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EP-4741945-A2 - IMAGE FORMING APPARATUS

EP4741945A2EP 4741945 A2EP4741945 A2EP 4741945A2EP-4741945-A2

Abstract

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating developer is attachable and detachable and which is configured to form a developer image on a recording material. The image forming apparatus comprises an image bearing member configured to rotate while bearing the developer image; a developer bearing member configured to bear the developer and supply the developer to the image bearing member; a developer container to and from which the replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the developer to be borne on the developer bearing member, the developer container including a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with the developer from the replenishment container; a transfer portion configured to transfer the developer image on the image bearing member onto a recording material; a supporting tray including a supporting surface that supports the recording material thereon from below; and a discharge portion configured to discharge, in a discharge direction, the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface of the supporting tray. The supporting tray is configured to move between a closed position where the supporting tray closes the replenishment port and an open position where the supporting tray opens the replenishment port. The supporting tray is configured such that a movement of the supporting tray from the open position to the closed position is hindered by the replenishment container in a state in which the replenishment container is attached to the developer container. The replenishment port is the only replenishment port provided in the developer container.

Inventors

  • NOGUCHI, TOMIO
  • SATO, MASAAKI
  • MATSUZAKA, KENJI
  • FUJINAKA, Koji
  • SAMESHIMA, TAKAO
  • TOYOTA, Akitoshi
  • INABA, YUICHIRO
  • IIDA, KENICHI

Assignees

  • Canon Kabushiki Kaisha

Dates

Publication Date
20260513
Application Date
20200313

Claims (8)

  1. An image forming apparatus (1, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H) to and from which a replenishment container (40) accommodating developer is attachable and detachable and which is configured to form a developer image on a recording material, the image forming apparatus (1) comprising: an image bearing member (21) configured to rotate while bearing the developer image; a developer bearing member (31) configured to bear the developer and supply the developer to the image bearing member (21); a developer container (32) to and from which the replenishment container (40) is attachable and detachable, the developer container (32) including an accommodating portion (36) configured to accommodate the developer to be borne on the developer bearing member (31), the developer container (32) including a replenishment port (32a) for replenishing the accommodating portion (36) with the developer from the replenishment container (40); a transfer portion (12) configured to transfer the developer image on the image bearing member (21) onto a recording material; a supporting tray (83, 83B, 83C, 83D, 83G, 83H) including a supporting surface (81) that supports the recording material thereon from below; and a discharge portion (80) configured to discharge, in a discharge direction, the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface (81) of the supporting tray (83, 83B, 83C, 83D, 83G, 83H), wherein the supporting tray (83, 83B, 83C, 83D, 83G, 83H) is configured to move between a closed position where the supporting tray (83, 83B, 83C, 83D, 83G, 83H) closes the replenishment port (32a) and an open position where the supporting tray (83, 83B, 83C, 83D, 83G, 83H) opens the replenishment port (32a), wherein the supporting tray (83, 83B, 83C, 83D, 83G, 83H) is configured such that a movement of the supporting tray (83, 83B, 83C, 83D, 83G, 83H) from the open position to the closed position is hindered by the replenishment container (40) in a state in which the replenishment container (40) is attached to the developer container (32), and wherein the replenishment port (32a) is the only replenishment port (32a) provided in the developer container (32).
  2. The image forming apparatus (1, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H) according to claim 1, wherein the supporting tray (83, 83B, 83C, 83D, 83G, 83H) is supported by an apparatus body (100) to rotate between the open position and the closed position, the apparatus body (100) accommodating the image bearing member (21), the developer container (32), the developer bearing member (31), and the transfer portion (12).
  3. The image forming apparatus (1C, 1D, 1G, 1H) according to claim 2, wherein the supporting tray (83C, 83D, 83G, 83H) is configured to rotate with respect to the apparatus body (100) about a rotational axis extending in a longitudinal direction of the image bearing member (21).
  4. The image forming apparatus (1D, 1G, 1H) according to claim 3, wherein the rotational axis of the supporting tray (83D, 83G, 83H) is provided on an upstream side of the apparatus body (100) in the discharge direction, and wherein the supporting tray (83D, 83G, 83H) is opened to the upstream side while rotating.
  5. The image forming apparatus (1C) according to claim 3, wherein the rotational axis of the supporting tray (83C) is provided on a downstream side of the apparatus body (100) in the discharge direction, and wherein the supporting tray (83C) is opened to the downstream side while rotating.
  6. The image forming apparatus (1D, 1G, 1H) according to claim 4, wherein in a case where the rotational axis, the open position, and the closed position are a first rotational axis, a first open position, and a first closed position, respectively, and wherein the apparatus body (100) includes a reading unit configured to read an image on a document, the reading unit being supported by the apparatus body (100) to rotate, with respect to the apparatus body (100), between a second open position where the replenishment container (40) is capable of being attached to the developer container (32) when the supporting tray (83D, 83G, 83H) is at the first open position and a second closed position where rotation of the supporting tray (83D, 83G, 83H) from the first closed position to the first open position is hindered by the reading unit.
  7. The image forming apparatus (1D, 1G, 1H) according to claim 6, wherein a rotation direction of the reading unit from the second closed position to the second open position is the same as a rotation direction of the supporting tray (83D, 83G, 83H) from the first closed position to the first open position.
  8. The image forming apparatus (1, 1B, 1C, 1D, 1E, 1F, 1G, 1H) according to any one of claims 1 to 7, wherein the developer container (32) includes only one attaching portion to which the replenishment container (40) is detachably attached.

