JP2009075609A - Waste toner collection container and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

<P>PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To obtain a waste toner collection container equipped with a shutter member at a collection port, which is more easily exchanged when exchanging the old one for the new one. <P>SOLUTION: The waste toner collection container is equipped with a collection container main body 20 equipped with two waste toner receiving ports 211 and storing waste toner introduced through the waste toner receiving ports 211, and a shutter member 30 attached to the collection container main body 20 and opening/shutting the waste toner receiving ports 211. The shutter member 30 comprises a single member, and opens/shuts the two waste toner receiving ports 211 simultaneously by sliding and moving relatively to the collection container main body 20. The two waste toner receiving ports 211 are arranged in the sliding and moving direction of the shutter member 30. <P>COPYRIGHT: (C)2009,JPO&INPIT

Description

  The present invention relates to a waste toner collecting container for storing waste toner collected from an image carrier after a transfer process by a cleaning device, and an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a printer provided with the same. is there.

  An image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile machine, or a printer irradiates a peripheral surface of an image carrier such as a photosensitive drum with a light beam based on image information read or transmitted to form an electrostatic latent image. Then, toner is supplied to the electrostatic latent image to form a toner image, and the toner image is transferred to a sheet. The paper after the transfer process is subjected to a fixing process by heating in a fixing device and then discharged to the outside.

  The toner that has not been subjected to the transfer process remains on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum after the transfer process to the paper, and if left as it is, it will adversely affect the next image forming process. A cleaning process is applied. Waste toner generated by removing residual toner from the photosensitive drum is collected in a waste toner collection container provided at an appropriate position of the apparatus main body.

  The waste toner collection container is replaced with an empty one when it is full of waste toner. During this replacement operation, the waste toner in the container is scattered outside from the collection port and contaminates the surroundings. Inconveniences such as dirtying the hands and clothes of the person may occur.

In order to eliminate this inconvenience, an old waste toner that has been filled with waste toner when the waste toner collection container is replaced by attaching a lid for closing the collection port to the appropriate place on the surface of the waste toner collection container. The lid attached to the collection container is peeled off and attached to the collection port. An adhesive seal may be used instead of the lid. Patent Documents 1 to 3 also disclose that a shutter member is provided at the collection port of the waste toner collection container so as to be freely opened and closed.
JP 2003-337515 A JP 2005-37664 A JP 2005-148087 A

  An object of the present invention is to make it possible to more easily replace a waste toner collection container with a new one in a waste toner collection container having a shutter member at a collection port.

  A waste toner collection container according to one aspect of the present invention is a waste toner collection container that is detachable from an apparatus main body of an image forming apparatus, and includes a plurality of waste toner collection ports, through the waste toner collection ports. A container body that stores the introduced waste toner; and a shutter member that is attached to the container body and opens and closes the waste toner collection port. The shutter member slides relative to the container body. And a plurality of waste toner collecting ports arranged in the sliding movement direction of the shutter member. .

  The said structure WHEREIN: It is desirable for the said shutter member to be attached to the outer surface side of the said container main body (Claim 2).

  In this case, it is desirable that a guide portion extending in the arrangement direction of the plurality of waste toner collection ports is provided on the outer surface side of the container body, and the shutter member is slidable along the guide portion ( Claim 3).

  In addition, it is preferable that the guide portion includes a first guide portion and a second guide portion that are disposed with the waste toner collection port interposed therebetween.

  In the above configuration, the container main body has a flat surface on the upper surface side, the plurality of waste toner recovery ports are provided on the flat surface, and the shutter member is a flat portion facing the flat surface. It is desirable to have (claim 5).

  In this case, a seal member provided at an edge of the waste toner collection port of the container main body is further provided, and the shutter member has a side plate portion orthogonal to the flat portion, and a lower surface of the flat portion is the seal member. It is desirable that the side plate portion is in contact with the upper portion and is close to the side portion of the seal member.

  An image forming apparatus according to another aspect of the present invention includes an apparatus main body, and the waste toner collecting container according to any one of the above, which is detachable from the apparatus main body. .

  In the above-described configuration, the apparatus main body includes an interference unit that interferes with the shutter member and realizes a relative movement between the container main body and the shutter member, and the plurality of waste toner collection ports includes the shutter. It is desirable that they are arranged along the container main body moving direction after the interference between the member and the interference portion.

