Toner supply device and developing unit using the same

Abstract

A toner supply device includes: toner supply assembly for holding toner; and a toner supply assembly mounting mechanism having a housing for reserving toner supplied from the toner supply assembly and rotary parts for agitating the toner reserved in the housing. In this toner supply device, toner supplied from the toner supply assembly is fed to a developing unit after it being agitated. The toner supply device includes a multiple number of toner supply assemblies for storing toners of one color, wherein the housing is configured so as to reserve the toners supplied from the multiple toner supply assemblies in a single space, and the rotary parts mix and agitate the toners from the multiple toner supply assemblies.

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. 7 is an illustrative view showing a configuration of the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism;

FIG. 8 is an illustrative view showing a configuration of a supply passage part for coupling the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism with a developing unit;

FIG. 9 is an illustrative view showing a configuration of a supply passage part for black toner as a part of the toner supply device;

FIG. 10 is an illustrative view showing a configuration of a toner agitation rotor as a part of the supply passage part;

FIG. 11 is an illustrative view on the drive side showing a gear layout for transmitting drive force to the toner agitation rotor;

FIG. 12 an illustrative view showing a variational example of a supply passage part according to the present embodiment; and

FIG. 13 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 for agitating toner and delivering the agitated toner to a developing unit, comprising: a plurality of toner containers for storing toners of one color; anda toner feed device having a toner reservoir for reserving toners supplied from said plurality of toner containers and a toner agitator for agitating toner in the toner reservoir, characterized in that the toner reservoir reserves the toners supplied from said plurality of toner containers in a single space, and the toner agitator mixes and agitates the toners from said plurality of toner containers.

2. The toner supply device according to claim 1, wherein the toner agitator includes a plurality of rotary parts each having a toner agitation rotor.

3. The toner supply device according to claim 2, wherein the rotary parts are arranged near the areas around which toners from the multiple toner containers are loaded.

4. The toner supply device according to claim 3, wherein the toner agitator further includes a rotary part having a toner agitation rotor disposed under the rotary parts that are arranged near the areas around which toners from the multiple toner containers are loaded.

5. The toner supply device according to claim 2, wherein the rotary parts that are located side by side rotate in opposite directions.

6. The toner supply device according to claim 3, wherein the rotary parts that are located side by side rotate in opposite directions.

7. The toner supply device according to claim 2, wherein the rotary parts that are located side by side are arranged such positions that their rotational loci overlap each other.

8. The toner supply device according to claim 3, wherein the rotary parts that are located side by side are arranged such positions that their rotational loci overlap each other.

9. The toner supply device according to claim 2, wherein the rotary parts that are located side by side are made to rotate out of phase with each other.

10. The toner supply device according to claim 3, wherein the rotary parts that are located side by side are made to rotate out of phase with each other.

11. The toner supply device according to claim 1, wherein gears are used to transmit driving force for rotation to the rotary parts.

12. A developing unit equipped with a toner supply device for agitating toner and delivering the agitated toner to the developing unit, wherein the toner supply device comprising: a plurality of toner containers for storing toners of one color; and a toner feed device having a toner reservoir for reserving toners supplied from said plurality of toner containers and a toner agitator for agitating toner in the toner reservoir, characterized in that the toner supply device uses the one that is defined in claim 1.