Abstract:
A toner replenishing device that provides a container and a device having a high toner volumetric efficiency and a low cost, suppresses vibration during replenishment to a minimum, and stores recovered toner without impairing the volumetric efficiency of unused toner is constituted by a developer replenishing device which is provided with a developer container storing a developer used in an image forming apparatus and replenishes a developing device of the image forming apparatus with the developer in the developer container. The developer container is rectangular in a horizontal direction, and comprises an outside container storing unused developer and a deformable inside container enveloped by the outside container. The developer replenishing device comprises a developer discharging mouthpiece portion for discharging the developer from the interior of the container, which is provided in a lengthwise direction end portion of the outside container, an air supply nozzle, provided in an opposite side end portion to the developer discharging mouthpiece portion in the lengthwise direction, for introducing air into the inside container, and an air pump for supplying air to the supply nozzle.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0001]    1. Field of the Invention 
         [0002]    The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copier, a printer, a facsimile device, and a compound device thereof, and more particularly to a developer replenishing device suitable for use in this image forming apparatus. 
         [0003]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0004]    In an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, an image is typically created by forming a toner image using a so-called developer containing a toner and a carrier. The toner is steadily consumed as image formation progresses, and therefore a toner storage container serving as a toner cartridge filled with toner is generally used, and when all of the toner in the toner storage container has been consumed, new toner is supplied by replacing the toner storage container with a new toner storage container. 
         [0005]    Since toner is a powder, it is important to discharge the toner such that as little toner as possible remains in the toner storage container. Conventional methods for conveying toner from the interior of the container to a container outlet portion include a method of providing a screw known as an auger in the interior of the container and conveying the toner in a single direction by rotating the screw, a method of providing a spiral projection known as a screw bottle on the inner surface of a cylindrical portion of a tubular container and rotating the container such that the toner is conveyed little by little to an outlet portion of the container, and so on. 
         [0006]    The present inventor has proposed a method of discharging toner from a toner storage container by applying acceleration to the toner storage container through an asymmetric reciprocating motion such that the toner in the container is moved in a single direction by inertia and discharged through a discharge port provided in the downward direction of the container. 
         [0007]    In the toner conveyance method employing an auger, a member must be provided in the interior of the container and rotated, and therefore the structure of the container becomes complicated. In the toner conveyance method employing a screw bottle, no member need be provided in the interior of the container, and therefore the structure of the container is simple, but since the container is rotated, the container must be formed with a cylindrical main body and provided with an outlet in one end surface (the shape of a normal bottle laid on its side). Hence, in comparison with a rectangular parallelepiped-shaped container, the amount of toner that can be stored in the container is small, the container is not easy to hold and may slip out of the hand during replacement, and so on. 
         [0008]    Meanwhile, with the method of applying a reciprocating motion (in the lateral direction) to the container to move the toner inside the container such that the toner is discharged through a discharge port provided in the lower side of the container (to be referred to hereafter as a reciprocation method) a simple container shape such as a rectangular parallelepiped that can hold a large amount of toner (that has little dead space) may be employed, and since there is no need to provide a conveyor member inside the container, a low-cost, compact replenishing device can be realized. Moreover, a bag-shaped container constituted by a flexible sheet may be used, enabling savings in natural resources and costs. 
         [0009]    However, a reciprocation type replenishing device is greatly disadvantaged in that the resultant vibration causes abnormal images (banding). Hence, to cancel out the effect of vibration generated during reciprocation of the container on the main body, a method of providing a movable stopper and causing the container and stopper to collide at opposite phase speeds has been proposed. However, even slight vibration affects image formation, and therefore a replenishment method in which vibration is reduced to the greatest extent possible is required. 
         [0010]    Meanwhile, during image formation, residual toner is generated following transfer, and conventionally, this residual toner is recovered in a recovery bottle. A method of provided the container with a recovery chamber in advance and recovering the residual toner in the container has also been proposed, but when this method is employed, the constitution of a residual toner moving device and the capacity of the container decrease, and the cost of the container rises due to its complexity. It is therefore difficult to incorporate this method into an actual product. 
