Developer supply device and image forming apparatus including the same

• US 20050123323A1
• Filed: 12/07/2004
• Published: 06/09/2005
• Est. Priority Date: 12/09/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Original Assignee: Sharp Kabushiki Kaisha (Hon Hai Precision Industry Co., Ltd.)
• Inventors: Koyama, Kazuya, Deguchi, Masanobu
• Granted Patent: US 7,174,120 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 399/258
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0868 Toner cartridges fulfilling a continuous function within the electrographic apparatus during the use of the supplied developer material, e.g. toner discharge on demand, storing residual toner, acting as an active closure for the developer replenishing opening
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0872 the developer cartridges being generally horizontally mounted parallel to its longitudinal rotational axis
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0886 by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug

Abstract

A toner supply device includes a stopping member which moves into the toner supply port by interlocking with opening and closing of a shutter plate for opening and closing the toner supply port, and a scraper for scraping toner supplied from a toner container is pressed by the stopping member, thereby sliding in contact along the recessed portion of the toner container, thus restricting the rotation of the toner container. This restricts the rotation of the developer supply device due to user'"'"'s operating error, preventing developer from spilling out from the developer supply port.

Claims

1. A developer supply device which supplies developer to an outside of the developer supply device by rotating a cylindrical developer container containing the developer on an axis line of the developer container as a rotation axis,

wherein:

the developer container has an outlet in a recessed portion provided on an outer circumferential surface of the developer container,

the developer supply device includes;

a support member, by surrounding at least a recessed portion forming region formed around the outer circumferential surface along a direction of rotation of the developer container so as to include the recessed portion, rotatably holding the developer container, and having a developer supply port for supplying, to the outside of the developer supply device, the developer ejected from the outlet into the recessed portion; and

a scraping member, provided in the developer supply port so as to slide along the recessed portion forming region during rotation of the developer container, scraping the developer in the recessed portion by sliding along the recessed portion in the recessed portion forming region;

the support member being provided with a shutter including a movable plate part for opening and closing the developer supply port,

the shutter having a stopping member moving into the developer supply port by interlocking with movement of the plate part closing the developer supply port, and thereby pushing the scraping member into the recessed portion and restricting the rotation of the developer container.

2. The developer supply device according to claim 1, wherein:

the scraping member is provided so as to slide in contact along the recessed portion when the developer supply port is closed by the plate part.

3. The developer supply device according to claim 2, wherein:

the recessed portion has a bottom wall formed substantially parallel to the outer circumferential surface of the developer container, and the scraping member is provided so as to slide in contact along the bottom wall.

4. The developer supply device according to claim 1, wherein:

the developer container further includes a seal for sealing the outlet, and the seal is unstuck by the rotation of the developer container.

5. The developer supply device according to claim 4, wherein:

the seal has one end bonded with the outlet so as to seal the outlet, and has the other end fixed to the scraping member.

6. The developer supply device according to claim 1, wherein:

the shutter further includes a plate guide for allowing the plate part to slide, and the plate part on its back surface has a sliding member for sliding in contact along the stopping member.

7. The developer supply device according to claim 6, wherein:

the plate part includes an elastic end portion formed of an elastic member with a U-shape in cross section in a direction of movement of the plate part, and the plate guide has a recessed portion which can fit the elastic end portion when the plate part is closed.

8. The developer supply device according to claim 6, wherein:

the plate part on its back surface has a projection, and the stopping member has a projection which projects on the plate part side and engages with the projection of the plate part with opening movement of the plate part, the projection of the stopping member being formed on a surface of the stopping member facing the plate part, at one end of the stopping member in an opening direction of the plate part.

9. The developer supply device according to claim 6, wherein:

the plate guide includes a stopper for stopping the plate part when the developer supply port is closed by the plate part.

10. An image forming apparatus having installed therein a developer supply device which supplies developer to an outside of the developer supply device by rotating a cylindrical developer container containing the developer on an axis line of the developer container, as a rotation axis,

wherein:

the developer container has an outlet in a recessed portion provided on an outer circumferential surface of the developer container,

the developer supply device includes;

a support member, by surrounding at least a recessed portion forming region formed around the outer circumferential surface along a direction of rotation of the developer container so as to include an area where the recessed portion is provided, rotatably holding the developer container, and having a developer supply port for supplying, to the outside of the developer supply device, the developer ejected from the outlet into the recessed portion; and

a scraping member, provided in the developer supply port so as to slide along the recessed portion forming region during rotation of the developer container, scraping the developer in the recessed portion by sliding along the recessed portion in the recessed portion forming region;

the support member being provided with a shutter including a movable plate part for opening and closing the developer supply port,

the shutter having a stopping member moving into the developer supply port by interlocking with movement of the plate part closing the developer supply port, and thereby pushing the scraping member into the recessed portion and restricting rotation of the developer container.

