Developer replenishing container

【0001】

[Technical field to which the invention belongs]

The present invention relates to a developer replenishment container for replenishing a developer to an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or a printer.

【0002】

[Conventional technology]

Conventionally, a fine powder developer has been used as a developer in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or a printer. Then, when the developer of the image forming apparatus main body is consumed, the developing agent is replenished to the image forming apparatus by using the developing agent replenishing container.

【0003】

Since the developer is an extremely fine powder, there is a problem that the developer scatters during the developer replenishment work and the operator pollutes the surroundings. For this reason, a method has been proposed and put into practical use in which the developer replenishment container is placed in the main body of the image forming apparatus and the developer is discharged little by little through a small opening. In such a method, it is difficult for the developer to be discharged naturally due to the action of gravity or the like, and some kind of developer stirring and transporting means is required.

【0004】

Conventionally, a developer replenishment container having a stirring and transporting member as the developer stirring and transporting means inside the developing agent replenishing container has been widely known, but the number of parts is increased and the developer stored inside is increased. Depending on the state, the stirring torque of the stirring member may be larger than expected. Therefore, recently, a developer transport protrusion is integrally provided in the developer replenishment container, and the developer replenishment container itself is rotated, or the developer replenishment container is attached to the rotary developing apparatus, and the rotary developing apparatus is rotated. , The developer replenishment container having a structure for discharging the developer is the mainstream.

【0005】

For example, the developer replenishment container disclosed in JP-A-7-44000 and JP-A-10-260574 has a cylindrical bottle-shaped inner surface having a spiral protrusion and is located near the center of one end side end surface. A small developer discharge port is provided, and a protruding portion is provided on the end face of the container on the side where the developer discharge port is provided. Then, by rotating the developer replenishment container, the developer is conveyed to the discharge port side by the spiral protrusion provided inside, and is lifted to the discharge port near the center of the container by the protruding shape near the opening, and is outside the container. Is discharged to.

【0006】

Further, the developer replenishment container disclosed in JP-A-6-337586 and JP-A-2000-214669 also has a cylindrical bottle-shaped inner surface having a spiral protrusion, and a small discharge on the peripheral surface thereof. There is an exit. Then, by rotating the developer replenishment container, the developer is conveyed to the discharge port side by the spiral protrusion provided inside, and is discharged to the outside of the container from the discharge port provided on the peripheral surface of the container.

【0007】

Conventionally, as a developer replenishment container for reducing the diameter in the vicinity of the opening which is the discharge port of the developer, JP-A-3-2881, JP-A-7-5759, JP-A-7-996919, There are JP-A-7-20705, JP-A-9-160362, JP-A-10-213957, and JP-A-10-260575.

【0008】

[Patent Document 1]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-44000 [Patent Document 2]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-260574 [Patent Document 3]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 6-337586 [Patent Document 4]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-214669 [Patent Document 5]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 3-2881 [Patent Document 6]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-5759 [Patent Document 7]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-199619 [Patent Document 8]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 7-20705 [Patent Document 9]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-213957 [Patent Document 10]

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 10-260575 [0009]

[Problems to be Solved by the Invention]

However, the conventional technique has the following problems.

【0010】

First, a developing agent replenishment container having a spiral protrusion inside, which is disclosed in JP-A-7-44000, JP-A-10-260574, JP-A-6-337586, and JP-A-2000-214669. In the case of, since there is no stirring member in the container body, if the developer is left for a long time under vibration due to physical distribution or high temperature and high humidity and aggregates in the container, the aggregated state is not broken and it is in the form of a lump. Since it is transported to the discharge port as it is, the discharge port may be blocked by the aggregated lumpy developer, and the discharge performance of the developer may be deteriorated. This phenomenon is particularly remarkable in a container in which the discharge port is provided on the peripheral surface of the container.

【0011】

In response to the above-mentioned problems, the applicant has previously proposed a developer replenishment container that divides the protrusions in the developer storage container and breaks the aggregated developer at the steps between the divided protrusions. ..

【0012】

Further, the developer replenishment container disclosed in JP-A-3-2881 and JP-A-7-5759 is provided with a cap or a developer discharge control member near the opening to regulate the discharge of the developer. doing. Then, according to the regulation of the discharge amount, the developer discharge amount per rotation is made uniform. In this developer replenishment container, the dischargeability of the developer is not improved, but rather lowered.

【0013】

The developer replenishment container disclosed in JP-A-7-996919 and JP-A-7-20705 also has an opening for discharging the developer in a portion smaller than the main body, but the main body and the same. The connecting part with the small diameter part has a height difference. Therefore, in order for the developer to exceed this height difference, a squeeze member is provided in the developer replenishment container, and the amount of the developer discharged is substantially determined by the size of the squeeze member. That is, a squeeze member for discharging the developer must be provided, and the size of the squeeze member must be determined according to the amount of the developing agent discharged. There are problems such as complexity.

