Patent Application
20110222915
This application is based on and claims priority under 35 USC 119 from Japanese Patent Application No. 2010-052967 filed Mar. 10, 2010.
The present invention relates to an image forming agent holding container, an image forming device, and a method of filling image forming agent.
According to an aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming agent holding container including a container body that is installable into and removable from an image forming device body and in which an ejection hole for use in ejection of image forming agent is formed, an opening/closing part that is shiftably mounted on the container body so as to open and close the ejection hole, and a manipulating part turnably supported by the container body to be used for shifting the opening/closing part relative to the container body, the manipulating part shifting to and from an open position to place the ejection hole in an open state, a sealing position to place the ejection hole in a sealed state, and a fitting position to fit the manipulating part to the container body.
An exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:
Next, an exemplary embodiment of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings.
Further, the image forming device body 20 is mounted with an opening/closing part 24 for mounting use and an opening/closing part 26 for paper feed use, each to be openable and closable. The opening/closing part 24 for mounting use is opened when holding containers 300Y, 300M, 300C and 300K to be used as image forming agent holding containers are to be mounted into the image forming device body 20 and when the holding containers 300Y, 300M, 300C and 300K are to be detached out of the image forming device body 20, and is closed when an image is to be formed. The opening/closing part 26 for paper feed use is opened when a paper sheet on which an image is to be formed is fed from the front side of the image forming device body 20. Incidentally, though the opening/closing part 24 for mounting use is opened and closed in the way illustrated in
Also, a mounting device 30 into which the holding containers 300Y, 300M, 300C and 300K are to be mounted is provided in the image forming device body 20.
The holding containers 300Y, 300M, 300C and 300K respectively hold yellow toner, magenta toner, cyan toner and black toner to be used as image forming agents. The holding containers 300Y, 300M and 300C are the same in shape and size, supposed to hold the same volumes of toner. The holding container 300K is formed longer and larger in cubic measure and can hold greater volumes of toner than the holding containers 300Y, 300M and 300C.
The holding containers 300Y, 300M and 300C and the holding container 300K, though different in the holdable volume of toner, have the same members and functions. In the following description, except where any specific holding container is to be referred to, the holding containers 300Y, 300M, 300C and 300K will be generically referred to as the holding containers 300.
As shown in
The image forming part 100 has photoreceptor drums 102Y, 102M, 102C and 102K to be used as image holders, electrifiers 104Y, 104M, 104C and 104K for respectively electrifying the photoreceptor drums 102Y, 102M, 102C and 102K, an electrostatic latent image forming device 106 for forming latent electrostatic images by irradiating with light the photoreceptor drums 102Y, 102M, 102C and 102K electrified by the electrifiers 104Y, 104M, 104C and 104K, and developing devices 110Y, 110M, 110C and 110K for respectively forming a yellow toner image, a magenta toner image, a cyan toner image and a black toner image by developing with toner the electrostatic latent images formed on the surfaces of the photoreceptor drums 102Y, 102M, 102C and 102K by the electrostatic latent image forming device 106.
The developing devices 110Y, 110M, 110C and 110K are respectively supplied by the holding containers 300Y, 300M, 300C and 300K with yellow toner, magenta toner, cyan toner and black toner.
Further, the image forming part 100 has a transfer device 140 for transferring to a paper sheet the yellow toner image, the magenta toner image, the cyan toner image and the black toner image respectively formed by the developing devices 110Y, 110M, 110C and 110K, cleaning devices 114Y, 114M, 114C and 114K for cleaning the surfaces of the photoreceptor drums 102Y, 102M, 102C and 102K, respectively, and a fixing device 116 for fixing onto the paper sheet the toner images transferred by the transfer device 140.
The transfer device 140 has a belt-shaped transfer medium 142 that transfers the yellow toner image, the magenta toner image, the cyan toner image and the black toner image, formed on the photoreceptor drums 102Y, 102M, 102C and 102K, so as to superpose them one over another. The transfer medium 142 is turnably supported by supporting rollers 146, 148, 150 and 152 used as supporting members.
Further, the transfer device 140 has first transfer rollers 156Y, 156M, 156C and 156K to be used as first transfer devices for transferring the yellow toner image, the magenta toner image, the cyan toner image and the black toner image, respectively formed on the photoreceptor drums 102Y, 102M, 102C and 102K, to the transfer medium, and a second transfer roller 158 to be used as a second transfer device for transferring to the paper sheet the yellow toner image, the magenta toner image, the cyan toner image and the black toner image transferred to the transfer medium 142. The transfer device 140 also has a cleaning device 160 for cleaning the surface of the transfer medium 142.
