JPH0660860U - Toner cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To provide a toner cartridge capable of reliably supplying toner without causing contamination due to toner scattering. [Structure] The toner container 13 is a shape-variable container that has flexibility and can be contracted / recovered by applying force.
A toner duct 11 is formed by forming a ventilation duct 12 for releasing the air coming from the hopper 43 to the outside in parallel and integrally with the toner container. A meandering path 12a which is an air purifying means is formed in the ventilation duct. [Effect] The toner can be easily removed by mastication, and the air mixed with the toner is purified and discharged, so that the toner is not contaminated.

Description

[Detailed description of the device]

[0001]

[Industrial applications]

 The present invention relates to a toner cartridge that supplies toner to a developing device of an image forming apparatus that uses toner, such as a printer, a facsimile, and a copying machine.

[0002]

[Prior art]

 In an image forming apparatus such as a printer or a copying machine that uses an electrophotographic method, an image is formed by developing and fixing by a toner, and toner is consumed as the image formation is repeated.

Toner replenishment is generally performed by setting a toner cartridge filled with toner in a toner receiving port of a toner replenishing device (hereinafter referred to as a “hopper”) and opening a toner cartridge to cause the toner in the developing device. It is done by supplying to. Since the toner is in the form of fine powder, a peeling sheet is welded to the toner cartridge's toner supply port to maintain airtightness so that the toner does not scatter to the outside and contaminate during replenishment. Sometimes the sheet is peeled off before use.

[0004]

[Problems to be solved by the device]

 However, such a toner cartridge has the following problems. The problem will be described with reference to the drawings. 3 and 4 are explanatory sectional views showing a conventional toner cartridge 11 and a toner supply method. After the toner cartridge 11 is set in the hopper 43 provided in the main body 41 of the image forming apparatus, the peeling sheet 19 provided at the discharge port at the lower end of the toner container 13 is unsealed, and the toner in the toner container 13 is opened. 31 is fed into the hopper 43 by its own weight. The peeling sheet 19 is an opening member, and instead of this, a plastic shutter or the like can be used.

However, in such a toner cartridge 11, the toner 31 cannot be smoothly supplied to the hopper 43. That is, since the toner cartridge 11 has the closed structure to prevent the toner 31 from scattering to the outside as described above, when the peeling sheet 19 is opened as shown in FIG. Although it tries to fall due to the weight, the air layer 15 existing in the toner container 13 becomes negative pressure at that time, and the toner 31 is not attracted inside the toner container 13 and does not fall.

Therefore, in the past, the toner container 13 was hit from the outside to drop the toner 31, but the impact would adversely affect other devices to be connected, which is not preferable.

Further, it is conceivable that the toner container is formed of a flexible member and is deformed and dropped while watching the toner container. However, when the toner container 11 is deformed, there is no place for escape of air and the toner cartridge 11. There is a possibility that toner may be blown out from the gap of the hopper 43 to cause toner contamination.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide a toner cartridge that can reliably supply toner without causing contamination due to toner scattering.

[0009]

[Means for Solving the Problems]

 In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the toner cartridge of the present invention has flexibility and a toner container constituted by a shape-variable container that can be contracted / restored by applying force, and an opening for the toner receiving port of the hopper. And a ventilation duct which has a possible air inlet to allow air from the hopper and discharge the air to the outside. The ventilation duct is formed integrally with the toner container, and in particular, the air discharge part formed in the ventilation duct is equipped with an air purifying means for purifying the air flowing therein.

As the purifying means, a means for forming the air flow path of the ventilation duct in a meandering manner and removing only the toner while discharging through the path The toner passing through the ventilation duct is blocked by a filter or the like and discharged. There are possible ways to do this.

[0011]

[Action]

 The toner cartridge having the above structure can easily drop the toner by pulling the toner cartridge when the toner is supplied. In addition, since a ventilation duct is provided to discharge the toner to the outside, unexpected toner is not blown out from the gap between the toner cartridge and the hopper, and the air is not discharged directly but to the outside through the purifying means. It is possible to replenish effectively without discharging the air mixed with toner.

[0012]

【Example】

 The present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing an embodiment of the toner cartridge 1. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating toner supply.

Reference numeral 11 denotes a toner cartridge, which includes a toner container 13 filled with toner 31, a peeling sheet 19 that is provided at a lower portion of the toner container 13 to openably close an outlet of the toner 31, and an upper surface of the toner container. And a ventilation duct 12 integrally formed in parallel with the toner sheet 13 for enclosing the toner container 13.

The toner container 13 is a flexible container that has flexibility and is capable of contracting and returning by applying force. For example, a resin molded product may be used, and the material may be polystyrene, polyethylene, or polycarbonate that is commonly used.

The ventilation duct 12 is for releasing the air coming from the hopper 43 to the outside, and has an air inlet 12c opened to face the opening of the hopper 43, and an air discharge portion for discharging air. It consists of a meandering path 12a. The meandering path 12a has a path wall formed on the upper and lower sides, and as a result, meanders to form an air circulation path, and a sheet-like wall portion 12b is provided on the outside thereof. The meandering path 12a is formed to meander the air of the toner-containing air that enters from the hopper 43 through the air inlet 12c to shut off the toner and purify and discharge it (purifying means). ).

In the present invention, the meandering path 12a is formed so as not to directly discharge the air mixed with toner, but the present invention is not limited to this, and a filter is provided at the discharge port to block only the toner. It may be formed so that it can be formed.

[0017]

[Effect of device]

 As described above, with the configuration of the present invention, when the toner is supplied, the toner remaining in the toner cartridge is not hit and dropped. There will be no adverse effects. Also, since the toner cartridge itself has an air bleeding structure, it is possible to prevent the toner from being blown out from an unexpected gap. Further, due to the meandering path of the ventilation duct, it is possible to provide a toner cartridge which solves the problems such as toner scattering without directly discharging the air containing toner.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view showing a toner cartridge of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory view of toner supply of the toner cartridge of the present invention

FIG. 3 is a sectional view showing a conventional toner cartridge.

FIG. 4 is a sectional view showing a conventional toner cartridge.

[Explanation of symbols]

 11 Toner Cartridge 12 Ventilation Duct 12a Meandering Path 12b Outer Wall 13 Toner Container 43 Hopper 19 Peeling Sheet 31 Toner

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A toner cartridge for supplying toner by installing a toner container having a discharge port that can be opened with respect to a hopper for supplying toner to a developing unit in the toner receiving port of the hopper, wherein the toner container is flexible. And a shape-variable container capable of contracting / restoring by applying force, having an air inlet opening to the toner receiving opening of the hopper, and allowing air from the hopper, A toner cartridge, wherein a ventilation duct for discharging the air to the outside is formed in the toner container, and an air purifying unit for purifying the air flowing through the ventilation duct is provided.