JPS6135468A - Toner supply device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To allow a toner cartridge of the same size in the same shape only to be inserted into the corresponding opposite member by providing toner cartridges and hopper-shaped containers which contain the cartridges, and forming a groove where a projection part passes in the front surface of the hopper type container. CONSTITUTION:The toner cartridges 9A-9C of respective colors are of the same size and in the same shape; one of two projection parts, i.e. projection parts 98A-98C are formed at the same positions and the other projection, i.e. projection parts 99A-99C are at circumferentially different positions. Grooves 106A- 106C and 107A-107C are formed in the containers 10A-10C at positions opposite to respective projection parts on sides where the toner cartridges are received. Consequently, the toner cartridges 9A-9C are inserted only into the corresponding containers 10A-10C, so a toner cartridge containing some color toner is never inserted into a toner supply device of different color.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a toner supply device applied to a color image forming apparatus using electrophotography or electrostatic recording.

Prior Art and its Problems Color image forming apparatuses using electrophotography or electrostatic recording methods are capable of printing two colors (generally black and original 'f:
The ability to separate the colors into three primary colors and develop the light images corresponding to each color with three or four color toners 5-'It child photocopying! (For example, tU Unexamined Patent Publication No. 58-108558, 5B-
No. 134663) is well known.

This type of color image forming apparatus has various structures, but basically it has multiple types of developing devices for developing each color individually with toner, and these are arranged around the image carrier in parallel or It is equipped with a rotary developing device. Moreover, each developing device has almost the same structure, and moreover, many of them use a toner replenishment cartridge.

However, although each toner cartridge is marked with letters or marks to identify the toner color, the shape and dimensions of the toner cartridge and the side that receives it are often the same, so color differences may occur. Accidents easily occur when a toner cartridge is inserted into another developing device.

OBJECTS OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to solve the problems of the prior art described above and to provide a toner supply device that allows toner cartridges having substantially the same shape and dimensions to be inserted only into their corresponding mating members. It is.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The toner supply device of the present invention includes a toner supply port that extends in the longitudinal direction on the outer peripheral surface of a hollow container whose ends are sealed and which contains toner of a predetermined color among multicolor toners. The supply port is sealed with a peelable sealing member, a rotating knob member is provided at the drawer side end of the hollow container, and protrusions are provided at at least two locations on the outer peripheral surface of the back end of the hollow container, and a toner cartridge in which one of the protrusions is set at a common position for all toners and at least one of the other protrusions is set at a different position for each toner color, and a hopper that accommodates the toner cartridge. A groove is provided on the front surface of the hopper-shaped container through which the protrusion can pass.

Examples of the invention The details of the present invention will be explained below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a developing device equipped with a toner supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line A-A in FIG.
Figure 3 is a sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 2. Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 0-B in Figure 2.
0 arrow view, FIG. 5 is a vertical sectional view of the toner cartridge in FIG. 1, FIG. 6 is a DD arrow view in FIG. 5, and FIG. Figure 8 (a) (b) (Q)
are front views of a toner supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIGS. 9(a), (b, and 0) are respectively FIG. 8(6L)←
) 6) is a cross-sectional view of the toner cartridge inserted into the toner supply device of 6).

First, in FIG. 1, 1 is a photosensitive drum, and 2 is a developing device. The developing device 2 includes a nonmagnetic sleeve 3, a magnet roll 4 provided inside the sleeve 3 having a plurality of magnetic poles on its surface, and a toner tank 6 containing color magnetic toner (hereinafter simply referred to as toner) 5. The toner supply device 8 includes a toner cartridge 9 and a hopper-shaped container 10 that accommodates the toner cartridge.
According to this developing device 2, the non-magnetic sleeve 3 and the magnet row/l/4 are rotated relative to each other to convey the toner 5 in the direction of the arrow X in the figure, and the toner 5 is transported in the developing area 2. Development is performed by adhering it to an electrostatic latent image (not shown) formed on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 1. Here, the developing device is prepared for each type of toner color and is installed around the photoreceptor drum 1, or the developing device has a cassette structure and is replaced depending on the color of the image, or it has a rotary structure.

Next, the toner supply device a will be explained with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7. The toner cartridge 9 (see FIGS. 5 to 7) has a toner supply port 92 formed in the longitudinal direction of a cylindrical body 91 made of a non-magnetic material such as paper or plastic, and the supply port 92 is covered with a peelable seal. It is formed by sealing with a member 93 and further sealing both ends of the cylindrical body 91 with seven flanges 94 and 95. 7. The outer diameter of the flange 94 is the same as that of the cylinder 91.
is formed larger than the outer diameter of the
Further, the flange 94 is provided with a groove 97 into which the tip of the pull-out portion 93a of the seal member 93 is inserted. In addition, two protrusions 98.
99 is provided, and a cap 100 is further fitted. On the other hand, the container 10 (see FIGS. 2 to 4) is formed by supporting a cylinder 101 with side plates 102 and 103, and the side plate 102 is provided with grooves 106 and 10 through which the protrusions 98 and 99 can pass. . Further, the side plate 103 of the container 10 is provided with a stopper 104 that engages with the protrusion 98 and a stopper 105 that engages with the protrusion 99. Note that 108 (see FIG. 1) is a guide member that guides the protrusion 99, but it may be omitted.

