Conveying device and image forming apparatus

Abstract

The present invention provides a transport device and an image forming apparatus that can suppress toner clogging and ensure stable transport. [Solution] The transport device 140 includes a transport member 41 that transports toner along the transport direction D1, a cylindrical transport path (transport pipe 50) with an outlet 51 formed on its side, a shutter member 60 that moves along the transport direction D1 to open and close the outlet 51, and a biasing member 80 that biases the shutter member 60 to close the outlet 51. A part of the side surface of the cylindrical transport path has a double structure having an outer wall (transport pipe 50) and an inner wall (covering part 42a). The biasing member 80 is installed between the outer wall and the inner wall.

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present disclosure relates to a conveying device that conveys contained toner and an image forming apparatus.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, a toner image is formed on an image carrier, the toner image is transferred onto a sheet of paper, and the toner image is fixed onto the sheet of paper by a fixing device to form an image. In the transfer process, not all of the toner image visualized on the photoreceptor drum is transferred, and toner may remain on the photoreceptor drum. Therefore, the remaining toner is collected to clean the surface of the photoreceptor drum, and the collected waste toner is stored in a waste toner collection box attached to the housing. The waste toner collection box is detachable from the housing and can be removed as appropriate when the storage amount increases.

[0003] At locations where toner, developer, etc. are transferred between members, there is a risk that toner may leak and contaminate the inside of the image forming apparatus, so a configuration with a shutter that closes the discharge port is applied (see, for example, Patent Document 1 and Patent Document ).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Patent Document 2

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] Conventional developer transport mechanisms include a pipe-shaped transport path for transporting developer and having an outlet formed on a part of its side, a shutter slidably arranged along the outer surface of the pipe-shaped transport path and opening and closing the outlet, a sealing member fixed to the inner surface of the shutter, and a biasing member that biases the shutter in the direction in which the outlet is closed. The sealing member has a contact portion that contacts the outer surface of the pipe-shaped transport path so as to surround the outlet when the outlet is closed by the shutter, and a non-contact portion formed inside the contact portion.

[0006] As mentioned above, a configuration in which a shutter is installed on the outside of a pipe-shaped transport path has the problem of increasing the size and cost in order to secure the area for installing the shutter.

[0007] Furthermore, conventional powder conveying devices are capable of conveying powder (such as toner) along a predetermined conveying direction internally and include a fixed conveying member having a powder discharge port, a movable shutter member provided inside the fixed conveying member and movable along the conveying direction, and a biasing member provided inside the fixed conveying member and biasing the movable shutter member toward the downstream side in the conveying direction. The movable shutter member moves toward the downstream side in the conveying direction to close the powder discharge port and moves toward the upstream side in the conveying direction to open the powder discharge port. Guide grooves are formed on one of the fixed conveying member and the movable shutter member, and guide ribs are formed on the other of the fixed conveying member and the movable shutter member. The guide grooves and guide ribs guide the movement of the movable shutter member and, when the movable shutter member is closing the powder discharge port, are shaped to press the movable shutter member against the fixed conveying member.

[0008] Incidentally, in configurations where a biasing member is installed inside the device, when the biasing member expands or contracts, powder can enter the gap created around it, causing the powder to aggregate and clog the device.

[0009] This disclosure is made to solve the above-mentioned problems and aims to provide a transport device and an image forming apparatus that can suppress toner clogging and perform stable transport. [Means for solving the problem]

[0010] The transport device according to this disclosure is a transport device for transporting contained toner to an outlet, comprising: a transport member for transporting toner along the transport direction; a cylindrical transport path provided inside the transport member and having an outlet formed on its side; a shutter member provided inside the cylindrical transport path and moving along the transport direction to open and close the outlet; and a biasing member provided inside the cylindrical transport path and biasing the shutter member downstream in the transport direction to close the outlet, wherein a part of the side surface of the cylindrical transport path has a double structure having an outer wall portion of the outer cylinder and an inner wall portion of the inner cylinder, and the biasing member is installed between the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion.

