Toner container and image forming apparatus

Abstract

To easily check the state of a member installed on the inner side in an attachment direction of a toner storage container without reducing the positional accuracy of an information storage device.SOLUTION: A part to be held 34 non-rotationally held on an image forming apparatus body 100 covers part of a container body 33 on the inner side in an attachment direction and is installed such that a gear part 37 is exposed. An ID chip 50 (information storage device) and a holding part 40 holding the ID chip 50 at a position on the inner side in the attachment direction than the gear part 37 and held by the part to be held 34 through a connection part 39 are provided. When seen on a cross section orthogonal to a rotation axis, the ID chip 50, holding part 40, and connection part 39 are arranged at oblique positions excluding positions on a horizontal line S and a vertical line R passing through the rotation axis X. The connection part 39 is provided with rib-like parts 39b that are formed to cover a part in the direction of rotation of the gear part 37 and connect the part to be held 34 and the holding part 40 to each other.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 8

Description

[Technical Field]

[0001] The present invention relates to a toner container for storing toner, and an image forming apparatus including the toner container. [Background technology]

[0002] BACKGROUND ART Conventionally, image forming apparatuses such as copiers, printers, facsimiles, or combination machines thereof, in which a cylindrical toner storage container is detachably installed, have been widely known (see, for example, Patent Document 1).

[0003] More specifically, the toner storage container (toner container) in Patent Document 1 has a spiral groove formed on the circumferential surface of a rotatable container body. When the container body is rotated while installed in the image forming apparatus body, the toner stored in the container body is transported in the direction of the rotation axis along the spiral groove and is discharged from the container to the outside through the opening.

[0004] On the other hand, Patent Document 1 discloses a technology in which the tip end (rear side in the mounting direction) of the container body is covered so that only a portion of the circumference of the gear (gear portion) that rotates together with the container body is exposed, and an information storage device such as an ID chip that communicates with the image forming device body is installed on a cover member (held portion) that is held non-rotatingly on the image forming device body. Summary of the Invention [Problem to be solved by the invention]

[0005] In conventional toner storage containers, most of the rear side of the container body in the installation direction is covered by the held part, making it difficult to check the assembly status of parts such as gear parts installed in the rear side of the container body in the installation direction. One possible solution to this problem is to form the held portion so that most of the gear portion is exposed. However, in such a case, the strength of the portion of the held portion that holds the information storage device is weakened, which reduces the positional accuracy of the information storage device relative to the image forming device main body, making it more likely that problems such as poor communication with the image forming device main body will occur.

[0006] The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and aims to provide a toner storage container that makes it easy to check the status of components installed at the rear side in the installation direction of the toner storage container without reducing the positional accuracy of the information storage device. [Means for solving the problem]

[0007] The toner storage container of the present invention is a toner storage container that is detachably mounted in a predetermined mounting direction relative to an image forming apparatus main body, and includes: a container main body that is rotatable about a rotation axis; a gear portion that is mounted on the rear side of the toner storage container in the mounting direction in the mounting direction and that is rotatable together with the container main body; a held portion that is mounted on the rear side of the toner storage container in the mounting direction in such a way that it covers a part of the container main body and exposes the gear portion, and that is held non-rotatably by the image forming apparatus main body; and a toner storage container that is detachably mounted in the image forming apparatus main body when the toner storage container is mounted in the image forming apparatus main body. and a holding portion that holds the information storage device at a position further back in the mounting direction than the gear portion and is held by the held portion via a connecting portion, and when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis with the toner storage container mounted on the image forming device main body, the information storage device, the holding portion, and the connecting portion are arranged in oblique positions excluding positions on horizontal and vertical lines passing through the rotation axis, and the connecting portion is formed to cover a portion of the gear portion in the rotation direction, and is provided with a rib-shaped portion that connects the held portion and the holding portion. [Effects of the Invention]

[0008] According to the present invention, it is possible to provide a toner storage container that allows easy confirmation of the state of members installed on the rear side of the toner storage container in the installation direction without reducing the positional accuracy of the information storage device. [Brief explanation of the drawings]

[0009] [Figure 1] 1 is an overall configuration diagram showing an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention; [Figure 2] FIG. [Figure 3] FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating the overall configuration of a toner supply device and its surroundings. [Figure 4] FIG. 2 is a longitudinal view of the toner container, viewed obliquely. [Figure 5] 1A and 1B are a front view and a cross-sectional view taken along line AA, respectively, showing a container body of a toner storage container; [Figure 6] 1A is a front view showing the held portion, and FIG. 1B is a rear view showing the held portion. [Figure 7] 6A is a view showing the main part of the toner container from a direction perpendicular to the oblique direction (view direction B in FIG. 6A) in the direction of the rotation axis. [Figure 8] 6A is a view showing the main part of the toner container from an oblique direction (viewed from B in FIG. 6A) in the direction of the rotation axis. [Figure 9] FIG. 4 is an enlarged view showing a state in which the information storage unit is positioned in the image forming apparatus main body. [Figure 10] 3A and 3B are diagrams illustrating the relationship between a toner container and an insertion opening of the image forming apparatus main body. [Figure 11] FIG. 10 is a diagram showing a main part of a toner container according to a first modification in the direction of the rotation axis, viewed from a direction perpendicular to the oblique direction. [Figure 12] FIG. 10 is a view showing a main part of a toner storage container as a second modification from an oblique direction in the direction of the rotation axis. DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0010] Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. In each drawing, the same or corresponding parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and redundant explanations will be appropriately simplified or omitted.

[0011] First, the overall configuration and operation of image forming apparatus 100 will be described with reference to FIGS. FIG. 1 is a diagram showing the configuration of a printer as an image forming apparatus, FIG. 2 is an enlarged view showing an image forming unit, and FIG. 3 is a diagram showing the configuration of a toner supply device and its vicinity. 1, approximately cylindrical toner storage containers 32Y, 32M, 32C, and 32K of four colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, and black) are detachably (replaceably) mounted on an installation section 31 (toner container receiving stand) located above the image forming apparatus main body 100. Also, below each toner storage container 32Y, 32M, 32C, and 32K, hoppers 81Y, 81M, 81C, and 81K of toner supply devices are disposed, respectively. An intermediate transfer unit 15 is disposed below the installation section 31. Opposite to the intermediate transfer belt 8 of the intermediate transfer unit 15, image forming sections 6Y, 6M, 6C, and 6K corresponding to each color (yellow, magenta, cyan, and black) are arranged side by side.

[0012] 2, the image forming unit 6Y corresponding to yellow is made up of a photosensitive drum 1Y (image carrier), a charging device 4Y, a developing device 5Y, a cleaning device 2Y, a static eliminator, etc., which are arranged around the photosensitive drum 1Y. Then, an image forming process (charging process, exposure process, developing process, transfer process, cleaning process, static eliminator process) is performed on the photosensitive drum 1Y, and a yellow image is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y.

