Developer replenishing device for image forming apparatus
A toner replenishing device that provides a container and a device having a high toner volumetric efficiency and a low cost, suppresses vibration during replenishment to a minimum, and stores recovered toner without impairing the volumetric efficiency of unused toner is constituted by a developer replenishing device which is provided with a developer container storing a developer used in an image forming apparatus and replenishes a developing device of the image forming apparatus with the developer in the developer container. The developer container is rectangular in a horizontal direction, and comprises an outside container storing unused developer and a deformable inside container enveloped by the outside container. The developer replenishing device comprises a developer discharging mouthpiece portion for discharging the developer from the interior of the container, which is provided in a lengthwise direction end portion of the outside container, an air supply nozzle, provided in an opposite side end portion to the developer discharging mouthpiece portion in the lengthwise direction, for introducing air into the inside container, and an air pump for supplying air to the supply nozzle.
1. In a developer replenishing device which is provided with a developer container storing a developer used in an image forming apparatus, and which replenishes a developing device of the image forming apparatus with the developer in the developer container,
the developer container is rectangular in a horizontal direction, and comprises an outside container storing unused developer and a deformable inside container enveloped by the outside container, and
the developer replenishing device comprises:
a developer discharge port, provided in the outside container, for discharging the developer from the interior of the outside container;
an air supply port for introducing air into the inside container; and
an air supplying device for supplying air to the air supply port.
2. The developer replenishing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the developer discharge port is provided in a lengthwise direction end portion of the outside container, and the air supply port is provided in an opposite side end portion to the developer discharge port in the lengthwise direction.
3. The developer replenishing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein recovered toner obtained by recovering toner remaining on a photosensitive body of the image forming apparatus following transfer is conveyed into the inside container by the air supplying device through the air supply port.
4. The developer replenishing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the air supplying device includes a uniaxial eccentric screw pump and an air pump for supplying air to an outlet of the uniaxial eccentric screw pump.
5. The developer replenishing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the developer container is attached and detached through insertion and withdrawal in a substantially horizontal direction,
the developer discharge port and the air supply port are disposed so as not to overlap in an attachment/detachment direction, and
when attaching and detaching the developer container, the developer discharge port and the air supply port are fitted to a discharge nozzle and an air nozzle of the developer replenishing device.
6. The developer replenishing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein at least one of a weld and an adhesive is disposed in a plurality of locations in a lengthwise direction of the inside container and in a right-angled direction to a lengthwise direction of an upper surface and a bottom surface thereof such that the upper surface and the bottom surface are held together at a predetermined pressure resistance.
7. The developer replenishing device as claimed in claim 6 , wherein a maximum generated pressure of the air supply device is equal to or greater than the pressure resistance of the adhered or welded portions.
8. The developer replenishing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein a rigid base plate is fixed detachably to a bottom surface of the developer container, and the base plate is fixed by fixing the developer discharge port and the air supply port to the base plate.
9. The developer replenishing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the inside container and the outside container are bag containers formed in a bag shape using a resin sheet, and the inside container is constituted by a thinner sheet than the outside container.
10. The developer replenishing device as claimed in claim 1 , wherein the developing device comprises developer discharge amount detecting means for detecting a developer discharge amount discharged from the developer container, and control means for controlling an activation time of the air supplying device according to a detection result of the developer discharge amount detecting means, estimates a recovered developer amount from a developer replenishing amount detection result, and activates conveying means in accordance with the estimated value of the recovered developer amount.
11. The developer replenishing device as claimed in claim 1 , further comprising developer suction conveying means for discharging the developer through the discharge port by suction and conveying the developer to the developing device.
12. The developer replenishing device as claimed in claim 11 , wherein the developer suction conveying means is a uniaxial eccentric screw pump.
13. In a developer container for storing a developer used in an image forming apparatus,
the developer container is rectangular in a horizontal direction, and comprises an outside container storing unused developer and a deformable inside container enveloped by the outside container, and further comprises:
a developer discharge port, provided in the outside container, for discharging the developer from the interior of the outside container; and
an air supply port for introducing air into the inside container.
14. In an image forming apparatus using a developer replenishing device,
the developer replenishing device is provided with a developer container storing a developer used in the image forming apparatus, and replenishes a developing device of the image forming apparatus with the developer in the developer container,
the developer container is rectangular in a horizontal direction, and comprises an outside container storing unused developer and a deformable inside container enveloped by the outside container, and
the developer replenishing device comprises:
a developer discharge port, provided in the outside container, for discharging the developer from the interior of the outside container;
an air supply port for introducing air into the inside container; and
an air supplying device for supplying air to the air supply port.
15. A developer container comprising:
a first chamber for storing a developer;
a second chamber provided below the first chamber;
a deformable partition for dividing the first chamber from the second chamber;
a developer discharge port provided in the first chamber for discharging the developer from the first chamber; and
a filler supply port for introducing a filler which is air into the second chamber.
16. A developer container as claimed in claim 15 , wherein the second chamber is enveloped by the first chamber.
17. A developer replenishing device comprising:
a developer container comprising a first chamber for storing a developer, a second chamber provided below the first chamber, a deformable partition for dividing the first chamber from the second chamber, a developer discharge port provided in the first chamber for discharging the developer from the first chamber, and a filler supply port for introducing a filler which is air into the second chamber; and
a filler supplying device for supplying the filler which is air to the second chamber.
18. An image forming apparatus comprising:
a developer container comprising a first chamber for storing a developer, a second chamber provided below the first chamber, a deformable partition for dividing the first chamber from the second chamber, a developer discharge port provided in the first chamber for discharging the developer from the first chamber, and a filler supply port for introducing a filler which is air into the second chamber; and
a filler supply device for supplying the filler which is air to the second chamber.