JP2009222858A - Toner storage device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a toner storage device and an image forming apparatus for reducing user operation at the start of use. <P>SOLUTION: A process cartridge 14A is set in a printer 10 at the start of use, a rotating shaft 75 is rotated by rotation force of an electric motor. A stirring conveying member 72B is biased in a direction of being wound around the rotating shaft 75, and a sealing member 73 provided on the stirring conveying member 72B is removed from a toner supply opening 66. At shipping, a sub-toner supply unit 70 and a main toner supply unit 80 filled with toner communicate with each other at the toner supply opening 66. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2010,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a toner storage device and an image forming apparatus.

As a process cartridge that supplies toner to an image forming apparatus such as a copier or a printer, the process cartridge has a toner seal member for preventing toner leakage from the toner storage portion, and the user uses the process seal cartridge prior to use of the process cartridge. Conventionally, there is a configuration in which the image is peeled off and mounted in the image forming apparatus main body (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
JP 2000-122419 A

  The present invention provides a toner storage device and an image forming apparatus that reduce user operations at the start of use.

  The toner storage device according to claim 1, a housing, a toner storage unit that is provided in the housing and stores toner, and a toner discharge port that is provided in the toner storage unit and discharges the stored toner. A toner receiving portion that is provided in the housing and receives the toner discharged from the toner discharge port, a rotation shaft that is rotatably provided in the toner storage portion, and a rotation shaft that is fixed to the rotation shaft, A stirring member that stirs toner by rotating; a sealing member that is fixed to the stirring member and seals the toner discharge port; and that opens the toner discharge port by rotating the rotating shaft; It is provided with.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first aspect, the sealing member is formed integrally with the agitation member.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the toner storage device according to the first or second aspect, the rotating shaft rotates in a direction opposite to that during normal operation at a predetermined number of times at the start of use.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the toner accommodating device according to the first or second aspect, wherein the sealing member and the stirring member are rotated in a normal direction of the rotary shaft at the discharge port. It is connected on the upstream side, and at the start of use, the rotating shaft rotates in the direction of rotation during normal operation.

  An image forming apparatus according to a fifth aspect forms an electrostatic latent image on the toner storage device according to any one of the first to fourth aspects and an image carrier provided in the toner storage device. And an image forming means for transferring the electrostatic latent image as a toner image onto a recording medium.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided, the user is not required to open the seal of the sealing member, thereby reducing the user operation at the start of use.

  According to the second aspect of the present invention, the configuration is simple with a small number of parts compared to the case where the configuration is not provided.

  According to invention of Claim 3, compared with the case where it does not have this structure, sealing can be open | released with little rotational torque. .

  According to the invention described in claim 4, it is not necessary to perform an operation different from the normal operation at the start of use, as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided.

  According to the fifth aspect of the present invention, as compared with the case where the present configuration is not provided, the user is not required to open the seal of the sealing member, thereby reducing the user operation at the start of use.

<Device overview>
Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 1 shows a printer 10 as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention.

  In the printer 10, process cartridges 14 that perform full-color image formation with four color toners (yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K)) are arranged in the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIG. 1, a paper feed cassette 24 in which paper P is stored is provided at the bottom of the printer 10. In the vicinity of the paper feed cassette 24, a pickup roll 26 that feeds the paper P at a predetermined timing is provided.

  The paper P sent out from the paper feed cassette 24 by the pickup roll 26 is sent to a paper transport path 32 including a transport roll 28 and a registration roll 30, and is transported by the transport device 44 that transports the paper P facing the process cartridge 14. It is conveyed to.

  The process cartridge 14 is arranged in the order of the above-described Y, M, C, and K colors from the upstream side of the paper transport path 32. Scanning light is irradiated to the process cartridge 14 on the left side of the process cartridge 14 in the drawing. An exposure device 34 is disposed.

  In the exposure device 34, a semiconductor laser (not shown), a polygon mirror 38, an imaging lens 40, and a mirror 42 are disposed in a housing 36. Light from the semiconductor laser is deflected and scanned by the polygon mirror 38 to form an image. The photosensitive drum 16 is irradiated through the lens 40 and the mirror 42. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image information is formed on the photosensitive drum 16.