[0013] The other three image forming units 6M, 6C, and 6K are configured in a manner similar to that of the image forming unit 6Y corresponding to yellow, except that they use different toner colors, and form images corresponding to their respective toner colors. Below, we will omit the explanation of the other three image forming units 6M, 6C, and 6K as appropriate, and will only explain the image forming unit 6Y corresponding to yellow.

[0014] 2, the photosensitive drum 1Y is rotated by a motor in the clockwise direction in Fig. 2. Then, at the position of the charging device 4Y, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y is uniformly charged (charging step). Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y reaches the irradiation position of the laser light L emitted from the exposure device 7 (writing unit), and an electrostatic latent image corresponding to yellow is formed by exposure scanning at this position (exposure process).

[0015] Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y reaches a position facing the developing device 5Y, where the electrostatic latent image is developed to form a yellow toner image (developing step). Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y reaches a position facing the intermediate transfer belt 8 and the primary transfer roller 9Y, where the toner image on the photosensitive drum 1Y is transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 8 (the primary transfer step). At this time, a small amount of untransferred toner remains on the photosensitive drum 1Y.

[0016] Thereafter, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y reaches a position facing the cleaning device 2Y, where untransferred toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 1Y is collected (cleaning process). Finally, the surface of the photosensitive drum 1Y reaches a position facing a static eliminator (not shown), where the residual potential on the photosensitive drum 1Y is removed. Thus, a series of image forming processes performed on the photosensitive drum 1Y is completed.

[0017] The above-described image forming process is also performed in the other image forming units 6M, 6C, and 6K in the same manner as in the yellow image forming unit 6Y. That is, laser light L based on image information is irradiated onto the photosensitive drum of each image forming unit 6M, 6C, and 6K from an exposure device 7 disposed below the image forming units. More specifically, the exposure device 7 emits laser light L from a light source, and irradiates the laser light L onto the photosensitive drum via multiple optical elements while scanning with a rotationally driven polygon mirror. Thereafter, the toner images of each color formed on each photosensitive drum through the development process are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 8 in a superimposed manner, thereby forming a color image on the intermediate transfer belt 8.

[0018] Here, the intermediate transfer unit 15 is composed of an intermediate transfer belt 8, four primary transfer rollers 9Y, 9M, 9C, and 9K, a secondary transfer opposing roller 12, a cleaning backup roller 13, a tension roller 14, an intermediate transfer cleaning device 10, etc. The intermediate transfer belt 8 is stretched and supported by three rollers 12 to 14, and is moved endlessly in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 1 by the rotational drive of one roller 12.

[0019] The four primary transfer rollers 9Y, 9M, 9C, and 9K sandwich the intermediate transfer belt 8 between themselves and the photosensitive drums 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K, respectively, to form primary transfer nips. A transfer bias opposite to the polarity of the toner is applied to the primary transfer rollers 9Y, 9M, 9C, and 9K. The intermediate transfer belt 8 then travels in the direction of the arrow and passes through the primary transfer nips of the primary transfer rollers 9Y, 9M, 9C, and 9K in sequence. In this way, the toner images of each color on the photosensitive drums 1Y, 1M, 1C, and 1K are primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 8 in a superimposed manner.

[0020] Thereafter, the intermediate transfer belt 8, onto which the toner images of each color have been transferred and superimposed, reaches a position facing a secondary transfer roller 19. At this position, a secondary transfer nip is formed between the secondary transfer opposing roller 12 and the secondary transfer roller 19, sandwiching the intermediate transfer belt 8. The four-color toner images formed on the intermediate transfer belt 8 are then transferred onto a sheet P, such as paper, that has been transported to the position of this secondary transfer nip. At this time, untransferred toner that has not been transferred to the sheet P remains on the intermediate transfer belt 8.

[0021] Thereafter, the intermediate transfer belt 8 reaches the position of the intermediate transfer cleaning device 10. At this position, untransferred toner on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is collected. Thus, the series of transfer processes performed on the intermediate transfer belt 8 is completed.

[0022] Here, the sheet P transported to the position of the secondary transfer nip is transported from a paper feed device 26 arranged below the device main body 100 via a paper feed roller 27, a pair of registration rollers 28, etc. More specifically, a plurality of sheets P such as paper are stacked and stored in the paper feed device 26. When the paper feed roller 27 is rotated counterclockwise in FIG. 1, the topmost sheet P is fed toward between the pair of registration rollers 28.

[0023] The sheet P conveyed to the position of the registration roller pair 28 (timing roller pair) is temporarily stopped at the roller nip position of the registration roller pair 28, which has stopped rotating. Then, the registration roller pair 28 is rotated in synchronization with the color image on the intermediate transfer belt 8, and the sheet P is conveyed toward the secondary transfer nip. In this way, the desired color image is transferred onto the sheet P.

[0024] Thereafter, the sheet P onto which the color image has been transferred at the secondary transfer nip position is transported to the fixing device 20. At this position, the color image transferred onto the surface of the sheet P is fixed onto the sheet P by heat and pressure from the fixing roller and pressure roller. Thereafter, the sheet P is discharged to the outside of the apparatus through the rollers of the discharge roller pair 29. The sheets P discharged to the outside of the apparatus by the discharge roller pair 29 are sequentially stacked on a stack unit 30 as output images. In this way, a series of image forming processes in the image forming apparatus is completed.

[0025] Next, the configuration and operation of the developing device in the image forming unit will be described in more detail with reference to FIG. The developing device 5Y is composed of a developing roller 51 facing the photosensitive drum 1Y, a doctor blade 52 facing the developing roller 51, two conveying screws 55 disposed in developer containers 53 and 54, and a concentration detection sensor 56 that detects the toner concentration in the developer. The developing roller 51 is composed of a magnet fixed inside and a sleeve that rotates around the magnet. The developer containers 53 and 54 contain a two-component developer consisting of a carrier and toner.

[0026] The developing device 5Y configured in this manner operates as follows. The sleeve of the developing roller 51 rotates in the direction of the arrow in Figure 2. The developer carried on the developing roller 51 by the magnetic field generated by the magnet moves on the developing roller 51 as the sleeve rotates. Here, the developer G in the developing device 5Y is adjusted so that the ratio of toner (toner concentration) in the developer G falls within a predetermined range. Specifically, in accordance with the toner consumption in the developing device 5Y, the toner contained in the toner storage container 32Y is replenished into the developer accommodating unit 54 via a toner replenishing device 90 serving as a replenishing device.