  According to the present invention, in a waste toner collection container having a plurality of waste toner collection ports, which is applied to, for example, an image forming apparatus that performs color printing, the shutter member is simply slid relative to the container body. A plurality of waste toner collecting ports can be opened and closed simultaneously. Therefore, it is possible to provide a waste toner collecting container that can be more easily replaced with new one without causing toner leakage.

  1A and 1B are views showing a waste toner collecting container according to the first embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing a state in which a shutter member is set at an open position, and FIG. The perspective view which shows the state by which the member was set to the closed position, (c) is the sectional view on the AA line of (b). In FIG. 1, the XX direction is referred to as the left-right direction, and the YY direction is referred to as the front-rear direction. In particular, the -X direction is referred to as the left, the + X direction is referred to as the right, the -Y direction is referred to as the front, and the + Y direction is referred to as the rear.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the waste toner collection container 10 includes a collection container body 20 having a rectangular parallelepiped shape, and a shutter member 30 slidably mounted on the collection container body 20. The top plate 21 of the collection container main body 20 is provided with a pair of waste toner receiving ports (waste toner collecting ports) 211 arranged in parallel in the longitudinal direction, and to the right of the pair of waste toner receiving ports 211. An upper guide groove 212 extending in the front-rear direction is provided so as to be longitudinally cut through the top plate 21 at one position. A lower guide groove 221 extending in the front-rear direction is provided at a left position of the bottom plate 22 of the collection container main body 20.

  The shutter member 30 is formed in a U-shape when viewed from the front, and has a rectangular connection plate 31 that is slidably contacted with the left side plate of the collection container main body 20 and the upper edge portion of the connection plate 31 toward the right. A pair of front and rear shutter plates (sliding lids) 32 slidably in contact with the extended top plate 21 and a bottom plate 22 of the collection container main body 20 extended from the lower edge of the connecting plate 31 to the right. And a movable bottom plate 33 that is slidably in contact therewith. The right edge of each shutter plate 32 is provided with an upper guided protrusion 321 that protrudes downward so as to be fitted into the upper guide groove 212, and to the right of the movable bottom plate 33. A lower guided protrusion 331 is provided at the edge so as to protrude upward so as to be fitted into the lower guide groove 221.

Accordingly, the shutter member 30 is prevented from coming off to the left by fitting the upper guided protrusion 321 into the upper guide groove 212 and fitting the lower guided protrusion 331 into the lower guide groove 221. In this state, while being guided by the upper and lower guide grooves 212, 221, the shutter plate 32 shown in FIG. 1A can be moved in the front-rear direction, and the shutter plates 32 shown in FIG. The position can be changed between the position S1 and the closed position S2 where the shutter plate 32 shown in FIG. 1B closes the corresponding waste toner receiving port 211.

  A seal member 213 formed of, for example, a sponge material is affixed to the upper surface of the edge of each waste toner receiving port 211, and each shutter plate 32 after the waste toner collection in the waste toner collection container 10 is completed. Is set to the closing position S2, so that the lower surface of each shutter plate 32 comes into contact with the seal members 213, thereby preventing waste toner inside the collection container main body 20 from leaking to the outside. Yes.

  FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of the printer 40 to which the waste toner collecting container 10 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted, and shows a state in which the left door 44 is opened. The direction display by X and Y in FIG. 2 is the same as in FIG. 1 (X is the left-right direction (−X: leftward, + X: rightward), Y is the front-back direction (−Y: forward, + Y: rearward). )).

  As shown in FIG. 2, the printer 40 includes a box-shaped printer body (apparatus body) 41 with a photosensitive drum (not shown), a charging device that forms uniform charges on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum, An exposure device that forms an electrostatic latent image by irradiating light based on image information transmitted from a computer or the like toward the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum uniformly charged by the charging device, and formed by the exposure device A developing device that supplies toner toward the electrostatic latent image formed to form a toner image on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum, and a transfer that transfers the toner image on the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum formed by the developing device to a sheet It is formed by mounting a roller and a fixing device for fixing the toner image transferred onto the sheet by the transfer roller.

  A detachable paper cassette 42 for storing transfer paper is provided below the front surface 411 of the printer main body 41, and a paper discharge tray 43 for discharging the paper after fixing processing is provided on the upper surface 412. The sheets fed one by one from the sheet cassette 42 are discharged toward the sheet discharge tray 43 after being subjected to a predetermined image forming process by the photosensitive drum or the like. .

