Developer supply container and developer supply system

Abstract

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

Description

Technical Field

[0001] The present invention relates to a developer replenishment container detachable from a developer receiving device and a developer replenishment system.

Background Art

[0002] Conventionally, developers such as fine powder toner have been used in electrophotographic image forming apparatuses such as copiers. In such an image forming apparatus, a configuration is provided in which the developer consumed by image formation is replenished from a developer replenishment container.

[0003] For example, a configuration has been proposed in which a developer replenishment container is detachable from a developer receiving device provided in an image forming apparatus, and the developer receiving portion of the developer receiving device is displaced toward the discharge port of the developer replenishment container as the developer replenishment container is mounted (Patent Document 1).

Prior Art Documents

Patent Documents

[0004]

Patent Document 1

Summary of the Invention

Problems to be Solved by the Invention

[0005] An object of the present invention is to provide a developer replenishment container and a developer replenishment system that can reduce the operating force when mounting the developer replenishment container and improve the operability.

Means for Solving the Problems

[0006] The developer supply container of the present invention is a developer supply container detachable from a developer receiving device having a developer receiving portion formed with a receiving port for receiving a developer and an engaged portion displaceable integrally with the developer receiving portion, and includes a rotatable developer storage portion for storing a developer, a discharge portion having a discharge port formed on a bottom surface for discharging the developer stored in the developer storage portion, an engaging member that engages with the engaged portion along with the mounting operation of the developer supply container and displaces the developer receiving portion in a displacement direction so that the receiving port communicates with the discharge port, and a shaft portion provided on the discharge portion and rotatably supporting the engaging member at positions where both ends of the engaging member can rotate. , the engaging member has one end portion on the side farther from the developer accommodating portion and the other end portion on the closer side in the rotational axis direction of the developer accommodating portion, and has a biasing portion for maintaining the first state in which the one end portion is lower than the other end portion. It is characterized by the above.

[0007] Further, the developer supply system of the present invention includes a developer receiving device having a developer receiving portion formed with a receiving port for receiving a developer and an engaged portion displaceable integrally with the developer receiving portion, and a developer supply container detachable from the developer receiving device. The developer supply container includes a rotatable developer storage portion for storing a developer, a discharge portion having a discharge port formed on a bottom surface for discharging the developer stored in the developer storage portion, an engaging member that engages with the engaged portion along with the mounting operation of the developer supply container and displaces the developer receiving portion in a displacement direction so that the receiving port communicates with the discharge port, and a shaft portion provided on the discharge portion and rotatably supporting the engaging member at positions where both ends of the engaging member can rotate. , the engaging member has one end portion on the side farther from the developer accommodating portion and the other end portion on the closer side in the rotational axis direction of the developer accommodating portion, and has a biasing portion for maintaining the first state in which the one end portion is lower than the other end portion. It is characterized by the above.

Advantages of the Invention

[0008] According to the present invention, the operating force when mounting the developer supply container can be reduced, and the operability can be improved.

Brief Description of the Drawings

[0009]

Figure 1

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Figure 16

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 to 16(b). First, the schematic configuration of the image forming apparatus according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0011] [Image Forming Apparatus] In FIG. 1, an image forming apparatus 100 has a document reading device 103 above a device main body 100a. A document 101 is placed on a document table glass 102. Then, an optical image corresponding to the image information of the document 101 is formed as an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum 104, which is a cylindrical photosensitive member serving as an image carrier, by a plurality of mirrors M and lenses Ln of the document reading device 103. This electrostatic latent image is visualized using toner as a developer (dry powder) by a dry developer (single-component developer) 201. In the present embodiment, an example using a single-component magnetic toner as the developer to be replenished from a developer supply container 1 (also called a toner cartridge) will be described, but not limited to such an example, and other configurations described later may also be used.

[0012] Specifically, when using a single-component developer that develops using a single-component non-magnetic toner, the single-component non-magnetic toner is replenished as the developer. Also, when using a two-component developer that develops using a two-component developer in which a magnetic carrier and a non-magnetic toner are mixed, the non-magnetic toner is replenished as the developer. In this case, a configuration in which the magnetic carrier is also replenished together with the non-magnetic toner as the developer may be used.

[0013] As described above, the developer 201 shown in FIG. 1 develops the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 104 based on the image information of the document 101 using toner as the developer. Further, a developer supply system 200 is connected to the developer 201, and the developer supply system 200 includes a developer supply container 1 and a developer receiving device 8 to which the developer supply container 1 is detachable. The developer supply system 200 will be described later.

[0014] In addition to the developer hopper section 201a, the developing device 201 is provided with a developing roller 201f. In this developer hopper section 201a, a stirring member 201c for stirring the developer replenished from the developer supply container 1 is provided. Then, the developer stirred by this stirring member 201c is sent to the side of the conveying member 201e by the conveying member 201d. And the developer conveyed in order by the conveying members 201e and 201b is carried on the developing roller 201f and finally supplied to the developing section with the photosensitive drum 104. In the present embodiment, since a one-component developer is used, the toner as the developer is replenished from the developer supply container 1 to the developing device 201. However, when a two-component developer is used, it may be configured to replenish the toner and the carrier as the developer from the developer supply container 1.

