JP2003162192A - Residual toner recovering device for image forming machine - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a residual toner recovering device for an image forming machine constituted so that a shutter member is made immovable from a shielding position in a state where a toner carrying pipe is pulled out of a toner recovery container. <P>SOLUTION: The residual toner recovering device for the image forming machine is provided with the toner carrying pipe with a toner discharge port at the leading end, the cylindrical shutter member slidably fitted to the leading end part of the toner carrying pipe and equipped with an opening, an elastic energizing means for energizing the shutter member toward the leading end side, and the toner recovery container for storing the residual toner transported through the toner transport pipe. The shutter member is positioned in the shielding position in a state where the toner recovery container is pulled out, and the movement of the shutter member toward the leading end side is controlled by a control means, and also, the movement of the shutter member toward the back side is controlled by a locking means. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2003,JPO

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention removes residual toner adhering to the peripheral surface of a photoconductor in an image forming machine such as a printer, a copying machine or a facsimile machine, and recovers the removed residual toner. Regarding the device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming machine utilizing an electrostatic latent image such as a printer, a copying machine or a facsimile, an electrostatic latent image is formed on a photoconductor and the electrostatic latent image is formed into a toner image by a toner developing device. Then, the toner image is transferred onto a recording paper and fixed to obtain a desired recorded matter. In this case, about 2% of the toner supplied onto the photoconductor from the developing device remains as residual toner, and this residual toner is removed by the cleaning mechanism and collected by the residual toner collecting device.

The residual toner collecting device is equipped with a toner collecting container which is attached to a cleaning mechanism for removing the residual toner adhering to the photoconductor and which stores the residual toner conveyed through the toner conveying pipe. However,
In the case where the cleaning mechanism, the toner transport pipe, and the photoconductor are integrated into a unit, the unit can be detached from the apparatus main body at the time of maintenance or replacement of parts. Therefore, the toner conveying pipe constituting the residual toner collecting device is also detachable from the toner collecting container. For this reason, it is necessary to prevent the toner from scattering from the toner carrying-out port when the unit is pulled out from the apparatus housing, that is, in the state where the toner transport pipe is pulled out from the toner collection container. It is disclosed in Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 62-163085.

A conventionally proposed residual toner collecting device is a toner conveying pipe having a toner discharge port at its tip and an outer periphery of the tip of the toner conveying pipe fitted slidably in the axial direction. A cylindrical shutter member having an opening corresponding to the outlet, an elastic urging means for urging the shutter member toward the front end side, and a toner collecting container for containing the residual toner conveyed through the toner conveying pipe. When the toner transport pipe is pulled out from the toner collection container, the shutter member is positioned by the urging force of the elastic urging means at a shielding position where the toner discharge port and the opening do not face each other, and the toner transport pipe is installed in the toner collection container. In the mounted state, the shutter member is configured to be positioned at the opening position where the toner discharge port and the opening face each other against the urging force of the elastic urging means.

[0005]

Therefore, in the above-described residual toner collecting device, the shutter member is positioned at the blocking position by the urging force of the elastic urging means in the state where the toner conveying pipe is pulled out from the toner collecting container. However, the shutter member can move against the urging force of the elastic urging means. Therefore, when the shutter member comes into contact with an object or an object at the time of attachment / detachment, the shutter member moves to the opening position, toner is scattered and toner stain occurs, image quality deteriorates inside the machine, and indoors contaminate outside the machine. There's a problem.

The present invention has been made in view of the above facts, and its main technical problem is that the shutter member cannot be moved from the shielding position when the toner conveying pipe is pulled out from the toner collecting container. An object is to provide a residual toner collecting device for an image forming machine.

