JPH047575A - Toner supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To contamination inside of the device and at its periphery by providing a heating element at the position that the folded part of a seal member abuts on when a toner cartridge is mounted completely and providing a projection member which is energized upward by an elastic body at the position where a 2nd chamber is positioned. CONSTITUTION:When the toner cartridge 1 is mounted completely on the toner supply device 2, a microswitch 25 is turned ON and a ceramic heater 22 generates heat instantaneously to raise the temperature of the deposition part of the seal member 8 to its fusion temperature. At this time, the folded part of the seal member 8 abuts on the ceramic heater 22. Consequently, the force which is obtained by a compression coil spring 24 to press up the projection member 23 becomes larger than the deposition force of the seal member 8. Then the seal member 8 is peeled and its majority is pressed in the 2nd chamber 10 by the projection member 23 to supply toner 6 to a copying machine main body through a 1st opening 7 and a toner supply opening 21. Consequently, the contamination inside of the device and at its periphery is eliminated.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention (a) Industrial Application Field This invention relates to a toner supply device, and more specifically, to a toner supply device used in an image forming device such as a copying machine, a printer, or a facsimile. The present invention relates to a toner supply device in which a toner cartridge that is housed and sealed with a seal member is mounted, and the seal member is peeled off by the mounting operation to supply toner.

(B) Conventional technology Conventionally, in order to supply developing toner to an image forming apparatus, the toner is contained and sealed with a sealing member, and the sealing member is peeled off by the operation of attaching it to the toner supplying device of the image forming apparatus. A toner cartridge is used that supplies toner on the spot.

That is, an opening is provided at the bottom of the toner accommodating portion, this opening is covered with a sealing member from one edge to the other edge, the sealing member is folded back at the other edge of the opening, and a claw is provided at the end of the sealing member. A toner cartridge is used in which the sealing member is peeled off by engaging the claw with a protrusion on the main body of the image forming apparatus when the toner cartridge is installed.

(c) Problems to be Solved by the Invention In the toner cartridge as described above, the sealing member is folded back and attached to the opening, so the peeling stroke of the sealing member is approximately twice the length of the opening. length is required.

Therefore, there is a drawback that the size of the cartridge mounting portion in the image forming apparatus becomes large.

Further, the claw portion is fixed to the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is stored or handled, and needs to be detached from the toner cartridge when it is installed. However, it is difficult to keep such a removable claw portion fixed.

In order to solve these problems, the present applicant proposed the following toner cartridge and toner supply device (Japanese Patent Application No. 1-244969).

That is, as shown in FIG. 3, the toner cartridge 51 includes a first chamber 53 in which the toner 52 is accommodated, a second chamber 54 provided near the first chamber 53 and in which the toner 52 is not accommodated; a first opening 56 provided in the first chamber 53 and for supplying the toner 52 to the toner supply device 55;
The second chamber 54 includes a first opening 56 and a second opening 57 adjacent to each other.

This toner cartridge 51 further includes a seal member 63. The seal member 63 is formed into a substantially rectangular sheet, and the end portion 58 is positioned at the inner edge 59 which is the edge on the second opening side of the first opening 56 to seal the entire periphery of the first opening 56. After that, it is folded back at the outer edge 60 of the first opening 56 and arranged to straddle the first opening 56 and the second opening 57, and the other end 61 is placed at or near the outer edge 62 of the second opening 57. It is fixed.

The toner supply device 55 has a mounting opening 64 that guides the side wall of the toner cartridge 51 downward. A protrusion 65 is provided below the mounting opening 64 and is inserted into the second chamber 54 when the toner cartridge 51 is mounted on the toner supply device 55 . A toner supply port 66 is provided below the mounting port 64 for supplying the toner 52 in the toner cartridge 51 to the main body of the image forming apparatus.

According to such toner cartridge 51 and toner supply device 55, the above two problems can be solved.

However, in this toner cartridge 51 and toner supply device 55, the seal member 63 is peeled off before the toner cartridge 51 is completely attached to the toner supply device 55, and the toner 52 is supplied. Therefore, the toner 52 adheres to the inner wall of the toner supply device 55 and becomes dirty. When the toner cartridge 51 is pulled up from the toner supply device 55 to replace the cartridge, the toner 52 adhering to the inner wall is carried away, and the inside and surroundings of the toner supply device 55 become dirty with the toner 52. There is a risk.

Further, as the toner cartridge 51 is installed, the air inside the toner supply device 55 is compressed.