The paper feeder 200 has a paper storage part 202 made up of a cassette for instance, a pickup roller 204 for picking up the topmost sheet of paper stored in the paper storage part 202, a carrying roller 206 for carrying toward the image forming part 100 the paper sheet picked up by the pickup roller 204 and a separating roller 208 that is in contact with the carrying roller 206 and separates paper sheets between itself and the carrying roller 206. The paper storage part 202, so configured as to be drawn out toward the front of the image forming device body 20 (leftward in
The carriage path 250 includes a main carriage path 252, a reverse carriage path 254 and an auxiliary carriage path 256.
The main carriage path 252, which is a carriage path over which paper sheets supplied from the paper feeder 200 are carried to the ejection receptacle 22, is mounted with a registration roller 260, the second transfer roller 158 referred to above, the fixing device 116 also referred to above and an ejection roller 262 in this order from the upstream side of the sheet carrying direction downward along the main carriage path 252. The registration roller 260 starts turning from an unmoving state at a prescribed timing and supplies a paper sheet to the contact part between the transfer medium 142 and the second transfer roller 158 so as to match the timing of the transfer of a toner image to the transfer medium 142.
The ejection roller 262 ejects the paper sheet on which the toner image has been fixed by the fixing device 116 to the ejection receptacle 22. Also the ejection roller 262, when images are to be formed on both faces of the sheet, it may turn in a direction reverse to the case in which the sheet is to be ejected to the ejection receptacle 22, and feed to the reverse carriage path 254 the sheet on one of whose faces an image has been formed.
The reverse carriage path 254 is used when a sheet on one of whose faces an image has been formed is to be supplied, while reversing it, to the side upstream of the registration roller 260 again. Along the reverse carriage path 254, for instance two reverse carriage rollers 264 and 264, are mounted.
The auxiliary carriage path 256 is a carriage path that is used when a paper sheet is fed from the front side of the image forming device body 20 in a state in which the opening/closing part 26 for paper feed use is open toward the image forming device body 20. Along the auxiliary carriage path 256, an auxiliary carriage roller 266 that carries paper sheets toward the registration roller 260 and a separating roller 268 that comes into contact with the auxiliary carriage roller 266 and is used for separating the sheets are mounted.
As already stated, the holding containers 300Y, 300M and 300C are the same in shape and size, and the holding container 300K is larger in capacity than the holding containers 300Y, 300M and 300C.
As shown in
Also, the container body 306 has, in a position upward in the direction of gravity in a state in which the body is mounted in the image forming device body 20, a replenishing hole 314 to be used for replenishing the container body 306 with toner. The replenishing hole 314 is formed in the upward face of the container body 306, and the container body 306 is replenished with toner by dropping it through the replenishing hole 314 from above in the direction of gravity. The shape of the replenishing hole 314 as viewed from above in the direction of gravity is substantially circular.
Also, a fixing stub 316 is so formed on the front face of the container body 306 as to protrude forward. The fixing stub 316 is used for fixing the manipulating part 382 of the control lever 380 in a third position to be described in more detail afterwards. Further, the fixing stub 316 is also used as a shift forbidding part that forbids, while allowing the manipulating part 382 to shift from a fourth position to be described in more detail afterwards to one of a first position and a second position both to be described in more detail afterwards, the manipulating part 382 from shifting from the first position or the second position to the fourth position. Details of the fixing stub 316 including its shape will be described afterwards.
Also, on a side of the container body 306 toward the front, a forbidding stub 318 is so formed as to protrude forward (see
Further in a position ahead of the container body 306 and close to the gear 370, a protective stub 320 is formed. The protective stub 320 protects the gear 370 by making it difficult for the tooth-formed face of the gear 370 to strike vehemently against any other object.
On the rear face of the container body 306, a supporting stub 324 of a columnar shape is formed to support the control lever 380 rotatably. Also, on the front face of the container body 306, a supporting stub 325 is formed to support the control lever 380 rotatably in a similar way to the supporting stub 324.
On the inner wall face of the front side of the container body 306, a fitting part 307a for use in fitting a mixing device 330, to be described in more detail afterwards, to the container body 306 is formed. Also, on the inner wall face of the rear side of the container body 306, a fitting part 307b for use in fitting the mixing device 330 to the container body 306 is formed.