[0027] Thereafter, the toner supplied to the developer container 54 is circulated between the two developer containers 53 and 54 while being mixed and stirred together with the developer by the two transport screws 55 (moving in the longitudinal direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 2). The toner in the developer is then attracted to the carrier due to frictional charging with the carrier, and is carried on the developing roller 51 together with the carrier by the magnetic force formed on the developing roller 51. The developer carried on the developing roller 51 is transported in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 3 and reaches the position of the doctor blade 52. The developer on the developing roller 51 is adjusted to an appropriate amount at this position, and then transported to a position facing the photosensitive drum 1Y (the developing area). The toner is then attracted to the latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1Y by an electric field formed in the developing area. Thereafter, the developer remaining on the developing roller 51 reaches above the developer container 53 as the sleeve rotates, and is released from the developing roller 51 at this position.

[0028] Next, the configuration and operation of the toner supply device 90 will be briefly described with reference to FIG. The toner supply device 90 rotates the container body 33 of the toner storage container 32Y (powder storage container) installed in the installation section 31 in a predetermined direction (the direction of the arrow in Figure 3), discharging the toner as powder stored inside the toner storage container 32Y from the opening 33c (toner discharge port) to the outside of the container and guiding it to the developing device 5Y via the sub-hopper 70, thereby forming a toner supply path (toner transport path). 3, the orientation of the toner storage container 32Y, the toner supply device 90, and the developing device 5Y are changed for ease of understanding. In reality, the toner storage container 32Y and a portion of the toner supply device 90 are arranged so that their longitudinal directions are perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 3 (see FIG. 1). The orientation and arrangement of the transport pipes 95 and 96 are also simplified.

[0029] The toner in each of the toner containers 32Y, 32M, 32C, and 32K installed in the installation section 31 of the image forming apparatus main body 100 is supplied to each developing device as needed via a toner supply device provided for each toner color, depending on the toner consumption in the developing device of each color. The four toner supply devices have almost the same structure, except for the color of toner used in the image forming process. 3, when the toner storage container 32Y is set in the installation portion 31 of the apparatus main body 100, the shutter member 35 of the toner storage container 32Y is pushed by the toner transport nozzle 91 (nozzle) of the apparatus main body 100, and the toner transport nozzle 91 is inserted into the toner storage container 32Y (container main body 33) through the opening 33c. This allows the toner stored inside the toner storage container 32Y to be discharged (through the toner transport nozzle 91). The bottom of the toner storage container 32Y (on the left side in FIG. 3) is formed with a grip portion 33d (having an outer diameter smaller than that of the container body 33) to facilitate the operation of attaching the toner storage container 32Y to the installation portion 31. The user sets the toner storage container 32Y in the installation portion 31 or removes the toner storage container 32Y from the installation portion 31 while holding the grip portion 33d.

[0030] 3, the toner storage container 32Y is provided with a container body 33 having a plurality of first protrusions 33a (grooves) arranged in the rotation axis direction (the left-right direction in FIG. 3, the longitudinal direction of the container body 33, and the attachment / detachment direction). Specifically, the plurality of first protrusions 33a are formed in a concave shape extending from the outer peripheral surface side to the inner peripheral surface side of the container body 33, and are intended to transport the toner in the container body 33 from left to right in FIG. 3 by driving the container body 33 to rotate. The toner transported inside the container body 33 from left to right in FIG. 3 is discharged to the outside of the container through a toner transport nozzle 91. Furthermore, a gear portion 37 that meshes with a drive gear 110 of the image forming apparatus main body 100 is formed on the outer peripheral surface of the head side of the container main body 33 (the right side in FIG. 3, the rear side in the installation direction, and one end side in the rotation axis direction). When the toner storage container 32Y is installed in the installation section 31, the gear portion 37 of the container main body 33 meshes with the drive gear 110 of the image forming apparatus main body 100. When the drive motor 115 is driven, the drive is transmitted from the drive gear 110 installed on the motor shaft to the gear portion 37, and the container main body 33 is rotated about the rotation axis X. In other words, the drive motor 115 and the drive gear 110 function as a drive mechanism that rotates the container main body 33. The configuration and operation of the toner container 32Y will be explained in more detail later.

[0031] 3, a conveying screw 92 is provided inside the toner conveying nozzle 91. When the conveying screw 92 is rotated by a motor 93, the toner that has flowed into the toner conveying nozzle 91 from the inlet inside the toner storage container 32Y is conveyed from left to right in FIG. 3 by the conveying screw 92. The toner is then discharged from the outlet of the toner conveying nozzle 91 toward the hopper 81. Here, a hopper 81 is provided below the outlet of the toner transport nozzle 91 via a drop path 82. The toner stored in the hopper 81 is transported by transport means to a developing device located downstream.

[0032] The transport mechanism by the transport means will be described with reference to FIG. A suction port 83 is provided at the bottom of the hopper 81, and this suction port 83 is connected to one end of a transport pipe (tube) 95. The transport pipe 95 is made of a flexible rubber material with low toner affinity, and the other end is connected to a developer pump 60 (diaphragm pump). The developer pump 60 is connected to the developing device 5Y via a sub-hopper 70 and a transport pipe 96. In the toner supply device 90 configured as described above, the container body 33 of the toner storage container 32Y is rotated by the drive motor 115 (drive mechanism), and the toner stored inside the toner storage container 32Y is discharged outside the container through the toner conveying nozzle 91. The toner discharged from the toner storage container 32Y falls through the drop path 82 and is stored in the hopper 81. When the developer pump 60 is operated, the toner stored in the hopper 81 is sucked together with air through the suction port 83 and conveyed from the developer pump 60 to the sub-hopper 70 through the conveying pipe 95. The toner conveyed to and stored in the sub-hopper 70 is then appropriately replenished into the developing device 5Y through the conveying pipe 96. That is, the toner in the toner storage container 32Y is conveyed in the direction of the dashed arrow in FIG. 3. The conveying means is not limited to the above, and may be configured to convey the toner stored in the hopper 81 directly to the developing device 5Y by a screw or the like provided in the hopper 81, for example.

[0033] The remaining toner amount detection sensor 86 is provided to indirectly detect when the toner stored inside the toner storage container 32Y has run out (toner end state) or when the toner is close to that state (toner near end state), and is installed in a position close to the suction port 83. Based on the detection result of the remaining toner amount detection sensor 86, the toner is discharged from the toner storage container 32Y. Specifically, a piezoelectric sensor, a transmitted light sensor, or the like can be used as the remaining toner amount detection sensor 86. The height of the detection surface of the remaining toner amount detection sensor 86 is set so that the amount of toner accumulated above the suction port 83 (accumulation height) becomes a target value. Then, based on the detection result of the toner remaining amount detection sensor 86, the drive timing and drive time of the drive motor 115 that rotates the toner storage container 32Y (container body 33) are controlled. Specifically, if the toner remaining amount detection sensor 86 determines that there is no toner at that position, the drive motor 115 is driven for a predetermined time, and if the toner remaining amount detection sensor 86 determines that there is toner at that position, the drive motor 115 is stopped. Even if such control is performed repeatedly, if the toner remaining amount detection sensor 86 continuously detects that there is no toner at that position, it is determined that the toner stored inside the toner storage container 32Y is empty (toner end state) or is close to that state (toner near end state).

