JPH063392Y2 - Toner supply structure - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (a) Field of Industrial Application This invention relates to a toner replenishing structure, and more particularly to a toner replenishing structure of a developing device having a cartridge container having a toner replenishing roller inserted therein.

(B) Conventional technology In the conventional toner replenishing structure of this type, there is a structure in which the toner in the cartridge container is gradually discharged into the developing device by one-way rotation of a sponge roller provided near the toner discharge hole. Proposed.

(C) Problems to be solved by the invention However, in the above configuration, the area where the toner not guided by the sponge roller stays as a lump between the one side portion on the sponge roller and the inner wall of the cartridge container, There is a problem that a so-called toner wall is formed and all the staying toner cannot be discharged into the developing device even though the toner remains in the container.

One of the objects of the present invention is to provide a toner replenishing structure capable of discharging all the toner in the cartridge container.

(D) Means and Actions for Solving Problems This invention relates to a cartridge container having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape, having a toner discharge long hole formed in its barrel wall, and rotatably held by a developing device. The toner contained in the container, the toner replenishing roller rotatably inserted through both end walls of the container so as to cover the toner discharge long hole from the inside of the container, and the rotational force is supplied to the shaft of the roller. A drive motor capable of discharging the toner into the developing device from the toner discharge long hole by the rotation of the roller associated therewith, and rotatably held by the developing device and connected to and supported by the container,
The toner replenishing structure includes a swinging rotor that swings and rotates with the rotation of the drive motor and transmits the swinging rotation to the container.

That is, according to this invention, by rotating the toner replenishing roller while swinging the cartridge container about the center axis of the container, the toner retention portion formed in a specific region in the cartridge container is destroyed. As a result, all the toner in the cartridge container can be guided to the toner discharge long hole by the rotation of the toner supply roller.

(E) Embodiment Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. The invention is not limited to this.

In FIGS. 1 to 4, a cartridge container (hereinafter referred to as a container) 1 has a substantially hollow cylindrical shape, a toner T is housed therein, and a toner discharge long hole (hereinafter referred to as a discharge hole) is formed in a barrel wall 1a thereof. 2 is formed and mounted in the housing 4 of the developing device 3. Inside the container 1, a toner replenishing roller 5 rotatably inserted and supported by both end walls 1b and 1c of the container 1 is arranged. This comprises a sponge roller (hereinafter referred to as a roller) 5a that substantially covers the discharge hole 2 from the inside of the container, and a shaft 5b of this roller. A receiving portion 1d into which a support shaft described later can be loosely fitted is provided on the one end wall 1b on the central axis of the container 1.

Further, in the housing 4, a drive motor 6 capable of rotating the roller 5a is arranged on the side of the drive portion facing the one end wall 1b of the container 1, and the drive motor 6 swings and rotates in accordance with the rotation of the motor, and the swing thereof is performed. An oscillating rotor 7 that transmits dynamic rotation to the container 1 is provided.

That is, on the drive portion side of the housing 4, the drive motor 6, the drive gear 8 driven by the drive motor 6, the first gear 9 that meshes with the drive motor 6, and the second gear 10 that meshes with the drive motor 6 are mounted on the mounting plate 11. Has been. The mounting plate 11 penetrates the central portion of the second gear 10 to support it, and when the container 1 is mounted on the housing 4, the receiving portion 1d
A support shaft 12 is attached which is loosely fitted in the container 1 to rotatably hold the container 1. On the other hand, on the one end wall 1b of the container 1, a third gear 19 is attached to the tip of the shaft 5b of the roller, which meshes with the second gear 10. This allows the roller 5a
Can rotate. Then, the swing rotor 7 has the first gear 9
A pin 9a provided at a position deviated from the center of the arm is loosely fitted and supported by the arm portion 7a and the support shaft 12,
It is composed of a ring-shaped base portion 7b which is capable of swinging and rotating about the support shaft 12 in the direction A in the figure by the periodic movement of the arm portion 7a accompanying the rotation of a [see FIG. 4 (a)]. further,
The base portion 7b and the receiving portion 1d can be coupled to each other. Specifically, the receiving portion has a positioning notch portion 1e for positioning.
Are provided with engaging pieces 7c capable of engaging with the notch portion 1e, and the engagement of the both 1e and 7c couples the base portion 7b and the receiving portion 1d so that swinging rotational power can be transmitted.
Reference numeral 20 in FIG. 1 (a) shows a coupling state, and the base portion 7
A spring 7d is interposed between b and the second gear 10 to facilitate the engagement between the cutout portion 1e and the engagement piece 7c and to reliably maintain the coupling state. 1
f is a handle provided on the other end wall 1c of the container 1, 6a is a motor shaft of the drive motor 6, 13 is a stirring rotor, 14 is a developing partition plate, 15 is a developing magnet, and 18 is a developing device 3
A toner sensor that detects the carrier density of the toner inside,
As a result, it is determined whether or not the density ratio between the carrier and the toner is constant, and when the toner density decreases, a drive signal is output to the drive motor 6.