         [0011]    Technologies relating to the present invention are also disclosed in, e.g., Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2003-098813, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2005-292300, Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication S63-010424, and Japanese Unexamined Patent Application Publication 2002-148924. 
       SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0012]    It is an object of the present invention to provide a toner replenishing device for an image forming apparatus which can solve the conventional problems described above by realizing a container and a device having a high toner volumetric efficiency and a low cost, suppressing vibration during toner replenishment to a minimum, and storing recovered toner without impairing the volumetric efficiency of unused toner. 
         [0013]    In an aspect of the present invention, a developer replenishing device is provided with a developer container storing a developer used in an image forming apparatus, and replenishes a developing device of the image forming apparatus with the developer in the developer container. The developer container is rectangular in a horizontal direction, and comprises an outside container storing unused developer and a deformable inside container enveloped by the outside container. The developer replenishing device comprises a developer discharge port, provided in the outside container, for discharging the developer from the interior of the outside container; an air supply port for introducing air into the inside container; and air supplying means for supplying air to the air supply port. 
         [0014]    In another aspect of the present invention, a developer container stores a developer used in an image forming apparatus. The developer container is rectangular in a horizontal direction, and comprises an outside container storing unused developer and a deformable inside container enveloped by the outside container, and further comprises a developer discharge port, provided in the outside container, for discharging the developer from the interior of the outside container; and an air supply port for introducing air into the inside container. 
         [0015]    In another aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus uses a developer replenishing device. The developer replenishing device is provided with a developer container storing a developer used in the image forming apparatus, and replenishes a developing device of the image forming apparatus with the developer in the developer container. The developer container is rectangular in a horizontal direction, and comprises an outside container storing unused developer and a deformable inside container enveloped by the outside container. The developer replenishing device comprises a developer discharge port, provided in the outside container, for discharging the developer from the interior of the outside container; an air supply port for introducing air into the inside container; and air supplying means for supplying air to the air supply port. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0016]    The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the following detailed description taken with the accompanying drawings, in which: 
           [0017]      FIG. 1  is a view showing the overall constitution of an image forming apparatus (printer) to which the present invention is applied; 
           [0018]      FIG. 2  is a view showing the overall constitution of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus in which an embodiment of a developer replenishing device according to the present invention is used in a toner replenishment portion; 
           [0019]      FIG. 3  is a view showing a state in which a discharge outlet shutter is attached to a toner container shown in  FIG. 2 ; 
           [0020]      FIG. 4  is an exterior perspective view of the toner container seen from below; 
           [0021]      FIGS. 5 to 7  are view showing a process of supplying toner from the toner container; 
           [0022]      FIG. 8  is a view showing the overall constitution of an image forming apparatus in which a second embodiment of the developer replenishing device according to the present invention is used in a toner replenishment portion; 
           [0023]      FIG. 9  is an exterior perspective view of a toner container shown in  FIG. 8 ; 
           [0024]      FIG. 10  is a view showing one bag container (an outside container or an inside container) of the toner container before being formed into a bag shape; 
           [0025]      FIG. 11  is a sectional view of a sheet adhered to the bag container; 
           [0026]      FIG. 12  is a view showing that the bag container has a duplex structure consisting of the inside container and the outside container; 
           [0027]      FIG. 13  is a view showing a state in which only the outside container is expanded from the state shown in  FIG. 12 ; and 
           [0028]      FIG. 14  is an exterior perspective view showing the constitution of a toner container according to a third embodiment of the present invention. 
       
    
    
     DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS 
       [0029]    Embodiments of the present invention will be described below on the basis of the attached drawings. 
       First Embodiment 
       [0030]      FIG. 1  shows the overall constitution of an image forming apparatus (printer) to which this embodiment is applied. As shown in the drawing, in this image forming apparatus, four toner containers  131 Y,  131 M,  131 C,  131 K corresponding to four colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, black) are disposed detachably (replaceably) in a toner container storage portion above an image forming apparatus main body  100 . An intermediate transfer unit  130  is disposed beneath the toner container storage portion, and image creating portions  1 Y,  1 M,  1 C,  1 K corresponding to the four colors (yellow, magenta, cyan, black) are arranged in series so as to face an intermediate transfer belt  180  of the intermediate transfer unit  130 . 