Then, the compressed air escapes to the outside through the gap between the toner cartridge 51 and the toner supply device 55. Along with this, the toner 52 also comes out, so there is a risk that the area around the toner supply device 55 will be contaminated with the toner 52.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned circumstances, and an object of the present invention is to provide a toner supply device that can prevent the inside and surroundings of the toner supply device from being contaminated by toner.

(d) Means for Solving the Problems and Their Effects This invention provides a first tube in which toner is stored and which has a first downward opening.
a second chamber that is provided near the first chamber, does not contain toner, and has a second downward opening that is adjacent to the first opening; and a substantially rectangular sheet; is releasably welded to the entire circumferential edge of the first opening, and the remaining portion is folded back at the outer edge of the first opening to connect the first opening and the second opening.
A toner supply device in which a toner cartridge is installed, which includes a sealing member disposed across an opening, and where the folded portion of the sealing member abuts when the toner cartridge is completely installed. a heating element that generates heat and melts the welded part of the sealing member when the toner cartridge is completely installed, and an elastic body that is located at the location where the second chamber is located when the toner cartridge is completely installed. When the toner cartridge is installed, it is pressed downward by the sealing member, and when the welded part of the sealing member melts due to the heat generation, the sealing member is peeled off and most of it is removed. The toner supply device according to the present invention includes a protrusion member that can be pushed into the second chamber, and the toner supply device according to the present invention is provided with a protrusion member that can be pushed into the second chamber. In addition to providing a heating element, the toner cartridge is characterized in that a protruding member urged upward by an elastic member is provided at a location where the second chamber is located when the toner cartridge is completely installed.

Here, as the heating element, for example, a ceramic heater or a nichrome wire heater is used. The heating element generates heat when the toner cartridge is completely installed in the toner supply device, and melts the welded portion near the folded portion of the sealing member.

Further, the protruding member is urged upward by an elastic body such as a compression coil spring. This protruding member is pressed downward by the sealing member when the toner cartridge is installed. When the welded portion of the seal member melts due to the heat generation, the seal member is peeled off and most of it can be pushed into the second chamber.

The toner supply device of the present invention may further include a locking means for fixing the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is completely installed. Here, as the locking means, for example, a locking member is used, which is horizontally movably provided on the side wall of the toner supplying device and biased inward of the toner supplying device by a tension coil spring or the like.

(E) Example Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail based on one example shown in the drawings. Note that this invention is not limited to this.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, 1 is a toner cartridge, and 2 is a toner supply device of a copying machine into which the toner cartridge 1 is installed. The toner cartridge l has a first chamber 5 formed by a side wall 3 and a top wall 4. 1st room 5
The toner 6 is filled and stored. This first chamber 5 has a first open lower portion facing downward at its lower portion. and,
The first open lower portion is sealed by a portion of the seal member 8.

One of the side walls 3 is provided with a protruding wall 9 at a predetermined distance from the side wall 3. A second chamber I in which the toner 6 is not stored is located between the protruding wall 9 and the side wall 3 thereof.
O is formed. The second chamber 10 has a downwardly directed second opening 11 adjacent to the first open lower portion of the first chamber 5 at its lower portion.

The seal member 8 is formed into a substantially rectangular sheet. Then, after the end portion 12 is positioned on the inner edge 13 which is the second opening side edge of the first opening lower and sealing the entire periphery of the first opening lower, the outer edge 16 of the first opening lower It is folded back and placed so as to straddle the first opening lower and second opening 11. Furthermore, the other end 17 of the sealing member 8
It is fixed to the outer edge 18 of the opening 11.

The toner supply device 2 has a rectangular mounting opening 20 that guides the side wall 3 of the toner cartridge l.

A rectangular toner supply port 21 is provided below the mounting port 20 for supplying toner 6 into the main body of the copying machine. Then, an elongated planar ceramic heater 22 as a heating element is attached to the edge of the toner supply port 21 at a location where the folded portion of the sealing member 8 comes into contact when the toner cartridge l is completely installed. ing.

A plate-shaped projection member 23 is vertically provided in the vicinity of the toner supply port 21 and where the second chamber 10 is located when the toner cartridge 1 is completely installed, facing the ceramic heater 22. It is being This protruding member 2
3 is urged upward by a compression coil spring 24 as an elastic body.

