Powder box

Abstract

The powder box comprises a powder bin body and a powder bin cover, and the powder bin body is provided with a powder outlet; the toner cartridge further comprises a toner detection assembly, the toner detection assembly comprises a toner sensing piece arranged in the toner cartridge body and a second conducting strip arranged on the outer side of the toner cartridge body, one end of the toner sensing piece extends out of the toner cartridge body and makes contact with the second conducting strip, and the toner sensing piece is a metal conducting strip. According to the utility model, the carbon powder induction sheet is arranged in the powder bin, the carbon powder induction sheet is conducted with the detection mechanism of the image forming equipment through the second conductive sheet, and the amount of the carbon powder in the powder bin is detected by detecting the resistance value of the carbon powder in the powder bin, so that the use of a user is facilitated. And the carbon powder induction sheet is a metal conductive sheet and is simple and convenient to install and low in cost.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] This utility model belongs to the field of electronic imaging and photography technology, specifically relating to a toner cartridge for an image forming device. Background Technology

[0002] A toner cartridge is a removable box that fits into the main unit of an image forming apparatus. It supplies toner to the developing unit of the apparatus to form a visible image on media such as paper. Users want to know the toner level in the cartridge during use so they can prepare a new cartridge in advance for replacement. Some image forming apparatuses are equipped with a detection mechanism to check the toner level in the cartridge, providing a better user experience. Based on these needs, there is a need to develop a toner cartridge that can work with the detection mechanism on the image forming apparatus to detect the toner level in the cartridge. Utility Model Content

[0003] The purpose of this invention is to provide a toner cartridge with a simple structure and low cost that can be used in conjunction with the detection mechanism on an image forming device to detect toner quantity.

[0004] To achieve the above objectives, the present invention adopts the following technical solution:

[0005] The toner cartridge includes: a toner compartment body and a toner compartment cover, wherein the toner compartment body is provided with a toner outlet; it also includes a toner detection component, wherein the toner detection component includes a toner sensor disposed in the toner compartment body and a second conductive sheet disposed on the outside of the toner compartment body, one end of the toner sensor extending out of the toner compartment body and in contact with the second conductive sheet, and the toner sensor is a metal conductive sheet.

[0006] In some embodiments, the device further includes a magnetic roller and a powder dispensing blade disposed outside the powder outlet. The magnetic roller is in contact with a first conductive sheet disposed outside the powder hopper and is also in contact with the powder dispensing blade.

[0007] In some embodiments, the first conductive sheet has a mounting hole that can be fitted onto the end of the magnetic roller, and a first end of the first conductive sheet contacts the powder discharge knife, and a second end connects to a conductive structure on the image forming device.

[0008] In some embodiments, the carbon powder sensing sheet is a steel sheet.

[0009] In some embodiments, the toner sensing element is disposed on the inner surface of the toner hopper cover.

[0010] In some embodiments, the toner sensor extends along the length of the toner cartridge, and its length is at least equal to the length of the interior of the toner cartridge.

[0011] In some embodiments, the toner detection component and the first conductive sheet are disposed on the same side, and an end cap is also disposed on the outer side of the toner hopper, with the first conductive sheet and the toner detection component located on the inner side of the end cap.

[0012] As can be seen from the above technical solution, this utility model sets a toner sensor in the toner hopper. The toner sensor is connected to the detection mechanism of the image forming equipment through a second conductive sheet. The amount of toner in the toner hopper is detected by detecting the resistance value of the toner in the toner hopper, which is convenient for users. Moreover, the toner sensor is a metal conductive sheet, which is easy to install and has low cost. Attached Figure Description

[0013] To more clearly illustrate the embodiments of this utility model, the drawings used in the description of the embodiments or the prior art will be briefly introduced below. Obviously, the drawings described below are only some embodiments of this utility model. For those skilled in the art, other drawings can be obtained based on these drawings without creative effort.

