Developer container and image forming device

• US 8,521,062 B2
• Filed: 01/30/2013
• Issued: 08/27/2013
• 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:
  US13/754,395
• Publication Number:
  US 20130142542A1
• Time in Patent Office: 209 Days
• Field of Search: 399/120, 399/358, 399/360
• 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 having a developer accommodating chamber and a waste-developer accommodating chamber, conveying member, a conveying-member accommodating unit, and a supporting member. The conveying member conveys waste developer in a longitudinal direction of the waste-developer accommodating chamber. The conveying-member accommodating unit accommodates the conveying member therein and has a first opening and a second opening. The first opening is provided in an upstream end portion and allows the waste developer to move from outside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit. The second opening allows the waste-developer to move from the inside of the conveying-member accommodating unit to 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, the developer accommodating chamber being configured to accommodate developer therein, the waste-developer accommodating chamber being configured to accommodate waste developer therein, the casing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end in the longitudinal direction;

a conveying member 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 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 first opening and a second opening, the first 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 second 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 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, 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 casing having a third opening, the third opening being covered by the first shutter member when the first shutter member is positioned at the first position, the third 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 first opening being covered by the second shutter member when the second shutter member is positioned at the third position, the first 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.

3. The developer container according to claim 2, 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 third 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 first 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.

4. The developer container according to claim 2, 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.

5. 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, the developer accommodating chamber being configured to accommodate developer therein, the waste-developer accommodating chamber being configured to accommodate waste developer therein, the casing having a first end and a second end opposite the first end in the longitudinal direction;

a conveying member 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 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 first opening and a second opening, the first 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 second 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 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.

6. The image forming device according to claim 5, wherein the developer container further comprises:

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 casing having a third opening, the third opening being covered by the first shutter member when the first shutter member is positioned at the first position, the third 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 first opening being covered by the second shutter member when the second shutter member is positioned at the third position, the first 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.

7. The image forming device according to claim 6, 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 third 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 first 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.

8. The image forming device according to claim 6, 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.