When the toner cartridge l is completely installed in the toner supply device 2, it is turned on and the ceramic heater 22 is turned on.
A microswitch 25 is provided to energize. A micro switch 25 is installed on the side wall 26 of the toner supply device 2.
A locking member 27 as a locking means is provided above so as to be horizontally movable. The locking member 27 is biased toward the inside of the toner supply device 2 by a tension coil spring 28 .

As the toner cartridge 1 is installed in the toner supply device 2, the protrusion member 23 is pressed downward by the seal member 8 and comes to a position lower than the ceramic heater 22. Here, the strength of the compression coil spring 24 is determined by the strength of the seal member 8.
Since the strength is smaller than the strength that would cause the welds to peel off, the sealing of the sealing member 8 is maintained.

Next, when the toner cartridge 1 is completely installed in the toner supply device 2, the microswitch 25 is turned on and the ceramic heater 22 is energized. Then, the ceramic heater 22 instantaneously generates heat, raising the temperature of the welded portion of the seal member 8 to its melting temperature. At this time, the folded portion of the seal member 8 is in contact with the ceramic heater 22.

Therefore, the force of the compression coil spring 24 that pushes up the projection member 23 is greater than the welding force of the seal member 8. Then, the seal member 8 is peeled off and most of it is pushed into the second chamber 10 by the protruding member 23. Then, the toner 6 is supplied to the main body of the copying machine through the opening lower part 2 and the toner supply port 21.

When the toner cartridge 1 is completely installed in the toner supply device 2, the toner cartridge 1 is fixed at the top wall 29 of the second chamber 10 by the locking member 27.

Thus, in this toner supply device 2, since the ceramic heater 22 and the protrusion member 23 are provided as described above, the seal member 8 is automatically closed after the toner cartridge 1 is completely installed in the toner supply device 2. It is torn off.

Therefore, there is no risk that the toner 6 will adhere to the inner wall of the toner supply device 2 and cause it to become dirty. Also, toner cartridge 1
Even if the air compressed inside the toner supply device 2 due to the installation of the toner cartridge L escapes to the outside through the gap between the toner cartridge L and the toner supply device 2, the toner 6 is not attached to the inner wall of the toner supply device 2. , there is no risk that the area around the toner supply device 2 will be contaminated with toner 6.

Furthermore, in this toner supply device 2, the fully installed toner cartridge l is fixed by a locking member 27. Therefore, the toner 6 can be supplied more reliably.

(F) Effects of the Invention Since the toner supply device of the present invention is constructed as described above, it is possible to prevent the inside and surroundings of the toner supply device from being contaminated by toner.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 and FIG. 2 show one embodiment of the present invention.
The figure is an explanatory diagram of the configuration of the toner supply device, and FIG. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the main parts immediately before the toner cartridge is installed in the toner supply device. FIG. 3 shows a conventional example, and is an explanatory diagram of the configuration immediately before a toner cartridge is installed in a toner supply device. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Toner cartridge, 2... Toner supply device, 5... First chamber, 7... First opening, 8...... Seal member, 10...Second chamber, ■1...Second chamber
Opening, 12... One end of sealing member, 13.
...inner edge of first opening, 16...first
Outer edge of opening, 17...Other end of sealing member, 18...Outer edge of second opening, 20...
... Mounting port, 21 ... Toner supply port, 22 ... Ceramic heater (heating element), 2
3... Projection member, 24... Compression coil spring (elastic body), 25...
...Micro switch, 27...Lock member (locking means), 28...
...Tension coil spring.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A first chamber containing toner and having a first opening facing downward, and a first chamber provided near the first chamber, not containing toner and provided adjacent to the first opening. It consists of a second chamber having a second opening facing downward, and a substantially rectangular sheet, a part of which is releasably welded to the entire periphery of the first opening, and the remaining part is folded back at the outer edge of the first opening. A toner supply device equipped with a toner cartridge including a first opening and a sealing member disposed across the second opening, the toner supply device comprising:
provided at a location where the folded portion of the seal member contacts when the toner cartridge is completely installed;
A heating element generates heat and melts the welded part of the sealing member when the toner cartridge is completely installed, and an elastic body is attached upwardly to the location where the second chamber is located when the toner cartridge is completely installed. set up in a state of
The projecting member is pressed downward by the seal member when the toner cartridge is installed, and when the welded portion of the seal member melts due to the heat generation, the protrusion member peels off the seal member and pushes most of it into the second chamber. toner supply device. 2. Claim 1, further comprising a locking means for fixing the toner cartridge when the toner cartridge is completely installed.
The toner supply device described.