  Further, in the printer main body 41, a cleaning device is provided on the downstream side of the transfer roller so as to be along the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum, and remains on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum after the transfer process. The toner is removed by the cleaning device. The toner removed from the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum by the cleaning device is collected in a waste toner collecting container 10 mounted in the printer main body 41.

  That is, a maintenance port 414 for performing various maintenance operations is opened on the left surface 413 of the printer main body 41, and a left surface door 44 for closing the maintenance port 414 so as to be opened and closed is provided. The left-side door 44 can be rotated forward and backward about a horizontal axis 441 provided at the lower end portion thereof, thereby closing between the closed posture in which the maintenance port 414 is closed and the open posture in which the maintenance port 414 is opened. The posture can be changed. A container mounting for mounting the waste toner collecting container 10 is provided at a position in front of the maintenance port 414 in the printer main body 41 in a state where the maintenance port 414 is opened by opening the left door 44. A portion 45 is formed.

  The container mounting portion 45 includes a container mounting plate 451 on which the waste toner collection container 10 is mounted, which is set at substantially the same height level as the upper surface of the opened left side door 44, and the container mounting plate 451. A partition plate 452 erected from the right edge and a container enclosure frame 453 that encloses the waste toner collecting container 10 erected from the rear edge.

  A long shallow guide groove 454 is recessed in the front-rear direction in which the waste toner collecting container 10 is fitted in the container mounting plate 451, and a shutter is provided at a substantially central position in the front-rear direction of the guide groove 454. A fixed concave portion (interference portion) 455 that is fitted so that the movable bottom plate 33 of the member 30 does not move is further provided. Therefore, if the waste toner collection container 10 is mounted in the guide groove 454 so that the movable bottom plate 33 is fitted in the fixed recess 455, only the collection container main body 20 is directed forward and backward with the movement of the shutter member 30 blocked. It can be moved.

  Then, immediately after the waste toner collecting container 10 is mounted in the guide groove 454 of the container mounting plate 451, the shutter plate 32 of the shutter member 30 closes the waste toner receiving port 211 of the collecting container main body 20 (relatively). The position is set at the closing position S2. When the collection container main body 20 is moved rearward in this state, the shutter plate 32 is relatively set to the open position S1, and thereby the waste toner receiving port 211 is opened.

  The container enclosure frame 453 is for fitting the rear end portion of the collection container main body 20 moved rearward along the guide groove 454, and the corners so that the collection container main body 20 can be fitted in the sliding contact state. It is formed in a cylindrical shape. When the collection container main body 20 is fitted in the container enclosure frame 453, the mounting state of the waste toner collection container 10 with respect to the container mounting portion 45 is stabilized.

  Incidentally, a stopper 453a (FIG. 3) is provided in the guide groove 454 at the rear end of the container enclosure frame 453, and the collection container main body 20 can move further rearward by stopping against the stopper 453a. There is no such thing.

  On the other hand, a pair of waste toner outlet pipes 456 extending from a cleaning device (not shown) are passed through the partition plate 452 and protrude from the partition plate 452 to the left. A waste toner discharge port 456a corresponding to the waste toner receiving port 211 is provided on the lower surface of the left end of the waste toner outlet tube 456, and the collection container main body 20 is moved rearward in the guide groove 454. The discharge port 456a faces the waste toner receiving port 211.

  FIG. 3 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the waste toner collection container 10 of the first embodiment and the container mounting portion 45 corresponding thereto, and FIG. (B) is a state in which the shutter plate 32 is relatively set at the closed position S2 immediately after being attached to the shutter plate 32. The shutter plate 32 is moved to the relatively open position S1 by moving the collection container body 20 rearward. Each of the positions set is shown. In addition, the direction display by Y in FIG. 3 is the same as that of FIG. 1 (Y is the front-back direction (-Y: front, + Y: back)).

  First, in the state shown in FIG. 3A immediately after the waste toner collecting container 10 is mounted on the container mounting portion 45, the bottom of the recovery container main body 20 of the shutter member 30 is the guide groove of the container mounting plate 451. The movable bottom plate 33 of the shutter member 30 is fitted in a fixed recess 455 further recessed in the guide groove 454 in a state where the shutter container 30 is mounted, whereby the collection container body 20 can move along the guide groove 454. The member 30 cannot move.