[0015] The cassettes 105 to 108 each accommodate a recording material S such as a sheet. At the time of image formation, among these cassettes 105 to 108, the cassette accommodating the optimal recording material S is selected based on the information input by the operator (user) from the operation unit 100d (see FIG. 2) of the image forming apparatus 100 or the size of the document 101. Here, the recording material S is not limited to paper, and for example, an OHP sheet or the like can be appropriately used and selected. Then, one recording material S conveyed by the paper feed and separation devices 105A to 108A is conveyed to the registration roller 110 via the conveying unit 109, and is conveyed in synchronization with the rotation of the photosensitive drum 104 and the scanning timing of the document reading device 103.

[0016] On the downstream side of the registration roller 110 in the recording material conveyance direction, a transfer charger 111 and a separation charger 112 are provided at positions facing the photosensitive drum 104. The recording material S conveyed by the registration roller 110 has the toner image formed by the developer on the photosensitive drum 104 transferred thereto by the transfer charger 111. Then, the recording material S on which the toner image has been transferred is separated from the photosensitive drum 104 by the separation charger 112. After that, the recording material S conveyed by the conveyance unit 113 has heat and pressure applied thereto in the fixing unit 114, and the toner image is fixed onto the recording material. Thereafter, the recording material S on which the toner image has been fixed, in the case of single-sided copying, passes through the discharge inversion unit 115 and is discharged to the discharge tray 117 by the discharge roller 116.

[0017] On the other hand, in the case of double-sided copying, the recording material S passes through the discharge inversion unit 115, and a part of it is discharged outside the apparatus by the discharge roller 116. Then, after that, when the end of the recording material S passes through the switching member 118 and the position of the switching member 118 is switched and the discharge roller 116 is rotated reversely at the timing when the recording material S is still being pinched by the discharge roller 116, the recording material S is conveyed back into the apparatus again. Further, after that, the recording material S is conveyed to the registration roller 110 via the re-feed conveyance units 119 and 120, and then is discharged to the discharge tray 117 following the same path as in the case of single-sided copying.

[0018] In the image forming apparatus 100 having the above configuration, image forming process devices such as a developing device 201, a cleaner unit 202, and a primary charger 203 are installed around the photosensitive drum 104. Incidentally, the developing device 201 develops the electrostatic latent image by attaching a developer to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 104 based on the image information of the original 101 read by the original reading device 103 and the like. Also, the primary charger 203 is for uniformly charging the surface of the photosensitive drum 104 in order to form a desired electrostatic latent image thereon. Further, the cleaner unit 202 is for removing the developer remaining on the photosensitive drum 104.

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

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

[0021] As shown in FIGS. 3(a) to 4(a), the developer receiving device 8 has a drive gear 9 that functions as a drive mechanism for driving the developer supply container 1. The drive gear 9 has a function of transmitting a rotational driving force from the drive motor 500 through a drive gear train (not shown) and applying a rotational driving force to the developer supply container 1 mounted on the mounting portion 8f. The drive motor 500 is configured to have its operation controlled by the control device 600.

[0022] The control device 600 controls the entire image forming apparatus 100 in addition to controlling the drive motor 500. Such a control device 600 has a CPU (Central Processing Unit), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and a RAM (Random Access Memory). The CPU controls each part while reading out a program corresponding to the control procedure stored in the ROM. Further, work data and input data are stored in the RAM, and the CPU performs control by referring to the data stored in the RAM based on the above-described program and the like.

[0023] A developer receiving portion 11 for receiving the developer discharged from the developer supply container 1 is provided in the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving device 8. The developer receiving portion 11 is connected to the container discharge port 3a4 (see FIG. 16(a)) of the developer supply container 1 when the developer supply container 1 is mounted, and has a receiving port 11a for receiving the developer discharged from the container discharge port 3a4. The developer receiving portion 11 is attached so as to be movable (displaceable) in a direction intersecting the mounting direction A of the developer supply container 1 in the present embodiment, that is, in a direction in which the receiving port 11a moves closer to and farther from the container discharge port 3a4 (specifically, in the vertical direction with respect to the developer receiving device 8). In the case of the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 3(b), the developer receiving portion 11 is biased in a direction in which the receiving port 11a moves away from the container discharge port 3a4 (downward in the vertical direction, the direction opposite to the displacement direction) by a biasing member 12 made of, for example, a compression coil spring. Therefore, when the developer receiving portion 11 moves in a direction in which the receiving port 11a approaches the container discharge port 3a4 (upward in the vertical direction), it moves against the biasing force of the biasing member 12. In the present specification, the direction in which the developer receiving portion 11 is displaced along with the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 is upward in the vertical direction, and this direction is denoted as the upward direction (displacement direction) U, and the downward direction in the vertical direction opposite thereto is denoted as the downward direction D.

