JPH11202609A - Toner supply container and toner remaining amount display device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To accurately detect the residual amount of a toner in a toner bottle by constituting a device of an exothermic recording medium stuck to a toner replenishing container, a thermosensitive heating head for recording the amount of the toner on the recording medium and a detector detecting the reflection density of the medium. SOLUTION: A toner bottle to which a label-like reversible thermosensitive recording medium A is stuck is set in a developing device in a laterally laid down state and is rotated as the developing device operates. By rotating a thread cutting shaft, a holder is moved to detect the existence/absence and the position of the medium A stuck to the toner bottle by a photocoupler in the holder. Furthermore, whether the medium A is in a black (semi-opaque) state or a white (transparent) state is monitored by the photocoupler. When the medium A is in the black state, the end of the medium A is searched and a thermal head is set at the obtained position to start writing (recording). Meanwhile, when it is in the white state, the thermal head is made in a writable state to the medium A.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner supply container for electrostatic image recording and a toner remaining amount display device, and the toner remaining amount display device is applied to an electrophotographic copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, and the like. You.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, a toner replenishing container made of a resin, particularly an opaque resin replenishing container, has been used for replenishing an electrostatic image with a toner to a developing device. The toner supply container is configured to be set in a rotatable state and the toner amount corresponding to the amount consumed by the operation of the development device is supplied from the opening of the toner supply container. It is necessary to determine the toner replenishment ability, that is, the remaining amount of toner.

[0003] For example, Japanese Patent Publication No. 64-44472 discloses an example of a toner remaining amount detection method using a magnetic permeability sensor, in which a toner density is determined based on an output of a magnetic permeability sensor provided in a developing device. It is described that when it is determined that the density is low, toner is replenished from the toner container. Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-43962 describes that the toner remaining amount in the toner replenishment container is measured using a magnetic permeability sensor. Measuring is described. That is, in the publication,
While the replenishment toner in the toner supply container is moving toward the toner supply port connected to the developing device, the amount of toner movement in the container is measured by the magnetic permeability sensor. Compares the lowest value of the output value of the toner density sensor at the time with the highest value of the output value of the preceding fixed time, and determines that there is no remaining toner when the difference is smaller than a predetermined value. By determining that there is no remaining toner before the toner supply completely disappears, the toner density in the developing device is also measured by a magnetic permeability sensor, and this density is compared with the toner density in the container. It is described that the timing of replenishing the developer in the container to the developing device is known.

However, the technique described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 44442/1984 has a considerable margin in the determination level for detecting the remaining amount of toner in comparison with the toner density control level in order to prevent erroneous detection in consideration of uneven toner density in the developing device. Must be set on the low concentration side. Also, considering the time from when the toner is supplied from the toner container to the developing device to the time when the toner is uniformly stirred, it may be that the supply of the toner from the toner container is started after detecting that the toner has run out in the developing device. Become slow. The technique described in Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 9-43962 has few problems in terms of toner supply timing, but requires a means for converting a measurement result into a toner amount using a magnetic permeability sensor and a means for displaying the conversion result. Humans cannot directly visually determine the remaining amount of toner in the toner supply container, and when the bottle is removed from the developing device main body, how much toner is in the bottle (toner remaining amount, There was a problem that the toner history) could not be understood. Further, neither of these technologies aims to recycle a used toner supply bottle.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide a method for detecting the remaining amount of toner in a toner bottle as accurately as possible, making it easy to determine visually, and making it possible to recycle. An object of the present invention is to provide a toner replenishing container and a display device for displaying the remaining amount of toner using the container which is not complicated and large.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the present invention is to provide (1) a toner supply container made of a resin material to which a heat-generating recording medium is attached and which rotates to supply toner to a developing device, and (2).
"A through-hole is provided in the wall surface, and a heat-generating recording medium is provided in the through-hole, and preferably a cloudy / transparent conversion-type thermosensitive recording medium is provided. Is achieved.

