Developer supply container and developer supply system

Abstract

To provide a developer supply container capable of improving the operability by reducing operation force required for mounting the developer supply container, and a developer supply system.SOLUTION: The developer supply container comprises: a rotatable developer storage part for storing developer; a discharge part which has a discharge port for discharging the developer stored in the developer storage part formed in the bottom face; an engaging part 30 configured to engage with an engaged part 11b accompanying a mounting operation of a developer supply container 1 and to configured to displace the engaged part 11b in a U-shape upward so that a reception port communicates with the discharge port; and a swing axis 41 disposed in the discharge part for rotatably supporting the engaging part 30 at a position where both ends of the engaging part 30 are rotatable.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a developer supply container and a developer supply system that are detachable from a developer receiving device. [Background technology]

[0002] Conventionally, electrophotographic image forming devices such as copying machines use developers such as fine powder toner, and in such image forming devices, developer consumed during image formation is replenished from a developer supply container.

[0003] For example, a configuration has been proposed in which a developer supply container is detachably attached to a developer receiving device provided within an image forming device, and the developer receiving portion of the developer receiving device is displaced toward the discharge outlet of the developer supply container in conjunction with the attachment operation of the developer supply container (Patent Document 1). [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 2013-015826 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a developer supply container and a developer supply system that can improve operability by reducing the operating force required when attaching the developer supply container. [Means for solving the problem]

[0006] The developer supply container of the present invention is a developer supply container that can be attached to and detached from a developer receiving device, and has a developer receiving portion formed with a receiving port for receiving developer and an engaged portion that can be displaced integrally with the developer receiving portion, and is characterized in that it comprises: a rotatable developer storage portion that stores developer; a discharge portion that has a discharge port formed on its bottom surface for discharging developer stored in the developer storage portion; an engaging member that engages with the engaged portion as the developer supply container is attached, displacing the developer receiving portion in a displacement direction so that the receiving port communicates with the discharge port; and a shaft portion provided on the discharge portion that rotatably supports the engaging member at a position where both ends of the engaging member are rotatable.

[0007] The developer supply system of the present invention also comprises a developer receiving device having a developer receiving portion with a receiving port for receiving developer and an engaged portion that can be displaced integrally with the developer receiving portion, and a developer supply container that can be attached and detached to the developer receiving device, wherein the developer supply container comprises a rotatable developer storage portion that stores developer, a discharge portion having a discharge port formed on its bottom surface for discharging the developer stored in the developer storage portion, an engaging member that engages with the engaged portion as the developer supply container is attached, displacing the developer receiving portion in a displacement direction so that the receiving port communicates with the discharge port, and a shaft portion provided on the discharge portion that rotatably supports the engaging member at a position where both ends of the engaging member are rotatable. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, the operating force required when attaching the developer supply container can be reduced, thereby improving operability. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is a schematic diagram of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 2] 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment; [Figure 3] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a cross-sectional view, respectively, of a developer receiving device according to an embodiment. [Figure 4] 1A is a partially enlarged perspective view of a developer receiving device according to an embodiment, FIG. 1B is a partially enlarged cross-sectional view thereof, and FIG. 1C is a perspective view of a developer receiving portion thereof. [Figure 5] 1A is a perspective view showing a part cut away, FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view of the periphery of a flange portion, and FIG. 1C is a front view of a developer supply container according to an embodiment. [Figure 6] FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a container body of the developer supply container according to the embodiment. [Figure 7] 3A and 3B are a perspective view and a bottom view, respectively, of a flange portion according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 8] FIG. 4 is a side view of an engagement portion according to the embodiment. [Figure 9] 1A and 1B are a top view and a perspective view, respectively, of a shutter according to an embodiment. [Figure 10] 1A and 1B are a perspective view and a side view, respectively, of a pump according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 11] 1A is a perspective view of a reciprocating member according to an embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the reciprocating member as viewed from the opposite side of FIG. [Figure 12] 1A is a perspective view of a cover according to an embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the cover as viewed from the opposite side of FIG. [Figure 13] 10A is a side view of the connection portion between the shutter opening and the receiving port, and FIG. 10B is a side view of the flange before the engaged portion engages with the engaging surface when inserting the developer supply container according to the embodiment. [Figure 14] 10A is a side view of the connection portion between the shutter opening and the receiving port when the engaged portion engages with the engaging surface as the developer supply container according to the embodiment is inserted, and FIG. 10B is a side view of the flange. [Figure 15] 10A is a side view of the connection portion between the shutter opening and the receiving port, and FIG. 10B is a side view of the flange, immediately before the engaging portion swings as the developer supply container is inserted in the embodiment. [Figure 16] 10A is a side view of the connection point between the shutter opening and the receiving port, and FIG. 10B is a side view of the flange after the engagement portion has swung to the second position upon completion of installation of the developer supply container in the embodiment. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] 1 to 16(b), an embodiment of the present invention will be described below. First, a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS.

[0011] [Image forming equipment] In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 100 has an original reading device 103 on top of an apparatus main body 100a. An original 101 is placed on a platen glass 102. An optical image corresponding to image information of the original 101 is then formed on a photosensitive drum 104, a cylindrical photosensitive body acting as an image carrier, by a plurality of mirrors M and lenses Ln of the original reading device 103, thereby forming an electrostatic latent image. This electrostatic latent image is visualized by a dry developer (single-component developer) 201 using toner (single-component magnetic toner) as a developer (dry powder). Note that in this embodiment, an example will be described in which single-component magnetic toner is used as the developer to be replenished from a developer supply container 1 (also called a toner cartridge), but this is not the only example, and configurations such as those described below may also be used.

[0012] Specifically, when a single-component developer that uses a single-component non-magnetic toner for development is used, the single-component non-magnetic toner is replenished as the developer. Also, when a two-component developer that uses a two-component developer that is a mixture of a magnetic carrier and a non-magnetic toner for development is used, the non-magnetic toner is replenished as the developer. In this case, the magnetic carrier may also be replenished as the developer along with the non-magnetic toner.

