BACKGROUND OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

Field of Invention

The present invention relates to a technical field of toner cartridge, and more particularly to a pressurization device for a toner cartridge and a toner cartridge.

Description of Related Arts

In the printing devices such as printer and duplicator, the cylindrical bottle is commonly used; generally, a toner addition port and a toner outlet are respectively arranged at two ends of the bottle; through the toner addition port, toner is fed into the bottle; through rotating the bottle, the toner is transported to the toner outlet and supplied.

The Chinese patent application, CN 201310397964.X, disclosed a helical toner cartridge for the duplicator, comprising a toner cartridge main body, a toner cartridge upper cover, a toner output device, a positioning ring and a stirring blade; a toner addition port is provided at a bottom of the toner cartridge main body; after the toner is fed into the toner cartridge main body, toner transportation is realized through the stirring blade; and the thread on the toner cartridge main body improves mixing and flowing of the toner. In this technical solution, before the toner cartridge main body reaches a service life, the toner can be added repeatedly through the toner addition port.

However, during usage, because the toner cartridge may be idle for a long time, the toner in the toner cartridge, the toner in the passage of the toner output device at the toner outlet, and the toner in other flowing passages of the printing device from the toner outlet will be adsorbed mutually and clumped, and then compacted into the toner block; because the transportation power of the toner mainly depends on the stirring blade and the rotation of the toner cartridge, it is difficult to completely and smoothly eject the toner out of the toner output device, and the transportation speed of the toner is slow, finally resulting in blockage due to accumulation of the toner.

The Chinese patent applications, CN 201810115704.1 and CN 201710384730.X, both disclosed a toner cartridge with a toner output device. Inside the toner output device, through cooperation of multiple precise parts, toner supply is realized. If the toner cartridge is idle for a long time, the residual toner inside the toner output device is easily clumped, and a blockage will occur due to accumulation.

The Chinese patent application, CN 201621358672.0, disclosed a toner leakage-preventing pressure buffering cover for a toner cartridge, comprising a cover body matching with the toner feeding port of the toner cartridge, wherein: a pressure regulating hole is provided on the cover body, penetrating through both of the inner and outer sides; and a pressure regulating elastomer for sealing the pressure regulating hole is arranged at the outer side of the cover body. Although the pressure regulating elastomer can be elastically deformed, it is designed for preventing the toner cartridge from being damaged by the pressure impact when falling, having the different inventive concept from the present invention.

SUMMARY OF THE PRESENT INVENTION

An object of the present invention is to provide a pressurization device for a toner cartridge, so as to solve a problem that fluidity of toner is insufficient when being transported in conventional toner cartridges.

In order to accomplish the above object, the present invention provides a pressurization device for a toner cartridge, comprising:

an inner cover, which is arranged at a toner feeding port of the toner cartridge;

an airbag, which is made of elastic material, wherein: the airbag comprises a fixed end that is fixed to the inner cover and a free end that extends outward from the fixed end; the fixed end is provided with an airbag opening interconnected to an interior of the toner cartridge; and a remaining portion of the airbag is arranged as closed except for the airbag opening; and

a sliding member with a first end connected to the free end of the airbag, wherein: the first end of the sliding member is able to move toward the fixed end of the airbag back and forth, so that the airbag ejects gas into the toner cartridge by means of being compressed.

Preferably, the pressurization device further comprises:

an outer cover, wherein: an elliptical annular groove facing the toner cartridge is formed on the outer cover; a center line of the elliptical annular groove and an axis of the toner cartridge are collinear;

wherein: a slide portion is arranged at a side of the inner cover, closing to the elliptical annular groove; a sliding slot, which penetrates through the slide portion in an axial direction and extends along a radial direction, is provided on the slide portion;

a middle part of the sliding member is able to slide in the sliding slot; a second end of the sliding member is slidably embedded in the elliptical annular groove;

when the slide portion rotates with the toner cartridge relative to the outer cover, the sliding member slides back and forth in the sliding slot, so that the airbag is continuously compressed and ejects gas into the toner cartridge.

Preferably, the inner cover comprises:

a cap portion, which is arranged on the toner cartridge; and

a channel portion, which protrudes from a side, away from the toner cartridge, of the cap portion, wherein: the channel portion has a first air vent formed at a joint with the cap portion, and a second air vent facing outward; the fixed end of the airbag is fixed on the channel portion, the airbag opening corresponds to the second air vent, and the second air vent is sealed by the airbag.

Preferably, the cap portion is connected with the toner cartridge in threaded connection; a reversion-preventing bump is arranged at a tail end of a thread on the toner cartridge, and a reversion-preventing opening is provided on the cap portion; when the cap portion is completely connected with the toner cartridge, the reversion-preventing to opening exactly matches with the reversion-preventing bump.