         [0031]    For example, the image creating portion  1 Y corresponding to yellow is constituted by a photosensitive drum  2 Y, and a charging portion, a developing device (development portion), a cleaning portion, a neutralizing portion (not shown), and so on, which are arranged around the photosensitive drum  2 Y. Image creating processes (a charging process, an exposure process, a development process, a transfer process and a cleaning process) are implemented on the photosensitive drum  2 Y to form a yellow image on the photosensitive drum  2 Y. Apart from the color of the used toner, the other three image creating portions  1 M,  1 C,  1 K have a substantially identical constitution to the image creating portion  1 Y corresponding to yellow, and respectively form images in the corresponding toner colors. Accordingly, in the following description, the symbols Y, M, C, K denoting the colors will be omitted except where necessary. 
         [0032]    The photosensitive drum  2  is driven to rotate in the clockwise direction of the drawing by a drive motor, not shown in the drawing. Then, in the position of the charging portion, the surface of the photosensitive drum  2  is uniformly charged (charging process). An electrostatic latent image corresponding to yellow is then formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum  2  by exposing and scanning the surface of the photosensitive drum  2  with a laser beam emitted from an exposing device  120  in an irradiation position (exposure process). 
         [0033]    Next, the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photosensitive drum  2  is developed in a position facing the developing device to form a yellow toner image (development process). The toner image on the photosensitive drum  2  is then transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt  180  in a position facing the intermediate transfer belt  180  and a primary transfer bias rollers  140 Y,  140 M,  140 C,  140 K (primary transfer process). 
         [0034]    At this time, a small amount of non-transferred toner remains on the photosensitive drum  2 . However, the non-transferred toner remaining on the photosensitive drum  2  is then mechanically recovered by a cleaning blade in a position facing the cleaning portion (cleaning process). Finally, the remaining potential on the photosensitive drum  2  is removed in a position facing the neutralizing portion, not shown in the drawing, whereupon the series of image creating processes executed on the photosensitive drum  2  is terminated. 
         [0035]    The other image creating portions  1 M,  1 C,  1 K perform the image creating processes described above in a similar manner to the yellow image creating portion  1 Y, whereupon the toner image of each color formed on the respective photosensitive drums  2  are superposed onto the intermediate transfer belt  180  such that a color image is formed on the intermediate transfer belt  180 . 
         [0036]    The intermediate transfer unit  130  is constituted by the intermediate transfer belt  180 , four primary transfer bias rollers, a secondary transfer backup roller  180   a,  a cleaning backup roller, a tension roller  180   c,  an intermediate transfer cleaning portion  190 , and so on. The intermediate transfer belt  180  is stretched and supported by the two rollers  180   a,    180   c,  and is moved in the direction of the arrow in  FIG. 1  when one of the rollers is driven to rotate. 
         [0037]    The four primary transfer bias rollers  140 Y,  140 M,  140 C,  140 K sandwich the intermediate transfer belt  180  on the opposite side of the photosensitive drum  2  to form a primary transfer nip. A transfer bias having a reverse polarity to the polarity of the toner is applied to the primary transfer bias roller  140 . The intermediate transfer belt  180  travels in the direction of the arrow in the drawing, thereby passing through the primary transfer nip of each primary transfer bias roller  140  in sequence, and thus the toner images of the four colors on the respective photosensitive drums  2  are subjected to primary transfer so as to be superposed onto the intermediate transfer belt  180 . 
         [0038]    Next, in the position of a secondary transfer nip formed by sandwiching the intermediate transfer belt  180  between the secondary transfer backup roller  180   a  and a secondary transfer roller  141 , the color toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt  180  is transferred onto a copying subject material P such as transfer paper that has been conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer nip. 
         [0039]    At this time, non-transferred toner that has not been transferred onto the copying subject material P remains on the intermediate transfer belt  180 , and therefore the non-transferred toner on the intermediate transfer belt  180  is recovered in the position of the intermediate transfer cleaning portion  190 , whereupon the series of transfer processes executed on the intermediate transfer belt  180  is terminated. 