Another object of the present invention is to provide (3) a heat-generating recording medium affixed to a toner supply container for rotating and supplying toner to a developing device, a heat-sensitive heat-generating head (A) for recording on the recording medium, and the medium. And a detector (B) for detecting a reflection density of the toner supply container. ", (4)" A white turbidity affixed to a through hole provided in a wall surface of the container. An apparatus for displaying a remaining amount of toner in a toner supply container, comprising: a transparent conversion type thermosensitive recording medium; a thermosensitive heating head (A) for recording on the recording medium; and a detector (B) for detecting a reflection density of the medium. (5) The toner according to (3) or (4), wherein the heating head (A) moves in a rotation axis direction of the container according to a rotation speed of the container. Display device for remaining amount of toner in supply container. ", (6)" The detector (B) detects the reflection density of the recording part of the thermal head (A) and moves together with the thermal head (A) in the rotation axis direction of the container according to the rotation speed of the container. (7) A device for displaying the remaining amount of toner in a toner supply container according to any one of the above items (3) to (5). " And (8) the thermosensitive recording, wherein the recording is continued from the end, and the remaining toner amount display device of the toner supply container according to any one of the above (3) to (6). (9) The apparatus according to any one of (3) to (7), wherein the medium is a reversible thermosensitive recording medium. (8) wherein the reversible thermosensitive recording medium is a cloudy / transparent conversion type thermosensitive recording medium. Is achieved by a toner supply container level display device. "Described in.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 shows an example of the toner bottle (toner supply container) of the present invention. The toner bottle is used for transporting, storing, and supplying the toner to the developing device. When the toner bottle becomes empty after the consumption of the toner, it can be recycled and reused. The body of the toner bottle in FIG. 1 has a cylindrical shape. A cap is provided at a toner supply port at one end of the body, and a thermosensitive recording medium is provided in a body provided with a spiral groove. Affixed. The heat-sensitive recording medium is preferably of a cloudy / transparent conversion type having a transparent or white background and capable of forming a high-density color so that the difference between recorded and unrecorded is clear. The toner bottle is made of a resin material. It is milky white. Although a transparent material can be used, since the toner made of a fine resin material adheres well to the inner wall of the bottle, it is difficult to accurately measure the amount of toner inside even if the bottle is made transparent. It is more preferable that the toner bottle has a reversible thermosensitive recording layer so as to facilitate recycling and reuse of the toner bottle. The milky white toner bottle makes the reversible thermosensitive recording material inconspicuous when the reversible thermosensitive recording material is stuck thereon.

The thermosensitive recording medium having such a reversible thermosensitive recording layer includes a matrix material (A) comprising a polymer and / or a resin described in JP-A-55-154198; A) a temperature-dependent light-shielding body comprising a material pair (A / B) composed of an organic low-molecular substance (B) dispersed therein as a second phase and insoluble in said second phase; material to (a / B) is dependent on the (T ₀₎ or the preheating temperature, has the property of light-shielding properties are changed in the following specific temperature (T _0), as a result, (T
₀ ) When heated above the conversion temperature (T ₂ ) higher than the conversion temperature and then cooled below (T ₀ ), it exhibits maximum light-shielding properties, and (T ₀ )
And until a clear temperature is between _{(T 2) (T 1)} , and heated up to the light shielding state, then (T ₀₎ when cooled below, shows the property of light-shielding decreases as the temperature increases, (T ₁ )
And heated to a temperature between (T _2), then (T ₀₎ shading body having a temperature dependency which exhibit minimal light shielding when cooled below ", described in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 7-117352 `` On a support, a heat-sensitive layer in which a transparent-opaque change occurs reversibly by changing the heating temperature, and a reversible thermosensitive recording medium further provided with a protective layer, the protective layer has irregularities, A reversible thermosensitive recording medium having a heat-sensitive layer in the concave portion "and JP-A-54-1193777,
-39378, JP-A-63-104879, JP-A-63-178079, JP-A-63-179799,
JP-A-63-221087, JP-A-2-1363
JP-A-3-2089, JP-A-3-169590
No., JP-A-5-8538, JP-A-5-41781,
JP-A-5-139053, JP-A-6-40153,
JP-A-6-48024, JP-A-6-255247,
JP-A-8-306834, JP-A-8-318634
JP-A-8-324164, JP-A-9-35016
And those having a reversible thermosensitive recording layer described in JP-A-9-39415 and JP-A-9-39415. Each of these heat-sensitive layers reversibly changes to black-white or cloudy-transparent depending on the heating mode.

