Developer container and image forming device

• US 8,369,745 B2
• Filed: 03/19/2010
• Issued: 02/05/2013
• Est. Priority Date: 09/30/2009
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Original Assignee: Brother Kogyo Kabushiki Kaisha
• Inventors: Sato, Shougo
• Primary Examiner(s): Lindsay, Jr., Walter L
• Assistant Examiner(s): BOLDUC, DAVID J
• Application Number:
  US12/727,721
• Publication Number:
  US 20110076056A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,054 Days
• Field of Search: 399/120, 399/358
• US Class Current: 399/120
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 15/0865 Arrangements for supplying new developer
• 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 15/0886 by mechanical means, e.g. shutter, plug
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/105 Arrangements for conveying toner waste
• CPC Class Codes: G03G 21/12 Toner waste containers

Abstract

A developer container includes a casing, a conveying member, a conveying-member accommodating unit, and a supporting member. The casing extends in a longitudinal direction and has a developer accommodating chamber and a waste-developer accommodating chamber and a first opening. The developer accommodating chamber accommodates developer therein. The waste-developer accommodating chamber accommodates waste developer therein. The first opening provides fluid communication between the developer accommodating chamber and outside of the casing. The casing has a first end and a second end opposite the first end in the longitudinal direction. The conveying member is configured to convey the waste developer in a conveying direction defined to be directed from the first end to the second end. The conveying-member accommodating unit is configured to accommodate the conveying member therein. The conveying-member accommodating unit has an upstream end portion and a downstream end portion in the conveying direction. The conveying-member accommodating unit has a second opening and a third opening. The second opening is provided in the upstream end portion and provides fluid communication between inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit and outside of the conveying-member accommodating unit. The third opening provides fluid communication between the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit and the waste-developer accommodating chamber. The supporting member is provided on the casing. The supporting member supports the conveying-member accommodating unit such that the conveying-member accommodating unit is movable in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction relative to the casing.

Claims

1. A developer container comprising:

a casing extending in a longitudinal direction and having a developer accommodating chamber and a waste-developer accommodating chamber and a first opening, the developer accommodating chamber accommodating developer therein, the waste-developer accommodating chamber accommodating waste developer therein, the first opening providing fluid communication between the developer accommodating chamber and outside of the casing to allow the developer to move from the developer accommodating chamber to the outside of the casing, the casing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end in the longitudinal direction;

a conveying member that is configured to convey the waste developer in a conveying direction defined to be directed from the first end to the second end;

a conveying-member accommodating unit that is configured to accommodate the conveying member therein, the conveying-member accommodating unit having an upstream end portion and a downstream end portion in the conveying direction, the conveying-member accommodating unit having a second opening and a third opening, the second opening being provided in the upstream end portion and providing fluid communication between inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit and outside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to allow the waste developer to move from the outside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit, the third opening providing fluid communication between the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit and the waste-developer accommodating chamber to allow the waste-developer to move from the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to the waste-developer accommodating chamber; and

a supporting member that is provided on the casing, the supporting member supporting the conveying-member accommodating unit such that the conveying-member accommodating unit is movable in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction relative to the casing.

2. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the conveying-member accommodating unit is inserted through the casing such that at least part of the conveying-member accommodating unit is positioned in the waste-developer accommodating chamber.

3. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the supporting member supports both the upstream end portion and the downstream end portion of the conveying-member accommodating unit.

4. The developer container according to claim 1, wherein the supporting member includes:

a first packing member that is affixed to the casing and is disposed within the waste-developer accommodating chamber; and

a second packing member that is affixed to the conveying-member accommodating unit (113) and is in close contact with the first packing member.

5. The developer container according to claim 4, wherein the first packing member and the second packing member are made of sponge.

6. The developer container according to claim 3, wherein each of the upstream end portion and the downstream end portion of the conveying-member accommodating unit has a part positioned farther outward in the longitudinal direction than the first end and the second end of the casing, respectively.

7. The developer container according to claim 1, further comprising:

a first shutter member that is provided on the casing and is configured to be movable between a first position and a second position, the first opening being covered by the first shutter member when the first shutter member is positioned at the first position, the first opening being uncovered by the first shutter member when the first shutter member is positioned at the second position;

a second shutter member that is provided on the conveying-member accommodating unit and is configured to be movable between a third position and a fourth position, the second opening being covered by the second shutter member when the second shutter member is positioned at the third position, the second opening being uncovered by the second shutter member when the second shutter member is positioned at the fourth position; and

an interlocking unit that is configured to interlock the first shutter member and the second shutter member with each other such that the second shutter member is positioned at the third position when the first shutter member is positioned at the first position and that the second shutter member is positioned at the fourth position when the first shutter member is positioned at the second position.

