JP2005331832A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To prevent waste toner from being accumulated in a deviated state in a waste toner box for storing the waste toner by providing a mechanism for imparting vibration interlocked with the rotation of a toner bottle to the waste toner box. <P>SOLUTION: In a cleaning device 20 provided to a photoreceptor drum, the waste toner is recovered and carried toward the waste toner box 25 by carrying means 22 and 24. A means for imparting hitting action to the waste toner box 25 interlocked with the rotation of the toner bottle 18 is provided to perform action to level the waste toner so that the waste toner is not accumulated at a deviated position inside the container by making the toner bottle 18 vibrate the waste toner box 25 by the rotation in the case of supplying toner to a developing device. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for producing recording paper using an electrophotographic system, and collects waste toner remaining on the photosensitive drum after transferring the toner image onto the paper and stores it in a waste toner box. The present invention relates to an apparatus provided with means for improving waste toner storage efficiency.

In an image forming apparatus that creates recording paper using an electrophotographic method, even after a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum is transferred to a sheet, a part of the toner remains attached to the surface of the photosensitive drum. . Therefore, the toner and other deposits remaining on the photosensitive drum are removed by a cleaning device and processed so as not to hinder the next toner image. The waste toner scraped (collected) by the cleaning device after the toner image is transferred from the photosensitive drum to the paper includes toner, paper powder, and fine powder adhered to the paper. Is. Conventionally, a general image forming apparatus uses a method in which collected waste toner is stored in a toner collection bottle or the like and discarded together with the bottle at an arbitrary timing. In order to store the waste toner in a container such as a box, if a storage system that naturally drops the toner is used, the waste toner is accumulated in a conical shape with an inclination corresponding to the repose angle. In the upper part of the waste toner box, an unused space remains as a useless space. Therefore, in order to increase the amount of waste toner stored in such a way as to avoid such a useless space, it is preferable to provide auxiliary means for moving the toner laterally in the waste toner box. (For example, see Patent Document 1).
JP 2001-42730 A

  However, in the waste toner box for storing the waste toner, if it is guided to the side of the apparatus using an auxiliary means such as a guide plate for diffusing the toner to increase the amount of waste toner stored, There arises a problem that the manufacturing cost of the waste toner box increases. In addition, if the container such as the waste toner box is formed as a left and right object centering on the inlet, the amount of waste toner can be increased, but the relationship of the empty space of the image forming apparatus recording unit In some cases, it may be required to use a container provided at a position where the charging port is biased toward the end. Therefore, even when such a specially shaped container is used, there remains a problem that auxiliary means must be prepared so that the waste toner accommodating performance can be satisfactorily exhibited.

  The present invention provides means for imparting vibration to a waste toner box by utilizing rotation of a toner bottle that supplies toner to the developing device, and applies vibration to waste toner contained in the waste toner box inside the box. Thus, an object of the present invention is to provide a device provided with means capable of uniformly diffusing.

The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method in which a toner image is formed on a photosensitive drum, the toner image is transferred and fixed on a sheet, and a recording sheet is formed.
According to the first aspect of the present invention, there is provided a cleaning device that removes toner remaining on the photosensitive drum and a waste toner box connected to the cleaning device, and uses rotation of a toner bottle that supplies toner to the developing device. The waste toner box is provided with means for imparting vibration.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, a protrusion is provided around the toner bottle, and the protrusion is combined so as to strike a waste toner box.

According to a third aspect of the present invention, the driving mechanism for rotating the toner bottle is configured to be driven in conjunction with a means for applying vibration to the waste toner box.
Item 2. The image forming apparatus according to Item 1.

  As described above, by providing a means for vibrating the waste toner box using the rotation of the toner bottle for supplying toner to the developing device, the toner bottle is vibrated by the operation of rotating the toner bottle. The waste toner can be stored well. For the operation of applying vibration to the toner bottle, there is no special vibrator or the like, so the structure can be simplified, and the waste toner box can be removed by the operation of supplying toner to the developing device. Since it is vibrated, it is possible to apply an excitation action in conjunction with the state of recording paper creation.

  The image forming apparatus described below is an apparatus that combines the functions of a FAX and a copying machine, or a general recording apparatus, which forms a toner image using an electrophotographic method and carries the toner image on a sheet. It is possible to apply to a device to be made. In the embodiment of the image forming apparatus described below, a recording unit 10 for recording using an electrophotographic method is provided inside the apparatus main body, and an image reading device and an ADF are provided above the apparatus main body 1. The image forming apparatus can be arbitrarily combined. The recording unit provided in the image forming apparatus can be configured as an apparatus that can efficiently operate a photosensitive drum having a long life by using a method of supplying toner from a toner box to a developing device.

