JP2020148998A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

To provide an image forming device capable of efficiently leveling out waste toner without increasing the size.SOLUTION: An image forming device comprises a waste toner container 5 and a toner container 6, the toner container 6 being equipped with a toner agitating member 63 with a rotary shaft 64, and the waste toner container 5 having a shaft hole 53 for the rotary shaft 64 to be inserted. An extended shaft portion 643 of the rotary shaft 64 has protrusions formed on an outer periphery thereof. Operating the toner agitating member 63 causes the extended shaft portion 643 to rotate in the shaft hole 53, shaking the waste toner container 5 coupled with the toner container 6.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 5

Description

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a toner accommodating portion and forming a visible image with toner supplied from the toner accommodating portion.

The image forming apparatus forms an electrostatic latent image according to the image to be printed, and visualizes the electrostatic latent image. Specifically, a photoconductor, a developing device, and the like are provided, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the photoconductor, and the electrostatic latent image is developed by a supplied toner. The toner image formed on the surface of the photoconductor by the development is transferred to, for example, a transfer belt, further transferred from the transfer belt onto the paper, and then fixed on the paper in the fixing device.

When the toner is consumed in the image forming apparatus, the toner is appropriately replenished from the toner accommodating portion. In addition, waste toner, which is untransferred toner that has been recovered after being replenished from the toner storage unit, is stored in the waste toner container.

For example, the toner accommodating portion is replaced with a new one when the toner is empty, and the waste toner container is also replaced with an empty one when the waste toner is full. Since the waste toner is the toner after being used in a series of image forming processes, it has a characteristic that the fluidity is lower than that of the fresh toner before use and it is difficult to uniformly deposit the waste toner in the waste toner container. Therefore, if the waste toner is locally high and accumulates in a mountain shape, the sensor that detects the full state of the waste toner erroneously detects it even though the waste toner container is not full. There was a risk of

Therefore, it has been proposed that a stirring member is installed in the conventional waste toner container or a link member for swinging the waste toner container is installed so that the accumulated waste toner is leveled. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-19912

If the conventional image forming apparatus is configured to install a separate stirring member, link member, or the like in order to level the waste toner in the waste toner container, a driving device such as a motor for driving these is required. In addition, a plurality of link members for rocking are required on the outside of the waste toner container. Therefore, it has been a factor that causes an increase in size of the image forming apparatus.

The present invention has been made in view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of efficiently leveling waste toner without causing an increase in size. It is in.

In order to achieve the above object, the solution of the present invention is an image forming apparatus provided with a toner accommodating portion having a toner container and a waste toner container, and the toner container includes a toner stirring member having a rotating shaft. The waste toner container is connected to the toner container with a shaft hole into which the rotating shaft is inserted, and the rotating shaft extends outward from the toner container toward the waste toner container. It has an extension shaft portion that is inserted and arranged in the shaft hole, a protrusion is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the extension shaft portion, and the extension shaft portion is inside the shaft hole as the toner stirring member operates. The waste toner container connected to the toner container is configured to swing.

According to this specific matter, the waste toner container can be shaken without providing a separate stirring member, link member, etc. in the waste toner container, and the waste toner in the waste toner container is leveled without causing an increase in size of the device. It becomes possible to do so.

More specific configurations of the image forming apparatus include the following. That is, in the image forming apparatus having the above configuration, it is preferable that the inner diameter of the shaft hole is at least larger than the outer diameter of the rotation locus circle of the extending shaft portion passing through the outer surface of the protruding portion. As a result, the rotation of the extension shaft portion makes it possible to stably swing the waste toner container provided with the shaft hole.

Further, in the image forming apparatus having the above configuration, it is preferable that the inner surface of the shaft hole is provided with a follow-up portion protruding inward. As a result, the waste toner container can be shaken more efficiently to level the waste toner.

Further, in the image forming apparatus having the above configuration, it is preferable that the follow-up portion is provided in the vertical direction of the extension shaft portion on the inner surface of the shaft hole. This makes it possible to shake the waste toner container in the vertical direction.

