Toner container

Abstract

To provide one form of a storage container.SOLUTION: A toner container is removably attached to an image forming apparatus, and comprises: a storage part that has a container part storing toner; and a leading end part that includes a nozzle having a discharge port discharging the toner from the toner container, and a passage through which the toner passes toward the discharge port. At least part of the leading end part is covered by a removable film.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 15

Description

[Technical field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a toner container that can be attached to an image forming apparatus that forms an image on a recording material. [Background technology]

[0002] In general, electrophotographic image forming apparatuses form images by transferring a toner image formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum to a transfer material as a transfer medium. Known methods of supplying toner include a process cartridge method and a toner supply method. In the process cartridge method, the photosensitive drum and a developing container are integrated as a process cartridge, and when the toner runs out, the process cartridge is replaced with a new one.

[0003] On the other hand, the toner supply method is a method in which new toner is supplied to the developing container when the toner runs out. For example, Patent Document 1 discloses an image forming apparatus in which toner is supplied to the developing container using a toner pack that can be attached to an attachment portion provided in the developing container. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0004] [Patent Document 1] Patent Publication No. 2021-26199 Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In recent years, various uses of toner containers that can be attached to image forming apparatuses have been desired by users.

[0006] SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT DISCLOSURE In view of the above, an object of the present invention is to provide an embodiment of a toner container that can be attached to an image forming apparatus. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The present invention ,toa toner container, the toner container comprising: a container portion for containing a toner; The Toner The above Toner container Outside of Discharge For An outlet; The above Towards the exhaust port The above a passageway configured for the toner to pass therethrough; A shielding member capable of shielding the exhaust port; have Nozzle included tip and the shielding member At least a part of Covering film and , Equipped It is characterized by: Effect of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide one embodiment of a toner container that can be attached to an image forming apparatus. [Brief description of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] FIG. 1A is a schematic diagram showing an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus. [Diagram 2] FIG. [Diagram 3] 1A is an exploded perspective view of the mounting part, and FIG. 1B is an exploded perspective view of the mounting part as viewed from a different direction from that of FIG. [Figure 4] FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing the appearance of the mounting part when the operating lever is in a closed position, and FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the appearance of the mounting part when the operating lever is in an open position. [Diagram 5] FIG. 4A is a plan view showing the appearance of the mounting part when the operating lever is in a closed position, and FIG. 4B is a plan view showing the appearance of the mounting part when the operating lever is in an open position. [Figure 6] 1A is a perspective view of the device-side shutter as viewed from the upstream side in the mounting direction, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the device-side shutter as viewed from a different perspective than that of FIG. [Figure 7] 1A is a perspective view of the cover as viewed from the downstream side in the installation direction, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the cover as viewed from the upstream side in the installation direction. [Figure 8] FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing the storage container, and FIG. [Figure 9] 1A is a side view of the toner pack when the pack-side shutter is in the blocking position, and FIG. 1B is a side view of the toner pack when the pack-side shutter is in the open position. [Figure 10] 1A is a perspective view showing the mounted portion when the pack side shutter is in the shielding position, and FIG. 1B is another perspective view showing the mounted portion when the pack side shutter is in the shielding position. [Figure 11] FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing a claw portion provided on the nozzle. [Figure 12] 12(a) is a front view showing the claw portion, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the 12B-12B cross section of FIG. 12(a). [Figure 13] 13(a) is a front view showing the claw portion, and (b) is a cross-sectional view showing the 13B-13B cross section of FIG. 13(a). [Figure 14] 13A is a perspective view showing the state when the toner pack is attached to the device-side shutter, and FIG. 13B is a cross-sectional view showing the 13B-13B cross section of FIG. 13A when the toner pack has been completely attached to the attachment portion. [Figure 15] FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing the toner pack with the film attached, and FIG. [Figure 16] 1A is a perspective view showing the broken portion of the film, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the process of removing the film. [Figure 17] 1A is a perspective view showing the film before it is attached, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the process of attaching the film. [Figure 18] 1A is a perspective view showing the toner pack being mounted in the mounting portion, and FIG. 1B is a perspective view showing the toner pack being mounted in the mounting portion from a different angle. [Figure 19] 1A is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the toner pack is being attached to the attachment portion, and FIG. 1B is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which the toner pack has been completely attached to the attachment portion. [Figure 20] 19(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the 20A-20A cross section of FIG. 19(a), and FIG. 19(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the 20B-20B cross section of FIG. 19(a). [Figure 21]FIG. 4A is a perspective view showing the operation lever and the toner pack when positioned at a closed position, and FIG. 4B is a perspective view showing the operation lever and the toner pack when positioned at an open position. [Figure 22] 19(b) when the device-side shutter and the pack-side shutter are both in the closed position, and FIG. 19(b) is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 22AB-22AB of FIG. 19(b) when the device-side shutter and the pack-side shutter are both in the open position. [Diagram 23] 1 is a perspective view showing a toner pack having a cap that covers a mounting portion and a film that covers the cap; [Figure 24] 13 is a perspective view illustrating a method for manufacturing the toner pack, in which the tip portion is covered with a film and then combined with the container portion. FIG. [Diagram 25] FIG. 1 is a system configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus. [Figure 26] FIG. 13 is a perspective view illustrating a method for manufacturing a toner pack when the toner pack is covered with a stretch film. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

[0010] Hereinafter, exemplary embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

[0011] <First embodiment> 1(a) is a schematic diagram showing the configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to a first embodiment. The image forming apparatus 1 is a monochrome printer that forms an image on a recording material P based on image information input from an external device. The recording material P includes various sheet materials of different materials, such as paper such as plain paper and thick paper, plastic films such as sheets for overhead projectors, sheets of special shapes such as envelopes and index paper, and cloth.

[0012] [Overall configuration] 1(a) and 1(b), the image forming apparatus 1 has a printer main body 400 as the device main body, a reading device 200 supported by the printer main body 400 so as to be openable and closable, and an operation unit 300 attached to the exterior surface of the printer main body 400. The printer main body 400 has an image forming unit 10 that forms a toner image on a recording material, a feeding unit 60 that feeds the recording material to the image forming unit 10, a fixing unit 70 that fixes the toner image formed by the image forming unit 10 to the recording material, and a pair of discharge rollers 80.

[0013] The photosensitive drum 21 is a cylindrically shaped photosensitive member. The photosensitive drum 21 of this embodiment has a photosensitive layer formed of a negatively charged organic photosensitive member on a drum-shaped base body formed of aluminum. The photosensitive drum 21 as an image carrier is rotated by a motor in a predetermined direction (clockwise direction in the figure) at a predetermined process speed.

[0014] The charging roller 22 comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 21 with a predetermined pressure to form a charging portion. A desired charging voltage is applied to the charging roller 22 by a charging high-voltage power supply, thereby uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 21 to a predetermined potential. In this embodiment, the photosensitive drum 21 is negatively charged by the charging roller 22. The pre-exposure device 23 neutralizes the surface potential of the photosensitive drum 21 at a position before the charging portion in order to generate a stable discharge at the charging portion.

[0015] The scanner unit 11 as an exposure means scans and exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum 21 by irradiating the photosensitive drum 21 with laser light corresponding to image information input from an external device or the reading device 200 using a polygon mirror. This exposure forms an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image information on the surface of the photosensitive drum 21. Note that the scanner unit 11 is not limited to a laser scanner device, and may be, for example, an LED exposure device having an LED array in which a plurality of LEDs are arranged along the longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum 21.

[0016] The developing device 30 includes a developing roller 31 as a toner carrier that carries toner, a developing container 32 that serves as a frame of the developing device 30, and a supply roller 33 that can supply toner to the developing roller 31. The developing roller 31 and the supply roller 33 are rotatably supported by the developing container 32. The developing roller 31 is disposed at an opening of the developing container 32 so as to face the photosensitive drum 21. The supply roller 33 rotatably contacts the developing roller 31, and the toner contained in the developing container 32 is applied to the surface of the developing roller 31 by the supply roller 33. Note that the supply roller 33 is not necessarily required as long as the developing roller 31 is configured to be sufficiently supplied with toner.

[0017] The developing device 30 of this embodiment uses a contact development method as a development method. That is, the toner layer carried by the developing roller 31 comes into contact with the photosensitive drum 21 in a development section (development area) where the photosensitive drum 21 and the developing roller 31 face each other. A development voltage is applied to the developing roller 31 by a development high-voltage power supply. Under the development voltage, the toner carried by the developing roller 31 is transferred from the developing roller 31 to the drum surface according to the potential distribution on the surface of the photosensitive drum 21, so that the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image. Note that this embodiment employs a reversal development method. That is, the toner image is formed by adhering to the surface area of ​​the photosensitive drum 21, which is charged in the charging process and then exposed in the exposure process, where the charge amount is attenuated.