【0014】

The developer replenishment container disclosed in JP-A No. 10-213957 and JP-A-10-260575 also has an opening for discharging the developer in a portion smaller than the main body, but the main body is also the same. There is a height difference in the connecting portion between the portion and the small diameter portion. A slope is provided so that the developer exceeds this height difference, but the developer rises the slope against gravity, so that the transportability of the developer deteriorates.

【0015】

Therefore, an object of the present invention is not only the protrusion for stirring and transport proposed by the present applicant, but also the shape of the container body is reviewed, the cost is increased by increasing the number of parts, the size of the device is increased, the configuration is complicated, and the like. It is to further improve the discharge performance of the developer, which is the above-mentioned problem, without doing the above.

【0016】

[Means for solving problems]

A typical configuration of the present invention for achieving the above object is a developer replenishment container that transports and discharges the developer as it rotates, and is composed of a first portion and a second portion to accommodate the developer. A container body to be provided, a discharge port provided on the peripheral surface of the first portion for discharging the developer in the container body, and a transport port provided on the inner surface of the second portion to transport the developer toward the discharge port. The first part has a smaller diameter than the second part, and the first part and the second part have a common inner surface substantially along the rotation axis direction. To do.

【0017】

According to the above configuration, the step between the first part and the second part of the developer replenishment container body breaks the coagulated developer, imparts fluidity, and further connects the first part and the second part. Due to the common inner surface having no height difference, the developer is smoothly conveyed from the second portion to the first portion through the common inner surface, and the developer is smoothly discharged from the discharge port on the peripheral surface of the first portion. Therefore, the discharge performance of the developer can be further improved without increasing the cost due to the increase in the number of parts, increasing the size of the apparatus, and complicating the configuration.

【0018】

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, preferred embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail exemplarily with reference to the drawings. However, the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like of the components described in the following embodiments should be appropriately changed depending on the configuration of the apparatus to which the present invention is applied and various conditions, and in particular. Unless otherwise specified, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited to them.

【0019】

[First Embodiment] First, a configuration of an electrophotographic copying machine, which is an example of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus to which a developer supply container according to an embodiment of the present invention is mounted, will be described with reference to FIG.

【0020】

(Electrophotograph Image Forming Device) FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image forming device equipped with a developer supply container. Explaining the configuration of the latent image forming portion, first, the photoconductor drum 19 has an outer peripheral surface abutting against the transfer drum 15, and is rotatably arranged in the direction of arrow B in the drawing. The static eliminator charger 20, the cleaning means 21, and the primary charger 23 are sequentially arranged from the upstream side to the downstream side in the rotation direction of the photoconductor drum 19, and an electrostatic latent image is further formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 19. An image exposure means 24 such as a laser beam scanner and an image exposure reflection means 25 such as a mirror are provided for forming the image.

【0021】

A rotary developing device 30 is arranged as a developing means in the vicinity of the latent image forming portion centered on the photoconductor drum 19. The configuration of the rotary developing apparatus 30 is as follows. A rotating body 26 as a rotatable housing is arranged at a position facing the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 19, and four types of developing devices are mounted in the rotating body 26 at four positions in the circumferential direction. , The electrostatic latent image formed on the outer peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 19 is visualized and developed. The above four types of developing devices are a yellow developing device 7Y, a magenta developing device 7M, a cyan developing device 7C, and a black developing device 7Bk, respectively.

【0022】

These four types of developing devices sequentially come to the positions where they come into contact with the photoconductor drum 19 (position 7Y in the drawing) by the rotation of the rotating body 26, and develop and visualize each color. Each of the four types of developing devices has the same configuration, and the developing agent is supplied from the developing agent replenishing container 1 and the developing agent receiving unit 8 that receives the developing agent discharged from the developing agent replenishing container 1, and the photoconductor drum. It consists of a developer 9 that develops the electrostatic latent image on 19.

【0023】

That is, the developer replenishment container 1 is mounted on the rotary developing apparatus 30 so as not to rotate, and is configured to revolve by the rotation of the rotary developing apparatus 30, and is a rotary type on the image forming apparatus main body side. Since the developing device revolves by utilizing the rotation during development, it is not necessary to have a configuration in which the container is driven to rotate, and the cost of the developing agent replenishing container can be reduced and the cost of the device main body can be reduced.

