JPH01209464A - Toner supply mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent toner from leaking out by fitting shutters which are united through a connection part inside and outside a storage part and a cartridge, and opening and closing them associatively. CONSTITUTION:This mechanism has 1st shutters 1a and 1b which cover the opening part of the storage part 4 for toner 7 integrally across the connection part from the inside and outside and a 2nd shutter 2 which is provided on the side of a cartridge 5 to cover the opening part of the cartridge 5 and is opened and closed at a toner supply position associatively with the 1st shutters 1a and 1b. Consequently, neither the toner 7 in the storage part 4 nor the toner 7 in the cartridge 5 leaks out and neither the outside of the storage part 4 nor the outside of the cartridge 5 is stained, so the hand never becomes dirty.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a toner supply mechanism, and particularly to a toner supply mechanism for a developing device that supplies toner via a cartridge.

[Prior Art] In a conventional developing device that has a toner storage section and supplies toner through a cartridge, the shutters are installed either on the outside of the storage section and on the cartridge side, or on the inside of the storage section and on the cartridge side. It is. In these configurations, the shutter prevents the toner in the storage section or the toner in the cartridge from leaking out, and toner is replenished by opening and closing the shutter (in this case, the storage section-side shutter and the cartridge-side shutter are interlocked). (open and close).

In order to prevent the toner in the storage section adhering to the shutter or the toner in the cartridge from leaking out, a sealing material is filled between the shutter, the storage section, and the cartridge.

Figures 4(a) and 4(b) show longitudinal and cross-sectional views of an example of an externally shuttered reservoir. The toner in the storage section 4 is blocked by the storage section outer shutter 1a, and some of the toner 7 adheres to the inside of the shutter 1a (the side facing the toner 7). Seal material 6 between and seal material 6 between shutter 1a
Since the gap is filled with, there is no leakage to the outside of the shutter 1a.

Also in the cartridge 5 shown in the second embodiment, the toner 7 in the cartridge 5 is blocked by the cartridge-side shutter 2. Moreover, the toner 7 attached to the shutter 2 is also buried in the sealing material 6 between the cartridge 5 and the shutter 2, so that it does not leak out of the shutter 2.

[Problem to be solved by the invention]

FIG. 5 shows a case where the cartridge 5 (FIG. 2) is attached to the storage section 4 (FIG. 4) at the toner replenishment position and the toner replenishment shutters (shutters 1a and 2) are opened.

In this case, the toner 7 in the storage section 4 or the toner 7 in the cartridge 5 newly adheres to the shutter 1a. At the same time, the toner 7 in the storage section 4 that was previously attached,
The newly attached toner 7 moves together with the shutter 1a. However, since the gaps are filled with each sealing material 6, no leakage occurs. However, every time the toner replenishment shutter is opened and closed two or three times, some of the toner 7 leaks out even though it is blocked by the shutters 1a and 2 and the gaps are filled with each sealant 6. It starts to leak, and it sticks to the outside of the storage section 4 and the cartridge 5, and even your hands. 7 will not be omitted).

[Means to solve the problem]

According to the present invention, the first shutter has a toner storage section, and integrally covers the opening of the toner storage section from the outside and the inside via the connecting section, and the first shutter is provided on the cartridge side and covers the opening of the toner storage section. A toner supply mechanism is obtained that has a first shutter that covers the opening and a second shutter that can be opened and closed in conjunction with each other at the toner supply position.

〔Example〕

Next, the present invention will be described in more detail with reference to the drawings showing one embodiment of the present invention.

Referring to FIG. 1, in one embodiment of the present invention, a storage outer shutter 1a and a storage inner shutter 1b are integrated through a connecting portion 1c. In this case, the toner 7 in the storage part 4 adheres to the side of the shutter 1b facing the toner 7, but the sealing material 6 between the shutter 1b and the storage part 4, the connecting part 1c, and the shutter 1a and the storage part 4 The sealing material 6 between the two prevents any leakage.