Further, in the image forming apparatus having the above configuration, the follow-up portion may be provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole on the side of the extension shaft portion. In this case, the waste toner container can be shaken in a direction intersecting the rotation axis.

Further, in the image forming apparatus having the above configuration, a plurality of the protrusions may be provided on the outer peripheral surface of the extension shaft portion, and a plurality of the slave protrusions may be provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole. As a result, the number of times the waste toner container is shaken can be increased, and the waste toner container can be shaken more effectively.

Further, in the image forming apparatus having the above configuration, the toner container and the waste toner container are connected to each other so as to be relatively movable via a connecting portion, and the connecting portion is attached to a long hole and a step attached via the long hole. It is preferable that the structure includes the attached screw and the elongated hole is provided so as to correspond to the swing direction of the waste toner container. As a result, the toner container and the waste toner container can be stably connected while allowing the waste toner container to swing.

In the present invention, the waste toner container can be shaken without causing an increase in size, and the waste toner in the waste toner container can be efficiently leveled.

It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows the image forming apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 1 of this invention. It is a perspective view which shows an example of the toner accommodating part provided in the image forming apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows the state which separated the toner container and the waste toner container of the toner accommodating part. It is a perspective view which shows the inside of the toner accommodating part shown in FIG. It is a schematic outside view which shows the toner accommodating part in the image forming apparatus. It is a perspective view which shows typically the shaft hole provided in the waste toner container. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically the shaft hole of the waste toner container and the extension shaft part of the toner container. It is explanatory drawing which shows the shaft hole provided in the waste toner container in the image forming apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 2 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows typically another example of the shaft hole of the waste toner container and the extension shaft part of the toner container. It is explanatory drawing which shows still another example typically of the shaft hole of the waste toner container and the extension shaft part of the toner container. It is a perspective view which shows typically the connection structure of the toner accommodating part in the image forming apparatus which concerns on Embodiment 3 of this invention. It is explanatory drawing which shows the example of the connection structure of the toner accommodating part. It is explanatory drawing which shows an example of the operation panel provided in the image forming apparatus.

Hereinafter, the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

(Embodiment 1)
FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front. The image forming apparatus 1 shown as an example is a monochrome image forming apparatus that performs predetermined image processing on image data and outputs a monochrome image to paper P. In the image forming apparatus 1, the image forming process is performed according to the image data read by the image reading apparatus 24 or the image data transmitted from the outside.

The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention is not limited to the monochrome image forming apparatus, and is a printer, a copier, a facsimile apparatus, or a printer, a copier, a facsimile apparatus, or a printer, a copier, a facsimile apparatus, or a printer, a copier, a facsimile apparatus, or the like, which forms a multicolored and a monochromatic image on a paper P. It may be an image forming apparatus such as a multifunction device having a function.

As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 1 includes an image forming apparatus main body 10 and a document feeding apparatus 11. The image forming apparatus main body 10 is provided with an image forming unit 14. The image forming unit 14 includes an exposure unit 15, a developing unit 16, a photoconductor drum 17 that acts as an electrostatic latent image carrier, a cleaning unit 18, a charging device 19, and a fixing unit 20.

The image forming apparatus main body 10 also includes a paper transport system 30. The paper transport system 30 is provided with a paper feed tray 31, a bypass tray 32, a discharge roller 33, and a discharge tray 34.

An image reading device 24 for reading an image of the original G is provided on the upper part of the image forming device main body 10. The image reading device 24 includes a document placing table 25 on which the document G is placed. A document feeding device 11 is provided above the document placing table 25. The image forming apparatus 1 sends the image of the document G read by the image reading apparatus 24 to the image forming apparatus main body 10 as image data, and records it on the paper P.

The image forming apparatus main body 10 is provided with a paper transport path W1, and the paper feed tray 31 or the manual feed tray 32 supplies the paper P to the paper transport path W1. The paper transport path W1 guides the paper P to the discharge tray 34 via the transfer roller 23 and the fixing unit 20.

