JP2005091847A - Granular substance collection device - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a granular substance collection device which efficiently stores more granular substances inside and is applicable to even a small-sized image forming apparatus. <P>SOLUTION: This device is provided with a box-shaped granular substance storage box which is provided with a slot for granular substances such as waste toner constituting developer nearby its top surface and a granular substance conveyance part which is provided in the inner space of the granular substance storage box and conveys granular substances thrown in the slot along the depth from the slot with larger conveying power nearer the slot. With such constitution, more granular substances can be stored even when the granular substance conveyance part is arranged at a relatively low position in the granular substance storage container. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2005,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to a powder and particle collecting apparatus for storing collected powder and particles constituting a developer.

  Conventionally, the surface of a charged photoreceptor is exposed to form a latent image, the latent image is developed to form a toner image, and the toner image is directly or via an intermediate transfer member, 2. Description of the Related Art Image forming apparatuses that finally transfer onto a recording medium are known. In such an image forming apparatus, normally, a toner image is transferred to another member or a recording medium from an image carrier that temporarily carries a toner image in the process of image formation, and then remains on the image carrier. A cleaning member for removing the waste toner and a toner recovery box for storing the removed waste toner are provided.

  The toner collection box is a consumable item that is replaced with a new toner collection box by the user when the sensor detects that the toner is full. In recent years, the size of the toner collection box has been limited with the downsizing of the image forming apparatus. Further, from the viewpoint of reducing the cost for replacing the toner collection box, as much toner as possible can be placed inside the toner collection box. Is required to be accommodated without gaps. Since the conventional toner collection box has a simple structure with a toner inlet on the top surface, the toner inlet is blocked by the toner accumulated in a mountain shape below the toner inlet, and the toner is still in the toner collection box. Although there is a space for storing the toner, it is detected that the tank is full, and the toner recovery box cannot be used effectively.

  As a method for solving such a problem, a method has been devised in which the toner accumulated in a mountain shape is flattened by swinging the toner collection box and the internal space of the toner collection box is effectively used. . However, this method requires a large space for swinging the toner collection box in the image forming apparatus, which increases the size of the apparatus and causes a considerable impact sound when swinging the toner collection box. There is a problem that it ends up.

There has also been proposed a toner recovery box provided with a transfer means for transferring toner in the depth direction away from the toner inlet at the top of the toner recovery box (see Patent Document 1). According to this method, the toner can be accommodated in the toner collection box on average without causing a large impact sound.
Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-20730

  Here, according to the method described in Patent Document 1, the installation position of the toner transfer means is limited to the upper part of the toner recovery box, and the position where the drive member for driving the toner transfer means is also arranged. Therefore, it is limited to the vicinity of the upper surface outside the toner recovery box. In recent years, the image forming apparatus has been downsized by installing another member so as to straddle the toner collection box or by installing another member so as to fill a gap around the toner collection box. In addition, the toner collection box in which the installation positions of the toner transfer means and the drive member are limited only to the upper part of the toner collection box has a problem that the degree of freedom of such device arrangement is reduced.

  In view of the circumstances described above, the present invention efficiently accommodates a large amount of powders constituting a developer such as a toner and a carrier, and can also be applied to a compact image forming apparatus. It aims at providing a recovery device.

The granular material collection apparatus of the present invention that achieves the above object has an internal space surrounded by a side surface, an upper surface, and a lower surface, and an input port that is formed in the upper portion of the side surface of the internal space. A granular material storage box for storing the granular material constituting the developer in the internal space;
A granular material transfer unit that is provided in the internal space of the granular material storage box and that transfers the granular material charged from the input port in the depth direction away from the input port with a large transfer capacity near the input port. It is characterized by having.

  According to the granular material recovery apparatus of the present invention, the granular material such as the waste toner that has been input is transferred in the depth direction with a larger transfer capability as the vicinity of the input port is increased. Therefore, even when the particle transport unit is provided at a height away from the inlet, it is possible to sufficiently transport the powder to the back of the powder container, Can be efficiently accommodated.

  Moreover, in the image processing apparatus of the present invention, it is preferable that the above-mentioned powder particle transport unit is provided at a height in the internal space at a distance from the input port.

  By applying the granular material transfer part at a height away from the inlet, it can be applied to an image forming apparatus in which other members straddle the granular material recovery device, which has been reduced in size. Can do.

  Further, in the particulate collection device of the present invention, the particulate transportation unit is a spiral shaft having a rotating shaft extending in the depth direction and a larger outer diameter near the input port provided around the rotating shaft. It is suitable for a thing which has a fin and transfers a granular material to the said depth direction by rotating a fin centering on a rotating shaft.

