JPS5936268A - Toner receiving device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent the detachment of a toner container due to misoperation during toner supplementation and to prevent the leakage of toner, by providing a locking member which prevents the toner container from detachment when the opening/closing lid of a receiving device equipped with the toner container is opened. CONSTITUTION:The locking member 26 is provided at the left end of the intermediate lid 22 of the toner receiving device 2. The member 26 consists of a lock pawl member 261 and a lower locking plate 262 coupled together in one body and is slidable to left and right; it is pressed to right by a compression spring 234, but the lower plate 262 is normally pressed to left by the front end part 2302 of the opening/closing lid 23 of the toner container 23 and no locking operation is performed. When the opening/closing lid 23 is drawn to right while the toner container 1 is attached to the device 2, the lock pawl member 261 is pressed to right by the spring 234 to engage and lock the flange part of the container 1. Consequently, the container 1 is not detached by mistake during toner supplementation and the leakage of toner is prevented, and the contamination is prevented.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to an improvement in a toner receiving device for receiving toner in a separately prepared toner container unit in an electrostatic recording device using a dry type developer.

In an electrostatic recording device that uses a dry two-component developer or an electrostatic recording device that uses a -component toner, the toner is consumed as copies are made, and after a large number of copies have been made, the toner is used up. It will be necessary to replenish. Generally, toner is supplied from a toner receiving unit containing toner to a toner receiving device (hopper) of an electrostatic recording device.
This is done by replenishing the Toner is a powder with an average particle size of more than 10 microns and is easily scattered.When replenishing toner by attaching a toner response unit to the toner receiving opening of the hopper, toner may leak out or It often scatters and contaminates the surrounding area. Further, toner contamination often occurs due to incorrect operation during installation of the toner container unit or during other operations. Furthermore, if the toner container unit is mistakenly removed during toner replenishment, the toner will scatter around the device, making it difficult to control the toner in many cases.

The present invention is aimed at preventing toner contamination in the vicinity of the hopper due to careless operation. In the toner receiving device, the sliding lid of the toner container unit is opened and closed by opening and closing the opening/closing lid of the receiving device opening, and a lock that prevents the toner container unit from being removed while the opening/closing lid is opened. This is achieved by a toner receiving device characterized in that it is provided with a member.

Hereinafter, the present invention will be explained in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, the structure of the toner container unit will be explained, and then the structure and operation of the toner receiving device (hopper) of the present invention to which the toner container unit is attached and which receives toner replenishment will be explained.

FIG. 1 is an external view of the toner container unit 1, showing a case where the opening is sealed with a film-like sheet, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view in this state (a static cross-sectional view of FIG. 1). show.

In the figure, reference numeral 11 denotes a container body, which has a cylindrical shape with at least one end open, and is made of plastic, paper, or the like. 12 is a fixed lid, but the fixed lid 12 may be integrally molded with the container body 11 as a plastic molded product.

Reference numeral 13 denotes a mouthpiece, which is attached to the open end of the container body 11. Note that the container body 11 may be made of plastic and may be integrally molded together with the mouthpiece 13. This mouthpiece 13 has protrusions 131 (FIG. 3) on the left and right sides with respect to the sliding direction, which engage with a sliding portion of a sliding lid 15, which will be described later.

Reference numeral 14 denotes a film-like sheet covering the opening 132 of the mouthpiece 13, which covers the circumferential surface of the opening 1320 and covers the mouthpiece 3.
It is releasably adhered to the lower end surface 133 of the , for example, with an adhesive. The leading end 141 of this film-like sheet 14 is adhesively fixed to a leading end fixing part 1321 near one end of the opening 132, and after being releasably adhered to the lower end 133, the extension part is attached to a sealed end near the other end of the opening 132. The rear end 142 is adhesively fixed to a rear end fixing portion 1322 corresponding to the outer surface of the sliding direction lid 15. As the material of the film-like sheet 14, a polyester film or the like is used, which is flexible and strong against breakage.

Reference numeral 15 denotes a sliding lid which serves both to protect the film-like sheet 14 for sealing during storage or transportation, and for opening the lid, and is made of metal, plastic, or the like. This slide i15 is provided with a slide groove 151 that engages with the protrusion 131 of the base portion 13.