[0013] 1, as described above, develops an electrostatic latent image formed on a photosensitive drum 104 based on image information of an original 101, using toner as a developer. A developer supply system 200 is connected to the developing device 201, and the developer supply system 200 has a developer supply container 1 and a developer receiving device 8 to which the developer supply container 1 is detachable. The developer supply system 200 will be described later.

[0014] In addition to a developer hopper 201a, the developing device 201 is provided with a developing roller 201f. The developer hopper 201a is provided with an agitating member 201c for agitating the developer supplied from the developer supply container 1. The developer agitated by the agitating member 201c is sent to the conveying member 201e side by the conveying member 201d. The developer conveyed in order by the conveying members 201e and 201b is carried on the developing roller 201f and finally supplied to the developing unit with the photosensitive drum 104. In this embodiment, a one-component developer is used, and therefore toner as the developer is supplied from the developer supply container 1 to the developing device 201. However, if a two-component developer is used, the toner and carrier as the developer may be supplied from the developer supply container 1.

[0015] Each of the cassettes 105-108 stores a recording material S such as a sheet. During image formation, one of the cassettes 105-108 is selected that stores the optimum recording material S based on information input by an operator (user) via the operation unit 100d (see FIG. 2) of the image forming apparatus 100 or the size of the original 101. The recording material S is not limited to paper, and any suitable material such as an OHP sheet can be used and selected. A single sheet of recording material S is then conveyed by the feeding / separating devices 105A-108A to the registration rollers 110 via the conveying unit 109, and is conveyed by synchronizing the rotation of the photosensitive drum 104 with the scanning timing of the original reading device 103.

[0016] A transfer charger 111 and a separation charger 112 are provided downstream of the registration roller 110 in the recording material conveyance direction and at positions facing the photosensitive drum 104. The transfer charger 111 transfers an image (toner image) made of developer formed on the photosensitive drum 104 onto the recording material S conveyed by the registration roller 110. The recording material S onto which the toner image has been transferred is then separated from the photosensitive drum 104 by the separation charger 112. The recording material S is then conveyed by a conveying section 113, where heat and pressure are applied in a fixing section 114, thereby fixing the toner image onto the recording material. Thereafter, in the case of a single-sided copy, the recording material S onto which the toner image has been fixed passes through a discharge / reversal section 115 and is discharged to a discharge tray 117 by discharge rollers 116.

[0017] On the other hand, in the case of double-sided copying, the recording material S passes through a discharge reversal section 115, and a portion of it is once discharged outside the apparatus by discharge rollers 116. Then, the trailing edge of the recording material S passes through a switching member 118, and while the recording material S is still held by the discharge rollers 116, the position of the switching member 118 is switched and the discharge rollers 116 are rotated in reverse, so that the recording material S is conveyed back into the apparatus. Thereafter, the recording material S is conveyed to the registration rollers 110 via re-feed conveyance sections 119 and 120, and then is discharged to a discharge tray 117 following the same path as in the case of single-sided copying.

[0018] In the image forming apparatus 100 configured as described above, image forming process devices such as a developing unit 201, a cleaner unit 202, and a primary charger 203 are installed around the photosensitive drum 104. The developing unit 201 develops an electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 104 based on image information of the original 101 read by the original reading device 103 by applying a developer to the electrostatic latent image. The primary charger 203 uniformly charges the surface of the photosensitive drum 104 to form a desired electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 104. The cleaner unit 202 removes developer remaining on the photosensitive drum 104.

[0019] As shown in FIG. 2, when an operator opens a replacement cover 40, which is part of the exterior cover of the main body 100a of the image forming apparatus 100, a part of the developer receiving device 8, which will be described later, is revealed. Then, by inserting the developer supply container 1 into the developer receiving device 8, the developer supply container 1 is attached so that the developer can be replenished to the developer receiving device 8. On the other hand, when the operator replaces the developer supply container 1, the operator performs the reverse operation of the attachment operation to remove the developer supply container 1 from the developer receiving device 8 and then attach a new developer supply container 1. The replacement cover 40 is a dedicated cover for attaching and detaching (replacing) the developer supply container 1, and is opened and closed only to attach and detach the developer supply container 1. On the other hand, maintenance of the image forming apparatus 100 is performed by opening and closing the front cover 100c. Here, the replacement cover 40 and the front cover 100c may be integrated. In this case, replacement of the developer supply container 1 and maintenance of the image forming apparatus 100 are performed by opening and closing an integrated cover (not shown).

[0020] [Developer receiving device] Next, the developer receiving device 8 constituting the developer supply system 200 will be described with reference to Figures 3(a) to 4(c). As shown in Figure 3(a), the developer receiving device 8 is provided with a mounting portion (mounting space) 8f into which the developer supply container 1 is detachably mounted. The mounting portion 8f is provided with an insertion guide 8e for guiding the developer supply container 1 in the mounting and removal direction. In the case of this embodiment, the insertion guide 8e is configured so that the mounting direction A of the developer supply container 1 by the insertion guide 8e is opposite to the removal direction B of the developer supply container 1.

[0021] As shown in Figures 3(a) to 4(a), the developer receiving device 8 has a drive gear 9 that functions as a drive mechanism for driving the developer supply container 1. A rotational drive force is transmitted from a drive motor 500 via a drive gear train (not shown) to this drive gear 9, and the drive gear 9 has the function of applying the rotational drive force to the developer supply container 1 that is attached to the attachment portion 8f. The operation of the drive motor 500 is controlled by a control device 600.

[0022] The control device 600 controls the drive motor 500 and also controls the entire image forming apparatus 100. The control device 600 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), ROM (Read Only Memory), and RAM (Random Access Memory). The CPU controls each part by reading a program corresponding to a control procedure stored in the ROM. The RAM also stores working data and input data, and the CPU performs control by referring to the data stored in the RAM based on the aforementioned programs, etc.