[0011] The transport device according to this disclosure may be configured such that, with the shutter member open, the entire biasing member is positioned between the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion.

[0012] The transport device according to this disclosure may be configured such that the inner wall portion and the shutter member come into contact when the shutter member is in the open position of the discharge port.

[0013] In the conveying device according to this disclosure, with the shutter member closed, the biasing member may be configured such that the upstream end in the conveying direction is attached between the outer wall and the inner wall, and the downstream end in the conveying direction extends further downstream in the conveying direction than the inner wall.

[0014] In the transport device according to this disclosure, the inner diameter of the inner wall portion may be configured to be less than or equal to the inner diameter of the shutter member.

[0015] In the transport device according to this disclosure, the entire biasing member may be positioned between the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion when the shutter member is closed over the discharge port.

[0016] In the conveying device according to the present disclosure, the outer diameter of the inner wall portion may be configured to be smaller than the inner diameter of the shutter member.

[0017] In the conveying device according to the present disclosure, the shutter member is provided with a fitting portion having a notch at an end portion on the upstream side in the conveying direction, and in a state where the shutter member opens the discharge port, a tip end of the inner wall portion may be configured to fit into the fitting portion.

[0018] In the conveying device according to the present disclosure, the inner diameter of the inner wall portion may be configured to be substantially equal to the inner diameter of the shutter member excluding the fitting portion.

[0019] The image forming apparatus according to the present disclosure is characterized by including the conveying device according to the present disclosure.

Advantages of the Invention

[0020] According to the present disclosure, since the biasing member is covered by the inner wall portion so as not to be exposed inside the cylindrical conveying path, it is possible to prevent toner from adhering to the gap of the biasing member, suppress toner clogging, and perform stable conveyance.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0021] [Figure 1] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 2] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state where a discharge port is closed in a conventional conveying device. [Figure 3] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state where a discharge port is open in a conventional conveying device. [Figure 4] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state where a discharge port is closed in a conveying device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 5] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a state where a discharge port is open in a conveying device according to a first embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 6] It is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the sizes of each part of the conveying device. [Figure 7]This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a modified example 1 of the conveying device. [Figure 8] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a modified example 2 of the conveying device. [Figure 9] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the discharge port closed in a conveying device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 10] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the discharge port in an open state in a conveying device according to a second embodiment of the present disclosure. [Figure 11] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the discharge port closed in a conveying device according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. [Figure 12] This is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the discharge port in an open state in a conveying device according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. [Modes for carrying out the invention]

[0022] (First Embodiment) Hereinafter, the fixing apparatus and image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0023] Figure 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0024] The image forming apparatus 100 is a multifunction device having copying, scanning, facsimile, and printing functions, and transmits images of originals scanned by the image reading device 130 to an external source, or forms images of originals scanned by the image reading device 130 or images received from an external source in color or monochrome on a recording medium such as paper.

[0025] An openable and closable document transport device 110 is provided above the image reading device 130. The document transport device 110 transports one or more documents one by one in sequence. The image reading device 130 generates image data by scanning the document placed on the document tray 130a using the scanning optical system 130b, or by reading the document being transported by the document transport device 110.

[0026] The image forming apparatus 100 includes a fixing device 1, a developing device 2, a photoreceptor drum 3, a drum cleaning device 4, a charger 5, an intermediate transfer belt device 7, a secondary transfer device 11, a light scanning device 12, and a paper feeding unit 18, among others.

[0027] The image forming apparatus 100 handles image data corresponding to color images using black (K), cyan (C), magenta (M), and yellow (Y), or monochrome images using a single color (for example, black). The image forming apparatus 100 is equipped with four developing devices 2, four photoreceptor drums 3, four drum cleaning devices 4, and four chargers 5 for forming four types of toner images, each corresponding to black, cyan, magenta, and yellow, forming four image stations Pa, Pb, Pc, and Pd.

