阅读说明：本技术 显影剂收容容器 (Developer container ) 是由 末永武德 于 2019-09-09 设计创作，主要内容包括：本发明提供一种显影剂收容容器。与以往相比,减轻具有一定流动性的显影剂在从显影剂收容容器排出时凝集在排出口的附近的情况。显影剂收容容器(1)由下述的容器主体(2)、排出部件(3)及限制部件(5)构成。容器主体(2)在输送显影剂的输送方向的下游侧的端部具有开口部(21),具有与输送方向正交的截面为圆形的侧壁(22),还具有在特定的卷绕方向以螺旋状连续且设置于侧壁(22)的内侧的面的突条部(221)。排出部件(3)具有固定于开口部(21)的连结部(35)和排出显影剂的排出部(32)。而且,限制部件(5)在连结部(35)的上游侧具有与输送方向正交的截面为圆形的侧壁部(52),还具有在与突条部(221)相同的卷绕方向以螺旋状向下游侧连续且设置于侧壁部(52)的外侧的面的引导部(53)。(The invention provides a developer container. The developer having a certain fluidity is less likely to aggregate in the vicinity of the discharge port when discharged from the developer container than in the conventional art. The developer container (1) is composed of a container body (2), a discharge member (3), and a regulating member (5) described below. The container body (2) has an opening (21) at the end on the downstream side in the direction of conveyance of the developer, a side wall (22) having a circular cross section orthogonal to the direction of conveyance, and a protruding strip (221) that is continuous in a spiral shape in a specific winding direction and is provided on the inner surface of the side wall (22). The discharge member (3) has a connection section (35) fixed to the opening (21) and a discharge section (32) for discharging the developer. The restricting member (5) has a side wall portion (52) having a circular cross section orthogonal to the conveying direction on the upstream side of the connecting portion (35), and a guide portion (53) that is provided on the outer surface of the side wall portion (52) and that is continuous in a spiral shape on the downstream side in the same winding direction as the protruding strip portion (221).)

1. A developer container is characterized by comprising:

a container main body that contains a developer, has an opening at an end portion on a downstream side in a conveyance direction in which the developer is conveyed, has a side wall portion having a circular cross section orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and further has a first protrusion portion that is provided on an inner surface of the side wall portion and that continues to the downstream side continuously or intermittently in a spiral shape in a specific winding direction;

a discharge member having a connection portion fixed to the opening portion and a discharge port for discharging the developer;

and a restricting member having a curved member with a circular cross section orthogonal to the conveying direction on an upstream side of the connecting portion, and a second protrusion portion that extends spirally toward the downstream side in the specific winding direction and is provided on an outer surface of the curved member.

2. Developer container according to claim 1, characterized in that,

the number of turns of the second projecting part is less than 1.

3. Developer receiving container according to claim 1 or 2,

the pitch of the first protrusion parts is the same as the pitch of the second protrusion parts.

4. The developer container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the developer container comprises a container body,

the first protrusion is provided from an end portion on the upstream side of the container main body to the opening portion.

5. The developer container according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the developer container comprises a container body,

the first protrusion is provided from an end portion on the upstream side of the container main body to an end portion on the upstream side of the second protrusion.

6. The developer container according to any one of claims 1 to 5, wherein the developer container comprises a container body,

the coupling portion has a hole through which the developer passes in the vicinity of the downstream end of the second protrusion.

7. The developer container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the developer container comprises a container body,

the curved surface member is provided so as not to be spaced apart from the connecting portion.

8. The developer container according to any one of claims 1 to 6, wherein the developer container comprises a container body,

the curved surface member is provided with a space between the curved surface member and the connection portion.

Technical Field

The present invention relates to a developer container used in an electrophotographic image forming apparatus.

Background

An image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system forms a toner image on a photoreceptor, an intermediate transfer belt, or the like, and transfers the formed toner image to a sheet of paper by a transfer section. Then, the transferred toner image is fixed to the paper by the fixing section.