[0018] In this embodiment, a toner having a particle size of 6 μm and a normal charging polarity of negative polarity is used. As an example of the toner in this embodiment, a polymerized toner produced by a polymerization method is used. The toner in this embodiment does not contain a magnetic component, and is a so-called non-magnetic one-component toner in which the toner is carried on the developing roller 31 mainly by intermolecular forces and electrostatic forces (image forces). However, a one-component toner containing a magnetic component may also be used. In addition to toner particles, a one-component toner may contain additives (e.g., wax or silica particles) for adjusting the fluidity and charging performance of the toner. A two-component toner composed of a non-magnetic toner and a magnetic carrier may also be used as the toner. When a magnetic toner is used, a cylindrical developing sleeve with a magnet arranged inside is used as the toner carrier.

[0019] An agitating member 34 is disposed inside the developing container 32. The agitating member 34 is driven to rotate by a motor M1 (see FIG. 25), thereby agitating the toner in the developing container 32 and sending the toner toward the developing roller 31 and the supply roller 33. The agitating member 34 also circulates, within the developing container, the toner that has not been used in development and has been scraped off from the developing roller 31, thereby making the toner in the developing container uniform. The agitating member 34 is not limited to a rotating type. For example, a oscillating type agitating member may be employed.

[0020] In addition, a developing blade 35 that regulates the amount of toner carried by the developing roller 31 is disposed at the opening of the developing container 32 in which the developing roller 31 is disposed. The toner supplied to the surface of the developing roller 31 passes through the portion facing the developing blade 35 as the developing roller 31 rotates, whereby the toner is uniformly formed into a thin layer and is negatively charged by frictional charging.

[0021] 1(a) and 1(b), the feeding section 60 has a front door 61 supported by the printer body 400 so as to be openable and closable, a tray section 62, a middle plate 63, a tray spring 64, and a pickup roller 65. The tray section 62 constitutes the bottom surface of a recording material storage space that appears when the front door 61 is opened, and the middle plate 63 is supported by the tray section 62 so as to be movable up and down. The tray spring 64 biases the middle plate 63 upward, and presses the recording material P loaded on the middle plate 63 against the pickup roller 65. The front door 61 closes the recording material storage space when closed relative to the printer body 400, and supports the recording material P together with the tray section 62 and the middle plate 63 when opened relative to the printer body 400.

[0022] The fixing unit 70 is a thermal fixing type that fixes an image by heating and melting the toner on the recording material. The fixing unit 70 includes a fixing film 71, a fixing heater such as a ceramic heater that heats the fixing film 71, a thermistor that measures the temperature of the fixing heater, and a pressure roller 72 that is in pressure contact with the fixing film 71.

[0023] Next, a control system of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described.

[0024] 25 is a block diagram showing a control system of the image forming apparatus 1. A control unit 90 as a control means of the image forming apparatus 1 has a CPU 91 as a calculation device, a RAM 92 used as a work area for the CPU 91, and a ROM 93 for storing various programs. The control unit 90 also has an I / O interface 94 as an input / output port connected to an external device, and an A / D conversion unit 95 for converting an analog signal into a digital signal.

[0025] Next, the image forming operation of the image forming apparatus 1 will be described. When an image formation command is input to the image forming apparatus 1, an image forming process is started by the image forming section 10 based on image information input from an external computer or a reading device 200 connected to the image forming apparatus 1. As shown in FIGS. 1(a) and 1(b), the scanner unit 11 irradiates a laser beam toward the photosensitive drum 21 based on the input image information. At this time, the photosensitive drum 21 is charged in advance by the charging roller 22, and an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photosensitive drum 21 by irradiating it with the laser beam. Thereafter, the electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing roller 31, and a toner image is formed on the photosensitive drum 21.

[0026] In parallel with the above-mentioned image forming process, the pickup roller 65 of the feeding section 60 feeds out the recording material P supported by the front door 61, the tray section 62, and the middle plate 63. The recording material P is fed by the pickup roller 65 to the pair of registration rollers 15, and the skew of the recording material P is corrected by hitting the nip of the pair of registration rollers 15. The pair of registration rollers 15 is then driven in accordance with the transfer timing of the toner image, and conveys the recording material P toward the transfer nip formed by the transfer roller 12 and the photosensitive drum 21.

[0027] A transfer voltage is applied to the transfer roller 12 as a transfer means from a transfer high voltage power supply, and the toner image carried on the photosensitive drum 21 is transferred to the recording material P being transported by a pair of registration rollers 15. The recording material P with the transferred toner image is transported to a fixing section 70, where the toner image is heated and pressurized as it passes through a nip between a fixing film 71 and a pressure roller 72 of the fixing section 70. This causes the toner particles to melt and then adhere, thereby fixing the toner image to the recording material P. The recording material P that has passed through the fixing section 70 is discharged to the outside of the image forming apparatus 1 (outside the machine) by a pair of discharge rollers 80 as a discharge means, and is loaded onto a discharge tray 81 as a loading section formed on the upper part of the printer main body 400.

[0028] The discharge tray 81 is inclined upward toward the downstream in the discharge direction of the recording material, and the recording material discharged to the discharge tray 81 slides down the discharge tray 81 so that the trailing edge of the recording material is aligned by a regulating surface 84 .

[0029] The reading device 200 has a reading unit 201 with a built-in reading section (not shown), and a pressure plate 202 supported so as to be openable and closable by the reading unit 201. On the upper surface of the reading unit 201, there is provided a document table glass 203 which transmits light emitted from the reading section and on which a document is placed.

[0030] When a user wants to read an image of an original document by the reading device 200, the user places the original document on the glass platen 203 with the pressure platen 202 open. Then, the user closes the pressure platen 202 to prevent the original document on the glass platen 203 from being displaced, and outputs a reading command to the image forming device 1 by operating the operation unit 300, for example. When the reading operation is started, the reading unit in the reading unit 201 moves back and forth in the sub-scanning direction, that is, in the left and right directions with the operation unit 300 of the image forming device 1 facing the front. The reading unit emits light to the original document from the light-emitting unit, receives the light reflected by the original document with the light-receiving unit, and reads the image of the original document by photoelectric conversion. In the following, the front-rear direction, left-right direction, and up-down direction are defined based on the state in which the operation unit 300 faces the front.

[0031] A discharge tray 81 is formed on the upper surface of a top cover 82 at the top of the printer body 400. As shown in Figures 1(b) and 2, an opening / closing member 83 is supported on the top cover 82 so as to be openable and closable around a pivot shaft 83a extending in the front-rear direction. An opening 82a that opens upward is formed in the discharge tray 81 of the top cover 82.

[0032] The opening / closing member 83 is configured to be movable between a closed position where the supply port 32a is covered so that the toner pack (toner container) 100 cannot be attached to the developing container 32, and an open position where the supply port 32a is exposed so that the toner pack 100 can be attached to the developing container 32. With the opening / closing member 83 in the open position, the toner pack 100 is moved in the attachment direction M towards the supply port 32a and attached to the supply port 32a.

[0033] In the closed position, the opening / closing member 83 functions as a part of the discharge tray 81. The opening / closing member 83 and the opening 82a are formed on the left side of the discharge tray 81. The opening / closing member 83 is opened to the left when the user places his / her finger in a groove 82b provided in the top cover 82 to open it. The opening / closing member 83 is formed in a substantially L-shape to fit the shape of the top cover 82.

[0034] The opening 82a of the discharge tray 81 is open so as to expose the supply port 32a for toner supply formed at the top of the developing container 32, and the user can access the supply port 32a by opening the opening / closing member 83. Note that in this embodiment, a method (direct supply method) is adopted in which the user supplies toner from a toner pack 100 (see FIGS. 1(a) and (b)) filled with replenishment toner to the developing device 30 while the developing device 30 is still attached to the image forming device 1. The toner pack 100 is configured to be detachable from the attachment portion 106 (see FIGS. 22(a) and (b)) of the image forming device 1, and at least a part of it is exposed to the outside when it is attached.

[0035] With this configuration, when replenishing toner, it is not necessary to remove the entire process unit 20, which includes a portion for storing toner, from the printer body 400 and replace it with a new process unit 20. Therefore, with this configuration, the work that is required in other configurations when the amount of toner remaining in the process unit 20 is low is no longer necessary, improving usability. Also, toner can be replenished to the developing container 32 at a lower cost than replacing the entire process unit 20. The direct replenishment method can reduce costs, since it is not necessary to replace various rollers, gears, etc., as well, compared to replacing only the developing device 30, which is responsible for the developing function, of the process unit 20. The image forming apparatus 1 and the toner pack 100 constitute an image forming system 1000.

