JP2017044938A - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide an image forming apparatus recovers a waste toner from an image forming part and stores in a toner recovery container, and detect filling of a predetermined amount of waste toner more accurately even when recovering waste toner with different fluidity.SOLUTION: An image forming apparatus 1 determines the fluidity of a waste toner on the basis of the measured temperature inside the apparatus, and when determining that the fluidity of the waste toner is lower than the fluidity in a normal state, adjusts the position of a shield member 43 to a second position. Meanwhile, when determining that the fluidity of the waste toner is higher than the fluidity in a normal state, the image forming apparatus 1 adjusts the position of the shield member 43 to a first position.SELECTED DRAWING: Figure 10

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus.

  An image forming apparatus that transfers a toner image developed on a photoconductor to a sheet collects the toner adhering to the photoconductor and the intermediate transfer body, and stores the collected toner (hereinafter, waste toner) in a toner collection container. Has been done.

  Here, when the amount of waste toner in the toner collection container reaches a predetermined amount, the user performs replacement with a new toner collection container.

  In order to detect that the amount of waste toner in the toner recovery container has reached a predetermined amount, a sensor (photo interrupter or the like) for detecting the toner is provided. Further, the toner collection container is provided with a detected portion that detects that the waste toner in the toner collection container reaches a predetermined amount by a sensor.

  For example, the detected portion is separated from the bottom of the toner collection container by a predetermined distance, is separated from the toner inflow port by a predetermined distance, and is formed in a shape that protrudes from a part of the side surface of the toner collection container. . It is assumed that a light receiving part and a light emitting part as a sensor are sandwiched with respect to the detected part, and toner flows into the detected part, so that a predetermined amount of waste toner is accumulated in the toner recovery container. Detected.

  However, when waste toner accumulates in the toner collection container, smoke may be generated. When smoke occurs, waste toner easily flows into the detected part of the toner collection container, and the sensor mistakenly reaches the predetermined amount of waste toner before reaching the predetermined amount of waste toner in the toner collection container. It was a problem to detect (false detection).

  On the other hand, the image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 includes a cleaning unit that removes residual toner on an image carrier, and a toner container that contains toner removed from the image carrier by the cleaning unit. In the apparatus, the toner container detects a toner amount collected in the toner container, and determines whether the toner has reached a predetermined amount, a container that stores toner, and the detection unit, And a shielding member that is located between the housing portion and opens and closes by the pressure of the toner on the housing portion side. In the image forming apparatus of Patent Document 1, when waste toner accumulates up to the detection unit, the free end of the shielding member opens inward of the detection unit due to the pressure of the waste toner, and the waste toner starts to enter the detection unit from the storage unit. Since the waste toner accumulates on the detection unit, it is possible to efficiently store the waste toner without detecting a full tank and causing the toner to overflow.

JP 2011-133654 A

  By the way, the waste toner removed and collected from the photosensitive member and the intermediate transfer member by the cleaner is not transferred to the medium and transferred to the toner (hereinafter referred to as “transfer residual toner”) remaining on the photosensitive member and the intermediate transfer member. Not limited.

  If the toner stays in the developing unit of the electrophotographic image forming apparatus for a long time, there is a problem that the toner deteriorates. If the deteriorated toner continues to stay in the developing device, it causes image formation failure. Therefore, it is necessary to perform maintenance such that such toner is discharged from the developing device and collected. Specifically, the toner discharged from the developing device is attached to the photoreceptor. The toner adhered to the photoreceptor is collected by a cleaning blade. Such toner is different from the above-described transfer residual toner. Such toner is called maintenance toner.

  Accordingly, waste toner collected in the toner collection container includes transfer residual toner and maintenance toner.

  Since the transfer residual toner is a toner having high fluidity, it has a property that it hardly aggregates during deposition. On the other hand, since the maintenance toner is a toner having low fluidity, it has a property of being easily aggregated during deposition.

  Here, the problem of each toner will be described. Highly fluid toner tends to generate fumes during deposition. For this reason, there is a problem in that the smoked toner adheres to the detected portion of the toner recovery container and causes erroneous detection (early erroneous detection) before reaching a predetermined amount. On the other hand, toner with low fluidity tends to agglomerate, and therefore, after falling from the inlet, it accumulates in a mountain, and even if it reaches a predetermined amount, the toner to the detected part of the toner recovery container Is difficult to flow in. In this case, the toner collection container is overfilled without being detected by the sensor, and there is a possibility of causing toner clogging at the toner inflow port.

  The image forming apparatus disclosed in Patent Document 1 is provided with a shielding member that is positioned between the detection unit and the storage unit and that opens and closes with the pressure of the toner on the storage unit side. In this case, the toner having low fluidity aggregates on the shielding portion, and it becomes difficult to get over the shielding member. As a result, the toner accumulation cannot be detected and toner clogging is caused at the toner inlet. In other words, the toner could not cope with toners having different fluidity.

  Further, the properties of the waste toner to be collected change depending on the environmental index such as the in-machine temperature and humidity.

  The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and in an image forming apparatus that collects waste toner from an image forming unit and stores it in a toner collection container, even when collecting waste toner having different fluidity, It is an object to detect the filling of a predetermined amount of waste toner with higher accuracy.

  (1) A toner collection container for collecting waste toner adhering to the image carrier, a detection unit for detecting whether or not the amount of waste toner collected in the toner collection container has reached a predetermined amount, and detection by the detection unit And a controller that controls the operation of the image forming apparatus based on the result, wherein the toner collection container is formed at an inlet for receiving the waste toner and a part of the toner collection container, and the detection unit And a shielding member that is provided at a position that blocks a predetermined path from the inlet to the detected part and shields the detected part. An image forming apparatus characterized by determining fluidity and adjusting a position of a shielding member based on a determination result.

  (2) When the control unit determines that the fluidity of the waste toner is lower than the fluidity in the standard state, the control unit adjusts the shielding member to a position where a predetermined path is opened, and the fluidity of the waste toner is in the standard state. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein if it is determined that the fluidity is higher than the current fluidity, the shielding member is adjusted to a position that obstructs the predetermined path.

  (3) A temperature detection unit that detects the temperature in the image forming apparatus is provided, and the control unit determines the fluidity of the waste toner based on the detection result of the temperature detection unit. The image forming apparatus described in 1.

  (4) The control unit determines that the fluidity of the waste toner is lower than the fluidity in the standard state when the detection result of the temperature detection unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. The image forming apparatus described in 1.

