JPH028298Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates to a developer replenishing device used to replenish developer to an image forming apparatus using powdered developer, for example, a developing device such as an electrophotographic copying machine.

Generally, when replenishing developer (hereinafter referred to as toner) to the developing device installed in this type of image forming apparatus, various containers such as bag-shaped, bottle-shaped, etc. are used as replenishment toner containers. , forms are used. When replenishing toner, the lid of the developing device is opened, the opening of the bag is cut, or the cap of the bottle is removed, and the toner is replenished into the developing device. However, in this case, the opening of the container faces downward to replenish toner to the developing device and to attach and remove the container, so toner may scatter when replenishing toner or removing the container from the developing device. ,
There is a risk that the operator's hands and clothes may be soiled, or that the scattered toner may adhere to the inside of the image forming apparatus and impede the normal functioning of various parts within the apparatus body.

This will be explained by taking as an example a case where a toner cartridge is used as a developer supply container. FIG. 1a is a perspective view of a toner cartridge used when replenishing toner. As shown in the figure, toner is contained in a hexahedral container 26 that extends in the longitudinal direction, has a trapezoidal cross section, and has an opening C on one surface (the top surface in the figure). A sticker 27 whose end is pasted to the container 26 at the part A and folded back to become double at the part B is pasted so as to cover the opening 1C of the container 26. Place the toner cartridge with the sealed side facing down, aligning it with the toner replenishment port of the developing device 9, and pull the end 28 of the seal 27 in the direction of the arrow to gradually release the seal 27 from the other end. The toner in the container 26 is peeled off (Fig. 1b) and spills into the developing device 9 (Fig. 2a).
figure). After replenishing the toner to the developing device 9 in this way, when the toner cartridge 26 is removed with the opening facing downward, the toner remaining in the toner cartridge 26 is removed from the developing device as shown in FIG. 2b. It spills out of its designated position.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks and to provide a developer replenishing device that prevents developer from scattering when the developer replenishing container is removed from the developing device.

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

First, an outline of an image forming apparatus to which the present invention relates will be explained. FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing an example of an electrophotographic copying machine, which is a type of image forming apparatus to which the present invention can be applied. The photosensitive drum 1 rotates in the direction of the arrow, and as it rotates, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is uniformly charged by the corona discharger 2. Next, the reflected light image of the original 5 placed on the original platen 4 illuminated by the illumination light source 3 is formed on the photosensitive drum 1 via the mirror 6, lens 7, and mirror 8, and Form a latent image. The latent image is developed by a developing device 9, and the obtained toner image is transferred by a corona discharger 11 onto a transfer paper fed from a paper feed cassette 10.
Note that 12 is a feed roller that feeds the transfer paper from the paper feed cassette 10, and 13 and 14 are timing rollers that feed the transfer paper to the transfer position in synchronization with the image on the drum. After the transfer, the transfer paper is separated from the photosensitive drum 1 by the separation charger 15, the toner image is fixed on the transfer paper by the fixing device 16, and the toner image is discharged to the paper discharge tray 19 by the paper discharge rollers 17 and 18. be done. On the other hand, toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 is scraped off by a cleaner blade 20, collected by a magnet roller 21, scraped off by a scraper 22, and waste toner is collected by a cleaner screw 23. Discharged into a container. Further, unnecessary charges remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 are removed by illumination light from the illumination device 24. Then, the photosensitive drum 1 is charged again by the discharger 2,
Repeat the above process. Although the waste toner collection container is not shown in FIG. 3, it is installed on the front side of the drawing and is adapted to receive waste toner from the cleaner screw 23.

FIG. 4 is an external view of the image forming apparatus. Toner is supplied to the developing device 9 by opening the upper door 25.

5a and 5b respectively show a developing device and a toner cartridge serving as a developer supply container according to an embodiment of the present invention. The opening of the toner cartridge 26 is provided with a seal 27 similar to that shown in FIGS. 1a and 1b. Hinge grooves 29 are provided at both ends of the surface of the toner cartridge 26 where the seal 27 is applied, and hinge protrusions 30 are provided at both ends of the upper surface of the developing device 9 (the surface where the toner supply port 9a is located).
It is becoming more and more engaged.

The shapes of the hinge groove 29 and the hinge protrusion 30 are shown in FIG. 5c. The hinge protrusion 30 has a shape in which a part of a cylinder with a diameter D is symmetrically cut off into a half-moon shape as shown in the figure (the thickness between the parallel surfaces 30a is h), and the parallel surface 30a is symmetrical with respect to the horizontal surface. It's sloped. The hinge groove 29 has a circular groove 29a with a diameter D and a groove 2 with a parallel width H as shown in the figure.
It is composed of a combination of 9b (h<
H).

When replenishing toner, as shown in Figure 5d,
Parallel surface 30a of hinge protrusion 30 and hinge groove 29
Align the parallel surfaces of a and press the toner cartridge 26 obliquely upward so as to push the hinge protrusion 30 into the hinge groove 29 until the hinge protrusion 30 abuts against the inner wall of the hinge groove 29. Then, the toner cartridge 26 is rotated counterclockwise in the direction of the drawing with the hinge protrusion 30 as a pivot, and the sealed surface of the toner cartridge 26 is directed downward to form the toner replenishing port 9a of the developing device. Match. (FIG. 5e) In this state, the seal end 28 is pulled, the seal 27 is peeled off, and toner is replenished into the developing device. When removing the toner cartridge 26 after replenishing toner, rotate the toner cartridge 26 from the position shown in FIG. 5e in the opposite direction (clockwise) about the hinge protrusion 30 to the position shown in FIG. 5d. The toner cartridge 26 cannot be removed from the developing device 9 unless the opening of the toner cartridge 26 is turned upward and the parallel surface of the hinge groove 29a is aligned with the parallel surface 30a of the hinge protrusion 30. ing. Therefore, residual toner in the toner cartridge 26 can be prevented from spilling out of the developing device 9.