[0036] [Installation part] Next, the configuration of the mounting portion 106 to which the toner pack 100 is attached will be described with reference to Figs. 3(a) to 7(b). In this embodiment, the mounting portion 106 is a unit for mounting the toner pack 100, including the replenishing port 32a, and is provided in the image forming apparatus 1 (see Fig. 2). Fig. 3(a) is an exploded perspective view of the mounting portion 106. Fig. 3(b) is an exploded perspective view of the mounting portion 106 seen from a different direction from Fig. 3(a). Figs. 4(a) and 5(a) are respectively a perspective view showing the appearance of the mounting portion 106 when the operation lever 108 is in the closed position, and a view of the mounting portion 106 seen from the mounting direction M. Figs. 4(b) and 5(b) are respectively a perspective view showing the appearance of the mounting portion 106 when the operation lever 108 is in the open position, and a view of the mounting portion 106 seen from the mounting direction M.

[0037] Fig. 6(a) is a perspective view of the device-side shutter 109 seen from the upstream side in the mounting direction M. Fig. 6(b) is a perspective view of the device-side shutter 109 from a different viewpoint than that in Fig. 6(a). Fig. 7(a) is a perspective view of the cover 110 seen from the downstream side in the mounting direction M. Fig. 7(b) is a perspective view of the cover 110 seen from the upstream side in the mounting direction M.

[0038] As shown in Fig. 3(a) to Fig. 4(b), the mounting part 106 has a main body base part 2, and the main body base part 2 includes a first frame body 107, a second frame body 117, and a cover 110. The cover 110 and the second frame body 117 are fixed to the first frame body 107. As shown in Fig. 7(a) and (b), the cover 110 has an engaged part 110h that engages with a positioning part 107a of the first frame body 107 so as not to rotate about a rotation axis B relative to the first frame body 107. In addition, a notch 110k is provided on the downstream side of the cover 110 in the mounting direction M, i.e., on the bottom side, and the notch 110k has a first regulating surface 110c and a second regulating surface 110d.

[0039] The first restriction surface 110c and the second restriction surface 110d are provided so as to face each other in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis B.

[0040] The first frame 107, the cover 110, and the second frame 117 may be integrally configured rather than being separate members. As shown in Figures 3(a) and 3(b), the second frame 117 is provided with an apparatus side opening 117a, which communicates with the toner storage section 36 of the developing container 32 (see Figure 1(a)).

[0041] The operating lever 108 and the device-side shutter 109 are each attached to the main body base part 2 so as to be rotatable around the rotation axis B. The first frame 107 is provided with a positioning part 107a. The positioning part 107a protrudes inward from the inner circumferential surface of the first frame 107 centered on the rotation axis B in the radial direction r of a virtual circle VC centered on the rotation axis B.

[0042] Further, the operating lever 108 as an operating part is provided with a drive transmission part 108a and an operating part 108b. By operating the operating part 108b, the user can rotate the operating lever 108 around the rotation axis B relative to the main body base part 2. As shown in FIG. 3(a), the drive transmission part 108a is a convex part that protrudes inward from the inner circumferential surface of the operating lever 108 centered on the rotation axis B in the radial direction r of the imaginary circle VC centered on the rotation axis B. As shown in FIG. 6(a) and (b), the device-side shutter 109 as a main body shutter has an inner circumferential surface 109h, a receiving port 109a formed on the inner circumferential surface 109h for receiving toner from the toner pack 100, and a bottom surface 109b. The apparatus-side shutter 109 further has a center boss 109d, a pack contact surface 109g, and a regulated rib 109c provided on the bottom surface 109b, and a drive-receiving portion 109e provided on the inner circumferential surface 109h. As shown in Fig. 6(a), the drive-receiving portion 109e is a convex portion that protrudes inward in the radial direction r of an imaginary circle VC centered on the rotation axis B. An apparatus-side seal 111 is affixed to the inner circumferential surface 109h so as to surround the periphery of the receiving port 109a (see Fig. 4(b)).

[0043] The device-side shutter 109 is configured to take a closed position and an open position with respect to the main body base part 2. More specifically, as shown in Fig. 6(a) and (b), the device-side shutter 109 rotates in the direction of arrow K from the closed position to the open position, and rotates in the direction of arrow L from the open position to the closed position. Note that these directions of arrow K and arrow L are the same as the directions of arrow K and arrow L of the pack-side shutter 103 shown in Fig. 12(b). In the device-side shutter 109, the receiving port 109a is covered by the device-side seal 111 and the cover 110 in the closed position, and the receiving port 109a is open and not covered by the cover 110 in the open position. In other words, when the device-side shutter 109 is located in the shielding position, the receiving port 109a does not communicate with the device-side opening 117a of the second frame 117, and when the device-side shutter 109 is located in the shielding position, the receiving port 109a communicates with the device-side opening 117a of the second frame 117.

[0044] The apparatus-side shutter 109 is located in the blocking position in Figures 4(a) and 5(a), and at this time, the receiving port 109a of the apparatus-side shutter 109 does not communicate with the apparatus-side opening 117a of the second frame 117. The apparatus-side shutter 109 is located in the open position in Figures 4(b) and 5(b), and at this time, the receiving port 109a of the apparatus-side shutter 109 communicates with the apparatus-side opening 117a of the second frame 117. By moving the apparatus-side shutter 109 to the open position, toner can be replenished (supplied) from the toner pack 100 to the toner storage section 36 of the developing container 32 through the receiving port 109a.

[0045] Since the operating lever 108 and the apparatus-side shutter 109 are not connected to each other, even if the operating lever 108 is operated without the toner pack 100 attached, the apparatus-side shutter 109 will not rotate.

[0046] As shown in FIG. 6(a) to FIG. 7(b), the apparatus-side shutter 109 is configured to be rotatable around the center boss 109d by engaging the large diameter portion 109d1 of the center boss 109d with the cylindrical portion 110j of the cover 110. Here, the regulated rib 109c provided on the bottom surface 109b of the apparatus-side shutter 109 is between the first regulating surface 110c and the second regulating surface 110d of the cover 110. Therefore, the apparatus-side shutter 109 is rotatable only within a range in which the regulated rib 109c can move between the first regulating surface 110c and the second regulating surface 110d. In other words, the rotation range of the apparatus-side shutter 109 is regulated between the closed position and the open position by the first regulating surface 110c and the second regulating surface 110d of the cover 110. For example, when the regulated rib 109c is in contact with the first regulated surface 110c, the device-side shutter 109 located in the blocking position cannot rotate in the direction of arrow L, i.e., in the opposite direction toward the open position.

[0047] [Containment vessel configuration] Next, the basic configuration of the storage container 800 including the toner pack 100 will be described with reference to Figs. 8(a) to 9(b). The toner pack 100 is mounted in the mounting portion 106 described above. Fig. 8(a) is a perspective view showing the storage container 800. Fig. 8(b) is an exploded perspective view showing the storage container 800. Fig. 9(a) is a side view of the toner pack 100 when the pack-side shutter 103 is in the blocking position. Fig. 9(b) is a side view of the toner pack 100 when the pack-side shutter 103 is in the opening position.

[0048] As shown in FIG. 8(a), the storage container 800 as a container has a toner pack 100 and a film 120 as a protective member. The storage container 800 and the image forming apparatus 1 constitute an image forming system 1000 (see FIG. 1(a)). As shown in FIG. 8(b), the toner pack 100 has a pouch 101 that stores contents such as toner, and a mounted part 700 that is mounted to the mounting part 106. An opening member 104 as an opening is joined to an opening 101a of the pouch 101. The mounted part 700 as a tip part has a nozzle 102 that is connected to the opening member 104, and a pack-side shutter 103. In this embodiment, the film 120 is configured to cover the mounted part 700 and can be removed and opened by a user or a serviceman. The film 120 will be described in detail later.

[0049] The pouch 101 as a part of the storage section has flexibility and is provided on one end side of the toner pack 100 in the axial direction D1, which is the direction of the rotation axis A of the cylindrical part of the pack-side shutter 103. The axial direction D1, which is the direction of the rotation axis A, is also the direction in which the opening member 104 is joined to the pouch 101, and is also the direction in which the nozzle 102 of the mounting section 700 is joined and aligned with the opening member 104 and, by extension, the pouch 101, which is the container section, and this is referred to as the first direction. The one end side is the side opposite to the side where the pouch 101 is open in the axial direction D1. When the toner pack 100 is mounted in the mounting section 106, the rotation axis A coincides with the rotation axis B of the device-side shutter 109, so that hereinafter, the axial directions of the rotation axis A and the rotation axis B are both referred to as the axial direction D1. The nozzle 102 and the pack-side shutter 103 are provided on the other end side of the toner pack 100 in the axial direction D1. The other end side is the side where the pouch 101 is open in the axial direction D1. The pouch 101 is formed, for example, by pouching and bonding flexible polypropylene sheets, and has a bag shape with one end opened by an opening 101a. At least one of the two outer surfaces of the pouch 101 is a surface formed by pouching and bonding flexible polypropylene sheets. On this surface, instructions 500 indicating information to the user such as a method of replenishing toner and precautions for operation are printed and written on the outer surface of the pouch 101. As a result, when replenishing toner, a user or a serviceman can know information such as a method of replenishing toner and precautions for operation, and can perform a replenishing operation while paying attention to necessary precautions according to the indicated method by referring to the information. The pouch 101 may be made of paper or may be replaced with a toner bottle. The toner bottle has a flexible cylindrical side surface and an opening at one end in the direction of the axis of rotation of the cylinder.

