Toner container and toner loading method

Abstract

A toner bottle that is composed of a main part, a toner loading portion, a bottle cap that can hermetically close and open a toner loading opening in the toner loading portion, and a bottle-side toner discharge port. This toner bottle is constructed such that the bottle cap that encloses the toner loading opening has a locking projection which can limit the rotation in the loosening direction while the toner loading portion has a cap locking projection which will engage the locking projection and can limit the rotation in the loosening direction.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view showing an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus using a toner container according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a schematic side sectional view showing a configuration of a developing unit and a toner supply device that constitute the image forming apparatus;

FIG. 3 is an overall front view showing the developing unit and toner supply device;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the developing unit;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing a mounting example when toner supply assemblies are set in toner supply assembly mounting mechanisms that constitute the toner supply devices;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the toner supply assembly mounting mechanisms;

FIG. 7A is a side view showing a configuration of a toner supply assembly as a part of the toner supply device and FIG. 7B is its front view, viewed from the end face side of the toner supply assembly from which toner is supplied;

FIG. 8 is a side view of the front end part of a toner bottle as a part of the toner supply assembly;

FIG. 9 is a side view showing a configuration when scrapers for toner conveyance are fitted to the front end part of the toner bottle;

FIG. 10 is an illustrative view showing one example of the scrapers;

FIG. 11 is an illustrative view schematically showing a case where the scrapers are attached to the toner bottle;

FIG. 12 is a front view showing a configuration of the toner bottle;

FIG. 13 is an illustrative view showing a configuration of a sealing element that closes a bottle-side toner discharge port of the toner bottle;

FIG. 14A is an illustrative view showing a state when the sealing element is fitted to the toner bottle; FIG. 14B is an illustrative view showing a state when the sealing element has been folded;

FIG. 15 is an illustrative view showing the positional relationship between the sealing element and scrapers;

FIG. 16 is an illustrative view showing a state where the sealing element has been fitted to a bottle holder;

FIG. 17 is an illustrative view showing a configuration of the rear end part of the toner bottle and a bottle cap;

FIG. 18 is a perspective view showing a configuration of the rear end part of the toner bottle and a bottle cap;

FIG. 19A is a partial detailed view showing a structure of the engagement portion of the bottle cap with a toner loading portion; FIG. 19B is a partial detailed view showing a structure of the engagement portion of the toner loading portion with the bottle cap;

FIG. 20 is a perspective view showing another configurational example of the engagement portion between the toner bottle and bottle cap;

FIG. 21A is a front view showing a configuration of a bottle holder that constitutes the toner supply device; FIG. 21B is a perspective view showing the bottle holder, when it is viewed from the rear side;

FIG. 22A is a perspective view showing a first casing that constitutes the bottle holder, FIG. 22B is a perspective view showing a second casing that constitutes the bottle holder;

FIG. 23 is an illustrative view showing a positional relationship between a toner discharge chamber of the bottle holder and toner bottle's scrapers;

FIG. 24 is a schematic sectional view showing a configuration of the front end part of the toner bottle;

FIG. 25 is a plan view showing a configuration of a slip ring of the toner bottle;

FIG. 26 is a schematic sectional view showing the bottle holder attached to the front end part of the toner bottle;

FIG. 27A is an illustrative view showing the bottle holder with its toner discharge port open, FIG. 27B is an illustrative view showing the bottle holder with the toner discharge port closed by a shutter mechanism;

FIG. 28 is an illustrative view showing the schematic structure of the rear side of the bottle holder;

FIG. 29A is a perspective view showing the configuration of a shutter mechanism for a toner supply device in accordance with the present embodiment, when viewed from the front side, and FIG. 29B is a perspective view showing the shutter mechanism when viewed from the rear side;

FIG. 30A is an illustrative view showing the relationship between the shutter mechanism and a first guide member of the bottle holder, FIG. 30B is an illustrative view showing the relationship between the shutter mechanism and the rotation of the toner bottle;

FIG. 31 is an illustrative view showing the structure of the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism;

FIG. 32 is an illustrative view showing the structure of a supply passage part for coupling the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism with a developing unit;