  As the fin has a larger outer shape, the ability to transfer the granular material increases. Therefore, by applying a powder and particle transfer unit having a spiral fin having a larger outer diameter near the input port, the powder and particles input from the input port are transferred with a larger transfer capability as the vicinity of the input port is increased. be able to.

  Further, in the powder and particle collection apparatus of the present invention, the powder and particle transfer unit includes a rotating shaft extending in the depth direction and a spiral shape provided around the rotating shaft and having a pitch that becomes narrower away from the charging port. It is also preferred that the fins have a fin and the fins rotate around the rotation axis to transfer the granular material in the depth direction.

  The wider the pitch of the fins, the greater the ability to transfer the granular material. Therefore, it is also preferable to apply a powder and particle transfer unit having fins whose pitch is narrower away from the charging port.

  Moreover, in the particulate collection apparatus of the present invention, the particulate transportation section includes a rotating shaft extending in the depth direction, and a helical fin provided in a region around the rotating shaft and biased toward the inlet. The fins may move the powder particles in the depth direction by rotating around the rotation axis.

  Spiral fins are provided in areas that are biased toward the inlet, and conversely, by providing areas that are not provided with fins on the side far from the inlet, powder particles are stagnated in areas that are not provided with fins. To do. Thus, you may control the transfer amount of a granular material by stagnating a granular material.

  Moreover, in the granular material collection | recovery apparatus of this invention, it is also preferable that said granular material accommodation box is a thing whose length of a depth direction is longer than height.

  The granular material collection | recovery apparatus of this invention is especially effective when a granular material storage box has a shape long in the depth direction where a granular material is transferred.

  According to the present invention, there is provided a particulate collection device that can efficiently accommodate therein a granular material such as waste toner constituting a developer and can be applied to a downsized image forming apparatus. Can be provided.

  Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a main part of a printer to which an embodiment of the powder and particle collection apparatus of the present invention is applied.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the printer 1 includes four image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K. Each image forming unit includes a photoconductor 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K, and a charging unit. Devices 12Y, 12M, 12C, 12K, exposure devices 13Y, 13M, 13C, 13K, developing devices 14Y, 14M, 14C, 14K, primary transfer members 15Y, 15M, 15C, 15K, cleaning devices 16Y, 16M, 16C, 16K, An intermediate transfer belt 30, an intermediate transfer belt cleaner 31, a secondary transfer body 32, a fixing device 33, and a tension roller 34 are provided.

  The printer 1 is capable of full-color printing, and the symbols Y, M, C, and K added to the end of each of the above components are yellow, magenta, cyan, and black images, respectively. It is a component for formation.

  A basic operation of the printer 1 in image formation will be described.

  First, as preparations for forming an image, the photoconductors 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K for each color are rotated in the direction of arrow A, and contact type chargers are formed on the surfaces of the photoconductors 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K. Predetermined charges are applied by 12Y, 12M, 12C, and 12K, respectively.

  Subsequently, image data representing a color separation image obtained by separating the image into yellow, magenta, cyan, and black is given to the corresponding image forming units 10Y, 10M, 10C, and 10K by the control unit 35.

  Next, toner image formation by the yellow image forming unit 10Y is started, and exposure light corresponding to a yellow color separation image is irradiated onto the surface of the photoconductor 11Y by the exposure device 13Y, so that an electrostatic latent image (electrostatic potential) is generated. Latent image) is formed. The electrostatic latent image is developed by a developing voltage applied to a developing position between the developing device 14Y and the photosensitive member 11Y with yellow toner contained in the developer circulated and supplied by the developing device 14Y. A yellow toner image is formed on the body 11Y. The toner image is transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 30 by the primary transfer body 15Y.

  The intermediate transfer belt 30 circulates in the direction of arrow B, and is synchronized with the timing at which the yellow toner image transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 30 reaches the primary transfer body 15M of the next color image forming unit 10M. The magenta image forming unit 10M forms a toner image so that the next color magenta toner image reaches the primary transfer body 15M. The magenta toner image formed in this way is transferred onto the primary transfer body 15M by being superimposed on the yellow toner image on the intermediate transfer belt 30. Here, when the toner images on the photoconductors 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K are transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 30, the photoconductors 11Y, 11M, 11C, and 11K are cleaned by the cleaning devices 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K. Waste toner remaining on the top is removed. The cleaning devices 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K will be described in detail later.