[0050] The opening member (joint member) 104 as an intermediate member is a circular resin member having a through hole 104a, and is fixed to the opening 101a of the pouch 101. In this embodiment, the opening member 104 is made of polypropylene resin, and is thicker and has higher rigidity than the pouch 101 made of a flexible sheet. In other words, the pouch 101 has a first rigidity, and the opening member 104 has a second rigidity that is greater than the first rigidity. This allows the opening 101a to be maintained in an open state even in the flexible pouch 101. However, as described later, the nozzle 102 of the attachment portion 700 also has a higher rigidity than the pouch 101. Therefore, even if the pouch 101 and the nozzle 102 are joined without the opening member 104, the opening 101a can be maintained in an open state even in the flexible pouch 101.

[0051] Moreover, the opening member 104 is joined to the nozzle 102 and has a through hole 104a. That is, the opening member 104 connects the pouch 101 to the mounted part 700 such that the pouch 101 and the mounted part 700 including the nozzle 102 communicate with each other. However, the pouch 101 and the nozzle 102 may be joined without the opening member 104.

[0052] Furthermore, the opening member 104 has a pair of extension parts 104b on the outer circumferential surface thereof that extend away from the rotation axis A in the radial direction r of a virtual circle VC centered on the rotation axis A. The pair of extension parts 104b are arranged in phases that are 180 degrees different from each other in the circumferential direction centered on the rotation axis A. In this way, since the outer circumferential surface of the opening member 104 is not a uniform circumferential surface centered on the rotation axis A, the user can stably grasp the opening member 104 by gripping the extension parts 104b. In other words, the extension parts 104b function as a slip prevention device to prevent the user's hand from slipping in the rotation direction centered on the rotation axis A.

[0053] The nozzle 102 as the discharge part is connected to the opening member 104, but any method of connection may be used. For example, the connection method may be a method using various adhesives such as hot melt, or a method of thermally welding the through hole 104a of the opening member 104 to the outer periphery of the nozzle 102. Also, any method of connection between the pouch 101 and the opening member 104 may be used. Also, the pouch 101 and the nozzle 102 may be joined without the opening member 104 being interposed therebetween.

[0054] The nozzle 102 has a side surface 102c as an outer surface extending along the rotation axis A, and the side surface 102c is provided with an outlet 102a configured to communicate with the inside of the pouch 101 and a recess 102e. The recess 102e is provided at a position different from the outlet 102a in the rotation direction of the pack-side shutter 103. The toner contained in the pouch 101 is configured to be discharged to the outside of the toner pack 100 through the outlet 102a when the pouch 101 is crushed by a user's gripping the pouch with his / her hand, thereby reducing the volume of the pouch 101. That is, inside the nozzle 102, a passage is formed as an outlet portion configured to allow the toner (contents) to pass through toward the outlet 102a. The nozzle 102 may be configured integrally with the opening member 104. Also, a seal may be provided between the pouch 101 and the discharge port 102a of the nozzle 102, and the pouch 101 and the discharge port 102a may be connected when the seal is removed. A pack-side shutter 103 as a shielding member is disposed on the outside of the side surface 102c of the nozzle 102. The pack-side shutter 103 is provided rotatably about a rotation axis A extending in a direction along the axial direction D1, and has an opening 103a. Specifically, an inner peripheral surface 103m of the pack-side shutter 103 is supported slidably against an annular rib 104m of the opening member 104. The pack-side shutter 103 is provided outside the side surface 102c in the radial direction r of a virtual circle VC centered on the rotation axis A, and can shield the discharge port 102a. The arc surface of the side surface 102c is a curved surface that is convex toward the outside in the radial direction r. The inner surface of the pack-side shutter 103, that is, the surface facing the side surface 102c, is a curved surface that conforms to the side surface 102c of the nozzle 102, and a substantially rectangular pack-side seal 105 is attached thereto.

[0055] The pack-side shutter 103 is configured to be rotatable about a rotation axis A between a blocking position (position shown in FIG. 9(a)) where the pack-side seal 105 blocks the discharge port 102a of the nozzle 102, and an opening position (position shown in FIG. 9(b)) where the discharge port 102a is open. When the pack-side shutter 103 is in the opening position, the discharge port 102a of the nozzle 102 is exposed from an opening 103a formed in the pack-side shutter 103. That is, the pack-side shutter 103 is provided with the opening 103a so as to open the discharge port 102a when it is in the opening position.

[0056] When the pack-side shutter 103, which is in a shielding position as a first shielding position shown in FIG. 9(a), is rotated by a user in the direction of arrow K about the rotation axis A relative to the pouch 101, the pack-side shutter 103 reaches an open position as a first open position shown in FIG. 9(b). Conversely, when the pack-side shutter 103, which is in an open position, is rotated in the direction of arrow L, the pack-side shutter 103 reaches a shielding position. That is, the direction of arrow K as a first rotation direction is a direction in which the pack-side shutter 103 moves from the shielding position to the open position relative to the pouch 101 about the rotation axis A. And the direction of arrow L as a second rotation direction is a direction in which the pack-side shutter 103 moves from the open position to the shielding position about the rotation axis A. In the rotational movement of the pack-side shutter 103, the pack-side shutter 103 rubs against the side surface 102c of the nozzle 102 via the pack-side seal 105.

[0057] Next, the detailed configuration of the nozzle 102 and the pack-side shutter 103 will be described with reference to Figures 8(a) to 10(b). Figure 10(a) is a perspective view showing the mounted part 700 when the pack-side shutter 103 is in the shielding position. Figure 10(b) is another perspective view showing the mounted part 700 when the pack-side shutter 103 is in the shielding position.

[0058] 8 to 10(b), as shown in, for example, Fig. 10(a), the nozzle 102 has a positioned portion 102d including surfaces facing each other in the circumferential direction centered on the rotation axis A. When the toner pack 100 is mounted in the mounting portion 106, the positioned portion 102d engages with a positioning portion 107a (Fig. 4(a)) of the first frame 107. This determines the position of the nozzle 102 in the rotational direction centered on the rotation axis A relative to the first frame 107 (main body base portion 2).

[0059] Surfaces 102e1 and 102e2 are provided on the downstream side in the mounting direction M, which is the direction in which the positioned portion 102d is mounted to the supply port 32a of the printer main body 400 in the direction of the rotation axis A. Side surface 102e3 is provided between surface 102d1 and surface 102d2 and between surface 102e1 and surface 102e2. Side surface 102e3 is recessed inward in the radial direction r more than side surface 102c. The positioned portion 102d, surface 102e1, surface 102e2, and side surface 102e3 form a recess 102e.

[0060] Furthermore, the pack-side shutter 103 has an opening 103a formed in a side surface 103d.

[0061] The side surface 103d extends along the rotation axis A. As shown in Fig. 10(a), when the pack-side shutter 103 is in the blocking position, at least a part of the recess 102e of the nozzle 102 is exposed from the opening 103a. This is so that when the toner pack 100 is mounted in the mounting portion 106 with the pack-side shutter 103 in the blocking position, the positioned portion 102d of the recess 102e is engaged with the positioning portion 107a.

[0062] 10(b), the pack-side shutter 103 is provided with a driven transmission part 103e on the opposite side of the rotation axis A to the opening 103a. The driven transmission part 103e is provided on the opposite side of the rotation axis A to the recess 102e of the nozzle 102 when the pack-side shutter 103 is in the blocking position. The driven transmission part 103e has surfaces 103b1, 103b2 and a side surface 103b3, and is engageable with a drive transmission part 108a of an operating lever 108, which will be described later. The side surface 103b3 is provided between the surfaces 103b1 and 103b2, and is recessed inward in the radial direction r more than the side surface 103d.

[0063] Further, at the upstream end of the pack-side shutter 103 in the mounting direction M, a disk-shaped flange portion 103i is provided concentrically with the cylindrical side surface 103d, extending from the side surface 103d, outward in the radial direction r from the side surface 103d, i.e., in a direction away from the rotation axis A. The pack-side shutter 103 forming a part of the storage portion has a side surface 103d extending in a first direction in which the nozzles 102 are arranged. The side surface 103d is a cylindrical portion and includes a disk-shaped flange portion concentric with the side surface 103d, the diameter of which is larger than the arc obtained by connecting the outer diameters of the side surfaces 103d. The side surface 103d has an end face perpendicular to the rotation axis at the end on the nozzle side in the first direction.