FIG. 33A is an illustrative view showing the positional relationship between a regulating member and a projection piece before the toner supply device is mounted to a mount base; FIG. 33B is an illustrative view showing the positional relationship between the regulating member and the projection piece when the toner supply device has been mounted to the mount base; and FIG. 33C is an illustrative view showing the positional relationship between the regulating member and the projection piece when the toner supply device is dismounted from the mount base;

FIG. 34 is an illustrative view showing a schematic configuration of a device for loading toner into the toner bottle; and,

FIG. 35 is an illustrative view showing an overall configuration of a copier according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A toner container comprising: a cylindrical toner storing portion to be filled with toner;a toner loading portion having a toner loading opening from which toner is loaded into the toner storing portion;a cap element which is able to hermetically close and open the toner loading opening; anda toner discharge port for discharging the toner stored in the toner storing portion out of the container, characterized in thatthe cap element is constructed so as to enclose the toner loading opening and be fastened by screw-fitting to the toner loading portion, and includes, as an engaging portion with the toner loading portion, a first projection capable of limiting the rotation of the cap element in a loosening direction; andthe toner loading portion is formed at a first end side of the toner container and includes, as an engaging portion with the cap element, a second projection engaging the first projection and capable of limiting the rotation of the cap element in the loosening direction.

2. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the engagement between the first projection and the second projection is designed so that a stronger rotational force is needed when the engagement between the first projection and the second projection is released by rotating the cap element relative to the toner loading portion in the loosening direction than when the first projection and the second projection become engaged by rotating the cap element relative to the toner loading portion in the fastening direction.

3. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the toner discharge port is formed on a second end side that is opposite to the first end side where the toner loading portion of the toner container is formed, and is sealed by a sealing element bonded from without; the toner container includes a holder that encloses the outer periphery of the second end side where toner discharge port is formed and rotatably holds the toner container; and,the holder, when it encloses the second end side of the toner container, has an inner wall portion located opposing the toner discharge port that is hermetically closed by a sealing element.

4. The toner container according to claim 1, further comprising an electric recording medium for storing information on the toner container, wherein the information can be read out in an image forming apparatus in which the toner container is set.

5. The toner container according to claim 4, wherein the information at least includes the number of times the toner container was recycled or the ID information of the toner being filled.

6. A toner loading method for loading toner into a toner container that includes: a cylindrical toner storing portion to be filled with toner; a toner loading portion having a toner loading opening from which toner is loaded into the toner storing portion; a cap element which is able to hermetically close and open the toner loading opening; and a toner discharge port for discharging the toner stored in the toner storing portion out of the container, the toner loading method comprising the step of:loading toner into the toner storing portion of the toner container with the toner loading opening placed up; andsuctioning air around the toner loading portion while toner is being loaded into the toner storing portion.

7. The toner loading method according to claim 6, wherein the cap element is constructed so as to enclose the toner loading opening and be fastened by screw-fitting to the toner loading portion, and includes, as an engaging portion with the toner loading portion, a first projection capable of limiting the rotation of the cap element in a loosening direction; and the toner loading portion is formed at a first end side of the toner container and includes, as an engaging portion with the cap element, a second projection engaging the first projection and capable of limiting the rotation of the cap element in the loosening direction.

8. The toner loading method according to claim 7, wherein the engagement between the first projection and the second projection is designed so that a stronger rotational force is needed when the engagement between the first projection and the second projection is released by rotating the cap element relative to the toner loading portion in the loosening direction than when the first projection and the second projection become engaged by rotating the cap element relative to the toner loading portion in the fastening direction.

9. The toner loading method according to claim 7, wherein the toner discharge port is formed on a second end side that is opposite to the first end side where the toner loading portion of the toner container is formed, and is sealed by a sealing element bonded from without; the toner container includes a holder that encloses the outer periphery of the second end side where toner discharge port is formed and rotatably holds the toner container; and,the holder, when it encloses the second end side of the toner container, has an inner wall portion located opposing the toner discharge port that is hermetically closed by a sealing element.

10. The toner loading method according to claim 7, further comprises: an electric recording medium, wherein the electric recording medium stores information on the toner container, and the information can be read out in an image forming apparatus in which the toner container is set.

11. The toner loading method according to claim 10, wherein the information at least includes the number of times the toner container was recycled or the ID information of the toner being filled.