[0023] The mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving device 8 is provided with a developer receiving section 11 for receiving the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1. The developer receiving section 11 is connected to the container discharge opening 3a4 (see FIG. 16(a)) of the developer supply container 1 when the developer supply container 1 is mounted, and has a receiving opening 11a for receiving the developer discharged from the container discharge opening 3a4. The developer receiving section 11 is mounted so that the receiving opening 11a can move (displace) in a direction in which it moves toward or away from the container discharge opening 3a4, in this embodiment, in a direction intersecting the mounting direction A of the developer supply container 1 (specifically, a vertical direction with respect to the developer receiving device 8). In the case of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the developer receiving section 11 is biased by a biasing member 12, for example, made of a compression coil spring, in a direction in which the receiving opening 11a moves away from the container discharge opening 3a4 (vertically downward, in the opposite direction to the displacement direction). Therefore, when the receiving port 11a moves in a direction (vertically upward) approaching the container discharge port 3a4, the developer receiving portion 11 moves against the urging force of the urging member 12. In this specification, the direction in which the developer receiving portion 11 is displaced in conjunction with the attachment operation of the developer supply container 1 is vertically upward, and this direction is referred to as the upward direction (displacement direction) U, and the opposite vertically downward direction is referred to as the downward direction D.

[0024] 4(a), the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving device 8 is provided with a first shutter stopper portion 8a and a second shutter stopper portion 8b upstream of the developer receiving portion 11 in the mounting direction A. The first and second shutter stopper portions 8a, 8b restrict the relative movement of only the shutter 4 (see FIG. 5(b)), which will be described later, with respect to the developer supply container 1, which moves relative to the developer receiving device 8 during mounting or removal. In this case, the shutter 4 moves relative to a part of the developer supply container 1 other than the shutter 4, such as the container body 2, which will be described later.

[0025] 3(b) and 4(b), a sub-hopper 8c is provided below the developer receiving device 8 in the downward direction D, for temporarily storing the developer supplied from the developer supply container 1. A conveying screw 14 for conveying the developer to a developer hopper portion 201a (see FIG. 1), which is a part of the developing device 201, and an opening 8d communicating with the developer hopper portion 201a are provided within the sub-hopper 8c.

[0026] As shown in FIG. 4(c), the developer receiver 11 is provided with a main body seal 13 formed to surround the receiving opening 11a. The main body seal 13 is made of an elastic material, a foam material, or the like. As shown in FIG. 16(a), when the developer supply container 1 is attached, the main body seal 13 tightly contacts the opening seal 3a5 surrounding the container discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1, sandwiching the shutter 4 described below. This prevents developer discharged from the container discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1 through the shutter opening (discharge opening) 4j of the shutter 4 to the receiving opening 11a from the container discharge opening 3a4 of the developer supply container 1 to the receiving opening 11a, which is the developer transport path, from leaking out of the receiving opening 11a. That is, the main body seal 13 is provided around the receiving opening 11a, and elastically deforms to seal between the receiving opening 11a and the shutter opening 4j when the receiving opening 11a and the shutter opening 4j are in communication with each other.

[0027] To prevent the inside of the mounting portion 8f from being soiled with developer, the diameter of the receiving opening 11a is preferably set to be approximately the same as or slightly larger than the diameter of the shutter opening 4j of the shutter 4. This is because if the diameter of the receiving opening 11a is smaller than the diameter of the shutter opening 4j, the developer discharged from the shutter opening 4j is more likely to adhere to the upper surface of the main body seal 13. The adhered developer will adhere to the underside of the developer supply container 1 during installation and removal of the developer supply container 1, contributing to developer contamination. In light of this, the diameter of the receiving opening 11a is preferably set to be approximately the same as or approximately 2 mm larger than the diameter of the shutter opening 4j. For example, if the diameter of the shutter opening 4j of the shutter 4 is a fine opening (pinhole) with a diameter of approximately 2 mm, the diameter of the receiving opening 11a is preferably set to be approximately 3 mm.

[0028] 4(c), the developer receiving portion 11 is provided with an engaged portion 11b that protrudes toward the center on the side surface. In the case of the present embodiment, this engaged portion 11b directly engages with and is guided by an engaging portion (engaging member) 30 (see FIG. 8) provided on the developer supply container 1, which will be described later, so that the developer receiving portion 11 is lifted in the upward direction U toward the developer supply container 1.

[0029] [Developer supply container] Next, the developer supply container 1 constituting the developer supply system 200 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5(a) to 16(b). First, the overall configuration of the developer supply container 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b). The developer supply container 1 mainly has a container body 2, a flange portion 3, a shutter 4, a pump portion 5, a reciprocating member 6, and a cover 7. The container body 2 rotates in the direction of arrow R around a rotation axis P shown in FIG. 5(a) in the developer receiving device 8, thereby supplying developer to the developer receiving device 8. Each element constituting the developer supply container 1 will be described in detail below. In this embodiment, the direction of the rotation axis P is the rotation axis direction, which is the same as the attachment / detachment direction that is parallel to the attachment direction A and the detachment direction B.

[0030] [Container body] As shown in FIG. 6, the container body 2 primarily includes a developer accommodating section 2c that accommodates developer therein. The container body 2 also includes a spiral transport groove 2a (transport section) that transports developer in the developer accommodating section 2c as the container body 2 rotates in the direction of arrow R about the rotation axis P. That is, the developer accommodating section 2c is rotatable relative to the discharge section 300. A cam groove 2b and a drive receiving section (gear) 2d that receives drive from the container body are integrally formed around the entire outer periphery of one end face of the container body 2. While the cam groove 2b and the drive receiving section 2d are integrally formed with the container body 2 in this embodiment, the cam groove 2b or the drive receiving section 2d may be formed separately and attached integrally to the container body 2. In this embodiment, the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating section 2c may be, for example, a toner having a volume average particle size of 5 μm to 6 μm. In this embodiment, the developer accommodating portion 2c is not only the container body 2, but also the container body 2 and the internal space of a flange portion 3 and a pump portion 5, which will be described later.

