JP2013222181A - Powder clogging suppressing means, powder container, and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide compact powder clogging suppressing means that can be installed in a powder discharge path of a container, and can effectively suppress clogging of powder.SOLUTION: Powder clogging suppressing means 70 suppresses clogging of powder in a powder container that has powder for image formation accommodated therein. The powder clogging suppressing means 70 includes a powder clogging suppressing member 71 that is disposed in a powder discharge path of the powder container, and driving means 72 that rotates to drive the powder clogging suppressing member 71.

Description

  The present invention relates to a powder clogging suppressing means for suppressing clogging of powder in a powder container for storing image forming powder such as toner, and a powder container and an image provided with the powder clogging suppressing means. The present invention relates to a forming apparatus.

  In general, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus that visualizes a latent image formed on a photoreceptor using toner as a developer, the toner is used to replenish the toner consumed in forming the image. A toner container is provided. In many cases, the toner container is configured to be detachable from the main body of the image forming apparatus and is replaced with a new toner container when the toner in the toner container runs out.

  As a toner container, for example, a so-called screw bottle is known in which a spiral protrusion is provided on the inner surface of a cylindrical container and is configured to be rotatable about an axis. When the screw bottle is rotated around the axis while attached to the image forming apparatus, the toner accommodated therein moves to one end side in the axial direction following the spiral protrusion, and is provided on the one end side. The toner is discharged from the discharged outlet, and the toner is supplied to the developing device.

  However, if a user or the like stores the toner container as described above with the discharge port facing downward, the toner may aggregate or adhere near the discharge port due to the weight of the toner. There is. This is especially true when the toner container is stored in a hot and humid environment such as outdoors in summer. As described above, when toner aggregation or fixation occurs in the vicinity of the discharge port, the toner discharge path to the discharge port is blocked by these toners. As a result, when the toner container is set and used, there arises a problem that the amount of toner discharged from the discharge port decreases or becomes unstable. In the worst case, the toner may not be discharged at all from the discharge port.

Conventionally, the following methods have been proposed as a method for suppressing toner aggregation and fixation in a toner container.
For example, Patent Document 1 proposes a configuration in which a leaf spring is pressed against the outer peripheral surface of a container body provided with a plurality of step portions. In this case, when the leaf spring climbs over the step portion as the container body rotates, the leaf spring is elastically deformed and applied to the outer peripheral surface, and vibration is applied to the container body. This vibration is propagated to the toner in the container body, so that toner aggregation and sticking are suppressed.

  Further, Patent Document 2 proposes a configuration in which an elastic member that elastically contacts the outer peripheral surface of a container body provided with spiral irregularities is provided. Also in this case, as in the method of Patent Document 1, vibration is applied by the elastic member being struck against the outer peripheral surface of the container body as the container body rotates, thereby suppressing toner aggregation and the like.

  Patent Document 3 proposes a toner container provided with a scraping member for scraping off the toner in the container. The scraping member is configured to slide on the inner peripheral surface of the container as the toner container rotates, so that the toner attached to the inner peripheral surface of the container is scraped off.

  However, the methods described in Patent Documents 1 and 2 aim to indirectly loosen the toner by propagating vibration generated on the outer peripheral surface of the container body to the aggregated toner. However, it was not possible to give direct external force. For this reason, it is difficult to sufficiently loosen and remove the agglomerated toner and the fixed toner, particularly when the toner is firmly aggregated and fixed. Also, with this method, it has been difficult to effectively suppress toner aggregation and fixation in the vicinity of the discharge port and in the discharge path that guides the toner to the discharge port.

  On the other hand, since the scraping member is in direct contact with the toner, the method described in Patent Document 3 improves the effect of suppressing toner aggregation and fixing, but exhibits a sufficient effect at a location where the scraping member does not reach. I can't. For this reason, toner aggregation and sticking cannot be effectively suppressed in the discharge route where the scraping member does not reach or in the vicinity of the discharge port.

  Therefore, in view of such circumstances, the present invention is compact and can be installed in a powder discharge path of a container, and can effectively prevent powder clogging. A powder container and an image forming apparatus provided with the above.

  In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the invention according to claim 1 is a powder clogging suppressing means for suppressing clogging of powder in a powder container in which powder for image formation is stored. A powder clogging suppressing member disposed in a powder discharge path of the powder container, and a driving means for driving the powder clogging suppressing member by rotating are provided.

  According to the first aspect of the present invention, the powder clogging in the powder discharge path can be suppressed by driving the powder clogging suppression member in the powder discharge path. Further, in the present invention, since the powder clogging suppressing member is in direct contact with the powder inside, it is possible to more effectively suppress the powder clogging as compared with the configuration in which the conventional vibration is applied to the powder. Become.

  Further, in the case of the present invention, since the powder clogging suppression means can be made compact and simple, the powder clogging suppression means can be installed in a relatively narrow powder discharge path. Therefore, it becomes possible to effectively suppress clogging of the powder in such a place.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a color laser printer as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a method for attaching and detaching a toner container to and from an apparatus main body. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of a side surface of a toner container. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a toner container rotation driving unit and a toner conveying device. 2 is an external perspective view of a toner container. FIG. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a toner container is being installed. FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating a state where the toner container is completely installed. FIG. 3 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating the configuration of the first embodiment of the toner clogging suppression unit of the present invention. It is a plane sectional view showing the composition of the 1st embodiment. In the said 1st Embodiment, it is front sectional drawing which shows the structure which provided the some clogging suppression member. In the said 1st Embodiment, it is front sectional drawing which shows the structure which varied the shape of the vertical conveyance path | route and the clogging suppression member. FIG. 6 is a front cross-sectional view showing a configuration of a second embodiment of the toner clogging suppressing means of the present invention. It is a plane sectional view showing the composition of the 2nd embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the 3rd power transmission member of the said 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional plan view illustrating a configuration of a third embodiment of a toner clogging suppression unit of the present invention. It is a side view of the clogging suppression member which concerns on the said 3rd Embodiment. FIG. 10 is a front cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a fourth embodiment of the toner clogging suppressing unit of the present invention. It is a top view of the shutter which concerns on the said 4th Embodiment. It is a figure for demonstrating the taking in / out operation | movement of the clogging suppression member in the said 4th Embodiment. In the said 4th Embodiment, it is a principal part top view of the structure which provided the rotational force with the rack and the gear. It is a figure which shows embodiment which used the rotary body as the gear. It is a figure which shows the structure which provided the drive means which drives a rotary body in an apparatus main body.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, components such as members and components having the same function or shape are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and once described, the description is omitted.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a color laser printer as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. First, the overall configuration and operation of the color laser printer will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, in the center of the main body (image forming apparatus main body) 1 of the color laser printer, yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black corresponding to the color separation components of the color image. Four image forming units 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K that form images of different colors (K) are provided. Each of the image forming units 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K supplies a drum-shaped photosensitive member 5 as a latent image carrier, a charging device 6 that charges the surface of the photosensitive member 5, and a toner to the surface of the photosensitive member 5. A developing device 7 and a cleaning device 8 for cleaning the surface of the photoreceptor 5 are provided. The photosensitive member 5 may be a belt-like one in addition to the drum-like one. In FIG. 1, only the photoconductor 5, the charging device 6, the developing device 7, and the cleaning device 8 included in the black image forming unit 4 </ b> K are denoted by reference numerals. In the other image forming units 4 </ b> Y, 4 </ b> M, and 4 </ b> C, The reference numerals are omitted.

