JP2006053298A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To increase a quantity of residual toner that can be collected, by making the collected residual toner uniform. <P>SOLUTION: When image patterns formed only in the middle are printed in a large quantity, residual toner H accumulates only in the vicinity of the middle. Nonuniform accumulation of the residual toner H fails in correct detection of the quantity of the collected residual toner H. In addition, since the residual toner H naturally falls in a toner collection case 58, heaps and accumulates, it has a low bulk density and a large bulk. By applying minute vibrations to the toner collection case 58, the residual toner H is made even and uniform, so that the correct quantity of the collected residual toner can be detected. In addition, the minute vibration increases the bulk density of the residual toner H and decreases the bulk (volume) of it. This allows the toner collection case 58 to hold the collected residual toner H in larger quantity. Accordingly, the toner collection case 58 can be miniaturized. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2006,JPO&NCIPI

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  As an image forming method of the image forming apparatus, a method using a known electrophotographic process is known. In the known electrophotographic process, an image is formed on a recording medium such as a recording sheet by the following process.

While rotating the photosensitive drum, the photosensitive drum is uniformly charged to a predetermined potential by a charger. The charged photosensitive drum is exposed to form a latent image. The latent image is developed with a developing device to form a toner image on the photosensitive drum. This toner image is transferred to the recording paper, and the toner image is fixed on the recording paper by a fixing device. Residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum without being transferred is removed by a cleaning means and collected in a collection case (see, for example, Patent Document 1).
Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 11-237821

  The removed residual toner has a low bulk density, and the residual toner collected in the collection case has a large volume (volume). For this reason, the capacity of the collection case cannot be utilized effectively.

  Further, for example, if an image pattern having an image only at the center is continuously printed, the residual toner is stored only near the center of the collection case and is not stored near both ends. (See FIG. 7 (a)). Alternatively, when the collection case is tilted, the residual toner is displaced near one end. (See FIGS. 6A and 6B). If the residual toner is not uniform as described above, for example, there is a problem that the amount of residual toner collected cannot be accurately detected.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above problems, and aims to make the residual toner removed and collected uniform and to increase the amount of residual toner that can be collected in the collection case.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein an image carrier that carries a toner image transferred to a transfer medium, a cleaning unit that removes residual toner on the image carrier, and the image carrier by the cleaning unit. A recovery case that recovers the residual toner removed from above, and a vibration unit that vibrates the residual toner recovered in the recovery case.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the first aspect, the image carrier carries a toner image, and the toner image is transferred to a transfer medium. Residual toner remaining on the image carrier without being transferred is removed by a cleaning means and collected in a collection case.

  Then, the residual toner collected in the collection case is vibrated by the vibration means. By this vibration, the residual toner collected in the collection case is leveled and made uniform. Further, since the space between the residual toner particles is dense, that is, the volume is reduced, the amount of residual toner that can be collected in the collection case increases. Moreover, this makes it possible to reduce the size of the collection case.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the configuration of the first aspect, the vibration unit vibrates the collection case.

  The image forming apparatus according to the second aspect vibrates the collection case and applies vibration to the collected residual toner. Therefore, the same effect as in the first aspect is obtained.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the configuration according to the first aspect, the vibration unit includes a penetrating member that penetrates the collection case and a vibration device that vibrates the penetrating member. It is characterized by that.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the third aspect, the vibration device vibrates the penetrating member penetrating the collection case. When the penetrating member vibrates, the residual toner collected in the collecting case is vibrated through the penetrating member, and the same effect as in the first aspect is achieved.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided the image forming apparatus according to any one of the first to third aspects, further comprising a detection unit that detects a collected amount of the collected residual toner.

  In the image forming apparatus according to the fourth aspect, since the residual toner collected in the collection case by the vibration unit is leveled and made uniform, the detection unit can accurately detect the collection amount of the residual toner.

  The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the image carrier includes at least the image carrier, the cleaning unit, and the collection case in the configuration according to any one of claims 1 to 4. The image carrier unit is detachable from the main body of the image forming apparatus.

  According to a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image carrier unit including at least an image carrier, a cleaning unit, and a collection case, and the image carrier unit is detachable from the image forming apparatus main body.

  Therefore, when the image carrier unit is attached or detached, even if the collection case is tilted and the residual toner is offset, the residual toner that is offset becomes uniform by the vibration means. In addition, since each component of the image carrier unit can be replaced at once, maintenance is easy.

