JP6421924B2 - Developer supply device and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a developer supply device that supplies a developer to an image forming apparatus, and an image forming apparatus.

  When a developer used for image formation is consumed in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile machine, or a combination of these, a user or the like needs to perform a developer filling operation. However, since the developer filling operation is complicated, it is often a troublesome operation. In addition, since it is necessary to stop the apparatus during the developer filling operation, particularly in a commercial image forming apparatus, if the filling frequency is high, the operation rate decreases.

  Therefore, a technique is known in which a developer replenishing device capable of accommodating a large amount of developer is installed externally to the image forming apparatus in order to reduce the developer filling frequency (see Patent Document 1). .

  In general, a conventional external developer replenishing device is uniquely provided with a driving unit such as a motor in order to drive a transfer unit such as a pump that transfers the developer to the image forming apparatus. For this reason, there existed a problem that an apparatus enlarged and weighted, and cost and energy consumption increased.

  Therefore, in view of such circumstances, the present invention can use a developer replenishing device capable of realizing cost reduction and energy saving in addition to downsizing and weight reduction of the device, and such a developer replenishing device. An image forming apparatus is to be provided.

  In order to solve the above problems, the present invention replenishes a developer from the outside of the image forming apparatus to an image forming apparatus that includes a developing unit that forms an image using a developer and a driving unit that generates a driving force. A developer replenishing device that transfers the developer to the image forming apparatus, and is detachable from the driving means of the image forming apparatus, and transmits the driving force of the driving means to the transferring means. And a transmission member.

  According to the developer supply device of the present invention, the driving force is transmitted from the drive unit on the image forming apparatus side to the transfer unit on the developer supply apparatus side by connecting the transmission member to the drive unit on the image forming apparatus side. It becomes possible. For this reason, the developer replenishing device does not need to be provided with a unique drive source, so that the device can be reduced in size and weight, and cost reduction and energy saving can be realized.

1 is a perspective view of a monochrome laser printer as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the said monochrome laser printer. FIG. 2 is a perspective view illustrating a state where a developer supply device is installed in the printer. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a developer supply device according to a first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the developer supply device according to the first embodiment viewed from the front side. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the developer supply device according to the first embodiment viewed from the back side. 1 is a perspective view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment viewed from the back side. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating a toner supply path from a developer supply device to a process unit. FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment viewed from the back side. It is the perspective view which abbreviate | omitted the exterior in FIG. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the developer supply device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 3 is a cross-sectional view of the developer supply device according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the developer supply device and the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the developer supply device and the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the developer supply device and the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment. It is the perspective view which looked at the developer supply apparatus concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention from the front side. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the developer supply device according to the second embodiment as viewed from the back side. It is the perspective view which looked at the image forming apparatus concerning a 2nd embodiment of the present invention from the front side. It is the perspective view which looked at the image forming device concerning the 2nd embodiment from the back side. It is sectional drawing of the developer supply apparatus which concerns on the said 2nd Embodiment. FIG. 22 is a cross-sectional view illustrated from a viewpoint opposite to FIG. 21. It is the perspective view which looked at the image forming device concerning the 2nd embodiment from the back side. It is the perspective view which abbreviate | omitted the exterior in FIG. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a developer supply device and an image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment. It is sectional drawing illustrated from the viewpoint on the opposite side to FIG. It is a figure which shows the structure of the latching | locking part and operation part which concern on 2nd Embodiment of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows the structure of the latching | locking part and operation part which concern on the said 2nd Embodiment. It is the figure which looked at the operation part which concerns on 2nd Embodiment of this invention from the outer side. It is the perspective view which looked at the developer supply apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention from the front side. It is the perspective view which looked at the developer supply device concerning the 3rd embodiment from the back side. It is the perspective view which looked at the image forming apparatus which concerns on 3rd Embodiment of this invention from the front side. FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment viewed from the back side. FIG. 10 is an enlarged perspective view of a protrusion provided in the developer supply device according to the third embodiment. It is a figure which shows the modification of a projection part. It is a figure which shows the example which made the supply pipe holding part the recessed part. FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of a developer supply device and an image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a developer supply device according to the third embodiment. It is a perspective view which shows the air vent hole provided in the process unit. It is sectional drawing which looked at the latching | locking part and operation part which were provided in the developer supply apparatus which concerns on the said 3rd Embodiment from the outer side. It is sectional drawing which looked at the said latching | locking part and the operation part from the inner side. It is a rear view of the said latching | locking part and an operation part. It is sectional drawing which shows the insertion state of the fixed latching | locking part provided in the developer supply apparatus which concerns on the said 3rd Embodiment. 1 is a perspective view of a color laser printer to which the present invention can be applied. It is a schematic sectional drawing of the said color laser printer.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described with reference to the accompanying drawings. In each drawing, components such as members and components having the same function or shape are denoted by the same reference numerals as much as possible, and once described, the description is omitted.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a monochrome laser printer as an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 2 is a schematic sectional view of the monochrome laser printer.
In the following description, “image forming apparatus” refers to an apparatus that forms an image by attaching toner or ink as a developer to a sheet that is a recording medium for recording an image. “Image formation” not only means that an image having a meaning such as a character or a figure is given to the medium but also an image having no meaning such as a pattern is given to the medium. The “sheet” is not limited to paper (paper) but also includes OHP sheets, fabrics, and the like, and means a medium or an original on which a developer can be attached. In addition to plain paper, “paper” includes cardboard, postcard, envelope, thin paper, coated paper (coated paper, art paper, etc.), tracing paper, and the like. In the following embodiment, “developer” is described as toner, and sheet is “paper”, and the dimensions, materials, shapes, relative arrangements, and the like in the description of each component are examples, and are particularly specific. Unless stated otherwise, the scope of the present invention is not intended to be limited thereto. The toner may be either a dry toner or a wet toner.

  A monochrome laser printer (hereinafter, also simply referred to as “printer”) shown in FIG. 1 is provided as a sheet mounting portion on the lower portion of the apparatus main body (image forming apparatus main body) 100 on which a plurality of sheets can be stacked. A paper tray 26 is arranged. The paper feed tray 26 is configured to be rotatable in the front-rear direction (in the direction of arrow A in the figure) around a rotation shaft (not shown) disposed at the lower part of the apparatus main body 100. In addition, a paper discharge tray 44 on which paper discharged outside the apparatus is placed is disposed on the upper part of the apparatus main body 100.

The main part of the printer will be described below with reference to FIG.
The printer includes a process unit 1 for forming an image with a black developer in the image forming unit. The process unit 1 includes a photoconductor (photoconductor drum) 2 as an image carrier that carries an image on the surface, a drum cleaning device (not shown) as a cleaning unit that cleans the surface of the photoconductor 2, and the surface of the photoconductor 2. A neutralizing device (not shown) for neutralizing the toner, a charging device 4 as a charging means for charging the surface of the photoreceptor 2, and a developer that supplies toner as a developer on the photoreceptor 2 to form an image (developer image). A developing device 5 as a means is provided. Further, unused toner T is accommodated in the developing device 5. The process unit 1 is configured to be detachable from the apparatus main body 100 so that consumable parts can be replaced at a time.

  An exposure unit 7 that exposes the surface of the photoreceptor 2 is disposed on the left side of the drawing with respect to the process unit 1. The exposure device 7 is configured to emit laser light L from the laser diode to the surface of the photoreceptor 2 based on the image data. Further, on the right side of the drawing with respect to the process unit 1, a transfer roller 23 is disposed as a transfer unit that transfers an image on the photosensitive member 2 to a sheet. The transfer roller 23 is disposed at a position where the transfer roller 23 can come into contact with the photoreceptor 2, and a transfer nip is formed at the contact portion between the two.

  A feeding roller 32 serving as a feeding unit that feeds the paper P placed on the paper feed tray 26 is disposed below the apparatus main body 100. In addition, a timing roller that is downstream of the feeding roller 32 in the sheet conveyance direction and upstream of the transfer nip, temporarily stops the sheet fed by the feeding roller 32 and then conveys the sheet at a predetermined timing. Pair 14 is arranged.

  Further, a fixing device 34 for fixing the image transferred to the paper is disposed downstream of the transfer nip in the paper transport direction, and further, on the downstream side, paper discharge as discharge means for discharging the paper out of the device. A roller pair 37 is arranged. The fixing device 34 includes a fixing roller 34a containing a heat source such as a halogen lamp (not shown), and a pressure roller 34b that rotates while contacting the fixing roller 34a with a predetermined pressure.

  Next, the basic operation of the printer according to the present embodiment will be described with reference to FIG. When the feed roller 32 is rotated by a paper feed signal from a control unit (not shown), only the uppermost paper P stacked on the paper feed tray 26 is separated and sent to the paper feed path 31. When the leading edge of the sheet P reaches the nip portion of the timing roller pair 14, a slack is formed on the sheet P in order to synchronize with the toner image formed on the photosensitive member 2 and to correct the leading edge skew of the sheet P. Wait in the state.

  The image forming operation will be described. First, the charging device 4 charges the surface of the photoreceptor 2 to a uniform high potential. Based on image information from a reading device or a computer (not shown), the exposure device 7 irradiates the surface of the photoreceptor 2 with the laser beam L, and the potential of the irradiated portion is lowered to form an electrostatic latent image. . The electrostatic latent image is supplied with toner T by the developing device 5 to form (develop) a toner image (developer image).

  When the toner image is formed on the photosensitive member 2, the timing roller pair 14 and the feeding roller 32 start to drive, and the paper P is fed to the transfer nip in synchronism with the toner image on the photosensitive member 2. Then, the transfer roller 23 transfers the toner image on the photoreceptor 2 to the fed paper P. The residual toner on the photosensitive member 2 that could not be transferred onto the paper P is removed by a drum cleaning device (not shown), and then the surface of the photosensitive member 2 is neutralized by a neutralizing device (not shown).

  The paper P on which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 34 through the post-transfer conveyance path 33. The paper P sent to the fixing device 34 is sandwiched between the fixing roller 34a and the pressure roller 34b, and the unfixed toner image is heated and pressed to be fixed on the paper P. Then, the paper P on which the toner image is fixed is sent out from the fixing device 34 to the post-fixing conveyance path 35 and discharged to the paper discharge tray 44 by the paper discharge roller pair 37.

FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a state in which a developer supply device capable of storing a large amount of toner is installed in the printer of the present embodiment.
The developer replenishing device 50 is installed to replenish toner from the outside of the printer. In FIG. 3, the developer supply device 50 is installed on the right side of the printer apparatus main body 100. However, the developer supply apparatus 50 is not limited to this position. Alternatively, it may be installed on the upper side or the lower side.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view of the developer supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 4, the developer replenishing device 50 includes an apparatus main body (developer replenishing apparatus main body) 200 having an exterior 51, a tank 52 as a storage unit that stores toner T, and a tank holder that holds the tank 52. 53, a screw 54 and a pump 55 as transfer means for transferring the toner T in the tank 52 to the image forming apparatus side, and a supply for supplying the toner transferred by the screw 54 and the pump 55 to the image forming apparatus side. A supply pipe 56 and the like constituting the path are provided.

