JPS6344676A - Toner replenishing device for electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To maintain air tightness when an aperture is tightly closed by freely slidably providing the aperture on a curved surface formed at the bottom of a toner cartridge with a shutter and installing an operating body with a holding part holding some part of the shutter in such a way that said body can elevate freely. CONSTITUTION:The shutter 10 contacts to the edge of the aperture 7 due to its own elasticity of the shutter and maintains air tightness. When a pin 3 is inserted into a notch 4, the toner cartridge 2 turns with the pin 3 as a fulcrum, and is inserted into a toner container 1. A projecting part 12 receives upward force from a receiving part 18, and simultaneously the operating body 8 moves upward. A locking body 21 is pressed down to the bottom of the bank part 6 of the toner cartridge 2, and turns accordingly. A lug part 23 engages with the upper surface of the projecting part 13, and the shutter 10 is pulled upward to slide the curved surface 5. The aperture 7 is released to replenish toner to the toner container 1. If the toner cartridge 2 is pulled up, the lug part 23 keeps pressing the upper surface of the projecting part 13 until the band part 6 of a leg part 22 can be separated from the bottom. The operating body 8 is descended, and the shutter 10 slides around the curved surface 5 and blocks the aperture 7.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] Industrial applications The present invention relates to a toner replenishing device for an electrophotographic apparatus.

BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, in order to replenish toner to a toner container with an opening on the top surface provided around the outer periphery of a photoreceptor, an opening is formed in a toner cartridge, and toner is stored in the toner cartridge.
There is a method in which the opening is sealed with a paper material, the paper material is peeled off, the toner cartridge is inserted into the toner container, and the toner in the toner cartridge is transferred to the toner container.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, since the paper material at the opening of the toner cartridge is peeled off, when the toner cartridge is removed from the toner container, the remaining toner inside the toner cartridge spills out of the opening, and there is also the problem of staining hands. .

Means for Solving the Problems A toner container having an opening at the top and a toner cartridge inserted into the toner container are provided, a curved surface is formed on the bottom surface of the toner cartridge, and the toner cartridge is housed in the toner cartridge on the curved surface. An opening is formed to allow the toner to fall.
A shutter formed of an elastic sheet and for opening and closing the opening is slidably provided along the curved surface inside the toner cartridge, and a part of the shutter is held inside the toner cartridge. An actuating body having a holding portion is provided to be movable up and down, the actuating body is provided with a protruding portion that protrudes to the outside of the toner cartridge, and the toner container is provided with a receiving portion that supports a lower surface of the protruding portion.

Therefore, since the opening of the toner cartridge is formed in a curved surface, the shutter formed of an elastic sheet is elastically curved and slides to maintain airtightness when the opening is closed. When the toner cartridge is inserted through the upper opening of the toner container, the lower surface of the protruding portion is supported by the receiving portion, so that the operating body rises relative to the toner cartridge and pulls up the shutter to open the opening. therefore,
Toner in the toner cartridge falls into the toner container. When the toner cartridge is pulled up from the toner container, the actuating body descends relative to the toner cartridge, and the shutter closes the opening. By holding the central portion of one shutter by the body, the amount of opening of the opening relative to the amount of operation of the operating body is expanded.

Furthermore, by providing the toner container with a movable locking body having a claw portion that engages with the upper surface of the protrusion, the protrusion portion of the operating body is moved by the claw portion of the locking body when the toner cartridge is pulled up from the toner container. Press down on the top surface to promote shutter closing.

Example An embodiment of the present invention will be described based on the drawings.