11. The image forming apparatus according to claim 10, wherein:

the developer supply device is installed in such a manner that the developer supply port is provided such that it is above the axis line of the developer container.

12. A developer supply device comprising:

(a) a developer container having a cylinder capable of containing developer therein, having an outlet in a recessed portion provided on an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder, and ejecting the developer from the outlet into the recessed portion by rotation of the cylinder on an axis line of the cylinder as a rotation axis;

(b) a support member covering an area, including the recessed portion, in a circumferential direction of the developer container such that the developer container is rotatable, and having a developer supply port for supplying, to outside of the developer supply device, the developer ejected into the recessed portion;

(c) a shutter, provided to the developer supply port, opening and closing the developer supply port; and

(d) a rotation restricting member restricting rotation of the developer container when the developer supply device is not installed into a target apparatus for installation, and releasing the restriction when the developer supply device is not installed into a target apparatus for installation.

13. The developer supply device according to claim 12, wherein:

the rotation restricting member controls the rotation by interlocking with closing of the shutter with respect to the developer supply port, and the rotation restricting member releases the restriction by interlocking with opening of the shutter with respect to the developer supply port.

14. The developer supply device according to claim 12, further comprising:

a scraping member, provided so as to move into the recessed portion and move out of the recessed portion, scraping the developer in the recessed portion,

wherein the rotation restricting member has a stopping member pushing the scraping member into the recessed portion by interlocking with the shutter being closed, thereby restricting the rotation of the developer container.

15. The developer supply device according to claim 14, wherein:

when being pushed into the recessed portion by interlocking with the shutter being closed, the scraper member slides in contact along the recessed portion.

16. The developer supply device according to claim 15, wherein:

the recessed portion has a bottom wall formed substantially parallel to the outer circumferential surface of the developer container, and the scraping member is provided so as to slide in contact along the bottom wall.

17. The developer supply device according to claim 12, wherein:

the developer container further includes a seal for sealing the outlet, and the seal is unstuck by the rotation of the developer container.

18. The developer supply device according to claim 17, wherein:

the seal has one end bonded with the outlet so as to seal the outlet, and has the other end fixed to the scraping member.

19. The developer supply device according to claim 12, wherein:

the shutter includes;

a plate part opening and closing the developer supply port; and

a plate guide for allowing the plate part to slide in the open and close direction, and the plate part on its back surface has a sliding member for sliding in contact along the stopping member.

20. The developer supply device according to claim 19, wherein:

the plate part includes an elastic end portion formed of an elastic member with a U-shape in cross section in a direction of movement of the plate part, and the plate guide has a recessed portion which can fit the elastic end portion when the plate part is closed.

21. The developer supply device according to claim 19, wherein:

the plate part on its back surface has a projection, and the stopping member has a projection which projects on the plate part side and engages with the projection of the plate part with opening movement of the plate part, the projection of the stopping member being formed on a surface of the stopping member facing the plate part, at one end of the stopping member in an opening direction of the plate part.

22. The developer supply device according to claim 19, wherein:

the plate guide includes a stopper for stopping the plate part when the developer supply port is closed by the plate part.

23. The developer supply device according to claim 12, wherein:

the support member rotatably supports the developer container.

24. An image forming apparatus having detachably installed therein a developer supply device comprising:

(a) a developer container having a cylinder capable of containing developer therein, having an outlet in a recessed portion provided on an outer circumferential surface of the cylinder, and ejecting the developer from the outlet into the recessed portion by rotation of the cylinder on an axis line of the cylinder as a rotation axis;

(b) a support member covering an area, including the recessed portion, in a circumferential direction of the developer container such that the developer container is rotatable, and having a developer supply port for supplying, to outside of the developer supply device, the developer ejected into the recessed portion;

(c) a shutter, provided to the developer supply port, opening and closing the developer supply port; and

(d) a rotation restricting member restricting rotation of the developer container when the developer supply device is not installed into a target apparatus for installation, and releasing the restriction when the developer supply device is not installed into a target apparatus for installation.

25. The image forming apparatus according to claim 24, wherein:

the developer supply device is installed such that the developer supply port is provided above the axis line of the developer container.