  A lid body 57 is provided on the upper part of the apparatus main body 200, and the lid body 57 is rotatable in the vertical direction around a support shaft 58 on the upper part of the apparatus main body 200. When the lid 57 is rotated upward (in the direction of arrow B in FIG. 4), the upper portion of the apparatus main body 200 is opened, and it becomes possible to replenish toner in the internal tank 52. The tank 52 may be fixed in the apparatus main body 200 or may be detachable. When the tank 52 is configured to be attachable to and detachable from the apparatus main body 200, the toner filling operation is facilitated and the workability is improved.

  The tank 52 has an inclined surface 52a that is inclined so as to approach each other downward on the inner surface thereof. The toner T in the tank 52 flows into the tank holder 53 along the inclined surface 52a by its own weight.

  A screw 54 is disposed in the tank holder 53. A rotary shaft 59 and a gear 60 supported by the rotary shaft 59 are provided at one axial end 54 a of the screw 54. The gear 60 functions as a passive side connecting portion that can be connected to a driving side connecting portion provided on the image forming apparatus side, which will be described later, and a screw 54 and a pump as a transfer means for driving force of the driving means on the image forming apparatus side. It functions as a transmission member that transmits to 55. When the driving force from the driving means on the image forming apparatus side is transmitted to the rotary shaft 59 via the gear 60, the screw 54 rotates and transfers the toner in the tank holder 53 to the left side in FIG. It is like that. The gear 60 may be configured integrally with the rotating shaft 59 or may be configured separately.

  In the present embodiment, the pump 55 is a uniaxial eccentric screw pump called a rotary displacement type pressure-feed type transfer mono pump. Specifically, the pump 55 includes a rotor 61 formed in a screw shape, a stator 62, a pump holder 63, and the like. The rotor 61 is connected to an end portion 54b opposite to the end portion 54a provided with the gear 60 of the screw 54. When the screw 54 rotates, the rotor 61 also rotates integrally therewith. Yes. In particular, in the present embodiment, the rotation center (rotation shaft 59) of the gear 60 is arranged so as to coincide with the screw 54 and the rotor 61 (rotation center of the pump 55) on the same axis. To reduce costs and drive transmission power loss.

  Around the rotor 61, a stator 62 formed of an elastic body such as a rubber material or a metal material that is a rigid body is provided so as to wrap the rotor 61. The stator 62 is formed with a passage for transferring the toner while the rotor 61 rotates. The stator 62 is held by a pump holder 63 and a tank holder 53. A supply pipe 56 made of a flexible tube is connected to the front end of the pump holder 63 in the toner transfer direction. Accordingly, when the rotor 61 rotates, the transferred toner passes through the supply pipe 56 and is supplied to the image forming apparatus side.

  Since the MONO pump is transported at a high solid-gas ratio by extremely small air, the toner as powder is filled in the supply pipe 56 and continuously transported. For this reason, it is possible to control the flow rate with high quantitativeness and high accuracy with continuous transfer. Further, since the transfer is performed at a low speed and a high concentration, the toner is not crushed, a small-diameter pipe is sufficient, the trouble of the supply pipe 56 is not worn, and the noise is low. In addition, there are advantages such as a simple structure, excellent economy, reliability, and maintainability. The pump 55 is not limited to the Mono pump, and a reciprocating pump such as a gear pump or a diaphragm pump may be used. In the present embodiment, the screw 54 and the pump 55 are used as the transfer means, but the present invention is not limited to this. You may use only a pump as a transfer means. Moreover, you may use only a screw. When the toner is transferred using only the screw, it is preferable to provide the screw in part or all of the inside of the supply pipe 56. In this case, it is preferable to use a flexible screw having flexibility. By using the flexible screw, the toner can be transferred even if the supply pipe 56 has a non-linear shape. When dry toner is used, it is more preferable to use a MONO pump as the transfer means. A screw may be used as a part of the transfer means. However, if the transfer distance of the dry toner by the screw is long, the dry toner may be repeatedly stirred and deteriorated when the dry toner is transferred. Therefore, when a screw and a pump are used in combination as the transfer means, it is preferable that the transfer distance of the dry toner by the screw is shorter than the transfer distance of the dry toner by the mono pump. In order to reliably prevent toner deterioration, it is more preferable to transfer the toner only by a mono pump.

  In the present embodiment, the developer replenishing apparatus main body 200 is provided with a grip portion 64 in order to facilitate carrying and installation of the developer replenishing apparatus 50. Furthermore, the corner | angular part 64a of the holding part 64 is formed in a curved surface shape, and the safety | security at the time of touching the holding part 64 is improved. Further, in the present embodiment, the grip portion 64 is configured by recessing the exterior 51 inward, thereby avoiding an increase in the size of the apparatus main body 200. In addition, although the holding | grip part 64 is comprised integrally with the exterior 51 from a viewpoint of manufacturing cost reduction, you may comprise separately from this case.

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the developer supply device according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the developer supply device as viewed from the back side. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus as viewed from the back side.
As shown in FIGS. 5 and 6, in the present embodiment, one gripping portion 64 is provided on each of the front surface 200 </ b> F and the rear surface 200 </ b> B of the developer supply device main body 200. In this way, by providing the gripping portions 64 on the front surface 200F and the back surface 200B facing opposite sides, the developer supply device main body 200 can be stably held.

  On the left side 200 </ b> L side of the developer supply device main body 200, a locking portion 65 for locking the developer supply device main body 200 to the image forming apparatus main body 100 is disposed. The left side surface 200L is disposed in close proximity to the right side surface of the image forming apparatus main body 100 with the developer supply apparatus main body 200 installed next to the image forming apparatus main body 100 (the state shown in FIG. 3). The exterior surface. The locking part 65 is composed of an arm part 65a that horizontally projects outward from a hole part 200a provided in the left side surface 200L, and a locking claw 65b that extends vertically downward at the tip of the arm part 65a. Is formed. The locking portion 65 is held so as to be movable in the vertical direction.

  As shown in FIG. 6, on the back surface 200 </ b> B side of the developer replenishing apparatus main body 200, an operation unit 66 for moving the locking unit 65 in the vertical direction is disposed. The operation part 66 is provided so as to protrude from a hole part 200c provided in the back surface 200B. The operation unit 66 is integrally connected to the locking unit 65 in the developer supply apparatus main body 200. Therefore, by moving the operation part 66 in the vertical direction, the locking part 65 can be directly moved in the vertical direction. As described above, when the operation portion 66 and the locking portion 65 are integrally formed so that the operation direction of the operation portion 66 and the movable direction of the locking portion 65 are the same direction, the operator can change the operation method. Intuitively understand. In addition, since the configuration can be simplified, the cost and size can be reduced.

  Further, an opening 200d is formed in the left side surface 200L of the developer supply apparatus main body 200, and a lid member 67 is provided in the opening 200d. The opening 200d is disposed at a position corresponding to the gear 60 provided on the one end side of the screw 54 (see FIG. 4), and opens a drive-side connecting portion described later by opening the lid member 67. It is possible to connect to the gear 60 through the portion 200d.

  Further, the supply pipe 56 is exposed to the outside from the left side surface 200L of the developer supply device main body 200. The exposed end 56a of the supply pipe 56 can be connected to the image forming apparatus. In the present embodiment, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, a connecting portion 68 capable of attaching and detaching the distal end portion 56 a of the supply pipe 56 is provided on the right side surface 100 </ b> R of the image forming apparatus main body 100. As shown in FIG. 9, one end of a supply pipe 69 provided in the image forming apparatus main body 100 is connected to the connection portion 68, and the other end of the supply pipe 69 is connected to the process unit 1. Has been. Accordingly, when the distal end portion 56a of the supply pipe 56 is connected to the connection portion 68, the supply pipe 56 and the supply pipe 69 communicate with each other, and toner can be supplied from the developer supply device 50 into the process unit 1 through these. It becomes possible. Note that the tip 56a of the supply pipe 56 may be directly connected to the process unit 1 without the supply pipe 69 being interposed. In FIG. 9, toner is replenished from a position on the upper right end side of the process unit 1, but the replenishment position is not limited as long as there is no particular problem. When the image forming apparatus includes a toner bottle (developer container) separate from the process unit, the supply pipe 56 is connected to the toner bottle instead of the process unit so that the toner can be supplied. Is also possible.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 7 and 8, on the right side surface 100R of the image forming apparatus main body 100, the locked portion 70 to which the locking portion 65 of the developer supply device main body 200 can be engaged and disengaged, and the developing. A gear unit 71 that can be connected to the gear 60 in the agent supply device main body 200 is provided.

  As shown in FIG. 10, the locked portion 70 is provided so as to protrude outward from the right side surface 100 </ b> R of the exterior 101 included in the image forming apparatus main body 100. A locking groove 70a that opens upward is formed in the locked portion 70, and a locking claw 65b of the locking portion 65 can be inserted into the locking groove 70a. Further, a hole 100a is formed in the right side surface 100R of the image forming apparatus main body 100, and the gear unit 71 is disposed so as to protrude outside from the hole 100a.

  As shown in FIG. 11 in which the exterior 101 is omitted, the gear unit 71 includes a first gear 72 constituted by a screw gear, three second to fourth gears 73 to 75 constituted by spur gears, and these. The gear holder 76 is configured to hold the gears 72 to 75 in a meshed state. The first gear 72 is connected to one of the registration roller pair 14, and the driving force is transmitted from the driving motor M as a driving unit that generates the driving force on the image forming apparatus side through the first gear 72. ing. The driving force is sequentially transmitted from the first gear 72 to the second gear 73, the third gear 74, and the fourth gear 75. As described above, in the present embodiment, the gear unit 71 obtains the driving force via the registration rollers. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the driving force can be obtained via another member or device. Also good. For example, a driving force may be obtained via the fixing roller 34a. Further, a dedicated motor for transmitting the driving force to the gear unit 71 may be provided in the image forming apparatus main body, and the driving force of the dedicated motor may be transmitted to the gear unit 71. Alternatively, it is possible to obtain a driving force directly from the driving motor M. As the drive motor M, a DC motor, a stepping motor, or the like can be used, but the type of the motor is not limited to this. Moreover, the 2nd-4th gearwheels 73-75 comprised by the spur gear may be comprised integrally with the rotating shafts 77-79 which support these, and may be comprised separately. When the gears 73 to 75 and the rotary shafts 77 to 79 are separated from each other, it is easy to replace parts and perform maintenance. A helical gear may be used instead of the spur gear. In the case of a helical gear, there is an advantage that noise (noise) generated by the meshing of teeth can be reduced compared to a spur gear.