[0024] Also, as shown in Fig. 4(a), a first shutter stopper portion 8a and a second shutter stopper portion 8b are provided on the mounting portion 8f of the developer receiving device 8 on the upstream side of the developer receiving portion 11 in the mounting direction A. The first and second shutter stopper portions 8a and 8b regulate the relative movement of the developer supply container 1 during attachment and detachment that moves relative to the developer receiving device 8 only with respect to the shutter 4 (see Fig. 5(b)) described later. In this case, the shutter 4 will move relative to a part of the developer supply container 1 other than the shutter 4 such as the container body 2 described later.

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

[0026] As shown in Fig. 4(c), a main body seal 13 formed so as to surround the receiving port 11a is disposed in the developer receiving portion 11. The main body seal 13 is composed of an elastic body, a foam body, etc. As shown in Fig. 16(a), the main body seal 13 is in close contact with the opening seal 3a5 surrounding the container discharge port 3a4 of the developer supply container 1 with the shutter 4 (described later) sandwiched therebetween when the developer supply container 1 is mounted. Thereby, the developer discharged from the container discharge port 3a4 of the developer supply container 1 to the receiving port 11a through the shutter opening (discharge port) 4j of the shutter 4 does not leak outside the receiving port 11a which is the developer conveyance path. That is, the main body seal 13 is provided around the receiving port 11a and elastically deforms and seals between the receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4j when the receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4j communicate.

[0027] Still, in order to prevent the inside of the mounting portion 8f from being soiled by the developer, it is desirable that the diameter of the receiving port 11a be slightly larger than the diameter of the shutter opening 4j of the shutter 4, or approximately the same diameter. This is because, if the diameter of the receiving port 11a is smaller than the diameter of the shutter opening 4j, the developer discharged from the shutter opening 4j is likely to adhere to the upper surface of the main body seal 13. The adhered developer adheres to the lower surface of the developer supply container 1 during the attachment / detachment operation of the developer supply container 1, which contributes to soiling by the developer. In view of this point, it is desirable that the diameter of the receiving port 11a be approximately the same diameter as the diameter of the shutter opening 4j to approximately 2 mm larger. For example, when the diameter of the shutter opening 4j of the shutter 4 is a fine opening (pinhole) of about 2 mm, it is preferable to set the diameter of the receiving port 11a to about 3 mm.

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

[0029] [Developer supply container] Next, the developer supply container 1 that constitutes the developer supply system 200 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5(a) to 16(b). First, the overall configuration of the developer supply container 1 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5(a) and 5(b). The developer supply container 1 mainly includes a container body 2, a flange portion 3, a shutter 4, a pump portion 5, a reciprocating member 6, and a cover 7. The container body 2 supplies the developer to the developer receiving device 8 by rotating in the direction of arrow R around the rotation axis P shown in FIG. 5(a) within the developer receiving device 8. Hereinafter, each element constituting the developer supply container 1 will be described in detail. In the present embodiment, the direction of the rotation axis P is defined as the rotation axis direction, and the same direction as the attachment / detachment direction parallel to the attachment direction A and the detachment direction B is adopted.

[0030] [Container body] The container body 2 mainly has a developer storage portion 2c for storing a developer therein as shown in FIG. 6. Further, in the container body 2, a transport groove 2a (transport portion) formed in a spiral shape for transporting the developer in the developer storage portion 2c is formed by rotating the container body 2 in the direction of arrow R with respect to the rotation axis P. That is, the developer storage portion 2c is relatively rotatable with respect to the discharge portion 300. Further, over the entire circumference of the outer peripheral surface on one end face side of the container body 2, a cam groove 2b and a drive receiving portion (gear) 2d that receives drive from the main body side are integrally formed. Note that in the present embodiment, the cam groove 2b and the drive receiving portion 2d are integrally formed with the container body 2, but the cam groove 2b or the drive receiving portion 2d may be formed separately and integrally attached to the container body 2. Further, in the present embodiment, as the developer, for example, toner having a volume average particle diameter of 5 μm to 6 μm is stored in the developer storage portion 2c. Further, in the present embodiment, the developer storage portion 2c is not only the container body 2 but also the combined internal space of the container body 2 and a flange portion 3 and a pump portion 5 described later.

[0031] [Flange portion] Subsequently, the flange portion 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 5(a), 5(b), 7(a), and 7(b). The flange portion 3 is attached to be relatively rotatable with respect to the container body 2 about the rotation axis P. Then, when the developer supply container 1 is attached to the developer receiving device 8, the flange portion 3 is held so as to be non-rotatable in the direction of arrow R with respect to the attachment portion 8f (see FIG. 3(a)). Further, as shown in FIG. 7(b), a container discharge port 3a4 is provided in a part of the flange portion 3, and an opening seal 3a5 is attached around it. As shown in FIG. 5(b), a pump portion 5, a reciprocating member 6, a shutter 4, and a cover 7 are assembled to the flange portion 3.

