JPH03180875A - Toner cartridge - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent toner from dropping at the time of loading and unloading a toner cartridge and also to replenish the optimal quantity of the toner by arranging a sponge roller on the inside of a toner supply port on the one end of a cartridge main body and disposing a means for connecting with a rotation driving means for the roller. CONSTITUTION:When the toner is replenished, it is enough only to pull out an empty toner cartridge 17 and to make the lower end part of a new cartridge fit in a recessed part 45 for fitting in so as to load the cartridge. Since the toner supply port 53 on the lower end part of the cartridge 17 is closed with the sponge roller 54, there is no possibility that the toner overflows and drops at the time of loading the cartridge. On the other hand, in a state that the cartridge is loaded, the roller 54 is driven to be rotated through a gear mechanism in accordance with the rotation of a stirring screw 26, the toner in the cartridge main body 51 can be caught in a cavity part on the outer peripheral part of the roller 54, and then, the toner can be supplied into a developing unit 16 by optimal quantity through the supply port 53.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner cartridge used in an electrophotographic image recording apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART In an electrophotographic image recording apparatus, when replenishing toner to the developing unit, the user usually opens an appropriate cover on the main body to expose the toner accommodating unit of the developing unit to the outside, and then opens the lid. The lid of the toner bottle containing toner is removed and the toner inside is poured into the toner container.

In addition, the developing roller and stirring screw in the developing section are integrated into a developing unit along with the toner case.
There is also known a device in which the developing unit is replaced when the toner in the toner case is consumed.

Furthermore, there is also known a system in which the photoreceptor, charging section, developing section, cleaning section, etc. are integrated into a process unit, and when the toner in the toner case in the developing section is consumed, the entire process unit/nod is replaced. There is.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, in a device in which toner is charged from a toner bottle into the toner storage portion of a developing unit, toner replenishment work is troublesome, and there is a risk of spilling toner around it and contaminating the inside of the main body. There were some problems.

In addition, in the case where the developing unit is replaced when the stored toner is used up, there is a problem that running costs are high because the relatively expensive and durable developing roller must be replaced. For those that require replacing the process unit,
The photoreceptor, charging unit, developing roller, etc. all have to be replaced, which further increases running costs.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, it is an object of the present invention to provide a toner cartridge that allows toner to be easily replenished.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to achieve the above object, the present invention forms a toner supply port at one end of a box-shaped cartridge body containing toner, and a sponge roller is installed inside the toner supply port to close the toner supply port. It is characterized in that it is provided with a means for connecting with a means for driving the rotation of the sponge roller.

According to the above structure of the present invention, toner can be replenished simply by installing the toner cartridge, and since the toner supply port of the toner cartridge is closed by a sponge roller, toner can be supplied when the toner cartridge is installed or removed. There is no risk of the toner overflowing from the mouth and contaminating various means such as the optical system installed at the bottom of the main body, and when installed in the developing section, the sponge roller is connected to the rotational drive means and rotates, and the toner is removed. is captured in the cavity around the outer periphery of the sponge roller and supplied in appropriate amounts to the developing section.

Embodiment An image recording apparatus that replenishes toner using a toner cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 6.

First, the overall schematic structure of the image recording device will be explained with reference to FIGS. 5 and 6. Reference numeral 1 denotes the main body of the image recording device, and the front side, which is inclined forward and backward, has a lower end that can be opened and closed around a pivot shaft 2a. A pivoted main body cover 2 is provided, and the main body! An operating section 3 is provided at the front of the top surface. The main body 1 includes a paper feed section 4, a process section 5, an optical section 6, a fixing section 7, a control section 8, and the like.

In the paper feeding section 4, as shown in FIG. 6, a paper tray 9 is installed on the upper surface of the main body 1 in an inclined position diagonally upward, and the paper is passed diagonally downward along the front surface of the main body 1. A pickup roller 11, a feed roller 12, a paper sensor 13, a registration roller 14, etc. are arranged so that a path is formed.

The process section 5 includes a process unit 15, a developing unit 16, a toner cartridge 17, and the like. The process unit 15 includes a photosensitive drum 18
, a charging section 19 disposed below the photosensitive drum 18, and a transfer section 2 disposed above the photosensitive drum 18 across the paper passing path IO.
0, and a cleaning section 21 disposed between the paper passing path 10 and the charging section 19. The cleaning section 21 includes a cleaning blade 22 that comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 18 and removes residual toner, and a waste toner box 23.