         [0040]    Note that the copying subject material P conveyed to the position of the secondary transfer nip is conveyed from a tray  160  disposed beneath the apparatus main body via a feed roller  160   a,  a registration roller pair  151 , and so on. A plurality of sheets of the copying subject material P such as transfer paper are stacked and stored on the tray  160 , and by driving the feed roller  160   a  to rotate in the counter-clockwise direction of  FIG. 1 , the uppermost sheet of the copying subject material P is fed between the rollers of the registration roller pair  151 . 
         [0041]    The copying subject material P conveyed to the registration roller pair  151  is halted temporarily in the position of a roller nip formed when rotation of the registration roller pair  151  is halted, and at a timing corresponding to the color image on the intermediate transfer belt  180 , the registration roller pair  151  are driven to rotate such that the copying subject material P is conveyed toward the secondary transfer nip. 
         [0042]    Once the color image has been transferred onto the copying subject material P in the position of the secondary transfer nip, the copying subject material P is conveyed to a fixing portion  170 , where heat and pressure are supplied from a fixing roller, a pressure roller, and so on to fix the color image transferred onto the surface. The copying subject material P is then discharged to the exterior of the apparatus via a discharge roller pair, and stacked. At this point, the series of image forming processes executed by the image forming apparatus is terminated. 
         [0043]      FIG. 2  shows an example of an electrophotographic image forming apparatus using a developer replenishing device according to this embodiment in a toner replenishing portion. In the drawing, the reference numeral  2  denotes a photosensitive body. Similarly to a typical electrophotographic process, a uniform charge is applied to the photosensitive body  2  by a charging device  3 , and then the photosensitive body  2  receives exposure light L corresponding to an image formed by an exposing device, not shown in the drawing, whereby an electrostatic latent image is formed thereon. The reference numeral  4  in the drawing denotes a developing device, which is a unit for forming a toner image by developing the electrostatic latent image using toner. The reference numeral  50  in the drawing is a conventional, well-known cleaning device for recovering residual toner from the photosensitive body  2  following transfer and transferring the toner to a recovery bottle, not shown in the drawing. 
         [0044]    In this apparatus, the toner image formed on the photosensitive body  2  is transferred onto a sheet of transfer paper fed from a feeding device, not shown in the drawing, by a transfer device, not shown in the drawing (or via an intermediate transfer belt). The toner image is then fixed onto the transfer paper by a fixing device, not shown in the drawing, whereupon the image is output. 
         [0045]    The reference numeral  5  in the drawing denotes a toner container having a substantially square or substantially rectangular front surface cross-section and formed so as to extend horizontally in the lengthwise direction. The toner container  5  is attached from the right side to the left side in the drawing. Assuming that the right side of the drawing is the front surface of the apparatus main body, for example, the toner container  5  is inserted toward the rear side from the main body front surface. A toner replenishing device  6  for replenishing toner consumed during image formation is provided in series with the developing device  4 . 
         [0046]    The developing device  4  shown in the drawing is a so-called two-component developing device that stores a developer  8  formed by mixing together a toner and a carrier. The reference symbols  5   a  and  6   a  in the drawing denote two conveyance screws for agitating the developer. Further, the reference numeral  7  in the drawing denotes a development roller having magnets of different polarities fixed to the interior thereof and a sleeve that rotates on the outer periphery thereof. The development roller  7  creates a toner image by developing a latent image while holding the agitated developer on the sleeve of the roller surface with the magnets. The reference numeral  9  in the drawing denotes a doctor blade, which is used to restrict the developer on the development roller to a fixed height. 
         [0047]    In the developing device  4 , toner is consumed steadily as image formation progresses. The developing device  4  comprises a toner concentration sensor  34  that constantly detects the toner concentration of the developer  8 . When the toner concentration of the developer  8  falls below a predetermined value, control is performed to transmit an operation signal to the toner replenishing device  10 . 
