Toner container and toner supply device using the same

Abstract

A toner bottle that is composed of a main body having a bottle-side toner discharge port for discharging toner and a bottle holder that encloses the bottle-side toner discharge port and rotatably holds the main part and is constructed such that the main part is rotated in its peripheral direction to thereby discharge the toner charged in it out of the bottle. The toner bottle is characterized in that the bottle holder has a guide portion that is able to position and hold the main part at a position with respect to its rotational direction, and the main part has a hooking piece that is able to position and hold itself with respect to the direction of rotation by means of the guide portion.

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 a 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. 17A is a front view showing a configuration of a bottle holder that constitutes the toner supply device; FIG. 17B is a perspective view showing the bottle holder, when it is viewed from the rear side;

FIG. 18A is a perspective view showing a first casing that constitutes the bottle holder, FIG. 18B is a perspective view showing a second casing that constitutes the bottle holder;

FIG. 19 is an illustrative view showing a positional relationship between a toner discharge chamber of the bottle holder and scrapers of the toner bottle;

FIG. 20 is a schematic sectional view showing a configuration of the front end part of the toner bottle;

FIG. 21 is a plan view showing a configuration of a slip ring of the toner bottle;

FIG. 22 is a schematic sectional view showing the bottle holder attached to the front end part of the toner bottle;

FIG. 23A is an illustrative view showing the bottle holder with its toner discharge port open, FIG. 23B is an illustrative view showing the bottle holder with the toner discharge port closed by a shutter mechanism;

FIG. 24 is an illustrative view showing the schematic structure of the rear side of the bottle holder;

FIG. 25A 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. 25B is a perspective view showing the shutter mechanism when viewed from the rear side;

FIG. 26A is an illustrative view showing the relationship between the shutter mechanism and a first guide member of the bottle holder, FIG. 26B is an illustrative view showing the relationship between the shutter mechanism and the rotation of the toner bottle;

FIG. 27 is an illustrative view showing the structure of the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism;

FIG. 28 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. 29A 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. 29B is an illustrative view showing the positional relationship between a regulating member and a projection piece when the toner supply device has been mounted to a mount base; and FIG. 29C is an illustrative view showing the positional relationship between a regulating member and a projection piece when the toner supply device is dismounted from a mount base; and,

FIG. 30 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 toner container body having a toner storing portion filled with toner and a container-side toner discharge port for discharging toner held in the toner storing portion; anda toner container holder that encloses the container-side toner discharge port and holds the toner container body in a rotatable manner, wherein the toner container body is rotated in a peripheral direction thereof to discharge the toner charged in the toner storing portion out of the container,

2. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the toner container holder has a holder-side toner discharge port that communicates the interior enclosed by the toner container holder with the exterior, and the engaging structure has the function of opening and closing the holder-side toner discharge port.

3. The toner container according to claim 2, wherein the engaging structure moves in linkage with the action of attachment and detachment of the toner container to an apparatus to which toner is supplied, in such a manner as to open the holder-side toner discharge port when the toner container is mounted and close the holder-side toner discharge port when the toner container is dismounted.

4. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the engagement portion of the toner container body assumes a projected or recessed shape and is formed at the same time integrally with the toner container body by blow molding.

5. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein when the toner container body stops rotating, the toner container stops at a position where the engagement portion of the toner container body and the engaging structure of the toner container holder can engage each other.

6. The toner container according to claim 4, wherein when the toner container body stops rotating, the toner container stops at a position where the engagement portion of the toner container body and the engaging structure of the toner container holder can engage each other.

7. A toner supply device comprising: a toner container filled with toner; and,a toner feed device having the toner container mounted thereon for feeding the toner discharged from the toner container to a developing unit, characterized in that the toner container uses a toner container according to claim 1.

8. The toner supply device according to claim 7, wherein the engagement portion of the toner container body assumes a projected or recessed shape and is formed at the same time integrally with the toner container body by blow molding.

9. The toner supply device according to claim 7, wherein when the toner container body stops rotating, the toner container stops at a position where the engagement portion of the toner container body and the engaging structure of the toner container holder can engage each other.

10. The toner supply device according to claim 8, wherein when the toner container body stops rotating, the toner container stops at a position where the engagement portion of the toner container body and the engaging structure of the toner container holder can engage each other.