  Further, on the right side of the printer 10 in the drawing (position facing the photosensitive drum 16), the above-described transport device 44 is disposed. The conveying device 44 includes a pair of stretching rolls 46 and 48 provided along the side wall 10 </ b> A of the printer 10, and a conveying belt 50 wound around the stretching rolls 46 and 48. The tension roll 48 is rotated by a motor (not shown), and the conveyance belt 50 moves.

  A suction roll 54 is disposed in the vicinity of the tension roll 46, and the sheet P is electrostatically attracted to the transport belt 50 by applying a voltage to the suction roll 54.

  Further, a transfer roll 52 is provided for each color at a position on the back surface of the transport belt 50 facing the photosensitive drum 16 of each color. The toner image on the photosensitive drum 16 is transferred to the paper P conveyed by the conveyance belt 50 by the transfer roll 52 and fixed on the paper P by the fixing device 56. The paper P on which the toner image is fixed is discharged to the discharge tray 60 by the discharge roll 58.

<First Embodiment>
Next, the process cartridge according to the first embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  FIG. 2 shows a process cartridge according to the first embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the internal structure of the process cartridge according to this embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the process cartridge 14 </ b> A according to the first embodiment of the present invention includes a photoconductor cartridge 62 having a photoconductor drum 16, an electrostatic image formed on the photoconductor cartridge 62 while containing toner. The latent image is constituted by a developing device 74 that performs development with toner.

  The photoconductor cartridge 62 includes a photoconductor drum 16, a charging roll 18 disposed around the photoconductor drum 16, a cleaning device 20, an erase lamp 22, and a sub-toner replenishment unit disposed in the lateral direction of the cleaning device 20. 70 and a single unit.

  The sub-toner replenishment unit 70 is provided with a stirring / conveying member 72. The sub-toner supply unit 70 is provided with a support protrusion (not shown). The support protrusion is inserted into a receiving portion (not shown) of the printer 10, and the process cartridge 14 </ b> A is attached to the printer 10.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the developing unit 74 of the process cartridge 14 </ b> A according to the present embodiment has a housing 124. The housing 124 is provided below the photosensitive drum 16 and has an opening 128 that opens toward the photosensitive drum 16. Further, a developer storage chamber 112 is formed in the housing 124, and a developer G composed of toner and a carrier is stored in the developer storage chamber 112.

  A developing roll 126 is disposed in the housing 124 so as to be partially exposed from the opening 128 of the housing 124, and is rotatably supported on the peripheral wall of the housing 124. A gear (not shown) is fixed to the end of the developing roll 126, and a rotational force from a motor (not shown) is transmitted to the gear, and the developing roll 126 rotates in the Y direction via the gear.

  The developing roller 126 adsorbs the carrier contained in the developer G by magnetic force, forms a magnetic brush of the developer G on the surface, and conveys the toner adsorbed on the carrier to the developing region facing the photosensitive drum 16. . The electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 16 is developed with toner by a magnetic brush of developer G composed of carrier and toner formed on the surface of the developing roller 126.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the process cartridge 14 </ b> A according to the present embodiment is opposed to the photosensitive drum 16 that rotates in the direction of arrow X, and the electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 16 is converted into a developer G composed of toner and carrier. The developing unit 74 that visualizes the image and the main toner supply unit 80 that supplies the toner T to the developing unit 74 are integrated. Further, a sub toner replenishment unit 70 that supplies toner to the main toner replenishment unit 80 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the sub toner supply unit 70 is provided with a toner supply port 66, and the main toner supply unit 80 is supplied with toner through the toner supply port 66.

  When the unused process cartridge 14 </ b> A is set in the printer 10, the toner supply port 66 is sealed with the sealing member 73 to prevent toner leakage from the sub toner supply unit 70 to the main toner supply unit 80.

  The agitating / conveying member 72 is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft 75, and the sealing member 73 is provided on the agitating / conveying member 72 </ b> B near the toner supply port 66. Alternatively, a part of the stirring and conveying member 72B may be used as the sealing member 73. A gear (not shown) is fixed to the end of the rotary shaft 75, and a rotational force from a motor (not shown) is transmitted to the gear so that the rotary shaft 75 can rotate in the X direction in the drawing.