[0064] Next, the protruding portion 102b of the nozzle 102 will be described in detail. As shown in Fig. 9(a) and (b), the toner pack 100 is oriented so that the open side (which may be called the second end side or the nozzle 102 side) in the mounting direction M of the toner pack 100 is lower than the non-open side (which may be called the first end side or the pouch 101 side) when the toner pack 100 is attached to the printer body 400. Alternatively, the toner pack 100 is oriented so that at least a part of the nozzle 102 is lower than the pouch 101 when the toner pack 100 is attached to the printer body 400, and the rotation axis A is parallel to the gravity direction VD. This is the orientation when the toner pack 100 is attached to the mounting portion 106 of the image forming apparatus 1. At this time, in Fig. 9(a) to Fig. 10(b), the mounting direction M is downward when the toner pack 100 is attached to the printer body 400, and similarly, the removal direction U is upward.

[0065] The pack-side shutter 103 has an end face 103c which is the lower end face in the vertical direction VD when attached to the printer body 400, constitutes the bottom face of the pack-side shutter 103, and is perpendicular to the rotation axis A. The nozzle 102 has a protruding part 102b which protrudes downstream, i.e. downward, from the end face 103c of the pack-side shutter 103 in the mounting direction M. "Downward" refers to the direction in which the toner pack 100 is downward when attached to the printer body 400, and corresponds to the downstream side in the movement of the toner pack 100 when it is attached to the printer body 400 in the mounting direction M.

[0066] The protrusion 102b is a cylindrical portion (a portion having a cylindrical shape) centered on the rotation axis A. The protrusion 102b has a protrusion end face 102b2, which is the lower end face. The protrusion end face 102b2 has a hole (portion) in the center, the hole (portion) having an inner peripheral surface 102b1 centered on the rotation axis A.

[0067] 8(b), the protruding portion 102b protrudes downward beyond the end face 102j of the nozzle 102 in the mounting direction M when the nozzle 102 is attached to the printer body 400. In this embodiment, the end face 103c of the pack-side shutter 103 and the end face 102j of the nozzle 102 are end faces perpendicular to the rotation axis A of the pack-side shutter 103, but are not limited to this. These faces may be faces that extend in a direction intersecting the rotation axis A when viewed from a direction perpendicular to the rotation axis A. In other words, these faces may be faces that are inclined at an angle from a plane perpendicular to the rotation axis A. The protruding portion 102b does not necessarily have to be provided on the nozzle 102.

[0068] 11, the nozzle 102 of the toner pack 100 is provided with a claw portion 102f as a locking mechanism to prevent the pack-side shutter 103 from rotating relative to the nozzle 102 during transportation or when the toner pack 100 is handled by a user alone. The pack-side shutter 103 is held in the blocking position by the claw portion 102f, thereby preventing the toner, which is the content inside the toner pack 100, from spilling.

[0069] FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing the claw portion 102f provided on the nozzle 102. FIG. 12(a) is a front view showing the configuration of a portion including the claw portion 102f. FIG. 12(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the 12B-12B cross section of FIG. 12(a). FIG. 13(a) is a front view showing the claw portion 102f, similar to FIG. 12(a). FIG. 13(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the 13B-13B cross section of FIG. 13(a). FIG. 14(a) is a perspective view showing a state in which the toner pack 100 is mounted on the device-side shutter 109. In FIG. 14(a), the pouch 101 and the pack-side shutter 103 of the toner pack 100 are omitted, and only the nozzle 102 and the opening member 104 are shown. FIG. 14(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the 13B-13B cross section of FIG. 13(a) in a state in which the mounting of the toner pack 100 to the mounting portion 106 is completed.

[0070] As shown in Fig. 11 to Fig. 12(b), the claw portion 102f as the second restricting portion has an arm portion 102f3, a release slope 102f1, and an abutting portion 102f2. The arm portion 102f3 is elastically deformed, so that the claw portion 102f can move in the radial direction r of a virtual circle VC centered on the rotation axis A. Specifically, the claw portion 102f can move between a restricting position shown in Fig. 12(b) and a non-restricting position shown in Fig. 14(b), which is a position inside the restricting position in the radial direction r.

[0071] When the claw portion 102f is located at the restricting position as shown in FIG. 12(b), the abutting portion 102f2 faces the restricting portion 103h of the pack-side shutter 103 located at the shielding position in the circumferential direction around the rotation axis A. At this time, a gap s is provided between the abutting portion 102f2 and the restricting portion 103h. The restricting portion 103h abuts against the abutting portion 102f2, so that the rotation of the pack-side shutter 103 in the direction of the arrow K is restricted. The size of the gap s may be set arbitrarily, and the rotation range in which the pack-side shutter 103 can rotate within the range of the gap s is regarded as the shielding position. That is, the rotation of the pack-side shutter 103 in the direction of the arrow K from the shielding position is restricted by the claw portion 102f located at the restricting position.

[0072] Furthermore, when the claw portion 102f is located in the non-restricted position, the abutting portion 102f2 is located inside the restricting portion 103h of the pack-side shutter 103 in the radial direction r of an imaginary circle VC centered on the rotation axis A. Therefore, the pack-side shutter 103 can rotate about the rotation axis A without interfering with the abutting portion 102f2.

[0073] As shown in Fig. 6(a) and Fig. 14(b), the device-side shutter 109 is provided with a release rib 109j extending in the axial direction D1. The release rib 109j can come into contact with the release slope 102f1 of the claw portion 102f when the toner pack 100 is attached to the attachment portion 106. As shown in Fig. 10(a) and Fig. 14(b), the pack-side shutter 103 is provided with an opening 103j, which extends from an end face (bottom face when attached to the printer body 400) 103c of the pack-side shutter 103 to a side face 103d. The release rib 109j provided on the device-side shutter 109 can pass through the opening 103j and come into contact with the release slope 102f1 of the claw portion 102f arranged on the inside of the pack-side shutter 103.

[0074] The release slope 102f1 is inclined with respect to the mounting direction M (axial direction D1) so as to extend inward in the radial direction r toward the downstream of the mounting direction M. Then, when the toner pack 100 is mounted to the mounting portion 106, the release slope 102f1 converts the direction of the force that the claw portion 102f receives from the restriction release rib 109j to the inside in the radial direction r. As a result, the release slope 102f1 is pressed by the restriction release rib 109j, so that the claw portion 102f moves inward in the radial direction r from the restriction position to the non-restriction position. In other words, when the toner pack 100 is mounted to the mounting portion 106, the claw portion 102f is pressed by the mounting portion 106 to move from the restriction position to the non-restriction position.

[0075] The abutment portion 102f2 of the claw portion 102f described above abuts against the regulating portion 103h of the pack-side shutter 103, thereby regulating the rotation of the pack-side shutter 103 in the direction of arrow K. Next, a configuration for regulating the rotation of the pack-side shutter 103 in the direction of arrow L opposite to the direction of arrow K will be described.

[0076] 13(b), the pack-side shutter 103 has a rotation-restricting rib 103k, and the nozzle 102 has a rotation-restricting surface 102k as a first restricting portion that faces the rotation-restricting rib 103k in the circumferential direction about the rotation axis A. When the pack-side shutter 103 is located at the shielding position, the rotation-restricting rib 103k faces the rotation-restricting surface 102k with a small gap therebetween. When the pack-side shutter 103 located at the shielding position tries to rotate in the direction of arrow L, the rotation-restricting rib 103k abuts against the rotation-restricting surface 102k, and the rotation of the pack-side shutter 103 in the direction of arrow L is restricted.

[0077] 13(a) and 13(b), the claw portion 102f is disposed downstream of the rotation restriction surface 102k and the rotation restriction rib 103k in the mounting direction M. This is because the claw portion 102f is disposed at a corresponding position in the mounting direction M where it is easily pressed by the restriction release rib 109j of the device-side shutter 109 when the toner pack 100 is mounted in the mounting portion 106. This makes it possible to reduce the size of the opening 103j provided in the pack-side shutter 103, ensuring the rigidity of the pack-side shutter 103 and restricting the user from accessing the claw portion 102f. Note that the arrangement of the claw portion 102f, the rotation restriction surface 102k, and the rotation restriction rib 103k is not limited to this and may be changed arbitrarily.

[0078] As described above, when the toner pack 100 is not attached to the attachment portion 106, the pack-side shutter 103 is restricted from rotating in the directions of arrows K and L, and is easily held in the blocking position. When the pack-side shutter 103 is rotated in the direction of arrow K with the toner pack 100 attached to the attachment portion 106 and the claw portion 102f positioned in the non-restricted position, the pack-side shutter 103 exposes the discharge port 102a of the nozzle 102 as shown in FIG. 9(b).

[0079] 8(b) and 10(a) and (b), the pack-side shutter 103 is provided with three radial positioning portions 103f. These radial positioning portions 103f protrude outward in the radial direction r beyond the side surface 103d. Each of the radial positioning portions 103f is disposed upstream of the pack-side shutter 103 in the mounting direction M.

[0080] [film] Next, the film 120 attached to the toner pack 100 will be described with reference to Figures 15(a) to 17(c). Figure 15(a) is a perspective view showing the toner pack 100 with the film 120 attached. Figures 15(b) and 15(c) are cross-sectional views of the toner pack 100 with the film 120 attached. Figure 16 is a perspective view showing the film 120 being removed from the toner pack 100.