【0024】

The developer receiving unit 8 receives and stores the developer discharged from the developer replenishment container 1, and quantitatively supplies the developer to the developer 9 in response to a request from the developer 9 side. ing. Inside the developing device 9, there are two developing agent conveying members 9a whose traveling directions are opposite to each other, so that the developing agent and the carrier are circulated and uniformly mixed. A developing sleeve 9b with a built-in magnet is rotatably supported in the developing device 9, and the carrier is attracted by a magnetic force to form a magnetic brush, and the developing agent attached to the carrier is supplied to the photoconductor drum 19. It has become like.

【0025】

Further, the developer supply container 1 corresponding to the developer at the stop position where the developer 9 develops, that is, the position where it abuts on the photoconductor drum 9 (position 7Y in the drawing) has a developer discharge opening, which will be described later. The structure is such that 2a faces approximately the direction of gravity and the developer naturally falls and is discharged. As a result, the developer can be effectively replenished to the developer at the developing position (position 7Y in the drawing) where the developer is consumed.

【0026】

(Developer replenishment container) In FIG. 2, reference numeral 1 denotes a hollow and tubular developer replenisher container. The developer replenishment container 1 shown in the present embodiment is composed of a container body 2, a shutter 3, a packing material 4, and a knob 5.

【0027】

(Container body) The configuration of the container body 2 will be described with reference to FIG. 3A is a front view of the container body 2, FIG. 3B is a front sectional view, FIG. 3C is a perspective view, and FIG. 3D is a transparent view inside the perspective view.

【0028】

The container body 2 is provided with a developer discharge opening 2a as an opening (discharge port), a shutter guide 2b, a knob guide 2c, and a transport protrusion 2d as a transport portion.

【0029】

The shape of the container body 2 according to the present embodiment is a large diameter portion 2L as a second part having a shape in which a trapezoid is combined with a semicircle having an outer diameter of 36 mm and a trapezoid in a semicircle having an inner diameter of 25 mm. It is composed of a small diameter portion 2S as a first part shaped like a combination, and its length in the longitudinal direction is about 350 mm. Of the total length of 350 mm of the container body 2, the small diameter portion 2S having the discharge opening 2a on the peripheral surface is about 110 mm, and the large diameter portion 2L is about 240 mm. The semicircular part has a shape with a step (height difference), and the trapezoidal part has an inner surface with no step (height difference). The inner surface is a surface substantially along the rotation axis, and is an inner surface common to the small diameter portion 2S and the large diameter portion 2L. Substantial in this case does not mean that the surface is completely along the axis of rotation, but that it includes a small error.

【0030】

In the present embodiment, the container body 2 is manufactured by molding two members divided in the longitudinal direction of the container and welding each of them by ultrasonic waves. That is, the container body 2 according to the present embodiment is composed of a lower member 2-2 as a first member and an upper member 2-1 as a second member provided at different positions in the circumferential direction ( See Figures 4 and 5).

【0031】

(Discharge opening) The discharge opening 2a is a rectangle of 10 mm × 15 mm, and is provided on the peripheral surface of the semicircular portion of the small diameter portion 2S at a position 40 mm from the end face of the container. The developer stored in the container body 2 is discharged from the discharge opening 2a to the developer of the apparatus body.

【0032】

(Shutter guide) The details of the shutter guide are shown in Fig. 6. The shutter guide 2b is provided in the vicinity of the developer discharge opening 2a of the container body 2, and is two key-shaped ribs parallel to the circumferential direction. The shutter 3 engages with the shutter guide 2b and is reciprocally attached in the circumferential direction. In addition, the shutter guide 2b is provided with four notches 2b1 and locking ribs 2b2. The notch 2b1 is for attaching the shutter 3 to the shutter guide 2b, and the locking rib 2b2 regulates the movement of the shutter 3 when it is closed, and the shutter guide 2b when it is impacted by dropping or the like. It suppresses bending in the vertical direction. Due to this locking rib 2b2, the developer did not leak even when a drop impact or the like was applied to the developer replenishment container.

【0033】

(Knob guide) The knob guide 2c is a circular protrusion and is provided at the end of the container body 2. The circular protrusion of the knob guide 2c engages with the claw portion provided on the knob 5 (see FIG. 2) and is attached to the container body 2.

【0034】

(Conveyance protrusion) Inside the container body 2, a transport protrusion 2d as a transport portion for transporting the stored developer to the discharge opening 2a is provided so as to project from the inner wall of the container. The transport protrusion 2d is divided into two upper and lower groups separated in the circumferential direction of the container body 2 and provided. The height of the protrusion is 5 mm and the thickness is 1 mm. The height of the transport protrusions on the small diameter portion of the container on the discharge opening side is 2.5 mm, and the container upper member 2-1 as the second member has six transport protrusions as the second transport part, respectively, as the first member. The container lower member 2-2 is provided with seven transport protrusions as the first transport portion (see FIGS. 4 and 5).

