Toner container and process cartridge

Abstract

The utility model relates to a carbon powder container and a processing box. The carbon powder container can be connected with a developing frame body or a drum box; the toner container is communicated with the developing frame body, and the developing frame body is communicated with the drum box; the carbon powder container comprises a box body, and a powder bin containing carbon powder is formed in the box body; the developing frame body is provided with a developing bin; a photosensitive drum is arranged in the drum box; the toner container is communicated with the drum box, waste toner removed from the photosensitive drum can be conveyed to the toner container, and the toner container with the structure can reduce damage to a sealing piece of the developing frame body when the toner is recycled.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The utility model relates to the technical field of electrophotographic imaging, and particularly relates to a processing cartridge. Background Art

[0002] Japanese Patent Publication No. JP2023064435A discloses a processing cartridge provided with a toner recovery channel for recovering residual toner removed from the circumferential surface of a photosensitive drum into a developing frame body. However, for this processing cartridge, the waste toner recovery speed during toner recovery is too fast, which easily causes damage to the seal of the developing frame body, resulting in toner leakage. Summary of the Utility Model

[0003] In order to overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, the first object of the present utility model is to provide a toner container that can be connected to a developing frame body or a drum cartridge; the toner container is in communication with the developing frame body, and the developing frame body and the drum cartridge are in communication with each other; the toner container includes a box body, and a powder bin for accommodating toner is formed inside the box body; the developing frame body is provided with a developing chamber, and a photosensitive drum is provided inside the drum cartridge; the toner container is in communication with the drum cartridge, and waste toner removed from the photosensitive drum can be transported to the toner container.

[0004] Further, the box body includes a recovery channel and a toner recovery outlet provided in the recovery channel, and the waste toner enters the powder bin through the recovery channel and the toner recovery outlet, and the recovery channel does not pass through the developing chamber of the developing frame body.

[0005] Further, a stirring assembly for stirring the toner in the powder bin is provided inside the powder bin, a powder supply port for discharging powder by the stirring assembly is opened on the powder bin, the powder supply port is connected to the developing chamber, a rotating powder supply roller is provided inside the developing chamber, and the length of the powder supply port in a first direction is adapted to the length of the powder supply roller.

[0006] Further, the projection of the powder supply port on the top surface plane of the box body is rectangular.

[0007] Further, the direction in which the powder supply port is opened on the box body is inclined.

[0008] The toner container having the above structure can reduce damage to the seal of the developing frame body during toner recovery.

[0009] To overcome the deficiencies of the prior art, a second object of the present utility model is to provide a processing cartridge, comprising a developing frame, a drum cartridge, and a toner container as described above. The developing frame and the drum cartridge communicate with each other. The toner container can be installed in the drum cartridge or the developing frame. A photosensitive drum, a cleaner, and a recovery channel are provided in the drum cartridge. The cleaner is used to remove the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum, and the recovery channel is used to recover the toner. The recovery channel is connected between the photosensitive drum and the developing frame; the recovery channel has a first end and a second end. The first end communicates with the drum cartridge, and the second end communicates with the developing frame. At least a part of the height of the first end is lower than or equal to the height where the second end is located.

[0010] Further, the height of the first end is lower than or equal to the height where the second end is located.

[0011] Further, the cleaner is a cleaning blade, and the cleaning blade is disposed above the first end.

[0012] Compared with the prior art, the conveying speed of waste toner is reduced, the reliability and stability of waste toner recovery are ensured, and damage to the seal of the developing frame caused by too fast conveying speed is avoided, thereby preventing toner leakage.

[0013] The present utility model will be further described in detail below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings and specific embodiments. Description of the Drawings

[0014] Figure 1 It is a schematic structural view of a toner container in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0015] Figure 2 It is a sectional view of the processing cartridge in Embodiment 1 of the present utility model;

[0016] Figure 3 It is a first sectional view of the processing cartridge in another embodiment of the present utility model;

[0017] Figure 4 For Figure 3 It is a second sectional view of the processing cartridge in the embodiment. Specific Embodiments

[0018] The technical solutions in the embodiments of the present utility model will be clearly and completely described below in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in the embodiments of the present utility model. Obviously, the described embodiments are only a part of the embodiments of the present utility model, rather than all of the embodiments.