  (5) The image forming apparatus includes a humidity detection unit that detects humidity in the image forming apparatus, and the control unit determines the fluidity of the toner based on a detection result of the humidity detection unit. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

  (6) The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when the detection result of the humidity detection unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined humidity, the control unit has a fluidity of the waste toner that is lower than a standard state.

  (7) The control unit calculates an average printing rate up to a predetermined number of sheets, and determines the fluidity of the waste toner based on the average printing rate. The image forming apparatus described.

  (8) The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when the average printing rate is equal to or lower than the predetermined printing rate, the control unit has a waste toner having a lower fluidity than a standard state.

  (9) The control unit adjusts the position of the shielding member so that the surface of the shielding member having a smaller area than the surface having the largest area is moved with respect to the accumulated waste toner. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes a toner collection container that collects waste toner attached on an image carrier, and a detection unit that detects whether or not the amount of waste toner collected in the toner collection container has reached a predetermined amount. And a control unit that controls the operation of the image forming apparatus based on the detection result of the detection unit, and the toner collection container is formed at a part of the toner collection container and an inflow port that receives waste toner. A detected part that is a part detected by the part, and a shielding member that is provided at a position that blocks a predetermined path from the inflow port to the detected part and shields the detected part. By detecting the fluidity of the toner and adjusting the position of the shielding member based on the judgment result, even when collecting waste toner with different fluidity, it detects the filling of the predetermined amount of waste toner more accurately. it can.

1 is a diagram illustrating an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention. 1 is a hardware block diagram of an image forming apparatus 1 according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 3 is a diagram illustrating a positional relationship among a photoconductor 7, an intermediate transfer member 13, a toner recovery unit 20, and a developing unit 9. FIG. 7 is an overview of the toner collection container 38, and shows that the amount of waste toner has reached a predetermined amount. FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of the toner collection container 38 of FIG. FIG. 4B is a plan view of the toner recovery container 38. FIG. 4C is a left side view of the toner collection container 38. It is a figure explaining the magnitude | size of the shielding member 43, and an installation position. FIG. 5A is a front view of the toner collection container 38 and shows the size of the shielding member 43 as seen from the front view. FIG. 5B and FIG. 5C are diagrams showing different shapes of the shielding member 43. FIG. 5 is a top view of the toner collection container 38, and is a diagram illustrating a state in which waste toner that has flowed in from the toner inflow port 42 flows and an installation position of the shielding member 43. FIG. 7A is a top view of the toner collection container 38 of FIG. 3A, and the adjustment of the position of the shielding member 43 by the member position adjusting mechanism 39 is a diagram illustrating the position of the shielding member 43. It is a figure to do. FIG. 7B is a top view of the toner collection container 38 and shows the positional relationship between the detected portion 42 a and the shielding member 43. FIG. 3 is a control block diagram for controlling a toner recovery unit 20. It is a figure which shows the relationship between fluidity | liquidity and in-machine temperature. It is a flowchart regarding the process which adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 which concerns on embodiment of this invention. It is a figure which shows the relationship between fluidity | liquidity and humidity. It is a figure which shows the relationship between fluidity | liquidity and an average printing rate. It is a figure which shows the position of adjustment of the shielding member. It is a figure which shows the relationship between the combination of internal temperature, humidity, and an average printing rate, and the position of the shielding member 43. FIG. 14 is a flowchart relating to processing for adjusting a shielding member 43 according to Modification 3. 6 is a diagram illustrating a method of moving a surface having a small area among the surfaces of the shielding member 43 with respect to the accumulated waste toner 44. FIG.

  As described in the prior art, the conventional image forming apparatus does not consider the fluidity of waste toner, and can accurately detect that a predetermined amount of waste toner is filled in the toner recovery container. There wasn't.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention detects a waste toner container 38 that collects waste toner adhering to an image carrier, and detects whether or not the waste toner collected in the toner collection container 38 has reached a predetermined amount. And a control unit 21 that controls the operation of the image forming apparatus based on the detection result of the detection unit 42b. The toner collection container 38 includes a toner inlet 41 that receives waste toner, and a toner collection container. 38 is provided at a position where a predetermined path from the toner inflow port 41 to the detected part 42a is blocked by the detected part 42a that is a part that is detected by the detecting part 42b. The control member 21 determines the fluidity of the waste toner, and adjusts the position of the shield member 43 based on the determination result to collect waste toner having different fluidity. In case What is also one in which the waste toner in the toner collecting container 38 is made it possible to detect accurately that filled a predetermined amount. Hereinafter, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to FIGS.

(Embodiment)
FIG. 1 is a diagram showing an overall configuration of an image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 is a so-called MFP (Multi Function Peripheral) capable of executing a copy job, a print job, a scan job, a fax job, and a box job. A box job is a job executed using data stored in a box (folder) included in the image forming apparatus 11.

  The image forming apparatus 1 mainly includes an automatic document feeder 2, a document reading unit 3, a paper feeding unit 5, an image forming unit 2, and a toner collecting unit 20.

  The automatic document conveying unit 2 automatically conveys the document placed on the document table to the reading position of the document reading unit 3.

  The document reading unit 3 reads an image of the document conveyed by the automatic document conveyance unit 2 and generates read data.

  The paper feed unit 5 includes a plurality of paper feed trays 6 a to 6 c and supplies the sheets stored in the respective paper feed trays 6 a to 6 c to the image forming unit 2.

  The image forming unit 2 forms an image on a sheet supplied by the sheet feeding unit 5 based on read data generated by the document reading unit 3 or print data acquired by a data IF (Interface) unit described later.

  The image forming unit 2 corresponds to each of Y (yellow) color, M (magenta) color, C (cyan) color, and K (black) color (hereinafter sometimes referred to as Y color to K color). A photosensitive member 7, a charging unit 8, an image exposing unit 9, a developing unit 9, a primary transfer unit 11, and a cleaning unit 12. Further, the image forming unit 2 includes an intermediate transfer body 13, a registration roller pair 14, a secondary transfer unit 15, and a fixing unit 16 that are common to Y color to K color.

  Hereinafter, the photoreceptor 7, the charging unit 8, the image exposing unit 9, the developing unit 9, the primary transfer unit 11, and the cleaning unit 12 corresponding to the Y color will be described. The charging unit 8 charges the photoconductor 7. The image exposure unit 9 forms an electrostatic latent image on the charged photoreceptor 7 by irradiating with laser light. The developing unit 9 develops a toner image corresponding to the electrostatic latent image formed on the photoconductor 7 on the photoconductor 7. The primary transfer unit 11 primarily transfers the toner image developed on the photoconductor 7 to the intermediate transfer body 13. The cleaning unit 12 removes toner remaining on the photosensitive member 7 without being transferred to the intermediate transfer member 13 (hereinafter referred to as waste toner) from the photosensitive member 7. The removed waste toner is collected by a waste toner collection unit 20 described later.

