JPH0452761Y2 - - Google Patents

Description

[Detailed Description of the Invention] (Industrial Application Field) The present invention relates to a developer supply container with an opening of the type that rotates within a developing device when supplying developer.

The present invention can be used in electrophotographic devices, process cartridges, and toner supply containers.

(Prior art) Conventionally, this type of container had a cylindrical outer shape, and both ends and the middle part had a uniform outer shape, so when the container was rotated in the developing device, the entire outer surface of the container was covered. It comes in direct sliding contact with the developer in the developing device, and as a result, a large amount of developer adheres to the entire outer surface of the container, which has the disadvantage that when the container is removed and disposed of, it is easy to stain hands and clothes with the developer. Ta.

(Purpose of the invention) The present invention was developed in view of the above-mentioned drawbacks, and is a developer that can significantly reduce the amount of developer that remains on the outer surface and prevent the container from staining hands, clothes, and the surrounding area after being supplied. The purpose is to provide a supply container.

(Summary of the invention) A developer replenishment container of the invention that achieves the above object includes a container body containing a developer, and arc-shaped flange members provided at both longitudinal ends of the container body, In a developer supply container that can be inserted into and removed from a developing device and is rotated within the developing device to discharge the developer into the developing device from an opening of the container body, the outer surface of the container body has a plurality of flat surfaces. The developer replenishment container is characterized in that it has a polygonal shape, and the polygonal cross section is inscribed in the boundary between the rotating region of the flange member and the outer region thereof.

(Example) Figure 1 shows an example of the present invention, in which 1 is the container body, 2
3 is a developer discharge opening, 3 is a film that seals the opening 2, 4 is a cap that closes the developer filling port, and 5 is a flange provided at both longitudinal ends of the container. FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken in a direction perpendicular to the longitudinal direction of the developer container shown in FIG.
FIG. 3 shows a conventional developer container of this type, and FIG. 4 is a sectional view similar to FIG. 2 of FIG.

As shown in FIG. 2, the container main body 1 has container inner planes 11 and 12 that form the opening 2 that are parallel to each other, and surrounding planes 13 and 1 that connect the surfaces 11 and 12.
4 and 15, and the outer surface of the container corresponding to the opening has a polygonal shape with many surrounding surfaces. The planes 11 and 12 forming the opening may be arranged so that they are spaced apart from each other in a manner that widens toward the opening 2 (indicated by the broken line in FIG. 2), instead of being parallel to each other. In order to increase the amount, it is preferable to provide them in a parallel positional relationship.

Characteristic parts of the configuration in FIG. 2 are the ends 16 and 17 of the planes 11 and 12 forming the opening 2 at the boundary with the outside of the rotating region of both end flanges 5, and the intersection 18 of each plane shown in the figure. ,19,20,21
The point is that this is provided. As in this configuration, the surrounding area is polygonal and the configuration is not just curved surfaces, so
When there is a large amount of developer in the developing device, the problem of the developer adhering to the periphery of the container 1 when the container 1 rotates can be solved. This includes ends 16, 17, intersections 18, 1
9, 20, 21 are in the rotation area of the container,
Or by physically removing the developer in the boundary area during rotation. This structure has a great effect compared to the conventional rotating type, which had a circumferential surface and had no removal effect, and was instead provided to come into contact with the developer.

Generally, when supplying developer into the developing device, the developer is supplied when there is almost no developer in the developing device. One of the configurations is fine. However, since the developer supply container 1 is often rotated, it is preferable to provide the developer supply container 1 at both ends of the opening 2. Of course, as in this example, the intersections 18, 19, 2
It is also possible to add a structure that performs this function, such as 0 and 21.

When the developer supply container is disposed close to the sleeve surface of the developing device and configured to rotate, the above-described configuration also achieves the effect of returning the developer that has entered the container insertion portion to the developing sleeve side.

In any case, in this embodiment, since the periphery of the container body corresponding to the opening 1 has a substantially polygonal configuration, the disadvantages caused by the configuration as in the conventional example shown in FIG. 4 can be solved.

Specific examples of effects are shown below.