[0019] Examples of the embodiments are shown in the drawings, where the same or similar reference numerals throughout denote the same or similar elements or elements having the same or similar functions. The embodiments described below by reference to the drawings are exemplary and are intended to explain the present invention and should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0020] In the description of the present invention, it should be understood that the terms "center", "longitudinal", "transverse", "length", "width", "thickness", "upper", "lower", "front", "rear", "left", "right", "vertical", "horizontal", "top", "bottom", "inner", "outer", "clockwise", "counterclockwise", "axial", "radial", "circumferential", etc. indicate the orientation or positional relationship based on the orientation or positional relationship shown in the drawings, and are only for the convenience of describing the present invention and simplifying the description, rather than indicating or implying that the device or element referred to must have a specific orientation, be constructed and operated in a specific orientation, and thus should not be construed as limiting the present invention.

[0021] In the present invention, unless otherwise clearly specified and defined, the terms "mounted", "connected", "connected", "fixed", etc. should be understood in a broad sense. For example, it can be a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or integrated; it can be a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; it can be directly connected or indirectly connected through an intermediate medium, and it can be the communication inside two elements or the interaction relationship between two elements. For those of ordinary skill in the art, the specific meanings of the above terms in the present invention can be understood according to specific circumstances.

[0022] Referring to Figure 1 and Figure 2 , in the first embodiment, a processing cartridge is provided. The processing cartridge includes a toner container, a developing mechanism, and a photosensitive mechanism. The processing cartridge is loaded into an electrophotographic imaging device. Among them, the toner container includes a cartridge body 1, a toner chamber 2 for accommodating toner is formed inside the cartridge body 1, and a stirring assembly 3 capable of configuring to stir the toner in the toner chamber 2 is provided in the toner chamber 2.

[0023] A powder supply port 20 for receiving the powder discharging of the stirring assembly 3 is formed on the powder bin 2. The projection of the powder supply port 20 on the top surface plane of the cartridge body 1 is rectangular. The powder supply port 20 is externally connected to the developing cartridge 4. A rotating powder supply roller 5 is arranged in the developing cartridge 4. The length of the powder supply port 20 along the first direction is adapted to the length of the powder supply roller 5. In this way, the area of the powder supply port 20 is enlarged by this toner container, and the length direction of the powder supply port 20 and the powder supply roller 5 are designed to be adapted to each other. Thus, the toner discharged from the powder supply port 20 can uniformly supply powder to the powder supply roller 5 after entering the developing cartridge 4, and there is no need to additionally convey the toner to both ends of the powder supply roller 5 through a screw. Further, when the toner container is installed on the developing mechanism, the developing mechanism is provided with a toner inlet communicating with the powder supply port 20, and the powder supply port 20 can discharge toner to the toner inlet. The toner inlet preferably extends along the first direction, and the length is designed to be adapted to the length of the powder supply port, so as to achieve good powder supply.

[0024] In this design, the direction in which the powder supply port 20 is formed on the cartridge body 1 is inclined, and the powder supply port 20 is enlarged, facilitating the toner to slide into the developing cartridge 4, making the powder supply smoother.

[0025] Further, a first toner recovery outlet 21 is formed on the cartridge body 1. When the toner container is installed on the developing mechanism and forms a processing cartridge with the photosensitive mechanism, the waste toner falling off from the photosensitive drum enters the powder bin 2 through the first recovery channel 9 and the first toner recovery outlet 21. Specifically, as Figure 2 shown, the first recovery channel 9 is located on the right side of the photosensitive mechanism and extends in the height direction. The first recovery channel 9 is directly connected to the powder bin 2, that is, the first recovery channel 9 does not pass through the developing cartridge 4. The processing cartridge with this structure can prevent the waste toner from directly performing secondary development after entering the developing cartridge 4 and affecting the developing quality.

[0026] In another embodiment, a processing cartridge is provided, as Figure 3 and Figure 4 shown. The processing cartridge further includes a drum cartridge 6 detachably connected to the toner container.

[0027] In the design of this embodiment, a photosensitive drum 7 and a second recovery channel 8 for recovering the toner on the photosensitive drum 7 are arranged in the drum cartridge 6. The second recovery channel 8 is connected between the photosensitive drum 7 and the developing frame 10. The toner scraped off from the photosensitive drum 7 is recovered into the developing frame 10 through the second recovery channel 8, and then returns to the toner container (not shown in the figure) through the developing frame 10 to realize the recycling of the toner.