As is clear from the sectional view of FIG. 2, the toner inside the container body 11 is supported by both the film-like sheet 14 and the slide lid 15 during storage or transportation.

Fig. 3 is an external view of the toner container unit 1 when toner is replenished, and Fig. 4 is a wt side view in this state (BB in Fig. 3).
Fig. 5 shows an external view in the same state as seen from diagonally below.

When the slide lid 15 is pulled out in the direction of the fixed part 1321 (1322) (rightward in the figure), the film-like sheet 14 is also pulled as the slide lid 15 moves, and the opening 13
It is gradually peeled off from the other end side of the lower end surface 133 of 2.

When the slide lid 15 is fully pulled out to the right,
The opening 132 is almost open, and the container body 11
The toner T inside is replenished by falling.

When the toner supply is completed, slide the slide lid 15 to the left. The film-like sheet 14 that was peeled off earlier also returns to its original position, returning to the state shown in FIG. Then,
From the copier hopper to the toner container unit 1, which will be explained next.
is removed.

Next, the toner receiving device (hopper) 2 of the present invention will be explained. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the toner receiving device, FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a main part thereof, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the opening/closing lid. 9.10.11 all show cross sections of the toner receiving device 2, and FIG. 9 is a cross sectional view showing a state in which the toner container unit 1 is not attached. FIG. 10 is a sectional view showing a state in which only the toner container unit 1 is installed. FIG. 11 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the toner container unit 1 is installed and then a knob 25, which will be described later, is moved to the right in the figure to open the lid. Moreover, FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing the z-Z cross section in FIG. 8. Figure 13 is an exploded perspective view showing how the components of the toner receiving device 2 of the present invention are attached.

First, the structure of the toner receiving device 2 of the present invention will be explained with reference to FIG. An upper lid 21 and an inner lid 22 are integrally fixed to the upper surface of the toner receiving device 2. The upper lid 21 is made of molded synthetic resin and has an upper lid opening 211, and the inner lid 2
2 is also made of molded synthetic resin, and has an inner lid opening 221 at the position corresponding to the upper lid opening 211. The openings 211 and 221 are openings for attaching the toner container unit 1. In addition, a long hole 21 is provided in the upper lid 21 for moving the knob 25.
There are 2.

It is held between the upper lid 21 and the inner lid 22 and slides to open the opening 2.
There is an opening/closing lid 23 for opening and closing 11.221.

The opening/closing lid 23 is also made of molded synthetic resin and has a knob 2 at one end.
31 is fixedly installed, the tip of which passes through the elongated hole 212 of the upper lid 21 and emerges from the upper surface of the upper lid 21, and a knob 25 is attached and swung. The other end of the opening/closing lid 23 has an inclined surface projecting upward, and a blade 232 made of a thin elastic plate is attached to this.

A compression spring 233 is provided at the right end of the opening/closing lid 23, and the compression spring 233 comes into contact with a rising portion 241 provided on the end face of the sliding plate 24 that slides, causing the sliding plate 24 to move to the left in the figure. I'm pushing towards you. The other end surface of the sliding plate 24 is bent to form a U-shaped portion 242, and the opening/closing lid 23 is sandwiched between the U-shaped portions 2420.
It is formed of a U-shaped portion 242.

A push-up spring A222 and a push-up spring B223 are provided on the top surface of the inner lid 22.
is attached to push up the opening/closing lid 23 so that the upper surface of the opening/closing lid 23 is in contact with the back surface of the upper lid 21. The blade 232 is in sliding contact with the sliding surface on the back surface of the upper lid 21, and the blade 232 is in sliding contact with the sliding surface on the back surface of the upper lid 21, and the opening/closing lid 2
3 is for removing toner adhering to the moving surface of the grip 1 when the lid is closed to the left. In addition, a packing 224 made of sponge material is attached to the upper surface of the inner lid 22.
This prevents toner from entering between the opening and closing lid 23 and the opening/closing lid 23.

A stepped portion 23o1 is provided on the upper surface of both sides of the opening/closing M23,
Further, a stepped portion 21o1 is provided on the lower surface of the upper lid 21, and in the closed state (FIG. 9), the opening/closing lid 23 is pushed up by a push-up spring A222 and a push-up spring B223. is engaged with. FIG. 15 shows a situation in which the push-up spring B223 pushes up the opening/closing lid 23, and FIG. 14 shows this engagement relationship.