[0081] As shown in FIG. 15(a), the film 120 is provided so as to cover at least a part of the mounting portion 700. The film 120 is a resin sheet member having a thickness of 0.30 mm or less. The thickness is preferably 0.01 mm or more. That is, the film 120 is 0.01 mm or more and 0.30 mm or less. The necessary thickness is set so that the film 120 is not broken by an external force applied during transportation. Also, as shown in FIG. 15(b), the film 120 is attached so as to closely fit the shapes of the outer surfaces of the nozzle 102, the pack-side shutter 103, and the opening member 104. Furthermore, the film 120 is closely attached to the surface 103i1 of the flange portion 103i of the pack-side shutter 103 and the end surface 103c of the pack-side shutter 103. As a result of the film being attached in close contact with the surface 103i1 and the end surface 103c, the film 120 does not come off the mounting portion 700 of the toner pack 100 and is fixed in the direction of the rotation axis A. The outer diameter of the flange portion 103i is larger than the other surfaces of the pack-side shutter 103 and is closer to the storage portion side.

[0082] Also, as shown in FIG. 15(c), the film 120 is formed to be recessed toward the surfaces 102e1, 102e2, and 102e3 that form the recess 102e of the nozzle 102. Thus, depending on the shape and size of the recess 102e of the nozzle 102, the film 120 does not completely adhere to the surface of the nozzle 102. Also, the film 120 is formed to follow the surfaces 103b1, 103b2, and 103b3 that form the driven portion 103e of the pack-side shutter 103. This is because the film 120 shrinks along the outer shape of the nozzle 102 when it is attached. Therefore, the recessed portions prevent the film 120 from slipping and are fixed in the rotation direction around the rotation axis A. As a result, the mounting portion 700 mounted on the mounting portion 106 (see FIG. 18) of the printer body 400 is covered with the film 120, and the mounting portion 700 is prevented from being scratched or damaged by external forces received during transportation or handling by the user, thereby protecting the product. The toner pack 100 is sold individually and is attached to the printer body 400 by the user who purchased it or by a serviceman. The toner pack 100 is used to supply toner to the printer body. In other words, the toner pack 100 being covered with the film 120 in an undamaged state also serves as proof that the toner pack 100 is unopened. Next, the area covered by the film 120 in the direction of the rotation axis A will be described with reference to FIG. 15(b). Here, toner is supplied to the printer body 400 by the user manually compressing and crushing the pouch 101 of the toner pack 100 mounted on the printer body 400. At this time, if a certain amount of air or more is sealed in the pouch 101 containing the toner, the toner is smoothly discharged together with the internal air to the outside of the toner pack 100 through the discharge port 102a. In other words, it is desirable that a certain amount of air or more is sealed in the pouch 101 together with the toner.

[0083] In FIG. 15(b), the end of the film 120 on the pouch 101 side in the direction of the rotation axis A is one end 120a, and the opposite end is the other end 120b. The one end 120a is provided to a position covering the joint 222 between the nozzle 102 and the opening member 104. Furthermore, the other end 120b is provided to a position covering the pack side seal 105 that blocks the discharge port 102a of the nozzle 102. This makes it possible to suppress leakage even if an external force that causes the pouch to collapse suddenly acts during transportation of the toner pack 100 or while the user is using it. In other words, the film 120 is configured to cover both the joint 222 between the nozzle 102 and the opening member 104 and the discharge port 102a of the nozzle 102 in close contact with each other. This makes it possible to suppress further leakage of air from the toner pack 100. In addition, when the outside air pressure drops at a high altitude, the air inside the pouch 101 expands. In this case, the toner is not leaked and the air is appropriately discharged. The toner does not leak due to a change in the external air pressure, but the air is appropriately discharged, and the pouch 101 is prevented from being damaged by the air pressure and causing the toner to leak out.

[0084] Next, a method of removing the film 120 will be described with reference to FIG. 16. As shown in FIG. 16(a), the film 120 has a break 120h. The break 120h is formed by laser processing. The laser processing is preferably perforation processing, half-cut processing, or hole punching processing. The break 120h is a break line provided as a cut that continues intermittently on the surface of the film 120 along the shape of the mounting part 700 in the direction of the rotation axis A. Two break lines 120h1 and 120h2 are provided, and the break lines 120h1 and 120h2 continue from one end side 120a to the other end side 120b of the film 120. In addition, the break 120h on the one end side 120a has an opening 120k that is cut off from the film 120. In the open portion 120k, the break lines 120h1 and 120h2 are continuous slits from the one end side 120a, so that the user can easily pinch them with his / her fingers when opening the package. When the user pinches the open portion 120k and pulls it toward the other end side 120b (in the direction of the arrow Z3), the film 120 is cut along the two break lines 120h1 and 120h2 as shown in FIG. 16(b). The annular film is separated into two parts, the break portion 120h and the main part 120s of the film 120, and the film 120 is thereby removed from the toner pack. This configuration allows the user to easily remove the main part 120s of the film. The break shape is not limited to this. There may be two or more break lines, and three or more may be provided. For example, in addition to forming the break shape by intermittent cuts as described above, cuts that do not penetrate through film 120 but reduce the thickness only at the break lines may be provided along break lines 120h1 and 120h2.

[0085] Next, a method of attaching the film 120 will be described with reference to FIG. 17. As shown in FIG. 17(a), the film 120b before attachment is substantially cylindrical. At this time, the inner diameter D1 of the substantially cylindrical film is larger than the outermost diameter D2 of the attachment portion 700. Then, as shown in FIG. 17(b), the film 120b is placed so as to cover the attachment portion 700. In this state, heat is applied to the film 120b from the outside. The heat causes the film 120b to shrink so that the inner diameter D1 becomes smaller, and the film 120b is attached in a state conforming to the outer shape of the attachment portion 700 as described above. Here, the film 120 is a film that has been stretched during film production, and it is preferable to use a so-called shrink film that has the property of relaxing internal stress by applying heat and returning to the dimensions before the stretching process. In this embodiment, a film that has the property of shrinking due to heat by stretching is used, but this is not limiting, and a film with shrinkage properties may be appropriately selected. Generally, the film material can be appropriately selected from polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene, polyolefin, polyethylene terephthalate, and the like, which have the property of shrinking when exposed to heat. As a method of applying heat, there is a dryer method in which a dryer is installed in a position where the film is filled with hot air during the manufacturing process, and the film is shrunk by the hot air from the dryer. There is also a conveyor method in which the toner pack and film are passed on a conveyor that passes through a high-temperature area for a certain period of time, and the film is shrunk by the heat it receives from the high-temperature area. In this way, the method of applying heat can be appropriately selected.

[0086] When the film 120 is a shrink film and heat is applied to shrink the film 120, it is desirable to apply as little heat as possible to the toner contained in the toner pack 100. This is to prevent deformation and aggregation of the toner due to heat and to stabilize image quality. As one of the manufacturing methods without applying heat to the toner, as shown in FIG. 24(a), the pouch 101 to which the opening member 104 is joined and the attachment part 700 (mainly composed of the nozzle 102 and the pack side shutter 103) are assembled in a separate state. Then, a required amount of toner is filled through the through hole 104a of the pouch 101 to which the opening member 104 is joined. After that, as shown in FIG. 24(b), the attachment part 700 is attached with the shrink film 120 that is to be shrunk by applying heat alone without the pouch 101. Then, in a subsequent process, the pouch 101 filled with toner and the attachment part 700 wrapped with the shrink film 120 are assembled. Specifically, the opening member 104 joined to the pouch 101 is joined to the nozzle 102 of the mounting portion 700. By using this assembly method, the toner pack 100 can be assembled without applying heat to the pouch 101 filled with toner to shrink the shrink film 120. To shrink the film 120, it is necessary to apply heat of 80 to 150°C depending on the material of the film, but since the heat is applied without the pouch, there is no effect on the deformation or aggregation of the toner due to the heat.

[0087] Alternatively, the time for which heat is applied may be shortened and the time for which the film shrinks may be controlled so as not to transmit heat to the toner, and the shrink film 120 may be attached. In this way, it is also possible to cover the pouch 101 and the attachment portion 700 with the shrink film 120 after assembling them.

[0088] That is, after filling the pouch 101 with toner, the attachment portion 700 is joined to the pouch 101, and then the pouch 101 is covered with the shrink film 120 by heat. Here, the pouch 101 is positioned so that the attachment portion 70 ...

[0089] In addition to the above-mentioned configuration in which the film 120 is shrunk by applying heat to make it adhere, a stretch film 120 in the form of a stretchable sheet made of polyethylene or the like may be wrapped around the toner pack 100 to make it adhere, as shown in Fig. 26. If the stretch film 120 is used, no heat is used, and therefore it is possible to assemble the toner pack 100 without causing deformation or aggregation of the toner due to heat.