A toner container 1 and a toner cartridge 2 having an open top are provided. Bins 3 are erected on both sides of one end of the toner cartridge 2, and the toner container 1 has a notch 4 with an opening at the upper end for rotatably holding the bottles 3. Furthermore, two curved surfaces 5 and a grip portion 6 located between these curved surfaces 5 are formed in parallel on the bottom surface of the toner cartridge 2, and a plurality of opening lowers are formed in each of the curved surfaces 5. ing. The actuating body 8 provided in the toner cartridge 2 has a slit 6a formed in the grip portion 6 at its lower part.
A horizontally elongated member 9 with a T-shaped cross section that is protruded to the outside and held movably up and down, and a shutter 10 that covers the opening lower part are attached to the member 9.
It consists of a horizontally elongated holding part 11 that is fixed to. An inclined surface 1.1a is formed on the upper surface of the holding portion 11, and the inclined surface 1.1a gradually slopes downward toward the outside. The shack 10 is made of an elastic sheet of mylar or the like. At both ends of this member 9, protrusions 13 are formed that protrude from vertically long windows 12 formed on both sides of the toner cartridge 2. The inner surface of the window 12 is closed by a rubber plate IS having a vertically long cut 14 formed therein.

Further, an inner wall 17 located inside the left and right outer walls 16 of the toner container 1 includes a receiving portion 18 that supports the lower surface of the protruding portion 13;
A square hole 19 and projecting pieces 20 located on both sides of the square hole 19 are formed, and locking bodies 21 are rotatably attached to these projecting pieces 20. These locking bodies 21 have square holes 1.
Legs 22 protruding inward from 9 and claws glS located at the upper end
23 is formed.

Furthermore, as is clear from FIG. 6, an inclined surface 24 is formed on the edge of the opening lower portion along the curved direction of the curved surface 5, and the inclined surface 24 is inclined in a direction that gradually increases the opening area of the opening lower portion as it goes upward. ing. Furthermore, grooves 25 are formed on both sides of the toner cartridge 2 along the inner peripheral surface. Both side edges of the shutter 10 are slidably held in these grooves 25.

In such a configuration, as shown in FIGS. 1 and 3, the shutter 10 exhibits an action of restoring itself to a flat state due to its own elasticity, and comes into close contact with the edge of the open lower part, thereby keeping the open lower part airtight. Next, cut the bottle 3 of the toner cartridge 2 into the notch 4.
When the toner cartridge 2 is inserted into the rotating retoner container 1 with the bin 3 as a fulcrum, the protruding portion 13 receives an upward force from the receiving portion 18, and the actuating body 8 moves upward relative to the toner cartridge 1. As the locking body 21 moves, the leg portions 22 of the locking body 21 are pressed against the bottom of the grip portion 6 of the toner cartridge 2 and rotate, and the claw portions 23 engage with the upper surface of the protruding portion 13. This state is as shown in FIGS. 2 and 4, and the shutter 10 is pulled upward by the upward movement of the operating body 8, is guided by the groove 25, slides on the curved surface 5, and opens the lower opening. do.

As a result, the toner 26 of the toner cartridge 8 is replenished into the toner container 1.

Further, when pulling up the toner container 1 or the toner cartridge 2, the claw portion 23 of the locking body 21 presses the top surface of the protruding portion 13 until the leg portion 22 of the locking body 21 separates from the bottom surface of the grip portion 6, and the actuating body 8 relative to the toner cartridge 2. Therefore, the shutter 10 slides on the curved surface 5 and closes the open lower part rjJ.

In this way, when the toner cartridge 2 is attached to or removed from the toner container 1, the shutter 10 is automatically opened and closed, so that the toner 26 can be easily replenished.
6 will not spill, and your hands will not get dirty, making it sanitary. Further, since the shutter 1o straddles the two curved surfaces 5 and the central part is held by the actuating body 8, if the amount of movement of the actuating body 8 is 1, the shutter 10 exhibits 1 movement on each side, and 2 on both sides. shows the movement of Therefore, the ratio of the opening of the opening lower to the movement of the force member 8 is increased, and the toner 26 inside the toner cartridge 2 can be efficiently transferred to the toner container 1. 2, the upper surface of the holding part 11 has an inclined surface 1
1a is formed, and an inclined surface 24 is formed on the edge of the open lower portion along the curved direction of the curved surface 5, so that the toner 26 inside the toner cartridge 2 can be dropped without wasting it.