  In this state, when the collection container main body 20 is pressed rearward with a finger, only the collection container main body 20 moves rearward without moving the shutter member 30 fitted in the fixed recess 455. The waste toner receiving ports 211 are sequentially opened.

Then, when the collection container body 20 is moved until it stops against the stopper 453a, the shutter plate 32 is set to the open position S1 relative to the waste toner receiving port 211, whereby the waste toner receiving port 211 is As shown in FIG. 3B, since the waste toner discharge port 456a of the waste toner outlet tube 456 faces the waste toner outlet 456a, the waste toner sent from the cleaning device (not shown) through the waste toner outlet tube 456 Then, the toner is collected into the collection container main body 20 through the waste toner receiving port 211.

  If the inside of the collection container main body 20 is filled with the collected waste toner, the collection container main body 20 located at the rear position of the guide groove 454 may be moved to the front position. By doing so, the waste toner receiving port 211 is closed by the shutter plate 32 by the relative position change of the shutter plate 32 from the open position S1 to the closed position S2. In this state, the waste toner collection container 10 is removed from the container mounting portion 45, and a new waste toner collection container 10 is installed.

  As described above in detail, the waste toner collection container 10 of the first embodiment is configured such that the shutter member 30 is opened and closed when the waste toner collection container 10 is attached to and detached from the printer main body 41. The shutter member 30 is opened / closed by attaching / detaching the waste toner collection container 10 to / from the printer main body 41 of the image forming apparatus, whereby the left toner door 44 of the printer main body 41 is opened. The attachment / detachment operation with respect to the printer main body 41 cannot be performed, and therefore the opening / closing operation of the shutter member 30 executed in conjunction with the attachment / detachment operation of the waste toner collecting container 10 can be surely visually confirmed. Therefore, in the case where the shutter member is opened only when the door of the printer main body 41 is closed as in the prior art, the waste toner is sent toward the waste toner collecting container even though the shutter member is not opened. In this way, it is possible to reliably prevent the occurrence of inconvenience that waste toner is smeared in the printer main body 41.

  The shutter member 30 has a shutter plate 32 that slides to open and close the waste toner receiving port 211. The printer body 41 receives the waste toner plate 32 by interference with the movable bottom plate 33 of the shutter plate 32. Since the fixing recess 455 that opens and closes relative to the inlet 211 is provided, the shutter plate 32 with respect to the interference portion of the printer main body 41 can be attached to and detached from the printer main body 41 while sliding the waste toner collection container 10. The waste toner receiving port 211 is opened and closed by the interference and the cancellation of the interference, whereby the open / closed state of the waste toner receiving port 211 by the slide can be visually confirmed.

  4A and 4B are perspective views showing the waste toner collecting container 10 'according to the second embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 4A is a state in which the shutter member is set to an open posture, and FIG. 4B is a shutter member. Indicates a state in which the posture is set to the closed posture. In FIG. 4, the direction display by X and Y is the same as in FIG. 1 (X is the left-right direction (-X: leftward, + X: rightward), Y is the front-rear direction (-Y: forward, + Y: rearward). )).

  As shown in FIG. 4, the waste toner collection container 10 ′ of the second embodiment has a collection container main body 20 similar to the above and a waste toner receiving port 211 by rotating forward and backward relative to the collection container main body 20. A shutter member 30 'that changes its posture between an open posture T1 (FIG. 4 (A)) and a closed posture T2 (FIG. 4 (B)) that closes the waste toner receiving port 211 is provided. . Note that the upper guide groove 212 and the lower guide groove 221 are not provided in the collection container main body 20 of the second embodiment. Instead, a pair of front and rear fixed butterfly plate bearings 214 is provided on the right edge of the top plate 21.

  The shutter member 30 ′ has a shutter plate (rotary lid) 34 whose plane dimension is set to be substantially the same as the plane dimension of the top plate 21 of the collection container main body 20, and each of the fixed members at the right edge of the shutter plate 34. A pair of front and rear movable butterfly plate bearings 35 provided opposite to the butterfly plate bearing 214 are provided, and the butterfly plate shaft 36 is inserted into each of the butterfly plate bearings 214 and 35, whereby the shutter plate 34. Is connected to the collection container main body 20 so as to be rotatable around the butterfly plate shaft 36.