[0090] As shown in FIG. 15(a), when the toner pack 100 is attached to the image forming apparatus and toner is replenished, instructions 500 are printed on one side of the pouch, which indicate information to the user such as the replenishment method and precautions for operation. Here, the breaking portion 120h is configured to be on the same side as the instructions 500. In this way, when opening the pouch, a user (or a serviceman) who is about to pinch and break the breaking portion 120h and open the pouch can easily notice that the instructions 500 are on the same side as the breaking portion 120h, and a user who has previously referred to the instructions 500 can easily notice the existence of the breaking portion 120h. This makes it easier for the user to perform the operation of replenishing toner according to the instructions 500, and can prevent mistakes in the operation.

[0091] Instead of a heat-applied shrink film, a stretch film made of polyethylene or the like may be wrapped around and adhered to the surface. In this case, the same effect can be obtained by configuring the end of the stretch film to face the side on which the instructions 500 are provided.

[0092] It has been described above that the toner pack 100 can be protected by providing the film 120. Furthermore, compared to a configuration in which a cap is provided to cover and protect the entire mounted portion 700, it is possible to cover only a necessary range. This is because the configuration in which the film 120 is provided as described in this embodiment can be attached by shrinking the film 120 along the shape even if the shape is complicated. Furthermore, by using the film 120, compared to a cap that covers and protects the entire mounted portion 700, it is possible to package the toner pack with a thinner and smaller amount of resin, which makes it possible to reduce the amount of waste after opening and suppress the environmental load. Furthermore, it is not necessary to provide a special shape for fixing the cap, and the toner pack can be made smaller. In this way, the mounted portion 700 can be easily protected along the shape of the mounted portion 700 relative to the image forming apparatus. Furthermore, it is not necessary to separately prepare a protective member that is along the shape of the mounted portion 700, and it is possible to design the mounted portion 700 to be attached to the image forming apparatus with a high degree of freedom without being aware of the protective member. In addition, reducing the volume per unit improves logistics efficiency when transporting products from factories to retailers.

[0093] [Installing the toner pack into the installation area] Next, the state of the system when a user or a serviceman mounts the toner pack 100 in the mounting portion 106 of the printer body 400 will be described with reference to Figures 18(a) to 20(b). Figures 18(a) and 18(b) are perspective views explaining the state in which the toner pack 100 is in the middle of being mounted in the mounting portion 106. Figure 19(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the state when the toner pack 100 is mounted toward the mounting portion 106. Figure 19(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the state when mounting of the toner pack 100 in the mounting portion 106 has been completed.

[0094] Fig. 20(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the 20A-20A cross section of Fig. 19(a). Fig. 20(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the 20B-20B cross section of Fig. 19(a). Note that in Figs. 19(a) to 20(b), the cut surfaces of the pack-side shutter 103 and the cover 110 are hatched.

[0095] When the toner pack 100 is mounted in the mounting portion 106, the film 120 is removed. This exposes the drive transmission portion 103e, the protruding portion 102b, and the positioned portion 102d (see FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b)) of the mounted portion 700. With the film 120 removed, the mounted portion 700 of the toner pack 100 can be mounted in the mounting portion 106 of the image forming apparatus 1.

[0096] 18(a) and 18(b), the user moves the toner pack 100 with the pack-side shutter 103 in the covering position in the mounting direction M to mount the toner pack 100 with the apparatus-side shutter 109 in the covering position to the mounting portion 106. At this time, the user aligns the recess 102e of the nozzle 102 and the opening 103a of the pack-side shutter 103 with the positioning portion 107a of the first frame 107. At the same time, the user also aligns the positions of the driven transmission portion 103e of the pack-side shutter 103 and the drive transmission portion 108a of the operating lever 108.

[0097] After aligning the toner pack 100 with the mounting portion 106 in this way, the user moves the toner pack 100 in the mounting direction M to mount it in the mounting portion 106. Then, as shown in Fig. 19(a), the small diameter portion 109d2 of the center boss 109d of the apparatus-side shutter 109 is engaged with the inner circumferential surface 102b1 of the protruding portion 102b of the nozzle 102. This determines with high precision the position of the nozzle 102 in the radial direction r relative to the apparatus-side shutter 109.

[0098] At this time, as shown in Fig. 20(a), the drive transmission part 108a of the operating lever 108 engages with the driven transmission part 103e of the pack-side shutter 103. At the same time, as shown in Fig. 20(b), the side surfaces 110f and 110g of the cover 110 approach or engage with the surfaces 102e1 and 102e2 that form the recess 102e of the nozzle 102. In addition, as shown in Figs. 24(a) and 24(b), the driven transmission part 103e of the pack-side shutter 103 engages with the driven transmission part 109e of the apparatus-side shutter 109 and the drive transmission part 108a of the operating lever 108.

[0099] Furthermore, since surfaces 102e1 and 102e2 of recess 102e of nozzle 102 engage with side surfaces 110f and 110g of cover 110, respectively, nozzle 102 of toner pack 100 does not rotate relative to main body base part 2 including cover 110. In other words, when toner pack 100 is attached to image forming apparatus 1, recess 102e engages with cover 110 of image forming apparatus 1, thereby restricting rotation of nozzle 102 relative to image forming apparatus 1. Furthermore, operation lever 108, pack-side shutter 103, and apparatus-side shutter 109 are able to rotate approximately integrally with main body base part 2 and nozzle 102 about rotation axis B.

[0100] Specifically, when the operating lever 108 is rotated, the drive transmission part 108a of the operating lever 108 presses the surface 103b1 or 103b2 of the pack-side shutter 103, rotating the pack-side shutter 103. Thereafter, the surface 103b1 or the surface 103b2 constituting the drive transmitted part 103e of the pack-side shutter 103 presses the drive transmitted part 109e of the device-side shutter 109, rotating the device-side shutter 109.

[0101] When the toner pack 100 has been completely attached to the attachment portion 106, the three radial positioning portions 103f (see FIGS. 8(b) and 10(a)(b)) of the pack-side shutter 103 are in contact with the inner peripheral surface 109h (see FIG. 6(a)) of the device-side shutter 109. This determines the position of the toner pack 100 in the radial direction r on the upstream side of the attachment direction M.

[0102] 19(b), the position of the toner pack 100 in the mounting direction M is determined when the protruding portion end surface 102b2 of the protruding portion 102b of the nozzle 102 abuts against the pack abutment surface 109g of the apparatus-side shutter 109. Note that the positioning of the protruding portion 102b of the nozzle 102 may be determined by fitting the outer circumferential surface of the protruding portion 102b into the cylindrical portion 110j of the cover 110 (see FIGS. 6(a) and 6(b)).

[0103] Further, a positioned portion 102d provided on the nozzle 102 engages with a positioning portion 107a of the first frame 107. This restricts the nozzle 102 of the toner pack 100 from rotating relative to the first frame 107 (main body base portion 2).

[0104] 14(a) and 14(b), when the toner pack 100 is attached to the attachment portion 106, the claw portion 102f provided on the nozzle 102 moves from the regulated position to the non-regulated position (the position shown in FIG. 14(b)) as described above. More specifically, the release slope 102f1 is pressed by the restriction release rib 109j, so that the claw portion 102f moves inward in the radial direction r from the regulated position to the non-regulated position. This releases the restriction on rotation of the pack-side shutter 103 in the direction of arrow K.

[0105] [Operation of the control lever] Fig. 21(a) is a perspective view showing the operation lever 108 and toner pack 100 in the closed position. Fig. 21(b) is a perspective view showing the operation lever 108 and toner pack 100 in the open position. Fig. 22(a) is a cross-sectional view showing the section 22AB-22AB in Fig. 19(b) when the device-side shutter 109 and the pack-side shutter 103 are both in the closed position. Fig. 22(b) is a cross-sectional view showing the section 22AB-22AB in Fig. 19(b) when the device-side shutter 109 and the pack-side shutter 103 are both in the open position.

[0106] As described above, when the toner pack 100 is attached to the attachment portion 106, the operation lever 108, the pack-side shutter 103, and the apparatus-side shutter 109 are integrally rotatable about the rotation axis B relative to the main body base portion 2 and the nozzle 102. When the toner pack 100 is attached to the attachment portion 106 and the operation lever 108 is in the closed position, the discharge port 102a is blocked by the pack-side shutter 103 and the pack-side seal 105, and the apparatus-side shutter 109, as shown in FIG. 22(a). For this reason, the toner in the pouch 101 is configured not to reach the apparatus-side opening 117a of the second frame 117.

[0107] As shown in Figures 21(a) and (b), when the toner pack 100 is attached to the attachment portion 106 and the operating lever 108 is rotated in the direction of arrow Q from the closed position to the open position, the pack-side shutter 103 and the device-side shutter 109 rotate from the closed position to the open position.