[0031] [Flange] Next, the flange portion 3 will be described with reference to Figures 5(a), 5(b), 7(a), and 7(b). The flange portion 3 is attached to the container body 2 so as to be rotatable relative to the rotation axis P. When the developer supply container 1 is attached to the developer receiving device 8, the flange portion 3 is held so as not to rotate in the direction of arrow R relative to the attachment portion 8f (see Figure 3(a)). Furthermore, as shown in Figure 7(b), a container discharge port 3a4 is provided in a part of the flange portion 3, and an opening seal 3a5 is attached around the periphery thereof. As shown in Figure 5(b), a pump portion 5, a reciprocating member 6, a shutter 4, and a cover 7 are attached to the flange portion 3.

[0032] First, the pump unit 5 is screwed to one end side (mounting direction A) of the flange unit 3, and the container body 2 is joined to the other end side (removal direction B) via a seal member (not shown). A reciprocating member 6 is disposed so as to sandwich the pump unit 5, and an engagement protrusion 6b (see FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b)) provided on the reciprocating member 6 is fitted into a cam groove 2b (see FIG. 6) of the container body 2. A shutter 4 is also incorporated into the flange unit 3. In this embodiment, the flange unit 3 and the shutter 4 form a discharge unit 300 that discharges the developer contained in the developer containing unit 2c. The surface on which the shutter 4 is provided is the bottom surface of the flange unit 3, i.e., the upper surface of the bottom portion 3d. To improve the external appearance and to protect the reciprocating member 6 and the pump unit 5, a cover 7 is integrally assembled to entirely cover the flange unit 3, shutter 4, pump unit 5, and reciprocating member 6, as shown in FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b).

[0033] 7(a) and 7(b), the flange portion 3 has a flat bottom portion 3d provided horizontally at the bottom, and an opening portion 3e formed in the approximate center of the bottom portion 3d and penetrating in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 5(b), the bottom portion 3d slidably supports the shutter 4 from below. As shown in FIG. 15(a), the main body seal 13 and the receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 penetrate the opening portion 3e when displaced in the upward direction U.

[0034] 7(a), in the width direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction and the up-down direction of the flange portion 3, a swing shaft (shaft portion) 41 is provided on each wall portion of the flange portion 3, protruding outward in the width direction. Furthermore, on each wall portion of the flange portion 3, a first positioning portion 42 is provided on the side of the swing shaft 41 in the installation direction A, and a second positioning portion 43 is provided on the side of the swing shaft 41 in the removal direction B. The engagement portion 30 is swingably supported on the swing shaft 41, and the engagement portion 30 is fixed by a snap fit (not shown) to prevent it from coming off. In other words, the swing shaft 41 is provided in the ejection portion 300, and rotatably supports the engagement portion 30 at a position where both ends of the engagement portion 30 are rotatable.

[0035] [Engagement part] As shown in FIG. 7(a), the flange portion 3 has an engaging portion 30 that can engage with the engaged portion 11b (see FIG. 3(a)) of the developer receiving portion 11. FIG. 5(c) is a front view of the developer supply container 1. As shown in FIG. 5(c), the engaging portion 30 is located below a plane H that includes the rotation axis P. Furthermore, the plane H that includes the rotation axis P is a horizontal plane, and the engaging portion 30 is located below this horizontal plane. The engaging portion 30 engages with the engaged portion 11b as the developer supply container 1 is attached, displacing the developer receiving portion 11 in the upward direction U so that the receiving opening 11a communicates with the shutter opening 4j (see FIG. 16(a)). At this time, the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 11 are connected to each other, allowing developer to be replenished from the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving portion 11. Furthermore, the engaging portions 30 guide the developer receiving portion 11 to be displaced in a downward direction D away from the developer supply container 1 so that the connection between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 11 is broken as the developer supply container 1 is removed. In this embodiment, as shown in Figures 7(a) and 7(b), the engaging portions 30 are provided on both sides of the flange portion 3 in the width direction perpendicular to the insertion / removal direction and the up-and-down direction.

[0036] 7(a) and 8, the engaging portion 30 is a substantially plate-shaped member that is provided so as to be able to swing about a swing shaft 41 between a first position (first state, solid line in FIG. 8) and a second position (second state, imaginary line in FIG. 8). The engaging portion 30 swings from the first position to the second position as the developer supply container 1 is attached. The engaging portion 30 has a flat plate portion 31 having a planar engaging surface 33 on the front side that can engage with the engaged portion 11b, and a bearing portion 32 formed on the back side of the flat plate portion 31 and pivotally supported by the swing shaft 41 so as to be able to swing. The engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30 that engages with the engaged portion 11b is flat.

[0037] As shown by solid lines in FIG. 8 , the first position of the engaging portion 30 is a position where the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30 faces upward in the U direction toward the upstream side in the mounting direction A of the developer supply container 1. That is, the engaging portion 30 has a tip end 30a (one end) farther from the developer accommodating portion 2c in the direction of the rotation axis P and a tip end 30b (the other end) near the developer accommodating portion 2c. At the first position, the tip end 30a is lower than the tip end 30b. Furthermore, when the engaging portion 30 is in the first position, it is inclined with respect to the rotation axis P. Furthermore, as shown by imaginary lines in FIG. 8 , the second position of the engaging portion 30 is a position where the inclination of the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30 with respect to the mounting direction A is smaller than that at the first position. In this embodiment, the second position of the engaging portion 30 is a position where the engaging surface 33 becomes substantially parallel to the mounting direction A when the engaging portion 30 abuts against the second positioning portion 43. That is, the inclination angle of the engaging portion 30 with respect to the rotation axis P when in the second position is approximately 0°. Furthermore, the first position of the engaging portion 30 is a position where the engaging surface 33 is inclined by a predetermined inclination angle θ with respect to the mounting direction A. This inclination angle θ can be set to, for example, approximately 30 to 60 degrees.

