aoki 1-2-2, Tamazo, Chuo-ku, Osaka City, Osaka Inside Mita Industries Co., Ltd.

Claims (3)

[Claims] A rotating shaft is rotatably arranged in a container containing toner, and one end of the rotating shaft is supported by a bottomed cylindrical bearing recessed in an inner wall of the container. In the rotating shaft support structure, a toner scraping groove is formed at one end of the rotating shaft to guide toner that has entered the gap between the one end of the rotating shaft and the bearing to the outside of the bearing when the rotating shaft rotates. A structure of a rotating shaft support in the toner container. 2. The rotating shaft, wherein the toner scraping groove is formed to be inclined at a predetermined angle from an end on one end side of the rotating shaft toward the downstream side in the rotating direction of the rotating shaft, and is open to the outside of the bearing portion. 2. The structure of a rotating shaft support portion in a toner container according to claim 1, wherein the structure is formed to have a length in the direction. 3. A linear groove extending axially from one end of the rotating shaft in an axial direction, and an inclined groove formed at a predetermined angle from the linear groove toward the downstream side in the rotational direction of the rotating shaft. 2. The structure of a rotary shaft support portion in a toner container according to claim 1, wherein the rotary shaft has a length extending in an axial direction of the rotary shaft and opens outward of the bearing portion.