  In the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIG. 1, the paper feed unit provided at the lower part of the image forming apparatus 1 is equipped with one paper feed cassette 2, and the paper is fed toward the paper transport path by the paper feed roller 3. A system is used in which the leading edge of the sheet is brought into contact with the registration roller device 4 to be aligned, and the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 of the recording unit 10 is fed in time. Note that a plurality of paper feed trays are installed in the paper feed unit, and a paper of a specified size is selected from an arbitrary paper feed tray as in the case of a commonly used image forming apparatus. The apparatus can be configured to feed paper.

  A recording unit 10 is provided on the upper side of the sheet feeding unit from the sheet feeding tray 2, and a fixing device 6 in which a heat roller and a pressure roller are arranged to face each other on the recording unit 10. Is provided. In the fixing device 6, while the sheet on which the toner image is transferred is nipped between the rollers and conveyed, the fixing unit 6 performs the fixing operation by pressing the toner melted by heat against the sheet by the pressure roller. Then, the paper prepared as the recording paper is discharged toward the discharge tray 8 by the discharge roller device 7.

  As in the case of a general electrophotographic apparatus, the recording unit 10 includes a charging member 12, a writing member 13, and a transfer member around the photosensitive drum 11 along the rotation direction. The rollers 14 are sequentially arranged. A developing device 15 is provided on the downstream side of the writing member 13 with respect to the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum 11, and the developing roller 16 is exposed corresponding to the photosensitive drum 11. In the recording unit 10, the surface of the photosensitive drum 11 is uniformly charged by the charging member 12, and then the image light is irradiated by the writing member 13 to form an electrostatic latent image. A toner image is visualized as a toner image by supplying toner from the developing roller 16 and attaching it to the electrostatic latent image.

  As described above, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 is applied with a voltage having a predetermined value from the transfer roller 14 when the sheet is conveyed while being nipped between the transfer roller 14. To transfer to a sheet. The sheet on which the toner image has been transferred is fixed through the fixing device 6 and discharged to the discharge tray 8 by the discharge roller device 7. Further, after the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 11 is transferred to a sheet, the toner remaining without being transferred is scraped by a rotating brush 21 or a blade (not shown) provided in the cleaning device 20. And is stored in a waste toner box configured as described below.

  The developing device 15 disposed in the recording unit is provided with a means for attaching a toner bottle 18 that contains a large amount of toner and supplying toner from the toner bottle 18 as needed. The new toner replenished from the toner bottle 18 is mixed and homogenized with the toner remaining inside the frame and the toner returned from the developing roller 16 by a stirring means such as a paddle. Further, in the cleaning device 20 arranged on the downstream side in the rotation direction of the photosensitive drum with respect to the image transfer portion of the photosensitive drum 11, the toner scraped off by the brush 21 is transferred by a conveying means such as a screw. 22, the toner is conveyed toward one side of the apparatus main body, sent to the waste toner box 25 using an arbitrary conveying means, and stored inside the box.

  The embodiment of the present invention described in FIGS. 2 and 3 efficiently conveys the toner collected by the cleaning device 20 in the waste toner box 25 and the waste toner box 25 efficiently. The structure of the auxiliary means for this is demonstrated. In the example shown in the above-described embodiment, the waste toner removed from the photosensitive drum 11 by the brush 21 of the cleaning device 20 is transferred to one end of the cleaning device frame by a conveying means such as a screw 22. Be transported. From the cleaning device, it is collected toward the waste toner box 25 by a flexible screw device in which a screw is provided in a pipe, or by using a conveying means that is dropped through a toner guide provided only with a pipe. A conveyance path is configured to convey the toner. Of course, when the apparatus is configured with a margin so that the cleaning device can be provided in a position close to the waste toner box 25, special care must be taken to transport the waste toner. Will disappear.

  In addition to the cleaning device 20, the developing device 15 combined with the photosensitive drum 11 is provided with a toner bottle 18 for supplying toner. When supplying toner from the toner bottle 18 toward the developing device 15, the toner bottle is rotated and fresh toner is supplied toward the developing device 15 from a supply port (not shown). In order to rotationally drive the toner bottle 18, a driving unit combining a driving gear 29 and a driven gear 28 connected to the toner bottle is provided, and the driving unit is operated at a predetermined timing. The amount of toner is replenished. In the present invention, the toner bottle 18 is provided with a protrusion 19 protruding around the toner bottle 18, and the protrusion 19 strikes the waste toner box 25 every time the toner bottle 18 is rotated. It is configured to do. Then, as described above, by applying vibration to the waste toner box, the waste toner box 25 is prevented from accumulating at a biased position, and the toner is uniformly contained inside the box. To be.