Within the container body 306, the mixing device 330 used for mixing the toner held in the container body 306 is fitted. The mixing device 330 has a function not only to stir the toner held in the container body 306 but also to carry the toner held in the container body 306. The mixing device 330 has a shaft 322 so fitted to the container body 306 as to be rotatable around a rotation shaft 332, a parallel part 334 which is fitted to the shaft 322 and substantially parallel to the shaft 322, and a carrying plate 336 fitted to the shaft 322. The tip of the carrying plate 336, made up of an elastic filmy sheet, is so disposed as to be in contact with the inner face of the container body 306. In the shaft 332, a snap-in recess 332c is formed at its forward end 332a. Also, the rear end 332b side of the shaft 332 is smaller in diameter than other parts. The mixing device 330 may as well be formed as appropriate for only one of the two functions of mixing and carrying. However, it is more likely to have both mixing and carrying functions because it is a device intended for mixing toner, which is powder.
Further, as shown in
The mixing device 330, as shown in
Further, a distinguishing member 420 to be used as a distinguishing part is mounted on the left flank of the container body 306. The distinguishing member 420 has multiple, for instance three, convexes 422, and a concave 424 is formed between each adjoining pair of convexes 422. Each of the concaves 424 is so formed that at least one factor out of the number, position and width differs with the type of the toner held in the pertinent container body 306. For instance, depending on the color of the toner of a container body 306, yellow, magenta or cyan, at least one factor out of the number, position and width of its concave or concaves 424 differs. Even where toners of the same color, for instance black toners, are held, if they are to be used for different device types or differ in characteristics, at least one factor out of the number, position and width of the concaves 424 differs with the device type or in characteristics.
The distinguishing member 420 bears a mark that enables the operator or the like to distinguish the toner to be filled or already filled is printed or otherwise placed, and this mark is arranged in a position that can be visually recognized at least in a state in which the control lever 380 is arranged in its second position to be described afterwards. This mark is also placed on the control lever 380 and the upper face of a lid member 340 to be described afterwards.
Also, a storage medium 450 to be used as a storage unit is mounted on the rear face of the container body 306 to be detachable from the container body 306. The storage medium 450 can be connected to a data writing device (not shown) disposed toward the image forming device body 20, and data such as the number of images formed of the toner held in the pertinent holding container 300 is written into it from the data writing device. Connecting terminals 451 of the storage medium 450 extend long in the vertical direction, with their lower parts including the bottoms in the vertical direction being exposed, and four of them are disposed side by side in the horizontal direction. As shown in
The opening/closing part 350 is so fitted as to be movable to a position underneath the container body 306. Shifting of the opening/closing part 350 to underneath the container body 306 causes the ejection hole 312 to be open or closed. The opening/closing part 350 has an opening/closing member 352 so mounted as to be shiftable relative to the container body 306 and a sealing member 354 disposed between the opening/closing member 352 and the container body 306 and used for sealing the ejection hole 312.
The control lever 380 has the manipulating part 382 as stated above. The manipulating part 382, which is a part arranged in a position opposing the replenishing hole 314 of the control lever 380 and so supported as to be rotatable relative to the container body 306, is used for shifting the opening/closing part 350 relative to the container body 306. The control lever 380 has a front arm part 384 extending from the front end of the manipulating part 382 and the rear arm part 386 extending from the rear end of the manipulating part 382. In the front arm part 384, a through hole 407 to allow the supporting stub 325, formed on the front part of the container body 306, to be snapped in is formed. Also in the rear arm part 386, a through hole 408 to allow the supporting stub 324, formed on the rear part of the container body 306, to be snapped in is formed.
By inserting the supporting stub 325 into the through hole 407 and the supporting stub 324 into the through hole 408, the control lever 380 and the manipulating part 382 are so supported as to be capable of turning around the shaft 322 and shiftable to its first position, second position, third position and fourth position to be described in more detail afterwards.
A through hole 390 is formed in the front arm part 384. The through hole 390 is formed in a position in which the fixing stub 316 is snapped in a state wherein the control lever 380 is arranged in its third position to be described in more detail afterwards. As a result, the control lever 380 is fixed in its third position relative to the container body 306 by the through hole 390 and the fixing stub 316.