FIG. 12 shows the configuration of the lid member.
As shown in FIG. 12, the lid member 67 has shaft portions 67 a at the upper portion and the lower portion thereof, and each shaft portion 67 a has bearing portions 51 a provided on the inner surface of the exterior 51 and the tank holder 53, respectively. 53a is rotatably held. Thereby, the lid member 67 rotates about the shaft portion 67a to open and close the opening portion 200d. The lid member 67 is provided with an urging member 80 such as a torsion coil spring. The urging force of the urging member 80 urges the lid member 67 in the closing direction (the arrow B direction in FIG. 12). ing. The lid member 67 comes into contact with the edge of the opening 200d, and the opening 200d is closed by the lid member 67.

  In this way, the opening 200d is closed by the lid member 67, thereby preventing damage caused by a user or the like coming into contact with the gear 60 through the opening 200d or contamination caused by foreign matter such as dust entering the inside. I am doing so. Further, in the present embodiment, since the lid member 67 is provided in the developer supply device main body 200, it is not necessary to attach or detach the lid member 67. Further, since the lid member 67 is automatically closed by the urging force of the urging member 80, it is not necessary to close the lid member 67, and the operability is excellent.

  As shown in FIG. 13, when the gear unit 71 enters the developer supply device main body 200 from the opening 200d, the lid member 67 is pushed by the gear unit 71 and the lid member 67 opens (see FIG. 13). It rotates in the direction of arrow C). Then, as shown in FIG. 14, when the gear unit 71 enters the developer supply device main body 200, the fourth gear 75 of the gear unit 71 meshes with the gear 60 in the developer supply device main body 200. As a result, the driving force can be transmitted between the gear unit 71 and the gear 60 in the developer supply device main body 200. That is, the fourth gear 75 of the gear unit 71 functions as a drive-side connecting portion that can be connected to the gear 60 as the passive-side connecting portion provided in the developer supply device main body 200. In this state, when the driving motor M on the image forming apparatus main body 100 side is driven, the driving force is transmitted to the gear 60 in the developer supply apparatus main body 200 via the gears 72 to 75 of the gear unit 71, and The screw 54 and the pump 55 are driven.

  In the present embodiment, the screw 54 of the developer supply device main body 200 is configured such that the gear 60 (passive side connecting portion) is connected to the gear unit 71 (drive side connecting portion) and the outer wall (right side surface) of the image forming apparatus main body. 100R) is configured so that the driving force can be transmitted from the driving motor M through the above, but is not limited thereto. For example, the driving force may be transmitted from the driving motor M via an inner wall provided on the inner side of the outer wall of the image forming apparatus. In this embodiment, the gear unit 71 (driving side connecting portion) protrudes outward from the outer wall of the image forming apparatus main body. However, the gear unit 71 (driving side connecting portion) is disposed on the inner side of the outer wall of the image forming apparatus main body. May be. In that case, the gear 60 (passive side connecting portion) on the developer replenishing device side is inserted into the inside from the opening provided in the outer wall of the image forming apparatus main body, so that the gear unit 71 (drive side connecting portion) is inserted. The gear 60 (passive side connecting portion) can be connected. Further, the gear unit 71 (driving side connecting portion) and the gear 60 (passive side connecting portion) are not directly connected, but are connected using a connecting member stored in the image forming apparatus or the developer supply device main body 200. It is good also as composition to do. That is, the connecting member is detachable from the gear unit 71 (driving side connecting portion) and the gear 60 (passive side connecting portion), and the connecting member is connected to the gear unit 71 (driving side connecting portion) only when the developer is supplied. It is good also as a structure connected between the gear 60 (passive side connection part).

  As described above, the driving force is transmitted in a state in which the gear unit 71 and the gear 60 in the developer replenishing apparatus main body 200 are coupled and the supply pipe 56 is connected to the connection portion 68 of the image forming apparatus main body 100. Then, the screw 54 and the pump are driven, and the toner can be supplied into the process unit 1 through the supply pipe 56 and the supply pipe 69. In the present embodiment, since the driving force is transmitted through the registration roller, it is possible to replenish toner when the registration roller rotates. Further, by providing an electric clutch in the gear unit 71, it may be configured to switch between a state where the driving force can be transmitted from the registration rollers and a state where the driving force cannot be transmitted. In this case, when it is not necessary to replenish the toner, unnecessary toner replenishment can be avoided by setting the state in which the driving force cannot be transmitted. The determination of whether or not toner replenishment is necessary can be performed by a control unit such as a CPU provided in the image forming apparatus based on the amount of toner detected in the process unit by using a toner amount detection sensor. is there. Further, operation means (buttons, control panel, etc.) for a user or the like to issue a toner supply instruction may be provided in the image forming apparatus main body. The registration roller is basically driven at the time of paper conveyance, but may be driven at a timing other than at the time of paper conveyance to replenish toner. In this case, the toner can be replenished at a necessary timing without being restricted by the sheet conveyance timing. In addition, by supplying toner at a timing other than the time of paper conveyance, a rotational load due to paper conveyance is not applied, so it is possible to employ a small motor with a relatively small output.

  Further, in the present embodiment, in a state where the gear unit 71 and the gear 60 in the developer replenishing apparatus main body 200 are connected, the locking portion 65 is moved downward as shown in FIG. Is inserted into the locking groove 70a of the locked portion 70, the relative position of the developer supply device main body 200 with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 100 can be fixed. As a result, the connected state between the gear unit 71 and the gear 60 in the developer replenishing apparatus main body 200 can be reliably held, and stable driving force transmission can be achieved. As shown in FIG. 15, when the gear unit 71 and the gear 60 in the developer replenishing device main body 200 are connected, the locking portion 65 and the locked portion 70 do not interfere with each other, as shown in FIG. It is necessary to move 65 upward. Further, when releasing the locking by the locking portion 65, the locking portion 65 may be moved upward and the locking claw 65b may be detached from the locking groove 70a. In the present embodiment, since the operation unit 66 is disposed so as to protrude outward from the exterior 51 of the developer supply apparatus main body 200, the visibility and operability of the operation unit 66 are excellent.

Next, a second embodiment of the present invention will be described.
In the following description of the second embodiment, the configuration, operation, and effects different from those of the first embodiment will be mainly described, and description of the portions that exhibit the same configuration, operation, and effects will be omitted as appropriate.

FIG. 17 is a perspective view of the developer supply device according to the second embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 18 is a perspective view of the developer supply device as viewed from the back side. FIG. 19 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus according to the second embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 20 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus as viewed from the back side.
As shown in FIGS. 17 and 18, in the second embodiment of the present invention, unlike the first embodiment, a gear 81 that functions as a passive side connecting portion on the developer supply device side is provided with a developer supply device main body. It arrange | positions so that it may protrude outside from the left side surface 200L of 200. FIG. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 19 and FIG. 20, the gear 73 that functions as the drive side connecting portion on the image forming apparatus side is disposed on the inner side of the right side surface 100 </ b> R of the image forming apparatus main body 100.

  As shown in FIG. 21, the gear 81 serving as the passive side connecting portion is held by the gear holder 83 in a state where the gear 81 meshes with the inner gear 82 arranged in the developer supply device main body 200. The gears 81 and 82 and the gear holder 83 are an integral gear unit 85. Further, the gear holder 83 is supported so as to be rotatable in the directions of the arrow D and the arrow E in FIG. 21 by a support shaft of the central axis J provided in the tank holder 53. The rotation center J of the gear holder 83 is It is coaxial with the rotation axis (rotation axis) of the inner gear 82. For this reason, when the gear holder 83 is rotated, the gear 81 as the passive side connecting portion is also rotated around the rotation axis J of the inner gear 82. On the other hand, the inner gear 82 is fixed without rotating because the position of the rotation axis J does not change even when the gear holder 83 rotates. Hereinafter, for convenience, the rotatable gear 81 as the passive side connecting portion is referred to as a “rotating gear”, and the inner gear 82 that does not rotate is referred to as a “fixed gear”.

  The fixed gear 82 is held in a state of being engaged with another gear 60 disposed in the developer supply apparatus main body 200. The gear 60 is a gear functioning as a passive-side connecting portion in the first embodiment of the present invention, and is a gear provided on one end portion side of the screw 54 (see FIG. 4).

  As shown in FIG. 21, an urging member 84 made of an elastic body such as a compression coil spring is disposed below the gear holder 83. The urging member 84 urges the gear holder 83 upward from the rotation center J on the rotating gear 81 side. Thereby, the rotation gear 81 is urged so as to be pushed upward (in the direction of arrow D in FIG. 21). Further, as shown in FIG. 22 shown from a viewpoint opposite to FIG. 21, the gear holder 83 is provided with a stopper portion 83a, and the stopper portion 83a abuts on the tank holder 53, thereby urging member. The rotating gear 81 is held at a predetermined position against the urging force 84.

  As shown in FIG. 23, in the present embodiment, the gear 73 as the drive side connecting portion is disposed on the inner side of the exterior 101 of the image forming apparatus main body 100. As shown in FIG. 24 in which the exterior 101 shown in FIG. 23 is omitted, the gear 73 is held by a gear holder 76 in a state of being engaged with another gear 72 constituted by a screw gear. In other words, in the present embodiment, the second gear 73 described in the first embodiment of the present invention is used as the gear 73 as the drive side connecting portion.

  As shown in FIG. 25, the developer replenishing apparatus main body 200 is installed next to the image forming apparatus main body 100, and the gear unit 85 on the developer replenishing apparatus side is made to enter the inside from the opening 100a of the image forming apparatus main body 100. Thus, the rotation gear 81 and the second gear 73 can be connected. As a result, the driving force can be transmitted between the rotating gear 81 and the second gear 73. In this state, when the driving motor on the image forming apparatus main body 100 side is driven, the driving force is transmitted to the rotating gear 81 on the developer supply apparatus side via the first gear 72 and the second gear 73 on the image forming apparatus side. Is done. Then, the driving force is sequentially transmitted from the rotating gear 81 to the fixed gear 82 and the gear 60 provided at one end of the screw 54, and the screw 54 and the pump 55 are driven. That is, the rotation gear 81, the fixed gear 82, and the gear 60 on the developer supply device side function as a transmission member that transmits the driving force of the driving device on the image forming device side to the screw 54 and the pump 55 as the transfer device.

  Further, in a state where the rotating gear 81 and the second gear 73 are coupled, the urging member 84 causes the rotating gear 81 to move in the direction of the arrow D in FIG. 25, that is, the second gear 73 that is the counterpart gear. It is energized in the approaching direction. For this reason, the meshing of both gears 81 and 73 is maintained, and stable driving force transmission is possible. Further, since the rotation gear 81 is movable in a direction approaching and separating from the second gear 73, even if the relative position of the developer supply device main body 200 with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 100 is slightly shifted. The shift is absorbed by the movement of the rotation gear 81, and the meshing state between the rotation gear 81 and the second gear 73 can be maintained well. As a result, it is possible to avoid the teeth of both gears 81 and 73 from biting too much and one tooth tip to interfere with the other tooth bottom, or conversely, the tooth is too far away. It is possible to prevent abnormal noise and driving force transmission failure. Thus, the configuration of the present embodiment is excellent in noise reduction and driving force transmission stabilization.