[0034] Hereinafter, the characteristic configuration and operation of the toner storage container 32Y according to this embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. As previously explained using Figure 3 etc., the toner storage container 32Y in this embodiment is installed so as to be attachable and detachable in a predetermined attachment and detachment direction (the left-right direction in Figures 3 and 4, which is the direction along the rotation axis X (rotation axis direction)) relative to the image forming apparatus main body 100. Specifically, the toner storage container 32Y is mounted in the image forming apparatus main body 100 (installation section 31) from the right side of Fig. 4 to the left side of Fig. 4, with the right side of Fig. 4 being the front side in the mounting direction and the left side of Fig. 4 being the rear side in the mounting direction. When the toner storage container 32Y is removed (dismounted) from the image forming apparatus main body 100 (installation section 31), it moves in the opposite direction.

[0035] Furthermore, as previously described with reference to FIG. 3 and the like, the toner container 32Y in this embodiment is provided with the held portion 34 (cap member), the shutter member 35, and the like. The container body 33 has an opening 33c (toner discharge port) formed at the rear side in the mounting direction (one end side in the rotation axis direction, on the left side in Figures 4 and 5(B)) for discharging toner from the container body 33. The shutter member 35 opens and closes the opening 33c of the container body 33 in conjunction with the attachment and detachment of the toner storage container 32Y to and from the image forming apparatus body 100 (installation section 31). That is, when the toner storage container 32Y is attached to the installation section 31, the shutter member 35 that had been closing the opening 33c moves in conjunction with the attachment operation to open the opening 33c. On the other hand, when the toner storage container 32Y is removed from the installation section 31, the shutter member 35 that had been opening the opening 33c moves in conjunction with the removal operation to close the opening 33c.

[0036] 4, the held portion 34 is installed so as to cover a part of the rear side in the installation direction (one end side in the rotation axis direction, which is the left side in FIGS. 4, 7, and 8), and is held in a non-rotatable manner by the installation portion 31 (see FIG. 3) of the image forming apparatus main body 100. In other words, the held portion 34 is configured to be rotatable relative to the container main body 33. 6, the held portion 34 in this embodiment is mainly composed of a large-diameter portion 34a (integrally formed with a connecting portion 39 and a holding portion 40, which will be described later) having an outer diameter larger than that of the gear portion 37, and a base portion 34b located below the large-diameter portion 34a. The large-diameter portion 34a rotatably holds the container body 33. The base portion 34b facilitates sliding when the toner storage container 32Y is attached to or detached from the image forming apparatus 100 (installation portion 31), and is also used to hold the toner storage container 32Y non-rotatably on the image forming apparatus 100 (installation portion 31).

[0037] 4, 7, and 8, a gear portion 37 that can rotate together with the container body 33 is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the tip cylindrical portion 33x of the container body 33 on the rear side in the attachment direction in the attachment / detachment direction (one end side in the rotation axis direction, on the left side in FIG. 4). When the toner storage container 32Y is attached to the installation portion 31, the gear portion 37 of the container body 33 meshes with the drive gear 110 (see FIG. 3) of the image forming apparatus main body 100, and the container body 33 becomes rotatable. In this embodiment, the gear portion 37 is formed with a relatively large outer diameter that is close to the outer diameter of the container body 33, so that the outer diameter of the drive gear 110 (see FIG. 3) of the image forming apparatus body 100 can be set to a relatively small value, thereby reducing the rotational load of the container body 33. In this case, the drive motor 115 of the image forming apparatus body 100 can be made smaller, resulting in space-saving and cost-effective device.

[0038] 4, 7, and 8, the container body 33 of the toner storage container 32Y in this embodiment is formed by fitting the cylindrical tip cylindrical portion 33x into the openings of the portions where the plurality of first protrusions 33a and second protrusions 33b are formed by heat fusion, press-fit adhesion, etc. Alternatively, the entire container body 33 including the tip cylindrical portion 33x can be manufactured in a single process such as injection molding.

[0039] 4, the toner storage container 32Y is provided with an ID chip 50 as an information storage device and a holder 40 that holds the ID chip 50 (information storage device). The ID chip 50 (information storage device) is configured to be able to communicate with the control unit of the image forming apparatus main body 100 (control unit) when the toner storage container 32Y is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 100. That is, the ID chip 50 (information storage device) is used to exchange various information with the control unit of the image forming apparatus main body 100. Specifically, the ID chip 50 pre-stores information about the toner stored in the toner storage container 32Y, such as the manufacturing date, manufacturing lot number, color, toner filling amount, and type, as well as information about the toner storage container 32Y itself, such as the manufacturing date, destination, manufacturing plant, and whether it is recycled. When the toner storage container 32Y is attached to the installation unit 31, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 9, the ID chip 50 comes into communicative contact with the main body side terminal 121 of the read / write device 120 of the image forming apparatus main body 100. The information stored in the ID chip 50 is then read by the read / write device 120 and sent to the control unit. Furthermore, information such as the usage history of the image forming apparatus 100 is also sent from the control unit of the image forming apparatus main body 100 to the ID chip 50 via the read / write device 120 (main body side terminal 121), and this information is stored appropriately in the ID chip 50.

[0040] The holder 40 that holds the ID chip 50 holds the ID chip 50 (information storage device) at a position further back in the mounting direction than the gear portion 37 (on the left side in Figures 4, 7, and 8), and is held to the held portion 34 (cap portion) via a connecting portion 39 (see Figures 4, 7, 8, etc.). The connecting portion 39 is connected to a portion of the circumferential direction of the held portion 34 (large diameter portion 34a) so as to cover a portion of the gear portion 37 in the rotational direction. The approximately plate-shaped holder 40 is connected to the connecting portion 39 on the far side in the mounting direction. In this way, by holding the ID chip 50 non-rotatably at a position further back in the mounting direction than the gear portion 37, the ID chip 50 comes into contact with the main body side terminal 121 (see Figure 9) without being affected by the container main body 33 which rotates together with the gear portion 37, and information can be exchanged smoothly with the image forming device main body 100. In addition, in order to facilitate assembly of the held portion 34 (integrated with the connecting portion 39 and the holding portion 40) to the container body 33 (on which the gear portion 37 is provided), it is preferable to provide a recess (recess) in the holding portion 40 to avoid interference with the gear portion 37. The method of holding the ID chip 50 (information storage device) will be explained in more detail later with reference to FIGS. 6 to 8.