  In FIG. 1, an exposure device 9 that exposes the surface of the photosensitive member 5 is disposed below the image forming units 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K. The exposure device 9 includes a light source, a polygon mirror, an f-θ lens, a reflection mirror, and the like, and irradiates the surface of each photoconductor 5 with laser light based on image data.

  On the other hand, the transfer device 3 is disposed above the image forming units 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K. The transfer device 3 includes an intermediate transfer belt 30 formed of an endless belt member as a transfer body. The intermediate transfer belt 30 is stretched by four primary transfer rollers 31, a secondary transfer backup roller 32, a cleaning backup roller 33, and a tension roller 34. Of these rollers 31 to 34, the secondary transfer backup roller 32 rotates, so that the intermediate transfer belt 30 rotates (rotates) in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing.

  The four primary transfer rollers 31 are disposed at positions facing the respective photoreceptors 5 via the intermediate transfer belt 30. Each primary transfer roller 31 presses the inner peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 30 at each position, and a primary transfer nip is formed at a place where the pressed portion of the intermediate transfer belt 30 and each photoconductor 5 are in contact with each other. ing. Further, each primary transfer roller 31 is connected to a power source (not shown), and a predetermined direct current voltage (DC) and / or alternating current voltage (AC) is applied to each primary transfer roller 31.

  A secondary transfer roller 36 is disposed at a position facing the secondary transfer backup roller 32 via the intermediate transfer belt 30. The secondary transfer roller 36 presses the outer peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer belt 30, and a secondary transfer nip is formed at a location where the secondary transfer roller 36 and the intermediate transfer belt 30 are in contact with each other. Similarly to the primary transfer roller 31, the secondary transfer roller 36 is connected to a power source (not shown), and a predetermined DC voltage (DC) and / or AC voltage (AC) is applied to the secondary transfer roller 36. It has become so.

  A belt cleaning device 35 is disposed at a position facing the cleaning backup roller 33 via the intermediate transfer belt 30. The belt cleaning device 35 includes a cleaning blade that contacts the intermediate transfer belt 30 and is configured to remove residual toner and foreign matters on the belt surface by the cleaning blade when the intermediate transfer belt 30 travels around. Has been.

  A lower part of the apparatus main body 1 is provided with a paper feed tray 10 that stores paper P as a recording medium, a paper feed roller 11 that feeds the paper P from the paper feed tray 10, and the like. Here, the paper P includes thick paper, postcard, envelope, plain paper, thin paper, coated paper (coated paper, art paper, etc.), tracing paper, and the like. Further, an OHP sheet, an OHP film, or the like can be used as a recording medium. Although not shown, a manual paper feed mechanism may be provided.

  In addition, a conveyance path R is disposed in the apparatus main body 1 for discharging the sheet P from the sheet feeding tray 10 through the secondary transfer nip to the outside of the apparatus. In the transport path R, a pair of registration rollers 12 as timing rollers are disposed upstream of the position of the secondary transfer roller 36 in the paper transport direction.

  On the other hand, a fixing device 15 for fixing the unfixed image transferred onto the paper P is disposed downstream of the position of the secondary transfer roller 36 in the paper transport direction. A pair of paper discharge rollers 13 for discharging the paper to the outside of the apparatus is provided at the downstream end of the transport path R in the paper transport direction. Further, a paper discharge tray 14 for stocking paper discharged outside the apparatus is provided on the upper surface of the apparatus main body 1.

  In addition, four toner containers (powder containers) 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K that contain toner as image forming powder are mounted on the upper part of the apparatus main body 1. Each of the toner containers 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K has substantially the same configuration except that toners of different colors of yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), and black (K) are stored. Has been.

The image forming apparatus operates as follows.
When the image forming operation is started, the photoconductors 5 of the image forming units 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K are rotationally driven clockwise by a driving device (not shown), and the surface of each photoconductor 5 is charged by the charging device 6. It is uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity. Based on the image information of the document read by a reading device (not shown), the exposure device 9 irradiates the charged surface of each photoconductor 5 with laser light, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of each photoconductor 5. . At this time, the image information to be exposed on each photoconductor 5 is single-color image information obtained by separating a desired full-color image into color information of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black. As the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive member 5 is supplied with toner by each developing device 7, the electrostatic latent image is visualized (developed) as a toner image.

  When the image forming operation is started, the secondary transfer backup roller 32 that stretches the intermediate transfer belt 30 is driven to rotate counterclockwise in the drawing, so that the intermediate transfer belt 30 is moved in the direction indicated by the arrow in the drawing. Driven by driving. Further, by applying a constant voltage having a polarity opposite to the toner charging polarity or a voltage controlled by a constant current to each primary transfer roller 31, the primary transfer nip between each primary transfer roller 31 and each photoreceptor 5 is applied. A transfer electric field is formed.

