TONER STORAGE DEVICE, TONER CARTRIDGE, IMAGE FORMING UNIT, AND IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

• US 20150301480A1
• Filed: 04/03/2015
• Published: 10/22/2015
• Est. Priority Date: 04/17/2014
• 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: OKUDA, Takeshi
• Granted Patent: US 9,377,712 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 1/1
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0865 Arrangements for supplying new developer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0889 for agitation or stirring
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0132 vertical medium transport path at the secondary transfer
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0802 Arrangements for agitating or circulating developer material
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0819 two or more agitators
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 2215/0827 Augers

Abstract

Provided is a toner storage device comprising: a toner storage case for storing toner; and a stirring paddle which is configured to be rotatably supported in the toner storage case and which comprises: at least one stirring blade configured to stir the toner stored in the toner storage case; and a rotating shaft configured to rotate said at least one stirring blade, wherein the toner storage case comprises: a first supporting portion that rotatably supports an end of the rotating shaft of the stirring paddle; a second supporting portion that rotatably supports an other end of the rotating shaft; and a tapered portion that is tapered toward the first supporting portion.

Claims

1. A toner storage device comprising:

a toner storage case for storing toner; and

a stirring paddle which is configured to be rotatably supported in the

toner storage case and which comprises;

at least one stirring blade configured to stir the toner stored in the toner storage case; and

a rotating shaft configured to rotate said at least one stirring blade,

wherein the toner storage case comprises;

a first supporting portion that rotatably supports an end of the rotating shaft of the stirring paddle;

a second supporting portion that rotatably supports an other end of the rotating shaft; and

a tapered portion that is tapered toward the first supporting portion.

2. The toner storage device according to claim 1, wherein

the tapered portion is formed in a substantially conical shape.

3. The toner storage device according to claim 1, wherein

the tapered portion is formed in a pyramid shape.

4. The toner storage device according to claim 1, wherein

an end of the stirring blade positioned at the end of the rotating shaft is shaped to fit along inclination of the tapered portion.

5. The toner storage case according to claim 1, wherein

the toner storage case comprises:

a storage case body including the first supporting portion, the tapered portion, and an opening that is located in an opposite side of the first supporting portion of the rotating shaft and allows the stirring paddle to be inserted therein; and

a lid portion that includes the second supporting portion and is configured to seal the opening with the second supporting portion while rotatably supporting the other end.

6. The toner storage device according to claim 5, wherein

the lid portion includes a lid side tapered portion that is tapered toward the second supporting portion.

7. The toner storage device according to claim 6, wherein

an end of the stirring blade located at the other end of the rotating shaft is shaped to fit along inclination of the lid side tapered portion.

8. The toner storage device according to claim 5, further comprising a driving force transmitting unit that transmits a drive force to rotate the stirring paddle, wherein

the rotating shaft comprises:

a shaft body;

a coupling portion which is provided on an end of the shaft body and is to be coupled to the driving force transmitting unit; and

a flange protruding from the coupling portion in a direction perpendicular to an axial direction of the rotating shaft,

the first supporting portion comprises;

an engagement portion configured to engage with the flange; and

a through hole allowing the coupling portion to penetrate therethrough from inside to outside the storage case body, and

the driving force transmitting unit couples from outside the storage case body with the coupling portion penetrating the storage case body, with the flange and the engagement portion engaging with each other.

9. The toner storage device according to claim 8, wherein

the through hole is formed in a size that provides a predetermined allowance between the through hole and the coupling portion disposed in the through hole, and

a sealing member is arranged between the engagement portion of the first supporting portion and the driving force transmitting unit.

10. The toner storage device according to claim 8, wherein

the driving force transmitting unit comprises:

a gear part; and

a drive shaft which is provided on a rotating shaft of the gear part and is to be coupled to the coupling portion.

11. The toner storage device according to claim 10, wherein

the drive shaft is formed in a male-shape, and

the coupling portion is formed in a female-shape.

12. A toner cartridge comprising the toner storage device according to claim 1, wherein

the toner storage case of the toner storage device is provided with a discharge port for discharging the toner.

13. The toner cartridge according to claim 12 further comprising:

an auger screw provided inside the toner storage case and configured to convey toner stored in the toner storage case, wherein

the discharge port is provided in a downstream side along a direction along which the auger screw conveys toner.

14. An image forming unit comprising:

a photoreceptor drum on which an electrostatic latent image is formed; and

a developing device configured to develop an electrostatic latent image formed on the photoreceptor drum into a toner image, wherein

the developing device comprises;

a developing device body; and

the toner cartridge according to claim 12 for supplying the toner to the developing device body.

15. The image forming unit according to claim 14, wherein

the toner cartridge is configured to be detachably connected to the developing device body.

16. An image forming apparatus comprising:

an image forming section including the image forming unit according to claim 14;

a transfer section configured to transfer the toner image formed by the image forming unit onto a sheet, and a fixing section configured to fix the toner image transferred onto the sheet; and

a sheet feeding section configured to feed the sheet to the image forming section.