[0014] Figure 1 This is a schematic diagram of the powder box structure according to an embodiment of the present utility model;

[0015] Figure 2 This is an exploded structural diagram of the toner detection component according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0016] Figure 3 This is a schematic diagram of the structure of the powder box / powder compartment cover according to an embodiment of the present invention;

[0017] Figure 4 for Figure 1 A magnified view of part A in the diagram.

[0018] The specific embodiments of this utility model will be further described in detail below with reference to the accompanying drawings. Detailed Implementation

[0019] The present invention will now be described in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. In the detailed description of the embodiments of the present invention, for ease of explanation, the drawings illustrating the device structure will be partially enlarged without adhering to the general scale. Furthermore, the schematic diagrams are merely examples and should not limit the scope of protection of the present invention. It should be noted that the drawings are in a simplified form and use non-precise scales, solely for the purpose of conveniently and clearly illustrating the embodiments of the present invention. Additionally, in the description of this application, terms such as "first" and "second" are used only to distinguish descriptions and should not be construed as indicating or implying relative importance or implicitly specifying the number of indicated technical features. Terms such as "positive," "negative," "bottom," "upper," "lower," "front," "rear," "left," and "right" indicate orientations or positional relationships based on the orientations or positional relationships 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, or be constructed and operated in a specific orientation. Therefore, they should not be construed as limitations on the present invention.

[0020] In the description of this utility model, it should be noted that, unless otherwise explicitly specified and limited, the terms "connected" and "linked" should be interpreted broadly. For example, they can refer to a fixed connection, a detachable connection, or an integral connection; they can refer to a mechanical connection or an electrical connection; they can refer to a direct connection or an indirect connection through an intermediate medium; they can also refer to the internal connection of two components; and they can refer to a wireless connection or a wired connection. Those skilled in the art can understand the specific meaning of the above terms in this utility model based on the specific circumstances.

[0021] like Figure 1 , Figure 2 , Figure 3 and Figure 4 As shown, the toner cartridge in this embodiment includes a toner container body 1, a toner container cover 2, a toner dispensing blade 3, a magnetic roller 4, a first conductive sheet 5, and a toner level detection component. The toner container body 1 and the toner container cover 2 are combined to form a closed housing, and toner is filled inside the toner container body 1. The toner container body 1 is provided with a toner outlet (not shown), through which toner is conveyed outward during printing. The toner dispensing blade 3 and the magnetic roller 4 are located at the toner outlet. After the toner is output through the toner outlet, the charged magnetic roller 4 will attract the toner onto its own surface to form the text or pattern to be printed.

[0022] The magnetic roller 4 is rotatably disposed on the outside of the powder outlet of the powder hopper 1. The powder discharge knife 3 is disposed adjacent to the magnetic roller 4. The function of the powder discharge knife 3 is to rub against the magnetic roller 4 to charge the toner particles, and at the same time control the toner thickness on the surface of the magnetic roller 4 to make the toner thickness uniform.

[0023] The first conductive sheet 5 is disposed at one end of the magnetic roller 4. The first conductive sheet 5 is in contact with the magnetic roller 4. When the toner cartridge is installed, the first conductive sheet 5 can contact the conductive structure (not shown) on the image forming apparatus, thereby energizing the magnetic roller 4.

[0024] In this embodiment, the first conductive sheet 5 is also in contact with the powder dispensing blade 3, which can make the powder dispensing blade 3 also energized. For example... Figure 2 As shown, the first conductive sheet 5 in this embodiment has a mounting hole, which can be fitted onto the end of the magnetic roller 4, so that when energized, the first conductive sheet 5 and the magnetic roller 4 become energized. The first end of the first conductive sheet 5 is in contact with the powder discharge blade 3, and the second end is in contact with the conductive structure on the image forming equipment.

[0025] The toner detection component and the first conductive sheet 5 are disposed on the same side, at the same end of the toner hopper 1. An end cap 8 is also disposed at the end of the toner hopper 1 where the toner detection component is disposed. The toner detection component and the first conductive sheet 5 are located inside the end cap 8, which protects these conductive structures.

