JPS6129870A - Developer supply vessel - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a contamination of a peripheral part due to scattering of a developer and facilitate supplying a developer by not detaching a developer vessel consisting of flexible material after supply of the developer to attach a next developer vessel and supplying the developer from vessels successively. CONSTITUTION:An attaching metallic tool 11a of a developer vessel Sa is driven into a hopper metallic tool 15 to attach the vessel Sa to a hopper 14. When a lever 16 is drawn up, a needle-shaped edged tool 18 pierces and breaks a part of a breakable seal 13a, and a developer T is dropped into the hopper 14. When a metallic tool 11b of the second developer vessel Sb is driven into the attaching metallic tool 11a of the developer vessel Sa thereafter, the first vessel Sa is folded like bellows in the peripheral part, and its ceiling part is stretched near a breakable seal 13b of the second developer vessel. When they are broken by the needle-shaped edged tool, the developer T is dropped into the hopper. Thus, developer vessels are piled and used without detaching, and scattering of the developer is prevented.

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] [Industrial Application Field] The present invention relates to a developer replenishing container for replenishing developer to a developing device such as an electrostatic recording device, an electrostatic recording device housing, or an electrophotographic copying device. It is related to.

[Prior art]

In general, in an electrostatic recording device, an electrostatic latent image on a charge holding body is developed in a developing section, and a toner image is formed by applying developer, and then transferred and fixed onto the entire recording paper. things are being done. Since the developer is consumed along with development, it is necessary to constantly replenish the developer to the developing section according to consumption, and a developer hopper is provided as a storage section for the developer to be replenished. A considerable amount of developer is stored in the developer hopper, and the developer is replenished from the developer container before this is consumed. Toner as a developer is a smooth powder resin with a diameter of several μill to several tens of μm and is extremely easily scattered.゛The developer flows down from the mouth of the developer container as if it were a liquid, and at that time, it scatters and a large amount of developer floats in the air, and the developer floating outside from the developer hopper opening is captured by the electrostatic recording device. This will also contaminate the room where this equipment is installed.

Various measures have been taken to prevent contamination. For example, there is a method of storing developer for replenishment in a cartridge, bottle-shaped container, plastic bag, etc., and connecting it directly to the hopper of the developing device to replenish the developer or replace the developing device itself. After a supply container such as a cartridge, bottle-shaped container, or plastic bag is combined with a popper to finish replenishing developer, when the supply container is removed and replaced, the developer remaining in the container scatters and contaminates the surrounding area. Furthermore, it is not common to replace the developing device itself due to its cost and size.

[Purpose of the invention]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION An object of the present invention is to provide a developer replenishment container that prevents contamination of an apparatus and its surroundings due to developer scattering and that allows easy replenishment of developer.

[Structure of the invention]

The present invention aims to achieve the above-mentioned object, and provides a container partially or entirely made of a flexible material for containing a developer therein, the containers being connected together for successive development. This is achieved by a developer replenishment container characterized by being able to replenish developer.

〔Example〕

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a developer supply container and a hopper of a first embodiment of the present invention. A bag-shaped container 12a made of a very thin flexible material such as vinyl or rubber has male screws 111a on the outer and inner peripheries.

A mounting bracket 11a provided with a female thread 112a is used for joining. Powdered developer '1' is stored in the container 12a,
tiRPhi rJ corresponding to the opening of the mounting bracket 11H
: Made of durable materials such as thin vinyl and rubber.
(III' is sealed with a breakable seal 13a.) By doing this, the developer stored inside will not scatter to the outside during storage, transportation, installation, etc., and can be handled with confidence. Mounting bracket 11a1 container 12a.

A developer container 3a is formed including the breakable seal 13a.

A box-shaped hopper], on the ceiling position of 1, there is a fixedly installed hombar fitting 15 provided with a female screw 151 for attaching the developer container 3a, and a box-shaped hopper 14 is gripped close to the popper fitting 15. The lever 16 with the bearing 19
A connecting bar 17 having a needle-like cutter 18 is provided at the lower end of the lever 16. A biased spring 2 is provided between the bearing 9 and the connecting bar 7.
A knife 18 that has 0 and is always integrated with the lever 16.
It acts to push down.

Figures 1 and 2 show a state in which the developer container Fla shown in Figure 1 is attached to the hopper 14, the breakable seal 13a is broken with the knife 18, and the developer T is dropped into the hopper 14. .Align the male screw 1lla of the mounting bracket 11a (1) of the developer container Sa with the female screw 151 of the hopper bracket 15, and screw the developer container Sa to attach it to the hopper bracket 15. When the lever 16 is pulled up against the tension of the spring IO, , a needle-like blade 18 fixed to the lever 16 is connected to the developer container 8.
pierce a part of the breakable seal 13a of a. The breakable seal 13a is adhered to the outer edge of the mounting member 11a with sufficient tension, and the pressure of the upper developer T is applied.
Part of it.

When the breakable seal 13a ruptures, the breakable seal 13a ruptures and the developer container S
The developer T stored inside a falls into the popper 14. In this case, since the housing 14 and the developer container 8a are firmly connected with a metal fitting, the developer T will not be scattered to the outside. If the top of the breakable seal 13a is sealed with a non-breakable sealing material, the breakable seal 13a will not be accidentally ruptured during storage, transportation, etc., making it even safer. This non-breakable seal can be removed before connecting the next container.

Figures 1 and 3 (a) show the second developer container Sb being attached on top of the first developer container Sa attached to the hopper 14, and Figure 3 (b) shows the developer container Sa attached to the hopper 14. Align the female thread 112a on the inside of the metal fitting 11a showing the state in which the developer container sb is attached with the male thread 111b on the outside of the mounting metal fitting 11b of the second developer container sb, and screw them together.