【0035】

Figure 4 shows the view from the mold release direction during molding of the container upper member 2-1 and the container lower member 2-2.

【0036】

Each of the transport protrusions 2d provided on the container upper member and the container lower member is provided so as to be inclined so that the discharge opening side is delayed with respect to the rotation direction. This inclined shape will be described in detail using the container lower member 2-2 of FIG.

【0037】

In the container lower member 2-2 of FIG. 4, the protrusion provided on the right side of the discharge opening 2a as a boundary has a shape in which the left side is delayed with respect to the rotation direction because the left side of the protrusion is the discharge opening side. Since the direction of rotation is downward, that is, the protrusion provided on the right side of the discharge opening 2a is a protrusion inclined to the upper left. Similarly, the protrusion provided on the left side of the discharge opening 2a is the protrusion inclined to the upper right because the right side is the discharge opening side.

【0038】

Further, each of the transport protrusions 2d provided on the container upper member and the container lower member has a flat plate shape. The flat plate shape is a shape that can be represented by a straight line when viewed from the mold release direction at the time of molding the upper member 2-1 and the lower member 2-2.

【0039】

Further, the positional relationship between the transport protrusion 2d arranged on the container upper member 2-1 and the transport protrusion 2d arranged on the container lower member 2-2 is the positional relationship shown in FIG. The transport protrusions of the lower member are arranged between the arranged transport protrusions and overlap each other with the respective ends, and the amount of overlap is the length projected in the axial direction. Is about 5 mm (X dimension in the figure). Therefore, the developer transported by the transport protrusion of the upper member is surely carried to the transport protrusion of the lower member, and the developer carried to the transport protrusion of the lower member is carried to the transport protrusion of the upper member. The developer is conveyed to the discharge opening 2a while being alternately repeated.

【0040】

The inclination angle of the transport projection 2d with respect to the rotation axis direction is Y in FIG. 4, preferably 20 ° to 70 °, and more preferably 40 ° to 50 °. In this embodiment, it is 45 °.

【0041】

As shown in FIG. 5, the positional relationship between the transport protrusion 2d-1 adjacent to the discharge opening 2a and the discharge opening 2a is such that the transport protrusion 2d-1 is connected to the upstream side of the discharge opening 2a in the rotational direction. Therefore, the developer transported to the vicinity of the discharge opening 2a by the transport projection 2d-1 is not directly transported to the discharge opening 2a, but is rotated once near the discharge opening 2a, so that the developer is more agitated and easily discharged. ..

【0042】

(Shutter) The details of the shutter 3 will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 (A) and 7 (B). In FIG. 7, the shutter 3 has an arc shape along the outer peripheral surface of the container body 2, and has guide portions 3b having a U-shaped cross section at both end edges. Then, it engages with two shutter guides 2b provided near the discharge opening 2a of the container body 2 and parallel to the circumferential direction, and is reciprocally attached in the circumferential direction of the container body 2.

【0043】

In this embodiment, the shutter 3 moves in the direction of the arrow in FIG. 2 to be in the opened state.

【0044】

A packing material 4 is installed between the shutter 3 and the container body 2, and the discharge opening 2a is sealed by compressing the packing material 4 with the shutter 3.

【0045】

Further, a shutter gear 3a for receiving a drive is provided at a side end portion of the shutter 3. In the shutter 3, the shutter gear 3a rotates by receiving a rotational driving force from the drive transmission gear on the main body side, and the discharge opening, which is an opening, is opened.

【0046】

In addition, the shutter 3 is provided with a bridging portion 3d. The strength of the shutter 3 could be increased by this bridging portion 3d.

【0047】

A shutter sheet 3c is attached to the shutter 3 with double-sided tape. This shutter sheet 3c is made of a single layer of polyester, biaxially stretched polypropylene (OPP), polyamide, polyethylene, fluororesin, or a composite layer of these as a base material, and the surface is coated with silicone oil, silicone wax, silicone-based paint, or the like. Use things.

【0048】

With the above configuration, since the contact surface between the packing material 4 and the shutter sheet 3c is coated with a silicone-based paint, it is possible to suppress an increase in opening strength even if the packing material 4 is compressed.

【0049】

(Manufacturing Method of Shutter 3) The shutter 3 is preferably manufactured by injection molding of plastic, but other materials and manufacturing methods may be used. A material having a certain degree of rigidity or higher is suitable for the shutter, and in the present embodiment, highly slidable ABS is manufactured by injection molding. After that, the shutter sheet 3c is attached to complete the process.

