Abstract:
According to one embodiment a toner cartridge includes a case to contain toner, a rotator to rotate and stir the toner in the case round a rotary shaft line, and a clicker piece to move a space separated from the toner in the direction of the rotary shaft line.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION 
       [0001]    This application is based upon and claims the benefit of priority from U.S. provisional application 61/142,075, filed on Dec. 31, 2008, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
         [0002]    This application is also based upon and claims the benefit of priority from Japanese Patent Application No. 2009-234876, filed on Oct. 9, 2009, the entire contents of all of which are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     TECHNICAL FIELD 
       [0003]    Exemplary embodiments described herein relate to an image forming apparatus and a toner cartridge used by the same. 
       BACKGROUND 
       [0004]    If stored for a long period of time, toner in a toner cartridge is set. Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 6-348130 discloses a constitution that toner set in a toner cartridge is broken down by rotating a rotator in the toner cartridge by an image forming apparatus. 
         [0005]    There is a limit to the breakdown of the set toner by rotating the rotator in the toner cartridge by the image forming apparatus, so that a user generally breaks down the set toner by shaking the toner cartridge before setting the toner cartridge in the image forming apparatus. Sufficient amplitude and power for shaking the toner cartridge have not been indicated mechanically and the amplitude and power may be insufficient to break down the toner by the user. 
       SUMMARY 
       [0006]    An aspect of the present disclosure relates to a toner cartridge, containing: a case to contain toner; a rotator to rotate and stir the toner in the case round a rotary shaft line; and a clicker piece to move a space separated from the toner in a direction of the rotary shaft line. 
         [0007]    Another aspect of the present disclosure relates to an image forming apparatus, containing: a toner cartridge including: a case to contain toner; a rotator to rotate and stir the toner in the case round a rotary shaft line; and a clicker piece to move a space separated from the toner in a direction of the rotary shaft line; and an image forming unit to form an image on a sheet with the toner supplied by the toner cartridge. 
     
    
     
       DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0008]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view showing the image forming apparatus; 
           [0009]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view showing the toner cartridge; 
           [0010]      FIG. 3  is a top view showing the toner cartridge; 
           [0011]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view showing the toner cartridge; 
           [0012]      FIG. 5  is a cross sectional view showing a modification of the toner cartridge; 
           [0013]      FIG. 6  is a cross sectional view showing a modification of the toner cartridge; 
           [0014]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view showing a modification of the toner cartridge; 
           [0015]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view showing a modification of the toner cartridge; 
           [0016]      FIG. 9  is a cross sectional view showing the toner cartridge; and 
           [0017]      FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view showing a modification of the toner cartridge. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
       [0018]      FIG. 1  is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus  1 . The image forming apparatus  1  includes a printer unit  100 , a scanner  120 , and a sheet cassette  140 . 
         [0019]    The printer unit  100  forms an image on a sheet supply from the sheet cassette  140 . The printer unit  100  has a cover  110  on the front side thereof. There is a toner cartridge  200  installed in the cover  110 . The scanner  120  reads an image of a document which is an origin of the image formed on the sheet by the printer unit  100 . The sheet cassette  140  stores sheets supplied to the printer unit  100 . 
         [0020]    A cartridge holder  150  supports removably the toner cartridge  200 . The toner cartridge  200  supplies toner to the printer unit  100 . 
         [0021]      FIG. 2  is an exploded perspective view of the toner cartridge  200 .  FIG. 3  is a top view of the toner cartridge  200 . The toner cartridge  200  includes a case  204 , a lid  206 , a shatter guide  208 , an outlet  212 , a shatter  214 , a screw  216 , a coupling  218 , a mixer  220 , a mixer gear  222 , a front wall  224 , a rear wall  226 , a locator rib  232 , an shaft end  238 , and a bearing  236 . 
         [0022]    The case  204  contains toner. The case  240  has an inner bottom surface  203  in a circular arc shape continued from the front side to the rear side. The case  204  includes the front wall  224  at the front end and the rear wall  226  at the rear end. The top of the case  204  is closed by the lid  206 . The outlet  212  to supply the toner in the case  204  to the printer unit  100  is installed on the right-end bottom viewed from the front side which is positioned at the front end of the case  204 . The outlet  212  has a hoe through which toner is dropped to the printer unit  100  in the bottom. On the extension line of the outlet  212  in the case  204 , a round slit  217  is extended from the front side to the rear side. 