A toner supply operation with such a configuration will be explained. Align the protrusions 98 and 99 of the toner cartridge 9 with the grooves 101 and 102 of the container 10, respectively, and then push it in until the 7 langes 94 come into contact with the end surface of the container 10 (see FIG. 3). Then, pull out the tip of the pull-out part 93a. After peeling off the sealing member 93, the cartridge 9 is rotated in a predetermined direction (the direction of the arrow y in FIG. 4) to cause the toner 5 to fall from the toner supply port 92. Here, the protrusion 99 is the stopper 1
Since its position is regulated by 04, the toner supply port 9
2 is set at a predetermined position, and a stopper 105 prevents the cartridge 9 from rotating in the opposite direction.

Next, a structure for preventing the above-mentioned installation will be described with reference to FIG. 8.9 in the case where, for example, three color toners are respectively supplied to the developing device using toner cartridges.

First, toner cartridges 9A, 9B, and 90 of each color are prepared. All of the cartridges have the same shape and dimensions, but one of the two protrusions is 98A, 98.
B, 990 are formed at the same position, and the other protrusion 99A1
99B and 990 have different positions in the circumferential direction.

(FIG. 9) On the other hand, on the side that receives the toner cartridge, there are grooves 106A, 107A, 106B in the containers 10A, IOB, 100 at positions corresponding to the respective protrusions.
107B, 1060.107a are provided.

According to such a structure, the toner cartridge 9A can be inserted only into the container 10A, and similarly, the toner cartridges 9B and 9C can be inserted into the containers 10B and 100, respectively.
Therefore, there is no need to insert a toner cartridge containing color toner of a certain color into a toner supply device of a different color.

Modifications In the above embodiments, magnetic toners were used as the color toners, but it goes without saying that toners for two-component developers may also be used. Also, the number of protrusions and grooves is not limited to two, but may be three or more. If there are three or more, one of them is provided in the same position, and the other protrusions and grooves are provided in at least one position as described above. The lock function works. Furthermore, the structure of the developing device is arbitrary, and various known structures can be applied in addition to the magnetic brush type. Further, the toner cartridge is not limited to the above-mentioned embodiment, and various known structures can be applied.

Effects of the Invention As described above, according to the present invention, when inserting several types of toner cartridges into their respective containers, a specific toner cartridge can be inserted only into a predetermined container, and the toner cartridge Incorrect insertion can be completely prevented.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a sectional view of a developing device equipped with a toner supply device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a view taken along the line A-A in FIG.
Figure 3 is a cross-sectional view taken along line B-B in Figure 2, and Figure 4 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 0-B in Figure 2.
0 arrow view, Figure 5 is the toner car in Figure 1) IJ
A vertical cross-sectional view of the azalea, Figure 6 is a view taken along the line D-D in Figure 5, and Figure 7 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the azalea.
The figure is a sectional view taken along the line m-E in FIG. 5, FIGS. Figure 8(a) respectively.
~ (c) inserted into the container. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the toner cartridge. 8: Toner supply device, 9.9A, 9B, 90: ) Toner cartridge, 10.10ASlOB1100: Container, 91: Cylindrical body 92: Supply port, 93: Seal member, 94.
95:7 lunge 96: knob, 97: groove, 98.98A
, 98B, 980.99.99A. 99B, 990: protrusion, 106.106A,
106B, 1060, 107.107A JO7
B, 1070: Groove.

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A toner supply port extending in the longitudinal direction is formed on the outer circumferential surface of a hollow container whose both ends are sealed and which contains toner of a predetermined color among multicolor toners, and the toner supply port is The cylindrical container is sealed with a peelable sealing member, a rotating knob member is provided at the drawer side end of the cylindrical container, and one protrusion is provided at at least two locations on the outer peripheral surface of the back end of the cylindrical container. A toner cartridge, in which the protruding part is set at a common position for all toners, and at least one of the other protruding parts is set at a different position for each toner color, and a hopper-shaped container for accommodating the toner cartridge. A toner supply device comprising: a groove through which the protrusion can pass through a groove on the front surface of the hopper-shaped container. 2. The toner supply device according to claim 1, wherein a guide member for guiding one protrusion is provided on the inner surface of the hopper-like container.