【0050】

(Assembly method of shutter 3) In the case of the container body 2 shown in this embodiment, the shutter 3 is assembled from the end as usual because there is an opening 2a in the small diameter portion which is the first portion. Can't. Therefore, a notch 2b1 (see Fig. 6) is provided in a part of the shutter guide 2b, the shutter 3 is installed at the position in the opening direction (position in Fig. 8 (A)), and it is assembled by sliding it to the closing position. There is. The built-in position of the shutter 3 (position in FIG. 8 (A)) is a position slid further to the opening side than the normal opening position of the shutter 3 (position in FIG. 8 (B)). The structure is such that the shutter 3 does not come off.

【0051】

(Packing material) As shown in FIG. 2, the packing material 4 is arranged so as to surround the discharge opening 2a of the container body 2, and is compressed by the container body 2 and the shutter 3 to seal the discharge opening 2a. , Various conventionally known foams and elastics can be appropriately used. In this embodiment, polyurethane foam is used.

【0052】

(Knob) The details of the knob 5 will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in FIG. 9, the knob 5 is composed of a handle portion 5a and a double cylindrical portion 5c, with a knob gear 5b on the outer peripheral surface of the outer cylindrical portion and a side end portion of the container body 2 on the inner peripheral surface of the inner cylindrical portion. A claw 5d is provided to engage with the provided knob guide 2c (see Figure 3). Using this claw 5d, it can be reciprocally attached to the front end of the container body 2 in the circumferential direction.

【0053】

Further, on the opposite side of the knob gear 5b, a no-block engaging portion 5e and a no-block releasing projection 5f are provided. This no-block engaging portion 5e is locked to the lock protrusion on the container side. At the time of distribution, the knob 5 is restricted from rotating by the locking. Then, when the container is attached to the developing device, the protrusion on the developing device side and the unlocking protrusion 5f are engaged with each other, and the unlocking protrusion 5f is moved to the knob side. Then, the lock between the no-block engaging portion 5e and the lock protrusion on the container side is released, the knob 5 becomes rotatable, and the knob 5 can be turned.

【0054】

(Manufacturing method of knob) Like the shutter 3, the knob 5 is preferably manufactured by injection molding of plastic, and impact-resistant polystyrene is manufactured by injection molding.

【0055】

Here, the difference in the discharge property of the developer depending on the shape of the developer replenishment container (container body) is verified by an experiment.

【0056】

(Experiment) According to this experiment, the container body 2 is composed of a large diameter part 2L and a small diameter part 2S, and the connection part between the large diameter part 2L and the small diameter part 2S has a common inner surface with no height difference. It is verified that the dischargeability of the developer from the discharge opening 2a of the small diameter portion 2S is improved.

【0057】

This experiment was carried out using three types of developer replenishment containers: no small diameter part (φ36), small diameter part inner diameter φ31, and small diameter part inner diameter φ25. A perspective view of the developer replenishment container used is shown in FIG. Note that FIG. 10A shows a developer supply container 1 having no small diameter portion, FIG. 10B shows an inner diameter of the small diameter portion of φ31, and FIG. 10C shows a developer supply container 1 having an inner diameter of the small diameter portion of φ25.

【0058】

Each of these developer replenishment containers is filled with a developer so that the filling rate is constant at 0.43 g / cc (A: 185 g, B: 178 g, C: 170 g), and a simple rotary developer discharge jig (rotation). The developer of the mold developer was removed, and a discharge test was conducted using a jig (a jig that can directly measure the amount of developer discharged from the discharge opening 2a of the container). The setting of the simple rotary developer discharge jig is 90 ° x 4 for each rotation angle (90 ° 90 ° 90 ° 90 °), the movement time is about 0.3 seconds, and the stop time for image formation is about. It takes 1.2 seconds, the peripheral speed when moving is about 0.7 m / sec, and the diameter is 190 mm.

【0059】

(Result) There was almost no difference in the remaining amount of the developer remaining in the container after the discharge of the developer (the discharge was stopped when 0.1 g of the developer was no longer discharged) among the three types of containers. The total number of rotations of the rotary developing device required by the end of the discharge was about 120 rotations for the container without the small diameter portion shown in FIG. 10 (A), whereas it relates to the embodiment of the present invention. The container with a small diameter part (inner diameter φ31) shown in FIG. 10 (B) had about 110 rotations, and the container with a small diameter part (inner diameter φ25) shown in FIG. 10 (C) had about 70 rotations.

【0060】

The graph of the result of this experiment is shown in FIG. From the graph showing the results of the above experiment, the developer replenishment container without the small diameter part the developer replenishment container with the small diameter part (inner diameter φ31) the developer replenishment container with the small diameter part (inner diameter φ25) It can be seen that the dischargeability of is improved.