         [0048]    The toner replenishing device  10  serves as a part for replenishing toner. An outside container  12  and an inside container  13  constituting the toner container  11  are flexible, bag-shaped toner storage members formed by one or more layers of a flexible sheet made of resin, such as polyethylene or nylon, or paper and having a thickness of approximately 50 to 200 μm. The reference numeral  14  in the drawing denotes a discharge mouthpiece portion provided with a toner discharge port  14   a,  which is constituted by a hard material such as resin and welded or adhered to the outside container  12  as shown in the drawing. When the same material is used for the flexible members and the rigid member, the materials do not have to be separated when the container is reused, and therefore an improvement in recycling efficiency is achieved. 
         [0049]    New toner T is stored in the outside container  12 , and when the toner T is consumed, the whole container is exchanged for a new one. The reference numeral  15  in the drawing denotes a rigid base plate made of resin or the like, which is fixed detachably to the flexible container through fitting, adhesion, or the like so that the container can be attached easily to the machine main body. 
         [0050]    The used toner container  11  may be sent back to the maker from the user for recycling and reuse. In this case, the flexible container alone may be incinerated and used as thermal energy, and the hard members such as the base plate and mouthpiece may be reused. Incinerating members that use few natural resources and reusing components that use a lot of natural resources in this manner is an extremely effective method of recycling. 
         [0051]    The reference numeral  22  in the drawing denotes a supply mouthpiece comprising a supply port for supplying air to the inside container  13 . The supply mouthpiece  22  is constituted by a hard material such as resin, and is adhered to the inside container  13  and outside container  12  as shown in the drawing. Similarly to the discharge mouthpiece, when the supply mouthpiece  22  uses an identical material to the flexible members, an improvement in recycling efficiency is achieved. 
         [0052]    As described above, when the toner container  11  is attached in the direction of an arrow A in the drawing by a guide member, not shown in the drawing, provided on the replenishing device main body, a discharge nozzle  16  is attached to the discharge mouthpiece  14  while pushing a discharge port shutter  17  toward the right side of the drawing. The discharge mouthpiece is provided with seals  15   a,    15   b  which come into close contact with the discharge nozzle  16  and the shutter  17 , respectively, such that a toner discharge path extending from the interior of the container to the discharge port  14   a,  a discharge tube  25 , and a powder pump  40  is hermetically sealed from the outside. Thus, the powder pump  40  becomes capable of pumping the toner T through suction pressure, as will be described below. 
         [0053]      FIG. 3  shows a state in which the discharge port shutter  17  is attached to the toner container  11  of  FIG. 1  (a state prior to insertion of the shutter or when the container has been detached from the main body). When attaching the toner container  11 , a supply nozzle  24  is simultaneously inserted into a slit provided in a supply port seal  23  formed from a sponge material and attached to the supply mouthpiece  22 . The supply port seal  23  comes into close contact with the supply nozzle  24 , similarly to the seals  15   a,    15   b,  such that a supply path for air or the toner T extending from the supply tube  20  and supply mouthpiece  22  to the interior of the container is hermetically sealed from the outside. Thus, an air pump  30  becomes capable of supplying air. Note that the air pump  30  is a conventional, well-known diaphragm type air pump, and description thereof has been omitted. 
         [0054]      FIG. 4  shows the toner container  11  from below. It can be seen from  FIG. 4  that the positions of the toner discharge mouthpiece portion  14  and discharge nozzle  14   a  do not overlap the positions of the supply mouthpiece  22 * and supply nozzle  24  in the lengthwise direction. 
         [0055]    A toner discharging action of the toner replenishing device will now be described. 
         [0056]    When a toner replenishment signal is issued by the toner concentration sensor  34  of the developing device  4 , the air pump  30  is activated for a predetermined time period. Thus, air is supplied to the inside container  13 . At the start of use, the toner is carried on top of the inside container  13  and the front surface side of the inside container  13  is pressed by the gravitational force of the toner T. The inside container  13  then gradually expands from a position near the supply port such that the toner T is pushed forward (in the supply direction) slightly in accordance with the expansion of the inside container  13 . Next, the powder pump  40  is activated such that suction pressure is generated, and as a result, the toner T near the discharge port moves through the interior of the discharge tube  25  toward the left side of the drawing and is thus supplied to the developing device  4  via the powder pump  40 . This operation is repeated every time a replenishment signal is issued, whereby the inside container expands gradually, as shown in  FIGS. 5 ,  6  and  7 , and the toner T moves successively toward the discharge mouthpiece portion. The amount of replenishment toner supplied each time may be controlled by adjusting the activation time of the air pump  30  and the activation time of the powder pump. 