Pour 200g of developer into each of the containers shown in Figures 1 and 3, remove the film and attach it to the developing device (Figure 5), then rotate the container 180 degrees and discharge the developer with the outlet facing downward. (Figure 6).

Next, in order to ensure that the developer was discharged, the container was returned 180 degrees so that the discharge port faced upward, and then rotated 180 degrees again so that the discharge port faced downward. After repeating this three times, the container was taken out and the degree of dirt on the outer surface of the container was examined. As a result, in the case of the container shown in FIG. 1 in which the present invention was implemented, only a small amount of developer was attached near the ridge line on the outer surface of the bottom, and the amount was 0.2 to 0.3 g. On the other hand, in the case of the conventional container shown in FIG. 3, the developer was adhered to the entire outer surface of the cylinder, and the amount was 0.7 to 4 g.

In addition, this problem is particularly noticeable when the capacity of the developer storage section of the developing device is small and the container and the powder surface at the time of filling are close to each other, or when the developer container is narrow, such as where the developer container is sloped directly below the outlet. effective. FIG. 7 shows an example of this developing device. Reference numeral 51 designates a portion into which a developer container is loaded, 6 a developer accommodating portion, and 7 a developing sleeve. If this developing device is supplied with developer using the conventional container shown in Fig. 3, the developer will accumulate on the sloped surface 8 of the developing device. Adhesion of developer is observed, and developer remains in the container. However, in the case of the container of the present invention shown in Figure 1, even under similar conditions, the amount of developer attached to the surface is less than 0.3g, and the developer staying in the container cannot be moved to the surface of the developing sleeve. did it.

Furthermore, as shown in Fig. 5, when loading the container into the developing device, in the case of the conventional container shown in Fig. 3, the gap between the container and the developing device is small, and the air inside the developing device is blown out from here. At this time, the developer in the developing device also blows out and contaminates the surrounding area, but in the case of the container in which the present invention is implemented as shown in Fig. 2, there is a wide gap between the developing device and the container. Therefore, the air and developer inside the developing device did not blow out.

FIG. 8 shows that the planes 13 to 15 in FIG.
It is provided at the boundary of the rotation area. Each of the planes 11, 12, 22 to 26 in FIG. 8 and each of the planes 11 to 15 in FIG. Located within.

(Effect of the invention) As explained above, in a developer container that rotates to replenish developer after being stored in a developing device, by configuring the container body in a box shape, the developer that adheres to the container after use can be removed. This has the effect of reducing the chance of getting your hands and clothes dirty.

Since the developer container is housed in the developing device when replenishing the developer, it is effective to reduce the scattering of the developer when the developer is discharged and when the film is peeled off.

In addition, by configuring the container body in a box shape,
It has the effect of discharging the developer in a short time without leaving any residue.

The present invention enables the container body to be manufactured by integral mode molding, which has the effect of reducing the number of parts and assembly man-hours.

According to the present invention, developer can be replenished smoothly without staining, and therefore, it is possible to increase the amount of developer filled into the developer container.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing an example of a developer container implementing the present invention, FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of a conventional cylindrical container, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of FIG. 3, and FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing how the developer container is attached to the developer replenishment part of the developing device.
Fig. 6 is a perspective view showing the developer container being rotated 180 degrees to discharge the developer, Fig. 7 is a sectional view showing an example of the developing device, and Fig. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing a modification of Fig. 1. This is a front view. 1 is the main body of the developer container, 2 is the opening of the developer,
3 is a film that seals the discharge port (easy to remove), 4 is a cap that closes the developer filling port,
5 is a flange, 51 is a developer container loading portion of the developing device, 6 is a developer accommodating portion, 7 is a developing sleeve, and 8 is a slope portion of the developer accommodating portion.

Claims (1)

[Claims for Utility Model Registration] A container body containing a developer and arc-shaped flange members provided at both longitudinal ends of the container body, which can be inserted into and removed from a developing device. In a developer replenishment container that is rotated within the container body and discharges the developer into the developing device from the opening of the container body, the outer surface of the container body has a polygonal shape consisting of a plurality of flat parts, and the polygonal cross section is A developer supply container characterized in that the shape is inscribed in a boundary between a rotating region of the flange member and an outer region thereof.