【0061】

(Discussion) The reason for the above result will be explained from the shape of the developer supply container. The ratio of the opening 2a to the developing agent storage part by making the part (first part) provided with the opening 2a smaller than the other parts (second part) in the developing agent replenishment container 1. Can be increased. Therefore, the discharge property of the developer is improved. FIG. 12 shows a cross-sectional view of each developer replenishment container shown in FIG. 10 in the vicinity of the opening which is the discharge opening 2a. The developer stored by the revolution movement is carried to the end of the opening and discharged from the opening. If the velocity V at this time is divided into the component Vx in the circumferential direction and the component Vy in the falling direction, it is stored. The larger the ratio of the opening 2a to the portion, the larger the component Vy in the falling direction. Therefore, the larger the ratio of the opening 2a to the storage portion, the better the discharge property of the developer. Further, this is because the connecting portion from the large diameter portion 2L to the small diameter portion 2S of the developer replenishment container 1 has a common inner surface with no height difference, so that the large diameter portion 2L to the small diameter can be smoothly passed through the common inner surface. It is considered that the above result was obtained because the developer can be transported to the part 2S. Further, even if the developing agent is in the agglomerated state, the developing agent in the agglomerated state is broken by the step (height difference) between the small diameter portion 2S and the large diameter portion 2L of the developer replenishment container 1, and fluidity is imparted. Therefore, in addition to the above effects, the developer is smoothly discharged from the opening.

【0062】

As described above, according to the present embodiment, the coagulated developer is broken by the step between the large diameter portion 2L and the small diameter portion 2S of the developer replenishment container main body 2, fluidity is imparted, and the large diameter portion is further increased. The common inner surface with no height difference between the 2L and the small diameter portion 2S allows the developer to be smoothly transported from the large diameter portion 2L to the small diameter portion 2S through the common inner surface, and the peripheral surface of the circular portion of the small diameter portion 2S. The developer is smoothly discharged from the discharge opening 2a. Therefore, the discharge performance of the developer can be further improved without increasing the cost due to the increase in the number of parts, increasing the size of the apparatus, and complicating the configuration.

【0063】

Further, since the developer supply container 1 has a non-circular cross-sectional shape of the container body 2, the limited space in the rotary developing apparatus can be effectively used, and as a result, rotary development of the same shape can be performed. In the space inside the apparatus, the developer filling amount of the developer replenishment container can be increased.

【0064】

[Second Embodiment] Next, the developer supply container according to the second embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 13 (A) and 13 (B).

【0065】

The developer replenishment container according to the second embodiment is provided with a plurality of baffle plates 12 as stirring protrusions parallel to the direction in which the developer is conveyed, inside the developer replenishment container having the configuration shown in the first embodiment. A perspective view of the structure of the upper member 2-1 and the lower member 2-2 of the developer is shown in FIG. 13 (A). Since the configuration of other parts is the same as that of the first embodiment described above, the description thereof will be omitted.

【0066】

In this embodiment, four baffle plates 12 are provided in the middle of the transport protrusions 2d of the container upper member 2-1.

【0067】

(Interfering plate) The obstructing plate 12 will be described in detail with reference to FIG. 13 (B). The shape of the baffle plate 12 is a dimension 20 mm, b dimension 10 mm (height), and c dimension 30 mm. The b-dimensional side of the baffle plate 12 is the knob side, and the diagonally inclined side is the side provided with the filling port for filling the developer.

【0068】

With this shape, when filling the developer from the filling port provided on the opposite side of the knob, the developer filling operation can be smoothly performed even if the baffle plate is provided without any obstacle.

【0069】

In this way, by providing a plurality of baffle plates 12 as stirring protrusions having a stirring effect of the developing agent between the conveying protrusions 2d, the fluidity of the developing agent can be further improved, and as a result, the discharge of the developing agent is stable. To become.

【0070】

[Third Embodiment] Next, the developer supply container according to the third embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. 14 and 15.

【0071】

The developer replenishment container according to the third embodiment is a developer replenisher container having a structure in which a baffle 13 as a stirring member is non-rotatably provided near the discharge port of the developer replenishment container having the configuration shown in the second embodiment. FIG. 14 shows a perspective view of the configuration of the container upper member 2-1 and the container lower member 2-2. Since the configuration of other parts is the same as that of the first and second embodiments described above, the description thereof will be omitted.

【0072】

(Baffle) The baffle 13 as a stirring member includes a baffle itself as a lifting part that lifts the developer by the rotation of the developer replenishment container, a portion that guides the developer lifted by the baffle itself downward as the developer rotates. The inclined plate 13a as a guide portion that guides the developer lifted by the lifting portion downward toward the opening (opening 2a) side with rotation, and the developer lifted by the lifting portion with rotation. It is provided with a hole 13b as a drop portion for dropping downward without being conveyed to the opening (opening 2a) side.