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus that form an image on a recording material. BACKGROUND ART Typically, an image forming apparatus of an electrophotographic system forms an image by transferring a toner image formed on the surface of a photosensitive drum onto a transfer material serving as a transfer medium. In addition, as a replenishment system of developer, for example, a process cartridge system and a toner replenishment system are known. The process cartridge system is a system in which a photosensitive drum and a developer container are integrated as a process cartridge and the process cartridge is replaced by a new one when the developer is run out. In contrast, the toner replenishment system is a system in which the developer container is replenished with new toner when the toner is run out. Conventionally, a one-component developing apparatus of a toner replenishment system in which a toner supply box capable of replenishing toner is connected to a toner conveyance path in which toner is conveyed is proposed (see Patent Literature 1). Toner reserved in the toner supply box is conveyed to the toner conveyance path by a conveyance screw. CITATION LIST PATENT LITERATURE Patent Literature 1: Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. H08-30084 SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION TECHNICAL PROBLEM In recent years, for an image forming apparatus, users have desired various systems such as the process cartridge system and the toner replenishment system described above. SOLUTIONS TO THE PROBLEMS According to one aspect of the present invention, an image forming apparatus to and from which a replenishment container accommodating developer is attachable and detachable and which is configured to form a developer image on a recording material, the image forming apparatus includes an image bearing member configured to rotate while bearing the developer image, a developer bearing member configured to bear the developer and supply the developer to the image bearing member, a developer container to and from which the replenishment container is attachable and detachable, the developer container including an accommodating portion configured to accommodate the developer to be borne on the developer bearing member, and a replenishment port for replenishing the accommodating portion with the developer from the replenishment container, a transfer means configured to transfer the developer image on the image bearing member onto a recording material, a supporting tray including a supporting surface that supports the recording material thereon, and a discharge means configured to discharge the recording material, onto which the developer image has been transferred, on the supporting surface, wherein the supporting tray has an opening portion opening such that the replenishment port is exposed through the supporting surface, and wherein an opening/closing member configured to be movable between a closed position where the opening/closing member covers the replenishment port and serves as a part of the supporting surface and an open position where the replenishment port is exposed is provided. EFFECTS OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a mode of an image forming apparatus can be provided. Other features and advantages of the present invention will be revealed by the following description with reference to attached drawings. To be noted, in the attached drawings, the same or similar elements are denoted by the same reference numerals. BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1A is a section view of an image forming apparatus according to a first embodiment.FIG. 1B is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus.FIG. 2A is a section view of the image forming apparatus.FIG. 2B is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus in a state in which a top cover is open.FIG. 3 is a section view of the image forming apparatus in a state in which a process cartridge is detached.FIG. 4A is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus in a state in which a pressure plate of a reading apparatus is closed.FIG. 4B is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus in a state in which the pressure plate is open.FIG. 4C is a perspective view of the image forming apparatus in a state in which the reading apparatus is open.FIG. 5A is a perspective view of a developer container and a toner pack.FIG. 5B is a front view of the developer container and the toner pack.FIG. 6A is a section view taken along 6A-6A of FIG. 5B.FIG. 6B is a section view taken along 6B-6B of FIG. 5B.FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the toner pack.FIG. 8A is a front view of the toner pack.FIG. 8B is a front view of a first modification example of the toner pack.FIG. 8C is a front view of a second modification example of the toner pack.FIG. 9 is a section view of a first and second toner remainder amount sensors.FIG. 10 is a circuit diagram of the first and second toner remainder amount sensors.FIG. 11A is a sectio