Thus, in order to replenish the developing device 3 with the toner T, the container 1
Is inserted into the housing 4. At this time, first, as shown in FIG.
As shown in (b), the container 1 is inserted with the sponge roller 5a side facing upward. That is, as shown by the broken line, the third gear 19 fixed to the shaft 5b of the roller is positioned above the second gear 10 and meshes therewith to seal the discharge hole 2. (Not shown) is opened with the discharge hole 2 facing upward. At this time, the sponge roller 5a can prevent the toner from blowing out. And
The container 1 is manually rotated in the direction B in the drawing via the handle 1f until the base 7b and the receiving portion 1d are coupled. At this time, the receiving portion 1d loosely fitted to the support shaft 12 rotates while pressing the base portion 7b against the urging force of the spring 7d to rotate the engaging piece 7c.
When they face the cutout portion 1e, they are naturally engaged by the urging force of the spring 7d, whereby the base portion 7b and the receiving portion 1d are engaged.
And are coupled. Since the position of the engagement piece 7c cannot be specified, in order to couple the base portion 7b and the receiving portion 1d, the container 1 is eventually set to a minimum (180-45) ° to a maximum 180 + 45) ° from the beginning. Requires rotation.

After the coupling, the drive motor 6 is turned on by the drive signal output from the toner sensor 18, and the toner T is transferred to the discharge hole 2 by the rotation of the sponge roller 5a in the direction C as shown in FIG. 1 (b). Guided from discharge hole 2 to developing device 3
Is released into. That is, the container 1 discharges the toner T while swinging in the direction A in the drawing at an amplitude angle of 45 °, so that as the toner is discharged, the wall of the toner is changed to the right portion 16 in the drawing.
Even if formed, the toner wall is destroyed and the toner is always stored in the left side portion 17 in the drawing. as a result,
All the toner in the container 1 can be discharged into the developing device 3.

In this embodiment, the drive motor is provided on the side of the developing device, but it is provided on the side of the cartridge container to rotate the sponge roller, and at the same time, the swinging rotor rotatably held by the developing device. The cartridge container may be configured to swing and rotate via.

In this embodiment, the support shaft is provided on the developing device side, but it may be provided on the cartridge container side.

(F) Effect of the Invention According to this invention, since the cartridge container is configured to swing around the center axis of the container while rotating the toner supply roller, the toner formed in the specific area in the cartridge container is rotated. The remaining portion of the cartridge is destroyed, and thereby, all the toner in the cartridge container can be guided to the toner discharge long hole by the rotation of the toner supply roller.

[Brief description of drawings]

1 (a) and 1 (b) are a configuration explanatory view and an essential part explanatory view showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is an exploded perspective view of an essential part showing the above embodiment, and FIG. An overall configuration diagram showing an embodiment, FIGS. 4 (a) and 4 (b) are an explanatory diagram showing a swing mechanism and an explanatory diagram showing a drive arrangement, respectively, in the above-described embodiment. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Cartridge container, 1a ... Trunk wall, 2 ... Long hole for toner discharge, 3 ... Developing device, 1b ... One end wall of cartridge container, 1c ... Other end wall of cartridge container, 1d
...... Receiving part, 5 ... Toner supply roller, 5a ... Sponge roller, 5b ... Sponge roller shaft, 6 ... Drive motor, 7 ... Oscillating rotor, 12 ... Support shaft.

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A cartridge container having a substantially hollow cylindrical shape and having a toner discharge long hole formed on its barrel wall and rotatably held by a developing device, toner contained in the container, and the inside of the container. The toner replenishment roller rotatably inserted through both end walls of the container so as to substantially cover the toner discharge long hole, and a rotational force is supplied to the shaft of this roller, and the toner is rotated by the rotation of the roller. A drive motor capable of discharging into the developing device through the discharging long hole, rotatably held by the developing device, and connected and supported to the container,
A toner replenishing structure including a swinging rotor that swings and rotates with the rotation of the drive motor and transmits the swinging rotation to the container.