【0073】

FIG. 15 shows a side view of the baffle 13. The baffle 13 includes an inclined plate 13a as the guide portion, a hole 13b as the falling portion, a fixing rib 13c, and a notch 13d. The baffle 13 revolves due to the revolving motion of the rotary developing device, and the developing agent stored in the developing agent replenishing container is lifted by the baffle itself. A part of the lifted developer falls down the baffle 13 as it is, a part falls from the hole 13b, and a part is conveyed toward the opening by the inclined plate 13a.

【0074】

The method of fixing the baffle 13 to the container (lower member 2-2) will be described with reference to FIGS. 15 and 16. The fixing rib 13c provided on the baffle 13 and the U-shaped rib 14a provided on the container lower member 2-2 are fixed. In addition, the mouth-shaped rib 14b of the container lower member 2-2 and the notch 13d corresponding to the mouth-shaped rib on the baffle 13 side are fixed, and the baffle is fixed to the container lower member 2-2. It is configured so that it cannot be reversed so that 13 can be installed securely and accurately.

【0075】

By providing the baffle 13 near the opening (opening 2a) in this way, the developer stored in the developer replenishment container can be stably opened even after high temperature, high humidity, and harsh physical distribution. It can be discharged from the part.

【0076】

[Other Embodiments] In the above-described embodiment, the entire small-diameter portion constituting the container body is illustrated as the first portion having a diameter smaller than that of the second portion, but the present invention is not limited thereto. In addition to the entire small-diameter portion described above, at least only the peripheral surface portion provided with the opening may be the first portion having a smaller diameter than the second portion.

【0077】

Further, in the above-described embodiment, an apparatus using four developing apparatuss is illustrated, but the number of the apparatus used is not limited and may be appropriately set as needed.

【0078】

Further, in the above-described embodiment, a developer replenishment container that divides the transport protrusion as the transport portion in the container and breaks the coagulated developer at the step between the divided protrusions has been exemplified, but the present invention is limited to this. It is not something that is done. For example, a developer replenishment container may be provided in which a spiral protrusion as a transport portion is provided on the inner surface of the container, and the developer is transported and discharged by the spiral protrusion by rotating the container. The same effect can be obtained by applying.

【0079】

Further, in the above-described embodiment, the copying machine is exemplified as the image forming apparatus, but the present invention is not limited to this, and other image forming apparatus such as a printer and a facsimile apparatus, or a combination of these functions is used. Using another image forming apparatus such as a multifunction device or an intermediate transfer body, toner images of each color are sequentially superimposed and transferred to the intermediate transfer body, and the toner image supported on the intermediate transfer body is used as a transfer material. An image forming apparatus that transfers all at once may be used, and the same effect can be obtained by applying the present invention to a developer replenishing container that replenishes the image forming apparatus with a developer.

【0080】

Although various embodiments of the present invention have been shown and described, the gist and scope of the present invention are not limited to the specific description and figures in the present specification. Examples of embodiments of the present invention are listed below.

【0081】

[Embodiment 1] A developer replenishment container for transporting and discharging a developer with rotation, which is composed of a first portion and a second portion and houses a developer, and the circumference of the first portion. The first portion has a discharge port provided on the surface for discharging the developer in the container body and a transport portion provided on the inner surface of the second portion for transporting the developer toward the discharge port. Is a developer replenishment container characterized in that the diameter is smaller than that of the second part, and that the first part and the second part have a common inner surface substantially along the rotation axis direction.

【0082】

[Embodiment 2] A developer replenishment container for transporting and discharging a developer with rotation, which is composed of a first member and a second member provided at different positions in the circumferential direction and houses the developer. A main body, a discharge port provided on the peripheral surface of the first member for discharging the developer in the container body, and a first transport provided on the inner surface of the first member for transporting the developer toward the discharge port. It has a portion and a second transport portion provided on the inner surface of the second member to transport the developing agent toward the discharge port, and the diameter of the region of the first member provided with the discharge port is reduced. A developer replenishment container characterized by the fact that it has been used.

【0083】

[Embodiment 3] The developer replenishment container according to the first embodiment, wherein a stirring protrusion parallel to the developer transport direction of the transport unit is provided.

【0084】

[Embodiment 4] In the vicinity of the discharge port, a lifting portion that lifts the developer with the rotation and a guide for guiding the developer lifted by the lifting portion downward toward the discharge port side with the rotation. A stirring member including a portion and a dropping portion that causes the developer lifted by the lifting portion to drop downward without being conveyed to the discharge port side as it rotates is provided in a non-rotatable manner with the container body. The developer replenishment container according to the first or third embodiment.