The fixing unit 20 heats and fixes the toner image formed on the paper P on the paper P. A pickup roller 35, a transport roller 36, a resist roller 37, a transfer roller 23, a fixing unit 20 (heat roller 21, pressure roller 22), and a discharge roller 33 are arranged in the vicinity of the paper transport path W1.

In the image forming apparatus 1, the paper P supplied by the paper feed tray 31 or the manual feed tray 32 is conveyed to the resist roller 37. The paper P is conveyed to the transfer roller 23 by the resist roller 37 at the timing when the paper P and the toner image on the photoconductor drum 17 are matched. The toner image on the photoconductor drum 17 is transferred onto the paper P by the transfer roller 23.

The paper P then passes through the heat roller 21 and the pressure roller 22 in the fixing unit 20, and is discharged to the discharge tray 34 via the transfer roller 36 and the discharge roller 33. When the image is formed not only on the front surface of the paper P but also on the back surface, the paper P is conveyed in the reverse direction from the ejection roller 33 to the reversing paper conveying path W2. The paper P is inverted on the front and back through the reversing transfer roller 38, guided to the resist roller 37 again, a toner image is formed on the back surface, and then the paper P is discharged to the discharge tray 34.

(Toner housing)
FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of the toner accommodating portion 4 provided in the image forming apparatus 1. The toner accommodating unit 4 is attached to the image forming apparatus main body 10 to supply toner to the developing unit 16 of the image forming unit 14.

The toner accommodating portion 4 is formed as, for example, a replaceable cartridge, and has an elongated box shape along the longitudinal direction Y thereof. A waste toner container 5 is provided on the front side Y1 of the toner accommodating portion 4 in the longitudinal direction Y, and a toner container 6 is provided on the back side Y2. The waste toner container 5 and the toner container 6 are connected to each other.

The waste toner container 5 includes a bottomed box-shaped waste toner container main body 51 and an upper lid 52 that covers the upper portion thereof. The toner container 6 includes a bottomed box-shaped toner container body 61 that is larger than the waste toner container body 51, and a lid 62 that covers the upper part of the toner container body 61.

The toner accommodating portion 4 is inserted into and attached to the image forming apparatus main body 10 along the longitudinal direction Y with the end surface of the inner side Y2 at the head, and is easily removed from the image forming apparatus main body 10 by being pulled out to the front side Y1. It is possible.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing a state in which the toner container 6 and the waste toner container 5 of the toner storage unit 4 are separated, and FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing the inside of the toner storage unit 4 shown in FIG. ..

As shown in the figure, the toner container 6 includes a toner stirring member 63 and a transport screw member 66 in the toner container main body 61. The toner stirring member 63 sends out the toner contained in the toner container 6 to the transport screw member 66 while stirring the toner.

FIG. 4 shows the inside of the toner container 6 from which the lid 62 has been removed. The toner stirring member 63 provided in the toner container 6 has a rotating shaft 64 and a stirring unit 65. The rotation shaft 64 is provided along the longitudinal direction Y and is rotatably supported by the toner container main body 61. The stirring unit 65 stirs the toner by rotating around the axis of the rotating shaft 64 together with the rotating shaft 64.

The rotating shaft 64 extends from both ends of the toner container main body 61 in the longitudinal direction Y, and is provided so as to project outward from the toner container main body 61. The rotating shaft 64 has a protruding end portion 641 protruding from the toner container main body 61 to the back side Y2. The protruding end portion 641 is provided with an engaging portion 642. The engaging portion 642 transmits a rotational driving force from a driving portion (not shown) to the rotating shaft 64.

Further, as shown in FIG. 3, the rotating shaft 64 has an extension shaft portion 643 protruding from the toner container main body 61 toward the front side Y1. The extension shaft portion 643 projects outward from the toner container main body 61 in the direction of the waste toner container 5, and is inserted and arranged in the shaft hole 53 of the waste toner container 5, which will be described later.

The transport screw member 66 rotates around the axis of the transport screw member 66. A spiral plate 661 formed in a spiral shape is provided around the axis of the transport screw member 66. By rotating, the transfer screw member 66 conveys the toner sent from the toner stirring member 63 toward the toner supply port 67, and supplies the toner from the toner container 6 to the developing unit 16.