[0041] 4, 5, etc., in the toner storage container 32Y of the present embodiment, the container body 33 has a plurality of first protrusions 33a (grooves) formed on its inner circumferential surface on the rear side in the installation direction (the left-right direction in FIGS. 4 and 5(B) and the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIGS. 5(A) and 6). The first protrusions 33a protrude inward (toward the rotation axis X) and have an inclined surface K1 that is inclined with respect to the rotation axis direction. The inclined surface K1 is an inclined surface that slopes upward from the right side to the left side in FIG. 5(B) and generates a force that transports the toner in the container body 33 to the opening 33c as the container body 33 rotates. When the container body 33 rotates in a predetermined direction (the direction of the arrow in Figure 5(A)), the multiple first protrusions 33a configured in this manner transport the toner stored in the container body 33 from the other end side in the rotational axis direction (the right side in Figures 4 and 5(B)) to the one end side in the rotational axis direction (the left side in Figures 4 and 5(B)).

[0042] In particular, in this embodiment, the multiple first protrusions 33a are arranged at approximately the same position in the rotation direction when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis direction, as shown in FIG. 5(B). In this embodiment, the first protrusion 33a is formed in a groove shape so as to protrude inward from the outer circumferential surface of the container body 33. In this embodiment, five first protrusions 33a are provided on the container body 33 excluding the conical portion 33t (the bowl-shaped region W on the opening 33c side, see FIG. 5(B)). In addition to the five first protrusions 33a, the container body 33 in this embodiment is also formed with a second protrusion 33b near the opening 33c, which will be described in detail later.

[0043] By providing such a plurality of first protrusions 33a, the problem of the toner capacity being reduced can be alleviated. Specifically, in a container having a spiral groove (first protrusion) on the circumferential surface of the container body, as in Patent Document 1, the internal volume of the container body is reduced by the amount of the groove, resulting in a smaller toner capacity that can be stored. In contrast, in the present embodiment, spiral grooves are not formed over the entire area of ​​the container body in the rotational direction, but multiple first protrusions 33a (grooves) are formed only on a portion of the container body 33 in the rotational direction. This reduces the proportion of the portion of the container body 33 that protrudes inward, and increases the toner capacity that can be stored compared to a container body with the same inner diameter having spiral grooves.

[0044] Here, in this embodiment, the container body 33 is provided with a second protrusion 33b on its inner surface at a position on the other end side of the rotational axis direction relative to the opening 33c and on one end side of the rotational axis direction relative to the multiple first protrusions 33a (the inner surface of region W in Figure 5(B)), which protrudes inward and has an inclined surface K2 that is inclined with respect to the rotational axis direction. The second protrusion 33b scoops up and transports the toner transported in the rotation axis direction by the multiple first protrusions 33a toward the opening 33c. The inclination angle of the inclined surface K2 of the second protrusion 33b is smaller than the inclination angle of the inclined surface K1 of the first protrusion 33a, so that the transport force in the rotation axis direction is weaker, and therefore the force that scoops up the toner is more likely to act.

[0045] In addition, in this embodiment, the container body 33 is formed so that the inner diameter of its inner surface gradually decreases from a position on one end side of the rotation axis direction of the multiple first protrusions 33a (first protrusions) to the opening 33c (area W in Figure 5 (B)). Specifically, the container body 33 (excluding the tip cylindrical portion 33x) is formed with approximately the same diameter except for the region W (the portion where the first protrusion 33a is provided), and a mortar-shaped conical portion 33t is formed in the region W. By providing the conical portion 33t in this manner, the toner transported in the rotation axis direction by the multiple first protrusions 33a is smoothly drawn up toward the opening 33c and smoothly discharged to the outside from the opening 33c. In particular, in this embodiment, the second protrusion 33b is provided on the conical portion 33t, which promotes smooth pumping of toner toward the opening 33c and smooth discharge of toner from the opening 33c to the outside.

[0046] Referring to Figure 6, when the toner storage container 32Y is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 100 (installation section 31), when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis X, the ID chip 50 (information storage device), holding section 40 and connecting section 39 are arranged at an oblique position (a position on the dotted line Q (an inclined line passing through the rotation axis X) in Figure 6(A)) excluding positions on the horizontal line S and vertical line R passing through the rotation axis X. That is, when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis X, the ID chip 50, the holding portion 40, and the connecting portion 39 are installed at an angle at positions excluding the top, bottom, and both sides of the held portion 34.

[0047] More specifically, referring to Figure 6, when the toner storage container 32Y is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 100 and viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis X, the ID chip 50 (information storage device), the holding portion 40, and the connecting portion 39 are arranged so as to protrude obliquely from the outer peripheral surface of the held portion 34 (large diameter portion 34a) around the rotation axis X. That is, as shown in FIG. 6(A), the ID chip 50, the holding portion 40, and the connecting portion 39 are arranged so as to protrude in the direction of the dashed line Q relative to the held portion .

[0048] As described above, the toner storage container 32Y in this embodiment is not covered by the held portion 34 on most of the rear side of the container body 33 in the installation direction, but is formed so that most of the rear side of the container body 33 in the installation direction (near the gear portion 37) is exposed except for the position of the connecting portion 39. This makes it easy to visually check the condition (assembly condition, component condition, etc.) of the gear portion 37 located on the rear side of the container body 33 in the installation direction and the joint portion of the tip cylindrical portion 33x of the container body 33. This makes it easy to detect assembly defects or component defects in the toner storage container 32Y (container body 33), and to take measures to address the defects.

[0049] Furthermore, in the toner storage container 32Y of this embodiment, as shown in Figures 6 and 10(A), the ID chip 50, holding portion 40, and connecting portion 39 are arranged diagonally, so that the space for mounting the toner storage container 32Y in the image forming apparatus 100 (installation portion 31) can be used more effectively than when the ID chip 50, holding portion 40, and connecting portion 39 are arranged at the top as shown in Figure 10(B) or at the bottom or side (not shown). 10(B) as a comparative example, when the ID chip 50, the holding part 40, and the connecting part 39 are arranged at the top (or bottom or side), a recess (recess) must be formed to avoid interference between the ID chip 50, the holding part 40, and the connecting part 39, so as to protrude outward from an imaginary tangent F1 passing through the top (or an imaginary tangent F2 passing through the bottom or side) of the circular part of the insertion opening 240 formed on the front side in the mounting direction of the image forming apparatus main body 100 in order to mount and remove the toner storage container 32Y. Therefore, an extra space must be secured above (or below or side) the image forming apparatus 100 (installation part 31) to mount the toner storage container 32Y. 10(A), the ID chip 50, the holder 40, and the connecting portion 39 are arranged diagonally. This makes it possible to form a recess (recess) for preventing interference between the ID chip 50, the holder 40, and the connecting portion 39 within the area surrounded by two imaginary tangent lines F1 and F2 passing through the top and side of the circular portion of the insertion slot 140. This prevents the space for installing the toner container 32Y in the installation portion 31 of the image forming apparatus 100 from expanding vertically or laterally (left-right), thereby preventing the image forming apparatus 100 from becoming large. This configuration is particularly useful when multiple toner containers are arranged side by side horizontally or vertically.