[0032] First, a pump unit 5 is screwed to one end side (mounting direction A) of the flange portion 3, and a container body 2 is joined to the other end side (detachment direction B side) via a seal member (not shown). Further, a reciprocating member 6 is disposed so as to sandwich the pump unit 5, and an engaging projection 6b (see FIGS. 11(a) and (b)) provided on the reciprocating member 6 is fitted into a cam groove 2b (see FIG. 6) of the container body 2. Furthermore, a shutter 4 is incorporated in the flange portion 3. In the present embodiment, the flange portion 3 and the shutter 4 constitute a discharge portion 300 for discharging the developer stored in the developer storage portion 2c. Also, the surface on which the shutter 4 is provided is the bottom surface of the flange portion 3, that is, the upper surface of the bottom portion 3d. Also, in order to improve the appearance and to protect the reciprocating member 6 and the pump unit 5, a cover 7 is integrally assembled so as to cover the entire flange portion 3, shutter 4, pump unit 5, and reciprocating member 6, and is configured as shown in FIGS. 5(a) and (b).

[0033] Also, as shown in FIGS. 7(a) and (b), the flange portion 3 has a flat plate-shaped bottom portion 3d horizontally provided at the lower part, and an opening 3e formed in a substantially central portion of the bottom portion 3d and penetrating in the vertical direction. As shown in FIG. 5(b), the bottom portion 3d slidably supports the shutter 4 from below. As shown in FIG. 15(a), when the main body seal 13 and the receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 are displaced upward in the U direction, they penetrate through the opening 3e.

[0034] As shown in FIG. 7(a), with respect to the width direction orthogonal to the insertion / removal direction and the vertical direction of the flange portion 3, swing shafts (shaft portions) 41 protruding outward in the width direction are provided on both wall portions of the flange portion 3, respectively. Also, on both wall portions of the flange portion 3, a first positioning portion 42 is provided on the mounting direction A side of the swing shaft 41, and a second positioning portion 43 is provided on the detachment direction B side of the swing shaft 41. An engaging portion 30 is swingably supported by the swing shaft 41, and the engaging portion 30 is fixed by a snap fit (not shown) for preventing detachment. That is, the swing shaft 41 is provided in the discharge portion 300, and swingably supports the engaging portion 30 at a position where both end portions of the engaging portion 30 can rotate.

[0035] [Engaging portion] As shown in Fig. 7(a), the flange portion 3 has an engaging portion 30 that can engage with the engaged portion 11b (see Fig. 3(a)) of the developer receiving portion 11. Fig. 5(c) is a front view of the developer supply container 1. As shown in Fig. 5(c), the engaging portion 30 is disposed below the plane H including the rotation axis P. Further, the plane H including the rotation axis P is a horizontal plane, and the engaging portion 30 is disposed below this horizontal plane. The engaging portion 30 engages with the engaged portion 11b as the developer supply container 1 is mounted, and displaces the developer receiving portion 11 upward in the U direction so that the receiving port 11a communicates with the shutter opening 4j (see Fig. 16(a)). At this time, the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 11 are in a connected state where the developer can be supplied from the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving portion 11. Further, the engaging portion 30 guides the developer receiving portion 11 to displace downward in the D direction so that the connection state between the developer supply container 1 and the developer receiving portion 11 is broken as the developer supply container 1 is removed. In the present embodiment, as shown in Figs. 7(a) and (b), the engaging portion 30 is provided on both sides in the width direction orthogonal to the insertion / removal direction and the vertical direction of the flange portion 3.

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

[0037] As shown by the solid line in FIG. 8, the first position of the engaging portion 30 is set such that the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30 faces upward in the U direction as it goes upstream in the mounting direction A of the developer supply container 1. That is, the engaging portion 30 has a distal end portion 30a (one end portion) far from the developer storage portion 2c and a distal end portion 30b (the other end portion) close to the developer storage portion 2c in the direction of the rotation axis P. At the first position, the distal end portion 30a is lower than the distal end portion 30b. Further, when the engaging portion 30 is in the first position, it is inclined with respect to the rotation axis P. Also, as shown by the imaginary line in FIG. 8, the second position of the engaging portion 30 is set such that the inclination of the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30 with respect to the mounting direction A is smaller than that in the first position. In the present embodiment, the second position of the engaging portion 30 is a position where the engaging surface 33 is substantially parallel to the mounting direction A when the engaging portion 30 abuts against the second positioning portion 43. That is, the inclination angle of the engaging portion 30 with respect to the rotation axis P when in the second position is approximately 0°. Also, the first position of the engaging portion 30 is set as a position where the engaging surface 33 is inclined by a predetermined inclination angle θ with respect to the mounting direction A. This inclination angle θ can be set, for example, to about 30 degrees to 60 degrees.