  When the process cartridge 14A is set in the printer 10 and starts to be used, the rotating shaft 75 is rotated by the rotational force of the motor, and the agitating and conveying member 72B is urged in the direction of being wound around the rotating shaft 75, and agitated and conveyed. The sealing member 73 provided on the member 72B is peeled off from the toner supply port 66, and the sub-toner supply unit 70 and the main toner supply unit 80 filled with toner at the time of shipment communicate with each other through the toner supply port 66.

  The sealing member 73 after the start of use is integrated with the agitating and conveying member 72B, and no waste member is generated outside the apparatus. The subsequent sealing member 73 is a member for stirring and transporting the toner in the sub-toner replenishing unit 70 together with the stirring and transporting member 72B.

  In the above embodiment, the sealing member 73 is provided on the stirring and conveying member 72B close to the toner supply port 66, or a part of the stirring and conveying member 72B is the sealing member 73. However, the stirring and conveying member 72A far from the toner supply port 66 is used. The sealing member 73 may be provided, or a part of the stirring and conveying member 72A may be used as the sealing member 73. .

  Moreover, in the said embodiment, although the sealing member 73 and the stirring conveyance member 72 are integrated in the X direction downstream in the said discharge port, you may make it integrate in the X direction upstream. Therefore, the rotation directions X and Y may be reversed.

Second Embodiment
Next, a process cartridge according to a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  3 to 4 show a process cartridge according to a second embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view showing the internal structure of the process cartridge according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 4 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the process cartridge.

  Note that components that are basically the same as those in the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a main toner supply unit 80 adjacent to the developing unit 74 is provided with a toner storage chamber 82 in which toner is stored. A first agitator 84 and a second agitator 92 are provided in the toner storage chamber 82 along the axial direction of the developing roll 126. A second partition wall 98, a curved wall 100, and a third partition wall 110 are provided between the toner storage chamber 82 and the developer storage chamber 112.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the first agitator 84 includes a first rotating shaft 86 </ b> A, a first support portion 86 </ b> B, and a first stirring / conveying film 88, and is rotatably supported on the peripheral wall of the main toner supply unit 80. . The second agitator 92 includes a second rotating shaft 94A, a second support portion 94B, and a second agitating / conveying film 96, and is rotatably supported on the peripheral wall of the main toner replenishing unit 80.

  As shown in FIG. 3, a first agitating / conveying film 88 is fixed to the first support portion 86B of the first agitator 84 along the axial direction of the first support portion 86B.

  From the lower part of the second partition wall 98, the curved wall 100 extends toward the toner storage chamber 82, and the third partition wall 110 extends toward the developer storage chamber 112, so that a tunnel-shaped dispense chamber is formed at the bottom of the housing 124. 102 is formed. In the dispense chamber 102, a dispense auger 104 that stirs and conveys toner along the longitudinal direction is provided.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a toner supply port 106 that connects the toner storage chamber 82 and the dispense chamber 102 is formed in the vicinity of one end in the longitudinal direction of the curved wall 100. As a result, the toner T stored in the toner storage chamber 82 is conveyed in the axial direction through the toner storage chamber 82 while being stirred by the first agitator 84, and sent to the dispensing chamber 102 from the toner supply port 106.

  When the unused process cartridge 14 </ b> B is set in the printer 10, the toner supply port 106 is sealed with the sealing member 89 to prevent the toner from leaking from the toner storage chamber 82 to the dispensing chamber 102.

  The first support portion 86B that supports the first agitation transport film 88 is rotatably supported by the first rotation shaft 86A, and the sealing member 89 is provided on the first agitation transport film 88. Alternatively, a part of the first stirring / transporting film 88 may be used as the sealing member 89, or the sealing member 89 may be provided on the first support portion 86B.

  A gear (not shown) is fixed to the end of the first rotating shaft 86A, and a rotational force from a motor (not shown) is transmitted to the gear, so that the first rotating shaft 86A can rotate in the X direction in the drawing. It has become.