Further, a developer container for supplying the developer to the developing unit is mounted in the image forming apparatus. The developer container contains a developer prepared by mixing a toner and an image carrier. The developer container is often configured such that the container main body is arranged in a lateral direction with respect to the image forming apparatus. Further, the developer container is sometimes referred to as a "toner bottle".

A spiral protrusion is provided on the inner circumferential surface of the container body to convey the stored developer. Then, the container body is rotated to convey the contained developer to a discharge port provided at a front end portion of the container body, and the developer is discharged to the developing portion.

The larger the amount of developer accommodated in the container body, the more the amount of developer conveyed to the discharge port is likely to increase compared to the amount of developer discharged from the discharge port. Thus, the density of the developer increases in the space near the discharge port, and the fluidity of the developer is likely to decrease. Therefore, the developer becomes difficult to be discharged from the discharge port.

Therefore, a developer container described in patent document 1 has been proposed. The developer container includes a container body, a discharge member, and a regulating member. The regulating member is disposed in a space formed by the container main body and the discharge member, and partitions the space into a storage space for storing the developer in the container main body and a discharge-side space for storing the developer discharged from the discharge port. Further, the regulating member 5 and the passage hole through which the developer passes are formed, and the amount of the developer output from the housing space to the discharge side space is regulated.

Disclosure of Invention

However, according to the developer container described in patent document 1, if the developer has a fluidity in a certain range, the developer can be prevented from being aggregated in the vicinity of the discharge port, and the developer can be prevented from being hardly discharged from the discharge port.

However, if the developer is a developer prepared by mixing toners having different flowability, the developer may be difficult to be discharged from the discharge port.

The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object of the present invention is to reduce aggregation of a developer having a certain fluidity in the vicinity of a discharge port when the developer is discharged from a developer container, as compared with the conventional developer container.

A developer container according to an aspect of the present invention includes: a container main body that contains a developer, has an opening at an end portion on a downstream side in a conveyance direction in which the developer is conveyed, has a side wall portion having a circular cross section orthogonal to the conveyance direction, and further has a first protrusion portion that is provided on an inner surface of the side wall portion and that continues to the downstream side continuously or intermittently in a spiral shape in a specific winding direction; a discharge member having a connection portion fixed to the opening portion and a discharge port for discharging the developer; and a restricting member having a curved member with a circular cross section orthogonal to the conveying direction on an upstream side of the connecting portion, and a second protrusion portion that extends spirally toward the downstream side in the specific winding direction and is provided on an outer surface of the curved member.

According to the present invention, it is possible to reduce aggregation of the developer having a certain fluidity in the vicinity of the discharge port when discharged from the developer container, as compared with the conventional art.

Drawings

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an external appearance of an image forming apparatus.

Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a state when the developer container is attached to the image forming apparatus.

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of an appearance of the developer container.

Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the developer container is disassembled.

Fig. 5 is a view showing a state in which the distal end portion of the container body and its vicinity, the discharge member, and the regulating member are cut by a plane parallel to the rotation axis and perpendicular to the horizontal plane.

Fig. 6 is a side view showing an example of the connecting portion and the regulating member.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where the coupling portion and the regulating member are separated.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line a-a of fig. 5.

Fig. 9(a) to (F) are six-side views of the regulating member.

Fig. 10(a) and (B) are perspective views of the regulating member.

Fig. 11(a) and (B) are graphs showing characteristics of the side wall portion and the guide portion, respectively.

Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of the developer in the regulating member and its vicinity.

Fig. 13 is a view showing a modification of the projection of the container body.

Fig. 14 is a view showing a modification of the joining method of the discharge member and the regulating member.

Detailed Description

Fig. 1 is a diagram showing an example of an external appearance of image forming apparatus 6. Fig. 2 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the developer container 1 is set in the image forming apparatus 6.

The image forming apparatus 6 shown in fig. 1 is an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as a multifunction peripheral, a copier, a printer, or a facsimile terminal, and prints an image on a sheet of paper using 4 colors of cyan, magenta, yellow, and black toners. The developer containers 1 for the respective colors 4 are attached to the image forming apparatus 6, and the developers for the respective colors 4 are supplied from the respective developer containers 1. The developer mainly contains a toner and an image carrier.