On the front arm part 384, a protective stub 392 is so formed as to be positioned over the gear 370. The protective stub 392 not only protects the tooth-formed face of the gear 370, but also makes it impossible for the operator to touch the gear 370 in a state in which the holding container 300 is mounted in the image forming device body 20.
Further, a guide stub 394 is formed toward the lower end of the front arm part 384 and toward the tip in the direction of inserting the holding container 300 into the image forming device body 20. The guide stub 394 is snapped into a guide groove 46 formed in the image forming device body 20 (see
Also, a collision restraining stub 396 is formed, in a state of being continuous from the guide stub 394 for instance, toward the lower end of the front arm part 384 and toward the tip in the direction of inserting the holding container 300 into the image forming device body 20. The collision restraining stub 396 makes it difficult for the tooth-formed face of the gear 370 to collide against the image forming device body 20 when the holding container 300 is inserted into the image forming device body 20. In addition, like the collision restraining stub 396, the guide stub 394 also has a function to make it difficult for the tooth-formed face of the gear 370 to collide against the image forming device body 20.
Toward the lower end of the rear arm part 386, a guide stub 402 is formed similarly to the guide stub 394 on the front arm part 384. The guide stub 402 is snapped into a guide groove 44 formed toward the image forming device body 20 (see
The control lever 380 and the manipulating part 382 are linked to the opening/closing member 352. Thus, the part of the front arm part 384 toward its lower end is linked to the front part of the opening/closing member 352, and the part of the rear arm part 386 toward its lower end is linked to the rear part of the opening/closing member 352. As a result, the opening/closing member 352 shifts, interlocked with the shift of the manipulating part 382 of the control lever 380. Details of the linking between the control lever 380 and the manipulating part 382 on one hand and the opening/closing member 352 on the other, such as the timing and way of linking of the control lever 380 and the manipulating part 382 to the opening/closing member 352, will be described afterwards.
The gear 370, mounted on the front face of the container body 306, is linked to and receives drive transmission from another gear (not shown) disposed on the image forming device body 20 side, when the holding container 300 is mounted into the image forming device body 20. Also, as described earlier, snapping of the shaft part 372 of the gear 370 into the snap-in recess 332c formed in the rotation shaft 332 of the mixing device 330 causes the gear 370 and the mixing device 330 to be linked to each other. As a result, when drive is transmitted and the gear 370 turns, the mixing device 330 turns within the container body 306, and the toner held in the container body 306 is mixed and carried.
The holding container 300 has not only the container body 306, the opening/closing part 350, the control lever 380 and the gear 370 but also the lid member 340 used as a sealing part for sealing the replenishing hole 314. The lid member 340 is mounted onto the container body 306 by being snapped into the replenishing hole 314 after the container body 306 is filled with toner via the replenishing hole 314. When the lid member 340 is mounted, the replenishing hole 314 is sealed and, irrespective of the direction of the container body 306, toner is prevented from spilling out of the replenishing hole 314.
Also, the holding container 300 has a covering member 342. The covering member 342 is so fitted to the container body 306 as to cover from outside the lid member 340 mounted on the container body 306. The presence of the covering member 342 prevents, even if the lid member 340 is about to come off the replenishing hole 314, the lid member 340 from completely coming off the replenishing hole 314, and thereby restrains the spreading around of toner having spilt out of the container body 306 through the replenishing hole 314.
Further, an inclined face 397 is formed toward the right end on the bottom part of the rear face (the face opposite the opening/closing part 350) of the front arm part 384. The inclined face 397 is so formed as to separate the right end part of the front arm part 384 and the opening/closing part 350 from each other and to shorten the distance between the front arm part 384 and the opening/closing part 350 toward the central part of the front arm part 384.
On the front face of the opening/closing member 352, a linking stub 353 is so formed as to protrude forward. The linking stub 353 has an inclined face 353a so formed as to be higher on the right side and lower on the left side and a perpendicular face 353b positioned to the right of the inclined face 353a and substantially perpendicular to the front face of the opening/closing member 352.
The control lever 380 and the manipulating part 382 can move to and from a first position shown in
The first position shown in
The second position shown in
The third position shown in
If it is attempted to mount the holding container 300 into the image forming device body 20 when the control lever 380 and the manipulating part 382 are in the third position, the control lever 380 and the image forming device body 20 will interfere with each other. Thus, the control lever 380 is used as an interfering part that interferes with the image forming device body 20 when it is attempted to mount the holding container 300 into the image forming device body 20 in a state in which the control lever 380 is in the third position.