[0038] Further, the first positioning portion 42 formed on the flange portion 3 abuts against the back side of the distal end portion 30a on the mounting direction A side of the engaging portion 30 to position the engaging portion 30 in the first position. The second positioning portion 43 abuts against the back side of the distal end portion 30b on the detachment direction B side of the engaging portion 30 to position the engaging portion 30 in the second position. The engaging portion 30 is biased, for example, by a torsion coil spring (biasing portion) 44 so as to abut against the first positioning portion 42. That is, the torsion coil spring 44 maintains the first state in which the distal end portion 30a is lower than the distal end portion 30b. Therefore, when the developer supply container 1 is inserted into the image forming apparatus 100, the engaging portion 30 abuts against the first positioning portion 42. Note that the engaging portion 30 is positioned in the width direction with respect to the swing axis 41 by a snap fit so as not to detach from the swing axis 41.

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

[0040] Further, in the present embodiment, the bearing portion 32 pivotally supported on the swing shaft 41 is provided slightly below the upstream side in the mounting direction A from the substantially central portion of the flat plate portion 31. The swing shaft 41 is provided between the upstream tip portion (upstream end portion) 30b and the downstream tip portion (downstream end portion) 30a of the engaging portion 30 with respect to the mounting direction A, and is arranged at a position where the engaging portion 30 swings between the first position and the second position by the engagement of the engaged portion 11b. Further, the swing shaft 41 is arranged below the rotation axis P and above the shutter opening 4j in the vertical direction. Further, the swing shaft 41 is arranged at a position farther from the developer storage portion 2c than the shutter opening 4j in the direction of the rotation axis P. Further, the swing shaft 41 protrudes from the side surface of the discharge portion 300. However, the position of the bearing portion 32 with respect to the flat plate portion 31 and the arrangement position of the swing shaft 41 can be appropriately set according to the configuration and dimensions of each portion.

[0041] [Shutter] Next, the shutter 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. 9(a) and (b). The shutter 4 is provided so as to be movable relative to a part (flange portion 3) of the developer supply container 1 by sliding on the upper surface of the bottom portion 3d (see FIG. 7(a)) of the flange portion 3. The shutter 4 has a shutter opening 4j as a discharge port, and opens and closes the container discharge port 3a4 (see FIG. 7(b)) of the developer supply container 1 in accordance with the attachment and detachment operation of the developer supply container 1. That is, as the shutter 4 moves relative to the developer supply container 1 with the attachment operation of the developer supply container 1, the receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 communicates with the shutter opening 4j, and further the container discharge port 3a4 communicates. Thereby, the developer inside the developer supply container 1 can be discharged to the receiving port 11a. That is, the flange portion 3 and the shutter 4 constitute a discharge portion 300 (see FIG. 5(b)) for discharging the developer, and a shutter opening 4j as a discharge port for discharging the developer is formed on the bottom surface of the shutter 4 of the discharge portion 300.

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

[0043] On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 9(a) and (b), a developer sealing portion 4a is provided at a position deviated from the shutter opening 4j of the shutter 4. The developer sealing portion 4a closes the container discharge port 3a4 as the shutter 4 moves relative to the developer supply container 1 with the operation of removing the developer supply container 1. Further, the developer sealing portion 4a prevents leakage of the developer from the container discharge port 3a4 when the developer supply container 1 is not attached to the attachment portion 8f (see FIG. 3(a)) of the developer receiving device 8. A sliding surface 4i for sliding on the upper surface of the bottom portion 3d of the flange portion 3 is provided on the back side (developer receiving portion 11 side) of the developer sealing portion 4a. Note that the shutter 4 is engaged with the flange portion 3 in a posture with the developer sealing portion 4a facing upward.

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

[0045] In addition, the first stopper portion 4b is inclined so that the angle α formed by the first stopper portion 4b and the support portion 4d is an acute angle. On the contrary, the second stopper portion 4c is inclined so that the angle β formed by the second stopper portion 4c and the support portion 4d is an obtuse angle.

[0046] During the mounting operation of the developer supply container 1, the first stopper portion 4b engages with the guide portion 8g of the developer receiving device 8 and is displaced, passes through the second shutter stopper portion 8b, and engages with the first shutter stopper portion 8a. When the first stopper portion 4b and the first shutter stopper portion 8a engage with each other, the position of the shutter 4 relative to the developer receiving device 8 is fixed. During the removal operation of the developer supply container 1, the second stopper portion 4c engages with the second shutter stopper portion 8b of the developer receiving device 8 and is displaced so that the first stopper portion 4b disengages from the first shutter stopper portion 8a. Thereby, the shutter 4 is disengaged from the developer receiving device 8.