         [0057]    The powder pump  40  is a uniaxial eccentric screw pump formed from a rigid material such as metal or resin, and comprises a rotatable male screw-shaped rotor  41 , and a stator  42  formed from an elastic material such as rubber or soft resin and having a fixed, female screw-shaped hole. The rotor and stator are separated by a predetermined space that is hermetically sealed by a predetermined amount of interlocking. When the rotor rotates, the space moves and suction pressure is generated in the resulting replenishment path, allowing the toner T to move through the replenishment path. 
       Second Embodiment 
       [0058]      FIG. 8  shows a developer replenishing device according to this embodiment. Parts common to both  FIG. 8  and  FIG. 1  have been allocated identical reference symbols, and duplicate description thereof has been omitted. In this embodiment, recovered toner recovered by the cleaning device  50  are conveyed by the suction and discharge of the air pump  30  such that a mixture of toner and air is supplied to the inside container  13 , and a space formed in the interior of the toner container  11  following toner discharge is used to store the recovered toner. Thus, a dedicated waste toner bottle is not required, enabling a reduce in component costs and a reduction in the size of the machine main body corresponding to the space required to provide the waste toner bottle. 
         [0059]      FIG. 9  shows the exterior of the toner container  11 .  FIG. 10  shows one of the bag containers (the outside container or the inside container) of the toner container  11  before being formed into a bag shape. The bag container is constituted by four sheets, an upper surface sheet  61 , side face sheets  62 ,  63 , and a bottom surface sheet  65 . The side face sheets are folded in half and sandwiched between the upper surface and bottom surface sheets, and then the sheets laminated as shown in the drawing. The sheets are then adhered to each other by adhering or welding approximately 2 to 10 mm of the periphery ( 65   a,    65   b,    65   c ). Heat welding enables particularly easy manufacture, and is therefore used most often.  FIG. 11  shows the cross-section of the adhered sheets. 
         [0060]    In this embodiment, the inside container and outside container have a duplex structure, and therefore the inside container  13  is enveloped in the outside container  12  to form a structure such as that shown in  FIG. 12 . The bottom surface of the outside container  12  and the bottom surface of the inside container  13  are welded or adhered to each other so that it is possible to expand only the outside container  12  or both the outside container and inside container.  FIG. 13  shows a state in which only the outside container  12  is expanded. 
       Third Embodiment 
       [0061]      FIG. 14  shows the exterior of a toner container according to this embodiment. In this embodiment, three heat-welded portions  80   a,    80   b,    80   c  are provided such that the interior space is partitioned into four. The side of a reference symbol B in the drawing is the supply mouthpiece side, and when air or a mixture of air and toner is supplied from this side, first only the part extending from the B side to the welded part  80   a  expands. When this part expands fully, the resultant expansion pressure causes the welded part  80   a  to tear open such that the toner container expands into a connected space extending from the B side to the heat-welded portion  80   b.  When more air or toner is supplied, the heat-welded portion  80   b  also tears open such that the toner container expands into a connected space extending from B to the heat-welded portion  80   c,  and when even more air or toner is supplied, finally the heat-welded portion  80   c  tears open such that the toner container is fully expanded. Thus, the inside container  13  expands steadily and reliably from a position removed from the discharge port, and therefore all of the toner T in the outside container  12  is discharged reliably without becoming trapped between the inside container  13  and the upper surface of the outside container  12 . As a result, a superior toner replenishing device in which no toner remains after use can be realized. 
         [0062]    Various modifications will become possible for those skilled in the art after receiving the teachings of the present disclosure without departing from the scope thereof.