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. 13A is a front view showing a configuration of a bottle holder that constitutes the toner supply device; FIG. 13B is a perspective view showing the bottle holder, 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 toner bottle's scrapers;
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 slip 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. 19A 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 the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism;
FIG. 24 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. 25A 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. 25B 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. 25C 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. 26 is a schematic illustrative view showing the internal structure of the toner bottle;
FIG. 27 is a schematic illustrative view showing the configuration of a toner supply assembly mounting mechanism corresponding to the toner bottle;
FIG. 28A is a schematic illustrative view showing a state where the toner bottle is going to be set onto the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism; FIG. 28B is a schematic illustrative view showing a state where the toner bottle is being set on the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism; and FIG. 28C is a schematic illustrative view showing a state where the toner bottle has been set on the toner supply assembly mounting mechanism;
FIG. 29A is a schematic illustrative view showing a state where a toner bottle has been set on the toner supply device; and FIG. 29B is a schematic illustrative view showing the operation of removal of the toner bottle by the toner supply device;
FIG. 30 is a flowchart showing the toner supply operation and effect of the image forming apparatus; and
FIG. 31 is an illustrative view showing an overall configuration of a copier according to another embodiment of the present invention.
Patent Application
20070223947