Further, at the left end of the inner lid 22, there is a locking mechanism according to the present invention.

That is, there is a compression spring 234, which pushes rightward the locking member 26 which is slidable from side to side and is integrally connected with the locking claw member 261 and the lower locking plate 262.

The locking member 26 is a member that attaches and holds the toner container unit 1, and operates as a locking mechanism when the opening/closing lid 23 is opened.
302 prevents the locking member 26 from moving to the right, and the locking mechanism does not operate even if the toner container unit 1 is attached.

The opening/closing lid 23 has a protrusion 2303 that protrudes laterally. This protrusion 2303 has a slide member 271 engaged therewith, which slides within the inner lid 22 as the opening/closing lid 23 moves. The slide member 271 has a shaft 272 at a position perpendicular to the sliding direction and to the left of the opening 221;
A shaft 272 is provided with a leveling plate 28 that is rotatable about the shaft 272.

However, the rotation of the leveling plate 28 in the clockwise direction is stopped at the vertical position by the stopper member 273. It can also be rotated counterclockwise to a horizontal position. (FIG. 11) When the knob 25 is moved to the right and the opening/closing lid 23 is opened, the leveling plate 28 is moved to the right together with the knob 25. Therefore, the leveling plate 28 moves to the right within the toner receiving device M2 while maintaining a vertical posture by the stopper member 273Vc.

In the final stroke of the rightward movement of the leveling plate 28, the protrusion 2201 provided on the lower surface of the inner lid 22 comes into contact with a protruding piece 281 that is a part of the leveling plate 28 and protrudes above the shaft 272. , the leveling plate 28, which was in a vertical position, is pushed counterclockwise to a nearly horizontal position and rotated about 1272, thereby performing an operation similar to distributing toner.

Next, regarding the operation of the toner receiving device 2 explained above,
The description will be given in relation to the loading operation of the toner container unit 1.

FIG. 9 shows a cross section of the toner receiving device 2 in a state before the toner container unit 1 is loaded, and the openings 211 and 221 of the toner receiving device 2 are closed by the opening/closing lid 23. As shown in FIG. The opening/closing lid 23 is pushed up by a push-up spring A222 and a push-up spring B223, and the back surface of the top lid 21 and the top surface of the opening/closing lid 23 are in close contact with each other at the periphery, so that the toner in the toner receiving device 2 does not leak to the outside. Further, since the stepped portion 2101 provided on the back surface of the upper lid 21 and the stepped portion 2301 provided on the upper surface of the opening/closing lid 23 are engaged with each other, even if an attempt is made to move the knob 25 to the right, it is locked and will not move. That is, the openings 211 and 221 are locked in a closed state by the opening/closing lid 23.

The toner container unit 1 is inserted into the opening 211 of the toner receiving device 2 in the direction of arrow S (FIG. 9) from its fixed portion 1321 (1322) side. Toner container unit 1
The rear end (right end in the figure) of the slide lid 15 contacts the rising portion 241 of the sliding plate 24, and the compression screw 233 is compressed and dropped into the opening 221 to be loaded. (
Fig. 10) Here, the sliding plate 24 is! , move to the right and tilt the tip of the slide lid 15. This prevents toner from adhering to the opening/closing lid 23 when the lid is opened.

Furthermore, when the toner container unit 1 is loaded, the opening/closing lid 23, which had been pushed up by the push-up spring A222 and the push-up spring B223, sinks 12 degrees downward (Fig. 14), and the opening/closing lid 23 sinks downward by 12 degrees (Fig. The lock caused by the engagement is released, and the knob 25 can be moved to the right (in the direction of arrow R in FIG. 10).

Then, when the knob 25 is pulled to the right, the stepped portion 2304 of the opening/closing lid 23 will slide into the sliding lid 15 of the toner container unit 1.
Since it is locked with the tip, it moves to the opening/closing lid 23.

When the opening/closing lid 23 moves to the right, the tip of the opening/closing lid 23
The locking member 26 of the present invention, whose movement was uniformly stopped by 2302, is moved to the right by the biased compression spring 234, and the toner container unit] is moved to the right by the locking claw member 261.
Therefore, it is attached and held and locked. When the toner container unit 1 and the opening/closing lid 23 are opened, the lock part is closed; ((' 26
Toner capacity 1+1) unit 1
cannot be removed.