[0028] The optical scanning device 12 exposes the surface of the photoreceptor drum 3 to form an electrostatic latent image. The developing device 2 develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 3 to form a toner image on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 3. The drum cleaning device 4 removes and recovers residual toner from the surface of the photoreceptor drum 3. The charger 5 uniformly charges the surface of the photoreceptor drum 3 to a predetermined potential. Through the above series of operations, toner images of each color are formed on the surface of each photoreceptor drum 3.

[0029] The intermediate transfer belt device 7 comprises intermediate transfer rollers 6, an endless intermediate transfer belt 71, an intermediate transfer drive roller 72, an intermediate transfer driven roller 73, and a cleaning device 9. Four intermediate transfer rollers 6 are provided inside the intermediate transfer belt 71 to form four different toner images corresponding to each color. The intermediate transfer rollers 6 transfer the toner images of each color formed on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 3 to the circulating intermediate transfer belt 71.

[0030] The intermediate transfer belt 71 is stretched over the intermediate transfer drive roller 72 and the intermediate transfer driven roller 73. In the image forming apparatus 100, the toner images of each color formed on the surface of each photoreceptor drum 3 are sequentially transferred and superimposed to form a color toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 71. The cleaning device 9 removes and collects waste toner that remains on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 71 without being transferred to the paper.

[0031] The secondary transfer device 11 traps the paper that has been transported through the paper transport path 21 in the transfer nip section TN between the secondary transfer roller 11a and the intermediate transfer belt 71. As the paper passes through the transfer nip section TN, the toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 71 is transferred to the paper and it is then transported to the fuser device 1.

[0032] The fixing device 1 includes a fixing belt 31 and a pressure roller 32 that rotate around an axis. The fixing device 1 inserts the paper on which the toner image has been transferred into the nip portion N between the fixing belt 31 and the pressure roller 32, heats and pressurizes it, and fixes the toner image to the paper. Although not shown in Figure 1, the fixing device 1 may also have components other than the fixing belt 31 and the pressure roller 32.

[0033] The paper feeding unit 18 is equipped with a paper feeding cassette for loading recording media (paper) used for image formation and is located below the optical scanning device 12. The paper is pulled out of the paper feeding unit 18 by the pickup roller 16 and transported to the paper transport path 21. The paper transported to the paper transport path 21 passes through the secondary transfer device 11 and the fuser device 1, and is then discharged to the output tray 19 by the discharge roller 17.

[0034] The paper transport path 21 is equipped with a transport roller 13, a registration roller 14, and an ejection roller 17. The transport roller 13 facilitates the transport of the paper. The registration roller 14 transports the paper at a speed equal to the process speed at which the image is formed on the paper. This registration roller 14 is located between the paper feed unit 18 and the secondary transfer device 11 and adjusts the timing of the paper transport so that the toner image is transferred to the paper by the secondary transfer device 11. For example, the registration roller 14 holds the paper transported from the paper feed unit 18 and waits (stops temporarily), then starts transporting the paper at a constant speed in synchronization with the secondary transfer device 11.

[0035] When image formation is to be performed on the back side of the paper as well as the front side, the paper transport direction is changed by the discharge roller 17 and the paper is transported to the inversion transport path 22. In the inversion transport path 22, the paper is guided to the registration roller 14 with its front and back sides reversed by the inversion transport roller 15. The image forming apparatus 100 forms an image on the back side of the paper guided to the registration roller 14 in the same way as the front side and discharges it to the output tray 19.

[0036] The image forming apparatus 100 is equipped with a waste toner collection box (not shown), and the waste toner collected by the drum cleaning device 4 and cleaning device 9 is transported to the waste toner collection box by a transport device 140, which will be described later. However, it is not limited to this, and the transport device 140 may also be provided at a point where toner is transferred between components, such as the connection point between the toner cartridge containing the toner and the developing device 2.