【0085】

[Embodiment 5] The developer supply container is mounted on a rotary developing apparatus so as not to rotate, and revolves by rotation of the rotary developing apparatus according to any one of embodiments 1 to 4. Described developer replenishment container.

【0086】

[Embodiment 6] The developer replenishment container according to any one of embodiments 1 to 5, wherein the container body has a non-circular cross-sectional shape.

【0087】

[Embodiment 7] The rotary developing apparatus is equipped with a plurality of developing devices, and a plurality of developing agent replenishing containers for replenishing the developing agent are provided corresponding to each of these developing devices. It is controlled to stop at a plurality of predetermined angle positions corresponding to the number of developing devices of the above, and the developing device develops at at least one stopping position, and the developing device corresponds to the developing device at the stopping position where the developing is performed. The developer replenishing container according to any one of the first to sixth embodiments, wherein the developing agent replenishing container has the opening facing substantially the direction of gravity and the developing agent naturally falls and is discharged.

【0088】

[Effect of the invention]

As described above, according to the present invention, the step between the first portion and the second portion of the developer replenishment container body breaks the agglomerated developer, imparts fluidity, and further, the first portion and the second portion. The common inner surface, which has no height difference between the two portions, allows the developer to be smoothly conveyed from the second portion to the first portion through the common inner surface. Further, since the discharge port is provided on the peripheral surface of the first portion, the developer that has been smoothly conveyed as described above is smoothly discharged from the discharge port. Therefore, the discharge performance of the developer can be further improved without increasing the cost due to the increase in the number of parts, increasing the size of the apparatus, and complicating the configuration.

[Simple explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an image forming apparatus having a rotary developing apparatus. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a developing agent replenishing container according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3A is a front view of a container body, and FIG. 1B is a container. Front sectional view of the main body, (C) perspective view of the container body, (D) transparent view inside the perspective of the container body [Fig. 4] On the container as seen from the mold release direction of the developer replenishment container according to the first embodiment. FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing the configuration of the upper member and the lower member of the container body of the developing agent replenishment container according to the first embodiment. [Fig. 6] The container according to the first embodiment. Perspective view showing the configuration of the shutter guide of the main body [Fig. 7] (A) front side perspective view, (B) back side perspective view of the shutter according to the first embodiment [Fig. 8] (A) Figure showing assembly position, (B) Figure showing opening position [Fig. 9] Perspective view of knob according to the first embodiment [Fig. 10] (A) Developer replenishment container without small diameter part (inner diameter φ36) (B) Perspective view of the developer replenishment container with a small diameter part (inner diameter φ34), (C) Perspective view of the developer replenishment container with a small diameter part (inner diameter φ25) [Fig. 11] Each developer replenishment container FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the relationship between the cumulative toner discharge amount and the cumulative rotation speed of the rotary developing device in FIG. 12; FIG. 12 is an explanatory diagram regarding the ratio between the discharge opening and the storage portion [FIG. 13] (A) Development according to the second embodiment. The figure which showed the composition of the container upper member and the container lower member of the container main body of the agent supply container, (B) the detailed view of the baffle plate [FIG. 14] The container upper member of the container main body of the developer supply container which concerns on 3rd Embodiment FIG. 15 is a detailed view of the baffle according to the third embodiment. FIG. 16 is a detailed view of the baffle fixing portion of the developer replenishment container (member under the container) according to the third embodiment. [Explanation of symbols]

1 ... Developer replenishment container 2 ... Container body 2-1 ... Container upper member 2-2 ... Container lower member 2L ... Large diameter part 2S ... Small diameter part 2a ... Developer Discharge opening 2b ... Shutter guide 2b1 ... Notch 2b2 ... Locking rib 2c ... Knob guide 2d ... Conveyance protrusion 3 ... Shutter 3a ... Shutter gear 3b ... Guide part 3c ... Shutter sheet 3d ... Bridging part 4 ... Packing material 5 ... Knob 5a ... Handle part 5b ... Knob gear 5c ... Double cylindrical part 5d ... Claw 5e ... Noblock engagement part 5f ... Noblock release protrusion 7Y, 7M, 7C, 7Bk ... Developer 8 ... Developer receiving part 9 ... Developer 9a ... Developer transfer member 9b .. .Development sleeve 12 ... Interfering plate 13 ... Baffle 13a ... Inclined plate 13b ... Hole 13c ... Fixed rib 13d ... Notch 14a ... U-shaped rib 14b ... Mouth-shaped rib 15 ... Transfer drum 19 ... Photoreceptor drum 20 ... Static eliminator 21. .. Cleaning means 23 ... Primary charger 24 ... Image exposure means 25 ... Image exposure Reflection means 26 ... Rotating body 30 ... Rotary developing device