The developing unit 16 is disposed facing the photosensitive drum 18 from the charging section 19 to the transfer section 20 in the rotational direction of the photosensitive drum 18, and is located below the paper feeding section 4. This developing unit 16 includes a developing roller 24.
, built-in first and second stirring screws 25,26,
The toner cartridge 1 is placed on the second stirring screw 26.
It is configured to replenish toner from 7 onwards. Incidentally, an attachment/detachment opening 1a for attaching/detaching the toner cartridge 17 is formed on the top surface of the main body 1, and is closed by an opening/closing lid 1b.

The optical section 6 includes a semiconductor laser 27 and a collimator lens 28.
A light scanning unit 30 using a rotating reflecting mirror 29 and a reflecting mirror 31 are arranged in a case 32, and the light scanning unit is arranged at the lower rear of the process unit 5 and below the developing unit 16. 30 is reflected diagonally forward and upward by a reflecting mirror 31, and the photosensitive drum 18 is exposed between the charging section 19 and the developing unit 16.

The fixing section 7 includes a heat roller 33, a pressure roller 34, a separating claw 35, and the like, and continuously heats and presses the paper sent out from the process section 5, melts the toner, and fixes the toner on the paper. Further, the paper on which fixing has been completed is discharged onto a paper discharge tray 38 by a paper discharge roller 36 via a static elimination brush 37.

The control unit 8 uses a microcomputer or the like, and integrally controls the paper feed unit 4, process unit 5, optical unit 6, etc. based on commands from the operation unit 3 or commands from an external device (not shown). The image information entered manually is recorded on paper.

Next, the structure of the developing unit 16 and toner cartridge 17 in the image recording apparatus having the overall structure as described above will be explained in detail with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4.

In FIG. 1, the developing unit 16 is shown in its case 41.
A developing roller 24 and first and second stirring screws 25 are located inside.
．． 26 are built in parallel in parallel, and are configured to rotate synchronously with each other by a drive motor 42 via an interlocking gear mechanism (not shown). The developing roller 24 is composed of a magnetic roller so as to form a magnetic brush on the outer periphery, and a predetermined gap is provided between the developing roller 24 and the outer periphery at a position above the portion of the parenthetical developing roller 24 in the rotational direction from the portion facing the photoreceptor drum 18. A height regulating plate 43 is provided with a gap, and a scraper 44 is provided at a lower position to scrape off toner adhering to the outer peripheral surface. Second stirring screw 26 of case 41
As shown in an enlarged view in FIG. 2, a fitting recess 45 into which the lower end mounting portion of the toner cartridge 17 is fitted is formed in the upper part of the arrangement position. A toner input opening 46 is formed in the center of the inner bottom of the fitting recess 45, and a seal 47 having a sealing material 48 attached thereto is formed around the toner input opening 46.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the toner cartridge 17 includes a box-shaped cartridge body 5 that accommodates toner.
A seal protrusion 52 that fits into the seal groove 47 and whose end surface abuts the seal material 48 is provided at the peripheral edge of the lower end of the seal member 1 , and a toner supply port 53 is provided in the center so as to face the toner input opening 46 . is formed. This toner supply port 53
A sponge roller 54 that is closed to prevent toner from accidentally leaking is disposed inside the roller, and a gear 56 is fixed to one end of the roller shaft 55. As shown in FIG. 4, the gear 56 is connected to a gear 57 fixed to one end of the second stirring screw 26 of the developing unit 16, and an idle gear 58.
The second stirring screw 26 is engaged with the second stirring screw 26, and is configured to rotate in conjunction with the second stirring screw 26. In this case, toner replenishment involves replenishing a certain amount of toner for a certain consumption amount, but from the gear 57 provided at one end of the second stirring screw 26 to the gear 5 provided at one end of the sponge roller 54.
A clutch (not shown) may be provided in the power transmission path to the toner 6 to replenish an appropriate amount of toner according to the amount of toner consumed.

Next, the action will be explained.

In the above configuration, when commands and image data are input to the control unit 8, the optical unit 6 irradiates the photosensitive drum 18 with laser light, the paper feed unit 4 supplies paper to the process unit 5, and the process unit 5 In the electrophotographic process, the toner image is continuously fixed on the paper by the fixing unit 7, and an image is recorded on the paper.

