Toner supply device and developing unit using the same

Abstract

A toner supply device includes: a toner supply assembly having a toner bottle for holding toner; and a toner supply assembly mounting mechanism having the toner bottle mounted, for feeding toner supplied from the toner bottle to a developing unit. In this toner supply device, toner supplied from the toner supply assembly is fed to the developing unit after it being agitated. The toner supply assembly mounting mechanism includes: guide rails for guiding the toner supply assembly when it is mounted; and a stopper for positioning and holding the toner supply assembly. The toner supply assembly has an abutment surface which is guided by the guide rails and positioned and held by the stopper.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an illustrative view showing an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus adopting a toner supply device 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 a configuration of the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism;

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 a perspective view showing a bottle holder that constitutes the toner supply device, when it is viewed from the rear side;

FIG. 14A is a perspective view showing a first casing that constitutes the bottle holder, FIG. 14B is a perspective view showing a second casing that constitutes the bottle holder;

FIG. 15 is an illustrative view showing a positional relationship between a toner discharge chamber of the bottle holder and the scrapers of the toner bottle;

FIG. 16 is a schematic sectional view showing a configuration of the front end part of the toner bottle;

FIG. 17 is a plan view showing a configuration of a snap ring of the toner bottle;

FIG. 18 is a schematic sectional view showing the bottle holder attached to the front end part of the toner bottle;

FIG. 19 A is an illustrative view showing the bottle holder with its toner discharge port open, FIG. 19B is an illustrative view showing the bottle holder with the toner discharge port closed by a shutter mechanism;

FIG. 20 is an illustrative view showing the schematic structure of the rear side of the bottle holder;

FIG. 21A 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. 21B is a perspective view showing the shutter mechanism when viewed from the rear side;

FIG. 22A is an illustrative view showing the relationship between the shutter mechanism and a first guide member of the bottle holder, FIG. 22B is an illustrative view showing the relationship between the shutter mechanism and the rotation of the toner bottle;

FIG. 23 is an illustrative view showing the structure of a toner supply assembly mounting mechanism for black toner;

FIG. 24 is an illustrative view showing the structure of a toner supply assembly mounting mechanism for yellow, magenta or cyan toner;

FIG. 25 is an illustrative view showing the structure of a supply passage part for coupling the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism for yellow, magenta or cyan toner with a developing unit;

FIG. 26A 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. 26B 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. 26C 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.

FIG. 27A is an illustrative view showing a configuration of a stopper for a toner supply assembly mounting mechanism constituting the toner supply device; and FIG. 27B is a view showing the same configuration shown in FIG. 27A, when viewed from A;

FIG. 28 is an illustrative view showing the positioned and held state by the stopper;

FIG. 29 is an illustrative view showing an overall configuration of a copier according to another embodiment of the present invention.

Claims

1. A toner supply device comprising: a toner container for storing toner; and,a toner feed device having the toner container mounted thereon for feeding the toner supplied from the toner container to a developing unit, wherein the toner supplied from the toner container is fed to the developing unit after the toner being agitated, characterized in that the toner feed device includes: a guide portion for guiding the toner container when the toner container is mounted; and a holding portion for positioning and holding the toner container, and the toner container includes: an attachment portion to be guided by the guide portion; and a positioning portion, which is positioned and held by the holding portion.

2. The toner supply device according to claim 1, wherein the toner feed device is arranged along the developing unit, lengthwise in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of transfer, and the guide portion is formed to be long in the longitudinal direction of the toner feed device, so as to guide the mounted toner container in the longitudinal direction of the toner feed device.

3. The toner supply device according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion includes an engaging member for positioning and holding the toner container by abutment with the positioning portion of the toner container and a pressing member for pressing the engaging member against the positioning portion.

4. The toner supply device according to claim 3, wherein the engaging member is a roller member that has a circular cross-section and is rotatable, and the position of the rotational center of the roller member being abutted against the positioning portion is located outside the position of abutment between the positioning portion and the roller member with respect to the width direction of the toner container.

5. The toner supply device according to claim 3, wherein the pressing member comprises a leaf spring, and a first end of which is fixed while the other end is provided with the engaging member.

6. The toner supply device according to claim 4, wherein the pressing member comprises a leaf spring, and a first end of which is fixed while the other end is provided with the engaging member.

7. The toner supply device according to claim 5, wherein in the pressing member, the first end is set at the approximately the same level with the rotational center of the roller element.

8. The toner supply device according to claim 6, wherein in the pressing member, the first end is set at the approximately the same level with the rotational center of the roller element.

9. The toner supply device according to claim 3, where the pressing member uses a coil spring which presses the engaging member in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of mounting the toner container.

10. The toner supply device according to claim 4, where the pressing member uses a coil spring which presses the engaging member in the direction approximately perpendicular to the direction of mounting the toner container.

11. A developing unit comprising: a toner container for storing toner; anda toner supply device for supplying toner to the developing unit,characterized in that the toner supply device is a toner supply device defined in claim 1.