[0047] [Pump section] The pump unit 5 will be described with reference to FIGS. 10(a) and 10(b). The pump unit 5 operates such that the internal pressure of the developer storage unit 2c alternately repeats between a state lower than atmospheric pressure and a state higher than atmospheric pressure by the driving force received by the drive receiving unit 2d of the container body 2 (see FIG. 6). In the present embodiment, in order to stably discharge the developer from the small container discharge port 3a4 as described above, the pump unit 5 is provided in a part of the developer supply container 1. The pump unit 5 is a variable volume pump whose volume can be changed. Specifically, as the pump unit 5, one composed of a bellows-like expandable and contractible member is adopted.

[0048] By the expansion and contraction operation of this pump unit 5, the pressure inside the developer supply container 1 is changed, and the developer is discharged using this pressure. Specifically, when the pump unit 5 is contracted, the inside of the developer supply container 1 becomes a pressurized state, and the developer is discharged from the container discharge port 3a4 of the developer supply container 1 in a form pushed by the pressure. When the pump unit 5 is expanded, the inside of the developer supply container 1 becomes a depressurized state, and air is taken in from the outside through the container discharge port 3a4. The air taken in loosens the developer near the storage part 3a3 (see FIG. 7(a)) that stores the developer transported from the container discharge port 3a4 and the container body 2 of the flange part 3, so that the next discharge can be performed smoothly.

[0049] That is, in this way, near the container discharge port 3a4 of the developer supply container 1 and the storage part 3a3, the developer inside the developer supply container 1 may gather due to vibrations during transportation of the developer supply container 1 or the like, and the developer may solidify at this part. Therefore, by taking in air through the container discharge port 3a4 as described above, the solidified developer can be loosened. Also, in the normal developer discharge operation, by taking in air in this way, the air and the developer in the form of powder are mixed, and the fluidity of the developer is improved, and the effect that the developer is less likely to be clogged is also obtained. By repeating the expansion and contraction operation as described above, the developer is discharged.

[0050] As shown in Fig. 10(a), the pump unit 5 has a joint portion 5b on the open end side (detachment direction B side) so as to be joinable to the flange portion 3. Here, a configuration in which a screw is formed as the joint portion 5b is illustrated. Further, as shown in Fig. 10(b), the pump unit 5 has a reciprocating member engaging portion 5c that engages with a reciprocating member 6 (see Figs. 11(a) and 11(b)), which will be described later, on the other end side (mounting direction A side) opposite to the open end, in order to be displaced in synchronization with the reciprocating member 6.

[0051] Further, the pump unit 5 has a bellows-shaped expansion and contraction portion (bellows portion, expansion and contraction member) 5a in which mountain folds and valley folds are alternately and periodically formed. The expansion and contraction portion 5a can be folded by moving the reciprocating member engaging portion 5c in the detachment direction B with respect to the joint portion 5b along its fold line (with the fold line as a base point), or can be extended by moving it in the mounting direction A. Therefore, when the bellows-shaped pump unit 5 as in the present embodiment is adopted, variations in the volume change amount with respect to the expansion and contraction amount can be reduced, so that stable volume change can be performed.

[0052] In the present embodiment, polypropylene resin is used as the material of the pump unit 5, but it is not limited thereto. Regarding the material (material quality) of the pump unit 5, any material may be used as long as it can exhibit an expansion and contraction function and change the internal pressure of the developer storage portion due to volume change. For example, ABS (acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene copolymer), polystyrene, polyester, polyethylene, etc. may be used. Alternatively, rubber, other elastic materials, etc. can also be used.

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

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

[0055] [Mounting Operation of Developer Supply Container] The mounting operation of the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving device 8 of the image forming apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. 13(a) to 16(b). Here, FIGS. 13(a) and (b) show the state before the engaged portion 11b engages with the engaging surface 33 when the developer supply container 1 is inserted. FIGS. 14(a) and (b) show the state when the engaged portion 11b engages with the engaging surface 33 as the developer supply container 1 is inserted. FIGS. 15(a) and (b) show the state immediately before the engaging portion 30 swings as the developer supply container 1 is inserted. FIGS. 16(a) and (b) show the state after the engaging portion 30 swings to the second position as the mounting of the developer supply container 1 is completed.

[0056] Insert the developer supply container 1 into the image forming apparatus 100 and move the developer supply container 1 in the mounting direction A as shown in FIG. 13(a). Here, as shown in FIG. 13(b), the engaging portion 30 and the engaged portion 11b are not yet engaged. Until this point, the positions of the flange portion 3 and the shutter 4 have not been relatively displaced, and the container discharge port 3a4 is sealed by the developer sealing portion 4a of the shutter 4. At this time, as shown in FIG. 9(a), the shutter 4 has its stopper portions 4b and 4c engaged with the shutter stopper portions 8a and 8b of the developer receiving device 8, and the position of the shutter 4 in the mounting direction A with respect to the developer receiving device 8 is fixed. Therefore, after this, even if the developer supply container 1 is moved in the mounting direction A, the shutter 4 relatively moves with respect to the developer supply container 1 excluding the shutter 4 in the mounting direction A, but does not relatively move in the insertion and removal direction with respect to the developer receiving portion 11.