  In the present embodiment, as shown in FIG. 26, when connecting the rotating gear 81 and the second gear 73, the edge portions 83b and 76a of the gear holders 83 and 76 that hold the gears 81 and 73 are connected to each other. It is in contact. These edge parts 83b and 76a function as a positioning part which positions the rotation gear 81 with respect to the 2nd gearwheel 73 so that mesh | engagement of both the gears 81 and 73 may become favorable. Therefore, the edge 83b of the gear holder 83 that holds the rotating gear 81 is formed in an arc having the same diameter as the pitch circle H1 (see FIG. 21) of the rotating gear 81, and the gear holder that holds the second gear 73. The edge 76a of 76 is formed in the circular arc of the diameter equivalent to the pitch circle H2 (refer FIG. 24) of the 2nd gearwheel 73. FIG. As a result, when the edges 83b and 76a of both gear holders 83 and 76 are brought into contact with each other, the inter-axis distance F between the rotating gear 81 and the second gear 73 is determined to be a predetermined distance. It is possible to more reliably avoid the teeth becoming too bite.

  In the second embodiment of the present invention, the configuration of the locking portion 65 and the operation portion 66 provided in the developer supply device main body 200 is different from that of the first embodiment. In the present embodiment, the locking portion 65 and the operation portion 66 are provided as separate members. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 27, the locking portion 65 is provided on a rotation member 86 configured to be rotatable around a rotation fulcrum 86a, and the operation portion 66 is linearly moved in the horizontal direction. The slide member 87 is configured to be capable of being configured. Both the rotation member 86 and the slide member 87 are held on top of a holding member 88 disposed in the developer supply device main body 200.

  The slide member 87 is provided with a guide groove 87a as a guide portion. On the other hand, a protrusion 86b as a guided portion to be inserted into the guide groove 87a is provided at the end opposite to the end where the locking portion 65 of the rotating member 86 is provided. The guide groove 87a is inclined with respect to the horizontal plane from one end portion to the other end portion. Therefore, when the slide member 87 is moved from the state shown in FIG. 27A in the direction of arrow G in FIG. 27B, the protrusion 86b is obliquely upward right along the guide groove 87a (indicated by the arrow in FIG. 27B). (Relative to K direction). Thereby, the rotation member 86 rotates clockwise (in the direction of arrow M in FIG. 27B), and the locking portion 65 moves downward. In this way, the locking portion 65 can be locked to the locked portion 70 by moving the slide member 87 and moving the locking portion 65 downward. On the contrary, when the slide member 87 is moved in the direction opposite to the arrow G direction in FIG. 27B, the projection 86b moves in the direction opposite to the arrow K direction along the guide groove 87a. Then, the rotation member 86 rotates in the direction opposite to the arrow M direction. As a result, the locking portion 65 moves upward and is detached from the locked portion 70. As described above, in the present embodiment, unlike the first embodiment of the present invention, the operation direction of the operation portion 66 and the movable direction of the locking portion 65 can be different from each other. The degree of freedom in layout can be improved.

  As shown in FIG. 28, the slide member 87 is provided with a convex portion 87b as an engaging portion, and the holding member 88 is a counterpart engaging portion that can be engaged with the convex portion 87b of the slide member 87. Two recesses 88a are provided. The two recesses 88 a are arranged side by side in the moving direction of the slide member 87. Thus, as shown in FIG. 28, when the slide member 87 is moved in the direction of the arrow X in the figure, the convex portion 87b is engaged with the one concave portion 88a, and the locking portion 65 is held in a state of moving upward. The On the contrary, as shown in FIG. 29, when the slide member 87 is moved in the direction of the arrow Y in the figure, the convex portion 87b is engaged with the other concave portion 88a, and the locking portion 65 is moved downward. Retained. That is, the concave portion 88a and the convex portion 87b hold the operation portion 66 so that the locking portion 65 can be locked or locked with respect to the locked portion 70 by being engaged with each other. It functions as an operation state holding means. Thereby, since the operation state of the operation part 66 is hold | maintained, stabilization of driving force transmission can be aimed at.

  In this embodiment, at least one of the convex portion 87b and the concave portion 88a can be engaged and disengaged by elastic deformation. However, the present invention is not limited to this, and the convex portion 87b and the concave portion 88a are brought into contact with each other. A biasing member such as a spring for biasing may be provided. Moreover, the convex part 87b and the recessed part 88a may be comprised integrally with the slide member 87 and the holding member 88, or may be comprised separately. Further, contrary to the above, the same effect can be obtained by providing the convex portion on the holding member 88 and providing the concave portion on the slide member 87.

  In addition, as illustrated in FIG. 29 when the operation unit is viewed from the outside, in the present embodiment, the operation unit 66 is disposed on the inner side than the back surface 200B (exterior 51) of the image forming apparatus main body 100. In this case, the developer replenishing device main body 200 can be downsized as compared with the configuration in which the operation unit 66 protrudes outward. Further, the outer surface facing the outside of the operation unit 66 has a concave part 66a, and the user or the like can easily operate the operation part 66 by inserting a finger or the like into the concave part 66a during operation.

  Further, in the second embodiment of the present invention, the developer replenishing apparatus main body 200 is not provided with a gripping portion, but the gripping portion 64 may be provided as in the first embodiment of the present invention.

Next, a third embodiment of the present invention will be described.
Note that in the third embodiment as well, the description of the parts having the same configuration and operation / effect as those in the first embodiment will be omitted as appropriate.

FIG. 30 is a perspective view of the developer supply device according to the third embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 31 is a perspective view of the developer supply device as viewed from the back side. FIG. 32 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus according to the third embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front side, and FIG. 33 is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus as viewed from the back side.
As shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, in the third embodiment of the present invention, a protrusion 89 as a supply pipe holding portion is provided on the left side surface 200 </ b> L of the developer supply device main body 200. In this case, as shown by a two-dot chain line in FIGS. 30 and 31, the distal end portion 56 a can be held by fitting the distal end portion 56 a of the supply pipe 56 into the protruding portion 89. Thereby, when the developer supply device is not used or transported, the supply pipe 56 can be held along the outer surface of the developer supply device main body 200. To become better.

FIG. 34 is an enlarged perspective view of the protrusion.
As shown in FIG. 34, the protrusion 89 is formed in a cylindrical shape. Further, the corner portion 89a on the tip end side of the projection 89 is formed in a curved surface shape, so that when the supply pipe 56 is fitted, it is difficult to be caught and can be mounted smoothly. Further, since the protruding portion 89 protrudes outward from the exterior 51 of the developer supply device main body 200, the visibility is good and the mounting workability is improved. Furthermore, visibility can be improved by making the protrusion 89 have a color different from that of the exterior 51 of the developer supply device main body 200. In the present embodiment, the protrusion 89 is formed integrally with the exterior 51 from the viewpoint of manufacturing cost reduction, but may be formed separately. When the projection 89 is configured as a separate body, parts can be replaced and maintained. In addition, a material different from that of the exterior 51 can be selected as the material of the protruding portion 89.

FIG. 35 is a diagram illustrating a modification of the protrusion.
The protrusion 89 shown in FIG. 35 is formed in a spherical shape on the tip side. Also in this case, when the supply pipe 56 is fitted into the protrusion 89, it is possible to perform the mounting operation smoothly without being caught. Furthermore, since it is spherical, the difficulty of manufacturing the protrusion 89 decreases, and it becomes possible to manufacture with high accuracy.

FIG. 36 is a diagram illustrating an example in which the supply pipe holding portion is a recess.
As shown in FIG. 36, when the supply pipe holding part is constituted by the recess 90, the developer replenishing apparatus main body 200 can be downsized. In addition, by forming the corner portion 90a on the distal end side (opening side) of the concave portion 90 in a curved shape, when the supply pipe 56 is fitted into the concave portion 90, it is possible to perform a mounting operation that is not easily caught.

  Further, in the third embodiment of the present invention, the configurations of the passive side connecting portion provided on the developer supply device side and the driving side connecting portion provided on the image forming apparatus side are different from those in the above embodiments. Yes. In each of the above embodiments, the driving side connecting portion and the passive side connecting portion can be connected to each other by meshing the gears. However, in this embodiment, the driving side connecting portion and the passive side connecting portion are connected to each other. A coupling-type connecting portion that can be connected in the axial direction is used.

  Specifically, as shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, the developer supply device main body 200 is provided with a passive side coupling member 91 as a passive side connecting portion so as to protrude outward from the left side surface 200L. ing. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 32 and 33, the image forming apparatus main body 100 is provided with a driving side coupling member 92 as a driving side connecting portion so as to protrude outward from the back surface 200B. The passive side coupling member 91 has a coupling convex portion 91a formed in a hexagonal column shape at the tip thereof, and the driving side coupling member 92 has a coupling concave portion 92a formed in a hexagonal concave shape. . The shapes of the coupling convex portion 91a and the coupling concave portion 92a are not limited to hexagons, but may be other polygonal shapes or spline shapes in which a plurality of projections or grooves are formed in the circumferential direction. A cylindrical cover member 93 is provided around a portion of the passive side coupling member 91 exposed from the exterior 51 to the outside.

  As shown in FIG. 37, when the coupling convex portion 91a is inserted into the coupling concave portion 92a and coupled to each other, the coupling convex portion 91a and the coupling concave portion 92a are accommodated in the cover member 93. Thus, by covering the periphery of the coupling convex portion 91a and the coupling convex portion 91a with the cover member 93, it is possible to improve safety and prevent breakage and contamination of the coupling portion.

  In addition, the passive side coupling member 91 is supported by two bearings 95 and 96 provided on the developer supply device main body 200 so as to be rotatable and movable in the axial direction at two positions on the front end side and the rear end side. Further, the passive coupling member 91 is urged toward the distal end side by an urging member 94 made of an elastic body such as a compression coil spring disposed in a bearing 96 that supports the rear end side thereof. As a result, even if the relative position of the developer supply apparatus main body 200 with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 100 is slightly deviated, the deviation is absorbed by the axial movement of the passive side cup ring 91 and driven with the passive side coupling member 91. It is possible to maintain a good coupling state with the side coupling member 92. Further, in a non-coupled state, a ring-like shape that interferes with the bearing 95 is provided on the distal end side of the passive side coupling member 91 so that the passive side coupling member 91 does not protrude excessively outward by the biasing force of the biasing member 94. An interference member 97 is provided.