[0037] Incidentally, conventional conveying devices 140 sometimes experienced toner clogging within the device. Therefore, the structure of the conventional conveying device 140 will be explained with reference to Figures 2 and 3.

[0038] Figure 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional conveying device with the discharge port closed.

[0039] Figure 2 shows a magnified view of the vicinity of the transport device 140 located at the end of the container 40 that holds the waste toner collected by the drum cleaning device 4. As shown in Figure 2, the conventional transport device 140 has a transport member 41, a transport pipe 50, a shutter member 60, and a biasing member 80.

[0040] The transport pipe 50 is a substantially cylindrical component that constitutes a cylindrical transport path. The containment container 40 is provided with a cylindrical pipe insertion section 42 extending from its end, and the pipe insertion section 42 is inserted into the transport pipe 50. The outer diameter of the pipe insertion section 42 is substantially equal to the inner diameter of the transport pipe 50, and they are fitted together so that there is no gap between them. The transport pipe 50 is longer than the pipe insertion section 42, and there is a portion inside the transport pipe 50 that does not overlap with the pipe insertion section 42.

[0041] The transport member 41 is a screw with helical blades around a rotating shaft. The transport member 41 is installed inside the storage container 40, and its end extends into the transport pipe 50 through the pipe insertion section 42. By rotating around its axis, the transport member 41 transports the toner in the storage container 40 toward the transport pipe 50. At this time, the transport direction D1 of the toner within the transport device 140 (to the right in Figure 2) is the axial direction of the transport member 41. For explanatory purposes below, the direction opposite to the transport direction D1 may be referred to as the pressing direction D2 (to the left in Figure 2).

[0042] An outlet 51, which is an opening, is provided on the side of the transport pipe 50, in the portion located below when it is attached to the image forming apparatus 100. The outlet 51 is located at the downstream end of the transport pipe 50 in the transport direction D1 (the right end in Figure 2). The transport pipe 50 also has an opening at the end face of its tip, which provides a projection insertion port 52. As shown in Figure 3, which will be described later, a pressing projection 152 provided on the housing 150 of the waste toner collection box used in the image forming apparatus 100 is inserted into the projection insertion port 52.

[0043] The shutter member 60 is a substantially cylindrical member installed inside the transport pipe 50 and is movable along the transport direction D1 and the pressing direction D2. An opening, the shutter discharge port 61, is provided at the bottom of the shutter member 60. The shutter member 60 is located far from the containment container 40 and is positioned downstream of the pipe insertion portion 42 in the transport direction D1.

[0044] The biasing member 80 is, for example, a coil spring, which is sandwiched between the tip of the pipe insertion portion 42 and the end of the shutter member 60, and biases the shutter member 60 in the transport direction D1. When the transport device 140 is removed from the image forming apparatus 100, as shown in Figure 2, the shutter member 60 moves away from the pipe insertion portion 42 due to the biasing force of the biasing member 80. At this time, the discharge port 51 and the shutter discharge port 61 are offset from each other, and the discharge port 51 is closed as it is covered by the shutter member 60.

[0045] Figure 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a conventional conveying device with the discharge port open.

[0046] Figure 3 differs from Figure 2 in that the transport device 140 is attached to the waste toner collection box of the image forming apparatus 100. The housing 150 of the waste toner collection box of the image forming apparatus 100 is provided with a pressing projection 152 on the part facing the projection insertion opening 52. When the transport device 140 is attached to the housing 150, the pressing projection 152 is inserted into the transport pipe 50 through the projection insertion opening 52. The pressing projection 152 pushes the shutter member 60 against the biasing force of the biasing member 80, moving the shutter member 60 in the pressing direction D2 so that it approaches the pipe insertion part 42. As a result, the discharge port 51 and the shutter discharge port 61 overlap, and the discharge port 51 opens. The housing 150 is also provided with a toner receiving port 151 on the part facing the discharge port 51, which receives the toner discharged from the discharge port 51.