  Thereafter, when each color toner image on the photoconductor 5 reaches the primary transfer nip as each photoconductor 5 rotates, the toner image on each photoconductor 5 is generated by the transfer electric field formed in the primary transfer nip. Are sequentially superimposed and transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 30. Thus, a full color toner image is carried on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 30. Further, the toner on each photoconductor 5 that could not be transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 30 is removed by the cleaning device 8. Next, the surface of each photoconductor 5 is subjected to a static elimination action by a static elimination device (not shown), and the surface potential is initialized to prepare for the next image formation.

  In the lower part of the image forming apparatus, the paper feed roller 11 starts to rotate, and the paper P stored in the paper feed tray 10 is sent out to the transport path R. The sheet P sent to the transport path R is timed by the registration roller 12 and sent to the secondary transfer nip between the secondary transfer roller 36 and the secondary transfer backup roller 32. At this time, a transfer voltage having a polarity opposite to the toner charge polarity of the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 30 is applied to the secondary transfer roller 36, thereby forming a transfer electric field in the secondary transfer nip.

  Thereafter, when the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 30 reaches the secondary transfer nip as the intermediate transfer belt 30 rotates, the transfer electric field formed in the secondary transfer nip causes a transfer on the intermediate transfer belt 30. The toner images are transferred onto the paper P all at once. Alternatively, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 30 may be transferred onto the paper P by applying a transfer voltage having the same polarity as the toner charging polarity to the secondary transfer backup roller 32. Further, the residual toner on the intermediate transfer belt 30 that could not be transferred onto the paper P is removed by the belt cleaning device 35.

  The paper P on which the toner image is transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 15, and the toner image is fixed on the paper P by the fixing device 15. Thereafter, the paper P is discharged out of the apparatus by the paper discharge roller 13 and stocked on the paper discharge tray 14.

  The above description is an image forming operation when a full-color image is formed on a sheet. A single color image can be formed using any one of the four image forming units 4Y, 4M, 4C, and 4K. Two or three image forming units can be used to form a two-color or three-color image.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a method for attaching and detaching the toner container to and from the apparatus main body.
As shown in FIG. 2, the toner containers 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K are substantially cylindrical toner bottles, and container housings that accommodate the toner containers 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K are disposed on the upper portion of the apparatus main body 1. Part 2 is provided. The container housing portion 2 is formed with four recesses, and can be attached and detached by guiding the toner containers 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K along the respective recesses in the horizontal direction (the direction of the arrow in the figure). ing.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the toner containers 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K will be described.
The four toner containers 20Y, 20M, 20C, and 20K have substantially the same configuration except that different color toners are accommodated. Therefore, in order to simplify the description, reference numerals indicating color identification are used. (Y, M, C, K) is omitted, and the configuration of one toner container will be described.

FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional view of the side surface of the toner container.
As shown in FIG. 3, the toner container 20 mainly includes a container main body (bottle main body) 21 that stores toner therein, and a cap portion 22 that is attached to one end of the container main body 21 that opens. . The container body 21 is provided with a spiral projection on the inner peripheral surface thereof, and is attached to the cap portion 22 so as to be rotatable.

  The cap portion 22 has a discharge port 23 for discharging the toner in the container main body 21, a discharge path (powder carrying-out path) 24 for guiding the toner in the container main body 21 to the discharge port 23, and a discharge port A shutter 25 that opens and closes 23 is provided. In the state shown in FIG. 3, the discharge port 23 is closed by the shutter 25. From this state, the discharge port 23 can be opened by sliding the shutter 25 to the left in the figure.

  When the toner container 20 is attached to the apparatus main body 1 and in a posture in which the toner container 20 is completely attached, as shown in FIG. 3, the discharge port 23 is disposed so as to face downward. In addition, the discharge path 24 has a horizontal transport path 24a that transports the toner in the container body 21 in the horizontal direction (the direction of the arrow A1 in the figure), and the toner transported through the horizontal transport path 24a. And a vertical conveyance path 24b that conveys the gas vertically downward (in the direction of arrow A2 in the figure) and leads it to the discharge port 23.

  In addition, a pair of stirring plates 26 as stirring members are provided from within one end portion of the container main body 21 to the horizontal conveyance path 24 a of the cap portion 22. The stirring plate 26 is attached to one end portion of the container main body 21. When the container main body 21 rotates, the stirring plate 26 also rotates together with this.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view illustrating a configuration of a toner container rotation driving unit and a toner conveying apparatus that conveys toner from the toner container to the developing device.
Since the rotation driving unit and the toner conveying device are similarly configured for each toner container, the configuration of one set of the rotation driving unit and the toner conveying device will be described below with reference to FIG. .

  As shown in FIG. 4, the rotational drive means 40 includes a drive motor 41 as a drive source, a worm gear 42 provided on the shaft of the drive motor 41, and an idler gear 43 that meshes with the worm gear 42. The idler gear 43 meshes with a gear (not shown) formed on the outer peripheral surface of the container body 21 of the toner container 20. When the drive motor 41 is driven, the driving force is transmitted via the worm gear 42 and the idler gear 43. It is transmitted to the container body 21 as a rotational force.

  The toner conveying device 45 includes a toner hopper 46 provided below the container housing portion 2, a toner conveying tube 47 connecting the toner hopper 46 and the developing device 7, and a conveying coil 48 accommodated in the toner conveying tube 47. And have. In the toner hopper 46, a rotatable conveying member 49 for sending the toner to the toner conveying tube 47 is provided.

Next, the toner supply operation will be described with reference to FIG.
When the drive motor 41 starts driving in response to the toner replenishment command, the driving force is transmitted to the container main body 21, and the container main body 21 is rotated in the direction indicated by the arrow B1 in the figure. At this time, the toner is conveyed to the opening side of the container main body 21 by the spiral protrusion provided in the container main body 21. Then, the toner is discharged from the discharge port 23 provided in the cap portion 22 in the direction indicated by the arrow B2 in the figure, and is temporarily stored in the toner hopper 46.

  As described above, in the present embodiment, the discharge port 23 is provided on the peripheral side surface (downward) of the cap portion 22 so as to be compact and use its own weight for discharging the toner. Further, as the container main body 21 rotates, the stirring plate 26 shown in FIG. 3 rotates, so that the toner is stirred in the vicinity of the opening of the container main body 21 by the stirring plate 26 and the toner discharge performance is improved.