  A first gear 98 made up of a screw gear is integrally provided in a portion of the passive side coupling member 91 housed in the developer supply device main body 200. Further, in the developer supply device main body 200, a second gear 99 of a spur gear that meshes with the first gear 98 and a third gear 60 of a spur gear that meshes with the second gear 99 are arranged. The third gear 60 here is a gear provided at one end of the screw 54 described above. Accordingly, when the driving side coupling member 92 is rotationally driven in a state where the passive side coupling member 91 and the driving side coupling member 92 are coupled to each other, the driving force is applied to the passive side coupling member 91 and the first gear. The screw is transmitted sequentially to the second gear 99 and the third gear 60 via 98, and the screw 54 and the pump 55 are driven. That is, the passive side coupling member 91, the first gear 98, the second gear 99, and the third gear 60 on the developer replenishing device side are driven by the screw 54 and the pump that use the driving force of the driving unit on the image forming device side as a transfer unit. It functions as a transmission member that transmits to 55. The driving force transmitted from the driving motor M provided in the image forming apparatus main body 100 to the driving side coupling member 92 may be transmitted through the registration rollers or other members as described above, or directly transmitted. May be.

  Moreover, you may provide the one-way clutch which transmits only the driving force of one direction rotation in one of the 2nd gearwheel 99 or the 3rd gearwheel 60 shown in FIG. In this case, since the reverse rotation of the screw 54 and the rotor 61 of the pump 55 can be prevented, the toner is not transferred in the reverse direction, and stable toner transfer can be performed. In addition, the use of the one-way clutch increases the degree of freedom in layout of the drive transmission path. The same effect can be obtained by providing a one-way clutch in one of the gears provided on the image forming apparatus side.

FIG. 38 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a developer supply device according to the third embodiment of the present invention.
As shown in FIG. 38, in the present embodiment, a fan 120 as air supply means for sending air to the transferred toner is arranged on the right side of the screw 54 in the drawing. The fan 120 is covered with a fan cover 121, and the fan cover 121 is provided with an air supply port 121a. One end of an air supply pipe 122 is connected to the air supply port 121a, and the other end of the air supply pipe 122 is connected to the tank holder 53 and the pump holder 63, respectively. Therefore, when the fan 120 is driven, air is supplied to the tank holder 53 and the pump holder 63 via the air supply pipe 122. Thereby, fluidization of the toner transferred in the tank holder 53 and the pump holder 63 is promoted, and more stable toner transfer can be realized.

  On the other hand, however, if the air pressure in the process unit increases due to the supply of air from the fan 120, the internal toner may be scattered outside. Therefore, in this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 39, an air vent hole 123 is provided on the upper surface of the exterior of the process unit 1, and air is discharged from the air vent hole 123 to the outside. As a result, it is possible to avoid an increase in atmospheric pressure in the process unit 1 and to prevent toner scattering. The air vent hole 123 may be provided in the air supply path in addition to the process unit that is the air supply destination. Further, when an air purifying member that allows the passage of air, such as a filter, is provided in the air vent hole 123, it is possible to more reliably prevent toner scattering.

FIG. 40 is a view of the locking portion and the operation portion according to the third embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the outside, and FIG. 41 is a view of the locking portion and the operation portion as viewed from the inside.
As shown in FIG. 40, in this embodiment, the locking portion 65 and the operation portion 66 are integrally provided on a rotating member 124 that is formed in a columnar shape. The locking portion 65 is provided so as to extend in the radial direction from the outer peripheral surface of the rotating member 124, and the operation portion 66 includes a convex knob 125 provided on the end surface 124 a exposed to the outside of the rotating member 124. Has been. From the viewpoint of safety, the corners of the knob 125 are formed in a curved surface.

  The rotating member 124 is supported by the exterior 51 of the developer supply device main body 200 and a supporting member 200g (see FIG. 41) disposed inside thereof so as to be rotatable in the directions of arrows F and N in FIG. Yes. Further, an end face 124a exposed to the outside of the rotating member 124 is provided with a triangular mark 126 indicating the switching state of the operation unit 66 for easy understanding. The index 126 may be a three-dimensional object such as a concavo-convex shape in addition to a planar object such as printing or a label.

  In the case of this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 42A, when the rotating member 124 is rotated in the direction of arrow F in the figure, the locking portion 65 is rotated clockwise and the locking claw 65b is downward. Move to. Thereby, the locking part 65 can be locked to the locked part 70. Further, in this state, the triangular mark 126 is arranged to indicate an index 127a indicating the locked state provided on the outer surface of the developer supply apparatus main body 200. By looking at the position indicated by the index 126, The locked state can be easily confirmed.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 42 (b), when the rotating member 124 is rotated in the direction of arrow N in the figure, the locking portion 65 rotates counterclockwise and the locking claw 65b moves upward. Move to. As a result, the locking claw 65 b can be detached from the locked portion 70. Further, when the rotating member 124 is rotated in the direction of the arrow N, the triangular mark 126 is arranged to indicate the lock 127b indicating the unlocked state provided on the outer surface of the developer supply apparatus main body 200. By looking at the position indicated by the index 126, the unlocked state can be easily confirmed. Further, when the rotation member 124 is rotated in the direction of arrow N by a predetermined angle (90 ° in this case), the locking portion 65 is completely accommodated in the developer supply device main body 200 and is not used. The breakage of the locking portion 65 at the time can be prevented, and the size can be reduced.

  Furthermore, in this embodiment, the latching | locking part 128 which does not rotate is provided separately from the latching | locking part 65 comprised so that rotation was possible (refer FIG. 30, FIG. 31). Hereinafter, for the sake of convenience, the locking portion 65 configured to be rotatable is referred to as a “movable locking portion”, while the locking portion 128 that is not movable is referred to as a “fixed locking portion”. . As shown in FIGS. 30 and 31, two fixing locking portions 128 are provided at the upper portion of the left side surface 200 </ b> L of the developer supply device main body 200. Each fixed locking portion 128 includes an arm portion 128a that protrudes horizontally from the exterior 51, and a locking claw 128b that extends vertically downward from the distal end portion of the arm portion 128a.

  Further, as shown in FIGS. 32 and 33, the image forming apparatus main body 100 is provided with two locked portions 129 for locking the fixed locking portions 128 described above. Each locked portion 129 is formed of a rectangular frame projecting from the back surface 200B of the image forming apparatus main body 100, and an insertion portion 129a into which the locking portion 128b of the fixed locking portion 128 can be inserted. Is formed.

FIG. 43 is a cross-sectional view showing a state where the fixed locking portion is inserted into the locked portion.
As shown in FIG. 43, when the locking claw 128b of the fixed locking portion 128 is inserted into the insertion portion 129a, there is a margin (gap) between the locking claw 128b and the inner surface of the insertion portion 129a. In other words, the width W of the insertion portion 129a, more specifically, the interval between the outer surface of the image forming apparatus main body 100 and the inner surface of the locked portion 129 opposed thereto is formed larger than the thickness t of the locking claw 128b. Yes. Accordingly, the fixed locking portion 128 is configured to be easily inserted into the locked portion 129. For this reason, in this embodiment, first, the fixed locking portion 128 is inserted into the locked portion 129, and the relative position between the developer supply device main body 200 and the image forming apparatus main body 100 is simplified by locking the both. Then, the relative position can be accurately determined by engaging the movable locking portion 65 and the locked portion 70. Note that the number of the fixed locking portions 128 and the locked portions 129 may be one, but by providing a plurality of them, the developer replenishing device main body 200 and the image forming apparatus main body 100 can be relative to each other. The position can be determined more easily, and the installation workability of the developer supply device is improved.

  Further, in the present embodiment, the fixed locking portion 128 and the locked portion 129 locked with the fixing locking portion 128 are provided outward from the exteriors 51 and 101 of the developer supply device main body 200 and the image forming apparatus main body 100, respectively. Since it is provided so as to protrude, it is excellent in visibility and disengagement workability. Furthermore, visibility can be improved by making the fixed latching | locking part 128 and the to-be-latched part 129 into the color different from the exterior 51,101. In this embodiment, the fixed locking portion 128 and the locked portion 129 are integrally formed with the exteriors 51 and 101 from the viewpoint of reducing the manufacturing cost, but may be configured separately. When these are configured separately from the exteriors 51 and 101, parts can be replaced and maintained. Further, a material different from that of the exteriors 51 and 101 can be selected as a material for the fixed locking portion 128 and the locked portion 129. In addition, as shown in FIG. 43, by forming the corner portion 128c of the fixed locking portion 128 in a curved shape, the safety when contacting the corner portion 128c during installation work or the like is improved.

  As shown in FIG. 38, in the present embodiment, the grip portion 64 is configured to protrude outward from the exterior 51 of the developer supply device main body 200, contrary to the above-described embodiment. In this case, the visibility and operability of the gripping portion 64 are improved as compared with the case where the gripping portion 64 is recessed inside the exterior 51. The grip portion 64 according to the present embodiment is provided with a concave recess portion 64b that opens downward, and a user or the like can grip the recess portion 64b with a finger or the like. Further, the recess 64b is provided with an uneven slip prevention portion 64c so that the grip portion 64 can be gripped more reliably.

  Also in the present embodiment, the corner 64a of the gripping portion 64 is formed in a curved surface shape to improve safety when touching the gripping portion 64. Moreover, visibility can be improved by making the holding | grip part 64 the color different from the exterior 51. FIG. In the present embodiment, the grip portion 64 is configured integrally with the exterior 51 to reduce the manufacturing cost. However, the grip portion 64 may be configured separately. When configured separately, parts can be replaced and maintained, and the range of material selection is expanded.

The embodiment of the present invention has been described above. However, the configuration according to the present invention can be applied to a color laser printer in addition to the monochrome laser printer.
Hereinafter, an example of the configuration of a color laser printer to which the present invention can be applied will be described.

FIG. 44 is a perspective view of a color laser printer to which the present invention can be applied, and FIG. 45 is a schematic sectional view of the laser printer.
A sheet feeding cassette 30 as a sheet container capable of stacking and storing a large number of sheets is disposed at the lower part of the printer apparatus main body (image forming apparatus main body) 100 shown in FIG. The paper feed cassette 30 can be pulled out and inserted into the apparatus main body 100 in the front-rear horizontal direction (the direction of the arrow Q in the figure). A front cover 8 for internal inspection is disposed on the upper portion of the paper feed cassette 30. The front cover 8 can be opened and closed with respect to the apparatus main body 100 in the front-rear direction (the arrow S direction in the figure). Specifically, as shown in FIG. 45, the front cover 8 is configured to be rotatable about a rotation shaft 12 disposed in the lower part of the apparatus main body 100. A paper discharge tray 44 is disposed on the upper portion of the apparatus main body 100.

  The front cover 8 includes a duplex unit 9 on its inner surface. The duplex unit 9 has a transport housing 9a, and a paper reverse transport path 41 is formed on the back side of the transport housing 9a. In addition, the inner surface side of the transport housing 9 a constitutes a part of the sheet transport path on the apparatus main body 100 side, and includes a secondary transfer roller 20 as a transfer member and one timing driving roller 142 of the timing roller pair 14. ing. The timing driving roller 142 and the timing driven roller 141 on the main body side constitute a pair of timing rollers 14.