[0007]

In order to solve the above main technical problems, according to the present invention, a cleaning mechanism for removing residual toner adhering to a photoconductor is provided with a toner discharge port at its tip. A toner carrying pipe, a cylindrical shutter member axially slidably fitted on the outer periphery of the front end portion of the toner carrying pipe and having an opening corresponding to the toner discharge port, and the shutter member on the front end side. An elastic urging means for urging the toner conveying pipe and a toner collecting container for containing the residual toner conveyed through the toner conveying pipe are provided, and the elastic urging means is provided when the toner conveying pipe is extracted from the toner collecting container. The shutter member is positioned at a shielding position where the toner discharge port and the opening do not face each other by the urging force of the means, and the toner transport pipe is attached to the toner collecting container, the elastic force is applied to the shutter member. In a residual toner collecting device of an image forming machine configured to position the shutter member at a mounting position where the toner discharge port and the opening face each other against the biasing force of the biasing means, the toner transport pipe is connected to the toner transport pipe. Restricting means for restricting the movement of the shutter member to the front end side of the toner transport pipe at the shielding position in the state of being pulled out from the collection container, and the shutter member being shielded in the state of pulling out the toner transport pipe from the toner collecting container. A lock means for restricting the rearward movement of the toner transport pipe at a position, and a lock release means for unlocking the lock by the lock means when the toner transport pipe is attached to the toner collecting container. A residual toner collecting device for an image forming machine is provided.

It is desirable that the locking means be arranged on the side facing the toner discharge port. The locking means includes a locking projection provided on the toner transport pipe, a groove provided on the shutter member for allowing relative movement of the locking projection, and a locking claw engaging with the locking projection. It has and. Further, the regulating means includes a locking projection provided on the toner transport pipe, a groove provided on the shutter member for allowing relative movement of the locking projection, and an engagement for engaging with the locking projection. It has nails. The lock releasing means is composed of a releasing rod integrally formed with the toner collecting container.

[0009]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT A preferred embodiment of a residual toner collecting device of an image forming machine constructed according to the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a laser beam printer as an image forming machine to which a residual toner collecting device constructed according to the present invention is applied. The illustrated laser beam printer includes a photosensitive drum unit 2 which is detachably arranged in the front-rear direction (the direction perpendicular to the paper surface in FIG. 1) in a substantially central portion of a body housing (not shown). The photosensitive drum unit 2 includes a photosensitive drum 3 rotatably supported by a unit housing (not shown). The photosensitive drum unit 2 is configured integrally with a cleaning mechanism 4 described later. When the photosensitive drum unit 2 is mounted on a body housing (not shown), the photosensitive drum 3 is drivingly connected to a transmission mechanism (not shown), and has a charging area, an electrostatic latent image forming area, and a charging area in a direction indicated by an arrow.
The developing area, the image transferring area, the cleaning area, and the charge removing area are sequentially driven to be rotationally driven. Around this photosensitive drum 3, there are a charging corona discharger 5 in the charging area, a developing device 6 in the developing area, a transfer device 7 in the image transferring area, a cleaning mechanism 4 in the cleaning area, and a discharging lamp 8 in the discharging area. It is arranged. A laser unit 9 as an electrostatic latent image forming means is arranged above the photoconductor drum unit 3. This laser unit 9
For example, projects laser light based on image information output from a computer onto the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 3 in the electrostatic latent image forming area between the charging area and the developing area. The cleaning mechanism 4 may have a known configuration and includes a cleaning case 41, a rubbing roller 42 arranged in the cleaning case 41, a cleaning blade 43, and a toner conveying screw 44.

Next, the operation of the above laser beam printer will be briefly described. While the photosensitive drum 3 is rotated in the direction shown by the arrow, the charging corona discharger 5 charges the photosensitive layer of the photosensitive drum 3 to a specific polarity. Next, laser light is projected from the laser unit 9 onto the photosensitive drum 3 in the electrostatic latent image forming area between the charging area where the charging corona discharger 5 is arranged and the developing area where the developing device 6 is arranged. Then, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image information is formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 3. After that, the developing device 6
Thus, the toner acts on the electrostatic latent image on the photoconductor drum 3 to visualize the electrostatic latent image as a toner image. On the other hand, the recording paper P fed from a paper feeding device (not shown) is temporarily stopped by a pair of registration rollers (not shown), and the transfer device 7 is timed with the photosensitive drum 3 on which the toner image is formed as described above. And the photosensitive drum 3 are conveyed to the image transfer area where they face each other. The toner image formed on the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 3 is transferred to the surface of the recording paper P conveyed to the image transfer area by the operation of the transfer device 7. The recording paper P on which the toner image has been transferred is peeled off from the photoconductor drum 3, conveyed to a fixing device (not shown) to heat and fix the toner image, and then discharged to the outside of the machine housing.

