Electrophotography – Image formation – Development
Reexamination Certificate
2000-12-27
2002-04-09
Grimley, Arthur T. (Department: 2852)
Electrophotography
Image formation
Development
C222SDIG001, C399S258000
Reexamination Certificate
active
06370349
ABSTRACT:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION
The present invention relates to a toner storing container used in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine and a printer, a toner replenishing device and toner for electrophotographic development filled in the toner storing container.
A toner storing container and a toner replenishing device used in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic apparatus have been required to cope with high speeds and multiple types of the image forming apparatuses. Namely, the high speeds have required that a toner storing container has a larger capacity, and toner in the toner storing container can be supplied constantly to a developing device. When residual toner in the toner storing container is running low, in particular, it is required that toner remaining on the bottom of the toner storing container is supplied smoothly to the developing unit, and the toner storing container is replaced with new one. On the other hand, multiple types require that each type is made to be common, because a change in a shape of the toner storing container and a change in the toner replenishing device for each type cause a remarkable cost increase. However, if everything is made to be common completely, toner storing containers each containing toner of different color or different type are set erroneously, which is an evil. Therefore, there has been demanded a means to prevent erroneous setting of the toner storing container.
Further, in the past, as a material of a container which is filled with powder such as toner for electrophotographic development used for copies, there have been used metal, paper and plastics. Presently, with regard to a material for a main body of the container, a container which is made of plastic to be almost cylindrical in terms of a shape has become popular. The reason for this is that productivity in manufacturing is excellent, powder such as toner can be filled efficiently, an object filled inside such as toner for electrophotographic development is not adversely affected, and a shape of an engaging section that functions when the container is loaded in a developing unit is relatively easy for manufacture.
Objects filled in these containers are not allowed to leak out of the containers and to scatter in any case of their preservation, transport and installation in an image forming apparatus. Recently, these containers are in a tendency that they are collected and reused for the reasons of conservation of natural resources and prevention of environmental pollution.
However, when reusing the containers, they need to be Classified for separation into members that can be reused if they are just cleaned as they are and those that require to be molded again for reusing, by considering various factors such as a property and cost of a material, guarantee of reliability for reusing, and simplicity (no environmental pollution is emitted) for disposal.
Further, a method to use adhesive agents is not preferable, because manufacture of containers or disassemble and separation of containers for reusing must be easy. In addition, it is important that a member that can not be reused can easily be distinguished, because a big problems is caused if it is reused after being used once.
Presently, however, a container which satisfies all the requirements stated above and toner for electrophotographic development filled in the container have not been manufactured.
SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION
The first object of the invention is to provide, for high speeds of an image forming apparatus, a toner storing container and a toner replenishing device wherein toner in the toner storing container can be supplied constantly to a developing device even when residual toner is running low, and to provide, for multiple types of an image forming apparatus, a toner storing container and a toner replenishing device wherein a structure for preventing erroneous setting of the toner storing container is simple, the basic structures of the toner storing container and the toner replenishing device do not need to be changed, and many types of toner can be distinguished by a slight design change.
The second object of the invention is to provide a powder storing container in which powder such as toner for electrophotographic development is filled wherein filled objects neither leak out nor scatter in any case of their preservation, transport and installation in an image forming apparatus, adhesive agents are not used for assembling, cleaning of a member that can be reused after it is cleaned is easy, it is easy to separate a member that needs to be molded again for reusing from a member that is reused as it is, and a member once used can easily be distinguished, and to provide toner for electrophotographic development filled in the powder storing container.
The first object of the invention is attained by employing either one of the following structures.
Structure 1: A cylindrical toner storing container that engages with a rotation transmitting member of a developing device provided in an image forming apparatus to rotate around the rotation axis integrally with the rotation transmitting member and thereby supplies or replenishes toner to the developing device, wherein the toner storing container has a cylindrical base body that has a toner outlet opening in the vicinity of the rotation axis on one end, the cylindrical base body has on its inner surface a protruded spiral ridge, and the number of the spiral ridges on a cross section of the cylindrical base body is increased as the cross section nears the toner outlet opening.
Structure 2: The cylindrical toner storing container described in Structure 1 wherein the number of the spiral ridges on the cross section of the cylindrical base body stated above is two or more at the portion where the number of the spiral ridges is greatest, and a length of each of the two or more spiral ridges is not less than a length of the circumference of a circle of the cylindrical base body.
Structure 3: A cylindrical toner storing container that engages with a rotation transmitting member of a developing device provided in an image forming apparatus to rotate around the rotation axis integrally with the rotation transmitting member and thereby supplies or replenishes toner to the developing device, wherein the toner storing container has a cylindrical base body that has a toner outlet opening in the vicinity of the rotation axis on one end, the cylindrical base body has on its inner surface a protruded spiral ridge, and has on its outer surface two or more straight grooves in a direction of the rotation axis.
Structure 4: The cylindrical toner storing container described in Structure 3 wherein the number of the spiral ridges on a cross section of the cylindrical base body stated above is increased as the cross section nears the toner outlet opening.
Structure 5: The cylindrical toner storing container described in Structure 4 wherein the number of the spiral ridges on the cross section of the cylindrical base body stated above is two or more at the portion where the number of the spiral ridges is greatest, and a length of each of the two or more spiral ridges is not less than a length of the circumference of a circle of the cylindrical base body.
Structure 6: A toner replenishing device that makes one end of a cylindrical toner storing container having on its one end a toner outlet opening to engage with a rotation transmitting member of a developing device provided in an image forming apparatus to rotate the toner storing container around the rotation axis of the toner storing container integrally with the rotation transmitting member, and thereby makes toner in the toner storing container to be ejected out of the toner output opening to be replenished to the developing device, wherein the toner storing container has a cylindrical base body that has a toner outlet opening on its one end, the cylindrical base body has on its inner surface a protruded spiral ridge, and the number of the spiral ridges on a cross section of the cylindrical base
Nakanishi Tatsuo
Tsuji Yasuaki
Yoshino Masahiro
Bierman, Muserlian and Lucas
Grimley Arthur T.
Konica Corporation
Ngo Hoang
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