[0038] Furthermore, a first positioning portion 42 formed on the flange portion 3 abuts against the rear side of the tip portion 30a of the engaging portion 30 in the mounting direction A, thereby positioning the engaging portion 30 at the first position. A second positioning portion 43 abuts against the rear side of the tip portion 30b of the engaging portion 30 in the removal direction B, thereby positioning the engaging portion 30 at the second position. The engaging portion 30 is biased by, for example, a torsion coil spring (biasing portion) 44 so as to abut against the first positioning portion 42. That is, the torsion coil spring 44 maintains the engaging portion 30 in a first state in which the tip portion 30a is lower than the tip portion 30b. Therefore, when the developer supply container 1 is inserted into the image forming apparatus 100, the engaging portion 30 abuts against the first positioning portion 42. The engaging portion 30 is positioned in the width direction relative to the swing shaft 41 by a snap fit so as not to come off the swing shaft 41.

[0039] When the engaging portion 30 is in contact with the first positioning portion 42, the engaging portion 30 is positioned at an inclination angle θ with respect to the mounting direction A of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving device 8. Therefore, by inserting the developer supply container 1 into the developer receiving device 8, the engaging portion 30 displaces the developer receiving portion 11 in the upward direction U that intersects with the mounting direction A of the developer supply container 1 so that the developer receiving portion 11 is opened in the upward direction U. On the other hand, when the engaging portion 30 is in contact with the second positioning portion 43, the engaging portion 30 is positioned parallel to the mounting direction A of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving device 8. Furthermore, in this embodiment, when the engaging portion 30 is in contact with the second positioning portion 43, the engaging portion 30 is parallel to the rotation axis P and the horizontal plane. Therefore, while the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the container discharge outlet 3a4, i.e., while the receiving port 11a moves to a position where it connects with the container discharge outlet 3a4, the main body seal 13 and the shutter opening 4j remain connected (see Figure 16(a)).

[0040] In this embodiment, the bearing 32, which is pivotally supported by the swing shaft 41 and is swingably supported, is located slightly below the approximate center of the flat plate 31 and on the upstream side in the mounting direction A. The swing shaft 41 is located between the upstream end 30b (upstream end) and the downstream end 30a (downstream end) of the engaging portion 30 in the mounting direction A, and is positioned so that the engaging portion 30 swings between the first position and the second position upon engagement with the engaged portion 11b. The swing shaft 41 is also positioned below the rotation axis P and above the shutter opening 4j in the vertical direction. The swing shaft 41 is also positioned farther from the developer accommodating portion 2c than the shutter opening 4j in the direction of the rotation axis P. The swing shaft 41 protrudes from the side surface of the discharge portion 300. However, the position of the bearing 32 relative to the flat plate 31 and the position of the swing shaft 41 can be appropriately set depending on the configuration and dimensions of each component.

[0041] [Shutter] Next, the shutter 4 will be described with reference to Figures 9(a) and (b). The shutter 4 is provided so as to be movable relative to a part (flange portion 3) of the developer supply container 1 so as to slide on the upper surface of the bottom portion 3d (see Figure 7(a)) of the flange portion 3. The shutter 4 has a shutter opening 4j as a discharge port, and opens and closes the container discharge port 3a4 (see Figure 7(b)) of the developer supply container 1 as the developer supply container 1 is attached or detached. That is, as the shutter 4 moves relative to the developer supply container 1 as the developer supply container 1 is attached, the receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 communicates with the shutter opening 4j, and further the container discharge port 3a4 communicates with it. This allows the developer inside the developer supply container 1 to be discharged to the receiving port 11a. That is, the flange portion 3 and the shutter 4 constitute a discharge portion 300 (see Figure 5(b)) for discharging the developer, and the shutter 4 of the discharge portion 300 has a shutter opening 4j formed on the bottom surface as a discharge port for discharging the developer.

[0042] The shutter 4 also has a connecting surface 4k on a sliding surface 4i facing the bottom 3d that surrounds the shutter opening 4j and connects to the developer receiving portion 11. The connecting surface 4k has a larger diameter than the shutter opening 4j and is formed parallel to the sliding surface 4i. After the developer supply container 1 is attached, the upper end surface of the main body seal 13 comes into close contact with the connecting surface 4k.

[0043] 9(a) and 9(b), a developer sealing portion 4a is provided at a position away from the shutter opening 4j of the shutter 4. The developer sealing portion 4a closes the container discharge opening 3a4 as the shutter 4 moves relative to the developer supply container 1 in association with the operation of extracting the developer supply container 1. The developer sealing portion 4a also prevents developer from leaking from the container discharge opening 3a4 when the developer supply container 1 is not attached to the attachment portion 8f (see FIG. 3(a)) of the developer receiving device 8. A sliding surface 4i that slides on the upper surface of the bottom portion 3d of the flange portion 3 is provided on the back side (developer receiving portion 11 side) of the developer sealing portion 4a. The shutter 4 engages with the flange portion 3 with the developer sealing portion 4a facing upward.

[0044] The shutter 4 has a first stopper portion 4b and a second stopper portion 4c that are held by first and second shutter stopper portions 8a and 8b (see FIG. 4(a)) of the developer receiving device 8 so that the developer supply container 1 can move relative to the shutter 4. The shutter 4 also has a support portion 4d that supports the first and second stopper portions 4b and 4c so that they can be displaced. The support portions 4d are elastically deformable and extend from one end to the other end of both side surfaces of the developer sealing portion 4a. The first stopper portion 4b and the second stopper portion 4c are provided at the tip ends of the support portion 4d, respectively. This allows the first and second stopper portions 4b and 4c to be displaced by the elasticity of the support portion 4d.

[0045] The first stopper portion 4b is inclined so that the angle α formed between the first stopper portion 4b and the support portion 4d is an acute angle, whereas the second stopper portion 4c is inclined so that the angle β formed between the second stopper portion 4c and the support portion 4d is an obtuse angle.