Referring to FIG. 3, the cartridge 5 (FIG. 2) is installed in the storage section 4 (FIG. 1) at the toner replenishment position, and the toner replenishment shutter (shutters 1a and lb, connecting portion 1c
In addition, the case where shutter 2) is opened is shown.

The storage section 4 and the cartridge 5 are connected via a claw 3b. Further, the shutter 1a is connected to a cartridge-based shutter 1c via a claw 3a.

Toner is replenished by grasping the claw 3a and moving it in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3(a). When you move the claw 3a,
The shutter 2, the shutter 1b that is integrated through the connecting part IC, and the shutter 2 that is connected through the claw 3a move, that is, the shutters 1a and 1
b, the connecting part 2 and the shutter 2 are interlocked), and the toner 7 in the cartridge 5 falls into the storage part 4.

At this time, the toner 7 in the storage section 4 or the toner 7 in the cartridge 5 newly adheres to the shutter 1b.

At the same time, the previously adhered toner 7 in the storage section 4 and the newly adhered toner 7 move together with the movement of the toner supply shutter. Further, a portion of the toner 7 in the cartridge 5 also adheres to the shutter 2 and moves together with the shutter 2. However, the toner 7 is prevented from entering the outside of the shutter 1b (the side in contact with the connection part 1c) at the connection part IC, and the gaps are filled with each sealing material 6. If the seal material 6 between the shutter 1b and the storage section 4 were to open and close over and over again, the seal material 6 between the shutter 1b and the storage section 4 would Even if the toner 7 deteriorates and leaks to the outside of the shutter 1b, the storage section 4
Due to the sealing material 6 between the toner replenishing shutter and the shutter 1a, and because the connecting portion 1c comes into contact with the storage portion 4 when the toner replenishing shutter is fully opened, there is no gap, thereby preventing the toner from adhering to the inside of the shutter 1a. Also, the toner 7 is placed on the shutter 1a.
Even if it adheres, the amount is very small and will not stain the outside of the storage section 4 or the outside of the cartridge 5.

Therefore, by opening and closing the toner replenishment shutter during toner replenishment, the toner in the storage section or the toner in the cartridge does not leak out and does not stain the outside of the storage section or the outside of the cartridge, so your hands do not get dirty.

By attaching integral shutters to the outside and inside of both the storage section and the cartridge through connecting parts and opening and closing them in conjunction with each other, the outside of the storage section and the outside of the cartridge can be further prevented from becoming dirty.

〔Effect of the invention〕

As explained above, according to the present invention, the toner inside the storage section or the toner inside the cartridge does not leak out, and the outside of the storage section and the outside of the cartridge do not get dirty, so your hands do not get dirty. Even in
No toner leakage occurs.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIGS. 1(a) and (b) are longitudinal and transverse sectional views of a storage section in an embodiment of the present invention, FIGS. 2(a) and (b) are longitudinal and transverse sectional views of a cartridge, Third
Figures (a) and (b) are a longitudinal sectional view and a horizontal sectional view when the toner replenishment shutter is open in one embodiment of the present invention;
Figures (a) and (b) are longitudinal and cross-sectional views of a conventional storage section, and Figures (a) and (b) are longitudinal and cross-sectional views of the conventional device when the shutter is open. . 1a: Storage part outer shutter, 1b: Storage part inner shutter, 1c: Connection part, 2: Cartridge side shutter,
3a and 3b: nail, 4: reservoir, 5: cartridge,
6: Seal material, 7: Toner, 8 Ni guide. Agent Patent Attorney Susumu Uchihara 1st 2nd Gekihana 3kiri<b) Kaku4en

Claims (1)

[Claims] In a developing device having a toner storage section and supplying the toner through a cartridge, a first shutter integrally covers an opening of the storage section from outside and inside via a connecting section; A toner supply mechanism comprising: a second shutter that is provided on the cartridge side and covers an opening of the cartridge and can be opened and closed in conjunction with the first shutter at a toner supply position.