Preferably, a tubular connection part is formed on the channel portion and extends outward along a radial direction of the toner cartridge; an opening of the connection part is the second air vent; the airbag is bell-shaped, and a bottom opening of the airbag is the airbag opening; the airbag tightly clamps the connection part.

Preferably, an outer circumferential surface of the connection part is inward concave to form an annular second clamping groove; a bottom edge of an inner circumferential surface of the airbag protrudes inward to form an annular protruding part; the protruding part tightly fits the second clamping groove.

Preferably, the slide portion is flat and extends from a rearmost end of the channel portion along the radial direction of the toner cartridge, so that an airbag accommodation space for the airbag is formed between the slide portion and the cap portion.

Preferably, the outer cover is cylindrical; a plurality of clamping pieces are arranged at a first end of the outer cover, closing to the toner cartridge; an outer circumferential surface of the inner cover is inward concave to form an annular first clamping groove; when the inner cover except the cap portion is arranged inside the outer cover, the clamping pieces rotationally fits the first clamping groove.

Preferably, an outer cover end face is formed at a second end of the outer cover, away from the toner cartridge; an end face opening is provided on the outer cover end face; an outer cover cap is arranged at the end face opening; the outer cover cap is integrated with the outer cover end face through ultrasonic welding; a protruding inner annular part is formed on the outer cover cap; an outer annular part, opposite to the inner annular part, is formed at an edge of the end face opening; the inner annular part and the outer annular part are both elliptical; and the elliptical annular groove is formed between the inner annular part and the outer annular part.

Preferably, a first limiting convex edge, which protrudes inward, is arranged on the outer annular part; a second limiting convex edge, which protrude outward, is arranged on the inner annular part; the first limiting convex edge corresponds to the second limiting convex edge, for axially positioning the second end of the sliding member.

Preferably, a threaded hole is provided at the second end of the sliding member; a screw is mounted in the threaded hole; a square platform is arranged at a side of the sliding member, where the second end is located; the square platform matches with inner sides of the sliding slot; a circular platform is between a head and a threaded portion of the screw; the circular platform is limited between the first limiting convex edge and the second limiting convex edge.

Preferably, a screw mounting hole is provided at a bottom of the elliptical annular groove.

Preferably, an outer cover opening is provided on an outer circumferential surface of the outer cover and is close to the screw mounting hole.

Preferably, the sliding member comprises an annular portion and a rod portion; a cylindrical airbag bump is arranged at the free end of the airbag; the annular portion tightly clamps the airbag bump; and the rod portion is connected to a radial side of the annular portion.

Preferably, the free end of the airbag has a plane; the plane is parallel with the axis of the toner cartridge and bonds to the annular portion.

Preferably, fixing ribs, which extend along an axial direction of the outer cover, are arranged on the outer circumferential surface of the outer cover, fox fixing the outer cover.

Preferably, a sealing ring is arranged between the inner cover and the toner cartridge.

The present invention further provides a toner cartridge, comprising the above pressurization device.

Compared with the prior art, the technical solutions of the present invention have beneficial effects as follows.

First, due to the insufficient fluidity of the toner, the toner is easily accumulated and clumped in the toner passage of the printing device when ejected into the toner passage, especially when ejected by the toner output device of the conventional toner cartridge. Aiming at the above problem, according to the present invention, the elastic airbag is arranged at the end of the toner cartridge, where the toner feeding port is located; through continuously compressing the airbag, high-pressure gas is ejected into the toner cartridge, so that the toner surrounding the toner outlet of the toner cartridge will be blown out under the effect of the high-pressure gas and enters the toner passage of the printing device; therefore, fluidity of the toner ejected into the printing device is improved, fluidity of the toner inside each toner flowing passage of the printing device is improved, problems such as easy compaction and clumping of the toner inside the flowing passage of the printing device are solved, and a blockage of the toner at the toner outlet of the toner cartridge and inside the toner passage of the printing device is effectively prevented.

Second, according to the pressurization device provided by the present invention, the airbag is compressed through the sliding member; the sliding member regularly slides back and forth in the straight sliding slot and the elliptical annular groove at the same time; the present invention has a simple and compact structure and a reliable motion.

Third, according to the present invention, the power of the movement of the sliding member along the elliptical annular groove is supplied by the own rotation of the toner cartridge. When the toner cartridge rotates by every half turn relative to the outer cover, the sliding member is driven to slide back and forth once in the sliding slot; therefore, when the toner cartridge transports the toner with the own helical groove, while the toner cartridge rotates by one turn, the airbag ejects the high-pressure gas into the toner cartridge twice, and the toner at the toner outlet is blown out twice. Mixing gas with toner can increase the toner output amount, thereby effectively improving the transportation speed and transportation efficiency of the toner.