  The timings are also set so that the toner images of the corresponding pixels of the photoconductor 7, the charging unit 8, the image exposure unit 9, the development unit 9, the primary transfer unit 11, and the cleaning unit 12 corresponding to M to K colors overlap. In addition, an operation similar to that of the above-described Y color is performed, and Y to K toner images are formed on the intermediate transfer member 13.

  The registration roller pair 14 corrects the skew of the paper supplied from the paper supply unit 5 and adjusts the timing so that the toner image transferred onto the intermediate transfer member 13 is positioned at a predetermined position on the paper. It is conveyed to the next transfer unit 15. The secondary transfer unit 15 secondarily transfers the toner image on the intermediate transfer body 13 onto the paper. Further, after the secondary transfer, the waste toner on the intermediate transfer member 13 is removed by the cleaning unit 12 and collected by a toner collecting unit 20 described later.

  The fixing unit 16 fixes the toner image transferred on the paper. The fixing unit 16 includes a heating roller 17, a pressure roller 18, and a conveyance roller 19. The heating roller 17 and the pressure roller 18 are pressed to form a nip portion (fixing nip portion), and the toner image is fixed by passing the paper through the fixing nip portion. The transport roller 19 transports the paper on which the toner image is fixed downstream.

  The sheet on which the toner image is fixed on the front surface by the fixing unit 16 is discharged as it is to the post-processing unit during single-sided printing, and is conveyed again to the secondary transfer unit 15 via the reverse conveyance path during double-sided printing. After the image is formed on the back surface, the paper is discharged to a paper discharge tray.

  The toner collecting unit 20 collects the waste toner removed from the photoreceptor 7 and the intermediate transfer member 13 by the cleaning unit 12. A detailed description of the toner recovery unit 20 will be described later.

FIG. 2 is a hardware block diagram of the image forming apparatus 1 according to the embodiment of the present invention.
The image forming apparatus 1 includes a control unit 21, a storage unit 22, an image processing unit 23, an automatic document conveying unit 2, a document reading unit 3, an image forming unit 2, a paper feeding unit 5, a data IF unit 29, an operation display unit 33, A toner recovery unit 20 is included and connected by a bus.

  The control unit 21 mainly includes a CPU (Central Processing Unit), executes a program stored in a storage unit 22 described later, and stores the storage unit 22, the image processing unit 23, the automatic document transport unit 2, and the document reading unit. 3. The functions of the image forming apparatus 1 are realized by controlling the image forming unit 2, the paper feeding unit 5, the data IF unit 29, the operation display unit 33, and the toner collecting unit 20.

  The storage unit 22 mainly includes a RAM (Random Access Memory), a ROM (Read Only Memory), and an HDD (Hard Disc Drive). The storage unit 22 stores data necessary for realizing the functions of the image forming apparatus 1 including data executed by the control unit 21 and data related to jobs. The HDD also functions as a box. The storage unit 22 stores a table such as a table indicating the relationship between toner fluidity and temperature.

  The data IF unit 29 transmits and receives data to and from an external device (for example, an information device device such as a PC (Personal Computer)) or a storage medium, and a LAN (Local Area Network) IF unit 31. A storage media IF unit 31 and a FAXIF unit 32. The LANIF unit 30 transmits / receives data to / from a server, a PC, a portable terminal, and another image forming apparatus 1 connected to the LAN via a wired or wireless LAN. The LANIF unit 30 can receive (acquire) data from a server, a PC, a portable terminal, or the like for a print job instructed from a server, a PC, a portable terminal, or the like. The storage media IF unit 31 acquires data from a portable storage medium (for example, a USB (Universal Serial Bus) memory) or stores the data in the portable storage medium. The storage media IF unit 31 can acquire data from the portable storage medium with respect to the data stored in the portable storage medium. The FAXIF unit 32 transmits and receives fax data via a fax line.

  The image forming unit 2 mainly includes a photoconductor 7, a charging unit 8, an image exposure unit 9, a developing unit 9, a primary transfer unit 11, a cleaning unit 12, an intermediate transfer body 13, a resist roller pair 14, and a secondary transfer unit 15. The fixing unit 16 and the paper discharge unit are configured to form an image on a sheet based on image data output from an image processing unit 23 described later.

The operation display unit 33 includes a display 34, a touch panel 35, and operation keys 36.
The display 34 is a liquid crystal display (LCD (Liquid Crystal Display)), for example, and can display an operation screen.

  The touch panel 35 is provided on the screen of the display 34 and detects a coordinate position pressed with a pen, a finger, or the like.

  The operation key 36 is, for example, a hard key and includes a numeric keypad and a start key. The numeric keypad is a key for receiving input of numbers and symbols. The start key accepts an instruction to start the operation of the image forming apparatus 1.

  The image processing unit 23 is an integrated circuit for image processing such as an FPGA (Field Programmable Gate Array) and an ASIC (Application Specific Integrated Circuit), and includes print data acquired by the LANIF unit 30 and the storage media IF unit 31. The fax data acquired by the FAXIF unit 32 and the read data generated by the document reading unit 3 are set as input data, image processing is performed on the input data, and the image data is output to the image forming unit 2.

  The image processing unit 23 includes an input data analysis unit 24, a raster data generation unit 25, a sharpness correction unit 26, a color conversion unit 27, and a gamma correction unit 28.

  When the input data is print data in PDL (Page Description Language) format acquired by the LANIF unit 30 or the storage media IF unit 31, the input data analysis unit 24 performs an analysis process based on the print data, and performs an intermediate language (DL: Display List) data is generated. Note that the format of the print data is not limited to the PDL format, and may take other formats.

  The raster data generation unit 25 generates raster data by performing rasterization processing on the DL data that is analyzed and generated by the input data analysis unit 24. The sharpness correction unit 26 performs sharpness processing and smoothing processing on the raster data generated by the raster data generation unit 25 or the read data generated by the document reading unit 3. The sharpness correction unit 26 performs, for example, sharpness processing on the edge portion of a character area or line drawing area, and performs smoothing processing on a halftone dot area.