By screwing in the developer container sb, the 91st container 1
Around 2 a., it folds like a bellows and the valley is 4m12.
The ceiling part a is close to the breakable seal 13b of the second developer container 8b and is turned around. 1st developer container S
Place the second developer container s on top of a without removing it.
b is attached, so the developer will not scatter.

Next, as shown in Figures 1 and 2, the lever 16 is pulled up to raise the blade 18 and break through both the breakable seal 13b and the ceiling of the container 12a. Breakable seal 13
Since both the developer container sb and the ceiling of the container 12a are stretched, they easily burst, and the developer T stored in the second developer container sb falls into the hopper 14. Similarly, as many developer containers as there are available can be stacked and used without removing them. Similarly, in this way, the developer containers piled up as developer is replenished,
It can be removed by service personnel during regular servicing.

Instead of making the entire f4js container 12+1 from a material with high quality, only the ceiling part of the container 12a is made breakable, the other parts of the container 12a are made non-breakable, and the breakable ceiling part of 12a is made non-breakable. If a breakable sealing material is pasted 9, it will not be torn again and safety will be improved.

Figure 4 (a) shows a second embodiment of the present invention. This embodiment is similar to that shown in the first embodiment, with a container 2 made of a flexible material.
There is an opening in the lower part of 2a, in which there is an outer bayonet-fitting metal fitting 21a, and a breakable seal 23a is adhered to the outer surface thereof. The ceiling of the container 22a has an upper fitting 26a fitted with an inner bayonet, and a protective seal 27a is adhered to the outer surface of the metal fitting 26a to protect the ceiling of the container 22a.

A hopper metal fitting 25 fitted with an inner bayonet is fixed to an opening in the ceiling of the hopper 24. Protective seal 27a
This is to protect the ceiling of the container 22a during storage, transportation, etc., and when attaching it to the hopper 24, cut it off, peel it off, and remove it. The developer container Ka is attached to the hopper 24 by bayonet fitting, and the developer T is dropped into the hopper 24 by breaking through the breakable seal 23a with a knife 18, as in the embodiment. spear 4 Φ
) shows a state in which the second developer container Kb is bayonet-coupled on top of the first developer container Ka without removing it. In this embodiment, the 2'4th developer container Kb has its mounting bracket 21b connected to the first developer container K.
It is connected by bayonet fitting to an upper mounting bracket 26a provided on the ceiling of the ceiling.

Note that, as shown in the previous two examples, there are coupling methods such as taper fitting in addition to screw fitting and bayonet fitting for the mounting fittings for attaching the developer container.

Figures 5 (a), Φ), and (C) show embodiment 3 of the present invention, which is an example of connection by tapered fitting. A hopper metal fitting 35 is fixed to the hopper 34 to which a funnel-shaped developer container is attached. On the other hand, the developer container pb is connected to the hopper metal fitting 3.
A flexible container 32a is glued to the open end of the conical fitting 31a that fits the taper of 5, and a breakable seal 33a is stretched on the other end. The developer container Pa is placed on the hopper fitting 35 of the hopper 34 with the taper aligned. After being attached in this manner, the breakable seal 33a is ruptured with a knife (not shown) as shown in the previous two examples, causing the developer to fall. Figure 5(b) shows a state in which the ceiling of the container 32a has descended inward after the developer inside has been replenished.

Figure 5 (C) shows a state in which a second developer container PB having the same taper is stacked on the first developer container PaO.

〔Effect of the invention〕

According to the present invention, even after replenishment of developer is completed, the next developer container is stacked and attached to the hopper without being removed from the hopper, and the developer container with a large capacity can be refilled. Since the containers can be stacked and used, there is no contamination caused by the developer that occurs when the developer container is removed, and the developer replenishment container can be easily replenished. It was decided to be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

Figure 1 shows a cross-sectional view of the developer container and hopper according to the first embodiment of the present invention. Figure 2 shows the developer container installed in the hopper and replenishing the developer inside. indicates the condition,
Figures 3 (a) and 3 (b) show the state in which the second developer container is attached. Figure 4 (a) shows a sectional view of the developer container and hopper of the second embodiment. Figure 4 shows the second developer container attached to Q)). Spear 5 (a), Φ), (C
) shows the developer container and hopper of the third embodiment, and FIG. 5 (C) shows the state in which the second developer container is attached. 11a, 21a, 31a, 1lb121b131b・-
・-・-Mounting bracket, 12a, 22a132a112b
, 22b. 32b... Container, 13a, 23a, 33a, 1
3b, 23b133b... Breakable seal, 14
．． 24.34...Hopper 15.25.35.
...Hocher gold, 16...Lever, 1
7... Connecting metal fittings, 18... Cutlery, 19
...Bearing, 20...Spring, 26a...
...Top mounting bracket, 27a...Protective seal, T...Developer, 5a18b, KaSKb. Pa, Pb... Developer material container〇 Agent Patent attorney No. 1) Parent-in-law
70

Claims (3)

[Claims] (1) A container that is partially or entirely made of a flexible material and that stores developer therein, and the developer can be sequentially replenished by connecting the containers without removing the used container. A developer replenishment container characterized by being able to. (2) At least a portion of the container is made of a breakable material, and the breakable material portion forms an opening when the containers are connected. developer supply container. (3) The container is provided with two openings, at least one of the openings is sealed with a sealant, and the opening is created by peeling off the sealant or drilling a hole when the containers are connected. A developer supply container according to claim 1.