  The shutter plate 34 is provided with an inclined edge surface 341 that is formed by gradually decreasing the thickness dimension toward the left edge of the shutter plate 34 toward the left side, and the waste toner on the back surface. A seal member 342 made of a sponge material or the like is affixed at a position corresponding to the receiving port 211, and the seal member 342 closes the waste toner receiving port 211 in a state where the shutter member 30 'is set to the closed posture T2. Thus, the waste toner collected in the collection container main body 20 is prevented from leaking from the waste toner receiving port 211.

  FIG. 5 is a perspective view showing an embodiment of a printer 40 ′ corresponding to the waste toner collecting container 10 ′ of the second embodiment, and shows a state in which the left door 44 is opened. The direction display by X and Y in FIG. 5 is the same as in FIG. 1 (X is the left-right direction (−X: leftward, + X: rightward), Y is the front-rear direction (−Y: forward, + Y: rearward). )).

  As shown in FIG. 5, a container mounting portion 45 ′ for mounting the waste toner collection container 10 ′ facing the maintenance port 414 is provided at a front position in the printer main body 41. The container mounting portion 45 ′ includes the same partition plate 452, a pair of front and rear side plates 457 projecting leftward from both front and rear ends of the partition plate 452, and the pair of side plates 457. The standing posture U1 ((b) in FIG. 6) standing upright and the inclined posture U2 ((b) in FIG. 6) inclined upward as the upper edge protrudes leftward. The container holding member 458 whose posture is changed between, and the shutter plate 34 of the waste toner collection container 10 held by the container holding member 458 according to the posture change of the container holding member 458 is closed (T) in FIG. ) To an open posture T1 ((A) in FIG. 4) and an operation protrusion (interference portion) 459 for changing the posture.

  The container holding member 458 is formed in an L shape in front view so as to hold the waste toner collection container 10. The container holding member 458 includes a container placing plate 458a on which the waste toner collecting container 10 is placed, and a left face plate 458b extending upward from the left edge of the container placing plate 458a. Yes. Protruding shafts (predetermined shafts) 458c projecting in opposite directions from the front and rear edge portions are respectively provided at the right end of the container mounting plate 458a, and the side plates 457 corresponding to these projecting shafts 458c are provided. The container holding member 458 rotates forward and backward around the projecting shaft 458c by being inserted into the respective support holes 457a drilled in the lower right side of the right side, and a standing posture U1 standing between the pair of side plates 457, and The posture can be changed between the inclined posture U2 inclined between the pair of side plates 457. The waste toner collecting container 10 ′ is mounted on such a container holding member 458.

  The operation protrusion 459 closes the shutter member 30 ′ of the waste toner collection container 10 ′ attached to the container holding member 458 when the container holding member 458 is changed from the inclined position U 2 to the standing position U 1. It is for changing the posture from T2 to the open posture T1 (that is, opening the shutter plate 34), and is provided by a pair of plates that extend in the front-rear direction while being supported by the upper edge of the partition plate 452. Is formed. Each operation protrusion 459 has an inclined edge (interference part) 459a that is inclined downward toward the left at the left end. The inclined edge portion 459a has an inclined edge surface 341 of the shutter plate 34 in the shutter member 30 'of the mounted waste toner collecting container 10' by changing the posture of the container holding member 458 from the inclined posture U2 to the standing posture U1. The dimensions, shape, and installation position are set so as to face each other.

The waste toner outlet tube 456 is provided at a position facing the waste toner receiving port 211 of the waste toner collection container 10 ′ between the pair of operation protrusions 459. Accordingly, by changing the posture of the container holding member 458 from the inclined posture U2 to the standing posture U1 in a state where the waste toner collecting container 10 ′ is mounted on the container holding member 458 set in the inclined posture U2, the shutter plate 34, the inclined edge surface 341 is guided to the inclined edge portion 459a of the operating protrusion 459 so that the butterfly plate shaft 3
By rotating counterclockwise about 6 and changing the posture from the closed posture T2 to the open posture T1, the waste toner discharge port 456a of the waste toner outlet tube 456 is opposed to the waste toner receiving port 211 of the collection container main body 20. It has become so.

  FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the waste toner collection container 10 ′ and the container mounting portion 45 ′ corresponding thereto according to the second embodiment. The state immediately after being mounted on the container holding member 458 set to the posture U2, (b) shows that the shutter member 30 'interferes with the operation protrusion 459 by changing the posture of the container holding member 458 to the standing posture U1. FIG. 8 shows a state in which the posture is changed to the open posture T1. Note that the direction display by X in FIG. 6 is the same as in FIG. 1 (X is the left-right direction (−X: leftward, + X: rightward)).

  First, in the state shown in FIG. 6A, the container holding member 458 is inclined by about 60 ° with respect to the horizontal plane, so that the container holding member 458 protrudes slightly from the maintenance port 414 of the printer main body 41 and is discarded. The toner collecting container 10 ′ is easily attached. The waste toner collecting container 10 ′ is mounted on the container holding member 458 in a state where the shutter member 30 ′ is set in the closed position T2.

  When the container holding member 458 set in such an inclined posture U2 is pressed toward the inside of the printer main body 41, the container holding member 458 rotates clockwise around the protruding shaft 458c, and FIG. The posture is changed to the standing posture U1 as shown in (b). When the posture is changed, the inclined edge surface 341 of the shutter plate 34 of the shutter member 30 ′ interferes with the inclined edge portion 459 a of the operating protrusion 459, thereby moving counterclockwise around the butterfly plate shaft 36 of the shutter plate 34. By rotating, the shutter member 30 ′ is opened by changing the posture from the closed posture T 2 to the open posture T 1, so that the waste toner receiving port 211 of the collection container body 20 faces the waste toner discharge port 456 a of the waste toner outlet tube 456. As a result, the waste toner sent from the cleaning device (not shown) is collected in the collection container main body 20.

  When the waste toner collecting container 10 ′ is full of waste toner, the container holding member 458 in the standing posture U1 is pulled out and changed in posture to the inclined posture U2, and in this state (the state shown in FIG. 6A). The old and new replacement of the waste toner collecting container 10 'is performed. In the state in which the container holding member 458 is set to the inclined position U2, the waste toner receiving port 211 of the collection container main body 20 is blocked by the shutter member 30 ', so that the waste toner collection container 10' is discarded when the old and new are replaced. The occurrence of inconvenience such as toner scattering is effectively prevented.

  As described in detail above, according to the configuration of the waste toner collecting container 10 ′ and the container mounting portion 45 ′ according to the second embodiment, the shutter member 30 ′ rotates around the protruding shaft 458c and receives the waste toner. The printer main body 41 has an operating ridge 459 having an inclined edge portion 459a that opens and closes the shutter plate 34 due to interference with the shutter plate 34. The toner collecting container 10 ′ is attached to and detached from the printer main body 41 while rotating around the projecting shaft 458 c, so that the shutter plate 34 interferes with the inclined edge portion 459 a of the printer main body 41, and the waste toner receiving port 211 is eliminated. Thus, the open / closed state of the waste toner receiving port 211 due to the rotation of the shutter plate 34 can be reliably recognized.

  The present invention is not limited to the above embodiment, and includes the following contents.

(1) In the above embodiment, the printers 40 and 40 'are employed as the image forming apparatuses to which the waste toner collecting containers 10 and 10' according to the present invention are applied. It is not limited to the printers 40 and 40 ', and may be a copying machine or a facsimile machine.

  (2) In the first embodiment, the sliding shutter member 30 is employed, and in the second embodiment, the rotating shutter member 30 ′ that rotates about the horizontal butterfly plate shaft 36 is employed. Instead of this, a shutter member that rotates around the vertical axis on the top plate 21 of the collection container main body 20 to open and close the waste toner receiving port 211 may be adopted.

  (3) In the second embodiment, the operating protrusion 459 is employed on the printer main body 41 side as a member for opening the shutter plate 34. However, instead of the operating protrusion 459, the waste toner outlet tube 456 is used. You may be allowed to play that role. However, when the shutter plate 34 is opened by the waste toner outlet tube 456, it is necessary to avoid the waste toner outlet tube 456 from interfering with the seal member 342 attached to the rear surface side of the shutter plate 34.