  In general, waste toner collected in the waste toner box 25 is a mixture of toner powder, paper powder, and dust floating inside the apparatus. Not good. Therefore, it is necessary to forcibly convey the waste toner by providing a conveying means such as a screw conveyor, in addition to the case where the waste toner can be dropped by tilting the path for conveying the waste toner. Further, when the waste toner is dropped from the insertion port portion where the conveying unit 24 is connected to the waste toner box 25, a mountain having a steep angle is formed in a substantially conical shape with the insertion port 24 as a vertex. In other words, the waste toner is not filled up to the corner of the end of the container. Therefore, by giving the waste toner box 25 the action of the protrusions 19 provided on the toner bottle 18 hitting at a predetermined timing, the waste toner box 25 is given an action of breaking up the waste toner crest and dispersed. Make sure that it does not collect in any place.

  The toner bottle 18 for supplying toner to the developing device 15 is driven by a driving gear 29 at a predetermined timing in conjunction with the rotation of the photosensitive drum or according to a program set in the control device of the device. Then, the drive is transmitted to the driven gear 28. Since the driven gear 28 rotates the toner bottle 18, each time the toner bottle 18 rotates once, the protrusion 19 strikes the waste toner box 25 once or a plurality of times so as to apply an impact. It is composed. The protrusion 19 provided on the toner bottle 18 is made of a soft but highly elastic material so that the waste toner box 25 is not damaged, and noise is generated even when a tapping action is performed. It is preferable to perform an operation of applying vibration to the box using a member that does not occur. When the waste toner box 25 is full of waste toner, the waste toner box 25 is replaced with a new one and discarded. Therefore, the waste toner box 25 can be created at a low cost and can be attached to and detached from the recording unit of the image forming apparatus. Is configured so that it can be easily performed.

  In the relationship between the driving means for the toner bottle 18 disposed in the recording unit and the waste toner box 25, the members are combined so that the protrusions provided on the toner bottle are in direct contact with the waste toner box 25. There are no particular restrictions on what to do. For example, a drive transmission means (not shown) configured separately is provided in combination with the drive gear 29 for the toner bottle 18, and the waste toner box 25 is vibrated using an arbitrary rotation means or link. It is possible to configure a means for imparting the action to be performed. When providing the conduction means as described above. Even when the toner bottle 18 and the waste toner box 25 cannot be arranged at close positions, the waste toner box 25 can be rotated at any time using the means for rotating the toner bottle 18, and the interlocking means. However, it is possible to impart vibrations with arbitrary amplitude and strength to the waste toner box without using a particularly complicated mechanism.

  The interlocking means configured as described above is used to vibrate the waste toner box 25 by rotating the toner bottle 18 and supplying toner to the developing device. Therefore, the rotation of the photosensitive drum in the image forming apparatus is performed. The waste toner box is vibrated according to the operation. Therefore, the amount of collected waste toner gradually increases according to the number of times of image transfer in the recording unit, but the action of imparting vibration to the waste toner box is performed according to the amount of collected toner. As a result, the capacity of waste toner can be improved.

  In the embodiment, the structure of the photosensitive drum arranged in the recording unit 10 and the structure of the writing device, the cleaning device, and the like are not particularly limited. In addition to using a conventionally known screw conveying means, the structure of the conveying means for conveying the waste toner from the cleaning device toward the waste toner box 25 may also constitute a conveyance path that allows the toner to fall by its own weight. Is possible. In addition, as a means for vibrating the waste toner box, in addition to a configuration in which a part of the waste toner box is hit by a protrusion, a means capable of applying other fine vibrations by rotation of the toner bottle is provided. Further, it is possible to improve the waste toner storage capacity in the waste toner box.

FIG. 4 is an explanatory diagram illustrating a configuration of a recording unit of the image forming apparatus. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram of a configuration of an interlocking unit between a toner bottle and a waste toner box. It is a front view of the mechanism of FIG.

Explanation of symbols

  DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus, 2 Paper feed cassette, 3 Paper feed roller, 4 Registration roller apparatus, 6 Fixing apparatus, 7 Ejection roller apparatus, 8 Ejection tray, 10 Recording part, 11 Photosensitive drum, 12 Charger, 13 Writing means, 14 transfer roller, 15 developing device, 16 developing roller, 17 paddle, 18 toner bottle, 19 protrusion, 20 cleaning device, 21 brush, 22/24 conveying device, 25 waste toner box.

Claims (3)

In an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method for forming a toner image on a photosensitive drum, transferring and fixing the toner image onto a sheet, and creating a recording sheet,
A cleaning device for removing toner remaining on the photosensitive drum;
Providing a waste toner box connected to the cleaning device;
An image forming apparatus comprising means for applying vibration to the waste toner box by utilizing rotation of a toner bottle for supplying toner to a developing device.   2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a protrusion is provided around the toner bottle, and the protrusion is combined so as to strike a waste toner box.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the driving mechanism that rotates the toner bottle is configured to be driven in association with a unit that applies vibration to the waste toner box.

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