Further, with the control lever 380 being in the third position, it is difficult for the manipulating part 382 to obstruct the shifting (fall) of toner when the container body 306 is to be filled with toner. Also, it is difficult for the control lever 380 in the third position to obstruct positioning of the lid member 340 and its fitting to the container body 306 by plugging in or otherwise, and therefore fitting of the lid member 340 to the container body 306 is facilitated. Further, it is difficult for the control lever 380 in the third position to obstruct positioning of the covering member 342 and its fitting to the container body 306 in the direction in which the lid member 340 is fitted to the container body 306 (the up-and-down direction in this exemplary embodiment), and fitting of the covering member 342 to the container body 306 is therefore facilitated. In a state in which the control lever 380 is placed in the third position, after filling the container body 306 with toner, the replenishing hole 314 of the container body 306 is closed with the lid member 340, and the covering member 342 is so fitted to the container body 306 as to cover the lid member 340.
The fourth position shown in
The control lever 380, if it has not moved from the fourth position to any other position after it is fitted to the container body 306, it is in a state of not being linked to the opening/closing part 350. When a holding container 300 is assembled and the holding container 300 is filled with toner, after fitting the mixing device 330 to the container body 306 in a state in which the control lever 380 and the manipulating part 382 are placed in the fourth position, the control lever 380 and the manipulating part 382 are shifted to the third position and the container body 306 is filled with toner.
To add, as shown in
Thus, as shown in
Although the control lever 380 and the opening/closing part 350 are linked to each other interlocked with the shifting of the control lever 380 from the fourth position to the third position as stated above, even if the control lever 380 is shifted from the third position to the fourth position, the control lever 380 and the opening/closing part 350 will not be released from the linkage. This is due to the circumstance that, as shown in
As shown in
Although the shifting of the control lever 380 from the fourth position to the third position is permitted as stated above, the shifting of the control lever 380 from the third position to the fourth position is forbidden. This is because, even if it is attempted to shift the control lever 380 toward the fourth position, the front arm part 384 will not be elastically deformed and the state in which the fixing stub 316 is snapped into the through hole 390 is maintained.
The supporting stub 324, as stated above, is formed on the rear face of the container body 306, has a substantially columnar shape, is inserted into the through hole 408 formed in the rear arm part 386 of the control lever 380, and supports the control lever 380 to be rotatable relative to the container body 306.
In a position that is part of the supporting stub 324 in the circumferential direction and distant from the front face of the container body 306, a protrusive part 326 protruding in the circumferential direction is disposed.
As shown in
As shown in
The size of the upper sub-container 310 is greater for the upper sub-container 310K for black toner than for that of the upper sub-containers 310Y, 310M and 310C for yellow, magenta and cyan toners, respectively. The upper sub-container 310K for black toner can hold toner inside in the state of being fitted to the container body 306K.
Also, the size of distinguishing members 420Y, 420M and 420C is greater that of a distinguishing member 420K. This difference in size makes the height of the bottom ends of the distinguishing members 420Y, 420M and 420C and that of the bottom end of the distinguishing member 420K the same when the holding containers 300Y, 300M, 300C and 300K are so mounted in the image forming device body 20 as to make the height of the top ends of the holding containers 300Y, 300M and 300C the same as that of the top end of the holding container 300K.
In the opening/closing part 24 for mounting use, four concaves 25 (three of which are shown in
As a result, at the time each holding container 300 is mounted in the image forming device body 20, it is ensured that the action to shift the control lever 380 to the first position is accomplished, the ejection hole 312 formed in the holding container 300 is opened, and toner is supplied from the holding container 300 to the developing device 110. To add, it is also possible to provide an opening/closing sensor for detecting the opening/closing of the opening/closing part 24 for mounting use and, when the opening/closing sensor has detected the opening state of the opening/closing part 24 for mounting use, to indicate an alarm on the control panel 12 or forbid imaging action, for instance.
As shown in
Toner carriage paths 34Y, 34M, 34C and 34K are fitted underneath the mounting chambers 32Y, 32M, 32C and 32K, respectively. The toner carriage paths 34Y, 34M, 34C and 34K are used for carrying toners in the holding containers 300Y, 300M, 300C and 300K to the developing devices 110Y, 110M, 110C and 110K, respectively.