  As described above, according to the present invention, the removed and collected residual toner is leveled and uniformed, and the bulk density is increased and the volume is reduced. Therefore, the amount of residual toner that can be collected in the collection case is increased.

  Hereinafter, as an example to which the image forming apparatus according to the present invention is applied, a color printer to which a known electrophotographic process is applied will be described with reference to the drawings. The image forming apparatus to which the present invention is applied is not limited to a color printer described below, and may be a monochrome printer. Further, it may be an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a multifunction machine. In the following description, detailed descriptions of those not directly related to the essence of the present invention are omitted.

  FIG. 1 shows an outline of a color printer 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention. The color printer 10 includes a color printer main body 12, and an open / close cover 16 that is rotatable about a rotation fulcrum 14 is provided on the upper portion of the color printer main body 12. In addition, a paper feeding unit 18 is disposed below the color printer main body 12.

  The paper supply unit 18 includes a paper supply unit main body 20 and a paper supply cassette 22 in which the recording paper P is stored. A feed roll 24 that feeds recording paper P from the paper feed cassette 22 and a retard roll 26 that scoops the supplied recording paper P one by one are arranged in the upper part near the rear end of the paper feed cassette 22.

  The conveyance path 28 is a path for the recording paper P from the feed roll 24 to the discharge port 30. The conveyance path 28 is in the vicinity of the back side (right side in FIG. 1) of the color printer main body 12 and is formed substantially vertically from the paper feeding unit 18 to the fixing device 90. A secondary transfer roll 80 and a secondary transfer backup roll 72 are arranged on the upstream side of the fixing device 90 in the conveyance path 28, and a resist roll 32 is arranged on the upstream side of the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72. Has been. In addition, a discharge roll 34 is disposed in the vicinity of the discharge port 30 of the conveyance path 28.

  Accordingly, the recording paper P sent out from the paper feeding cassette 22 of the paper feeding unit 18 by the feed roll 24 is turned by the retard roll 26 and only the uppermost recording paper P is guided to the transport path 28, and is fed by the registration roll 32. At this time, the toner image is transferred between the secondary transfer roll 80 and the intermediate transfer belt 64 (secondary transfer backup roll 72) at a timing, and the transferred toner image is transferred by the fixing device 90. The toner is fixed and discharged from a discharge port 30 to a discharge portion 36 provided on the upper part of the opening / closing cover 16 by a discharge roll 34. The discharge portion 36 has a low discharge port portion and is inclined so as to gradually increase toward the front direction (left direction in FIG. 1).

  The color printer main body 12 is provided with a rotary developing device 38 at a substantially central portion. Further, on the front side (the left side in FIG. 1) of the rotary developing device 38, a control unit 39 that controls each unit constituting the color printer 10 is disposed.

  The rotary developing device 38 includes developing units 42a to 42d that respectively form toner images of four colors of yellow, yellow, magenta, cyan, and black in the developing unit main body 40. It rotates counterclockwise (counterclockwise in FIG. 1) about the rotary developing device center 44. Each of the developing units 42a to 42d has developing rolls 46a to 46d, and is pressed in the normal direction of the developing unit main body 40 by elastic bodies 48a to 48d such as coil springs.

  The rotary developing device 38 is arranged so that the photosensitive drum 50 rotating about the rotation support shaft 49 is in contact with each other, and the developing rolls 46a to 46d are not in contact with the photosensitive drum 50, respectively. A part of the outer periphery of the developing device protrudes from the outer periphery of the developing device main body 40 in the radial direction by about 2 mm. Further, a tracking roll (not shown) having a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of the developing rolls 46a to 46d is provided at both ends of each of the developing rolls 46a to 46d so as to rotate coaxially with the developing rolls 46a to 46d. Yes. In other words, the developing devices 42 a to 42 d are arranged on the outer periphery of the developing device main body 40 at intervals of 90 ° with the rotary developing device center 44 as the center, and the tracking rolls of the developing rollers 46 a to 46 d are disposed at both ends of the photosensitive drum 50. The latent image on the photosensitive drum 50 is developed with toner of each color while abutting against a provided flange (not shown) and forming a predetermined gap between the developing rolls 46a to 46d and the photosensitive drum 50. To do.