[0046] When the developer supply container 1 is attached, the first stopper portion 4b engages with the guide portion 8g of the developer receiving device 8 and is displaced, passing through the second shutter stopper portion 8b and engaging with the first shutter stopper portion 8a. The engagement of the first stopper portion 4b with the first shutter stopper portion 8a fixes the position of the shutter 4 relative to the developer receiving device 8. When the developer supply container 1 is removed, the second stopper portion 4c engages with the second shutter stopper portion 8b of the developer receiving device 8 and displaces the first stopper portion 4b so that it disengages from the first shutter stopper portion 8a. This causes the shutter 4 to disengage from the developer receiving device 8.

[0047] [Pump section] The pump section 5 will be described with reference to Figures 10(a) and (b). The pump section 5 operates by repeatedly switching the internal pressure of the developer accommodating section 2c between a state where it is lower than atmospheric pressure and a state where it is higher than atmospheric pressure, due to the driving force received by the drive force receiving section 2d of the container body 2 (see Figure 6). In this embodiment, the pump section 5 is provided in a part of the developer supply container 1 in order to stably discharge the developer from the small container discharge port 3a4 as described above. The pump section 5 is a variable volume pump whose volume can be changed. Specifically, the pump section 5 is configured with a stretchable bellows-like member.

[0048] The expansion and contraction of the pump portion 5 changes the pressure inside the developer supply container 1, and this pressure is used to discharge the developer. Specifically, when the pump portion 5 is contracted, the inside of the developer supply container 1 is pressurized, and the developer is pushed out by this pressure and discharged from the container discharge port 3a4 of the developer supply container 1. When the pump portion 5 is extended, the inside of the developer supply container 1 is depressurized, and air is taken in from the outside through the container discharge port 3a4. This taken in air loosens the developer near the container discharge port 3a4 and the storage portion 3a3 (see FIG. 7(a)) that stores the developer transported from the container main body 2 of the flange portion 3, allowing the next discharge to be smooth.

[0049] That is, in this way, developer in the developer supply container 1 may collect near the container outlet 3a4 and storage section 3a3 of the developer supply container 1 due to vibrations during transport of the developer supply container 1, and the developer may harden in these areas. Therefore, by taking in air through the container outlet 3a4 as described above, it is possible to loosen up the hardened developer. Furthermore, in a normal developer discharge operation, taking in air in this way mixes the air with the powdery developer, improving the fluidity of the developer and reducing the likelihood of developer clogging. The developer is discharged by repeating the above-described expansion and contraction operation.

[0050] As shown in FIG. 10(a), the pump section 5 has a joining portion 5b on the opening end side (the side in the removal direction B) so that it can be joined to the flange section 3. Here, a configuration in which a screw is formed as the joining portion 5b is shown as an example. Also, as shown in FIG. 10(b), the pump section 5 has a reciprocating member engaging portion 5c on the other end side (the side in the installation direction A) opposite the opening end that engages with the reciprocating member 6 (see FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b)) to displace the reciprocating member 6 in synchronization with the reciprocating member 6, which will be described later.

[0051] The pump section 5 also has a bellows-shaped expandable section (bellows portion, expandable member) 5a in which mountain folds and valley folds are alternately and periodically formed. The expandable section 5a can be folded by moving the reciprocating member engaging section 5c along the folds (using the folds as base points) relative to the joint section 5b in the removal direction B, or can be expanded by moving it in the attachment direction A. Therefore, when the bellows-shaped pump section 5 of this embodiment is used, it is possible to reduce variations in the amount of volume change relative to the amount of expansion and contraction, thereby enabling stable volume changes.

[0052] In this embodiment, polypropylene resin is used as the material for the pump portion 5, but this is not limiting. The pump portion 5 may be made of any material that exhibits elasticity and can change the internal pressure of the developer accommodating portion by changing its volume. For example, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), polystyrene, polyester, polyethylene, etc. may be used. Alternatively, rubber or other elastic materials may also be used.

[0053] [Reciprocating member] The reciprocating member 6 will be described with reference to FIGS. 11(a) and 11(b). The reciprocating member 6 has a pump engaging portion 6a that engages with a reciprocating member engaging portion 5c (see FIG. 10(b)) provided on the pump portion 5 to change the volume of the pump portion 5. The reciprocating member 6 also has an engaging protrusion 6b that is fitted into the cam groove 2b (see FIG. 6) during assembly. The engaging protrusion 6b is provided at the tip of an arm 6c that extends in the attachment / detachment direction from near the pump engaging portion 6a. The reciprocating member 6 is restricted in its rotational displacement about the rotation axis P (see FIG. 5(a)) of the arm 6c by a reciprocating member holding portion 7b (see FIG. 12(b)) of the cover 7, which will be described later. Therefore, when the container body 2 receives drive force from the drive receiving portion 2d via the drive gear 9 and the cam groove 2b rotates integrally, the reciprocating member 6 reciprocates in directions A and B due to the interaction between the engaging protrusion 6b fitted into the cam groove 2b and the reciprocating member holding portion 7b of the cover 7. Accordingly, the pump portion 5 engaged with the pump engaging portion 6a of the reciprocating member 6 via the reciprocating member engaging portion 5c moves in the mounting direction A and the detaching direction B.

[0054] [cover] The cover 7 will be described with reference to Figures 12(a) and (b). As described above, the cover 7 is provided as shown in Figure 5(b) for the purposes of improving the appearance of the developer supply container 1 and protecting the reciprocating member 6 and the pump unit 5. More specifically, the cover 7 is provided so as to entirely cover the flange unit 3, the pump unit 5, and the reciprocating member 6. As shown in Figure 12(a), the cover 7 is provided with a guide groove 7a that is guided by an insertion guide 8e (see Figure 3(a)) of the developer receiving device 8. Furthermore, as shown in Figure 12(b), the cover 7 is provided with a reciprocating member holding portion 7b that restricts rotational displacement of the reciprocating member 6 about the rotation axis P (see Figure 5(a)).