Each of the connecting plates 36Y, 36M, 36C and 36K is used as a body side distinguishing device, and one or more convexes 38 are so formed on each connecting plate as to differ in at least one factor out of the number, position and width from others.
Each of the convexes 38 is formed in a position to be snapped into the concave 424 (see
As shown in
In the left side plate 42, four guide grooves 46Y, 46M, 46C and 46K are formed. When the holding containers 300Y, 300M, 300C and 330K are to be mounted into the mounting chambers 32Y, 32M, 32C and 32K, the guide stubs 394 (see
Each of the arciform parts 50 is used as a removal forbidding unit to forbid the holding container 300 from being removed out of the image forming device body 20 in a state in which the control lever 380 is placed in the first position. In the state in which the control lever 380 is placed in the first position, the guide stub 394 enters the arciform part 50 and, even if it is tried to lift the holding container 300 to take it out, the guide stub 394 will interfere with the part of the left side plate 42 constituting the arciform part 50, making it impossible to remove the holding container 300 from the image forming device body 20.
As shown in
Meanwhile, when a holding container 300 is inserted into the image forming device body 20, an insertion member 56 so disposed as to protrude upward from the bottom face of the mounting device 30 is inserted between the container body 306 and the front arm part 384 as shown in
Further, the opening/closing part 350 is so assembled with the container body 306 as to snap the opening/closing part 350 into the opening/closing part guide groove 351. At the completion of step S10, the control lever 380 and the opening/closing part 350 are not yet linked to each other.
At next step S20, the mixing device 330 is fitted to the container body 306. At this point of time, as the manipulating part 382 is in the fourth position and the control lever 380 is in a position not to overlap the container body 306 in the direction of fitting the mixing device 330 to the container body 306, the control lever 380 can be fitted more easily than when the manipulating part 382 is in a position to overlap the container body 306 in the direction of fitting the mixing device 330 to the container body 306, resulting in enhanced efficiency of the assembling work to fit the control lever 380.
To add, the order of step S10 and step S20 may as well be reversed.
At next step S30, the container body 306 is so set to a jig (not shown) as to direct the replenishing hole 314 upward. At this step, the mixing device 330 is so adjusted as to make its longer dimension be directed up and down.
At next step S40, an upper sub-container 310 is fitted to the container body 306, and the upper sub-container 310 is fixed to the container body 306 by, for instance, ultrasonic welding. At this time, as the manipulating part 382 is in the fourth position and in a position not to overlap the container body 306 in the direction of fitting the upper sub-container 310 to the container body 306, the work of fitting the upper sub-container 310 is easier than when the manipulating part 382 is in a position to overlap the container body 306 in the direction of fitting the upper sub-container 310 to the container body 306, resulting in enhanced efficiency of the assembling work to fit the upper sub-container 310.
Instead of fitting the upper sub-container 310 to the container body 306 at step S40, the upper sub-container 310 may as well be fitted to the container body 306 in advance of step S10. Details of step S40 will be described afterwards.
At next step S50, the control lever 380 is shifted from the fourth position to the third position. By being shifted to the third position, the control lever 380 is so elastically deformed as to ride over the inclined face 316a of the fixing stub 316, and the lever is fixed in the third position as the fixing stub 316 enters the through hole 390. For this reason, the control lever 380 is prevented from moving when toner is to be inserted into the container body 306 at step S60 to be described afterwards, and it is made difficult for faulty insertion of toner to be invited by any movement of the control lever 380.
Further the shifting of the control lever 380 from the fourth position to the third position at step S50 causes the linking stub 353 formed on the opening/closing member 352 formed on the opening/closing part 350 to be snapped into the linking through hole 385 formed in the front arm part 384 of the control lever 380, thereby linking the control lever 380 and the opening/closing part 350 to each other.
At next step S60, toner is so inserted into the container body 306 as to be dropped from above via the replenishing hole 314. At this time, as the control lever 380 is in the third position and the manipulating part 382 of the control lever 380 is in a position not to overlap the replenishing hole 314 in the toner filling direction (up-and-down direction), the control lever 380 never obstructs the filling of toner.
Further, by so adjusting the longitudinal direction of the mixing device 330 as to coincide with the up-and-down direction, it is made difficult to obstruct falling of the toner in the container body 306 and the reaching of the toner to the bottom of the container body 306 is facilitated, resulting in the filling of toner without wasting the space in the container body 306.