  When the process cartridge 14B is set in the printer 10 and started to be used, the first rotating shaft 86A is rotated by the rotational force of the motor, and the first agitating / conveying film 88 is wound around the first rotating shaft 86A. The sealing member 89 provided on the first stirring / conveying film 88 is peeled off from the toner supply port 106, and the toner storage chamber 82 and the dispense chamber 102 communicate with each other through the toner supply port 106.

  The sealing member 89 after the start of use is integrated with the first stirring / conveying film 88, and no waste member is generated outside the apparatus. The subsequent sealing member 89 is a member for stirring and transporting the toner in the toner storage chamber 82 together with the first stirring and transporting film 88.

  In the above embodiment, the sealing member 89 is provided on the first stirring / transporting film 88 close to the toner supply port 106, or a part of the first stirring / transporting film 88 is used as the sealing member 89 or sealed in the first support portion 86 </ b> B. Although the stop member 89 is provided, the sealing member 89 is provided on the second stirring / transporting film 96 far from the toner supply port 106, or a part of the second stirring / transporting film 96 may be used as the sealing member 73, or A sealing member 89 may be provided on the second support portion 94B. Further, there is no problem even if the rotation directions X and Y are reversed.

<Third Embodiment>
Next, a process cartridge according to a third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  5 to 6 show a process cartridge according to a third embodiment of the present invention.

  FIG. 5 is a sectional view showing a part of the internal structure of the process cartridge according to the present embodiment, and FIG. 6 is a plan view showing the internal structure of the process cartridge.

  Note that components that are basically the same as those in the first embodiment described above are given the same reference numerals as those in the first embodiment, and descriptions thereof are omitted.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, an opening 108 is formed in the vicinity of the other end in the longitudinal direction of the third partition wall 110 so as to communicate the dispensing chamber 102 and the developer storage chamber 112. The toner T in the dispense chamber 102 is conveyed through the dispense chamber 102 while being agitated by the dispense auger 104, and is sent to the developer storage chamber 112 from the opening 108.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the dispense auger 104 includes a rotation shaft 104 </ b> A and is rotatably supported on the peripheral wall of the main toner supply unit 80. A blade 104B is spirally wound around the rotation shaft 104A at a predetermined pitch.

  A gear (not shown) is fixed to the end of the rotating shaft 104A. When a rotational force from a motor (not shown) is transmitted to the gear and the dispense auger 104 rotates via the gear, the blade 104B causes the inside of the dispense chamber 102 to move. The toner T is conveyed in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 4 while being stirred.

  As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, a toner supply port 108 that connects the dispensing chamber 102 and the stirring path 114 is formed in the vicinity of one end of the curved wall 100 in the longitudinal direction. As a result, the toner T supplied to the dispensing chamber 102 is conveyed in the axial direction through the dispensing chamber 102 while being stirred by the dispensing auger 104, and is sent to the stirring path 114 from the toner supply port 108.

  When the unused process cartridge 14 </ b> C is set in the printer 10, the toner supply port 108 is sealed with the sealing member 107 to prevent the toner from leaking from the dispensing chamber 102 to the stirring path 114.

  The dispense auger 104 is rotatably supported by a rotating shaft 104A, and the sealing member 107 is provided on the blade 104B as shown in FIG.

  Alternatively, as shown in FIG. 5B, the sealing member 107 may be provided directly on the rotating shaft 104A. A gear (not shown) is fixed to the end of the rotating shaft 104A, and rotational force from a motor (not shown) is transmitted to the gear so that the rotating shaft 104A can rotate in the X direction in the drawing.

  When the process cartridge 14C is set in the printer 10 and starts to be used, the rotary shaft 104A is rotated by the rotational force of the motor, and the sealing member 107 provided on the blade 104B is wound around the rotary shaft 104A. Energized, the sealing member 107 is peeled off from the toner supply port 108, and the dispensing chamber 102 and the stirring path 114 communicate with each other through the toner supply port 108.

  Since the sealing member 107 after the start of use is integrated with the blade 105, no discard member is generated outside the apparatus. The subsequent sealing member 107 is a member that stirs and conveys the toner in the dispensing chamber 102 together with the blades 105.