  The color conversion unit 27 performs color conversion processing on the processing result of the sharpness correction unit 26 and generates YMCK data corresponding to the color characteristics (color space) of the image forming unit 2. The color conversion unit 27 generates YMCK data corresponding to the color characteristics of the image forming unit 2 using a device link profile corresponding to the color characteristics (color space) of the input data input to the image processing unit 23. For example, when the input data is read data generated by the document reading unit 3, YMCK data is generated using a device link profile corresponding to the color characteristics of the document reading unit 3 and the color characteristics of the image forming unit 2.

  The gamma correction unit 28 performs density conversion processing on the YMCK data generated by the color conversion unit 27. For example, the gamma correction unit 28 stores a look-up table (LUT: Look Up Table) for density conversion, performs density conversion processing based on the YMCK data generated by the color conversion unit 27, and converts the image data into Generate.

  FIG. 3 shows the positions of the photosensitive member 7, the intermediate transfer member 13, the toner collecting unit 20, and the developing unit 9 when the toner (waste toner) attached to the photosensitive member 7 and the intermediate transfer member 13 is collected in the toner collecting unit 20. FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a relationship, and is an enlarged view of the photosensitive member 7, the intermediate transfer member 13, a toner collecting unit 20, and a developing unit 9 illustrated in FIG.

  The toner collection unit 20 includes a waste toner conveyance path 37, a toner collection container 38, a member position adjustment mechanism 39, a temperature measurement unit 40, and a detection unit 42b.

  The waste toner conveyance path 37 is a conveyance path used when the waste toner removed from the photoreceptor 7 and the intermediate transfer body 13 is collected in the toner collection container 38.

  The toner collection container 38 collects the waste toner removed from the photoreceptor 7 and the intermediate transfer body 13. The toner recovery container 38 includes a toner inlet 41, a detected part 42 a, and a shielding member 43. The toner collection container 38 is detachable from the image forming apparatus.

  The toner inflow port 41 (inflow port) is an inflow port for collecting the waste toner collected through the waste toner conveyance path 37 into the toner collection container 38.

  The detected portion 42 a is separated from the bottom of the toner collection container 38 by a predetermined distance, is also separated from the toner inflow port 41 by a predetermined distance, and protrudes from the side surface of the toner collection container 38. Formed in part. The detected part 42a receives the inflow of waste toner.

  The detection unit 42b detects that waste toner has flowed into the detected portion 42a. Moreover, the detection part 42b is installed in the vicinity of the to-be-detected part 42a. More specifically, it is installed so that the state of the detected portion 42a can be detected when the toner collection container 38 is installed in the image forming apparatus. The detection unit 42b is, for example, a sensor such as a photo interrupter including a light receiving unit and a light emitting unit. When the detection unit 42b detects that waste toner has flowed into the detected unit 42a, the detection unit 42b detects waste toner in the toner recovery container 38. It is detected that the amount has reached a predetermined amount.

  The shielding member 43 is installed inside the toner collection container 38 (broken line portion in FIG. 3), and smoke (waste toner) generated when waste toner flowing in from the toner inlet 41 accumulates in the toner collection container 38 is formed. It is a member for preventing erroneous detection of the detection unit 42b due to flowing into the detected portion 42a. The shielding member 43 is, for example, a metal plate or a wooden plate. Here, the erroneous detection of the detection part 42b is demonstrated. When the waste toner has high fluidity, for example, when the waste toner falls from the toner flow port 41, smoke may be generated due to the impact of the fall. When smoke is generated, waste toner adheres to the inner wall of the toner collection container 38. The detected portion 42a formed in a part of the toner recovery container 38 is no exception, and waste toner may adhere to the detected portion 42a. Since the detection unit 42b detects that the waste toner has adhered to the detected portion 42a, at this time, the detection unit 42b detects that the amount of waste toner in the toner recovery container 38 has reached a predetermined amount. However, the fumes are generated regardless of the amount of waste toner accumulated in the toner recovery container 38. For this reason, if smoke is generated in a state where the amount of waste toner in the toner recovery container 38 is not sufficient, the waste toner adheres to the detected part 42a, and the detection part 42b has a sufficient amount of waste toner in the toner recovery container 38. Despite this, it is detected that the predetermined amount has been reached. This is a false detection of the detection unit 42b.

  The member position adjustment mechanism 39 is a mechanism for adjusting the position of the shielding member 43. Specific control and mechanism of the toner recovery container 38 will be described later.

  The temperature measurement unit 40 measures the temperature inside the image forming apparatus 1. More specifically, the temperature of the waste toner conveyance path 37 and the toner collection container 38 is measured. The temperature detector 40 is a temperature sensor such as a thermistor, for example.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention determines the fluidity of the waste toner based on the measured in-machine temperature, and adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 according to the fluidity of the waste toner.

Hereinafter, the position of the detected part 42a and the detection state of the detecting part 42b will be described.
FIG. 4 is a general view of the toner collection container 38 and shows that the amount of waste toner has reached a predetermined amount. FIG. 4A is an enlarged view of the toner collection container 38 of FIG. The figure seen from this direction is a front view. In the following description, with reference to the front view, the top view of the toner recovery container 38 is a plan view, the left side view of the toner recovery container 38 is a left side view, and the right side of the toner recovery container 38 is viewed. Is a right side view, and a view from the bottom of the toner collection container 30 is called a bottom view. FIG. 4B is a plan view of the toner recovery container 38. FIG. 4C is a left side view of the toner collection container 38. 4A to 4C, hatched areas indicate a state where waste toner is accumulated (deposited waste toner 44).

  The position of the detected part 42a will be described. The detected portion 42a is installed at a position where it can be detected that the amount of accumulated waste toner (accumulated waste toner 44) has reached a predetermined amount. In other words, the detected portion 42a is separated from the bottom of the toner collection container 38 by a predetermined distance (see FIG. 4A), and is also separated from the toner inlet 41 by a predetermined distance (see FIG. 4B). Further, it is formed on a part of the side surface of the toner recovery container 38.

  The detected portion 42 a is formed on a part of the toner collection container 38 so as to protrude from the side surface of the toner collection container 38. When waste toner flows into the detected portion 42a as shown in FIG. 4B or 4C, the light receiving portion of the sensor installed as shown in FIG. 4C receives light. The amount of light that changes. At this time, the detection unit 42b determines that the amount of waste toner (accumulated waste toner 44) has reached a predetermined amount.

  Next, the shielding member 43 will be described. The shielding member 43 needs to have a size that prevents at least smoke from flowing into the detected portion 42a.

  FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining the size of the shielding member 43. FIG. 5A is a front view of the toner collection container 38 and shows the size of the shielding member 43 as seen from the front view. FIG. 5B and FIG. 5C are diagrams showing different shapes of the shielding member 43.