  A charging roll 52 is provided below the photosensitive drum 50, and a charging bias is applied to the charging roll 52 to uniformly charge the photosensitive drum 50. Further, a photosensitive drum cleaner 54 is provided so as to hang from the rotation support shaft 49 of the photosensitive drum 50, and the photosensitive drum 50 and the photosensitive drum cleaner 54 are integrated. The photosensitive drum cleaner 54 includes a cleaning blade 56 that scrapes off residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 50 after the primary transfer. The residual toner thus scraped off is collected in a toner collecting case 58. The cleaning blade 56 is attached to a sheet metal 57, and the sheet metal 57 is fixed to a toner recovery case 58. A toner sensor 100 is attached to the toner collection case 58. (Details of the toner collection case 58 will be described later).

  A rib or the like is formed on the back side (right side in FIG. 1) of the toner recovery case 58, and is curved to form a part of the conveyance path 28 so that the recording paper P is smoothly conveyed.

  On the lower back side of the rotary developing device 38, an exposure device 60 for writing a latent image on the photosensitive drum 50 charged by the charging roll 52 with a light beam such as a laser beam is disposed. Further, the toner image visualized by the rotary developing device 38 is primarily transferred above the rotary developing device 38 at the primary transfer position, and the secondary transfer position (the nip between the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72) is transferred. An intermediate transfer device 62 is provided.

  The intermediate transfer device 62 includes an intermediate transfer belt 64, a primary transfer roll 66, a wrap-in roll 68, a wrap-out roll 70, a secondary transfer backup roll 72, a scraper backup roll 74, a brush backup roll 76, and the like.

  The intermediate transfer belt 64 has elasticity and is stretched substantially flat so as to have a long side and a short side above the rotary developing device 38. The long sides on the upper and lower sides of the intermediate transfer belt 64 are stretched so as to be substantially parallel to the discharge portion 36 provided on the upper portion of the color printer main body 12.

  The intermediate transfer belt 64 is positioned between a wrap-in roll 68 disposed upstream of the primary transfer roll 66 below the long side of the intermediate transfer belt 64 and a wrap-out roll 70 disposed downstream of the primary transfer roll 66. Thus, the photosensitive drum 50 has a primary transfer portion (photosensitive drum wrap region) that contacts the photosensitive drum 50 in a wrap shape, is wound around the photosensitive drum 50 by a predetermined range, and is driven by the rotation of the photosensitive drum 50. As described above, the intermediate transfer belt 64 primarily transfers the toner image on the photosensitive drum 50 by the primary transfer roll 66 in the order of yellow, magenta, cyan, and black, and the primary transferred toner image is secondary-transferred. It is conveyed toward the transfer roll 80. Note that the wrap-in roll 68 and the wrap-out roll 70 are separated from the photosensitive drum 50.

  As described above, the intermediate transfer belt 64 is stretched by the five rolls of the wrap-in roll 68, the wrap-out roll 70, the secondary transfer backup roll 72, the scraper backup roll 74, and the brush backup roll 76, and the primary transfer roll 66, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 50 is transferred.

  Further, a flat portion (short side) is formed on the back side (right side surface in FIG. 1) of the intermediate transfer belt 64 by a wrap-out roll 70 and a secondary transfer backup roll 72, and this flat portion is the secondary transfer portion. It faces the conveyance path 28.

  In the secondary transfer portion, the wrap-out roll 70 is disposed so that the intermediate transfer belt 64 and the conveyance path 28 are at an angle of about 12 °.

  The scraper backup roll 74 assists the scraper 84 to scrape residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 64 after the secondary transfer, and the brush backup roll 76 removes residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 64 after the secondary transfer. Helps the brush roll 86 to scrape.

  A reflective photosensor 78 is provided above the long side of the intermediate transfer belt 64 by being fixed to the back surface (inside) of the open / close cover 16. The reflective photosensor 78 reads a toner patch formed on the intermediate transfer belt 64, detects the position of the intermediate transfer belt 64 in the rotational direction, and detects the density of the toner image.