[0050] Here, as shown in Figures 7 and 8, in the toner storage container 32Y in this embodiment, the connecting portion 39 is formed so as to cover a part of the gear portion 37 in the rotational direction, and is provided with a rib-shaped portion 39b (reinforcing member) that connects the held portion 34 and the holding portion 40. More specifically, connecting portion 39 is formed with a plate-like portion 39a extending from held portion 34 toward the rear in the installation direction (the left side in FIGS. 7 and 8). This plate-like portion 39a (connecting portion 39) is formed to extend from large diameter portion 34a of held portion 34 toward the rear in the installation direction without contacting gear portion 37. Connecting portion 39 is formed so that its width (the vertical length in FIG. 7 or the vertical length in FIG. 8) gradually decreases from its base portion (the portion connected to large diameter portion 34a) to a predetermined range toward the rear in the installation direction, and once the predetermined range is exceeded, the width remains constant all the way to its tip portion (the portion connected to holding portion 40). The rib-shaped portion 39b is formed on the plate-shaped portion 39a so as to extend in the attachment / detachment direction (the left-right direction in FIGS. 7 and 8). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 6, the holding portion 40 is formed so as to protrude radially relative to the large diameter portion 34a when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis X. The rib-shaped portion 39b is formed so as to connect to the protruding portion of the holding portion 40. As shown in Figure 8, the connecting portion 39 has multiple rib-shaped portions 39b (two rib-shaped portions 39b in this embodiment) arranged parallel to each other at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction (the up and down direction in Figure 8).

[0051] The reason why the rib-like portion 39b is provided on the connecting portion 39 is that, as explained above, if the held portion 34 is formed so that most of the gear portion 37 is exposed, the ID chip 50 (holding portion 40) will be held via the narrow connecting portion 39, weakening the strength of the portion that holds the ID chip 50. If the strength of the portion that holds the ID chip 50 is weakened in this way, the positional accuracy of the ID chip 50 with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 100 (main body-side terminals 121) will decrease, making it more likely that problems such as poor communication with the image forming apparatus main body 100 will occur. In contrast to this, in this embodiment, the rib-like portion 39b is provided on the connecting portion 39, which reinforces the strength of the portion that holds the ID chip 50, making the above-mentioned problems less likely to occur. That is, the positional accuracy of the ID chip 50 is not reduced, and it becomes easier to check the state of the member (such as the gear portion 37) installed on the far side of the container body 33 in the mounting direction.

[0052] 8, an opening 39a1 through which the gear portion 37 can be seen from the outside is formed in the plate-like portion 39a of the connecting portion 39. This makes it easier to check the state of the gear portion 37 and its vicinity. In the present embodiment, the two rib-shaped portions 39b (plurality of rib-shaped portions) are formed to sandwich the opening 39a1. This allows the strength of the connecting portion 39 to be efficiently reinforced by the two rib-shaped portions 39b even when the opening 39a1 is provided.

[0053] 7 and 8, in this embodiment, the ID chip 50 serving as an information storage device is formed in a substantially flat plate shape. The holder 40 holds the ID chip 50 so that the plate surface of the ID chip 50 (the substrate surface on which the terminals that contact the main body terminals 121 are exposed) is substantially perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction. That is, the ID chip 50 is installed so that its substrate surface extends in the vertical direction in FIGS. With this configuration, the ID chip 50 can be smoothly connected to and separated from the main body terminal 121 (see FIG. 9) in conjunction with the operation of attaching or detaching the toner container 32Y to the image forming apparatus main body 100.

[0054] In this embodiment, the holding portion 40, the connecting portion 39, and the held portion 34 are integrally formed as a single component. An ID chip unit 48, which serves as an information storage unit integrated with an ID chip 50 (information storage device), is detachably installed on the integrated held portion 34 (and the holding portion 40 and connecting portion 39). 7 to 9, the ID chip unit 48 (information storage unit) is mainly composed of an ID chip 50 and an ID chip case 49 that holds the ID chip 50. The ID chip case 49 is made of a highly rigid insulating material and is intended to reduce mechanical and electrical damage to the ID chip 50. The ID chip unit 48 is detachably mounted on the mounting surface of the holder 40 by snapping or screwing. The held portion 34 is formed with a large-diameter portion 34a having an outer diameter larger than that of the gear portion 37. The holding portion 40 is formed so as to protrude radially from the large-diameter portion 34a when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis. The rib-shaped portions 39b are a plurality of rib-shaped portions 39b formed so as to connect to the protruding portions of the holding portion 40. The plurality of rib-shaped portions 39b are formed so as to extend in the attachment / detachment direction, and are formed so that the maximum distance between the rib-shaped portions 39b at both ends of the plurality of rib-shaped portions 39b is smaller than the width of the ID chip unit 48 (information storage unit) in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction. In this way, by configuring the ID chip 50 (ID chip unit 48) to be detachable, replacement and maintenance of the ID chip 50 can be easily performed.

[0055] Also, referring to Figure 9(A), in this embodiment, the ID chip case 49 of the ID chip unit 48 (information storage unit) has a hole portion 49a formed therein that fits into a positioning pin 150 installed in the image forming apparatus main body 100. The holder 40 holds the ID chip unit 48 (information storage unit) so that it can move in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction (the direction indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 9 or the direction perpendicular to the plane of the paper in FIG. 9). More specifically, the ID chip case 49 is fixed to the holder 40. The ID chip 50 is loosely held in the ID chip case 49 so that it can move (slide) in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction, but to an extent that it will not fall off or tilt significantly. By configuring it in this manner, even if the positional accuracy (positional accuracy in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction) of the ID chip 50 relative to the main body side terminal 121 decreases due to the component accuracy and assembly accuracy of all components related to the attachment / detachment direction of the toner storage container 32Y to the image forming apparatus main body 100, the ID chip 50 moves to correct its position in the ID chip case 49 (ID chip unit 48), thereby preventing poor contact (poor communication) between the main body side terminal 121 and the ID chip 50.