Effects of the Invention Since the present invention is configured as described above, since the opening of the toner cartridge is formed in a curved surface, the shutter formed of a sheet having a property is brought into close contact with the edge of the opening, so that when the opening is closed, Airtightness can be maintained, and when the toner cartridge is inserted from the top opening of the toner container, the lower surface of the protruding part is supported by the receiving part, so the operating body can be raised relative to the toner cartridge. The shutter can be pulled up to automatically open the opening and the toner in the toner cartridge can fall into the toner container.
Furthermore, when the door cartridge is pulled up from the toner container, the operating body is lowered relative to the toner cartridge, and the opening can be automatically closed by the shutter. ,
By holding the central part of one shutter by the actuating body located between the curved surfaces, the opening amount of the opening can be expanded relative to the amount of movement of the actuating body, allowing the toner to fall quickly. By providing the toner container with a movable locking body having a claw that engages with the top surface of the toner container, the claw of the locking body can press the top surface of the protrusion of the operating body when pulling up the toner cartridge from the toner container. , it has effects such as being able to promote the closing operation of the shutter.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

The drawings show an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 1 is a vertical cross-sectional side view showing a state before a toner cartridge is installed in a toner container, and FIG. 2 is a vertical cross-sectional view showing a state in which a toner cartridge is installed in a toner container. 3 is a vertical sectional front view showing the state before the toner cartridge is installed in the toner container, FIG. 4 is a vertical sectional front view showing the state in which the toner cartridge is installed in the toner container, and FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional front view of the toner cartridge taken in section at the position of the curved surface; FIG. 7 is an enlarged longitudinal sectional front view of a portion of the toner cartridge; FIG.
FIG. 9 is a longitudinal cross-sectional side view of the A-line section and a partially exploded perspective view showing the structure of the operating body that holds the shutter.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A toner container having an opening on the top surface and a toner cartridge inserted into the toner container are provided, a curved surface is formed on the bottom surface of the toner cartridge, and the toner cartridge accommodated in the toner cartridge is formed on the curved surface. An opening for dropping the toner is formed, and a shutter made of an elastic sheet and configured to open and close the opening is provided inside the toner cartridge so as to be slidable along the curved surface. an actuating body having a holding part for holding a part of the shutter is provided so as to be movable up and down; the actuating body is provided with a protruding part that protrudes to the outside of the toner cartridge; and the toner container is provided with a receiver that supports a lower surface of the protruding part. A toner replenishing device for an electrophotographic device, characterized in that a toner replenishing device is provided with a section. 2. The opening according to claim 1, wherein an inclined surface is formed on the edge of the opening along the curved direction of the curved surface so as to gradually increase the opening area of the opening as it goes upward. Toner replenishment device for electrophotographic equipment. 3. The toner replenishing device for an electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an inclined surface is formed on the upper surface of the operating body, the inclined surface gradually sloping downward toward the outside. 4. A toner container having a top opening and a toner cartridge inserted into the toner container are provided, two curved surfaces are arranged in parallel on the bottom surface of the toner cartridge, and the toner cartridge is accommodated on these curved surfaces. A shutter is formed inside the toner cartridge and is made of an elastic sheet and is slidable along the curved surface to open and close the opening, and the toner cartridge An actuating body having a holding part located between the two curved surfaces and holding a central portion of the shutter is provided inside the cartridge so as to be movable up and down, and the actuating body has a protruding part that protrudes to the outside of the toner cartridge. A toner replenishing device for an electrophotographic apparatus, characterized in that the toner container is provided with a receiving portion that supports a lower surface of the protruding portion. 5. A toner container with an opening on the top surface and a toner cartridge inserted into the toner container are provided, a curved surface is formed on the bottom surface of the toner cartridge, and an opening is provided on the curved surface through which the toner stored in the toner cartridge falls. a shutter formed of an elastic sheet and configured to open and close the opening is provided inside the toner cartridge so as to be slidable along the curved surface, and a part of the shutter is provided inside the toner cartridge. An actuating body having a holding portion for holding the toner cartridge is provided to be movable up and down, the actuating body is provided with a protruding portion that protrudes to the outside of the toner cartridge, and the toner container is provided with a receiving portion that supports a lower surface of the protruding portion and an upper surface of the protruding portion. 1. A toner replenishing device for an electrophotographic apparatus, comprising: a locking member that is movable forward and backward and has a claw portion that engages with the toner replenishing device.