At next step S70, the lid member 340 is so mounted into the replenishing hole 314 as being pressed downward from above, and the replenishing hole 314 is thereby sealed. At this time, as the control lever 380 is in the third position and the manipulating part 382 of the control lever 380 is in a position in which the opposite part of the control lever 380 does not overlap the container body 306 in the direction of fitting the lid member 340 to the container body 306 (the up-and-down direction in this exemplary embodiment), the control lever 380 does not obstruct mounting of the lid member 340 onto the container body 306.
At next step S80, the covering member 342 is so mounted over the container body 306 as to cover the lid member 340 from above. At this time, the manipulating part 382 is in the third position, and the manipulating part 382 is in a position not to overlap the container body 306 in the direction of fitting the container body 306 to the lid member 340 (the up-and-down direction in this exemplary embodiment). For this reason, the manipulating part 382 does not obstruct mounting of the covering member 342 onto the container body 306.
At next step S90, the control lever 380 is shifted from the third position to the second position. To shift the control lever 380 to the second position, the fixing stub 316 is disengaged from the through hole 390 by, for instance, deforming the front arm part 384 of the control lever 380. The shifting of the control lever 380 to the second position causes the manipulating part 382 of the control lever 380 to shift to a position to overlap the container body 306 in the direction of fitting the lid member 340 to the container body 306. As a result, the width of the holding container 300 is reduced in the direction crossing the direction of fitting the lid member 340 to the container body 306, and the carriage of the holding container 300 is facilitated. Further, even if it is attempted to return the control lever 380 having shifted to the second position to the third position, the front arm part 384 of the control lever 380 and the fixing stub 316 abut each other and interfere, and the control lever 380 is prevented from shifting to the third position when the shift is unnecessary.
Even if the control lever 380, when it is to be shifted from the third position to the second position, is shifted by mistake from the second position to the first position, there is a fear that the ejection hole 312 may be opened to let toner discharged through the ejection hole 312, but unless it is mounted in the image forming device body 20, it is so disposed that the forbidding stub 318 will prevent the control lever 380 from shifting from the second position to the first position.
At next step S120, the holding container 300 is inserted from above into the mounting device 30 in the image forming device body 20. At this step, the insertion member 56 so disposed as to protrude upward from the bottom face of the mounting device 30 is inserted between the container body 306 and the front arm part 384, and the front arm part 384 is deformed in a direction away from the container body 306 to shift to a position not to interfere with the forbidding stub 318. As a result, the control lever 380 is enabled to shift from the second position to the first position.
At next step S130, the control lever 380 is shifted from the second position to the first position to place the ejection hole 312 in an open state, in which toner can be supplied from the holding container 300 to the developing device 110.
At next step S140, the opening/closing part 24 for mounting use is closed. At this step, if there is any holding container whose control lever 380 has not shifted from the second position to the first position, the control lever 380 placed in the second position and the opening/closing part 24 for mounting use will interfere with each other, making it impossible to close the opening/closing part 24 for mounting use.
At next step S220, the control lever 380 is shifted from the first position to the second position to place the ejection hole 312 in a closed state. For this reason, when the holding container 300 is removed from the image forming device body 20, none of the remaining toner is discharged through the ejection hole 312.
At next step S230, the holding container 300 is drawn out of the image forming device body 20. If it is attempted to draw the holding container 300 out of the image forming device body 20 without shifting the control lever 380 from the first position to the second position, the guide stub 394 will interfere with the part of the left side plate 42 constituting the arciform part 50 and thereby make it impossible for the holding container 300 to be removed from the image forming device body 20.
In the exemplary embodiment of the present invention so far described, the supporting stub 324 is in a substantially columnar shape, having the protrusive part 326 protruding in the circumferential direction in a position distant from the front face of the container body 306 (see
Further in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention so far described, the through hole 408 is in a substantially round shape, and the larger bore part 410 is so formed in a part of the through hole 408 in the circumferential direction as to be greater in bore than elsewhere (see
In this modified version, at the step of fitting the control lever 380 to the container body 306, the control lever 380 is fitted to the container body 306 in such a way that the end side of the semicircular part 408a reverse to the linear part 408b is inserted into a groove part formed underneath the larger diameter part 324b of the supporting stub 324. Further, the control lever 380 is so guided by a guiding part (not shown) as to be placed in the fourth position at the time of fitting the control lever 380 to the container body 306.