As shown in fig. 2, the developer container 1 is attached to the image forming apparatus 6 in a state in which the developer container 1 is laid flat so that the longitudinal direction of the developer container 1 is substantially horizontal. Then, the developer is supplied to the image forming apparatus 6 while rotating about the rotation axis L.

The cyan, magenta, yellow, and black image forming apparatuses 6 have the same configuration. Therefore, the configuration, operation, and the like of the image forming apparatus 6 will be described below by taking the image forming apparatus 6 of a specific 1 color as an example.

[ Structure of developer storage Container 1 ]

Fig. 3 is a perspective view showing an example of an external appearance of the developer storage container 1. Fig. 4 is a diagram showing an example of a state in which the developer storage container 1 is disassembled.

As shown in fig. 3 or 4, the developer container 1 includes a container main body 2, a discharge member 3, a cap 4, a regulating member 5, and the like. Hereinafter, the end of the developer container 1 where the cap 4 is provided will be referred to as "container front end", and the end opposite to the container front end will be referred to as "container rear end".

The discharge member 3 is attached to the container front end side of the container body 2. The cap 4 is attached to the container distal end side of the discharge member 3. The regulating member 5 is provided between the container body 2 and the discharge member 3.

[ Container body 2 ]

The developer is accommodated in the container main body 2. The container body 2 is formed in a hollow substantially cylindrical shape, and an opening 21 is provided on the container distal end side. In addition, a protrusion 221 protruding toward the inside of the container body 2 is formed continuously or intermittently in a spiral shape on the side wall 22 of the container body 2. The protruding strip 221 is formed from the end on the container rear end side to the end on the container front end side. The direction of the spiral of the protruding portion 221 (the direction of winding) is set in accordance with the rotation direction of the container body 2.

The container body 2 rotates about the rotation axis L, and the protruding portion 221 conveys the developer accommodated in the container body 2 to the opening 21. However, the discharge member 3 and the regulating member 5 are provided in the opening 21, and as described later, the amount of the developer passing through the opening 21 is regulated by the discharge member 3 and the regulating member 5.

[ discharge part 3 ]

Fig. 5 is a view showing a state in which the distal end portion of the container body 2 and its vicinity, the discharge member 3, and the regulating member 5 are cut off parallel to the rotation axis L and perpendicular to the horizontal plane. Fig. 6 is a side view showing an example of the connection portion 35 and the regulating member 5. Fig. 7 is a perspective view showing a state where the coupling portion 35 and the regulating member 5 are separated. Fig. 8 is a sectional view taken along line a-a of fig. 5.

The discharge member 3 is attached to the container body 2 so as to close the opening 21 of the container body 2. As shown in fig. 5, the discharge member 3 includes a mouth portion 31, a discharge portion 32, a conveying blade 33, a coating portion 34, a connecting portion 35, and the like.

The mouth portion 31 has a shape in which two cylinders having a smaller radius on the container front end side than on the container rear end side are overlapped so that their centers coincide with each other. The mouth portion 31 has a threaded portion 311 on the side surface of the cylinder on the front end side of the container and a locking portion 312 on the side surface of the cylinder on the rear end side of the container.

The threaded portion 311 is screwed to a threaded groove provided on the inner side of the cap 4. A locking groove 312a formed from the rear end of the mouth portion 31 toward the container front end side is provided inside the locking portion 312. The front end of the container body 2 is inserted into the locking groove 312 a. The locking portion 312 is locked to the distal end of the container body 2. Thereby, the discharge member 3 rotates integrally with the container body 2. Further, a discharge portion 32 is provided at the tip end portion of the mouth portion 31.

The discharge unit 32 includes a discharge port 321 for discharging the developer to the outside of the container, and a hooking unit 322. The hooking portion 322 is formed in a substantially circular plate shape. The engagement portion 322 temporarily engages a tip end portion of a covering portion 34 to be described later. A conveying blade 33 is provided at the rear end of the discharge portion 32.