The residual toner adhering to the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 3 after the toner image is transferred from the photosensitive drum 3 to the recording paper P as described above is cleaned by the rubbing roller 42 of the cleaning mechanism 4 and the cleaning. It is removed by the blade 43 and dropped into the cleaning case 41.
The residual toner thus removed from the surface of the photosensitive drum 3 and dropped into the cleaning case 41 is conveyed by the conveying screw 44 to a residual toner collecting device described later. Incidentally. The surface of the photosensitive drum 3 that has passed through the cleaning area is discharged by the discharging lamp 8 in the discharging area.

Next, a residual toner collecting device for collecting the residual toner removed from the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 3 by the cleaning mechanism 4 will be described with reference to FIGS. 2 to 7. The residual toner collecting device 10 in the illustrated embodiment is fitted to the toner transport pipe 11 that is mounted so as to project to the inner side of the cleaning case 41 and the outer circumference of the tip end portion of the toner transport pipe 11 so as to be slidable in the axial direction. Cylindrical shutter member 12 and spring receiver 111 provided on the rear end of the shutter member 12 and the toner transport pipe 11.
And a compression coil spring 13 as an elastic urging means for urging the shutter member 12 toward the front end side.
A toner collecting container 15 for containing the residual toner conveyed through the toner conveying pipe 11 is provided. The toner carrying pipe 11 is made of an appropriate synthetic resin, and a toner discharge port 112 is formed below it. Also,
The toner discharge port 11 is provided at the tip of the toner carrying pipe 11.
Two locking projections 113, 113 are formed on the outer circumference of the upper side opposite to 2, and are formed so as to project in the radial direction, and a locking projection 114 formed on the outer circumference of the side for projection in the radial direction. Is provided. It should be noted that the tip end portion of the toner conveying screw 44 of the cleaning mechanism 4 is inserted and arranged in the toner conveying pipe 11.

The cylindrical shutter member 12 fitted to the tip of the toner carrying pipe 11 is made of an appropriate synthetic resin, the tip of which is closed by an end wall 121, and the toner discharge port is provided below it. An opening 122 corresponding to 112 is formed. A groove 123 is formed on a side portion of the shutter member 12 to allow relative movement of the locking projection 114 in the axial direction, and an engaging claw 124 that appropriately engages with the locking projection 114. It is provided.
It should be noted that the relationship between the locking projection 114 and the engaging claw 124 is as shown in the figure when the shutter member 12 is moved to the front end side by the spring force of the compression coil spring 13 in a state where the toner transport pipe 11 is pulled out from the toner recovery container 15. 3 are configured to engage with each other. At this time, the opening 122 formed on the lower side of the shutter member 12 has the shape shown in FIG.
As shown in FIG. 5, it is formed on the lower side of the toner transport pipe 11 and is positioned at a shielding position that does not face the toner discharge port 112. Therefore, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the toner transport pipe 11 is pulled out from the toner recovery container 15, the toner of the toner transport pipe 11 does not scatter through the toner discharge port 112 and the opening 122. As described above, the locking projections 1 are engaged with each other in the state where the toner transport pipe 11 is pulled out from the toner recovery container 15.
14 and the engaging claw 124 function as a restricting unit that restricts the movement of the shutter member 12 toward the front end side of the toner transport pipe 11 at the blocking position.

A groove 125 is formed in the upper part of the shutter member 12 to allow the two locking projections 113, 113 to move relative to each other in the axial direction, and the two locking projections are formed. Two locking claws 126, 126 are provided which are appropriately engaged with 113, 113. The locking protrusion 1
As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the relationship between the compression coil springs 1 and 13 and the locking claws 126 and 126 is the compression coil spring 1 when the toner transport pipe 11 is pulled out from the toner recovery container 15.
The shutter member 12 is configured to be engaged with each other at the shielding position where the shutter member 12 is moved toward the front end side by the spring force of 3.
The locking projections 113, 113 and the locking claws 126, 126
Due to the engagement with the shutter member 12, the movement toward the rear side is restricted even if the shutter member 12 comes into contact with a human factor or an object, so that the shutter member 12 is locked at the shielding position. As described above, the locking projections 113 and 113 and the locking claw 12 which are engaged with each other in the state where the toner transport pipe 11 is pulled out from the toner recovery container 15.
Reference numerals 6 and 126 function as locking means for restricting the rearward movement of the toner transport pipe 11 at the shutter position of the shutter member 12. In the illustrated embodiment, the lock claws 126, 126 have a rear portion (opening side) at the connecting portion 12.
7 are continuously formed, and the connecting portion 127
An escape recess 128 for allowing relative movement of the locking projections 113, 113 is provided in the. Therefore, the shutter member 12 can be easily assembled from the tip of the toner transport pipe 11.