[0108] More specifically, the drive transmission part 108a of the operating lever 108 presses the surface 103b1 of the pack-side shutter 103. As a result, the pack-side shutter 103 is rotated from the blocking position to the opening position together with the operating lever 108. In other words, the drive transmission part 108a engages with the surface 103b1, so that the pack-side shutter 103 rotates from the blocking position to the opening position in conjunction with the rotation of the operating lever 108. In addition, the surface 103b2 of the pack-side shutter 103, which is rotated from the blocking position to the opening position, presses the drive-receiving part 109e of the device-side shutter 109. As a result, the device-side shutter 109 is rotated from the blocking position to the opening position together with the pack-side shutter 103. In other words, the device-side shutter 109 rotates integrally with the pack-side shutter 103 in conjunction with the rotation of the operating lever 108 due to the engagement between the surface 103b2 and the driven transmission portion 109e.

[0109] Then, as shown in FIG. 22(b), the pack-side shutter 103, the pack-side seal 105, and the apparatus-side shutter 109 move to open the discharge port 102a of the nozzle 102. That is, the pouch 101 of the toner pack 100 communicates with the toner storage section 36 via the discharge port 102a, the receiving port 109a, and the apparatus-side opening 117a. When the pouch 101 is compressed by a user, the toner in the pouch 101 is replenished to the toner storage section 36 of the developing container 32 together with air via the discharge port 102a, the receiving port 109a, and the apparatus-side opening 117a. In this way, the toner pack formed by the flexible pouch 101 allows the user to replenish the toner by deforming the pouch 101.

[0110] When the supply of toner from the toner pack 100 to the developing container 32 is completed, the user rotates the operation lever 108 from the open position to the closed position. When the operation lever 108 is rotated from the open position to the closed position, the drive transmission portion 108a of the operation lever 108 presses the surface 103b2 of the pack-side shutter 103. As a result, the pack-side shutter 103 is rotated from the open position to the closed position together with the operation lever 108. In addition, the surface 103b1 of the pack-side shutter 103 rotated from the open position to the closed position presses the drive transmission portion 109e of the device-side shutter 109. As a result, the device-side shutter 109 is rotated from the open position to the closed position together with the pack-side shutter 103. In this state, the user pulls out the toner pack 100 from the mounting portion 106 to complete the toner supply operation.

[0111] <Second embodiment> Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to Fig. 23. In the first embodiment, a configuration in which the mounted portion 700 of the toner pack 100 is covered by the film 120 has been described. In contrast, the second embodiment differs from the first embodiment in that it has a partial cap 220 that covers the mounted portion 700, and a film 120 that covers at least a part of the cap 220. In the following description, the same parts as in the first embodiment are denoted by the same reference numerals, and detailed description thereof will be omitted.

[0112] FIG. 23(a) is an external perspective view of the toner pack 100, and FIG. 23(b) is a cross-sectional view of the toner pack 100. As shown in FIG. 23(a), the storage container 800 has the toner pack 100, a film 120 as a first protective member, and a cap 220 as a second protective member. The outer diameter of the cap 220 is smaller than the outer diameter of the end face 103c of the pack-side shutter 103. As shown in FIG. 23(b), the cap 220 is provided so as to cover the protruding portion 102b of the nozzle 102. The cap 220 also has a recess 220h and a flange portion 220f that cover the protruding portion 102b of the nozzle 102. The flange portion 220f of the cap 220 is fixed by being sandwiched between the film 120 and the end face 103c of the pack-side shutter 103.

[0113] 19, the protruding portion 102b of the nozzle 102 is a functional portion that determines the position of the toner pack 100 mounted in the mounting portion 106 in the radial direction r relative to the device-side shutter 109 and in the mounting direction M. In other words, by providing a cap 220 only on a portion, namely the functional portion, and covering the other portions with the film 220, it is possible to more firmly protect the functional portion while also obtaining the effects described in the first embodiment. Note that the functional portion is not limited to the protruding portion 102b and may be selected as appropriate.

[0114] In the above embodiment, the pack-side shutter 103 and the device-side shutter 109 are configured to be rotatable between the closed position and the open position around the rotation axes A and B, but this is not limited to this. For example, the pack-side shutter 103 and the device-side shutter 109 may be configured to be movable between the closed position and the open position by moving linearly parallel to the mounting direction M.

[0115] In the above embodiment, the pack-side shutter 103 is configured to open the discharge outlet 102a of the nozzle 102 only in the open position, but this is not limiting. For example, the pack-side shutter 103 may be a rotating body that opens the discharge outlet 102a of the nozzle 102 regardless of the rotational position. In this case, the discharge outlet 102a of the nozzle 102 may be closed with a seal when the toner pack 100 is not attached to the attachment portion 106, and the seal may be removed by the attachment operation to the attachment portion 106 or after the toner pack is attached. Also, the pack-side shutter 103 of the toner pack 100 may be omitted.

[0116] Furthermore, the container portion may be configured by covering the outside of the pouch, which can ensure the hermeticity of the toner and the stability of its shape, with a material such as cloth. [Explanation of symbols]

[0117] 1. Image forming device 101 Storage section (pouch) 100 toner containers (toner packs) 102 Discharge section (nozzle) 102a Outlet 103 Shielding member (pack side shutter) 104 Opening (Opening material) 120 Film 120h Breaking point 220 Cap 222 Joint 500 Instructions 700 Tip (attached part)

Claims

1. A toner container comprising: a container for containing toner; a tip portion including a nozzle having an outlet for discharging the toner contained in the container portion to the outside of the toner container, a passage configured so that the toner passes through the outlet toward the outlet, and a shielding member capable of shielding the outlet; A film covering at least a portion of the shielding member; Equipped with A toner container comprising:

2. 2. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein, when a direction in which the storage section and the nozzle are aligned is defined as a first direction, the film is configured in a cylindrical shape having a first end in the first direction and a second end opposite the first end in the first direction that is open.

3. 2. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the film covers a joint portion where the nozzle and the container portion are joined.

4. the container has a bag formed of a sheet for containing toner, and an annular connecting member fixed to an opening of the bag along the opening, 2. The toner container of claim 1, wherein the nozzle is configured to mate with the mating member.

5. 2. The toner container according to claim 1, further comprising a cap that covers at least a portion of the tip portion and is detachably attached to the tip portion.

6. 6. The toner container according to claim 5, wherein the film covers at least a portion of the tip and at least a portion of the cap.

7. The toner container according to claim 1 , wherein the film has a break portion configured to break at least a portion of the film.

8. 8. The toner container according to claim 7, wherein the breaking portion is a perforation.

9. When a direction in which the storage section and the nozzle are aligned is defined as a first direction, the film is configured in a tubular shape having a first end in the first direction and a second end opposite to the first end in the first direction, the first end being open, The break portion extends from the first end to the second end.

8. The toner container according to claim 7.

10. 10. The toner container according to claim 9, wherein the film has two or more breaks, which do not intersect with each other.

11. 2. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the film is a film that shrinks when exposed to heat.

12. The shielding member is a cylindrical portion extending in a first direction in which the storage portion and the shielding member are aligned; a disk-shaped flange portion extending from the tube portion in a direction intersecting the first direction when viewed from the first direction; Equipped with the cylindrical portion has an end surface intersecting the first direction at an end portion on the shielding member side in the first direction, The film is a surface of the flange portion on the housing portion side in the first direction; The toner container according to claim 1 , further comprising: a cover member for covering the end surface on the side of the shielding member in the first direction.

13. The toner container according to claim 12 , wherein the flange portion is located closer to the containing portion than the end surface in the first direction.

14. When a direction in which the container and the nozzle are aligned is defined as a first direction, 2. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the storage portion is a toner bottle having a cylindrical side extending in a first direction, a bottom surface covering one end of the cylindrical side, and an opening at the other end of the cylindrical side.

15. 2. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the film is a sheet member having a thickness of 0.01 mm or more and 0.30 mm or less.

16. the container is a bag made of a sheet for containing toner, Information is printed on one of the exterior surfaces of the housing; When a direction in which the container and the nozzle are aligned is defined as a first direction, The toner container according to claim 7 , wherein the breakable portion is disposed on the surface of the film on the side on which the information is written when viewed from the first direction.

17. 2. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the film is made of a stretch film having elasticity.

18. the container is a bag made of a sheet for containing toner, Information is printed on one of the exterior surfaces of the housing; When a direction in which the container and the nozzle are aligned is defined as a first direction, 18. The toner container according to claim 17, wherein the end of the film is disposed on a surface of the film on a side on which the information is printed when viewed from the first direction.

19. A method for manufacturing a toner container comprising: a container for containing toner; a discharge port for discharging the toner contained in the container to the outside of the toner container; a tip portion including a nozzle having a passage configured so that the toner passes toward the discharge port; and a shielding member capable of shielding the discharge port; and a film for covering at least a portion of the shielding member, filling the toner in the container; covering at least a portion of the shielding member with the film; a step of joining the container filled with the toner and the tip portion including the shielding member covered with the film; A method for manufacturing a toner container, comprising the steps of:

20. 20. The method for manufacturing a toner container according to claim 19, wherein the step of covering at least a portion of the shielding member with the film is a step of applying heat to the film.

Images