Hereinafter, the main part of the image forming apparatus will be described with reference to FIG.
The image forming apparatus has four process units 1K, 1Y, 1M, and 1C for forming an image on the image forming unit with developers of black, yellow, magenta, and cyan corresponding to the color separation components of the color image. It has. Each process unit 1K, 1Y, 1M, 1C has toner bottles 6K, 6Y, 6M, 6C containing unused toners of different colors. Other than that, the configuration is the same.

  The structure of one process unit 1K will be described as an example. The process unit 1K includes a photoconductor (photoconductor drum) 2K as an image carrier that carries an image on the surface, and a cleaning unit that cleans the surface of the photoconductor 2K. A drum cleaning device 3K, a neutralizing device (not shown) for neutralizing the surface of the photosensitive member 2K, a charging device 4K as a charging means for charging the surface of the photosensitive member 2K, and a developer supplied on the photosensitive member 2K to form an image ( And a developing device 5K as developing means for forming a developer image. The process unit 1K is detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus so that consumable parts can be replaced at a time.

  Above each process unit 1K, 1Y, 1M, 1C, an exposure device 7 is disposed as an exposure means for exposing the surface of each photoconductor 2K, 2Y, 2M, 2C. The exposure device 7 is configured to emit laser light from a laser diode based on image data.

  Further, a transfer device 15 is disposed below each process unit 1K, 1Y, 1M, 1C. The transfer device 15 includes four primary transfer rollers 19K, 19Y, 19M, and 19C that face the photoconductors 2K, 2Y, 2M, and 2C, each primary transfer roller 19K, 19Y, 19M, and 19C, a driving roller 18 and a driven roller 17. The intermediate transfer belt 16 is circulated and circulated, the secondary transfer roller 20 is disposed opposite to the driving roller 18, the belt cleaning device 21, the cleaning backup roller 22, and the like. If the photoreceptors 2K, 2Y, 2M, and 2C are the first image carriers for the respective colors, the intermediate transfer belt 16 is a second image carrier that combines these images.

  In the lower part of the image forming apparatus, a paper feed cassette 30 that can store a large number of sheets P as sheets, and a feed roller 32 as a feed unit that feeds the paper P from the paper feed cassette 30 toward the paper feed path 31. Is provided. Near the end of the paper feed path 31, a timing roller pair 14 for temporarily stopping the paper is disposed.

  The timing roller pair 14 is positioned immediately upstream of the intermediate transfer belt 16, and in order to accurately align the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 16 and the leading end position of the sheet, the sheet P is once slackened to perform intermediate transfer. Immediately before the toner image formed on the belt 16 is transferred to the paper P at the secondary transfer nip, the paper P is sent to the secondary transfer nip at a predetermined timing.

  In general, the secondary transfer roller 20 is often urged to the intermediate transfer belt 16 by a compression spring 25. However, in the full-front operation type image forming apparatus, the duplex unit 9 is often disposed on the front side of the intermediate transfer belt 16, and it is difficult to reduce the size around the compression spring 25. Thus, as shown in FIG. 45, when the transfer nip is arranged in an oblique direction, the dead space of the duplex unit 9 can be used effectively, and the size reduction of the image forming apparatus in the front-rear direction can be achieved.

  A post-transfer conveyance path 33 is disposed above the nip portion between the secondary transfer roller 20 and the drive roller 18. A fixing device 34 is provided near the end of the post-transfer conveyance path 33. The fixing device 34 includes a fixing roller 34a containing a heat source such as a halogen lamp (not shown), and a pressure roller 34b that rotates while contacting the fixing roller 34a with a predetermined pressure.

  A post-fixing conveyance path 35 is disposed above the fixing device 34, and branches to a paper discharge path 36 and a reverse conveyance path 41 at the end of the post-fixing conveyance path 35. On the side of the post-fixing conveyance path 35, a switching member 42 that swings around a swing shaft 42a is disposed. At the end of the paper discharge path 36, a paper discharge roller pair 37 is disposed as a paper discharge means for discharging the paper out of the apparatus. The reverse conveyance path 41 joins the paper feed path 31 at the end thereof, and a reverse conveyance roller pair 43 is disposed in the middle of the reverse conveyance path 41. A paper discharge tray 44 having an upper cover recessed inward is disposed at the top of the image forming apparatus.

  A powder container 10 (toner container) that stores waste toner is disposed between the transfer device 15 and the paper feed cassette 30. The powder container 10 is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus main body.

  In the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, the space from the feeding roller 32 to the secondary transfer roller 20 needs to be separated to some extent due to the transfer paper transfer relationship. For this purpose, the powder container 10 is installed in the dead space generated to reduce the size of the entire image forming apparatus.

  In addition, although the laser printer as the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention is described, any one of a copying machine, a facsimile, a printer, a printing machine, and an ink jet recording apparatus, or at least two or more of these. It is also possible to apply the present invention to a multi-function machine that combines the above.

Next, the basic operation of this image forming apparatus will be described.
In FIG. 45, when the feed roller 32 is rotated by a paper feed signal from a control unit of the image forming apparatus (not shown), only the uppermost paper P stacked on the paper feed cassette 30 is separated and fed to the paper feed path 31. Sent out. When the leading edge of the paper P reaches the nip portion of the timing roller pair 14, the timing is synchronized with the toner image formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16, and the paper P is slackened to correct the leading edge skew of the paper P. Wait in the state of forming.

  The image forming operation will be described by taking one process unit 1K as an example. First, the surface of the photoreceptor 2K is charged to a uniform high potential by the charging device 4K. Based on the image data, the surface of the photoreceptor 2K is irradiated with the laser beam L from the exposure device 7, and the potential of the irradiated portion is lowered to form an electrostatic latent image. Unused black toner is supplied from the toner bottle 6K to the developing device 5K.

  The toner is transferred to the surface portion of the photoreceptor 2K on which the electrostatic latent image is formed by the developing device 5K, and a black toner image is formed (developed). Then, the toner image formed on the photoreceptor 2K is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 16.

  The drum cleaning device 3K removes residual toner adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor 2K after the intermediate transfer process. The removed residual toner is sent to a waste toner container in the process unit 1K and collected by a waste toner transport unit (not shown). Further, a static elimination device (not shown) neutralizes residual charges on the photoreceptor 2K after cleaning.

  In the process units 1Y, 1M, and 1C for the respective colors, toner images are similarly formed on the photoreceptors 2Y, 2M, and 2C, and transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 16 so that the respective color toner images are overlapped.

  When each color toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 16 so as to overlap, the timing roller pair 14 and the feeding roller 32 start to drive, and take timing (synchronization) with the toner image superimposed and transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 16. The paper P is sent to the secondary transfer roller 20. Then, the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 16 is transferred to the fed paper P by the secondary transfer nip of the secondary transfer roller 20.

  The paper P to which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 34 through the post-transfer conveyance path 33. The paper P sent to the fixing device 34 is sandwiched between the fixing roller 34a and the pressure roller 34b, and the unfixed toner image is heated and pressed to be fixed on the paper P. The sheet P on which the toner image is fixed is sent out from the fixing device 34 to the post-fixing conveyance path 35.

  At the timing when the paper P is sent out from the fixing device 34, the switching member 42 is in the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 45, and the vicinity of the end of the post-fixing conveyance path 35 is open. The paper P sent out from the fixing device 34 passes through the post-fixing conveyance path 35, is sandwiched between the paper discharge roller pair 37, and is discharged to the paper discharge tray 44.

  When performing duplex printing, when the trailing edge of the paper P conveyed by the paper discharge roller pair 37 passes through the post-fixing conveyance path 35, the switching member 42 swings to the position indicated by the dotted line in FIG. The vicinity of the end of the path 35 is closed. At substantially the same time, the paper discharge roller pair 37 rotates in the reverse direction, and the paper P is fed back and enters the reverse conveyance path 41.

  The sheet P transported in the reverse transport path 41 passes through the reverse transport roller pair 43, reaches the timing roller pair 14, and is sent out in synchronism with the toner image for the back surface formed on the intermediate transfer belt 16. A toner image is transferred to the back surface of the paper P when passing through the secondary transfer roller 20. After the toner image on the back surface of the paper P is fixed by the fixing device 34, the toner image is discharged to the paper discharge tray 44 through the post-fixing conveyance path 35, the paper discharge path 36, and the paper discharge roller pair 37 in order.

  Further, after the toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 16 is transferred to the paper P, residual toner adheres on the intermediate transfer belt 16. This residual toner is removed from the intermediate transfer belt 16 by the belt cleaning device 21. The toner removed from the intermediate transfer belt 16 is transported to an entrance (not shown) of the powder container 10 by a waste toner transport unit (not shown) and collected in the powder container 10.

  The configuration, operation, and effects of the embodiment of the present invention described above are summarized as follows.

(Configuration 1)
A developer replenishing device 50 for replenishing a developer from outside the image forming apparatus to an image forming apparatus including a developing unit 5 that forms an image using a developer and a driving unit M that generates a driving force. The transfer means 54 and 55 for transferring the developer to the image forming apparatus and the drive means M of the image forming apparatus are detachable, and the driving force of the drive means M is transmitted to the transfer means 54 and 55. A developer replenishing device, comprising:

  According to the configuration 1, the driving force is transmitted from the driving unit M on the image forming apparatus side to the transfer units 54 and 55 on the developer supply apparatus 50 side by connecting the transmission member to the driving unit M on the image forming apparatus side. It becomes possible. For this reason, the developer replenishing device 50 does not need to be provided with a unique drive source, so that the size and weight of the device can be reduced, and cost reduction and energy saving can be realized. Further, since the developer replenishing device 50 having such a configuration is excellent in miniaturization and weight reduction, for example, in the business of renting the developer replenishing device alone, the developer replenishing device can be rented between the rental company and the user , It is easy to carry out delivery for return, replacement, toner refilling, and repair.

(Configuration 2)
The driving means M has a driving side connecting portion, the transmission member has a passive side connecting portion that can be attached to and detached from the driving side connecting portion, and the passive side connecting portion is connected to the driving side connecting portion. 2. The developer replenishing device according to configuration 1, wherein the driving force can be transmitted from the driving means M in a state where the developer is supplied.

  According to Configuration 2, it is possible to transmit the driving force from the driving unit M to the transfer units 54 and 55 by connecting the passive side coupling unit to the driving side coupling unit.

(Configuration 3)
The developer supply device according to Configuration 2, wherein the driving side connecting portion and the passive side connecting portion are coupling-type connecting portions 91 and 92 that are axially connectable to each other.

  According to the structure 3, it can be mutually connected by a simple structure by making both connection parts into the coupling-type connection parts 91 and 92.

(Configuration 4)
The developer replenishing device according to Configuration 2, wherein the driving side connecting portion and the passive side connecting portion can be connected to each other by meshing of gears.

  According to the configuration 4, it is possible to stabilize the drive transmission performance by enabling both the connecting portions to be connected to each other by meshing the gears. In addition, the structure is simple and the economy, reliability, and maintenance are excellent.