The thermosensitive recording medium affixed to the toner bottle in the example of FIG. 1 is white at the time of shipment, but is used (when toner is supplied).
Is set on the developing device in a state where it can be turned sideways and rotated,
The recording by the heating element turns the thermosensitive recording medium black, and by detecting this black state with a detector, the amount of consumed toner (supplied to the developing device) can be quantitatively detected. By directly observing the black state with the naked eye, it is possible to perceive the degree of toner consumption. Therefore, the toner bottle in FIG. 1 may be made of an opaque resin, or may be made of a transparent resin. Preferably, when the background color of the thermal recording medium attached to the toner bottle is milky white or transparent, it may be milky white or transparent.

Since this bottle has a spiral groove, it automatically conveys the toner to the toner inlet side by rotation.
Therefore, the toner powder surface in the middle of the bottle is in a state shown by a dotted line in the figure. At the time of use, the developing device is set in a state where it can be turned sideways and rotated, and a toner amount corresponding to the amount consumed in operation of the developing device is supplied to the developing device from the opening of the toner supply container. . In the case of this toner bottle, a transparent thermosensitive recording medium can be affixed to the bottle, for example, when the bottle is filled with toner and shipped. As the toner is consumed, the heat-generating element causes recording to increase the colored portion of the heat-sensitive recording medium. When the toner has been consumed, the heat-sensitive recording medium is, for example, entirely colored. When the empty bottle is collected and refilled with toner in a reusable state and shipped, the thermal recording medium is made transparent again. Therefore,
The user of the bottle does not need to take any measures for this part of the label, and the bottle shipping company can treat the bottle only at the time of shipping and recycle the bottle without replacing the label equivalent part etc. become.

FIG. 2 shows another example of the toner bottle (toner supply container) of the present invention. When the toner bottle becomes empty after the consumption of the toner, it can be recycled and reused. In the case of this toner bottle, a through hole is provided in the container wall, and the thermosensitive recording medium (A) is attached to the through hole. The thermosensitive recording medium (A) is a cloudy-transparent conversion type thermosensitive recording medium. It is desirable.
Such a turbid-transparent conversion type thermal recording medium is disclosed in
-22622. The recording by the heating element turns the thermosensitive recording medium black, and by detecting this black state with a detector, the amount of consumed toner (supplied to the developing device) can be quantitatively detected. It is possible, and by visually observing the black state directly with the naked eye,
The point that the degree of consumption of the toner amount can be perceived is the same as that of the toner bottle shown in FIG. 1. In the case of this toner bottle, for example, when the bottle is filled with toner and shipped, the thermosensitive recording medium in an opaque state (A) can be attached. As the toner is consumed, the recording is erased by the heating element, so that the transparent portion of the thermal recording medium is increased. When the toner is consumed, the thermal recording medium is transparent. When the empty bottle is collected and refilled with toner in a reusable state and shipped, the heat-sensitive recording medium (A) is again turned cloudy. In this case, since it is transparent, there is an advantage that the presence or absence of toner can be visually checked even when the toner is removed from the developing device for some reason. However, the heat-sensitive recording medium (A) can of course be made transparent at the time of shipment and become cloudy after use.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of the structure of the toner supply container remaining amount display device of the present invention. As shown in FIG. 3, the apparatus has a holder which is moved left and right by rotation of a threaded shaft (not shown in the driving section), and a reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A) which is stuck on a side. And a toner bottle set in the developing device, and the reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A) is clouded (black) in the holder.
And a photo head as a detecting means for detecting a clouded (black) state or a transparent state of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A). A light emitting element (light emitting device) such as an LED for irradiating the reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A) with light; and a photocoupler receiving reflected light from the thermosensitive recording medium (A). Whether or not the thermosensitive recording medium (A) exists on the thermosensitive recording medium (A);
It consists of a light-receiving element (light-receiving device) such as a phototransistor that monitors a cloudy (black) portion on the heat-sensitive recording medium (A) when it is present above. Further, a set check sensor for monitoring whether or not the toner bottle has been set in the developing device can be provided, and whether or not the toner bottle has been set can be checked by an output signal from a light receiving element as described later. can do.