  The toner once stored in the toner hopper 46 is transported to the toner transport pipe 47 when the transport member 49 in the toner hopper 46 rotates in the direction indicated by the arrow B3 in the drawing. The toner transported to the toner transport pipe 47 is transported in the direction indicated by the arrow B4 in the drawing by the rotating transport coil 48 and then replenished into the developing device 7.

Hereinafter, the configuration of the toner container will be described in more detail.
FIG. 5 is an external perspective view of the toner container.
As shown in FIG. 5, a non-contact RFID chip 51 as an information storage medium is provided on the front end surface of the cap portion 22 of the toner container 20. The FRID chip 51 stores information such as the color and amount of toner stored in the toner container 20. In a state where the toner container 20 is mounted on the apparatus main body 1, the FRID chip 51 is electrically connected to an information reading device (not shown) provided in the apparatus main body 1, so that the information stored in the FRID chip 51 is stored. Can be read or updated.

  Further, two positioning holes 52 and 53 are provided at the tip of the cap portion 22. When the toner container 20 is attached to the apparatus main body 1, the positioning protrusions provided in the container housing portion 2 are inserted into the positioning holes 52 and 53, so that the toner container 20 is attached to the apparatus main body 1. It is designed to be positioned. In the present embodiment, the upper positioning hole 52 in the figure is the main reference for positioning, and the lower positioning hole 53 is the secondary reference.

  In addition, an incompatible shape portion 54 for ensuring incompatibility of the toner container 20 is provided in the upper portion of the figure on the distal end side of the cap portion 22. The incompatible shape portion 54 has a different shape or position depending on the color of the toner to be accommodated. When the toner container 20 is attached to the regular position of the container accommodating portion 2, the incompatible shape portion 54 is provided in the apparatus main body 1. It can be fitted with a fitting portion that does not.

  In addition, a pair of rotating bodies 50 are rotatably provided in the lower portion of the figure on the tip side of the cap portion 22. Each rotating body 50 is rotatably held on the outer surface of the cap portion 22 by a bearing (not shown). As shown in FIG. 6, when the toner container 20 is mounted on the apparatus main body 1, the two rotating bodies 50 rotate like wheels while contacting the wall surface 1a of the apparatus main body 1 (container housing portion 2). Yes.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state where the toner container 20 is completely attached.
As shown in FIG. 7, in the mounting completion state, the positioning convex portions 62 and 63 provided in the container housing portion 2 are inserted into the two positioning holes 52 and 53 provided at the tip of the cap portion 22 and positioned. The Further, in this state, when the shutter 25 moves to the left side of the drawing, the discharge port 23 is opened, and the discharge port 23 is connected to the communication hole 59 provided in the container housing portion 2. As a result, the toner discharged from the discharge port 23 can be supplied to the toner hopper 46 through the communication hole 59.

  The shutter opening / closing means for opening and closing the shutter 25 includes an edge 59a of a communication hole 59 provided so that the tip of the shutter 25 contacts, a shutter closing member 60 provided in a recess of the apparatus main body 1, and a shutter closing member 60. And a spring member 61 as urging means for urging upward. The shutter closing member 60 has an inclined portion 60a on the front end side that is inclined with respect to the sliding direction of the shutter 25 (lateral direction in FIG. 7), and in a direction substantially orthogonal to the sliding direction of the shutter 25 behind the inclined portion 60a. And a hook portion 60b disposed. Further, the rear end of the shutter closing member 60 is rotatably attached via a support shaft 60c. As a result, the tip of the shutter closing member 60 swings in the vertical direction in the figure around the support shaft 60c.

  When the toner container 20 is attached to the apparatus main body 1, the tip of the shutter 25 comes into contact with the inclined portion 60 a of the shutter closing member 60, and the shutter closing member 60 is once pushed downward. Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 7, the shutter 25 abuts on the edge 59 a of the communication hole 59 provided in the apparatus main body 1, and by this abutment, the shutter 25 is slid to the rear of the toner container 20 and discharged. The outlet 23 is opened. The shutter closing member 60 returns upward when the rear end of the shutter 25 passes through the inclined portion 60a.

  Next, when removing the toner container 20 from the apparatus main body 1, when the toner container 20 is moved in the direction of detachment, the end of the shutter 25 is initially hooked on the hook portion 60 b, so that the shutter 25 is moved away. Movement is restricted. As a result, the shutter 25 is pushed by the shutter closing member 60 and is slid in the direction of closing the discharge port 23, and the discharge port 23 is closed. Then, when the movement of the shutter 25 in the closing direction is completed and the toner container 20 is further moved in the direction of detachment, the shutter closing member 60 is pushed down without resisting the moving force in the detachment direction, The restriction of the shutter 25 by the hook portion 60b is released. After that, the shutter closing member 60 returns upward to return to the original state when the shutter 25 passes the tip of the shutter closing member 60.

  FIG. 8 is a front sectional view of the vicinity of the vertical conveyance path 24b of the cap portion 22, and FIG. 9 is a plan sectional view of the vicinity of the vertical conveyance path 24b. Hereinafter, a first embodiment of a toner clogging suppression unit (powder clogging suppression unit) that suppresses clogging of toner (powder) in the toner container 20 will be described with reference to FIGS. 8 and 9.

  The toner clogging suppression unit 70 includes a clogging suppression member (powder clogging suppression member) 71 disposed in the vertical conveyance path 24b and a driving unit 72 that drives the clogging suppression member 71 by rotating. The driving means 72 is interlocked and connected to the rotating body 50 that rotates in accordance with the attaching / detaching operation, the first power transmission member 73 attached to the rotating shaft 55 of the rotating body 50, and the first power transmission member 73. And a second power transmission member 74. Both the first power transmission member 73 and the second power transmission member 74 are constituted by bevel gears, and the driving force of the rotating body 50 is orthogonal to the rotation shaft 55 by these power transmission members 73 and 74. The rotation is transmitted to a rotation shaft (a rotation shaft disposed in the toner discharge direction).