FIG. 5 is a schematic external view showing the toner accommodating portion 4 in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment. FIG. 6 is a perspective view schematically showing a shaft hole 53 provided in the waste toner container 5 of the toner accommodating portion 4. FIG. 7 is an explanatory view showing an extension shaft portion 643 of the toner container 6 and a shaft hole 53 of the waste toner container 5.

As shown in FIG. 4, the waste toner container 5 is provided with a cylindrical shaft hole 53 into which the extension shaft portion 643 of the rotating shaft 64 is inserted into the end surface of the inner side Y2 of the waste toner container main body 51. There is. As shown in FIG. 5, an extension shaft portion 643 extending outward from the toner container 6 is inserted and arranged in the shaft hole 53.

As shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, the extension shaft portion 643 is formed as a rod-shaped body having a circular cross section. A protrusion 644 protruding outward is provided on the outer peripheral surface of the extension shaft portion 643. The inner diameter of the shaft hole 53 into which the extension shaft portion 643 is inserted and arranged is formed in a cylindrical shape that is at least larger than the outer diameter of the rotation locus circle of the extension shaft portion 643 that passes through the outer surface of the protrusion 644.

On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, the inner surface of the shaft hole 53 is provided with a follow-up portion 531 protruding inward of the shaft hole 53. The follow-up portion 531 is provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole 53 in a ridge shape along the axial direction (longitudinal direction Y shown in FIG. 4) of the extension shaft portion 643. Further, the service protrusion portion 531 is provided so as to be located above the extension shaft portion 643 on the inner surface of the shaft hole 53.

The rotating shaft 64 rotates with the operation of the toner stirring member 63. At the same time, the extension shaft portion 643 rotates in the shaft hole 53. As shown in FIG. 7, when the extension shaft portion 643 rotates, the slave protrusion portion 531 in the shaft hole 53 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the extension shaft portion 643, and the protrusion portion of the extension shaft portion 643 It changes to a state of contacting 644. Further rotation of the extension shaft portion 643 brings the slave protrusion portion 531 into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the extension shaft portion 643 again.

By such a series of operations, the shaft hole 53 provided with the slave protrusion portion 531 is repeatedly moved in the vertical direction Z by the protrusion portion 644 of the extension shaft portion 643, and is raised and lowered. That is, the continuous rotation of the extension shaft portion 643 causes the waste toner container 5 having the shaft hole 53 to swing in the vertical direction Z with respect to the toner container 6. At this time, as shown in FIG. 7, the waste toner container 5 swings in the vertical direction Z with an amplitude of width Z1.

When the waste toner container 5 swings, the waste toner accumulated in the waste toner container 5 is shaken. As a result, the waste toner that tends to accumulate in a mountain shape in the waste toner container 5 can be leveled by the shaking of the waste toner container 5.

The waste toner container 5 can swing in a state of being connected to the toner container 6, and is configured to swing by utilizing the rotation of the rotation shaft 64 of the toner stirring member 63 provided in the toner container 6. .. Therefore, it is not necessary to provide the waste toner container 5 with a separate stirring member or the like for leveling the waste toner, and the space required for the member for leveling the waste toner can be reduced. Therefore, in the toner accommodating portion 4 of the image forming apparatus 1, the waste toner container 5 can be efficiently shaken, and the waste toner can be leveled without causing an increase in size of the apparatus.

The protrusion 644 and the slave protrusion 531 may be formed in any shape, but as shown in FIG. 7, they have an arc shape when viewed from the axial direction of the extension shaft portion 643. It is preferable that it is formed so as to have the outer shape of. As a result, it is possible to rotate the extension shaft portion 643 while smoothly bringing the protrusion 644 and the slave protrusion 531 into contact with each other inside the shaft hole 53.

Further, in the present embodiment, the follow-up portion 531 provided in the shaft hole 53 of the waste toner container 5 may be provided below the extension shaft portion 643 on the inner surface of the shaft hole 53, in which case. Also, the swing direction of the waste toner container 5 can be defined as the vertical direction Z.