In this embodiment, the grooves are provided on the toner cartridge side and the protrusions are provided on the developing device side, but it goes without saying that the protrusions may be provided on the cartridge side and the grooves on the developing device side.

Next, FIGS. 6a and 6b show other embodiments of a developing device and a toner cartridge, respectively, according to the present invention. Guide plates 3 are provided at both ends of the upper surface of the developing device 9.
5. Hinge grooves 33 and 34 are provided, and the hinge protrusions 31 and 32 provided at both ends of the sealed surface of the toner cartridge 26 are adapted to engage with the hinge grooves, respectively. Hinge protrusion 3
1, 32 and the hinge grooves 33, 34 are shown in detail in FIGS. 6c and 6d. The left side of FIG. 6c is a side view of the hinge protrusion, the right side is a front view, and the left side of FIG. 6d is a front view of the hinge groove, and the right side view is a side view. The hinge protrusions 31 and 32 are cylindrical and eccentric, and are adapted to match the hinge grooves 33 and 34, respectively.

When replenishing toner, as shown in Figure 6e,
Place the hinge protrusions 31 and 32 on the guide plate 35 with the sealed surface of the toner cartridge 26 facing upward, and place the toner cartridge 26 with the hinge protrusions 31 and 32 along the hinge grooves 33 and 34. into the developing device 9 until the hinge protrusion 31 hits the back wall of the hinge groove 33. (Fig. 6f) Then, the toner cartridge 26 is rotated counterclockwise in the direction of the figure using the hinge protrusion 31 as a support shaft.
with the sealed side facing downward, aligning it with the toner replenishment port 9a of the developing device 9. (Figure 6g),
In this state, pull the seal end 28 and seal 2
7 and replenish the toner into the developing device. When removing the toner cartridge 26 after replenishing toner, rotate the toner cartridge 26 from the position shown in Fig. 6g in the opposite direction (clockwise) about the hinge protrusion 31 to the position shown in Fig. 6f. If the toner cartridge 26 is not pulled out along the guide plate 35 after being returned and the opening of the toner cartridge 26 faces upward, the hinge protrusion 32 will be blocked by the wall surface of the hinge groove 34 and the toner cartridge 26 cannot be removed from the developing device 9. It seems like there is no such thing.

In addition, in this embodiment, there are protrusions on the cartridge side.
Although the grooves are provided on the developing device side, conversely, the grooves may be provided on the cartridge side and the protrusions may be provided on the developing device side.

As described above, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus that uses a toner cartridge for toner replenishment by providing a rotating hinge portion that removably engages the toner cartridge with a developing device. After opening the seal on the cartridge and replenishing toner, when removing the toner cartridge from the developing device, rotate the toner cartridge around the hinge so that the opening of the toner cartridge is tilted upward. Since the toner cartridge cannot be removed from the developing device unless the toner cartridge is turned, the toner remaining in the toner cartridge may spill out of the developing device and stain the operator's hands or clothes, or the toner may spill out of the developing device. It is possible to prevent problems such as adhesion inside the main body of the image forming apparatus and obstruct the normal functions of various parts, and the structure is simple and inexpensive.

Note that in the above embodiment, as shown in FIG. 4, the structure is such that toner is supplied to the developing device by opening the door 25 at the top of the developing device disposed in the main body of the image forming apparatus. There are configurations in which the developing device is removed from the forming device body to replenish toner, and configurations in which the developing device, photosensitive drum, cleaner section, etc. are integrated, and the integrated parts are pulled out to replenish toner. Of course, the present invention can also be applied to objects.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

Figures 1a and 1b are explanatory diagrams of a conventional toner cartridge for replenishing toner, and Figures 2a and 2b are illustrations of a conventional toner cartridge for replenishing toner.
The figure is an explanatory diagram explaining the drawbacks in its use, FIG. 3 is a sectional view schematically showing an image forming apparatus to which the present invention can be applied, FIG. 4 is an external view of the same, and FIGS. 5a and 5b.
The figure is an external view showing one embodiment of the present invention, Fig. 5c is a detailed view showing the main parts of the embodiment, Figs. 5d and 5e are sectional views for explaining the usage mode of the embodiment, Figures 6a and 6b are external views showing other embodiments of the present invention, Figures 6c and 6d are detailed views showing main parts of other embodiments of the present invention, and Figures 6e to 6g are main views of the present invention. FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the usage of another embodiment of the invention. 9... Developing device, 26... Toner cartridge, 29, 31, 32... Hinge protrusion, 30,
33, 34... Hinge groove.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] There is a developing device that performs development using a powdered developer, and a powdery developer is stored in the developing device by removing the sealing member that seals the opening with the opening facing downward. A hinge protrusion is provided on one side of the developer replenishment container for replenishing the developer, and a hinge groove is provided on the other side to removably engage with the developer replenishment container, so that both of these form a rotating hinge, and the hinge The groove portion is formed with a hinge protrusion passage groove that allows the hinge protrusion to pass through only when the opening of the developer supply container is in an upward state, thereby allowing the developer supply container to be attached to and removed from the developing device. Characteristic developer replenishment device.