  Subsequently, toner image formation by the cyan and black image forming units 10C and 10K is performed at the same timing as described above, and is sequentially superimposed on the yellow and magenta toner images of the intermediate transfer belt 30 in the primary transfer bodies 15C and 15K. Is transcribed.

  In this way, the multicolor toner image transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 30 is secondarily transferred onto the paper 200 by the secondary transfer body 32, and the multicolor toner image is conveyed along with the paper 200 in the direction of arrow C, and the fixing device 33. As a result, the color image is formed by being fixed on the sheet 200.

  Here, one embodiment of the powder and particle material collection device of the present invention is a waste toner removed by the cleaning devices 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K shown in FIG. 1, a deteriorated developer, and a waste of the intermediate transfer belt cleaner 31. It collects toner and the like. Hereinafter, first, the cleaning devices 16Y, 16M, 16C, and 16K will be described. Hereinafter, for convenience of explanation, various elements provided in the yellow image forming unit 10Y shown in FIG.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram showing the photoconductor and the cleaning device shown in FIG.

  In the housing 210 of the cleaning device 16Y, a toner holding brush roll 21, a recovery roll 22, a cleaning blade 23, and a transfer auger 24 are provided. The toner holding brush roll 21, the recovery roll 22, the cleaning blade 23, and the transfer auger 24 all have a longitudinal shape extending in the direction along the rotation axis of the photoreceptor 11 </ b> Y, and the toner holding brush roll 21, and The collection rolls 22 are each rotated in the direction of the arrow. Further, the toner holding brush roll 21 and the collection roll 22 are in contact with the photoreceptor 11 </ b> Y, and the cleaning blade 23 is in contact with the collection roll 22.

  The toner holding brush roll 21 temporarily holds the toner remaining without being transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 30 shown in FIG. 1, and discharges the held toner to the photoconductor 11Y at a predetermined timing. The collection roll 22 collects the waste toner that remains and adheres on the photoreceptor 11Y. The waste toner adsorbed on the collection roll 22 is scraped off by the cleaning blade 23.

  The waste toner scraped off by the cleaning blade 23 is scraped off into a waste toner guide space 220 formed by the housing 210 and the cleaning blade 23. Further, the waste toner in the waste toner guide space 220 is transferred by the transfer auger 24 in a direction along the rotation axis of the photoconductor 11Y.

  Next, a description will be given of an embodiment of a recovery unit that transports waste toner removed by the cleaning device into the powder particle collection device, and a powder particle recovery device of the present invention.

  FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating the collection unit and the powder and particle collection apparatus.

  The recovery unit 300 shown in FIG. 3 includes a developer recovery port 310, a toner recovery port 320, a granular material feeding unit 330, and an insertion unit 340. The developer having deteriorated and discharged from the developing device 14Y shown in FIG. 1 is transferred into the developer recovery port 310 by a transfer means (not shown). The waste toner transferred by the transfer auger 24 shown in FIG. 2 is sent into the toner recovery port 320. The waste toner sent to the toner collection port 320 and the developer transferred to the developer collection port 310 are guided to the insertion unit 340 by the powder feed unit 330 and collected in the powder collection device 400. The The granular material collection device 400 is detachably attached to the printer 1 by inserting the insertion portion 340 therein.

  FIG. 4 is a diagram showing the internal structure of the powder and particle feeder.

  The granular material collected at the developer collecting port 310 and the toner collecting port 320 is sent to the granular material feeding unit 330. Further, the waste toner from the intermediate transfer belt cleaner 31 is introduced from the powder collection port 331 and sent to the powder feed unit 330. As shown in FIG. 4, an auger 332 that guides the granular material to the insertion portion 340 is provided inside the granular material feeding unit 330. The granular material guided to the insertion unit 340 is further transferred to the granular material recovery device 400.

  FIG. 5 is a side view of the granular material collection device, and FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the granular material collection device shown in FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 5, the powder collection device 400 includes an insertion port 401 into which the insertion unit 340 of the powder feed unit 330 is inserted, a powder container box 410 that stores the powder, and powder. A sensor 420 that detects that the granular material in the granular material storage box 410 is full and a driving member 430 that drives a leveling member described later are provided.

  In addition, about the granular material collection | recovery apparatus 400, the side close | similar to the insertion port 401 is set as this side, and the side away from the insertion port 401 is demonstrated in the back.

  The granular material storage box 410 has a shape in which the length in the depth direction away from the insertion port 401 is longer than the height. The granular material storage box 410 corresponds to an example of the granular material storage box in the granular material recovery apparatus of the present invention, and the insertion port 401 corresponds to an example of the input port according to the present invention. Here, although not shown, other members enter the space 400A between the insertion portion 340 and the drive member 430, and the printer 1 is reduced in size.