(Embodiment 2)
FIG. 8 is an explanatory view showing a shaft hole 53 provided in the waste toner container 5 in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment is characterized in the arrangement form of the sub-collision portion 531 provided in the shaft hole 53 of the waste toner container 5, and other configurations are common to the first embodiment. The description of each component is omitted by showing by a common reference numeral with that of the first embodiment.

In the image forming apparatus 1, the swing direction of the waste toner container 5 may be any direction, and can be defined by the follow-up portion 531 provided in the shaft hole 53. For example, as shown in the first embodiment, the follow-up portion 531 is provided in the shaft hole 53 so as to be located in one of the vertical directions of the extension shaft portion 643, so that the waste toner container 5 is arranged in the vertical direction Z. It will swing to. Further, as shown in FIG. 8, the follow-up portion 531 of the shaft hole 53 may be provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole 53 on the side of the extension shaft portion 643.

In this case, the follow-up portion 531 is provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole 53 in a ridge shape along the axial direction (longitudinal direction Y shown in FIG. 4) of the extending shaft portion 643, and extends on the inner surface of the shaft hole 53. It is provided on the side of the protruding shaft portion 643. More specifically, the follow-up portion 531 is provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole 53 on one inner surface in the left-right direction X orthogonal to the axis of the extension shaft portion 643.

As the toner stirring member 63 operates, the extension shaft portion 643 rotates in the shaft hole 53, so that the follow-up portion 531 of the shaft hole 53 comes into contact with the outer peripheral surface of the extension shaft portion 643 and extends. It repeatedly changes to a state of being in contact with the protruding portion 644 of the protruding shaft portion 643. As a result, the shaft hole 53 repeatedly moves in the left-right direction X with respect to the extension shaft portion 643 (toner container 6). The waste toner container 5 having the shaft hole 53 swings in the left-right direction X with respect to the toner container 6.

When the waste toner container 5 swings, the waste toner accumulated in the waste toner container 5 is shaken, and it becomes possible to level the waste toner that tends to accumulate in a mountain shape. Therefore, also in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present embodiment, the waste toner container 5 can be shaken without providing a separate stirring member or the like for leveling the waste toner, which prevents the apparatus from becoming large in size. It comes off.

The configurations of the protrusions 644 and the slave protrusions 531 that act to swing the waste toner container 5 are not limited to those shown in the embodiment. The extension shaft portion 643 may be provided with a plurality of protrusions 644, or the shaft hole 53 may be provided with a plurality of slave protrusions 531. Further, the extension shaft portion 643 may be provided with a plurality of protrusions 644, and the shaft hole 53 may be provided with a plurality of slave protrusions 531. The number, shape, position with respect to the extension shaft portion 643, and the like of the protrusion 644 and the slave protrusion 531 may be configured in any manner.

For example, as shown in FIG. 9A, one sub-projection portion 531 is provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole 53 so as to be located above the extension shaft portion 643, and the outer peripheral surface of the extension shaft portion 643 is provided. May have a configuration in which three protrusions 644 are evenly provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 9B, one slave collision portion 531 is provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole 53 so as to be located on the side of the extension shaft portion 643, and the outer peripheral surface of the extension shaft portion 643 is provided. There may be a configuration in which the three protrusions 644 are evenly provided. Further, as shown in FIG. 10, two slave protrusions 531 are provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole 53 so as to be located on both upper and lower sides of the extension shaft portion 643, and are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the extension shaft portion 643. May have a configuration in which one protrusion 644 is provided. Although not shown, the plurality of slave protrusions 531 may be provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole 53 on the side of the extension shaft portion 643.

In any of these forms, as the toner stirring member 63 operates, the shaft hole 53 provided with the slave protrusion 531 is repeatedly moved by the protrusion 644 of the rotating extension shaft portion 643, and the waste toner container is used. 5 swings with a constant amplitude. By providing the plurality of protrusions 644 or the slave protrusions 531 in this way, the number of swings per rotation of the extension shaft portion 643 increases, so that the waste toner can be leveled more effectively.