  As described above, the shielding member 43 prevents erroneous detection of the detection unit 42b due to smoke generated when waste toner flowing in from the toner inflow port 41 accumulates in the toner collection container 38 flowing into the detection unit 42a. It is a member for doing. The shielding member 43 needs to cover the entire area of the detected portion 42a when viewed from at least the front view (the hatched portion in FIG. 5A). In FIG. 5 (a), it is expressed larger than the detected portion 42a for convenience of illustration, but it may be just overlapped. As a matter of course, not only the size as shown in FIG. 5 (a) but also the shielding member 43 that is enlarged in the vertical direction as shown in FIG. 5 (b) is shown in the horizontal direction as shown in FIG. 5 (c). The enlarged shielding member 43 or the enlarged shielding member 43 (not shown) on the front surface may be used.

  In addition, the shielding member 43 needs to be installed so as to intersect the direction in which the waste toner flows into the detected portion 43a.

  FIG. 6 is a top view of the toner recovery container 38, and is a diagram for explaining how the waste toner that has flowed in from the toner inflow port 42 flows and the position where the shielding member 43 is installed.

  The waste toner flowing in from the toner inlet 41 flows throughout as shown by the arrow in FIG. At this time, there is a specific direction 45 in which waste toner flows from the toner inlet 41 toward the detected portion 42a. When the smoke is generated, the smoke flowing along the specific direction flows into the detected portion 42a, so that erroneous detection is likely to occur. Therefore, as shown in FIG. 6, the shielding member 43 is installed so as to intersect the specific direction 45. More specifically, it is installed so as to intersect a predetermined path 46 (hatched portion in FIG. 6) from the toner inlet 41 to the detected portion 42a. In other words, when the shielding member 43 blocks the predetermined path 46, the surface of the shielding member 43 forms a predetermined angle with respect to the waste toner flow direction.

Next, the member position adjusting mechanism 39 that adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 will be described.
FIG. 7 is a view for explaining the position of the shielding member 43, and FIG. 7A is a top view of the toner collection container 38 of FIG. 3A, and the position of the shielding member 43 by the member position adjusting mechanism 39. It is a figure explaining adjustment of. FIG. 7B is a top view of the toner collection container 38 and shows the positional relationship between the detected portion 42 a and the shielding member 43.

  As shown in FIG. 7A, the member position adjusting mechanism 39 includes a motor 47, a first gear 48, and a second gear 49.

  The motor 47 rotates the first gear 48 based on the function of the control unit 21 described later. The first gear 48 transmits the driving force received from the motor 47 to the second gear 49 engaged with the first gear 48. The second gear 49 is connected to the shielding member 43, and transmits the driving force received from the first gear 48 to the shielding member 43, thereby rotating the shielding member 43 and adjusting the position of the shielding member 43. Specifically, as shown in FIG. 7B, when the shielding member 43 is set to a position where the shielding member 43 intersects the predetermined path 46 (first position: (1) in FIG. 7), the motor 47 is The first gear 48 is rotated clockwise, and the second gear 49 receiving it rotates together with the shielding member 43 counterclockwise, thereby bringing the shielding member 43 into the first position. That is, the first position is a position that narrows the space between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a, and adjusts the shielding member 43 in a direction that blocks the predetermined path 46. Further, when the shielding member 43 is already at the first position, the shielding member 43 is adjusted so as to remain at that position.

  On the other hand, the motor 47 rotates the first gear 48 counterclockwise when the shielding member 43 is in a position where it does not cross the predetermined path 46 (second position: (2) in FIG. 7). The second gear 49 that has received the rotation rotates together with the shielding member 43 in the clockwise direction, so that the position of the shielding member 43 is set to the second position. That is, the second position is a position that widens the space between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a, and adjusts the shielding member 43 in the direction in which the predetermined path 46 is opened. Further, when the shielding member 43 is already at the second position, the shielding member 43 is adjusted so as to remain at that position.

  That is, the shielding member 43 is provided at a position away from the detected portion 42a, and the distance from the detected portion 42a can be adjusted.

  When the toner recovery container 38 including the shielding member 43 is set in the image forming apparatus 1, the second gear 49 may be connected to the shielding member 43 depending on the mechanical configuration, or the second gear 49 may be connected to the toner. When the toner recovery container 38 installed in the direction of the recovery container 38 and having the shielding member 43 and the second gear 49 connected in advance is set in the image forming apparatus 1, the first gear 48 and the second gear 49 May be engaged with each other.

  Here, the characteristics of the waste toner will be described. As described in the prior art, the waste toner includes a toner having high fluidity and a toner having low fluidity. Generally, it is known that the fluidity of waste toner is related to the temperature inside the image forming apparatus 1. When the temperature inside the machine when collecting the waste toner is higher than a predetermined temperature, the surface of the waste toner is melted and the adsorptivity is increased. For this reason, when the in-machine temperature is higher than a predetermined temperature, the waste toners tend to aggregate together, and therefore, the toner has low fluidity. On the other hand, when the in-machine temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, the surface of the waste toner is hardly melted and the adsorptivity does not change. For this reason, when the in-machine temperature is lower than a predetermined temperature, the waste toners do not agglomerate with each other.

Hereinafter, control for adjusting the position of the shielding member 43 in accordance with the difference in fluidity will be described.
FIG. 8 is a control block diagram for controlling the toner recovery unit 20. The control unit 21 functions as a control execution determination unit 50, an acquisition unit 51, a fluidity determination unit 52, and a mechanism execution unit 53.

  The control execution determination unit 50 determines whether it is time to control the member position adjustment mechanism 39. For example, it may be determined that the above timing has been reached when a predetermined number of prints such as every 1000 sheets are printed, or it is determined that the above timing has been reached when the image forming apparatus 1 is started or stopped, such as warm-up or shutdown. You may do it.

The acquisition unit 51 acquires the in-machine temperature measured by the temperature measurement unit 40.
The fluidity determination unit 52 determines whether the collected waste toner is a low fluidity toner or a high fluidity toner based on the acquired in-machine temperature. More specifically, if the acquired in-machine temperature is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature (for example, 42 ° C .: standard state), it is determined that the toner is lower in fluidity than the fluidity in the standard state, and the acquired in-machine temperature is obtained. If the temperature is lower than the predetermined temperature, it is determined that the toner has higher fluidity than the fluidity in the standard state. The temperature given as an example uses the toner aggregation temperature as a threshold, and is not limited to this value. Further, it may be a temperature other than the aggregation temperature. Hereinafter, a toner having a lower fluidity when the fluidity is in a standard state is simply referred to as a toner having a lower fluidity, and a toner having a fluidity higher than that when the fluidity is in a standard state is simply referred to as a toner having a higher fluidity. .