  As shown in FIG. 6, the insertion portion 340 is provided with a powder particle discharge port 341, and the powder material is input from the particle discharge port 341. A leveling member 440 driven by a driving member 430 is provided at a middle height position of the powder and particle storage box 410. The leveling member 440 corresponds to an example of a powder / particle transfer unit in the powder / particle recovery apparatus of the present invention.

  FIG. 7 is an internal configuration diagram of the granular material collection device.

  The granular material introduced from the granular material discharge port 341 of the insertion unit 340 is sent by the leveling member 440 in the depth direction (direction of arrow P) of the granular material storage box 410. When the sensor 420 detects the presence of powder particles in a predetermined area in the powder particle storage box 410, the sensor 420 notifies the control unit (not shown) of the detection result. In response to the detection result from the sensor 420, the control unit notifies the user of the message “powder collection device replacement”.

  Here, the difference from the prior art in the granular material collection device 40 is mainly in the configuration of the leveling member 440, and the configuration and operation of the leveling member 440 will be described below.

  FIG. 8 is a diagram showing the configuration of the leveling member.

  Part (A) of FIG. 8 shows a leveling member 440A in the toner recovery device described in Patent Document 1 (Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 10-20730). The leveling member 440 </ b> A includes a rotation shaft 441 extending in the depth direction and rotated by the driving unit 430 illustrated in FIG. 8, and spiral fins 442 provided at equal intervals around the rotation shaft 411. . The leveling member 440A transports the granular material introduced from the granular material discharge port 341 in the depth direction with a uniform force at any position. When such a leveling member 440A is provided at an intermediate height of the granular material storage box 410 as shown in FIG. 7, the granular material is conveyed in the depth direction by the leveling member 440A, and the granular material is The waste material 440 </ b> A is deposited below, and a wasteful space is generated in the powder and particle storage box 410.

  Part (B) of FIG. 8 shows a leveling member 440B in the present embodiment. Similarly to the leveling member 440A, the leveling member 440B includes a rotation shaft 443 that is rotated by the drive unit 430 illustrated in FIG. 8, and a helical fin 444 that is provided at equal intervals around the rotation shaft 443. However, the outer diameter of the fin 444 is larger as the front fin is larger. The rotating shaft 443 corresponds to an example of the rotating shaft referred to in the present invention, and the fin 444 corresponds to an example of the fin referred to in the present invention. Since the fin 444 has a larger particle diameter transfer capability as the outer diameter is larger, the leveling member 440B as a whole has a greater transfer capability toward the front and a smaller transfer capability toward the back. When such a leveling member 440B is applied as the leveling member 440 shown in FIG. 7, the powder particles are deposited in the order of the region A, the region B, and the region C. Subsequently, the accumulation gradually increases toward the back side of the region C. It is also deposited in region D. Therefore, it is possible to collect a large number of powder particles without leaving a useless gap in the powder particle storage box 410.

  Above, description of 1st Embodiment of this invention is complete | finished, Then, 2nd Embodiment of the granular material collection | recovery apparatus of this invention is described. Here, since the first embodiment and the second embodiment are different only in the configuration of the leveling member, only differences from the first embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

  Part (C) of FIG. 8 shows a leveling member 440C in the present embodiment. Unlike the leveling member 440B of the first embodiment, the leveling member 440C has a plurality of spiral fins 446 having the same outer shape around the rotation shaft 445 rotated by the drive unit 430 shown in FIG. It is provided so that the pitch between the fins becomes narrower toward the back. The rotating shaft 445 is also an example of the rotating shaft referred to in the present invention, and the fin 446 is also equivalent to an example of the fin referred to in the present invention. The wider the pitch between the fins, the more powder particles can be transferred, so that the transfer capability increases. Therefore, even when such a leveling member 440C is applied as the leveling member 440 shown in FIG. 7, as in the first embodiment, the powder particles are in the regions A, B, C, and D. It accumulates in order and the granular material storage box 410 can be used effectively.

  Above, description of 2nd Embodiment of this invention is complete | finished, Then, 3rd Embodiment of the granular material collection | recovery apparatus of this invention is described. In the third embodiment, only differences from the first embodiment and the second embodiment will be described with reference to FIGS. 7 and 8.