[0047] Incidentally, upon examining the inside of the transport pipe 50, it was found that the biasing member 80 is exposed between the pipe insertion section 42 and the shutter member 60, facing the transport member 41, and the toner comes into contact with the biasing member 80. As a result, the toner can get into the uneven parts of the biasing member 80, and the toner adhering to this part can gradually accumulate, sometimes causing the transport pipe 50 to become clogged.

[0048] In contrast, the transport device 140 according to the embodiment of this disclosure prevents toner from adhering to the biasing member 80, thereby suppressing toner clogging. Next, the structure of the transport device 140 according to the first embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to Figures 4 and 5.

[0049] Figure 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the discharge port closed in the conveying device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure, and Figure 5 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the discharge port open in the conveying device according to the first embodiment of this disclosure.

[0050] Figures 4 and 5 show enlarged views of the vicinity of the transport device 140 located at the end of the toner storage container 40. As shown in Figures 4 and 5, the transport device 140 of this embodiment has a transport member 41, a transport pipe 50, a shutter member 60, and a biasing member 80, similar to a conventional transport device 140, and the explanation of parts with similar structures will be omitted.

[0051] In this embodiment, the covering portion 42a extends from the tip of the pipe insertion portion 42, which is different from the conventional structure shown in Figures 2 and 3. Specifically, the outer diameter of the pipe insertion portion 42 is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the transport pipe 50, while the outer diameter of the covering portion 42a is smaller than the inner diameter of the transport pipe 50. Therefore, a gap is provided between the covering portion 42a and the transport pipe 50, and the biasing member 80 is attached to this gap. In other words, in the cylindrical transport path, the portion corresponding to the covering portion 42a has a double structure in which the transport pipe 50 is the outer wall and the covering portion 42a is the inner wall.

[0052] As shown in Figure 5, when the transport device 140 is attached to the housing 150, the shutter member 60 is pushed in the pressing direction D2 by the pressing projection 152, and the discharge port 51 opens. At this time, the shutter member 60 is stopped with its end in contact with the tip of the covering portion 42a, and the biasing member 80 is covered by the covering portion 42a so that it is not exposed to the inside of the transport pipe 50. In this way, since the biasing member 80 is covered by the covering portion 42a (inner wall portion) so that it is not exposed to the inside of the cylindrical transport path, toner can not adhere to the gap of the biasing member 80, thereby suppressing toner clogging and enabling stable transport.

[0053] Figure 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the dimensions of each part of the conveying device. For clarity, Figure 6 only shows the storage container 40, conveying pipe 50, shutter member 60, and biasing member 80 of the conveying device 140. Furthermore, for the biasing member 80, only the portion corresponding to the cross-section is shown, and the dashed lines corresponding to the other parts are omitted.

[0054] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the covering portion 42a (insertion portion inner diameter PL1) is smaller than the inner diameter of the shutter member 60 (shutter inner diameter SL). However, it is not limited to this, and the insertion portion inner diameter PL1 only needs to be less than or equal to the shutter inner diameter SL, and may be approximately equal to the shutter inner diameter SL. In this way, since the inner diameter of the shutter member 60 located downstream is larger than that of the covering portion 42a located upstream, the toner does not get caught at the boundary between the two and can be transported smoothly.

[0055] In this embodiment, the transport pipe 50, which corresponds to the outer wall, extends further downstream in the transport direction D1 than the covering portion 42a, and the discharge port 51 is provided on the transport pipe 50. By providing the discharge port 51 on the transport pipe 50 in this way, the volume of contents in the cylindrical transport path can be made as large as possible.

[0056] As shown in Figure 4, with the shutter member 60 closing the discharge port 51, the biasing member 80 extends further downstream in the transport direction D1 than the covering portion 42a. By making the covering portion 42a as short as possible in this way, a simpler structure can be achieved, thereby reducing costs.