1A and 1B are views showing a waste toner collecting container according to a first embodiment of the present invention, in which FIG. 1A is a perspective view showing a state in which a shutter member is set at an open position, and FIG. The perspective view which shows the state set to (2), (c) is the sectional view on the AA line of (b). FIG. 2 is a schematic perspective view showing an embodiment of a printer 40 to which the waste toner collection container 10 shown in FIG. 1 is mounted. FIG. 6 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of the waste toner collection container of the first embodiment and the container mounting unit corresponding to the waste toner recovery container, and (A) is a shutter plate immediately after the waste toner collection container is mounted on the container mounting unit. (B) shows a state in which the shutter plate is relatively set in the open position by moving the collection container main body backward. FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a waste toner collecting container according to a second embodiment of the present invention, where (A) is a state in which the shutter member is set in an open posture, and (B) is a posture setting in which the shutter member is in a closed posture. Each state is shown. It is a perspective view showing one embodiment of a printer corresponding to a waste toner collecting container of a second embodiment. FIG. 10 is an explanatory diagram for explaining the operation of a waste toner collection container according to a second embodiment and a container mounting unit corresponding to the container, and (A) shows a container holding member in which the waste toner collection container is set in an inclined posture. The state immediately after being mounted, (B) shows the state in which the posture of the shutter member is changed to the open posture due to the interference with the operating protrusion by changing the posture of the container holding member to the standing posture.

Explanation of symbols

10, 10 'Waste toner collection container 20 Collection container body 21 Top plate 211 Waste toner receiving port (waste toner collection port)
212 Upper guide groove 213 Seal member 214 Fixed butterfly plate bearing 22 Bottom plate 221 Lower guide groove 30, 30 ′ Shutter member 31 Connecting plate 32 Shutter plate (sliding lid)
321 Upper guided protrusion 33 Movable bottom plate 331 Lower guided protrusion 34 Shutter plate (rotating lid)
341 Inclined edge surface 342 Seal member 35 Movable butterfly plate bearing 36 Butterfly plate shaft 40, 40 'Printer 41 Printer main body 411 Front surface 412 Upper surface 413 Left surface 414 Maintenance port 42 Paper cassette 43 Paper discharge tray 44 Left surface door 441 Horizontal shaft 45, 45' Container mounting portion 451 Container placement plate 452 Screen plate 453 Container enclosure frame 453a Stopper 454 Guide groove 455 Fixed recess (interference portion) 456 Waste toner outlet tube 456a Waste toner discharge port 457 Side plate 457a Support hole 458 Container holding member 458a Container mounting Placement plate 458b Left side plate 458c Projection shaft (predetermined axis)
459 Operation protrusion (interference part) 459a Inclined edge part (interference part)
S1 Open position S2 Closed position T1 Open position T2 Closed position U1 Standing position U2 Inclined position

Claims (8)

A waste toner collecting container that can be attached to and detached from the main body of the image forming apparatus,
A container main body having a plurality of waste toner recovery ports and storing waste toner introduced through the waste toner recovery ports;
A shutter member mounted on the container body and opening and closing the waste toner collection port,
The shutter member is a single member that slides relative to the container body to open and close the plurality of waste toner collection ports.
The waste toner collection container, wherein the plurality of waste toner collection ports are arranged in a sliding direction of the shutter member.   The waste toner collecting container according to claim 1, wherein the shutter member is attached to an outer surface side of the container main body. A guide portion is provided on the outer surface side of the container main body and extends in the arrangement direction of the plurality of waste toner recovery ports.
The waste toner collecting container according to claim 2, wherein the shutter member is slidable along the guide portion.   The waste toner collection container according to claim 3, wherein the guide part includes a first guide part and a second guide part disposed with a waste toner collection port interposed therebetween. The container body has a flat surface on the upper surface side,
The plurality of waste toner collection ports are provided on the flat surface,
The waste toner collecting container according to claim 2, wherein the shutter member has a flat portion facing the flat surface. A seal member provided at an edge of the waste toner collecting port of the container body;
The shutter member has a side plate portion orthogonal to the flat portion,
6. The waste toner collecting container according to claim 5, wherein a lower surface of the flat portion is in contact with an upper portion of the seal member, and the side plate portion is close to a side portion of the seal member. The device body;
An image forming apparatus comprising: the waste toner collection container according to claim 1, which is detachable from the apparatus main body. The apparatus main body includes an interference unit that interferes with the shutter member and realizes relative movement between the container main body and the shutter member;
The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein the plurality of waste toner collection ports are arranged along a movement direction of the container main body after the interference between the shutter member and the interference unit.

Images