  The mechanism execution unit 53 causes the member position adjustment mechanism 39 to adjust the position of the shielding member 43 based on the determination result of the fluidity determination unit 52. This will be described more specifically. The mechanism execution unit 53 refers to a table as shown in FIG. 9 and controls the member position adjustment mechanism 39 corresponding to the determination result of the fluidity determination unit 52. FIG. 9 shows the relationship between fluidity and in-machine temperature. For example, when the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity is low, the mechanism execution unit 53 controls the member position adjustment mechanism 39 corresponding to “low fluidity” in the table of FIG. Control is performed so that the position 43 is adjusted to the second position ((2) in FIG. 7). That is, the position of the shielding member 43 is adjusted in the direction in which the predetermined path 46 is opened. On the other hand, when the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity is high, the mechanism execution unit 53 controls the member position adjustment mechanism 39 corresponding to “highly fluidity” in the table of FIG. Control is performed so that the position 43 is adjusted to the first position ((1) in FIG. 7). That is, the position of the shielding member 43 is adjusted in a direction that blocks the predetermined path 46.

  When waste toner having high fluidity is collected, smoke is generated, and the waste toner that has been ejected may enter the detected portion 42a and cause erroneous detection. Therefore, the position of the shielding member 43 is adjusted to the first position. Prevent fumes. On the other hand, when collecting waste toner with low fluidity, if the shielding member 43 is in the first position, the waste toner will be prevented from flowing into the detected portion 42a. The position 2 is adjusted so that the waste toner easily flows into the detected portion 42a.

  FIG. 10 is a flowchart relating to processing for adjusting the position of the shielding member 43 according to the embodiment of the present invention. The control unit 21 executes the process shown in FIG. 10 by executing the program stored in the storage unit 22.

  The control execution determination unit 50 determines whether a predetermined number of sheets has been printed (step S101). When the control execution determination unit 50 determines that the predetermined number of sheets has not been printed (No in step S101), the determination in step S101 is repeated. On the other hand, when the control execution determining unit 50 determines that the predetermined number of sheets has been printed (Yes in step S101), the acquiring unit 51 acquires the in-machine temperature (step S102). The fluidity determination unit 52 determines the fluidity of the waste toner based on the in-machine temperature acquired by the acquisition unit 51 (step S103). When the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity of the waste toner is low (low in step S103), the mechanism execution unit 53 adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 to the second position (step S104). On the other hand, when the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity of the waste toner is high (high in step S103), the mechanism execution unit 53 adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 to the first position (step S105).

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 in accordance with the flowability of the waste toner related to the temperature inside the machine, thereby setting the inside temperature of the toner collection container 38 to be filled with a predetermined amount of waste toner. Corresponding and can be detected accurately. In other words, when the in-machine temperature is less than 42 ° C. and the waste toner is determined to have high fluidity, the shielding member 43 prevents the smoke from flowing into the detected portion 42a even if smoke is generated. , False detection can be suppressed. Further, since the space between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a is narrowed, it is possible to suppress the smoke that enters from between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a. At the same time, since it is determined that the fluidity of the waste toner is low because the in-machine temperature is 42 ° C. or higher, it is difficult for smoke to be generated, so that the space between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a is widened. As a result, waste toner flows into the detected portion 42a, so that the occurrence of toner clogging at the toner inlet 41 can be suppressed.

(Modification 1)
In the above embodiment, the fluidity of the waste toner is determined based on the in-machine temperature. However, in this modification, the fluidity of the waste toner is determined based on the humidity. The present modification and the above-described embodiment are that the condition for determining the fluidity of waste toner changes, and that a humidity measurement unit is used instead of the temperature measurement unit 40. Further, since the description overlapping with the above embodiment is repeated, it will be omitted.

  The humidity measuring unit measures the ring humidity inside the image forming apparatus 1. More specifically, the humidity of the waste toner conveyance path 37 and the toner collection container 38 is measured.

  The humidity measuring unit is, for example, a humidity sensor such as a polymer resistance type, a polymer capacitance type, an aluminum oxide capacitance type, an Asman ventilation type moisture meter, a lithium chloride dew point meter, a mirror-cooled dew point meter.

  FIG. 11A is a diagram showing the relationship between fluidity and humidity, and FIG. 11B is a top view of the toner recovery container 38, showing the positional relationship between the detected portion 42a and the shielding member 43. FIG. FIG.

  The mechanism execution unit 53 controls the member position adjustment mechanism 39 corresponding to the determination result of the fluidity determination unit 52 with reference to the table as shown in FIG. For example, when the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity is low, the mechanism execution unit 53 controls the member position adjustment mechanism 39 corresponding to “low fluidity” in the table of FIG. Then, the position of the shielding member 43 is controlled to be adjusted to the second position ((2) in FIG. 11B). On the other hand, when the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity is high, the mechanism execution unit 53 controls the member position adjustment mechanism 39 corresponding to “highly fluidity” in the table of FIG. Then, control is performed so that the position of the shielding member 43 is adjusted to the first position ((1) in FIG. 11B). Further, when the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity is high or low, the mechanism execution unit 53 adjusts the member position corresponding to whether the fluidity is high or low in the table of FIG. The mechanism 39 is controlled. For example, as shown in (3) of FIG. 11B, the position of the shielding member 43 may be adjusted between the first position and the second position. Further, the position of the shielding member 43 may be adjusted to the first position or the second position.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present modification adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 in accordance with the fluidity of the waste toner related to humidity, so that the toner collection container 38 is filled with a predetermined amount of waste toner corresponding to the humidity. And can be accurately detected. That is, when it is determined that the fluidity of the waste toner is high because the humidity is 20% or less, the shielding member 43 prevents the smoke from flowing into the detected portion 42a even if smoke is generated. False detection can be suppressed. Further, since the space between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a is narrowed, it is possible to suppress the smoke that enters from between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a. At the same time, when it is determined that the fluidity of the waste toner is low due to the humidity being 80% or more, since smoke does not easily occur, the space between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a is widened. Since waste toner flows into the portion 42a, the occurrence of toner clogging at the toner inlet 41 can be suppressed.