(Configuration 5)
One of the drive side coupling portion and the passive side coupling portion rotates about the rotation axis of the fixed gear 82 while meshing with the fixed gear 82 whose position of the rotation shaft is fixed, and the other side gear which the other has. 73. The developer replenishing device according to Configuration 4, comprising a rotating gear 81 that is movable in a direction approaching and separating from 73.

  According to the configuration 5, the rotation gear 81 can move in a direction approaching and separating from the counterpart gear 73, so that the relative position of the developer supply device main body 200 with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 100 is slightly shifted. However, the shift is absorbed by the movement of the rotating gear 81, and the meshing state of the rotating gear 81 and the counterpart gear 73 can be maintained well. As a result, it is possible to avoid the teeth of both gears from biting too much and the tip of one tooth to interfere with the bottom of the other tooth, and conversely, the tooth is too far away. Generation and poor driving force transmission can be prevented.

(Configuration 6)
6. The developer replenishing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 5, wherein locking portions 65 and 128 that can be engaged and disengaged with respect to the locked portions 70 and 129 provided in the image forming apparatus main body 100 are provided.

  According to Configuration 6, by locking the locking portions 65 and 128 to the locked portions 70 and 129, the relative position of the developer supply device main body 200 with respect to the image forming apparatus main body 100 can be fixed. The connection state of the driving side connecting portion and the passive side connecting portion is securely held, and stable driving force transmission is possible.

(Configuration 7)
The movable portion is switchable between a lockable state in which the locking portion can be locked to the locked portion 70 and a lockable state in which the locking portion 70 cannot be locked. The developer replenishing device according to configuration 6, wherein the engaging portion 65 is provided, and an operation portion 66 for engaging and disengaging the movable engaging portion 65 with respect to the engaged portion 70 is provided.

  According to Configuration 7, by operating the operation portion 66, the movable locking portion 65 can be switched between a lockable state and a lockable state, and the operability is excellent.

(Configuration 8)
The configuration according to Configuration 7, wherein a fixed locking portion 128 that is locked to a locked portion 129 that is different from the locked portion 70 to which the movable locking portion 65 is locked is provided as the locking portion. Developer supply device.

  According to Configuration 8, by providing the fixed locking portion 128 in addition to the movable locking portion 65, it is possible to easily determine the relative position between the developer supply device main body 200 and the image forming apparatus main body 100. Thus, the installation workability of the developer supply device 50 is improved.

(Configuration 9)
The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 1 to 8, wherein the transfer units 54 and 55 are configured to be able to transmit a driving force from the driving unit M via an outer wall of the image forming apparatus main body 100.

  According to Configuration 9, the driving force can be transmitted from the driving means M on the image forming apparatus side to the transfer means 54 and 55 on the developer supply apparatus 50 side through the outer wall of the image forming apparatus main body 100.

(Configuration 10)
A supply path for supplying the developer transferred by the transfer means 54 and 55 to the developing means 5 is configured, and the tip of the portion exposed to the outside from the developer supply apparatus main body 200 is on the image forming apparatus side. The developer replenishing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 9, further comprising a supply pipe 56 configured to be detachable with respect to the connection portion 68 provided in the configuration.

  According to the configuration 10, the developer can be transferred to the image forming apparatus side via the supply pipe 56.

(Configuration 11)
The developer supply device according to Configuration 10, wherein a supply pipe holding portion 89 is provided to hold a portion of the supply pipe 56 exposed to the outside from the developer supply device main body 200 to the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 11, when the developer supply device 50 is not used or transported, the supply pipe holding portion 89 can hold a portion of the supply tube 56 exposed from the developer supply device main body 200. Therefore, the appearance when not in use is good, and the workability during transportation is also excellent.

(Configuration 12)
An image forming apparatus comprising: the drive side connecting portion to which the passive side connecting portion of the developer supply device according to any one of configurations 2 to 9 can be attached and detached.

  According to the configuration 12, the driving force can be transmitted from the driving unit M to the transfer units 54 and 55 by connecting the passive side connecting unit provided in the developer supply device 50 to the driving side connecting unit provided in the image forming apparatus. It becomes possible.

(Configuration 13)
12. An image forming apparatus comprising the connecting portion 68 to which the supply pipe 56 of the developer supply device 50 according to Configuration 10 or 11 can be attached and detached.

  According to the configuration 13, the developer can be transferred to the image forming apparatus via the supply pipe 56 by connecting the supply pipe 56 provided in the developer supply apparatus 50 to the connection portion 68 provided in the image forming apparatus. It becomes.

(Configuration 14)
The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, further comprising a storage unit 52 for storing the developer.

  According to Configuration 14, even if the developer is consumed, it can be used continuously by replenishing the storage unit 52 with the developer.

(Configuration 15)
15. The developer supply device according to Configuration 14, wherein the storage unit 52 is configured to be detachable.

  According to the structure 15, by comprising the storage part 52 so that attachment or detachment is possible, it becomes easy to perform the developer filling operation | work to the storage part 52, and workability | operativity improves.

(Configuration 16)
The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, 14, and 15, wherein the transfer unit 55 is a rotary positive displacement transfer unit.

  According to the configuration 16, by adopting the rotary displacement type transfer means, high quantitative flow rate and high-precision flow rate control of continuous transfer are possible. Further, the rotary displacement type transfer means is excellent in noise reduction, simplification of structure, economy, reliability and maintainability.

(Configuration 17)
17. The developer replenishing device according to Configuration 16, wherein a rotation center of a gear 60 included in the passive side connecting portion or a gear connected thereto is arranged so as to coincide with a rotation center of the rotary positive displacement transfer means.

  According to the configuration 17, it is possible to reduce the cost associated with the reduction in the number of parts and reduce the drive transmission force loss.

(Configuration 18)
The developer supply device according to Configuration 4 or 5, wherein the driving side connecting portion and the passive side connecting portion can be connected to each other by meshing of helical gears.

  According to the structure 18, by connecting both the connecting portions by meshing of the helical gears, the sound (noise) generated by the meshing of the teeth is reduced, and the noise can be reduced.

(Configuration 19)
The gear 60 or 75 included in at least one of the driving side coupling portion and the passive side coupling portion is configured in any one of configurations 4, 5, 17, and 18 configured separately from the rotating shaft 59 or 79 that supports the gear 60 or 75. Developer replenisher.

  According to the configuration 19, by replacing the gears 60 and 75 and the rotary shafts 59 and 79 as separate members, parts can be replaced and maintained.

(Configuration 20)
The developer supply device according to Configuration 5, comprising positioning portions 83b and 76a that contact each other and determine an inter-axis distance of the rotating gear 81 with respect to the counterpart gear 73.

  According to the configuration 20, since the distance between the axes of the rotating gear 81 with respect to the counterpart gear 73 is determined, it is possible to more reliably avoid the teeth of both gears from excessive biting and the driving force. Transmission can be stabilized.

(Configuration 21)
The development according to any one of configurations 4, 5, and 17 to 19, wherein a screw gear 72 is used for at least one of the gears included in the driving side coupling portion and the passive side coupling portion and the gears coupled to these gears. Agent supply device.

  According to the structure 21, since the driving force transmission direction can be switched to the orthogonal direction by using the screw gear 72 for at least one of the respective gears, the degree of freedom in the layout of the driving force transmission path is increased.

(Configuration 22)
At least one of the gears included in the driving side connecting portion and the passive side connecting portion and the gears connected to these gears is provided with a one-way clutch that transmits only the driving force of one-way rotation 4, 5, 17 The developer replenishing device according to any one of 1 to 21.

  According to the structure 22, by providing the one-way clutch in at least one of the gears, the reverse transfer of the developer due to the reverse rotation of the gear can be prevented, and the developer can be stably transferred.

(Configuration 23)
One of the exterior of the image forming apparatus and the exterior of the developer supply device 50 is provided with an opening 200d into which one of the connecting portions can be inserted when the drive side connecting portion and the passive side connecting portion are connected. The developer replenishing device according to Configuration 2, wherein a lid member 67 capable of opening and closing the portion 200d is provided.

  According to the configuration 23, in a state where the driving side connecting portion and the passive side connecting portion are not connected, the opening portion 200d is closed by the lid member 67 so that the user or the like can pass through the opening portion 200d through the driving side connecting portion or the passive portion. It is possible to prevent damage due to contact with the side connecting portion and contamination due to foreign matter such as dust entering the inside.

(Configuration 24)
The developer supply device according to Configuration 23, wherein a biasing member 80 for biasing the lid member 67 in a closing direction is provided.

  According to the structure 24, since the lid member 67 is automatically closed by the biasing member 80, the operability is excellent.

(Configuration 25)
The developer supply device according to Configuration 7, wherein the operation direction of the operation portion 66 and the movable direction of the movable locking portion 65 are configured in the same direction.

  According to the configuration 25, the operation portion 66 and the movable locking portion 65 are configured to be simple by setting the operation direction of the operation portion 66 and the movable direction of the movable locking portion 65 to be the same direction. Can contribute to cost reduction and downsizing.

(Configuration 26)
The developer supply device according to Configuration 7, wherein the operation direction of the operation portion 66 and the movable direction of the movable locking portion 65 are different from each other.

  According to the structure 26, the layout freedom of component arrangement | positioning improves by making the operation direction of the operation part 66, and the movable direction of the movable latching | locking part 65 into a different direction.

(Configuration 27)
The developer supply device according to configuration 7, wherein the movable locking portion 65 is configured to be detachable from the locked portion 70 by rotating the operation portion 66 in forward and reverse directions.

  According to the configuration 27, it is possible to improve the layout freedom of component arrangement by adopting a configuration in which the movable locking portion 65 is engaged and disengaged by rotating the operation portion 66 in the forward and reverse directions. .

(Configuration 28)
28. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 7, 25 to 27, wherein the operation unit 66 is disposed outside the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 28, the operability and visibility of the operation unit 66 are improved by disposing the operation unit 66 outside the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

(Configuration 29)
28. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 7, 25 to 27, wherein the operation unit 66 is disposed on the inner side of the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 29, the developer supply device main body 200 can be downsized by disposing the operation unit 66 inside the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

(Configuration 30)
30. The developer replenishing device according to any one of configurations 7, 25 to 29, wherein corners of the operation unit 66 are formed in a curved shape.

  According to the structure 30, the corner | angular part of the operation part 66 is formed in curve shape, and the safety | security at the time of operation improves.

(Configuration 31)
Any of configurations 7 and 25 to 30 provided with operation state holding means 88a and 87b for holding the operation portion 66 in a state in which the movable locking portion 65 is switched between the locking enabled state and the locking disabled state. The developer supply device according to claim 1.

  According to the configuration 31, the operation state of the operation unit 66 is maintained, so that the drive transmission can be stabilized.

(Configuration 32)
32. The developer replenishing device according to any one of configurations 7, 25 to 31, wherein an index 126 indicating a switching state of the operation unit 66 is provided at a position where it can be visually recognized from the outside.

  According to the configuration 32, the switching state of the operation unit 66 is easily understood, and the operability is improved.