[0055] [Installation of developer supply container] The operation of mounting the developer supply container 1 into the developer receiving device 8 will be described with reference to Figures 13(a) to 16(b). Figures 13(a) and (b) show the state before the engaged portion 11b engages with the engaging surface 33 when the developer supply container 1 is inserted, and Figures 14(a) and (b) show the state when the engaged portion 11b engages with the engaging surface 33 as the developer supply container 1 is inserted. Figures 15(a) and (b) show the state immediately before the engaging portion 30 swings as the developer supply container 1 is inserted, and Figures 16(a) and (b) show the state after the engaging portion 30 swings to the second position as the mounting of the developer supply container 1 is completed.

[0056] The developer supply container 1 is inserted into the image forming apparatus 100, and as shown in FIG. 13(a), the developer supply container 1 is moved in the mounting direction A. Here, as shown in FIG. 13(b), the engaging portion 30 and the engaged portion 11b are not yet engaged. Up to this point, the positions of the flange portion 3 and the shutter 4 have not shifted relative to each other, and the container discharge opening 3a4 is sealed by the developer sealing portion 4a of the shutter 4. At this time, as shown in FIG. 9(a), the stopper portions 4b and 4c of the shutter 4 engage with the shutter stopper portions 8a and 8b of the developer receiving device 8, and the position of the shutter 4 in the mounting direction A is fixed relative to the developer receiving device 8. Therefore, even if the developer supply container 1 is subsequently moved in the mounting direction A, the shutter 4 moves relative to the developer supply container 1 excluding the shutter 4 in the mounting direction A, but does not move relative to the developer receiving portion 11 in the insertion / removal direction.

[0057] When the developer supply container 1 is further moved in the mounting direction A, as shown in FIG. 14(a), the positions of the shutter 4 and the flange portion 3 are displaced relative to each other, but the position of the receiving opening 11a remains in its initial position and is not in contact with the shutter 4. At this time, as shown in FIG. 14(b), the engaged portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 abuts against the lower portion of the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30. When the developer supply container 1 is further displaced in the mounting direction A from this state, the engaged portion 11b displaces along the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30. That is, as the developer supply container 1 is inserted, the developer receiving portion 11 having the engaged portion 11b is lifted in the upward direction U. Here, if the engaged portion 11b is located downward D from the swing shaft 41, when a force that inserts the developer supply container 1 in the mounting direction A acts on the engaging portion 30, an external force is applied to the engaging portion 30 in the counterclockwise rotation direction in FIG. 14(b). However, since the first positioning portion 42 restricts the engagement portion 30 from swinging in the counterclockwise direction, the engagement portion 30 is not displaced.

[0058] When the developer supply container 1 is further moved in the mounting direction A, the engaged portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 is guided by the engaging surface 33, and the developer receiving portion 11 is lifted in the upward direction U toward the developer supply container 1. Then, as shown in FIG. 15(a), the developer receiving portion 11 is lifted in the upward direction U from the initial position, and the receiving opening 11a comes into contact with the shutter opening 4j of the shutter 4. In this state, the shutter opening 4j and the container discharge opening 3a4 are not in communication, so the developer contained in the developer supply container 1 is not discharged to the developer receiving device 8.

[0059] At this time, as shown in Figure 15(b), the engaged portion 11b rises along the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30 and is displaced upward in the direction U beyond the swing shaft 41. If an attempt is made to further insert the developer supply container 1 in this state in the mounting direction A, the engaging portion 30 will swing clockwise around the swing shaft 41 in the drawing. Then, the engaging portion 30 will abut against the second positioning portion 43, and the engaging portion 30 will become horizontal with respect to the mounting direction A (see Figure 16(b)).

[0060] When the developer supply container 1 is further moved in the mounting direction A and pushed in to the mounting completion position, as shown in FIG. 16(a), the developer supply container 1 moves relative to the flange portion 3 while the receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4j remain in contact, and communicates with the container discharge port 3a4, as shown in FIG. 16(a). In this state, the container discharge port 3a4 is in communication with the shutter opening 4j and the receiving port 11a, enabling the supply of developer from the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving device 8. At this time, as shown in FIG. 16(b), the engaging portion 30 is parallel to the mounting direction A of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, the developer receiving portion 11 having the engaged portion 11b is not raised beyond the state where it is in contact with the shutter 4, and excessive force is not applied to the engaged portion 11b, etc. 16(b), the positional relationship between the container discharge opening 3a4 and the engagement surface 33 is such that a plane L that passes through the container discharge opening 3a4 and is perpendicular to the rotation axis P passes through the engagement surface 33. In addition, the plane that includes the engagement surface 33 is located between the rotation axis P and the container discharge opening 3a4. Furthermore, the position of the plane L in the direction of the rotation axis P is located closer to the developer accommodating unit 2c than the swing shaft 41.

[0061] On the other hand, when removing the developer supply container 1 attached to the apparatus main body 100a, the developer supply container 1 is displaced in the removal direction B. At that time, the developer supply container 1 is removed in the state shown in FIG. 16 → FIG. 15 → FIG. 14 → FIG. 13, which is the opposite of the state when the developer supply container 1 was attached. Furthermore, since the engaging portion 30 is always biased toward the first positioning portion 42 by the torsion coil spring 44, the engaging portion 30 is displaced from FIG. 16(b) to FIG. 15(b). As a result, the user can replace the developer supply container 1 simply by removing the old developer supply container 1 in the removal direction B and inserting a new developer supply container 1 in the attachment direction A, which simplifies the replacement work.