[0028] Further, the second recovery channel 8 has a first end E1 and a second end E2. A second toner recovery outlet 100 is formed on the developing frame 10. The cleaner removes the residual toner from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 7. The toner enters the second recovery channel 8 through the first end E1, is conveyed to the second end E2 through the toner conveying member 81, and the second end E2 is connected to the developing frame 10. The toner enters the developing frame member 10 through the second toner recovery outlet 100.

[0029] Further, the height of at least a part of the first end E1 is lower than or equal to the height where the second end E2 is located. Preferably, the height of the first end E1 is lower than or equal to the height where the second end E2 is located. For the processing cartridge with such a structure, compared with the existing processing cartridge, the conveying speed of the waste toner can be reduced, thereby avoiding the situation that the air pressure in the chamber 11 rises rapidly and causes damage to the seal 12.

[0030] Preferably, the cleaning blade is arranged on the upper side of the first end E1. The toner removed from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 7 by the cleaning blade flows more smoothly towards the first end E1 under the action of gravity, and then enters the second recovery channel 8, improving the waste toner recovery efficiency.

[0031] In the above embodiments, the first recovery channel 9 and the second recovery channel 8 can both be collectively referred to as the recovery channel; the first toner recovery outlet 21 and the second toner recovery outlet 100 are collectively referred to as the toner recovery outlet.

[0032] Compared with the prior art, the beneficial effects of the present invention are as follows:

[0033] First, simplify the waste toner recovery channel and avoid direct secondary development of the waste toner after entering the developing chamber.

[0034] Second, the toner container enlarges the area of the powder supply port, and the length direction of the powder supply port and the powder supply roller are designed to be adapted to each other. In this way, the toner discharged from the powder supply port can uniformly supply the powder supply roller after entering the developing chamber, and there is no need to additionally convey the toner to both ends of the powder supply roller through a screw. The direction of the powder supply port opened on the cartridge body is inclined, facilitating the toner to slide down into the developing chamber.

[0035] Third, reduce the conveying speed of the waste toner, ensure the reliability and stability of the waste toner recovery; arrange the cleaning blade on the upper side of one end, making the waste toner flow more smoothly towards one end and improving the waste toner recovery efficiency.

[0036] The above embodiments are only the preferred embodiments of the present invention and cannot be used to limit the protection scope of the present invention. Any non-substantial changes and substitutions made by those skilled in the art based on the present invention belong to the protection scope required by the present invention.

Claims

1. A toner container capable of being connected to a developing frame or a drum cartridge. The toner container communicates with the developing frame, and the developing frame and the drum cartridge communicate with each other. The toner container includes a cartridge body, and a powder chamber for containing toner is formed inside the cartridge body. The developing frame is provided with a developing chamber, and a photosensitive drum is provided inside the drum cartridge. It is characterized in that, The toner container is in communication with the drum cartridge, and the waste toner removed from the photosensitive drum can be transferred to the toner container.

2. The toner container according to claim 1, characterized in that, The cartridge body includes a recovery passage and a toner recovery outlet provided in the recovery passage. The waste toner enters the powder bin through the recovery passage and the toner recovery outlet, and the recovery passage does not pass through the developing chamber of the developing frame body.

3. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein A stirring assembly for stirring the toner in the powder bin is provided in the powder bin. A powder supply port for discharging powder by the stirring assembly is opened on the powder bin. The powder supply port is connected to the developing chamber. A rotating powder supply roller is provided in the developing chamber. The length of the powder supply port in the first direction is adapted to the length of the powder supply roller.

4. The toner container according to claim 3, characterized in that, The projection of the powder supply port on the top surface plane of the cartridge body is rectangular.

5. The toner container according to claim 3, wherein, The direction in which the powder supply port is opened on the cartridge body is inclined.

6. A processing cartridge, comprising a developing frame body, a drum cartridge, and a toner container according to any one of claims 1-5. The developing frame body and the drum cartridge are in communication with each other. The toner container can be installed on the drum cartridge or the developing frame body. A photosensitive drum, a cleaner, and a recovery passage are provided in the drum cartridge. The cleaner is used to remove the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum. The recovery passage is used to recover the toner. The recovery passage is connected between the photosensitive drum and the developing frame body. The recovery passage has a first end and a second end. The first end is in communication with the drum cartridge, and the second end is in communication with the developing frame body. At least a part of the height of the first end is lower than or equal to the height where the second end is located.

7. The processing cartridge according to claim 6, wherein The height of the first end is lower than or equal to the height where the second end is located.

8. The processing cartridge according to claim 6, wherein The cleaner is a cleaning blade, and the cleaning blade is provided on the upper side of the first end.

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