[0026] The toner detection assembly of this embodiment includes a toner sensor 6 and a second conductive sheet 7. The toner sensor 6 is located inside the toner hopper 1 and extends along the axial direction of the magnetic roller. In this embodiment, the toner sensor 6 is disposed on the inner surface of the toner hopper cover 2. The second conductive sheet 7 can be a conductive metal sheet. In this embodiment, the toner sensor 6 is a thin steel sheet and extends along the length direction of the toner hopper 1 (axial direction of the magnetic roller), with a length at least equal to the internal length of the toner hopper 1. One end of the toner sensor 6 extends out of the toner hopper 1 to contact the second conductive sheet 7. The width and thickness of the toner sensor are not limited, but the greater the thickness and width of the toner sensor, the higher the cost. Therefore, a suitable size can be designed based on production cost factors.

[0027] The second conductive sheet 7 is disposed on the side wall of the toner cartridge 1. One end of the second conductive sheet 7 is in contact with the end of the toner sensor sheet 6 that extends out of the toner cartridge 1, and the other end is in contact with the toner detection mechanism on the image forming apparatus.

[0028] After the toner cartridge is installed, the toner sensor 6 becomes energized through the second conductive sheet 7. Since the toner sensor 6 is located inside the toner compartment 1, it can contact the toner inside the toner compartment 1. The toner detection structure of the image forming apparatus detects and outputs a resistance value by means of current. When there is more toner in the toner compartment 1, the resistance value is high. When the amount of toner decreases, the resistance value will decrease accordingly. By sensing the resistance value of the toner in the toner compartment 1 through conductivity, the amount of toner is determined, thus realizing the detection of the amount of toner.

[0029] Furthermore, as a preferred embodiment, the first conductive sheet 5 in this embodiment is also electrically connected to the toner ejector blade 3 to increase the toner resistance value when the image forming device senses the amount of toner, thereby improving the accuracy of toner sensing.

[0030] In this embodiment, the toner sensor 6 is made of steel sheet. Steel sheet is a common material with low cost and simple assembly process. Compared with the structure of the toner sensor using conductive film, conductive diaphragm is not only more expensive, but also more difficult to flatly attach to the inner surface of the toner cartridge cover, requiring high precision in the assembly process, and prone to defects, thus increasing manufacturing cost.

[0031] The above description of the disclosed embodiments enables those skilled in the art to make or use the present invention. Various modifications to these embodiments will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, and the general principles defined herein may be implemented in other embodiments without departing from the spirit or scope of the present invention. Therefore, the present invention is not to be limited to the embodiments shown herein, but is to be accorded the widest scope consistent with the principles and novel features disclosed herein.

Claims

1. Toner cartridge, including: The powder hopper body and the powder hopper cover, wherein the powder hopper body is provided with a powder outlet; Its features are: It also includes a toner detection component, which includes a toner sensing sheet disposed in the toner hopper and a second conductive sheet disposed on the outside of the toner hopper. One end of the toner sensing sheet extends out of the toner hopper and contacts the second conductive sheet. The toner sensing sheet is a metal conductive sheet.

2. The powder box as described in claim 1, characterized in that: It also includes a magnetic roller and a powder dispensing blade disposed on the outside of the powder outlet. The magnetic roller is in contact with a first conductive sheet, which is disposed on the outside of the powder hopper body. The first conductive sheet is also in contact with the powder dispensing blade.

3. The powder box as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The first conductive sheet has an assembly hole that can be fitted onto the end of the magnetic roller, and a first end of the first conductive sheet contacts the powder discharge knife, and a second end connects to a conductive structure on the image forming device.

4. The powder box as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The carbon powder induction sheet is a steel sheet.

5. The powder box as described in claim 1, characterized in that: The toner sensing element is disposed on the inner surface of the toner hopper cover.

6. The powder box as described in claim 1 or 5, characterized in that: The toner sensor extends along the length of the toner hopper, and its length is at least equal to the length of the interior of the toner hopper.

7. The powder box as described in claim 2, characterized in that: The toner detection component and the first conductive sheet are disposed on the same side, and an end cap is also disposed on the outer side of the toner hopper, with the first conductive sheet and the toner detection component located on the inner side of the end cap.

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