(Modification 2)
In the above embodiment, the fluidity of the waste toner is determined based on the in-machine temperature, and in the modification 1, the humidity of the waste toner is determined based on the average printing rate. The difference between the present modified example and the above embodiment or the modified example 1 is that the condition for determining the fluidity of the waste toner changes and the average printing rate is used. In addition, since the description overlapped with the above embodiment and the above-described modification 1 will be repeated, the description thereof will be omitted.

  When the control execution determination unit 50 determines that it is time to control the part position mechanism 39, the acquisition unit 51 calculates and acquires an average print rate from the start of printing to a predetermined number of prints. .

FIG. 12 is a diagram showing the relationship between fluidity and average printing rate.
The mechanism execution unit 53 controls the member position adjustment mechanism 39 corresponding to the determination result of the fluidity determination unit 52 with reference to the table as shown in FIG. For example, when the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity is low, the mechanism execution unit 53 controls the member position adjustment mechanism 39 corresponding to “low fluidity” in the table of FIG. Control is performed so that the position of 43 is adjusted to the second position. On the other hand, when the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity is high, the mechanism execution unit 53 performs shielding as the control of the member position adjustment mechanism 39 corresponding to “highly fluidity” in the table of FIG. Control is performed so that the position of the member 43 is adjusted to the first position. Further, when the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity is high or low, the mechanism execution unit 53 determines whether the member position adjustment mechanism 39 corresponding to whether the fluidity is high or low in the table of FIG. Take control.

  The image forming apparatus 1 according to the present modification adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 in accordance with the flowability of the waste toner with respect to the average printing rate, thereby averaging that the toner collection container 38 is filled with a predetermined amount of waste toner. Corresponding to the printing rate, it can be detected accurately. That is, when it is determined that the fluidity of the waste toner is high when the average printing rate is 20% or more, the shielding member 43 prevents the smoke from flowing into the detected portion 42a even if smoke is generated. , False detection can be suppressed. Further, since the space between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a is narrowed, it is possible to suppress the smoke that enters from between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a. At the same time, when the waste toner has low fluidity due to the average printing rate being 3% or less, it is difficult for fumes to be generated, so the space between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a is widened. Since the waste toner flows into the toner, the occurrence of toner clogging at the toner inlet 41 can be suppressed.

(Modification 3)
In the embodiment, the fluidity of the waste toner is determined based on the internal temperature, the humidity in the first modification, and the average printing rate in the second modification. Here, even if the temperature is the same, the humidity may be different. In such a case, the lower the humidity, the higher the fluidity. Therefore, when the humidity is lower than the distance between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a when the humidity is high in order to effectively prevent fumes. It is necessary to reduce the distance between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a. On the contrary, the higher the humidity, the lower the fluidity. Therefore, the humidity is higher than the distance between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a when the humidity is low so that the waste toner flows into the detected portion 42a. It is necessary to increase the distance between the shielding member 43 and the detected portion 42a. That is, when considering a plurality of conditions, it is necessary to adjust the position of the shielding member 43 accordingly.

  In this modification, the fluidity of the waste toner is determined based on a combination of the in-machine temperature, humidity, and average printing rate.

  Since the description of the above embodiment and the modifications 1 and 2 is repeated, it will be omitted.

FIG. 13 is a diagram illustrating adjustment of the position of the shielding member 43.
The position (A) is the position where the path to the detected part 42a is the narrowest. This is the position used when it is determined that the fluidity is the highest.

  The position (B) is a position where the path to the detected part 42a is narrowed, but is a position wider than the position (A). This is the position used when it is determined that the fluidity is high.

  The position (C) is a position that does not narrow or widen the path to the detected part 42a. This is the position used when it is determined that the fluidity is neither high nor low.

  The position (D) is a position that widens the path to the detection unit, but is a position narrower than the position (E). This is the position used when it is determined that the fluidity is low.

  The position (E) is a position that widens the path to the detection unit. This is the position used when it is determined that the fluidity is the lowest.

  FIG. 14 is a diagram illustrating the relationship between the combination of the in-machine temperature, humidity, and average printing rate, and the position of the shielding member 43. Numerical values (1 to 5) corresponding to combinations of the in-machine temperature, humidity, and average printing rate are fluidity ranks, and the position of the shielding member 43 is adjusted based on the fluidity rank.

  The fluidity determination unit 52 determines the fluidity rank based on the in-machine temperature, humidity, and average printing rate acquired by the acquisition unit 51.

  The mechanism execution unit 53 controls the member position adjustment mechanism 39 based on the fluidity rank determined by the fluidity determination unit 52. When the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity rank is 1, the mechanism execution unit 53 performs control so that the position of the shielding member 43 is adjusted to the position (A). When the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity rank is 2, the mechanism execution unit 53 controls the position of the shielding member 43 to be adjusted to the position (B). When the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity rank is 3, the mechanism execution unit 53 controls the position of the shielding member 43 to be adjusted to the position (C). When the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity rank is 4, the mechanism execution unit 53 performs control so that the position of the shielding member 43 is adjusted to the position (D). When the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity rank is 5, the mechanism execution unit 53 performs control so that the position of the shielding member 43 is adjusted to the position (E).

  FIG. 15 is a flowchart regarding the process of adjusting the shielding member 43 according to the third modification. The control unit 21 executes the process shown in FIG. 15 by executing the program stored in the storage unit 22.

  The control execution determination unit 50 determines whether or not a predetermined number of sheets has been printed (step S201). When the control execution determination unit 50 determines that the predetermined number of sheets has not been printed (No in step S201), the determination in step S201 is repeated. On the other hand, when the control execution determination unit 50 determines that a predetermined number of sheets has been printed (Yes in step S201), the acquisition unit 51 acquires the in-machine temperature, humidity, and average printing rate. (Step S202). Here, the in-machine temperature is the measurement value of the temperature measurement unit, the humidity is the measurement value of the hygrometer side, and the average print rate is the calculated value of the average print rate of a predetermined number of printed sheets. .

  The fluidity determination unit 52 determines the fluidity rank of the waste toner based on the acquired in-machine temperature, humidity, and average printing rate (step S203). When the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity rank of the waste toner is 1 (1 in step S203), the mechanism execution unit 53 adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 to the position (A) (step S204). When the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity rank of the waste toner is 2 (2 in step S203), the mechanism execution unit 53 adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 to the position (B) (step S205). When the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity rank of the waste toner is 3 (3 in step S203), the mechanism execution unit 53 adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 to the position (C) (step S206). When the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity rank of the waste toner is 4 (4 in step S203), the mechanism execution unit 53 adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 to the position (D) (step S207). When the fluidity determination unit 52 determines that the fluidity rank of the waste toner is 5 (5 in step S203), the mechanism execution unit 53 adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 to the position (E) (step S208).