  A base portion 75 is integrally provided on the upper surface of the second power transmission member 74. Further, the clogging suppression member 71 is integrally provided on the upper surface of the base portion 75. The second power transmission member 74 and the base portion 75 are formed with toner passage holes (powder passage holes) 74a and 75a through which the toner passes, and the toner is discharged through the toner passage holes 74a and 75a. It is discharged from the outlet 23.

  In a circumferential cross section (FIG. 9) obtained by cutting the vertical conveyance path 24b in a direction intersecting the toner discharge direction, the clogging suppression member 71 is disposed along the circular inner surface 220 that forms the vertical conveyance path 24b. Is formed. That is, the clogging suppression member 71 is disposed so as to face a part in the circumferential direction of the inner surface 220 that forms the vertical conveyance path 24b. Here, the clogging suppression member 71 is in contact with the inner surface 220.

  In the toner container 20 configured as described above, when the rotating body 50 rotates in accordance with the mounting operation of the toner container 20 to the apparatus main body 1, the second power transmission member 74 via the first power transmission member 73. The driving force is transmitted to the second power transmission member 74, the base portion 75, and the clogging suppression member 71 integrally rotate. As a result, the clogging suppression member 71 moves in the circumferential direction of the inner surface 220 forming the vertical conveyance path 24b, and the toner in the vertical conveyance path 24b is agitated by the clogging suppression member 71. Further, in this case, the clogging suppression member 71 is in sliding contact with the inner surface 220 that forms the vertical conveyance path 24b, so that the toner aggregated in the vicinity of the inner surface 220 and the toner adhering to the inner surface 220 are efficiently stirred. be able to.

  As described above, according to the configuration of the present embodiment, even if toner aggregation or fixation occurs in the vertical conveyance path 24b or in the vicinity of the discharge port 23, the aggregation toner 71 is rotated by rotating the clogging suppression member 71. The toner can be loosened or the fixed toner can be removed. As a result, toner clogging in the vertical conveyance path 24b and the discharge port 23 can be suppressed, and toner can be discharged from the discharge port 23 smoothly and stably.

  In the case of this embodiment, when the toner container 20 is removed from the apparatus main body 1, the rotating body 50 rotates while being in contact with the wall surface 1 a of the apparatus main body 1. Accordingly, as in the case of mounting, the clogging suppression member 71 rotates and the toner in the vertical conveyance path 24b can be agitated.

  In the present embodiment, the clogging suppression member 71 is disposed in the vicinity of the inner surface 220. That is, since the clogging suppression member 71 is not disposed at the center of the vertical conveyance path 24 b, the toner conveyance of the vertical conveyance path 24 b is not easily hindered by the clogging suppression member 71. For this reason, it is possible to smoothly discharge the toner from the discharge port 23.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 10, a plurality of clogging suppression members 71 may be provided in the vertical conveyance path 24b. By providing a plurality of clogging suppression members 71, the stirring ability is improved and toner clogging can be more effectively suppressed.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 11A and 11B, the configuration of the present invention can also be applied to a vertical conveyance path 24b formed in an irregular shape such as a truncated cone. 11A, the clogging suppression member 71 is disposed obliquely with respect to the rotation axis of the second power transmission member 74, and in FIG. 11B, the clogging suppression member 71 is formed in a bent shape. Thus, the clogging suppression member 71 is disposed along the inner surface 220 that forms the vertical conveyance path 24b.

FIG. 12 is a front sectional view in the vicinity of the vertical conveyance path 24b showing the configuration of the second embodiment of the toner clogging suppression means 70, and FIG. 13 is a plan sectional view thereof.
In the second embodiment, the configurations of the clogging suppressing member 71 and the driving means 72 are different from those of the first embodiment. Other configurations are basically the same as those of the first embodiment.

  As shown in FIG. 13, the clogging suppressing member 71 according to the second embodiment is configured by an annular frame. Specifically, the clogging suppression member 71 is arranged along the circumferential direction of the inner surface 220 forming the vertical conveyance path 24b in a circumferential cross section (FIG. 13) obtained by cutting the vertical conveyance path 24b in a direction intersecting the toner discharge direction. The inner surface 220 is disposed in contact with the inner surface 220. In this embodiment, the planar shape of the clogging suppression member 71 is formed in a substantially square shape following the shape of the inner surface 220. However, the planar shape of the clogging suppression member 71 follows the planar sectional shape of the vertical conveyance path 24b. It is possible to change appropriately.

  The driving means 72 includes the same rotary body 50 as described above, a first power transmission member 76 attached to the rotary shaft 55 of the rotary body 50, and a second power coupled to the first power transmission member 76. It has a transmission member 77 and a third power transmission member 78 that is linked to the second power transmission member 77. Here, the first power transmission member 76 is a spur gear, the second power transmission member 77 is a crown gear, and the third power transmission member 78 is an endless power transmission member such as a toothed belt or a chain. Yes.

FIG. 14 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the third power transmission member 78 in the second embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 14, the third power transmission member 78 is supported around two pulleys 79 provided on the wall or the like of the cap portion 22. The third power transmission member 78 is provided with a holding portion 80 that holds the clogging suppression member 71. Specifically, the clogging suppression member 71 is held by inserting a part of the clogging suppression member 71 in the circumferential direction into the insertion hole 81 formed in the holding unit 80. Further, the third power transmission member 78 is disposed so as to extend in the toner discharge direction (powder discharge direction) of the vertical conveyance path 24b. For this reason, when the third power transmission member 78 rotates, the clogging suppression member 71 reciprocates in the toner discharge direction in the vertical conveyance path 24b together with the holding unit 80.

  In the second embodiment configured as described above, when the rotating body 50 rotates as the toner container is attached / detached, the third power is transmitted via the first power transmission member 76 and the second power transmission member 77. The driving force is transmitted to the transmission member 78, and the clogging suppression member 71 reciprocates in the toner discharge direction. Thus, the toner in the vertical conveyance path 24b is agitated by the clogging suppression member 71. Further, when the clogging suppression member 71 moves, the clogging suppression member 71 is in sliding contact with the inner surface 220 that forms the vertical conveyance path 24b, so that toner aggregated in the vicinity of the inner surface 220 or toner adhered to the inner surface 220. Can be efficiently stirred. In particular, in this case, the toner in the vicinity of the inner surface 220 can be loosened in the toner discharging direction or in the opposite direction by the clogging suppressing member 71 formed of an annular frame, so that the reliability of the toner clogging suppressing effect is increased.