The conveying blade 33 is provided in the discharge portion 32 and disposed in the cylindrical hole of the mouth portion 31. The front end of the transport blade 33 is continuous with the discharge port 321 of the discharge portion 32, and the rear end is close to the inner wall of the mouth portion 31. When container body 2 and mouth 31 rotate, conveying blade 33 scrapes the developer fed from container body 2 and conveys the developer to discharge port 321 of discharge portion 32. Thereby, even if the amount of the developer is small, the developer can be efficiently discharged from the discharge port 321.

The covering portion 34 forms a substantially cylindrical corrugated member. The distal end of the covering portion 34 engages with the engaging portion 322 of the discharge portion 32. The rear end of the covering portion 34 is fixed to the front end of the mouth portion 31.

As shown in fig. 6, 7, and 8, the connecting portion 35 is formed integrally with the conveying blade 33 and provided on the rear end side of the mouth portion 31.

The coupling portion 35 is formed in a substantially disc shape, and has a cutout portion 35a penetrating in parallel to the rotation axis L at a specific position on the circumference. The diameter of the connecting portion 35 is set smaller than the diameter of the mouth portion 31 on the container rear end side.

In a state before the developer container 1 is mounted on the image forming apparatus 6, the covering portion 34 covers the discharge port 321 of the discharge portion 32. This can prevent the developer from leaking from the outlet 321 before the developer container 1 is attached to the image forming apparatus 6. When the developer container 1 is attached to the image forming apparatus 6, the distal end portion of the covering portion 34 is detached from the engaging portion 322 and is retracted toward the container rear end side. As a result, the discharge port 321 of the discharge portion 32 is exposed.

[ Cap 4 ]

As shown in fig. 4, the cap 4 is formed in a hollow substantially truncated cone shape. A screw groove for screwing the screw portion 311 of the mouth portion 31 is provided on the inner wall of the cap 4. Before the developer container 1 is attached to the image forming apparatus 6, the cap 4 is attached to the discharging member 3 so as to cover the covering portion 34 (see fig. 5) as shown in fig. 3. Then, it is detached from the discharge member 3 at the time of attachment.

[ limiter 5 ]

Fig. 9 is a six-side view of the restricting member 5. Fig. 10 is a perspective view of the regulating member 5. Fig. 11 is a graph showing characteristics of the side wall portion 52 and the guide portion 53.

As shown in fig. 9 and 10, the regulating member 5 includes a bottom surface portion 51, a side wall portion 52, and a guide portion 53.

The bottom surface portion 51 is formed in a circular flat plate shape. The diameter of the bottom surface portion 51 is set smaller than the diameter of the coupling portion 35.

The side wall portion 52 has a shape in which a side surface of a cylinder is cut into a spiral shape, and is formed integrally with the bottom surface portion 51. Specifically, as shown in fig. 11(a), the height H of the side wall portion 52 from the bottom surface portion 51 gradually increases as the side wall portion rotates clockwise from a certain point Pb on the circumference of the bottom surface portion 51 when viewed from the container distal end side. However, the heights of the intervals between the points Pa and Pb and between the points Pd and Pa are zero.

The guide portion 53 is formed as a spiral elongated slope on the outer side of the end portion of the side wall portion 52 opposite to the bottom surface portion 51. As shown in fig. 11(B), the section of the width W of the bottom surface portion 51 from the point corresponding to the point Pa to the point corresponding to the point Pc is the width Wa, and the section from the point corresponding to the point Pc to the point corresponding to the point Pd is the width Wb. Wherein, the width Wa is more than the width Wb.

The direction and pitch of the spiral of the guide portion 53 (the direction of winding) are the same as those of the spiral of the protruding strip portion 221. In addition, the number of turns of the spiral of the guide portion 53 is less than 1.

The bottom surface portion 51 is overlapped and fixed to the coupling portion 35 of the discharge member 3 such that the center of the bottom surface portion 51 coincides with the center of the coupling portion 35 and the rotation axis L passes through the center of the bottom surface portion 51 and the center of the coupling portion 35. Therefore, when the container body 2 is rotated, the regulating member 5 is rotated integrally with the container body 2 and the discharge member 3 about a perpendicular line passing through the center of the bottom surface portion 51.