  A secondary transfer roll 80 is opposed to the secondary transfer backup roll 72 of the intermediate transfer device 62 with the conveyance path 28 interposed therebetween. That is, the secondary transfer position in the secondary transfer portion is between the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72, and the secondary transfer roll 80 is intermediate with the assistance of the secondary transfer backup roll 72. The toner image primarily transferred to the transfer belt 64 is secondarily transferred to the recording paper P at the secondary transfer position. Here, the secondary transfer roll 80 is rotated while the intermediate transfer belt 64 rotates three times, that is, while the toner images of three colors of yellow, magenta, and cyan are primarily transferred and conveyed on the intermediate transfer belt. It is separated from the intermediate transfer belt 64, and comes into contact with the intermediate transfer belt 64 when a black toner image is transferred.

  In addition, a predetermined potential difference is generated between the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72, and when the secondary transfer roll 80 is set to a high voltage, the secondary transfer backup roll 72 is connected to the ground (GND).

  An intermediate transfer belt cleaner 82 is provided at the end of the intermediate transfer belt 64 on the side opposite to the photosensitive drum 50. The intermediate transfer belt cleaner 82 includes a scraper 84, a brush roll 86, a toner collection case 88 and a rotation support shaft 89, and swings about the rotation support shaft 89. The scraper 84 scrapes off and removes residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 64 after the secondary transfer. The brush roll 86 further scrapes off residual toner remaining after cleaning by the scraper 84. The toner collection case 88 collects residual toner cleaned by the scraper 84 and the brush roll 86. The scraper 84 is made of a thin stainless steel plate, and a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner is applied.

  The brush roll 86 is made of a brush such as acrylic that has been subjected to a conductive treatment. While the intermediate transfer belt 64 conveys the toner image, the scraper 84 and the brush roll 86 are separated from the intermediate transfer belt 64 and come into contact with the intermediate transfer belt 64 at a predetermined timing. Has been.

  A fixing device 90 is disposed above the secondary transfer position. The fixing device 90 includes a heating roll 92 and a pressure roll 94, and fixes the toner image secondarily transferred to the recording paper P by the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72 to the recording paper P. It is conveyed toward the discharge roll 34. The discharge roll 34 discharges the recording paper P from the discharge port 30 to a discharge unit 36 provided at the upper part of the opening / closing cover 16.

  An operation panel 106 is provided on the upper side of the color printer main body 12 (the right side in FIG. 1). The operation panel 106 displays various notifications to the user from the control unit 39.

  Further, the intermediate transfer device 62, the photosensitive drum 50, the charging roll 52, the photosensitive drum cleaner 54, and the intermediate transfer belt cleaner 82 are integrated to form an image forming unit 96.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the image forming unit 96 is detachable from the color printer main body 12, and is attached to and detached from the color printer main body 12 by opening the opening / closing cover 16. Therefore, since the respective components of the image forming unit 96 can be exchanged at once, maintenance is easy.

  As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, a toner sensor 100 for detecting the collected residual toner is attached to the inner wall of the back surface of the toner collecting case 58 of the photoreceptor drum cleaner 54. The toner sensor 100 is connected to a connector (not shown) provided in the image forming unit 96. When the image forming unit 96 is attached to the color printer main body 12, a connector (not shown) is provided in the color printer main body 12 and connected to the control unit 39. (Omitted). The toner sensor 100 may be an existing toner sensor such as a piezoelectric vibration sensor, a magnetic permeability sensor, or an optical sensor.

  As shown in FIG. 3, the through shaft 110 penetrates the toner collection case 58 and protrudes from the side wall 58A. The penetrating shaft 110 is press-fitted into the side wall 58A of the toner recovery case 58 and is further bonded with an adhesive (not shown). Accordingly, the through shaft 110 is fixed to the toner collecting case 58, and the residual toner collected from the gap does not come out. The color printer main body 12 is provided with a vibration device 120 that contacts the end portion 11A on one end side of the through shaft 110 protruding from the side wall 58A of the toner collecting case 58 and causes the through shaft 110 to vibrate slightly.

  The vibration device 120 includes an elliptical eccentric cam 112. The eccentric cam 112 is rotated by a driving mechanism (not shown) with the rotation shaft 114 as a rotation center. As shown in FIG. 5, when the eccentric cam 112 rotates, only the apex portion 112 </ b> A of the eccentric cam 112 slightly hits the end portion 110 </ b> A of the through shaft 110 and the through shaft 110 vibrates slightly.

  Next, the operation of the above embodiment will be described.