  In the image forming apparatus 1 according to this modification, the toner collection container 38 is filled with a predetermined amount of waste toner by adjusting the position of the shielding member 43 in detail based on a combination of the in-machine temperature, humidity, and average printing rate. This can be detected with higher accuracy. As mentioned in the previous example, for example, even if the in-machine temperature is the same, the humidity may be different. Even in such a case, the shielding member 43 is adjusted to an appropriate position, so that the accuracy is higher. It is possible to detect that the toner collection container 38 is filled with a predetermined amount of waste toner.

  In this modification, the determination is made based on the combination of the in-machine temperature, the humidity, and the average printing rate. However, the present invention is not limited to this mode. But it ’s okay. In this modification, the internal temperature, humidity, and average printing rate are described as affecting the fluidity of the waste toner. If there are other factors that affect the fluidity, use them. Of course it is good.

(Modification 4)
In the said embodiment and the said modifications 1-3, the shielding member 43 was rotated to the horizontal direction. However, when waste toner is accumulated, the accumulated waste toner may impose a load on the rotation of the shielding member 43. This is because as the area of the surface of the shielding member 43 with respect to the accumulated waste toner 44 becomes larger, the force (pressure) related to the movement becomes larger and the resultant load becomes larger. In view of this, the present modification includes a shielding member 43 and a mechanism for adjusting the position of the shielding member 43 so that the surface of the shielding member 43 with respect to the accumulated waste toner 44 can move on a small area. Here, the area of the surface being small refers to a surface of the shielding member 43 having an area smaller than the largest area. That is, in the fourth modification, the position is adjusted so that the surface of the shielding member 43 having a small area is moved with respect to the accumulated waste toner 44.

  FIG. 16 is a diagram for explaining a method of moving the surface of the shielding member 43 having a smaller area relative to the accumulated waste toner 44. FIG. 16A shows one of the methods, and is a front view of the toner recovery container 38 as in the direction of FIG. 3A, in which the fan-shaped shielding member 43 rotates in the height direction. . FIG. 16B shows an example different from the above-described example, and is a plan view of the toner collection container 38, as in the direction of FIG. 3B, and is a view in which the shielding member 43 is moved in the horizontal direction.

  With reference to Fig.16 (a), the shielding member 43 is fixing one point. The side that forms a fan-shaped arc faces the accumulated waste toner. Since the fan-shaped arc has an area smaller than the area of the largest surface of the shielding member 43, the position of the fan-shaped arc is adjusted so as to move with respect to the accumulated waste toner 44. By using an arc shape, the accumulated waste toner can be inserted so as to be scraped.

  With reference to FIG.16 (b), the surface where an area is small among the surfaces of the shielding member 43 is moved (slid) in the horizontal direction. The shielding member 43 shown in FIG. 16B can be expanded and contracted in the direction of the arrow. In this case, the shielding member 43 is installed so as to shield the predetermined path 46.

  Since the image forming apparatus 1 according to this modification adjusts the position of the shielding member 43 so as to be inserted, the load on the shielding member 43 can be reduced. Further, since vibration to the accumulated waste toner accompanying the movement of the shielding member 43 is suppressed, fumes generated from the accumulated waste toner can also be suppressed.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Image forming part 3 Automatic document conveyance part 4 Document reading part 5 Paper feed part 6 Paper feed tray 7 Photoconductor 8 Charging part 9 Image exposure part 10 Developing part 11 Primary transfer part 12 Cleaning part 13 Intermediate transfer body 14 registration roller pair 15 secondary transfer unit 16 fixing unit 17 heating roller 18 pressure roller 19 transport roller 20 toner recovery unit 21 control unit 22 storage unit 23 image processing unit 24 input data analysis unit 25 raster data generation unit 26 sharpness correction unit 27 Color conversion unit 28 Gamma correction unit 29 Data IF unit 30 LANIF unit 31 Storage media IF unit 32 FAXIF unit 33 Operation display unit 34 Display 35 Touch panel 36 Operation key 37 Waste toner transport path 38 Toner collection container 39 Member position changing mechanism 40 Temperature Measuring unit 41 Toner inlet 42a Detected unit 42b Detecting unit 43 Shielding member 44 Accumulated toner 45 Specific direction 46 Predetermined path 47 Motor 48 First gear 49 Second gear 50 Control execution determination unit 51 Acquisition unit 52 Fluidity determination unit 53 Mechanism execution unit 100 Bus

Claims (9)

A toner collecting container for collecting waste toner adhering to the image carrier, a detecting unit for detecting whether or not the waste toner collected in the toner collecting container has reached a predetermined amount, and a detection result of the detecting unit; An image forming apparatus having a control unit for controlling the operation in the image forming apparatus based on
The toner collection container is
An inlet for receiving the waste toner;
A detected portion that is formed in a part of the toner recovery container and is detected by the detecting portion;
A shielding member that is provided at a position that blocks a predetermined path from the inflow port to the detected part, and shields the detected part;
With
The image forming apparatus, wherein the control unit determines the fluidity of the waste toner and adjusts the position of the shielding member based on the determination result. When the control unit determines that the fluidity of the waste toner is lower than the fluidity in a standard state, the controller adjusts the shielding member to a position where the predetermined path is opened,
2. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein when the fluidity of the waste toner is determined to be higher than the fluidity in a standard state, the shielding member is adjusted to a position that obstructs the predetermined path. It has a temperature detector that detects the temperature inside the image forming device,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines the fluidity of the waste toner based on a detection result of the temperature detection unit.   The control unit determines that the fluidity of the waste toner is lower than the fluidity in a standard state when the detection result of the temperature detection unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined temperature. The image forming apparatus described in 1. It has a humidity detector that detects the humidity inside the image forming device,
The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the control unit determines fluidity of the waste toner based on a detection result of the humidity detection unit.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein when the detection result of the humidity detection unit is equal to or higher than a predetermined humidity, the control unit has a fluidity of the waste toner that is lower than a standard state.   7. The control unit according to claim 1, wherein the control unit calculates an average printing rate up to a predetermined number of sheets, and determines the fluidity of the waste toner based on the average printing rate. The image forming apparatus described.   The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein when the average printing rate is equal to or lower than a predetermined printing rate, the control unit has a fluidity of the waste toner that is lower than a standard state.   The control unit adjusts the position of the shielding member so as to move a surface having a smaller area than the surface of the shielding member with respect to the accumulated waste toner. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the image forming apparatus is an image forming apparatus.

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