8. The developer container according to claim 7, wherein the casing is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the longitudinal direction, the casing having a first circumferential wall connecting the first end and the second end, the first end and the second end being closed ends,

wherein the first opening penetrates through the first circumferential wall,

wherein the first shutter member is formed in a cylindrical shape having an inner surface formed along an outer surface of the first circumferential wall, the casing supporting the first shutter member rotatably relative to the casing,

wherein the conveying-member accommodating unit is formed in a cylindrical shape extending in the longitudinal direction, the upstream end portion having an upstream end surface, the downstream end portion having a downstream end surface, the conveying-member accommodating unit having a second circumferential wall connecting the upstream end surface and the downstream end surface,

wherein the second opening penetrates through the second circumferential wall,

wherein the second shutter member is formed in a cylindrical shape having an inner surface formed along an outer surface of the second circumferential wall, the upstream end portion supporting the second shutter member rotatably relative to the upstream end portion.

9. The developer container according to claim 7, wherein the first shutter member has a first gear section, the second shutter having a second gear section that is meshingly engaging the first gear section, the interlocking unit including the first gear section and the second gear section.

10. An image forming device comprising:

a developer container;

an image forming unit that is configured to form an image using developer supplied from the developer container; and

a waste-developer collecting unit that is configured to collect waste developer, and

wherein the developer container including;

a casing extending in a longitudinal direction and having a developer accommodating chamber and a waste-developer accommodating chamber and a first opening, the developer accommodating chamber accommodating developer therein, the waste-developer accommodating chamber accommodating the waste developer therein, the first opening providing fluid communication between the developer accommodating chamber and the image forming unit to allow the developer to move from the developer accommodating chamber to the image forming unit, the casing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end in the longitudinal direction;

a conveying member that is configured to convey the waste developer in a conveying direction defined to be directed from the first end to the second end;

a conveying-member accommodating unit that is configured to accommodate the conveying member therein, the conveying-member accommodating unit having an upstream end portion and a downstream end portion in the conveying direction, the conveying-member accommodating unit having a second opening and a third opening, the second opening being provided in the upstream end portion and providing fluid communication between the conveying-member accommodating unit and the waste-developer collecting unit to allow the waste developer to move from the waste-developer collecting unit to the conveying-member accommodating unit, the third opening providing fluid communication between the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit and the waste-developer accommodating chamber to allow the waste-developer to move from the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to the waste-developer accommodating chamber; and

a supporting member that is provided on the casing, the supporting member supporting the conveying-member accommodating unit such that the conveying-member accommodating unit is movable in directions perpendicular to the longitudinal direction relative to the casing.

11. The image forming device according to claim 10, wherein the image forming unit includes a receiving unit that is configured so as to be capable of receiving the developer container, the receiving unit having a fourth opening and a fourth shutter member, the fourth shutter member being movable between a fifth position and a sixth position, the fourth opening being covered by the fourth shutter member when the fourth shutter member is positioned at the fifth position, the fourth opening being uncovered by the fourth shutter member such that the image forming unit is in communication with the developer accommodating chamber when the fourth shutter member is positioned at the sixth position.

12. The image forming device according to claim 11, wherein the waste-developer collecting unit has a fifth opening and a fifth shutter member, the fifth shutter member being movable between a seventh position and an eighth position, the fifth opening being covered by the fifth shutter member when the fifth shutter member is positioned at the seventh position, the fifth opening being uncovered by the fifth shutter member such that the waste-developer collecting unit is in communication with the waste-developer accommodating chamber and conveys the waste developer to the waste-developer accommodating chamber when the fifth shutter member is positioned at the eighth position.

13. The image forming device according to claim 10, wherein the casing includes an agitating member that is configured to agitate the developer within the developer accommodating chamber,

wherein the image forming device further comprises:

a first driving source that is configured to input a first driving force to the agitating member; and

a second driving source that is configured to input a second driving force to the conveying member.

14. The image forming device according to claim 10, wherein the conveying-member accommodating chamber extends in the longitudinal direction, and

wherein the supporting member supports both the upstream end portion and the downstream end portion of the conveying-member accommodating unit, each of the upstream end portion and the downstream end portion has a part positioned farther outward in the longitudinal direction than the first end and the second end, respectively.