Image forming apparatus, rotation type development unit, and toner replenishment container

Abstract

An image forming apparatus includes: a casing; a developer having a plurality of developers and a rotational body that is rotatably supported on the casing, the plurality of developers being able to be mounted with a toner replenishment container filled with toner, and being disposed on a peripheral surface of the rotational body; a replacement door that opens the replacement hole when opened and closes the replacement hole when closed; and a pressing portion that presses the toner replenishment container that is inserted into the replacement hole into a mounting position of the developer under interlocking with a closing operation of the replacement door and mounts the toner replenishment container to the mounting position of the developer, and is fastened to the casing after mounting in a state apart from the rotation type developer.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail based on the following figures, wherein:

FIG. 1 shows a rotary type image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a rotation type development unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a side view of a rotation type development unit according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a toner cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 5 shows a relevant part of a developer body according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of a toner cartridge according to an embodiment of the present invention viewed from a different direction than FIG. 4;

FIG. 7 shows a condition in which an outer door of the image forming unit according to an embodiment of the present invention is open;

FIG. 8 shows an enlargement of an A area in FIG. 7;

FIG. 9 is a perspective view of a replacement door according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 10 is a perspective view of a latch according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 11 schematically shows a state in which a toner cartridge inserts into a developer unit;

FIG. 12 shows the movement of a latch member and a striker member of a locking mechanism according to an embodiment of the present invention;

FIG. 13 is a continuation of FIG. 12;

FIG. 14 is a control block diagram of a modified example;

FIG. 15 is a flowchart of the modified example.

Claims

1. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a casing;a rotation type development unit having a plurality of developers and a rotational body that is rotatably supported on the casing, the plurality of developers being able to be mounted with a toner replenishment container filled with toner, and being disposed on a peripheral surface of the rotational body;the casing defining a replacement hole that is provided in a position that links to a mounting position at which the toner replenishment container of one of the developers is to be mounted when the rotational body stops rotating at a predetermined position, the toner replenishment container inserting into the replacement hole when the toner replenishment container mounts into the developer;a replacement door that opens the replacement hole when the replacement door is opened and closes the replacement hole when the replacement door is closed; anda pressing portion that presses the toner replenishment container that is inserted into the replacement hole into a mounting position of the developer under interlocking with a closing operation of the replacement door, and mounts the toner replenishment container to the mounting position of the developer, and is fastened to the casing after mounting in a state apart from the rotation type development unit.

2. An image forming apparatus, comprising: a casing;a rotation type development unit having a plurality of developers and a rotational body that is rotatably supported on the casing, the plurality of developers being able to be mounted with a toner replenishment container filled with toner, and being disposed on a peripheral surface of the rotational body;the casing defining a replacement hole that is provided in a position that links to a mounting position of the toner replenishment container of one of the developers is to be mounted when the rotational body stops rotating at a predetermined position, the toner replenishment container inserting into the replacement hole when the toner replenishment container mounts into the developer;a replacement door that opens the replacement hole when the replacement door is opened, and closes the replacement hole when the replacement door is closed; anda replacement door fastening mechanism that, after the replacement door is closed in a state that the toner replenishment container is inserted into the replacement hole and after the toner replenishment container is pressed by the replacement door and mounted into a mounting position of the developer by being pushed inside the replacement hole by the replacement door, causes the replacement door to return and stop at a closed position and fastens the replacement door in a state that the replacement door and the rotation type development unit are apart in the closed position.

3. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, wherein the replacement door opens outwardly to open and close the replacement hole,the replacement door fastening mechanism comprises:a door side fastening unit provided at the replacement door and a hole side fastening unit provided at the replacement hole;the door side fastening unit comprises:a handle that is axially supported at the replacement door and releases the replacement door fastening mechanism;a door side rotating member that is axially supported on the handle at one end of the door side rotating member as a rotational center and that is integrally formed by a protrusion portion and an engaging claw protruding from the replacement door at another end of the door side rotating member; anda door side biasing member that applies a biasing force on the door side rotating member in one direction,the hole side fastening unit comprises:a hole side fastening member that fastens in the replacement hole;a hole side rotating member that is axially supported on the hole side fastening member at one end of the hole side rotating member as a rotational center and that has a guiding portion guiding the protrusion portion at another end of the hole side rotating member;an engaging portion formed at the hole side fastening member positioned more on an open door side than a position at which the protrusion portion is pushed by the guiding portion and engages the engaging claw of the door side rotating member; anda hole side biasing member that applies a biasing force on the hole side rotating member in another direction;wherein, when the door side rotating member rotates in resistance to the door side biasing member and the protrusion portion is guided by the guiding portion and the replacement door is pushed inside the replacement hole in order to close the replacement door, guidance to the protrusion portion by the guiding portion is released and the engaging claw engages the engaging portion

4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the biasing force of the door side biasing unit is stronger than the biasing force of the hole side biasing unit.

5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising, a door biasing unit for biasing the replacement door in an open-door direction,wherein the biasing force of the door biasing unit is stronger than the biasing force of the hole side biasing unit.

6. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a mechanism that produces elasticity against an insertion direction of the toner replenishment container at a position where the replacement door contacts the toner replenishment container when the replacement door is pushed inside the replacement hole.

7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a fastening detection unit that detects that the replacement door is fastened in the door-closed position and that is provided in at least one of the replacement door fastening mechanism, the replacement door, and the replacement hole.

8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 2, further comprising a detection unit that detects information relating to a toner replenishment container including at least a color of a toner filled in the toner replenishment container.

9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 8, wherein the detection unit comprises:an information storage section that is attached to each of the toner replenishment containers and stores toner information including a color of a toner filled in the toner replenishment container; anda reading portion that is provided at the replacement door and that reads out the toner information stored in the information storage section.

10. A rotation type development unit, comprising: a rotational body that rotates around a rotational shaft;a plurality of developer bodies that are arranged on a peripheral surface of the rotational body and that have a toner holding chamber for holding toner taken in from a toner replenishment outlet and a developing agent supporter that develops an electrostatic latent image formed on an image carrier using toner supplied from the toner holding chamber;a toner replenishment container that inserts in a direction parallel to the rotational shaft between a first developer body and a second developer body neighboring each other and that replenishes toner into the toner holding chamber through a replenishment outlet linking to the toner replenishment outlet;a first guiding portion provided at the toner replenishment container; andsecond guiding portions provided at an area of the first developer body and an area of a second developer body that are opposed to an area in which the first guiding portion of the toner replenishment container that is inserted is arranged,wherein, in a process of inserting the toner replenishment container, the toner replenishment container being guided in a direction parallel to the rotational shaft of the rotational body by the first guiding portion and the second guiding portion, and the first guiding portion and the second guiding portion being apart from each other after the toner replenishment container is inserted.

11. The rotation type development unit according to claim 10, wherein the first guiding portion and the second guiding portion comprise:a protruding member formed extending in a direction parallel to the rotational shaft in one of the developer body and the toner replenishment container; anda recessed member formed in a shape that engages with the guiding portion in the other of the developer body and the toner replenishment container,wherein the protruding member and the recessed member form a notched portion apart from each other after the toner replenishment container is inserted.

12. A toner replenishment container comprising: a container body that is filled with toner for replenishing the developer side, anda guided portion that, in a process of inserting the toner replenishment container, guides the toner replenishment container in a direction parallel to the rotational shaft of the rotational body by engaging with the guiding portion provided on the developer body side, and that is apart from the guiding portion arranged on the developer side after the toner replenishment container is inserted,the toner replenishment container inserting between the neighboring developer bodies in a direction parallel to the rotational shaft, the neighboring developer bodies being arranged on a peripheral surface of a rotational body that rotates around a rotational shaft.