[0057] When the developer supply container 1 is further moved in the mounting direction A, as shown in FIG. 14(a), although the positions of the shutter 4 and the flange portion 3 are relatively displaced, the position of the receiving port 11a remains at the initial position and is not in contact with the shutter 4. At this time, as shown in FIG. 14(b), the engaged portion 11b of the developer receiving portion 11 abuts against the lower side portion of the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30. When the developer supply container 1 is further displaced in the mounting direction A from this state, the engaged portion 11b is displaced along the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30. That is, with the insertion operation of the developer supply container 1, the developer receiving portion 11 having the engaged portion 11b is lifted upward in the upward direction U. Here, when the engaged portion 11b is on the lower side D with respect to the swing axis 41, when a force for inserting the developer supply container 1 in the mounting direction A acts on the engaging portion 30, an external force in the counterclockwise rotation direction in FIG. 14(b) acts on the engaging portion 30. However, since the swing of the engaging portion 30 in the counterclockwise rotation direction is restricted by the first positioning portion 42, the engaging portion 30 does not displace.

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

[0059] At this time, as shown in FIG. 15(b), the engaged portion 11b rises along the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30 and is displaced to the upper side U with respect to the swing axis 41. When an attempt is made to further insert the developer supply container 1 in the mounting direction A in this state, the engaging portion 30 swings in the clockwise rotation direction in the figure about the swing axis 41. Then, the engaging portion 30 abuts against the second positioning portion 43, and the engaging portion 30 becomes horizontal with respect to the mounting direction A (see FIG. 16(b)).

[0060] When the developer supply container 1 is further moved in the mounting direction A and pushed into the mounting completion position, as shown in Fig. 16(a), it relatively moves with respect to the flange portion 3 while the receiving port 11a and the shutter opening 4j are in contact, and communicates with the container discharge port 3a4. In this state, since the container discharge port 3a4, the shutter opening 4j, and the receiving port 11a are in communication, the operation of supplying the developer from the developer supply container 1 to the developer receiving device 8 becomes possible. At this time, as shown in Fig. 16(b), the engaging portion 30 is parallel to the mounting direction A of the developer supply container 1. Therefore, the developer receiving portion 11 having the engaged portion 11b is not lifted more than the state of contacting the shutter 4, and no excessive force acts on the engaged portion 11b or the like. Here, as shown in Fig. 16(b), the positional relationship between the container discharge port 3a4 and the engaging surface 33 is such that the plane L passing through the container discharge port 3a4 and perpendicular to the rotation axis P passes through the engaging surface 33. Further, the plane including the engaging surface 33 is in a positional relationship arranged between the rotation axis P and the container discharge port 3a4. Furthermore, the position of the plane L in the direction of the rotation axis P is arranged on the side of the developer storage portion 2c rather than the swing axis 41.

[0061] On the other hand, when removing the developer supply container 1 mounted on the apparatus main body 100a, the developer supply container 1 is displaced in the removal direction B. At that time, contrary to the mounting state, it is taken out in the states of Fig. 16 → Fig. 15 → Fig. 14 → Fig. 13. Further, since the engaging portion 30 is always biased in the direction of the first positioning portion 42 by the torsion coil spring 44, the engaging portion 30 is displaced from Fig. 16(b) to Fig. 15(b). As a result, the user can take out the old developer supply container 1 in the removal direction B, insert the new developer supply container 1 in the mounting direction A, and the engaging portion 30 is automatically displaced to replace the developer supply container 1, so that the replacement work can be facilitated.

[0062] As described above, according to the developer supply container 1 of the present embodiment, the engaged portion 11b is displaced in a state of always being along the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30. Here, the engaged portion 11b engages with the inclined engaging surface 33 when the engaged portion 11b is lifted upward in the upward direction U at the start of insertion of the developer supply container 1, and the horizontal engaging surface 33 when maintaining the height of the engaged portion 11b at the completion of insertion of the developer supply container 1. For this reason, unlike the case where the engaging surface is composed of two planes provided in a mountain-fold shape, with the inclined engaging surface and the horizontal engaging surface, the engaging surface does not suddenly switch, and the inclined engaging surface 33 and the horizontal engaging surface 33 can be switched smoothly. Therefore, the operating force when attaching and detaching the developer supply container 1 to and from the image forming apparatus 100 is reduced, the operability becomes smooth, and the operability can be improved. Further, according to the developer supply container 1 of the present embodiment, since the engaging surface 33 is planar, the complexity of the shape of the engaging portion 30 can be suppressed.

[0063] In addition, in the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, the engaging surface 33 of the engaging portion 30 is planar, but it is not limited to this. For example, the engaging surface 33 may be curved.