  Note that, at both end portions (the upper end portion and the lower end portion in FIG. 14) of the third power transmission member 78, the holding portion 80 moves in a direction crossing the toner discharge direction, but the holding portion 80 is not clogged. Since the clogging suppression member 71 is merely inserted through the insertion hole 81 of the holding portion 80, the clogging suppression member 71 can move relatively. If the holding unit 80 is fixed to the clogging suppression member 71, the clogging suppression member 71 also moves in the same direction as the holding unit 80 moves in the direction intersecting the toner discharge direction. In order to prevent interference between the inner surface 220 and the inner surface 220, it is necessary to leave a gap for movement in advance between the two. On the other hand, when the holding portion 80 is configured to be movable relative to the clogging suppression member 71, it is not necessary to leave a gap for preventing interference between the clogging suppression member 71 and the inner surface 220. Further, the range in which the clogging suppressing member 71 contacts the inner surface 220 is widened, and the toner in the vicinity of the inner surface 220 can be effectively stirred.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 13, the clogging suppression member 71 is formed of an annular frame, and the clogging suppression member 71 is disposed in the vicinity of the inner surface 220. Therefore, also in the second embodiment, vertical conveyance is performed. The configuration is such that toner conveyance in the path 24b is not easily disturbed. For this reason, the toner can be smoothly discharged from the discharge port 23.

FIG. 15 is a plan sectional view of the vicinity of the vertical conveyance path 24b showing the configuration of the third embodiment of the toner clogging suppression means 70, and FIG. 16 is a side view of the clogging suppressing member 71 according to the third embodiment.
As shown in FIG. 15, in the third embodiment, two clogging suppression members 71 are arranged in the vertical conveyance path 24b. The clogging suppression members 71 are disposed so as to face each other, and are in contact with the inner surface 220 that forms the vertical conveyance path 24b.

  Further, as the driving means 72 for driving the clogging suppression member 71, the same rotating body 50 as described above, the first power transmission member 82 attached to the rotating shaft 55 of the rotating body 50, and the first power transmission member. A second power transmission member 83 that is linked to 82 is provided. In this case, the first power transmission member 82 and the second power transmission member 83 are constituted by spur gears and mesh with each other.

  As shown in FIG. 16, the clogging suppression member 71 has a plurality of stirring portions 71b extending radially from the rotation shaft 71a in the radial direction. Here, four square bar-shaped stirring portions 71b are arranged at equal pitches (every 90 °) on the outer periphery of the rotating shaft 71a. However, the shape and number of the stirring portions 71b are not limited thereto. Absent. The rotation shaft 71 a of the clogging suppression member 71 is disposed in a direction intersecting with the toner discharging direction (direction orthogonal to the paper surface of FIG. 15), and is integrally provided at the rotation center of the second power transmission member 83. .

  In the third embodiment configured as described above, when the rotating body 50 rotates in accordance with the attaching and detaching operation of the toner container, the driving force is transmitted to the second power transmission member 83 via the first power transmission member 82. The second power transmission member 83 and the clogging suppression member 71 rotate integrally. At this time, the clogging suppression member 71 is in sliding contact with the inner surface 220 that forms the vertical conveyance path 24b. For this reason, in particular, toner aggregated in the vicinity of the inner surface 220 and toner adhering to the inner surface 220 are agitated.

  Further, as shown in FIG. 15, in the third embodiment, the clogging suppression member 71 is disposed in the vicinity of the inner surface 220, so that the toner conveyance in the vertical conveyance path 24b is hardly hindered. Accordingly, also in this case, the toner can be smoothly discharged from the discharge port 23.

  Comparing the configuration of the third embodiment with the configurations of the first embodiment and the second embodiment, in the case of the third embodiment, the clogging suppression member 71 is a part of the inner surface 220 in the circumferential direction (both inner side surfaces). ). Therefore, in the first embodiment and the second embodiment in which the clogging suppression member 71 is in sliding contact substantially over the entire circumferential direction, the toner can be agitated in a wider range. On the other hand, in the case of the third embodiment, the directions of the rotation axes of the rotating body 50 and the clogging suppressing member 71 are parallel to each other, so that the rotating body 50 is clogged as compared with the first and second embodiments. There is an advantage that the configuration of the power transmission means between the suppression members 71 can be simplified.

FIG. 17 is a front cross-sectional view of the vicinity of the vertical conveyance path 24b showing the configuration of the fourth embodiment of the toner clogging suppression means 70, and FIG. 18 is a plan view of the shutter 25 according to the fourth embodiment.
In 4th Embodiment, the clogging suppression member 71 is comprised with the some linear member. As the linear member, for example, a thin one having a certain degree of flexibility such as a synthetic resin fiber made of 100 denier nylon (registered trademark) is used. As shown in FIG. 17, the clogging suppressing member 71 is disposed in the toner discharge direction (vertical direction in the figure) in the vertical conveyance path 24b. In particular, in this case, the clogging suppression member 71 is disposed substantially parallel to the toner discharge direction, but the clogging suppression member 71 may be disposed so as to be inclined with respect to the toner discharge direction. Further, as shown in FIG. 18, in this case, four clogging suppression members 71 are provided, but the number of clogging suppression members 71 is not limited to this.

  The shutter 25 is provided with a rotatable rotation base portion 85, and a clogging suppression member 71 stands on the rotation base portion 85. The rotation base portion 85 is rotatable around a rotation shaft disposed in the toner discharge direction.

  Further, as the driving means 72 for driving the clogging suppression member 71, the same rotating body 50 as described above, the first power transmission member 86 attached to the rotating shaft 55 of the rotating body 50, and the first power transmission member 86. A second power transmission member 87 that is linked to the second rotating body 87 and a third power transmission member 88 that is linked to the second rotating body 87 are provided. The first power transmission member 86, the second power transmission member 87, and the third power transmission member 88 are all constituted by bevel gears, and the rotating body 50 is constituted by these power transmission members 86, 87, 88. Is transmitted to a rotating shaft (rotating shaft disposed in the toner discharge direction) orthogonal to the rotating shaft 55.