FIG. 4 shows an example of a method for detecting the state of the toner bottle and the degree of toner consumption using the cloudy (black) portion of the reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A). In the example of FIG. 4, when the toner bottle is set in the developing device, the holder moves to the home position at the position (4c) in FIG. 4 and performs detection according to a signal from a setting confirmation sensor (not shown). As shown by (4a) in FIG. 4, when it is determined that the recording medium is new, the reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A)
Record the cloudy (black) part of FIG. 4B shows a state where the first recording is performed. If you already have a record,
That is, in the case shown in (4c), the end of the recording unit is detected, the holder is moved to that end, and rotation, that is, recording is started. When the end of the recording unit is at the end position (in the case of (4d)), it is determined that the toner is out, and the apparatus takes a corresponding action.

Therefore, as shown in FIG. 5, the toner bottle to which the label-like reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A) has been attached is set on the developing device in a state where it is turned sideways, and the developing device is operated. The holder is moved by rotating the threaded shaft, and the presence / absence and position of the label-like reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A) affixed to the toner bottle are detected by the photocoupler in the holder. It is monitored whether the thermal recording medium (A) is in a black (white turbid) state or in a white (transparent) state. If the thermal recording medium (A) is in a black (white turbid) state, the end of the label-like reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A) is detected. Part is located, a thermal head is set at that position, and writing (recording) is started. On the other hand, when the tab is in a white (transparent) state, the thermal head is inserted into the reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A). The writing (recording) state,
Write (record). When the photocoupler detects that the end point has reached the writing (recording) area of the thermal head (end detection), it informs the developing device or the copying machine equipped with the developing device of the end, and notifies the developing device or the copying machine. Stop the machine operation.

In the present invention, the apparatus shown in FIG. 3 can be controlled by a method as shown in FIG. 6, for example. That is, as shown in FIG. 6A, after the output from the light receiving element is amplified and waveform-shaped (not shown) (V _out ), the output is input to a control unit constituted by, for example, a one-chip microcomputer and output from the control unit. A control unit for controlling a rotation control state of a driving unit for rotating the threaded shaft based on the output signal;
The amount of power supply to the thermal head is controlled. For example, FIG.
As shown in b, when _Vout is high output, that is, when the cloudy (black) portion is not formed on the reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A), the rotation state of the drive unit is changed to the normal rotation in the forward direction. The amount of current supplied to the thermal head is maintained at a writing level, and when _Vout is low output (when a white turbid (black) portion is formed), the rotational state of the drive unit is set to the normal direction in the forward direction. By rotating, the amount of current supplied to the thermal head is maintained at an erasing level. Further, when the photocoupler comes off the reversible thermosensitive recording medium (A), the color of the bottle surface is detected, and _Vout becomes a medium output. Therefore, the position of the holder is reset, and the rotation state of the drive unit is changed. High-speed rotation is performed in the reverse direction, and the amount of current supplied to the thermal head is set to zero level.