[0064] Also, in the above-described embodiment, as shown in FIG. 8, when the engaging portion 30 is located at the second position, the engaging surface 33 is parallel to the mounting direction A, but it is not limited to this. For example, the engaging surface 33 may be provided to be inclined with respect to the mounting direction A. In this case, a developer receiving device 8 pulling device is provided. Thereby, since the developer supply container 1 is fixed at a predetermined mounting position in a state of being pulled in the mounting direction by the pulling device, the developer supply container 1 does not move in the removal direction unless an operator or the like applies a force to remove it. Therefore, even if the engaging surface 33 is not a parallel plane, the engaged portion 11b does not accidentally move in the separation direction B.

[0065] In the above-described embodiment, the discharge port communicating with the receiving port 11a of the developer receiving portion 11 is the shutter opening 4j of the shutter 4. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, without providing a shutter, the receiving port of the developer receiving portion may be directly brought into contact with and communicated with the container discharge port of the developer supply container 1. In this case, the container discharge port corresponds to the discharge port communicating with the receiving port.

Explanation of Reference Numerals

[0066] 1... Developer supply container, 2c... Developer storage portion, 4j... Shutter opening (discharge port), 8... Developer receiving device, 11... Developer receiving portion, 11a... Receiving port, 11b... Engaged portion, 30... Engaging portion (engaging member), 30a... Downstream tip (downstream end), 30b... Upstream tip (upstream end), 33... Engaging surface, 41... Swing shaft (shaft portion), 42... First positioning portion, 43... Second positioning portion, 44... Twisting coil spring (biasing portion), 200... Developer supply system, 300... Discharge portion, A... Mounting direction, U... Upward direction (displacement direction).

Claims

1. A developer replenishment container detachable from a developer receiving device having a developer receiving portion formed with a receiving port for receiving a developer, and an engaged portion displaceable integrally with the developer receiving portion, wherein: a rotatable developer storage portion for storing a developer; a discharge portion having a discharge port formed at a bottom surface for discharging the developer stored in the developer storage portion; an engagement member that engages with the engaged portion as the developer replenishment container is mounted, and displaces the developer receiving portion in a displacement direction so that the receiving port communicates with the discharge port; a shaft portion provided at the discharge portion and rotatably supporting the engagement member at a position where both end portions of the engagement member can rotate; the engagement member has one end portion on a side farther from the developer storage portion and the other end portion on a closer side in a rotational axis direction of the developer storage portion, and has a biasing portion for maintaining the one end portion in a first state where it is lower than the other end portion; A developer replenishment container characterized by the above.

2. In the first state, an engagement surface with which the engaged portion of the engagement member engages with respect to the rotational axis of the developer storage portion is inclined. The developer replenishment container according to claim 1, characterized by the above.

3. When the engaged portion engages with the engagement member on the side of the developer storage portion with respect to the shaft portion in the rotational axis direction of the developer storage portion, a second state is obtained in which an inclination angle with respect to the rotational axis of the developer storage portion is smaller than the inclination angle in the first state. The developer replenishment container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized by the above.

4. The inclination angle in the second state is about 0°. The developer replenishment container according to claim 3, characterized by the above.

5. A surface of the engagement member that engages with the engaged portion is a flat surface. The developer replenishment container according to any one of claims 1 to 4, characterized by the above.

6. A first positioning portion that abuts against the engagement member and positions the engagement member in the first state, and a second positioning portion that abuts against the engagement member and positions the engagement member in the second state. The developer replenishment container according to claim 3 or 4, characterized by the above.

7. In the vertical direction, the shaft portion is disposed below the rotational axis of the developer storage portion and above the discharge port. The developer replenishment container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, characterized by the above.

8. The developer storage section is rotatable relative to the discharge section. The developer supply container according to any one of claims 1 to 7, characterized in that.

9. In the axial direction of the rotation axis of the developer storage section, the shaft portion is disposed at a position farther from the developer storage section than the discharge port. The developer supply container according to any one of claims 1 to 8, characterized in that.

10. The shaft portion protrudes from the side surface of the discharge section. The developer supply container according to any one of claims 1 to 9, characterized in that.

11. A developer receiving device having a developer receiving portion formed with a receiving port for receiving a developer and an engaged portion that can be displaced integrally with the developer receiving portion, A developer supply container detachably attached to the developer receiving device, The developer supply container, A rotatable developer storage section for storing a developer, A discharge section having a discharge port formed on the bottom surface for discharging the developer stored in the developer storage section, An engaging member that engages with the engaged portion as the developer supply container is mounted and displaces the developer receiving portion in the displacement direction so that the receiving port communicates with the discharge port, A shaft portion provided on the discharge section and rotatably supporting the engaging member at a position where both ends of the engaging member can rotate, The engaging member has one end portion on the side farther from the developer storage section and the other end portion on the closer side in the axial direction of the rotation axis of the developer storage section, and has a biasing portion for maintaining the first state in which the one end portion is lower than the other end portion. A developer supply system, characterized in that.

Images