[0056] In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 9A, the positioning pin 150 is directly installed on the side plate of the main body of the image forming apparatus 100, and the hole 49a is formed in the ID chip case 49. However, the positions of the positioning pin 150 and the hole 49a are not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 9B, the positioning pin 150 can be installed on the main body terminal 121 of the image forming apparatus 100, and the hole 49a can be formed in the ID chip 50 itself. In such a case, in order to improve the positional accuracy of the ID chip 50 relative to the main body terminal 121, it is preferable that the hole 49a be located between the rib portions 39b of the multiple rib portions 39b in the direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction (the direction indicated by the double arrow in FIG. 9B, which is the direction in which the multiple rib portions 39b are arranged). Furthermore, the mating portion that mates with the positioning pin 150 (mating portion) in the ID chip unit 48 is not limited to the hole portion 49a, but can also be formed, for example, in a shape that allows the positioning pin 150 to be mated (sandwiched) so as to straddle the ID chip 50 and the ID chip case 49. 9(A), the present embodiment is configured so that the ID chip 50 is loosely held in the ID chip case 49 so as to be movable (slidable) in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction. Alternatively, the ID chip case 49, in which the ID chip 50 is tightly held in the holder 40 (see FIG. 7, etc.), can be configured so that the ID chip case 49 is loosely held so as to be movable (slidable) in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction, to the extent that the ID chip 50 does not fall off or tilt significantly. In these cases, contact failure (communication failure) between the main body side terminal 121 and the ID chip 50 can be prevented, similarly to the present embodiment.

[0057] <Variation 1> As shown in Figure 11, the toner storage container 32Y in variant 1 is also formed so that the holding portion 40 protrudes radially relative to the large diameter portion 34a, similar to that shown in Figure 7, and a rib-shaped portion 39b is formed so as to connect to the protruding portion of the holding portion 40. In the first modification, the rib-shaped portion 39b is formed so that the length of the rib-shaped portion 39b that protrudes radially from the held portion 34 toward the rear in the mounting direction gradually increases. That is, the rib-shaped portion 39b in the first modification is formed in a substantially triangular shape, as shown in FIG. In this configuration, no unnecessary corners are formed in the toner storage container 32Y, and the strength of the portion that holds the ID chip 50 is efficiently reinforced. In addition, the strength of the connection between the holding portion 40 and the connecting portion 39 is improved, and the problem of the rib-shaped portion 39b getting caught on the insertion opening 140 (see FIG. 10(A)) of the image forming apparatus main body 100 when the toner storage container 32Y is pulled out of the installation portion 31 is reduced. 11, the rib-shaped portion 39b extends from a position where it overlaps with the held portion 34 in the attachment / detachment direction as far as the holding portion 40. That is, when viewed in the attachment / detachment direction, the rib-shaped portion 39b does not extend from an end face of the held portion 34 on the far side in the attachment direction as a starting point toward the far side in the attachment direction, but rather extends from a position on the near side in the attachment direction of the end face of the held portion 34 on the far side in the attachment direction toward the far side in the attachment direction as a starting point. In other words, when viewed in the attachment / detachment direction, the portion of the rib-shaped portion 39b surrounded by a dashed line in FIG. 11 overlaps with the held portion 34. 11, the toner container 32Y (container body 33) has an opening 33c (see FIG. 3) formed at the rear side in the installation direction, and a conical portion (conical surface) whose inner diameter gradually decreases toward the opening 33c formed at the rear side in the installation direction (see region W in FIG. 5(B)). The held portion 34 is disposed so as to cover a part (or the entirety) of the conical portion. As shown in FIG. 11, the rib-shaped portion 39b is located between the opening 33c and the end of the conical portion on the front side in the installation direction in the installation / removal direction. By configuring it in this manner, the mechanical strength of the part (base part) where the rib-shaped portion 39b connects to the held portion 34 is increased, making the rib-shaped portion 39b itself less likely to deform, thereby improving the positional accuracy of the ID chip 50.

[0058] <Variation 2> As shown in Figure 12, the toner storage container 32Y in variant example 2, like that shown in Figure 8, has two rib-shaped portions 39b (multiple rib-shaped portions) arranged side by side at a distance from each other in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction (the up and down direction in Figure 8) at the connecting portion 39. In the second modification, the two rib-shaped portions 39b (the plurality of rib-shaped portions) are formed so that the distance between adjacent rib-shaped portions gradually decreases toward the rear in the mounting direction. That is, the two rib-shaped portions 39b are arranged in a V-shape, as shown in Fig. 12. This configuration makes it possible to efficiently reinforce the connecting portion 39, the base of which is formed in a V-shape. 12, the plurality of rib-shaped portions 39b (including the case where three or more rib-shaped portions 39b are arranged side by side) are preferably formed so that the maximum distance M1 between the rib-shaped portions 39b at both ends of the plurality of rib-shaped portions 39b is smaller than the width in the direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction of the holding portion 40. In particular, the maximum distance M1 between the rib-shaped portions 39b at both ends of the plurality of rib-shaped portions 39b is preferably formed so that it is smaller than the width of the ID chip 50 (information storage device) in the perpendicular direction. Specifically, in the second modification, as shown in FIG. 12, the two rib-shaped portions 39b are formed so that the maximum distance M1 (the distance between the base portions) is smaller than the width M0 in the direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction of the ID chip 50 (information storage device) (M1 <M0)。 By configuring in this way, the strength of the connecting portion 39 can be efficiently reinforced without unnecessarily widening the width of the connecting portion 39. Also in the second modification, similarly to the first modification, the rib-shaped portion 39b extends from the position where it overlaps the held portion 34 in the attachment / detachment direction to the holding portion 40. This improves the positional accuracy of the ID chip 50.

[0059] As described above, the toner storage container in this embodiment is a toner storage container 32Y that is detachably mounted in a predetermined mounting direction relative to the image forming apparatus main body 100, and includes: a container body 33 that is rotatable about the rotation axis X; and a gear portion 37 that is mounted on the rear side of the toner storage container 32Y in the mounting direction and is rotatable together with the container body 33. The held portion 34 that is non-rotatably held by the image forming apparatus main body 100 is mounted on the rear side of the toner storage container 32Y in the mounting direction so as to cover a portion of the container body 33 and expose the gear portion 37. The toner storage container 32Y also includes an ID chip 50 (information storage device) that can communicate with the image forming apparatus main body 100 when the toner storage container 32Y is mounted in the image forming apparatus main body 100; and a holding portion 40 that holds the ID chip 50 at a position rearward of the gear portion 37 in the mounting direction and is held by the held portion 34 via a connecting portion 39. When the toner storage container 32Y is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 100 and viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis X, the ID chip 50, the holding portion 40, and the connecting portion 39 are arranged in oblique positions excluding positions on the horizontal line S and the vertical line R passing through the rotation axis X. The connecting portion 39 is formed so as to cover a part of the gear portion 37 in the rotation direction, and is provided with a rib-like portion 39b that connects the held portion 34 and the holding portion 40. This makes it easier to check the state of the members located at the rear side in the mounting direction of the toner storage container 32Y without reducing the positional accuracy of the ID chip 50 (information storage device).