[0017] As shown in FIG. 6c, Thus the control unit, ROM writing the current threshold data to the threshold data and the thermal head in advance shaft rotation, the V _out
, A data latch for latching the output from the register, and both counters for counting the pulse output from the data latch and setting the amount of power for shaft rotation and thermal head energization. And a driver section for rotating the shaft and energizing the thermal head, which are activated by outputs from both counter sections, and a driver data generating section for controlling rotation and energization. Therefore, in this case, the ROM reads the threshold data by an address signal from the CPU with reference to the data from the driver data generation unit, and the data is read by the register unit controlled by the CPU;
The data is sent to a data latch unit, and based on this data, the two driving units can perform controlled shaft rotation and thermal head energization.

FIG. 7 shows an example of the toner remaining amount display device using the toner bottle of the present invention shown in FIG. In this example, a through hole is provided in the container wall, and the cloudy-transparent conversion type thermal recording medium (A) is attached to the hole. The heat-sensitive recording medium (A) is exemplified in JP-B-8-22622. The solid-state bottle is shipped with the heat-sensitive recording medium (A) in a clouded state attached thereto. After the first use, the entire surface is made transparent by the head, and the end of toner is detected. Each detection level is detected by the level of 6a, 6b, 6c. It may be transparent at the time of shipment and may be cloudy after use.

In the example shown in FIG. 1, a thermosensitive recording medium is used. Alternatively, a thermosensitive recording medium provided with the above opaque-transparent conversion type thermosensitive recording medium on a colorless or colored support may be used. The above cloudiness-
The transparent conversion type thermosensitive recording medium and the thermosensitive recording medium may be reversible. In the case of the reversible type, in the case of a so-called recycle type in which a used bottle is reused, there is an advantage that the recording state of the medium can be erased and initialized, and the medium can be reused as it is.

[0020]

As described above, according to the present invention, according to the present invention, it is possible to accurately and quickly detect the remaining amount in the toner bottle, easily and visually determine the remaining amount, and recycle. An excellent effect is provided in that a toner supply container that can be used is provided, and a display device for displaying the remaining amount of toner using the container which is not complicated and large is provided.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a configuration example of a toner bottle of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating another configuration example of the toner bottle of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing one configuration example of a toner remaining amount display device of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method of displaying a toner consumption degree in the toner remaining amount display device of the present invention.

FIG. 5 is a diagram illustrating an example of a method of detecting a toner consumption degree in the toner remaining amount display device of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is a diagram showing an example of another method for detecting the degree of toner consumption in the toner remaining amount display device of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating another toner remaining amount display device of the present invention.

Claims (7)

[Claims] 1. A heating recording medium affixed to a toner supply container that rotates and supplies toner to a developing device, a heat-sensitive heating head (A) that records on the recording medium, and a detector (B) that detects the reflection density of the medium A) a device for displaying the remaining amount of toner in the toner supply container. 2. A cloudy / transparent conversion type thermosensitive recording medium affixed to a through hole provided on a wall surface of the container, a thermosensitive heating head (A) for recording on the recording medium, and a detection for detecting a reflection density of the medium. A device for displaying the remaining amount of toner in a toner supply container, comprising a container (B). 3. The toner supply container according to claim 1, wherein the heating head moves in a rotation axis direction of the container according to a rotation speed of the container. Quantity display. 4. The detector (B) detects the reflection density of the recording portion of the thermal head (A) and moves together with the thermal head (A) in the direction of the rotation axis of the container according to the rotation speed of the container. 4. The apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the remaining amount of the toner in the toner replenishing container is displayed. 5. The toner supply according to claim 1, wherein the detector (B) detects an end of a recording portion of the heat-sensitive medium and continues recording from the end. A device for indicating the remaining amount of toner in a container. 6. The toner supply container and the remaining amount display device according to claim 1, wherein the thermosensitive recording medium is a reversible thermosensitive recording medium. 7. The remaining amount display device for a toner supply container according to claim 6, wherein the reversible thermosensitive recording medium is a turbid / transparent conversion type thermosensitive recording medium.