[ discharging action of developer ]

Fig. 12 is a diagram showing an example of the flow of the developer in the regulating member 5 and its vicinity.

Next, the developer discharge operation of the developer container 1 will be described with reference to fig. 12 and the like.

In advance, the container body 2 is filled with the developer, and the regulating member 5 is attached to the discharge member 3. Then, cap 4 is removed, and developer container 1 is attached to image forming apparatus 6. At this time, the front end of the covering portion 34 is removed from the engaging portion 322 in conjunction with attachment, and is contracted toward the rear end, so that the discharge port 321 of the discharge portion 32 is exposed.

When the container body 2 rotates about the rotation axis L, the discharge member 3 also rotates integrally with the container body 2. Then, the developer is conveyed little by little from the container body 2 to the discharge member 3 by the projected strip portion 221 in the following manner.

As shown in fig. 5, a coupling portion 35 and a regulating member 5 are provided near the opening 21 of the container body 2. Therefore, a part of the developer conveyed by the protruding portion 221 contacts the bottom surface portion 51 or the connection portion 35 of the regulating member 5, and conveyance is regulated.

However, as shown in fig. 12, a certain amount of the developer among the developers conveyed by the protruding portions 221 is conveyed toward the discharging member 3 along the side wall portion 52 and the guide portion 53.

Then, a certain amount of developer passes through the notch 35a of the connection portion 35, is conveyed to the discharge port 321 by the conveying blade 33, and is discharged from the discharge port 321.

According to the present embodiment, it is possible to reduce the possibility that the developer having a certain fluidity is aggregated in the vicinity of the discharge port when discharged from the developer storage container 1, as compared with the conventional art. This can reliably suppress the occurrence of a decrease in image density due to discharge failure of the developer or generation of aggregates, as compared with the conventional art. In particular, since the discharge is stable even in a state where the developer is tightly packed, the developer can be stored in the developer storage container 1 more than ever.

[ modified example ]

Fig. 13 is a diagram showing a modification of the protruding strip 221 of the container body 2. Fig. 14 is a diagram showing a modification of the joining method of the discharge member 3 and the regulating member 5.

In the present embodiment, the protruding portion 221 is formed in a range from the end portion of the side wall 22 of the container body 2 on the container rear end side to the end portion on the container front end side. That is, as shown in fig. 5, the opening 21 is almost formed. However, as shown in fig. 13, the projecting strip 221 may not be formed in a portion parallel to the regulating member 5 in the vicinity of the end portion of the side wall 22 on the container distal end side. That is, the protruding portion 221 may be formed from the end portion on the container rear end side to the end portion on the container rear end side of the regulating member 5.

In the present embodiment, as shown in fig. 5, the regulating member 5 is provided on the coupling portion 35 so that the bottom surface portion 51 overlaps the coupling portion 35. However, as shown in fig. 14, the regulating member 5 may be provided slightly apart from the connection portion 35. In this case, the column portion 353 may be provided from the connection portion 35 toward the container rear end side, and the regulating member 5 may be fixed to the column portion 353.

In the present embodiment, the inside of the side wall portion 52 of the regulating member 5 is a space, but may be dense.

In the present embodiment, the portion of the side wall portion 52 on the upstream side of the guide portion 53 is missing, but may not be missing. That is, for example, a cylinder may be used as the side wall portion 52 without being notched, and the guide portion 53 may be provided spirally outside the side wall portion 52.

In the present embodiment, the number of turns of the spiral of the guide portion 53 is less than 1, but may be 1 or more.

In the present embodiment, the protruding portion 221 is formed so that a part of the side wall 22 is recessed inward, but the protruding portion 221 may be formed inside the side wall 22 without providing a recess outside the side wall 22.

The structure of the entire developer container 1 or each part thereof may be appropriately changed according to the concept of the present invention.

Description of the symbols

1 developer container

2 Container body

21 opening part

22 side wall (side wall part)

221 projection strip (first projection)

3 discharge part

32 discharge port (discharge part)

35 connecting part

5 limiting member

52 side wall part (curved surface part)

53 guide part (second projecting part)