(Embodiment 3)
FIG. 11 is a perspective view schematically showing a connecting structure of the toner accommodating portion 4 in the image forming apparatus 1 according to the third embodiment of the present invention, and FIG. 12 is an explanation showing an example of the connecting structure of the toner accommodating portion 4. It is a figure.

In this embodiment, in addition to the configurations shown in the first and second embodiments, the toner container 4 is characterized by a connecting structure of the waste toner container 5 and the toner container 6. Therefore, the connection structure will be described in detail, and other configurations common to the first or second embodiment will be indicated by the same reference numerals as those of the first or second embodiment, and the description of each component will be omitted.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus 1, the waste toner container 5 can swing in a state of being connected to the toner container 6. The waste toner container 5 is preferably connected to the toner container 6 via the connecting portion 7. As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the connecting portion 7 is provided on one side portion of the toner accommodating portion 4 in the left-right direction X.

As schematically shown in FIG. 11, the connecting portion 7 is provided in the waste toner container 5 and the toner container 6. The waste toner side connecting portion 71 as the connecting portion 7 is provided so as to project to the side of the waste toner container 5 and includes an elongated hole 73 penetrating in a slit shape. Further, the toner-side connecting portion 72 as the connecting portion 7 is provided so as to project laterally of the toner container 6 corresponding to the waste toner-side connecting portion 71, and includes a screw hole 74 provided with a female screw. A stepped screw 75 is screwed into the screw hole 74.

The stepped screw 75 is inserted into the elongated hole 73 from the front side Y1 of the waste toner side connecting portion 71 along the longitudinal direction Y, and is attached to the screw hole 74 of the toner side connecting portion 72. As a result, the waste toner side connecting portion 71 and the toner side connecting portion 72 are joined, and the waste toner container 5 and the toner container 6 are connected.

Also in the present embodiment, similarly to the first or second embodiment, the extension shaft portion 643 rotates in the shaft hole 53 with the operation of the toner stirring member 63, and the waste toner container 5 swings. At this time, the waste toner container 5 can swing while maintaining the connected state with the toner container 6 by using the stepped screw 75 inserted through the elongated hole 73 as a support shaft.

In the form shown in FIG. 11, the elongated hole 73 is provided as a long through hole in the vertical direction Z. As shown in FIG. 12A, the waste toner container 5 is allowed to swing in the opening direction of the elongated hole 73 with the stepped screw 75 as a support shaft. In this case, the waste toner container 5 swings in the vertical direction Z.

In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the first embodiment, it is preferable that the waste toner container 5 and the toner container 6 are connected by the connection structure shown in FIG. 12 (a). As a result, the waste toner container 5 can swing in the vertical direction Z while maintaining the connected state with the toner container 6.

Further, as shown in FIG. 12B, the elongated hole 73 may be provided as a long through hole in the left-right direction X. In this case, the waste toner container 5 swings in the left-right direction X, which is the opening direction of the elongated hole 73. In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the second embodiment, it is preferable that the waste toner container 5 and the toner container 6 are connected by the connecting structure shown in FIG. 12B. As a result, the waste toner container 5 can swing in the left-right direction X while maintaining the connected state with the toner container 6.

Since the connecting structure of the toner accommodating portion 4 in the image forming apparatus 1 is configured in this way, the waste toner container 5 and the toner container 6 are stably connected while allowing the waste toner container 5 to swing. be able to. The connecting portion 7 may have a configuration in which the elongated hole 73 is provided on either side of the waste toner side connecting portion 71 or the toner side connecting portion 72.

As described above, in any of the above embodiments, when the toner accommodating portion 4 swings, the waste toner container 5 provided in the toner accommodating portion 4 also swings, and the waste toner container 5 also swings. It is possible to even out the waste toner stored in the container. Therefore, the inconvenience that the sensor that detects the full state of the waste toner container 5 erroneously detects and requires frequent maintenance is eliminated, and the waste toner can be efficiently stored in the waste toner container 5. Become. Further, for that purpose, it is not necessary to increase the size of the apparatus, and the waste toner container 5 can be efficiently shaken by utilizing the rotation of the rotation shaft 64 of the toner stirring member 63.