[0057] Next, Modification 1 and Modification 2 of this embodiment will be described with reference to Figures 7 and 8.

[0058] Figure 7 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a modified example 1 of the conveying device.

[0059] In the first modified example, the diameter of the pipe insertion section 42 is different. Specifically, the inner diameter of the covering section 42a at the tip of the pipe insertion section 42 is smaller than that at the base. The size of each part of the conveying device 140 may be adjusted as appropriate, as long as it does not interfere with other components.

[0060] Figure 8 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a modified example 2 of the conveying device.

[0061] In the modified example 2, the diameter of the transport pipe 50 is different. Specifically, the pipe insertion section 42 has a uniform inner and outer diameter from the base to the covering section 42a at the tip. The transport pipe 50 is provided with a small-diameter section 53 at the end on the pressing direction D2 side, which has a smaller inner diameter than the surrounding area. The inner diameter of the small-diameter section 53 is approximately equal to the outer diameter of the transport pipe 50, and the pipe insertion section 42 is fitted into the small-diameter section 53. Of the transport pipe 50, the portion downstream of the small-diameter section 53 in the transport direction D1 and facing the covering section 42a corresponds to the outer wall, and a biasing member 80 is attached between it and the covering section 42a.

[0062] (Second Embodiment) Next, an image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that the biasing member 80 is not exposed to the toner transport path even when the discharge port 51 is open. Since the second embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the first embodiment shown in Figures 1 to 8, the explanation will be omitted, and only the differences will be described.

[0063] Figure 9 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the discharge port closed in the conveying device according to the second embodiment of this disclosure, and Figure 10 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the discharge port open in the conveying device according to the second embodiment of this disclosure. In Figures 9 and 10, for the sake of readability, only the containment container 40, conveying pipe 50, shutter member 60, and biasing member 80 of the conveying device 140 are shown. Furthermore, for the biasing member 80, only the portion corresponding to the cross-section is shown, and the dashed lines corresponding to the other portions are omitted.

[0064] The second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it has an extension portion 42b that extends further from the covering portion 42a, and even when the discharge port 51 is closed, the biasing member 80 is located outside the extension portion 42b and is not exposed to the toner transport path. The outer diameter of the extension portion 42b (insertion portion outer diameter PL2) is smaller than the shutter inner diameter SL. As shown in Figure 10, when the discharge port 51 is closed, the shutter member 60 fits into the gap between the extension portion 42b and the transport pipe 50, so that the shutter member 60 can move smoothly, and the toner entering between the biasing member 80 when the discharge port 51 is closed suppresses resistance when the biasing member 80 expands and contracts.

[0065] As in this embodiment, even when the discharge port 51 is closed, the extension portion 42b may extend further downstream in the transport direction D1 than the biasing member 80. In this way, by preventing the biasing member 80 from being exposed even when the discharge port 51 is closed, it is possible to reliably prevent toner from adhering to the gaps of the biasing member 80.

[0066] (Third embodiment) Next, an image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment of this disclosure will be described with reference to the drawings. In the third embodiment, the shape of the shutter member 60 is different from that of the second embodiment. Note that the third embodiment has substantially the same configuration as the first and second embodiments shown in Figures 1 to 10, so the explanation will be omitted and only the differences will be described.

[0067] Figure 11 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the discharge port closed in the conveying device according to the third embodiment of this disclosure, and Figure 12 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the discharge port open in the conveying device according to the third embodiment of this disclosure. In Figures 11 and 12, for the sake of readability, only the containment container 40, conveying pipe 50, shutter member 60, and biasing member 80 of the conveying device 140 are shown. Furthermore, for the biasing member 80, only the portion corresponding to the cross-section is shown, and the dashed lines corresponding to the other portions are omitted.