  When the image forming signal is sent, the photosensitive drum 50 is uniformly charged by the charging roll 52, and a light beam is emitted from the exposure device 60 to the charged photosensitive drum 50 based on the image signal. The light beam from the exposure device 60 exposes the surface of the photosensitive drum 50 to form a latent image. The latent image on the photosensitive drum 50 formed by the exposure device 60 is developed with yellow, magenta, cyan, and black toner images by the rotary developing device 38, and is primarily transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 64. In the primary transfer, residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 50 is scraped off by the cleaning blade 56 and collected in the toner collection case 58.

  On the other hand, the recording paper P stored in the paper feed cassette 22 by a paper feed signal or the like is sent out by the feed roll 24, turned by the retard roll 26, led to the transport path 28, and temporarily stopped by the registration roll 32, It is conveyed toward the guide member 29 with timing. When the recording sheet P is guided to the secondary transfer position A, the toner image primarily transferred to the intermediate transfer belt 64 is secondarily transferred to the recording sheet P by the secondary transfer roll 80 and the secondary transfer backup roll 72. The The residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 64 after the secondary transfer is scraped off and collected by the intermediate transfer belt cleaner 82.

  The recording paper P to which the toner image has been transferred is guided to the fixing device 90, and the toner image is fixed by the thermal pressure of the heating roll 92 and the pressure roll 94. The recording paper P on which the toner image is fixed is discharged from the discharge port 30 to the discharge unit 36 by the discharge roll 34.

  As described above, the residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 50 is scraped off and removed by the cleaning blade 56. The removed residual toner naturally falls and accumulates in the toner collection case 58 and accumulates. When the accumulated residual toner reaches the toner sensor 100, the toner sensor 100 detects the residual toner. When the toner sensor 100 detects, the control unit 39 (see FIG. 1) determines that the residual toner is almost full in the toner collection case 58 or is almost full, and the user replaces the image forming unit 96. A prompting display is displayed on the operation panel 106 (see FIG. 1). The user views the display and opens the opening / closing cover 16 and replaces the image forming unit 96 as shown in FIG.

  Now, when the recording paper P is jammed in the transport path 28 and the jammed recording paper P is removed, the user may open the opening / closing cover 16 and take out the image forming unit 96 as shown in FIG. The extracted image forming unit 96 is tilted left and right and back and forth depending on the handling of the user. When the toner collection case 58 is tilted, the collected residual toner H is largely offset as shown in FIG. And even if it becomes horizontal like FIG.6 (b), since the offset is not eliminated so much, the residual toner H becomes non-uniform | heterogenous.

  Alternatively, when a large amount of an image pattern in which an image is formed only in the central portion is printed, the residual toner H is accumulated only near the middle as shown in FIG.

  Thus, if the residual toner H is not uniform, an accurate collection amount of the residual toner H cannot be detected.

  Further, since the residual toner H naturally falls and accumulates in the toner collecting case 58, the bulk density is low and the bulk is high.

  Therefore, the control unit 39 causes the penetrating shaft 110 to vibrate slightly by rotating the eccentric cam 112 of the vibration device 120 at a predetermined timing. As shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, the penetrating shaft 110 is in contact with the residual toner H inside the toner recovery case 58, so that minute vibrations of the penetrating shaft 110 are transmitted to the residual toner H. Further, since the minute vibration of the through shaft 110 is also transmitted to the toner collecting case 58, the residual toner H is also transmitted to the remaining toner H through the toner collecting case 58.

  Then, as shown in FIGS. 6C and 7B, the residual toner H is leveled and made uniform by the minute vibration. Therefore, it is possible to detect an accurate residual toner collection amount. Further, the bulk density of the residual toner H is increased by the minute vibration. That is, the gap between the residual toner particles is dense, that is, the bulk (volume) of the residual toner H is reduced. Therefore, the amount of residual toner H that can be collected in the toner collection case 58 increases. Further, the toner recovery case 58 can be reduced in size.

  Further, since the vibration received by the residual toner is minute vibration, the effect of increasing the bulk density is high.

  The predetermined timing at which the control unit 39 operates the vibration device 120 includes every predetermined number of printed sheets, when the power is turned on, when the image forming unit 96 is mounted, and the like. Further, the vibration device 120 may be operated by operating the operation panel 106 by the user. In the present embodiment, the toner recovery case 58 supports the sheet metal 57 and the photosensitive drum 50 to which the cleaning blade 56 is attached. For this reason, when the toner collection case 58 vibrates slightly, the photosensitive drum 50 also vibrates slightly and affects image formation. Therefore, the control unit 39 prohibits the operation of the vibration device 120 during image formation.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment.