Further, the operation of swinging the waste toner container 5 as described above is performed in conjunction with the toner stirring operation of the toner container main body 61, and at an appropriate timing depending on the number of sheets P on which the toner image is formed, the amount of toner replenished, and the like. Can be done with. For example, the waste toner container 5 can be controlled to be shaken automatically or selectively based on the toner replenishment amount detection operation or the waste toner amount detection operation. Further, it may be configured to urge the user to swing the waste toner container 5 based on the detection operation.

FIG. 13 is an explanatory diagram showing an example of the operation panel 101 provided in the image forming apparatus 1. As an example of selectively swinging, as shown in the figure, when a full state of waste toner is detected, the operation panel 101 may be configured to indicate whether or not the waste toner container 5 can swing. As a result, either "swing mode" in which the waste toner container 5 is shaken by notifying that the waste toner full state has been detected, "replacement" or "cancellation" in which the waste toner container 5 is replaced is performed. It is possible to select. By selecting the "swing mode", the waste toner container 5 can be shaken to level the waste toner in the waste toner container 5, and it is possible to prevent the waste toner container 5 from being replaced more than necessary.

The present invention is not limited to the configuration shown in each of the above-described embodiments, and the shape of the extension shaft portion 643 and the inner surface shape of the shaft hole 53 into which the extension shaft portion 643 is inserted and arranged are the toner stirring members. As long as the waste toner container 5 can be swung by utilizing the rotation of the rotation shaft 64 of 63, it may have another shape. Further, the toner accommodating portion 4 may be a toner cartridge mounted corresponding to each color of a monochrome image or a color image. The present invention can be variously modified within the scope of the claims, and embodiments obtained by appropriately combining the technical means disclosed in the different embodiments are also included in the technical scope of the present invention.

1 Image forming device 12 Mounting part 14 Image forming part 18 Cleaning part 24 Image reading device 30 Paper transport system 4 Toner storage part 5 Waste toner container 53 Shaft hole 531 Follow-up part 6 Toner container 63 Toner stirring member 64 Rotating shaft 643 Extension Shaft 644 Protrusion 66 Conveyor screw member 7 Connecting part 71 Waste toner side connecting part 72 Toner side connecting part 73 Long hole 74 Screw hole 75 Stepped screw

Claims (8)

An image forming apparatus provided with a toner accommodating portion having a toner container and a waste toner container.
The toner container includes a toner stirring member having a rotating shaft.
The waste toner container is connected to the toner container with a shaft hole into which the rotating shaft is inserted.
The rotating shaft has an extension shaft portion that extends outward from the toner container toward the waste toner container and is inserted and arranged in the shaft hole, and protrudes from the outer peripheral surface of the extension shaft portion. The part is provided,
An image forming apparatus, characterized in that the extension shaft portion rotates in the shaft hole with the operation of the toner stirring member, and the waste toner container connected to the toner container swings. In the image forming apparatus according to claim 1,
An image forming apparatus characterized in that the inner diameter of the shaft hole is at least larger than the outer diameter of the rotation locus circle of the extension shaft portion passing through the outer surface of the protrusion. In the image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that a follow-up portion protruding inward is provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole. In the image forming apparatus according to claim 3,
An image forming apparatus, wherein the follow-up portion is provided in the vertical direction of the extension shaft portion on the inner surface of the shaft hole. In the image forming apparatus according to claim 3,
An image forming apparatus characterized in that the follow-up portion is provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole on the side of the extension shaft portion. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that a plurality of the protrusions are provided on the outer peripheral surface of the extension shaft portion. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 3 to 5.
An image forming apparatus characterized in that a plurality of the follow-up portions are provided on the inner surface of the shaft hole. The image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 7.
The toner container and the waste toner container are connected so as to be relatively movable via a connecting portion.
The connecting portion includes an elongated hole and a stepped screw attached via the elongated hole, and the elongated hole is provided corresponding to the swing direction of the waste toner container. apparatus.

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