  The third power transmission member 88 is integrally provided with the rotation base portion 85. The third power transmission member 88 is held by the shutter 25 by holding means (not shown) and is configured to be movable integrally with the shutter 25. On the other hand, the first power transmission member 86 and the second power transmission member 87 are provided on the wall or the like of the cap portion 22 and are not configured to be movable integrally with the shutter 25.

  In the fourth embodiment configured as described above, when the rotating body 50 rotates as the toner container is attached or detached, the third power is transmitted via the first power transmission member 86 and the second power transmission member 87. The driving force is transmitted to the transmission member 88, and the rotation base portion 85 rotates. As a result, the clogging suppression member 71 on the rotation base portion 85 rotates around the rotation shaft arranged in the toner discharging direction, and the toner in the vertical conveyance path 24b is agitated by the clogging suppression member 71.

  In the example shown in FIG. 17, the clogging suppression member 71 does not slidably contact the inner surface 220 forming the vertical conveyance path 24 b, but the clogging suppression member 71 is slidably contacted with the inner surface 220 or clogging suppression is performed in the vicinity of the inner surface 220. The member 71 may be disposed. In that case, the toner aggregated in the vicinity of the inner surface 220 and the toner adhering to the inner surface 220 can be efficiently stirred.

Hereinafter, with reference to FIG. 19, an operation of taking in and out the clogging suppression member 71 from the vertical conveyance path 24 b accompanying the opening and closing operation of the shutter 25 will be described.
First, as shown in FIG. 19A, in a state where the shutter 25 closes the discharge port 23, the clogging suppression member 71 is accommodated while standing in the vertical conveyance path 24b. From this state, as shown in FIG. 19B, when the shutter 25 is moved in the opening direction, the clogging suppression member 71 passes through a slight gap between the shutter 25 and the edge of the discharge port 23 while being bent. Then, it goes out from the vertical conveyance path 24b. Then, as shown in FIG. 19C, when the opening operation of the shutter 25 is completed and the clogging suppression member 71 is completely removed from the vertical conveyance path 24b, the clogging suppression member 71 returns to the standing state again. .

  As described above, when the shutter 25 is opened, the clogging suppression member 71 is retracted from the vertical conveyance path 24b to the outside, so that the clogging suppression member 71 does not prevent the toner conveyance in the vertical conveyance path 24b. For this reason, it is possible to smoothly discharge the toner from the discharge port 23.

  Similarly, when the shutter 25 is changed from the open state to the closed state, the clogging suppression member 71 enters the vertical conveyance path 24b through a slight gap between the shutter 25 and the edge of the discharge port 23 while being bent. When the clogging suppression member 71 is completely accommodated in the vertical conveyance path 24b, the clogging suppression member 71 returns to an upright state, so that the subsequent toner can be agitated.

  Moreover, in the said 4th Embodiment, as shown in FIG. 20, the rotational force is provided to the rotation base part 85 with the rack 69 provided in the apparatus main body 1 (container accommodating part 2), and the gears 89 and 90 which mesh with it. You may do it. Specifically, as the driving means 72, the rack 69 extending in the attaching / detaching direction of the toner container 20, a first power transmission member 89 connected in series with the rack 69, and the first power transmission member 89 are interlocked and connected. The second power transmission member 90 is provided. On the second power transmission member 90, a rotation base portion 85 similar to the above is integrally provided. Further, the first power transmission member 89 and the second power transmission member 90 are held by the shutter 25 by holding means (not shown) and are configured to be movable together with the shutter 25.

  In this case, as shown in FIG. 20, when the toner container 20 is attached (or detached), when the first power transmission member 89 on the shutter 25 side meshes with the rack 69 and rotates, the clogging restraining member 71 is moved accordingly. Rotate and stir the toner as above. Further, the rotation base 85 itself may be configured by a gear so that the driving force is directly transmitted by meshing with the rotating body 50 or the rack 69. Further, when the shutter 25 is opened and closed, the teeth of the rack 69 may not be provided immediately before the installation completion position of the toner container 20 so that the meshing with the rack 69 does not become a resistance of the opening and closing operation. In this case, the opening and closing operation of the shutter 25 can be performed smoothly, and the occurrence of problems during opening and closing can be prevented.

  Further, as described above, in the configuration in which the clogging suppression member 71 is driven by the rotation of the rotating body 50, as shown in FIG. 21, the rotating body 50 is a gear 58 having a tooth row on the outer peripheral surface, and A rack 69 that meshes with the gear 58 may be provided on the wall surface 1a. In this case, when the toner container 20 is attached to the apparatus main body 1, the gear 58 rotates in mesh with the rack 69 extending in the attaching / detaching direction of the toner container 20, thereby driving the clogging suppression member 71 in the same manner as described above, thereby Can be stirred.

  Further, in this configuration, the rotational resistance is increased by the meshing between the gear 58 and the rack 69, so that even if the hand is released from the toner container 20 in the middle of the mounting, the toner container 20 is difficult to reverse due to its own weight. As a result, it is possible to reduce the risk of the toner container 20 falling due to the reversal of the toner container 20. Further, since the gear 58 and the rack 69 mesh with each other, the rotating body 50 can be rotated without slipping, so that the driving force can be more reliably transmitted to the toner clogging suppression means 70.

  In the embodiment in which the rotating body 50 is not a gear, a gripping force of the rotating body 50 against the wall surface 1a of the apparatus main body 1 is improved by providing a member having a high friction coefficient such as rubber on the outer periphery of the rotating body 50. Further, it is possible to improve the transmission performance of the driving force to the toner clogging suppression means 70.

  Further, in each of the above embodiments, as shown in FIG. 22, a drive rotator 76 as a drive unit may be provided on the apparatus main body 1 side, and the rotator 50 may be rotationally driven by the drive rotator 76. That is, as shown in FIG. 22, when the driving rotating body 76 is provided at the bottom of the container housing portion 2 in the mounting direction and the toner container 20 is mounted on the apparatus main body 1, the rotating body 50 of the toner container 20 is driven by the driving rotating body. 76 to contact. When the drive rotator 76 is rotated by a drive motor (not shown) in a state where the rotator 50 and the drive rotator 76 are in contact with each other, the driving force is transmitted to the rotator 50 and the clogging suppression member 71 is driven. .