         [0023]    The shatter guide  208  is extended from the rear side to the front side. The shatter  214  slides from the rear position for closing the hole to the front position for exposing the hole along the shatter guide  208 . If the toner cartridge  200  is out of the cartridge holder  150 , the shatter  214  closes the hole due to the pressing force to the rear position. If the toner cartridge  200  is set in the cartridge holder  150  with the rear side positioned at the top, the shatter  214  is caught by the cartridge holder  150  and is pressed to the front position, thus the hole is exposed. 
         [0024]    The coupling  218  passes through the right-end bottom, viewed from the front side, of the rear wall  226 . The screw  216  is installed in the round slit  217 . The coupling  218  is connected to the rear end of the screw  216  inside the case  204 . If the coupling  218  turns the screw  216  clockwise viewed from the front side, the screw  216  conveys the toner round the screw  216  in the round slit  217  toward the outlet  212 . The screw  216  may have power for stirring the toner. 
         [0025]    The mixer  220  rotates along the inner bottom surface  203  in a circular arc shape of the case  204 . The rotary shaft line of the mixer  220  is extended from the front side to the rear side. The mixer  220  stirs the toner in the case  204 . The mixer gear  222  passes through the rear wall  226  on the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220 . The cover rib is extended from the rear wall  226  so as to cover the peripheral surface of the mixer gear  222 . The mixer gear  22  is connected to the rear end of the mixer  220  inside the case  204 . The mixer gear  222  mates with the gear teeth cut on the outer periphery of the coupling  218 . If the coupling  218  rotates clockwise viewed from the front side, the mixer gear  222  rotating counterclockwise viewed from the front side rotates the mixer  220  counterclockwise viewed from the front side. 
         [0026]      FIG. 4  is a cross sectional view of the toner cartridge  200  along the section  1 - 1  shown in  FIG. 3 . The front wall  224  has the bearing  236  on the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220 . The shaft end  238  of the mixer  220  is rotatably fit into the bearing  236 . 
         [0027]    The mixer  220  has a hollow shaft  220   a.  A space  220   b  in the shaft  220   a  may have a diameter uniform from the front end to the rear end. The space  220   b  is closed at the front end by the shaft end  238 . The space  220   b  is closed at the rear end when the mixer gear  222  is connected. The space  220   b  may be increased gradually in diameter from one end to the other end so as to facilitate the die cutting for molding the mixer  220 . 
         [0028]    The clicker piece  202  is installed in the space shut in the shaft  220   a.  The clicker piece  202  may be a sphere. The clicker piece  202  may be made of metal or resin. The clicker piece  202  can move in the space shut in the shaft  220   a  in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220 . If the user shakes the toner cartridge  200  rhythmically with sufficient amplitude and power in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220  before setting the toner cartridge  200  in the cartridge holder  150 , the clicker piece  202  collides with one end or the other end of the space  220   b  and makes a sound. 
         [0029]    To produce a sound for letting the user shake the toner cartridge  200  with rhythm, amplitude, and power suited to break down the set toner, an advice may be made for the space shut in the shaft  220   a  and the clicker piece  202 . 
         [0030]    The length of the space shut in the shaft  220   a  in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220  may be shorter than the total length of the mixer  220 . For example, the space shut in the shaft  220   a,  as shown in  FIG. 5 , may have a length equal to or shorter than a half of the length of the mixer  220  in the direction of the rotary shaft line. The shaft  220   a  may be solid from one end to the middle and hollow from the middle to the other end. As shown in  FIG. 6 , in place of the spherical clicker piece  202 , a rod which is narrower than the diameter of the space  220   b  and is longer than the diameter of the space  220   b  in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220  may be used as a clicker piece  242 . In the direction of the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220 , the length of the space  220   b  and the length of the clicker piece  202  or the clicker piece  242  may be optimized to permit the user to shake the toner cartridge  200  with rhythm, amplitude, and power suited to break down the set toner. 
         [0031]      FIG. 7  is a cross sectional view of the mixer  220  for which a further advice is made. A shaft member  278  includes the shaft end  238  on the front side of a flange  278   a  and a spacer shaft  270  on the rear side of the flange  278   a.  The front end of the mixer  220  has a hole in the direction of the rotary shaft line. The hole is smaller than the diameter of the space  220   b,  so that there is a step part between the hole and the space in the spacer shaft  270 . 
         [0032]    The spacer shaft  270  is inserted into the hole. In the space  220   b,  the spacer shaft  270  is enclosed by a front spring  272 . The end of the spacer shaft  270  is in contact with the front spring  272 . The front spring  272  expands and contracts along the spacer shaft  270  in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220 . The front end of the front spring  272  is pressurized to the step part between the hole and the space  220   b.    