[0062] As described above, according to the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment, the engaged portion 11b is displaced while always aligned with the engagement surface 33 of the engagement portion 30. Here, the engaged portion 11b engages with the inclined engagement surface 33 when the engaged portion 11b is lifted in the upward direction U at the start of insertion of the developer supply container 1, and with the horizontal engagement surface 33 when the height of the engaged portion 11b is maintained at the end of insertion of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, unlike when the inclined and horizontal engagement surfaces are two flat surfaces formed in a mountain-like fold, the engagement surface does not suddenly switch between the inclined and horizontal engagement surfaces, and the inclined and horizontal engagement surfaces 33 can be smoothly switched between. This reduces the operating force required when attaching or detaching the developer supply container 1 to or from the image forming apparatus 100, thereby improving operability. Furthermore, according to the developer supply container 1 of this embodiment, the engagement surface 33 is flat, which prevents the shape of the engagement portion 30 from becoming complicated.

[0063] In the above embodiment, the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30 is flat as shown in Fig. 8, but this is not limiting. For example, the engaging surface 33 may be curved.

[0064] In the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, when the engaging portion 30 is located in the second position, the engaging surface 33 is parallel to the mounting direction A. However, this is not limiting. For example, the engaging surface 33 may be inclined toward the mounting direction A. In this case, a retracting device is provided for the developer receiving device 8. As a result, the developer supply container 1 is fixed at a predetermined mounting position after being retracted in the mounting direction by the retracting device, and therefore the developer supply container 1 will not move in the removal direction unless an operator or the like applies force to remove it. Therefore, even if the engaging surface 33 is not a parallel surface, the engaged portion 11b will not inadvertently move in the removal direction B.

[0065] In the above embodiment, the discharge port communicating with the receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 is the shutter opening 4j of the shutter 4, but this is not limited to this. For example, without providing a shutter, the receiving port of the developer receiving portion may be directly abutted against the container discharge port of the developer supply container 1 to communicate with it. In this case, the container discharge port corresponds to the discharge port communicating with the receiving port. [Explanation of symbols]

[0066] 1...developer supply container, 2c...developer storage section, 4j...shutter opening (discharge port), 8...developer receiving device, 11...developer receiving section, 11a...receiving port, 11b...engaged section, 30...engaging section (engaging member), 30a...downstream tip section (downstream end section), 30b...upstream tip section (upstream end section), 33...engaging surface, 41...oscillating shaft (shaft section), 42...first positioning section, 43...second positioning section, 44...torsion coil spring (urging section), 200...developer supply system, 300...discharge section, A...mounting direction, U...upward direction (displacement direction).

Claims

1. A developer supply container detachably attached to a developer receiving device, the developer supply container having a developer receiving portion formed with a receiving opening for receiving developer and an engaged portion displaceable integrally with the developer receiving portion, a rotatable developer container that contains a developer; a discharge portion having a discharge port formed on a bottom surface thereof for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion; an engaging member that engages with the engaged portion in association with the mounting operation of the developer supply container, and displaces the developer receiving portion in a displacement direction so that the receiving opening communicates with the discharge opening; a shaft portion provided in the discharge portion and rotatably supporting the engaging member at a position where both ends of the engaging member are rotatable; A developer supply container characterized by:

2. the engaging member has one end farther from the developer accommodating portion in the direction of the rotation axis of the developer accommodating portion and another end closer to the developer accommodating portion, and has a biasing portion for maintaining the one end lower than the other end in a first state.

2. The developer supply container according to claim 1, wherein the developer supply container is a container for supplying a developer to a developer supplying member.

3. the engaging member has one end portion farther from the developer accommodating portion in the direction of the rotation axis of the developer accommodating portion, and the other end portion, and when the one end portion is in a first state where the one end portion is lower than the other end portion, the engaging portion is inclined with respect to the rotation axis; 3. The developer supply container according to claim 1, wherein the developer supply container is a container for supplying a developer to a developer supplying member.

4. When the engaged portion is engaged with the engaging member on a side of the shaft portion closer to the developer accommodating portion in the direction of the rotation axis of the developer accommodating portion, the engaging portion is in a second state in which the inclination angle with respect to the rotation axis is smaller than the inclination angle in the first state.

4. The developer supply container according to claim 2 or 3.

5. The tilt angle in the second state is approximately 0°.

5. The developer supply container according to claim 4.

6. The surface of the engaging member that engages with the engaged portion is a flat surface.

6. The developer supply container according to claim 1, wherein the developer supply container is a container for supplying a developer to a developer supplying member.

7. a first positioning portion that abuts against the engaging member to position the engaging member in the first state, and a second positioning portion that abuts against the engaging member to position the engaging member in the second state, 6. The developer supply container according to claim 4, wherein the developer supply container is a container for supplying a developer to a developer supplying member.

8. In the vertical direction, the shaft portion is disposed below the rotation axis of the developer accommodating portion and above the discharge port.

8. The developer supply container according to claim 1, wherein the developer supply container is a container for supplying a developer to a developer supplying unit.

9. the developer accommodating portion is rotatable relative to the discharge portion; 9. The developer supply container according to claim 1, wherein the developer supply container is a container for supplying a developer to a developer supplying unit.

10. In the direction of the rotation axis of the developer accommodating unit, the shaft portion is disposed at a position farther from the developer accommodating unit than the discharge port.

10. The developer supply container according to claim 1, wherein the developer supply container is a container for supplying a developer to a developer supplying unit.

11. The shaft portion protrudes from a side surface of the discharge portion.

11. The developer supply container according to claim 1.

12. a developer receiving device having a developer receiving portion formed with a receiving opening for receiving developer and an engaged portion displaceable integrally with the developer receiving portion; a developer supply container detachably attached to the developer receiving device, The developer supply container is a rotatable developer container that contains a developer; a discharge portion having a discharge port formed on a bottom surface thereof for discharging the developer accommodated in the developer accommodating portion; an engaging member that engages with the engaged portion in association with the mounting operation of the developer supply container, and displaces the developer receiving portion in a displacement direction so that the receiving opening communicates with the discharge opening; a shaft portion provided in the discharge portion and rotatably supporting the engaging member at a position where both ends of the engaging member are rotatable; A developer supply system characterized by:

Images