  Thus, by rotating the rotating body 50 by the driving rotating body 76, the clogging suppressing member 71 can be driven and the toner can be agitated even after the toner container 20 is completely mounted. Accordingly, for example, even if toner aggregation or fixation occurs in the toner container 20 after being mounted because the image forming apparatus has not been used for a long period of time, the driving rotating body 76 is driven to rotate the rotating body. By rotating 50, the toner can be agitated to eliminate aggregation and sticking. At this time, the drive rotating body 76 may be arbitrarily driven by a user's decision, or may be performed by a control unit such as a CPU based on information on the toner state in the toner container 20. The information regarding the toner state includes, for example, environmental information, toner leaving time, toner type, the number of printed sheets per predetermined time after the completion of the mounting of the toner container to the apparatus main body.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the clogging suppression member 71 is driven in the discharge path 24, so that the aggregated toner in the discharge path 24 can be loosened or the fixed toner can be removed. As a result, toner clogging in the discharge path 24 can be suppressed, and toner can be discharged from the discharge port 23 smoothly and stably. Further, in the present invention, since the clogging suppressing member 71 is in direct contact with the toner inside, it is possible to more effectively suppress the clogging of the toner as compared with the configuration in which the conventional vibration is applied to the toner.

  In the case of the present invention, since the toner clogging suppression means can be made compact and simple, the toner clogging suppression means can be installed even in a relatively narrow discharge path, and the toner clogging in such a place is possible. Can be effectively suppressed.

  In particular, as in the above-described embodiment, the agitation plate 26 (see FIG. 3) provided in the cap portion 22 cannot effectively suppress toner aggregation and fixation in the vertical conveyance path 24b. A great effect can be expected by installing the clogging suppression member 71 of the present invention in the vertical conveyance path 24b.

  Further, as in the above-described embodiment, the clogging suppression member 71 is disposed in the vicinity of the inner surface 220 of the discharge path 24 (see FIG. 8 or 15), or the clogging suppression member 71 is configured by a frame (FIG. 13). (Refer to FIG. 19), or the clogging suppression member 71 can be prevented from being hindered from discharging the toner by retreating the clogging suppression member 71 from the discharge path 24 (see FIG. 19). The toner can be discharged more smoothly.

  Further, as in the above-described embodiment, the clogging suppression member 71 is driven by the rotation of the rotating body 50 accompanying the mounting operation of the toner container 20, so that it is not necessary to provide a separate driving source. It is also possible to reduce the size and cost.

  In addition, this invention is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, Of course, a various change can be added in the range which does not deviate from the summary of this invention. In the above-described embodiment, only the toner is stored in the toner container. However, the toner container stores the two-component developer composed of the toner and the carrier and the powder container that stores other image forming powder. However, the present invention can be similarly applied. The image forming apparatus including the powder container of the present invention is not limited to the color laser printer as in the above-described embodiment, but may be a monochrome printer, other printers, a copier, a facsimile, or a complex machine thereof. There may be.

1 Device body (image forming device body)
20 Toner container (powder container)
23 Discharge port 24 Discharge route (powder discharge route)
25 Shutter 50 Rotating body 58 Gear 69 Rack 70 Toner clogging suppression means (powder clogging suppression means)
71 Clogging suppression member (powder clogging suppression member)
72 Drive means 76 Drive rotator (drive means)
220 Inside

JP 2006-2558997 A JP-A-8-314258 JP-A-8-179612

Claims (13)

A powder clogging suppressing means for suppressing clogging of powder in a powder container containing powder for image formation inside,
A powder clogging suppressing member disposed in a powder discharge path of the powder container;
A powder clogging suppression means comprising drive means for driving the powder clogging suppression member by rotating.   2. The powder clogging suppressing means according to claim 1, wherein the powder clogging suppressing member is disposed in the vicinity of an inner surface forming the powder discharge path. In the circumferential cross section obtained by cutting the powder discharge path in a direction intersecting the powder discharge direction, the powder clogging suppression member is arranged to face a part of the circumferential direction of the inner surface forming the powder discharge path. Set up
The powder clogging suppressing means according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the powder clogging suppressing member is moved in the circumferential direction of the powder discharge path by the driving means. In the circumferential cross section cut in a direction intersecting the powder discharge direction of the powder discharge path, the powder clogging suppression member is annularly disposed along the circumferential direction of the inner surface forming the powder discharge path Composed of frame
The powder clogging suppressing means according to claim 1 or 2, wherein the frame is moved in the powder discharging direction by the driving means.   3. The powder clogging suppressing unit according to claim 1, wherein the powder clogging suppressing member is rotated by the driving unit about a rotating shaft disposed in a direction intersecting with a powder discharging direction. The powder clogging suppressing member is constituted by a linear member,
3. The linear member according to claim 1, wherein the linear member is disposed in a powder discharging direction, and the driving member rotates the linear member around a rotation shaft disposed in the powder discharging direction. Powder clogging suppression means. A shutter for opening and closing a discharge port for discharging the powder in the powder container;
The linear member is formed of a flexible material, and the linear member is provided on the shutter.
7. The linear member according to claim 6, wherein the linear member is bent along with the opening / closing operation of the shutter so that the linear member can pass through between the shutter and the edge of the discharge port and enter / exit from the powder discharge path. Powder clogging suppression means.   The powder according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the driving means includes a rotating body that rotates while contacting the image forming apparatus main body in accordance with an operation of mounting the powder container on the image forming apparatus main body. Body clogging suppression means.   The powder clogging suppression unit according to any one of claims 1 to 8, wherein the driving unit includes a unit that drives the powder suppression unit after the powder container is completely attached to the image forming apparatus main body.   The powder clogging suppressing unit according to any one of claims 1 to 9, wherein the driving unit includes a gear that meshes with a rack that is provided so as to extend in a mounting direction of the powder container in the image forming apparatus main body. .   The powder clogging suppressing means according to any one of claims 1 to 10, wherein a plurality of the powder clogging suppressing members are provided.   A powder container comprising the powder clogging suppressing means according to any one of claims 1 to 11.   An image forming apparatus comprising the powder container according to claim 12.

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