The toner collecting container 15 is made of an appropriate synthetic resin and is arranged at the back side of a machine housing (not shown). The toner carrying pipe is provided on the wall surface facing the cleaning mechanism 4 as shown in FIG. An insertion opening 151 into which the shutter 11 and the shutter member 12 are inserted is formed. Further, on the wall surface of the toner recovery container 15 facing the insertion opening 151, the two locking projections 113, 113 are provided.
The lock rod 126 is integrally formed with a release rod 152 as a lock release means for releasing the locked state. The release rod 152 is provided with inclined surfaces 126a and 126a of the two lock claws 126 and 126.
Has a width that allows the locking claws 126, 126 to elastically deform on both sides by contacting with the locking projections 113, 113 to release the engagement with the locking projections 113, 113, and the locking projections 113, 113 on the inclined surfaces 126a, 126a. It is provided at a height position where it abuts on the upper side. Thus, in the illustrated embodiment, the locking projections 113, 113 and the locking claws 126, 126 are provided.
Since the locking means consisting of and is disposed on the upper side, which is the side facing the toner discharge port 112 formed on the lower side of the tip end portion of the toner transport pipe 11, the arrangement space can be easily taken,
Further, the release rod 152 as the lock release means can be easily provided.

The residual toner collecting device 10 in the illustrated embodiment is configured as described above, and its operation will be described below. For maintenance and replacement of parts,
When the photosensitive drum unit 2 is pulled out from a machine housing (not shown), the toner transport pipe 11 and the shutter member 12 mounted on the cleaning case 41 of the cleaning mechanism 4 are also pulled out from the insertion port 151 of the toner collection container 15. In this state, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the shutter member 12 is moved to the tip side by the spring force of the compression coil spring 13, and the locking projection 114 that constitutes the restricting means in the state of being positioned at the shield position. Engaging claw 1
When 24 is engaged, the locking projections 113, 113 that form the locking means are engaged with the locking claws 126, 126. In this way, the shutter member 12 is restricted in its movement toward the tip end side by the above-mentioned restriction means, and is restricted in its rear side movement by the above-mentioned locking means in the state of being positioned at the blocking position. Therefore, the shutter member 12 is restricted from moving rearward even if it comes into contact with human factors or an object, so that the toner in the toner carrying pipe 11 is surely prevented from scattering through the toner discharge port 112 and the opening 122. it can.

Next, when the photosensitive drum unit 2 is mounted on a machine housing (not shown), the toner carrying pipe 11 and the shutter member 12 mounted on the cleaning case 41 of the cleaning mechanism 4 are inserted from the insertion port 151 of the toner collecting container 15. It As shown in FIG. 6, the release rod 152 abuts the inclined surfaces 126a and 126a of the two lock claws 126 and 126 provided on the shutter member 12 to elastically deform the two lock claws 126 and 126 laterally. And push open to release the engagement with the locking projections 113, 113. At this time, the tip of the shutter member 12 contacts the inner wall surface of the toner collection container 15. When the toner carrying pipe 11 is further inserted, as shown in FIG.
Is abutted against the inner wall surface of the toner recovery container 15 and its movement is restricted, so that the toner transport pipe 11 moves forward against the spring force of the compression coil spring 13. As a result, the shutter member 12 has moved to the rear side relative to the toner transport pipe 11, and the opening 122 is positioned at the mounting position facing the toner discharge port 112 as shown in FIG. 7. When the shutter member 12 is positioned at the mounting position shown in FIG. 7, the residual toner carried through the toner carrying pipe 11 is discharged into the toner collecting container 15 through the toner discharge port 112 and the opening 122.