         [0033]    A clicker piece  274  is a rod which is narrower than the diameter of the space  220   b  and is longer than the diameter of the space  220   b  in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220 . In the clicker piece  274 , the front end and rear end are smaller than the diameter of the central part, so that the step part is formed. The rear end of the front spring  272  encloses the front end of the clicker piece  274  and is pressurized to the step part of the front end. The front end of a rear spring  276  encloses the rear end of the clicker piece  274  and is pressurized to the step part of the rear end. 
         [0034]    A spacer shaft  280  is extended from the mixer gear  222  toward the front side in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220 . The rear end of the spacer shaft  280  forms a step part between the connection portion to the mixer  220  of the mixer gear  222  and the rear end. 
         [0035]    In the space  220   b,  the spacer shaft  280  is enclosed by the rear spring  276 . The rear spring  276  expands and contracts along the spacer shaft  280  in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220 . The rear end of the rear spring  276  is pressurized to the step part between the rear end of the spacer shaft  280  and the connection portion to the mixer  220  of the mixer gear  222 . The front spring  272  and rear spring  276  stretch between both ends of the space  220   b  and the spacer shaft  280  to prevent the clicker piece  274  from moving, so that unless the user shakes the toner cartridge  200  in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220  with sufficient amplitude and power, the clicker piece  274  does not collide with the spacer shaft  270  and spacer shaft  280 , thus no sound is produced. 
         [0036]      FIG. 8  is a cross sectional view of the toner cartridge  200  along the section  2 - 2  shown in  FIG. 3 . The lid  206  has the locator rib  232 . The locator rib  232  includes a slope  228  having one end, viewed from the front side, at a width a in the width direction of the case  204  from the right wall of the case  204  and the other end at a height b down from the upper end of the right wall of the case  204  and a standing wall  230  at a height b down from the upper end of the right wall of the case along the right wall of the case  204 . The surfaces of the slope  228  and standing wall  230  which face each other form a space in the locator rib  232 . The space in the locator rib  232  has a length in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the mixer  220 . 
         [0037]      FIG. 8  shows also a modification. A clicker piece  802  is installed in a space  232   a  in the locator rib  232 . A seal  804 , to hold the clicker piece  802  in the space  232   a,  closes the opening of the space  232   a.  The clicker piece  802  is kept in the space  232   a.  The clicker piece  802  can move inside the space  232   a.  For the space  232   a  and clicker piece  802 , advices such as the ones for the space  232   b  and clicker piece  202  shown in  FIGS. 5 to 7  may be made. 
         [0038]      FIG. 9  shows an example that a modification of the screw  216  is drawn in the cross sectional view of the toner cartridge  200  along the section  202  shown in  FIG. 8 . The screw  216  has a hollow shaft  216   a.  A space  216   b  in the shaft may have a uniform diameter from the front end to the rear end. The space  216   b  ends at the front end. The space  216   b  is closed when the rear end is connected to the coupling  218 . The space  216   b  may be increased gradually in diameter from one end to the other end so as to facilitate the die cutting for molding the mixer  220 . 
         [0039]    A clicker piece  802  is arranged in the space  216   b.  The clicker piece  902  can move inside the space  216   b  in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the screw  216 . For the space  216   b  and clicker piece  902 , advices such as the ones for the space  220   b  and clicker piece  202  shown in  FIGS. 5 to 7  may be made. 
         [0040]      FIG. 10  is an exploded perspective view of a modification of the toner cartridge  200 . The toner cartridge  200  has a gutter  908  opening on the top of a case  914 . The top of the case  914  is closed by a lid  906 . A clicker piece  904  is arranged in the gutter  908 . The clicker piece  904  can move inside the gutter  908  in the direction of the rotary shaft line of the screw  216 . For the space and clicker piece  902  which are shut in the gutter  908 , advices such as the ones for the space  220   b  and clicker piece  202  shown in  FIGS. 5 to 7  may be made. The gutter  908  is not always parallel with the direction of the rotary shaft line of the screw  216 . The gutter  908  can desirably permit the displacement of the screw  216  in the direction of the rotary shaft line for the clicker piece  904 , thus a direction crossing the direction of the rotary shaft line of the screw  216  instead of perpendicular is acceptable. 
         [0041]    Sufficient amplitude and power to shake the toner cartridge can be indicated mechanically. Furthermore, the user can shake the toner cartridge with sufficient amplitude and power to break down toner.