In the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a combination of two members, the opening/closing member 352 and the sealing member 354, is cited as an example of the opening/closing part 350, but the opening/closing part 350 may as well be a single component or a combination of three or more components.
In the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention so far described, a configuration in which the control lever 380 shifts to the first, second, third and fourth positions is cited as an example of its actions, but the control lever 380 may as well be shifted to one or more other positions in addition to the first, second, third and fourth positions.
In the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention, a configuration is cited in which the lid member 340 is used as a sealing part so fitted to the container body 306 as to seal the replenishing hole 314, the replenishing hole 314 is so sealed as to snap the lid member 340 into the replenishing hole 314 and the covering member 342 is so mounted over the container body 306 as to cover the lid member 340. However, the covering member 342 is not absolutely necessary. Or, instead of snapping the lid member 340 into the replenishing hole 314, the replenishing hole 314 may as well be sealed by using a tape having an adhesive portion and sticking the tape to cover the replenishing hole 314. When the replenishing hole 314 is to be sealed with a tape in this manner, the covering member 342 may as well be so mounted over the container body 306 as to cover the tape or the covering member 342 need not be mounted over the container body 306.
It is also possible, for instance, to fit a distinguishing member for distinguishing the holding container 300 to the lid member 340 or the tape referred to above, so fitted to the container body 306 as to seal the replenishing hole 314 or to the covering member 342 so fitted as to cover the lid member 340 or the tape. Examples of the distinguishing members include a distinguishing label that can be stuck to the lid member 340 or elsewhere. The distinguishing member would bear marking of, for instance, the type number of the holding container 300, the type number of the image forming device 10 permitting mounting of the holding container 300, the product name of the holding container 300, the product name of the image forming device 10 permitting mounting of the holding container 300, and the color of the toner contained in the container body 306 (whether the contained toner is yellow, magenta, cyan or black).
It is also possible to fit an explanatory member explaining how to use the holding container 300 to, for instance, the lid member 340 or the tape referred to above, so fitted to the container body 306 as to seal the replenishing hole 314 or to the covering member 342 so fitted as to cover the lid member 340 or the tape. Examples of the explanatory members include an explanatory label that can be stuck to the lid member 340. The explanatory member would bear marking of, for instance, how to mount the holding container 300 into the image forming device body 20 and take the holding container 300 out of the image forming device body 20. More specifically, for instance, how to manipulate the control lever 380 when the holding container 300 is to be mounted into the image forming device body 20 and when the holding container 300 is to be taken out of the image forming device body 20. Such an explanatory member may either be integrated with the distinguishing member as a single member to serve the two purposes concurrently or the explanatory member and the distinguishing member may as well be separate members.
Further, instead of fitting a distinguishing member and/or an explanatory member as separate elements, the distinguishing label and the explanatory label may as well be used as the tape referred to above.
Although the holding container is supposed to be filled with powder toner, as an example of image forming agent, in the foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention so far described, the present invention can as well be applied to cases where the container is to be filled with liquid, such as ink.
Further in the exemplary embodiment of the present invention so far described, a printer is supposed to be used as an example of image forming device. However, other single-functional devices involving a step of using image forming agent, such as a copying machine or a facsimile device, and others having multiple functions and involving a step of using image forming agent, such as a printer or a scanner, are also included in the image forming devices according to the present invention. The present invention can be applied to these image forming devices. Devices, such as a television set, a DVD player and an HDD, which form images by using image forming agent, are also included in the image forming devices according to the present invention, and the present invention can be applied to these image forming devices, too. Furthermore, image forming devices built into a desk, shelf, wall or the like and forming images by using image forming agent are also included in the image forming devices according to the present invention, and the present invention can be applied to these image forming devices, too.
As hitherto described, the present invention can be applied to image forming agent holding containers, image forming devices, and methods of filling image forming agent.
The foregoing description of the exemplary embodiment of the present invention has been provided for the purposes of illustration and description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the present invention to the precise forms disclosed. Obviously, many modifications and variations will be apparent to practitioners skilled in the art. The exemplary embodiment was chosen and described in order to best explain the principles of the present invention and its practical applications, thereby enabling others skilled in the art to understand the present invention for various embodiments and with the various modifications as are suited to the particular use contemplated. It is intended that the scope of the present invention be defined by the following claims and their equivalents.
| Number | Date | Country | Kind |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2010-052967 | Mar 2010 | JP | national |