By moving the opening/closing lid 23 to the right, the toner container unit)
The toner in 1 falls into the toner receiving device 2. Delayed by this fall, the leveling plate 28, which maintained a vertical posture, moves nine times as if sweeping to the right inside the toner receiving device 2, smoothing out the piled up toner and carrying it to the right. Evenly distribute the toner inside. Furthermore, at the end of the final stroke of the hammer, the leveling plate 28 operates to raise it counterclockwise.
It acts to send the toner to the right.

In addition, in the process of opening the opening/closing lid 23 and the sliding lid 15, in order to ensure that the toner inside the toner container unit 1 falls into the toner receiving device 2, the opening/closing lid 23 and/or the sliding upper lid 21 are The sliding part is provided with unevenness, and the robot moves along this unevenness. Therefore, when the opening/closing lid 23 is moved to the right, vibrations occur, and the toner solidified in the toner container unit 1 due to the temperature or the like also falls due to the vibrations.

After toner is replenished, turn knob 25 to the left (11th
(in the direction of arrow T in the figure) to return to the state shown in FIG. 10. Since the blade 232 is in sliding contact with the sliding surface on the back surface of the upper lid 21 during movement, the toner adhering to the sliding surface is removed when the toner falls, and the opening/closing lid 23 is always moved smoothly.

When the opening/closing lid 23 is moved to the left, the leveling plate 28, which was in a vertical position, rotates counterclockwise about the shaft 272 and moves the toner to the left as shown by the chain link in FIG. The toner returns to its original state by sliding on the surface of the toner without having to carry it.

When the opening/closing lid 23 is closed, the sliding lid 15 is also closed,
The film-like sheet 14 that was peeled off first also returns to its original state.

Also, by closing the opening/closing lid 23, the toner container unit 10
The locking member 26 of the present invention, which has been engaged and locked with the mouthpiece 13, is pushed and retracted to the left, and the toner container unit 1 is unlocked. Insert the toner container unit 1 into the opening 2
11, the opening/closing lid 23 is pushed upward by 12 degrees by push-up springs A222 and B223, and the stepped portions 23o1 and 2101 are engaged and locked, and the knob 25 is moved to open the lid. It becomes impossible to cover it.

The toner receiving device according to the present invention described above not only prevents the toner from leaking out or scattering when replenishing toner with the toner container unit attached, but also prevents the toner container unit from being removed by mistake while the lid is being opened. A safety device has been installed to prevent the equipment from becoming contaminated due to erroneous operation.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

1, 3 and 5 show perspective views of the external appearance of the toner container unit, and FIGS. 2 and 4 show sectional views thereof. 6 and subsequent figures show the toner receiving device, FIG. 6 is a perspective view, FIG. 7 is a sectional view of a main part thereof, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of an opening/closing lid. Moreover, FIGS. 9, 10, and 11 show cross sections of three modes, FIG. 12 is a Z-Z sectional view of FIG. 11, and FIG. 13 is an exploded perspective view. Moreover, FIG. 14 shows the engagement of the stepped portion, and FIG. 15 is a sectional view of the main part showing the relationship between the push-up spring and the opening/closing lid. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Toner container unit 2... Toner receiving device 13... Mouth part 14... Film-like sheet 15... Slide lid 21
...Top lid 22...Inner lid 23...
・Opening/closing lid 24...Sliding plate 25...
Knob 26... Lock member 28... Leveling plate 211.221... Opening 222, 2
23... Push-up spring 2101.2301... Step part
234...Compression spring 261...Lock claw member
262...Lock bottom board agent Yoshimi Kuwabara

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) When a toner container unit having a sliding lid at the container opening is attached to the receiving device opening and the opening/closing lid of the receiving device opening is opened or closed, the sliding lid of the toner container unit is opened/closed by νC. A toner receiving device according to the present invention, further comprising a locking member that prevents the toner container unit from being removed while the opening/closing lid is opened. (2) The toner receiving device according to claim 1, wherein the locking member also serves as a member for attaching and holding the toner container unit.