<Fourth embodiment>
Next, a process cartridge according to a fourth embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

  In the first embodiment of the present invention, that is, in the process cartridge 14A shown in FIG. 2, when the process cartridge 14A is set in the printer 10 and starts to be used, the rotation shaft 75 is rotated by the rotational force of the motor a predetermined number of times in the figure. The sealing member 73 rotates in the Y direction opposite to the direction, and the sealing member 73 is urged in a direction wound around the rotation shaft 75.

  Alternatively, in the second embodiment of the present invention, that is, in the process cartridge 14B shown in FIG. 3, when the process cartridge 14B is set in the printer 10 and starts to be used, the first rotating shaft 86A is rotated by the rotational force of the motor a predetermined number of times. In the drawing, the sealing member 89 rotates in the Y direction opposite to the X direction, and the sealing member 89 is urged in the direction wound around the first rotation shaft 86A.

  Alternatively, in the third embodiment of the present invention, that is, in the process cartridge 14C shown in FIG. 5, when the process cartridge 14C is set in the printer 10 and starts to be used, the rotary shaft 104A is rotated by the rotational force of the motor a predetermined number of times. The sealing member 107 rotates in the Y direction opposite to the X direction, and the sealing member 107 is urged in a direction wound around the rotating shaft 104A.

<Others>
As mentioned above, although the Example of this invention was described, it cannot be overemphasized that this invention is not limited to said Example at all, and can implement in a various aspect in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention.

  For example, in the above embodiment, a process cartridge used for a color laser printer is taken as an example. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, an image forming apparatus that uses an LED or the like instead of a laser for an exposure system, But it goes without saying.

  In the present invention, the sealing member for the toner outlet is wound up by the movement of the rotating shaft of the stirring member. Instead, the member for sealing the discharge port of the container filled with various powders is wound up. The present invention can be used for the mechanism.

1 is a cross-sectional view illustrating an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the process cartridge which concerns on 1st Embodiment of this invention. It is sectional drawing which shows the structure of the process cartridge which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the structure of the process cartridge which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is the enlarged view and sectional drawing which show the structure of the process cartridge which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention. It is a top view which shows the structure of the process cartridge which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention.

Explanation of symbols

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 10 Printer 14 Process cartridge 16 Photosensitive drum 18 Charging roll 64 Developing device 66 Toner supply port 70 Sub-toner supply unit 72 Stirring conveyance member 73 Sealing member 74 Development unit 75 Rotating shaft 80 Main toner supply unit 82 Toner storage chamber 84 Agitator 86A Rotation Shaft 86B Support section 88 Stirring transport film 89 Sealing member 92 Agitator 94A Rotating shaft 94B Support section 98 Partition wall 100 Curved wall 102 Dispense chamber 104 Dispense auger 105 Blade 106 Toner supply port 107 Sealing member 108 Toner supply port 108 Opening section 110 Partition wall 112 Developer storage chamber 114 Stirring path 126 Developing roll

Claims (5)

A housing,
A toner container provided in the housing for containing toner;
A toner discharge port provided in the toner storage portion for discharging the stored toner;
A toner receiver provided in the housing and receiving toner discharged from the toner discharge port;
A rotating shaft rotatably provided in the toner container;
An agitating member fixed to the rotating shaft and stirring the toner by rotating the rotating shaft;
And a sealing member that is fixed to the stirring member, seals the toner discharge port, and opens the toner discharge port when the rotating shaft is rotated.   The toner storage device according to claim 1, wherein the sealing member is formed integrally with the stirring member.   The toner storage device according to claim 1, wherein the rotating shaft rotates in a direction opposite to that during normal operation a predetermined number of times at the start of use.   The said sealing member and the said stirring member are connected in the rotation direction upstream at the time of normal operation of the said rotating shaft in the said discharge port, The said rotating shaft rotates in the rotation direction at the time of normal operation at the time of a use start. The toner storage device according to claim 1. The toner storage device according to any one of claims 1 to 4,
An exposure device that forms an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier provided in the toner storage device;
An image forming apparatus having image forming means for transferring the electrostatic latent image as a toner image to a recording medium.

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