  For example, in the above embodiment, the eccentric cam 112 is disposed outside the toner collection case 58, but may be configured to be disposed inside the toner collection case 58.

  Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the through shaft 110 is passed through the toner collection case 58 and the eccentric cam 112 causes the through shaft 110 to vibrate slightly. The toner collecting case 58 may be directly microvibrated by the eccentric cam 112 of the vibration device 120.

  Further, for example, in the above embodiment, the eccentric cam 112 of the vibration device 120 causes the minute vibration, but the present invention is not limited to this. Other vibration means may be used. For example, it may be vibrated by hitting with a plunger.

  Further, for example, in the above embodiment, the residual toner is removed by scraping with the cleaning blade 56, but the present invention is not limited to this. Other cleaning members may be used. For example, a brush or a roller may be used.

  For example, in the above-described embodiment, the present invention is applied to the toner collection case 58 that collects the residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 50 after the primary transfer. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the present invention may be applied to a toner recovery case 88 that recovers residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 64 after the secondary transfer.

  Further, for example, in the above-described embodiment, the image forming unit 96 in which the intermediate transfer device 62, the photosensitive drum 50, the charging roll 52, the photosensitive drum cleaner 54, and the intermediate transfer belt cleaner 82 are integrated can be attached and detached. However, it is not limited to this. For example, only the photosensitive drum 50 and the photosensitive drum cleaner 54 may be detachable.

  For example, the image forming unit may not be configured, and the photosensitive drum and the toner collection case may be separated. In the case of such a separate configuration, even if the toner collection case vibrates, it does not affect image formation, and therefore it is possible to vibrate the toner collection case even during image formation.

  Further, for example, an image forming apparatus configured to transfer a toner image directly from a photosensitive drum to a recording medium such as recording paper P without using an intermediate transfer belt may be used.

  Further, for example, a recording medium other than the recording paper P may be used. For example, an OHP sheet may be used, or another recording medium may be used.

  Note that both the residual toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 50 and the residual toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 64 are poor in fluidity because the particle diameter is smaller than that of the toner before development. Therefore, once it becomes non-uniform, it is difficult to be resolved naturally. Therefore, it is very effective to make the residual toner uniform by applying vibration to the residual toner.

1 is a schematic view of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. It is a figure explaining attachment and detachment of an image forming unit. FIG. 3 is a partial cross-sectional perspective view showing a photosensitive drum, a photosensitive drum cleaner, and a vibration mechanism. It is sectional drawing which shows the cleaner for photoreceptor drums. It is explanatory drawing explaining a mode that the eccentric cam of a vibration mechanism vibrates a penetration shaft. FIG. 4 is a diagram illustrating, in order from (a) to (c), a state in which a toner collection case is tilted and residual toner is displaced, and the displacement is made uniform. FIG. 4 is a diagram showing, in order from (a) to (b), how residual toner is stored only in the central portion of the toner recovery case and the residual toner stored only in the central portion is made uniform.

Explanation of symbols

10 Color printer (image forming device)
12 Color printer body (image forming device body)
50 Photosensitive drum (image carrier)
56 Cleaning blade (cleaning means)
58 Toner Collection Case (Collection Case)
96 Image forming unit (image carrier unit)
100 Toner sensor (detection means)
110 Penetration shaft (penetration member)
120 Vibration device P Recording paper (transfer medium)

Claims (5)

An image carrier for carrying a toner image transferred to a transfer medium;
Cleaning means for removing residual toner on the image carrier;
A collection case for collecting the residual toner removed from the image carrier by the cleaning means;
Vibration means for vibrating the residual toner collected in the collection case;
An image forming apparatus comprising:   The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the vibration unit vibrates the collection case. The vibration means includes
A penetrating member penetrating the collection case;
A vibration device for vibrating the penetrating member;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, comprising:   4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a detection unit configured to detect a collected amount of the collected residual toner. 5. An image carrier unit comprising at least the image carrier, the cleaning means, and the recovery case;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image carrier unit is detachable from a main body of the image forming apparatus.

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