[0060] In this embodiment, the present invention is applied to a toner storage container 32Y that stores toner (single-component developer), but the toner storage container to which the present invention is applied is not limited to this, and the present invention can also be applied to a toner storage container that stores a two-component developer consisting of toner and carrier. Even in such a case, substantially the same effect as that of this embodiment can be obtained.

[0061] It is clear that the present invention is not limited to the present embodiment, and that the present embodiment may be modified as appropriate within the scope of the technical concept of the present invention in addition to the modifications suggested in the present embodiment. Furthermore, the number, position, shape, etc. of the above-mentioned components are not limited to the present embodiment, and the number, position, shape, etc. of the components may be any number, position, shape, etc. suitable for implementing the present invention. [Explanation of symbols]

[0062] 5Y developing device, 32Y, 32M, 32C, 32K toner storage container (powder storage container), 33 Container body, 33a first protrusion; 33b second protrusion, 33t cone section, 34x cylindrical tip, 34 held portion (cap member), 34a large diameter part, 34b base part, 37 gear section, 39 Connecting part, 39a plate-shaped part, 39a1 aperture, 39b rib-like portion, 40 holding part, 48 ID chip unit (information storage unit), 49 ID chip case, 49a hole, 50 ID chips (information storage devices), 100 Image forming apparatus (image forming apparatus main body), 120 reading and writing devices, 150 Locating Pins. [Prior art documents] [Patent documents]

[0063] [Patent Document 1] Patent No. 5435380

Claims

1. A toner storage container that is detachably installed in a predetermined attachment / detachment direction relative to a main body of an image forming apparatus, a container body that is rotatable around a rotation axis; a gear portion disposed on the inner side of the toner container in the mounting direction in the mounting and detaching direction, the gear portion being rotatable together with the container body; a held portion that is disposed at the rear side of the toner storage container in the mounting direction so as to cover a part of the container body and expose the gear portion, and that is held by the image forming apparatus body in a non-rotatable manner; an information storage device capable of communicating with the image forming apparatus main body in a state in which the toner storage container is attached to the image forming apparatus main body; a holding portion that holds the information storage device at a position further back than the gear portion in the mounting direction and is held by the held portion via a connecting portion; Equipped with When the toner storage container is attached to the image forming apparatus main body, the information storage device, the holding portion, and the connecting portion are arranged at an oblique position excluding positions on a horizontal line and a vertical line passing through the rotation axis when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis, The toner storage container is characterized in that the connecting portion is formed so as to cover a part of the gear portion in the rotational direction, and a rib-shaped portion is provided to connect the held portion and the holding portion.

2. 2. The toner storage container according to claim 1, wherein when the toner storage container is attached to the image forming apparatus main body and viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis, the information storage device, the holding portion, and the connecting portion are arranged so as to protrude obliquely from the outer peripheral surface of the held portion around the rotation axis.

3. the connecting portion includes a plate-shaped portion extending from the held portion toward the rear side in the mounting direction, 3. The toner container according to claim 1, wherein the rib-like portion is formed on the plate-like portion so as to extend in the mounting and demounting direction.

4. the plate-shaped portion has an opening through which the gear portion can be seen from the outside, 4. The toner container according to claim 3, wherein a plurality of the ribs are formed so as to sandwich the opening.

5. the held portion includes a large diameter portion having an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the gear portion, the plate-shaped portion is formed to extend from the large diameter portion toward the rear in the mounting direction without contacting the gear portion, the holding portion is formed so as to protrude radially relative to the large diameter portion when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis, 5. The toner container according to claim 3, wherein the rib-shaped portion is formed so as to be connected to the protruding portion of the holding portion.

6. 6. The toner storage container according to claim 5, wherein the rib-shaped portion is formed so that the length of the rib-shaped portion projecting in the radial direction from the held portion toward the rear side in the mounting direction gradually increases.

7. 7. The toner storage container according to claim 1, wherein the connecting portion comprises a plurality of the rib-shaped portions arranged parallel to each other at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction.

8. The connecting portion has a plurality of the rib-shaped portions arranged side by side at intervals in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction, 7. The toner storage container according to claim 1, wherein the plurality of rib-shaped portions are formed so that the distance between adjacent rib-shaped portions gradually decreases toward the rear side in the installation direction.

9. 9. The toner storage container according to claim 8, wherein the plurality of rib-shaped portions are formed so that a maximum distance between the rib-shaped portions at both ends of the plurality of rib-shaped portions is smaller than a width of the holding portion in the orthogonal direction.

10. 10. The toner storage container according to claim 9, wherein the maximum gap is formed to be smaller than the width of the information storage device in the orthogonal direction.

11. The information storage device is formed in a substantially flat plate shape, 11. The toner storage container according to claim 1, wherein the holding portion holds the information storage device so that a plate surface of the information storage device is substantially perpendicular to the mounting and removing direction.

12. the holding portion, the connecting portion, and the held portion are integrally formed, and an information storage unit integrated with the information storage device is detachably installed; the held portion includes a large diameter portion having an outer diameter larger than an outer diameter of the gear portion, the holding portion is formed so as to protrude radially relative to the large diameter portion when viewed in a cross section perpendicular to the rotation axis, the rib-shaped portion is a plurality of rib-shaped portions formed so as to be connected to the protruding portion of the holding portion, A toner storage container as described in any one of claims 1 to 11, characterized in that the plurality of rib-shaped portions are formed to extend in the attachment / detachment direction, and the maximum distance between the rib-shaped portions at both ends of the plurality of rib-shaped portions is formed to be smaller than the width of the information storage unit in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction.

13. the information storage unit has a hole that fits onto a positioning pin provided on the image forming apparatus body; the holding portion holds the information storage unit so as to be movable in a direction perpendicular to the attachment / detachment direction, 13. The toner storage container according to claim 12, wherein the hole is located between the rib portions of the plurality of rib portions in the orthogonal direction.

14. The toner storage container has an opening formed at the rear side in the mounting direction, and a conical portion whose inner diameter gradually decreases toward the opening formed at the rear side in the mounting direction, The held portion is installed so as to cover a part or all of the conical portion, 14. The toner storage container according to claim 1, wherein the rib-shaped portion is located between the opening and the end of the conical portion on the front side in the mounting direction in the mounting direction.

15. 15. The toner storage container according to claim 1, wherein the rib-shaped portion extends from a position where it overlaps with the held portion in the attachment / detachment direction to the holding portion.

16. 16. An image forming apparatus comprising: the toner container according to claim 1; and the image forming apparatus main body to which the toner container is attached.

Images