Although the residual toner collecting device constructed according to the present invention has been described based on the embodiment applied to the laser beam printer, the present invention is not limited to the embodiment, and various copying machines, facsimiles and the like can be used. Can be applied to the image forming machine.

[0020]

In the residual toner collecting device of the image forming machine according to the present invention, the shutter member fitted to the tip end portion of the toner carrying pipe is at the shielding position when the toner carrying pipe is pulled out from the toner collecting container. Once positioned, movement to the tip side is regulated by regulation means,
Since the movement to the rear side is restricted by the locking means,
The shutter member does not move even if it contacts a human factor or an object when detaching. Therefore, when the shutter member is attached or detached, the shutter member moves due to contact with a human factor or an object, and the toner discharge port provided in the toner carrying pipe and the opening provided in the shutter member face each other, so that the toner is scattered. Can be prevented.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a laser beam printer as an image forming machine to which a residual toner collecting device configured according to the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a side view showing a part of a residual toner recovery device configured according to the present invention in a cutaway manner.

3 is a perspective view of a main part of the residual toner collecting device shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view of essential parts of the residual toner collecting device shown in FIG.

5 is a plan view of a main part of the residual toner collecting device shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounting process of the residual toner collecting device shown in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing a mounted state of the residual toner collecting device shown in FIG. FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

2: Photoconductor drum unit 3: Photosensitive drum 4: Cleaning mechanism 41: Cleaning case 42: Rub roller 43: Cleaning blade 44: Toner transport screw 5: Corona discharger for charging 6: Developing device 7: Transfer device 8: Static elimination lamp 9: Laser unit 10: Residual toner collecting device 11: Toner transport pipe 13: compression coil spring 111: Spring support 112: Toner outlet 113: Locking protrusion 114: Locking protrusion 12: Shutter member 121: End wall 122: opening 123: groove 124: Engaging claw 125: groove 126: Lock claw 127: Connection part 128: escape recess 13: compression coil spring 15: Toner collection container 151: insertion port 152: Release rod

Claims (5)

[Claims] 1. A toner transport pipe equipped with a cleaning mechanism for removing residual toner adhering to a photoconductor and having a toner discharge port at its tip, and an axially slidable outer periphery of the tip of the toner transport pipe. A cylindrical shutter member which is fitted as much as possible and has an opening corresponding to the toner discharge port, an elastic urging means for urging the shutter member toward the tip side, and a residue conveyed through the toner conveying pipe. A toner collection container for storing toner, and the shutter member does not face the toner discharge port and the opening due to the urging force of the elastic urging means in a state in which the toner transport pipe is pulled out from the toner recovery container. In the state where the toner conveying pipe is attached to the toner collecting container in the shielding position, the shutter member is opposed to the toner discharge port and the opening against the urging force of the elastic urging means. In a residual toner collecting device of an image forming machine configured to be positioned in a facing mounting position, in a state where the toner carrying pipe is pulled out from the toner collecting container, the shutter member is moved to a front end side of the toner carrying pipe at a blocking position. Regulating means for regulating the movement of the toner transport pipe, a locking means for regulating the rearward movement of the toner transport pipe at the shielding position of the toner transport pipe with the toner transport pipe pulled out from the toner collecting container, and the toner transport A residual toner collecting device for an image forming machine, comprising: a lock releasing unit that releases a lock by the lock unit when the pipe is attached to the toner collecting container. 2. The residual toner collecting device of an image forming machine according to claim 1, wherein the lock means is disposed on a side facing the toner discharge port. 3. The locking means engages with a locking projection provided on the toner carrying pipe, a groove provided on the shutter member for allowing relative movement of the locking projection, and the locking projection. The residual toner collecting device of the image forming machine according to claim 1, further comprising: 4. The restricting means engages with a locking projection provided on the toner conveying pipe, a groove provided on the shutter member for allowing relative movement of the locking projection, and the locking projection. The residual toner collecting device of the image forming machine according to claim 1, further comprising: 5. The lock releasing means comprises a releasing rod integrally formed with the toner collecting container.
A residual toner collecting device for an image forming machine as described above.