(Configuration 33)
33. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 7, 25 to 32, wherein the operation unit 66 has a color different from that of the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the structure 33, the visibility and operability of the operation unit 66 are improved by making the operation unit 66 a color different from the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

(Configuration 34)
The developer replenishing device according to Configuration 8, wherein the fixed locking portion 128 is configured integrally with an exterior of the developer replenishing device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 34, the fixing locking portion 128 is configured integrally with the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200, so that the manufacturing cost can be reduced.

(Configuration 35)
The developer replenishing device according to Configuration 8, wherein the fixed locking portion 128 is configured separately from the exterior of the developer replenishing device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 35, by configuring the fixed locking portion 128 separately from the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200, parts can be replaced and maintained, and the material selection of the fixed locking portion 128 can be performed. The degree of freedom is also expanded.

(Configuration 36)
36. The developer replenishing device according to any one of configurations 8, 34, and 35, wherein the fixed locking portion 128 is provided so as to protrude to the outside with respect to the exterior of the developer replenishing device main body 200.

  According to Configuration 36, by providing the fixed locking portion 128 so as to protrude outward with respect to the exterior of the developer replenishing device main body 200, the visibility of the fixed locking portion 128 is improved, and the disengagement workability is improved. To become better.

(Configuration 37)
37. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 8, 34 to 36, wherein corner portions of the fixed locking portion 128 are formed in a curved surface shape.

  According to the structure 37, the corner | angular part of the fixed latching | locking part 128 is formed in a curved surface shape, and the safety | security at the time of engagement / disengagement work improves.

(Configuration 38)
The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 8, 34 to 37, wherein a plurality of the fixing locking portions 128 are provided.

  According to the configuration 38, by providing a plurality of the fixing locking portions 128, the relative position between the developer supply device main body 200 and the image forming apparatus main body 100 can be determined more easily. 50 installation workability is improved.

(Configuration 39)
The developer replenishing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 11 and 14 to 38, wherein the gripping portion 64 is provided in the developer replenishing device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 39, the developer replenishing device main body 200 is provided with the grip portion 64, whereby the developer replenishing device 50 can be easily transported and installed.

(Configuration 40)
40. The developer supply device according to configuration 39, wherein the grip portion 64 is configured integrally with an exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 40, it is possible to reduce the manufacturing cost by configuring the grip portion 64 integrally with the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

(Configuration 41)
40. The developer supply device according to configuration 39, wherein the grip portion 64 is configured separately from the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 41, by configuring the grip portion 64 separately from the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200, parts can be replaced and maintained, and the degree of freedom in selecting the material of the grip portion 64 is increased. .

(Configuration 42)
42. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 39 to 41, wherein the grip portion 64 is configured to protrude outward with respect to an exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the structure 42, the visibility and operability of the grip portion 64 are improved.

(Configuration 43)
42. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 39 to 41, wherein the grip portion 64 is configured to be recessed inward with respect to an exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 43, the developer replenishing device main body 200 can be downsized.

(Configuration 44)
44. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 39 to 43, wherein the grip portion 64 is provided with a non-slip portion 64c.

  According to Configuration 44, by providing the grip portion 64 with the anti-slip portion 64c, the grip portion 64 can be gripped more reliably, and the developer replenishing device 50 can be more easily transported and installed.

(Configuration 45)
45. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 39 to 44, wherein a corner portion 64a of the grip portion 64 is formed in a curved surface shape.

  According to the structure 45, the corner | angular part 64a of the holding part 64 is formed in a curved surface, and the safety | security at the time of holding the holding part 64 improves.

(Configuration 46)
The developer replenishing device according to any one of configurations 39 to 45, wherein a plurality of the grip portions 64 are provided.

  According to the configuration 46, by providing a plurality of grips 64, it becomes easier to carry and install the developer supply device 50.

(Configuration 47)
47. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 39 to 46, wherein the grip portion 64 has a color different from that of the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the structure 47, the visibility of the gripping portion 64 is improved by making the gripping portion 64 a color different from that of the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

(Configuration 48)
The developer supply device according to Configuration 11, wherein the supply pipe holding portion 89 is configured integrally with an exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 48, the supply cost can be reduced by forming the supply pipe holding portion 89 integrally with the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

(Configuration 49)
The developer supply device according to Configuration 11, wherein the supply pipe holding portion 89 is configured separately from the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 49, by configuring the supply pipe holding portion 89 separately from the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200, parts can be replaced and maintained, and the material selection of the supply pipe holding portion 89 can be performed. The degree of freedom is also expanded.

(Configuration 50)
The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 11, 48, and 49, wherein the supply pipe holding portion 89 is configured to protrude outward with respect to the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 50, the supply pipe holding portion 89 is configured to protrude outward with respect to the developer supply device main body 200, so that the visibility and the mounting workability of the supply pipe 56 are improved.

(Configuration 51)
The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 11, 48, and 49, wherein the supply pipe holding portion 89 is recessed inward with respect to the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 51, the developer supply device main body 200 can be reduced in size by forming the supply pipe holding portion 89 inwardly with respect to the developer supply device main body 200.

(Configuration 52)
52. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 11, 48 to 51, wherein a corner portion 89a of the supply pipe holding portion 89 is formed in a curved shape.

  According to the configuration 52, the corner portion 89a of the supply pipe holding portion 89 is formed in a curved shape, so that when the supply pipe 56 is fitted, the attachment operation can be performed smoothly without being caught.

(Configuration 53)
The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 11, 48 to 51, wherein the supply pipe holding portion 89 is formed in a spherical shape.

  According to the configuration 53, when the supply pipe 56 is fitted into the supply pipe holding portion 89, the attachment work can be performed smoothly without being caught. Furthermore, since it is spherical, the manufacturing difficulty of the supply pipe holding portion 89 is reduced, and it is possible to manufacture with high accuracy.

(Configuration 54)
54. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 11, 48 to 53, wherein the supply pipe holding portion 89 has a color different from that of the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200.

  According to the configuration 54, the supply pipe holding portion 89 has a color different from that of the exterior of the developer supply device main body 200, so that the visibility and the supply pipe mounting workability are improved.

(Configuration 55)
55. The developer supply device according to any one of configurations 1 to 11, and 14 to 54, wherein the height of the developer supply device main body 200 is configured to be equal to the height of the image forming apparatus main body 100.

  According to the configuration 55, the height of the developer supply apparatus main body 200 is configured to be equal to the height of the image forming apparatus main body 100, whereby the upper surface of the developer supply apparatus main body 200 is used as a temporary storage place for paper or the like. It becomes easy and convenience improves.

(Configuration 56)
The developer replenishing device according to any one of configurations 1 to 11 and 14 to 55, further comprising an air supply unit 120 for sending air to the developer to be transferred.

  According to the configuration 56, by supplying air to the developer by the air supply unit 120, the fluidity of the developer is improved, and the developer can be stably transferred.

(Configuration 57)
57. The developer supply device according to configuration 56, wherein an air vent hole 123 for discharging the air to the outside through an air supply path or supply destination supplied by the air supply means 120 is provided.

  According to the structure 57, since air can be discharged | emitted from the air vent hole 123, it can avoid that the atmospheric | air pressure in an air supply path or a supply destination rises, and can prevent scattering of a developer.

(Configuration 58)
The developer replenishing device according to a structure 57, wherein the air vent hole 123 is provided with an air cleaning member that allows passage of air.

  According to the configuration 58, by providing the air purifying member in the air vent hole 123, it is possible to more reliably prevent toner scattering in the air supply path and the supply destination.

5 Development device (developing means)
50 Developer replenishment device 51 Exterior 54 Screw (transfer means)
55 Pump (transfer means)
56 Supply pipe 60 Gear (passive side connecting part, transmission member)
65 Locking part (movable locking part)
66 Operation part 68 Connection part 70 Locked part 73 Gear (Drive side coupling part, mating side gear)
75 Gear (Drive side connecting part)
81 gears (rotating gears, passive couplings, transmission members)
82 Gear (fixed gear)
89 Protruding part (supply pipe holding part)
91 Passive coupling member (passive coupling part, transmission member)
92 Drive side coupling member (Drive side coupling part)
100 Image Forming Apparatus Main Body 101 Exterior 128 Locking Section (Fixed Locking Section)
129 Locked portion 200 Developer supply device main body M Drive motor (drive means)
T Toner (Developer)

Japanese Patent No. 4392844

Claims (13)

A developer replenishing device that replenishes a developer from the outside of the image forming apparatus with respect to an image forming apparatus that includes a developing unit that forms an image using a developer and a driving unit that generates a driving force.
Transfer means for transferring the developer to the image forming apparatus;
A developer replenishing device, comprising: a transmission member that is detachable from the driving unit of the image forming apparatus and transmits a driving force of the driving unit to the transfer unit. The drive means has a drive side connecting portion,
The transmission member has a passive-side connecting portion that can be attached to and detached from the driving-side connecting portion,
2. The developer replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein the driving force can be transmitted from the driving unit in a state where the passive side connecting portion is connected to the driving side connecting portion.   The developer replenishing device according to claim 2, wherein the driving side coupling portion and the passive side coupling portion are coupling-type coupling portions that are axially connectable to each other.   The developer replenishing device according to claim 2, wherein the driving side connecting portion and the passive side connecting portion can be connected to each other by meshing of gears.   One of the drive side connecting portion and the passive side connecting portion rotates about the rotation shaft of the fixed gear while meshing with the fixed gear whose position of the rotation shaft is fixed. The developer replenishing device according to claim 4, further comprising a rotating gear that is movable in a direction of approaching and separating.   The developer replenishing device according to claim 1, further comprising a locking portion that can be engaged and disengaged with respect to the locked portion provided in the image forming apparatus main body. A movable latch that can switch the latching portion between a latchable state that can be latched with respect to the latched portion and a non-lockable state that is not latchable with respect to the latched portion. Part
The developer replenishing device according to claim 6, further comprising an operation portion for engaging and disengaging the movable locking portion with respect to the locked portion.   The developer replenishment according to claim 7, wherein a fixed locking portion locked to a locked portion different from the locked portion to which the movable locking portion is locked is provided as the locking portion. apparatus.   9. The developer replenishing device according to claim 1, wherein the transfer unit is configured to be able to transmit a driving force from the driving unit via an outer wall of the image forming apparatus main body.   A connection which forms a supply path for supplying the developer transferred by the transfer means to the developing means, and a tip portion of the portion exposed to the outside from the developer supply device main body is provided on the image forming apparatus side The developer supply device according to claim 1, further comprising a supply pipe configured to be detachable with respect to the portion.   The developer replenishing device according to claim 10, further comprising a supply pipe holding portion that holds a portion of the supply pipe exposed to the outside from the developer replenishing device main body to the developer replenishing device main body. An image forming apparatus characterized by comprising the drive coupling portion detachably the driven coupling portion of the developer supply device according to any one of claims 2 to 5.   12. An image forming apparatus comprising: the connecting portion to which the supply pipe of the developer supply device according to claim 10 can be attached and detached.