In this image forming apparatus, the paper feed section 4 is provided at the top of the main body 1, and the paper conveyance path 10 that passes through the process section 5 and the fixing section 7 is formed diagonally downward along the front surface of the main body 1. Therefore, the installation area of the apparatus can be reduced compared to an apparatus in which the paper passing path IO is formed horizontally.

Also, if a paper jam occurs during image recording,
Since most of the paper passage path 100 is exposed by opening the main body cover 2, appropriate measures can be easily taken.

Furthermore, since the process unit 15 is configured by integrating the photoreceptor drum 18, the charging section 19, the transfer section 2o, and the cleaning section 21, the capacity of the waste toner box 23 of the cleaning section 21 is determined by the service life of the photoreceptor drum 18. The process unit 15 can be used efficiently by designing it according to the limit. Further, this waste toner box 23 functions to insulate the optical scanning unit 30 from the heat of the fixing section 7. The process unit 15 can be taken out upward and replaced by opening the main body cover 2, and is extremely easy to maintain.

Furthermore, since the entire optical section 6 and the optical scanning unit 30 are integrated into a unit, replacement and maintenance thereof can be easily performed.

Furthermore, when replenishing toner, remove the paper tray 9, open the opening/closing lid 1b of the attachment/detachment port 1a formed on the top surface of the main body l, pull out the empty toner cartridge 17, and replace the lower end of the new toner cartridge 17. It is only necessary to fit it into the fitting recess 45 and attach it. Further, the toner supply port 53 at the lower end of the toner cartridge 17 is connected to the sponge roller 54.
Since it is closed, there is no risk of toner spilling out when this is installed. On the other hand, when the toner cartridge 17 is installed, the sponge roller 54 is driven to rotate as the stirring screw 26 rotates, and the toner inside the cartridge main body 51 is captured in the hollow part of the outer periphery of the sponge roller 54, and the toner supply port 53 The developer is supplied in appropriate amounts to the developing unit 16 from the developer.

In this way, since toner can be replenished by replacing the toner cartridge 17, the expensive developing unit 16 can be effectively used up to its service life regardless of the capacity of the toner cartridge 17.

Furthermore, since the toner cartridge 17 is fitted into the fitting recess 45 of the developing unit 16, even if toner overflows when it is installed, it will be received in the fitting recess 45 and will not fall into the main body 1. There's no risk of getting it dirty. Furthermore, since the toner cartridge 17 can be easily replaced, its capacity can be reduced to make the apparatus more compact.

Furthermore, when removing the developing unit 16 from the main body 1 for replacement, maintenance and inspection of the developing unit 16, etc., after pulling out the process unit 15 upward, the developing unit 16
The process unit 15 can be horizontally pulled out to the installation space of the process unit 15 and taken out upward. At this time, since the lower end of the toner cartridge l is fitted into the fitting recess 45 of the developing unit 16, this toner cartridge l
The developing unit 16 cannot be pulled out horizontally until after the toner cartridge 1 is removed.
It is possible to reliably prevent an inconvenience such as when the developing unit 16 is pulled out with the developing unit 7 attached, and the toner in the toner cartridge 17 falls into the main body 1 and stains the optical section 6 disposed below.

Effects of the Invention According to the present invention, toner can be easily replenished simply by installing the toner cartridge, and since the toner supply port of the toner cartridge is closed by a sponge roller, the toner can be easily supplied when the toner cartridge is installed or removed. There is no risk of toner overflowing from the supply port and contaminating various means such as the optical system disposed at the bottom of the main body, and when installed in the developing section, the sponge roller is connected to the rotational drive means by the connecting means. It rotates and exhibits effects such as being able to supply an appropriate amount of toner to the developing section.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

1 to 6 show an embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional side view showing the configuration of a developing unit and a toner cartridge, FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of the mounting portion of the toner cartridge, 3 is a bottom view of the toner cartridge, FIG. 4 is a longitudinal side view showing the driving section of the sponge roller, FIG. 5 is a N#fT side view showing the overall configuration of the image recording device, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the same external appearance. It is. 17・−・・・・・・・−・ 51−・−・−−−−−−・ 53・−・−・・・−・・ 54−・・・・−・・−・・−・ Toner cartridge Cartridge body Toner supply port Sponge roller

Claims (1)

[Claims] A toner supply port is formed at one end of a box-shaped cartridge body containing toner, a sponge roller is disposed inside the toner supply port so as to close the toner supply port, and the sponge roller is rotationally driven. A toner cartridge characterized in that a toner cartridge is provided with a connecting means.