[0068] The third embodiment differs from the second embodiment in that the shutter member 60 is provided with a fitting portion 62. Specifically, the shutter member 60 is provided with a fitting portion 62, which is cut out at the end on the upstream side in the transport direction D1. The inner diameter of the fitting portion 62 (fitting diameter KL) and the outer diameter of the extension portion 42b are approximately equal. As shown in Figure 12, when the discharge port 51 is open, the tip of the extension portion 42b fits into the fitting portion 62. In this way, since the extension portion 42b fits into the fitting portion 62 of the shutter member 60, the shutter member 60 can be positioned so that it does not move.

[0069] In this embodiment, the inner diameter of the extension portion 42b (insertion portion inner diameter PL1) is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the shutter member 60 (shutter inner diameter SL). In this way, since the inner diameters of the inner wall portion and the shutter member 60 are approximately equal, the toner does not get caught at the boundary between the two, and can be transported smoothly. Furthermore, since the inner diameter does not change even when the shutter member 60 moves, the transport member 41 can be made as large as possible to improve transport efficiency.

[0070] Furthermore, the embodiments disclosed herein are illustrative in all respects and do not constitute a limiting interpretation. Accordingly, the technical scope of this disclosure is not to be interpreted solely by the embodiments described above, but is defined based on the claims. This includes all modifications within the meaning and scope of equivalents to the claims. [Explanation of Symbols]

[0071] 40 containers 41 Conveying member 42 Pipe insertion section 42a Covering part 42b Extension part 50 Conveyor pipes 51 Outlet 52 Protruding insertion opening 53 Small diameter section 60 Shutter components 61 Shutter outlet 62 Fitting part 80 Biasing member 100 Image forming apparatus 140 Conveyor equipment 150 cabinets 151 Toner Inlet 152 Pressing projection D1 Conveying direction D2 Pressing direction

Claims

1. A conveying device that transports the contained toner to the discharge port, A transport member that transports toner along the transport direction, A cylindrical conveying path is provided inside the conveying member, and the discharge port is formed on its side. A shutter member is provided inside the cylindrical transport path and moves along the transport direction to open and close the discharge port, The system includes a biasing member provided inside the cylindrical transport path, which biases the shutter member toward the downstream side in the transport direction to close the discharge port, A portion of the side surface of the cylindrical conveying path has a double structure consisting of an outer wall portion of the outer cylinder and an inner wall portion of the inner cylinder. The biasing member is installed between the outer wall portion and the inner wall portion. A conveying device characterized by the following.

2. A conveying device according to claim 1, With the shutter member in the open position of the discharge port, the entire biasing member is positioned between the outer wall and the inner wall. A conveying device characterized by the following.

3. A conveying device according to claim 1, When the shutter member is in the state where the discharge port is open, the inner wall portion and the shutter member come into contact. A conveying device characterized by the following.

4. A conveying device according to claim 1, With the shutter member closed, the biasing member has its upstream end in the transport direction attached between the outer wall and the inner wall, and its downstream end in the transport direction extends further downstream than the inner wall. A conveying device characterized by the following.

5. A conveying device according to claim 1, The inner diameter of the inner wall portion is less than or equal to the inner diameter of the shutter member. A conveying device characterized by the following.

6. A conveying device according to claim 1, With the shutter member closed, the entire biasing member is positioned between the outer wall and the inner wall. A conveying device characterized by the following.

7. A conveying device according to claim 6, The outer diameter of the inner wall portion is smaller than the inner diameter of the shutter member. A conveying device characterized by the following.

8. A conveying device according to claim 6, The shutter member is provided with a fitting portion that is cut out at the end on the upstream side in the transport direction. With the shutter member in the open position of the discharge port, the tip of the inner wall portion fits into the fitting portion. A conveying device characterized by the following.

9. A conveying device according to claim 8, The inner diameter of the inner wall portion is approximately equal to the inner diameter of the shutter member excluding the fitting portion. A conveying device characterized by the following.

10. An image forming apparatus comprising the transport device described in claim 1.

Images