  Part (D) of FIG. 8 shows a leveling member 440D in the present embodiment. This third embodiment also differs from the first and second embodiments only in the configuration of the leveling member 440D. In the leveling member 440D, a plurality of spiral fins 448 having the same outer shape are provided around the rotation shaft 447 so as to be biased toward the front area, and the stagnation where the fins 448 are not provided in the rear area. There are a plurality of areas 500. The rotating shaft 447 is also an example of the rotating shaft referred to in the present invention, and the fin 448 is also equivalent to an example of the fin referred to in the present invention. In the vicinity of the stagnation region 500, the powder particles are piled up in a mountain shape, so that the leveling member 440D as a whole has a lower transfer capability in the back direction in which the stagnation region 500 exists, and the fin 448 is unevenly distributed. The transfer capacity increases as the direction increases. Even when such a leveling member 440D is used, a large number of powder particles can be accommodated in the powder particle collection box 410 without waste.

  Here, in the above description, an example of the granular material transfer unit composed of the rotating shaft and the helical fin has been described. However, the granular material transfer unit referred to in the present invention uses a belt-shaped transfer member or the like. May have been.

  In addition, in the above description, the example of the powder collection unit provided with the powder transfer unit provided at an intermediate height of the powder storage box, the powder transfer unit referred to in the present invention, It may be provided in the vicinity of the upper surface of the granular material storage box.

  In the above description, the powder collection device that collects the waste toner remaining on the photoconductor in addition to the deteriorated developer has been described. However, the powder collection device of the present invention can be applied to, for example, an intermediate transfer belt. The remaining waste toner may be collected.

It is a schematic block diagram which shows the principal part of the printer with which one Embodiment of the granular material collection | recovery apparatus of this invention was applied. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a photoconductor and a cleaning device illustrated in FIG. 1. It is a figure which shows a collection | recovery part and a granular material collection | recovery apparatus. It is a figure which shows the internal structure of a granular material feed part. It is a side view of a granular material collection | recovery apparatus. It is sectional drawing of the granular material collection | recovery apparatus shown in FIG. It is an internal block diagram of a granular material collection | recovery apparatus. It is a figure which shows the structure of a leveling member.

Explanation of symbols

10Y, 10M, 10C, 10K Image forming unit 11Y, 11M, 11C, 11K Photoconductor 12Y, 12M, 12C, 12K Charger 13Y, 13M, 13C, 13K Exposure unit 14Y, 14M, 14C, 14K Developer 15Y, 15M, 15C, 15K Primary transfer member 16Y, 16M, 16C, 16K Cleaning device 21 Brush roll for holding particulate matter 22 Recovery roll 23 Cleaning blade 24 Transfer auger 30 Intermediate transfer belt 31 Intermediate transfer belt cleaner 32 Secondary transfer member 33 Fixing device 34 Tension roller 200 Paper 300 Collection unit 310 Developer collection port 320 Toner collection port 330 Powder and particle feeding unit 331 Powder and particle collection port 332 Auger 340 Insertion unit 341 Powder and particle discharge port 400 Powder and particle collection device 400A Space 401 Insertion port 410 powder Accommodating box 420 sensor 430 driven member 440 leveling member 441,443,445,447 rotary shaft 442, 444, 446, 448 fin 500 stagnant region

Claims (6)

An internal space surrounded by a side surface, an upper surface, and a lower surface; and an input port formed in an upper portion of the side surface of the internal space, and the granular material constituting the developer supplied from the input port A powder storage box to be stored in the internal space;
The granular material that is provided in the internal space of the granular material storage box and that transfers the granular material charged from the charging port in the depth direction away from the charging port with a large transfer capability as the vicinity of the charging port is increased. A granular material recovery apparatus comprising a transfer unit.   The said granular material transfer part is provided in the said interior space in the height spaced apart from the said inlet, The granular material collection | recovery apparatus of Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned.   The powder and particle transport unit includes a rotating shaft extending in the depth direction, and a spiral fin provided around the rotating shaft and having a larger outer diameter in the vicinity of the charging port. 2. The granular material collection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the granular material is transferred in the depth direction by rotating around a rotation axis.   The powder / particle transport unit includes a rotating shaft extending in the depth direction, and a helical fin provided around the rotating shaft and having a pitch narrower away from the charging port. 2. The granular material collection apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the granular material is transferred in the depth direction by rotating about an axis.   The granular material transfer unit includes a rotation shaft extending in the depth direction and a helical fin provided in a region around the rotation shaft and biased toward the charging port. The fin is the rotation shaft. 2. The granular material recovery apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the granular material is transferred in the depth direction by rotating around the center of the vertical axis.   The said granular material storage box is the thing whose length of the said depth direction is longer than height, The granular material collection | recovery apparatus of Claim 1 characterized by the above-mentioned.

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