JP3132215B2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrophotographic image forming apparatus, and more particularly to an image forming apparatus provided with a developer collecting device such as a cleaning device for collecting toner remaining on the surface of a photoreceptor after image formation. .

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer using an electrophotographic system, an image is formed by the following process. That is, an electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoreceptor, and then the electrostatic latent image is developed into a toner image, and then the toner image is transferred onto a transfer material such as copy paper to form an image. I have. Thereafter, the toner remaining on the surface of the photoreceptor for the next image forming step is removed by a cleaner and collected in a container as waste toner.

Generally, in order to reduce the number of replacements of the container containing the waste toner (waste toner container), it is preferable that the capacity of the container is large. In particular, in an image forming apparatus of a type that forms an image at high speed, the amount of waste toner generated is large, so that it is necessary to increase the volume of the waste toner container as much as possible.

Recently, most of the above-mentioned image forming apparatuses are divided into an upper frame and a lower frame by a transfer material conveying path provided inside the apparatus main body, and one end of both frames is supported. It can be opened and closed by connecting with a shaft. That is, with this configuration, the upper frame is lifted to open the transfer material transport path,
Jams and maintenance can be easily performed.

In an image forming apparatus provided with such an opening / closing mechanism, usually, an upper frame is provided with various image forming process devices such as a photosensitive drum, a developing device, and a cleaner. Therefore, it is difficult to provide a large empty space in the upper frame, and there is a limit to increasing the volume of the waste toner container.

For this reason, the waste toner container is installed on a lower frame having a relatively large space to increase the waste toner storage amount. At this time, the cleaner is provided with an outlet for discharging waste toner, the waste toner container is provided with an inlet for taking in waste toner, and the outlet and the inlet overlap with each other when the upper frame is closed. The cleaner and the waste toner container are provided at appropriate positions.

[0007]

However, in such a configuration, when the upper frame is opened, the discharge port of the cleaner and the intake port of the waste toner container are separated from each other, and there is a possibility that toner may spill out. In general, a gap between the toner outlet of the cleaner and the toner inlet of the waste toner container is not sealed in order to facilitate opening and closing of the frame. For this reason, there is a possibility that toner may leak during image formation even while the upper frame is closed.

Japanese Utility Model Publication No. 4-52773 discloses a technique in which a nozzle is connected between an outlet of a cleaner and an inlet of a waste toner container. In this case, it is necessary to swing the nozzle in accordance with the opening and closing of the frame.
For this reason, in the above publication, a support shaft is provided at the toner intake,
The support shaft pivotally supports the nozzle. However, there is a possibility that toner leaks from the vicinity of the support shaft.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention connects a discharge port of a developer collecting device and an inlet of a developer collection container with a nozzle, and further includes a discharge port or a discharge port. It is an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus that prevents developer from leaking from a connection between an inlet and a nozzle.

[0010]

An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image carrier on which a latent image is formed, and a developing device for developing the latent image on the image carrier with a developer. An image forming apparatus that forms an image on a transfer material by transferring an image on an image carrier developed by a developing device onto a transfer material, wherein the image is leaked from the developing device for image formation. Thereafter, a collection device that collects waste developer remaining near the image carrier without being transferred onto the transfer material, and a collection container that stores the waste developer collected by the collection device, A cylindrical nozzle for sending the waste developer from the collection device to the collection container, wherein the collection device and the collection container are provided so that their relative positions can be changed, and the collection device Has an outlet for sending the collected waste developer to the collection container, The container has an inlet for taking in the waste developer sent from the outlet of the collection device, and the nozzle has openings at both ends thereof, the opening of the collection container and the discharge port of the collection device. By providing an elastic body between the inlet and the periphery of the discharge port and the nozzle, the nozzle is provided along with a change in the relative position between the collection device and the collection container. Said import
It is characterized by being supported so as to be able to swing around a mouth or the outlet .

[0011]

When the relative position of the collection container with respect to the collection device is changed, a force is applied to the nozzle to swing the nozzle. At this time, the elastic body supporting the nozzle in the collection container expands and contracts, so that the nozzle swings around the support portion of the elastic body. Further, an elastic body is sandwiched between the toner outlet or the toner inlet and the nozzle, and closes the gap between the outlet or the inlet and the nozzle, so that the toner does not leak.

[0012]

Embodiment 1 An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a copying machine to which the present invention is applied. The configuration and operation of the copying machine of this embodiment will be briefly described with reference to FIG.

As shown in FIG. 1, the copying machine main body 1 comprises an upper frame 100 and a lower frame 101. The upper frame 100 has an end portion connected to the lower frame 1.
01 are connected by a fulcrum 102 provided at the end of the first end. The upper frame 100 is swingable about a fulcrum 102 and can be opened and closed with respect to the lower frame 101. FIG. 1 shows a state in which the upper frame 100 is closed. The open state is shown in FIG. 4 and will be described later.

Also, as shown in FIG.
00, a photoconductor drum 2, a charger 3, an exposure device (not shown) for exposing a document image onto the photoconductor 2,
A developing device 4 and a cleaner 5 are provided. The cleaner 5 is provided to face the photosensitive drum 2 and scrapes off toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 2. A transfer device 6 and a fixing device 7 are provided in the lower frame 101.
And a paper feeding device 8 and a waste toner container 9 for storing toner (waste toner) scraped by the cleaner 5. The gap formed between the device included in the upper frame 100 and the device included in the lower frame 101 serves as a copy paper transport path A. Then, the copy paper is fed to the transport path A from a copy paper storage unit (not shown) by the paper feeding device 8, and an image is formed on the copy paper by a well-known electrophotographic process. After the toner image is transferred to the copy sheet, the toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 2 is scraped off by the cleaner 5. The waste toner is stored in the waste toner container 9 through a nozzle 20 provided to connect the cleaner 5 and the waste toner container 9.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a connection state of the cleaner 5, the nozzle 20, and the waste toner container 9. These connection configurations will be described with reference to FIG. 1 and FIG. The cleaner 5 includes a cleaning blade (not shown) for scraping residual toner on the drum 2 and a toner outlet 10 for sending out the scraped toner. The waste toner container 9 has a toner inlet 11 for taking in waste toner. The intake port 11 is constituted by a cylindrical portion 9 a protruding from the waste toner container 9. Cylindrical part 9a
Indicates that the waste toner container 9 provided in the main body of the copying machine 1
It is fitted in a fixing device 21 for fixing to the main body. Further, a toner nozzle 2 having an upper nozzle 20a and a lower nozzle 20b is provided on the cylindrical portion 9a via a fixing device 21.
0 is connected.

As shown in FIG. 2, an upper end of an upper nozzle 20a bent at a substantially right angle is inserted into the toner discharge port 10 of the cleaner 5, and waste toner is sent from the cleaner 5. The upper nozzle 20a is swingable about the outlet 10. Upper nozzle 2
The lower portion of Oa is accommodated in the lower nozzle 20b, and the toner nozzle 20 can expand and contract when the upper nozzle 20a moves in and out of the lower nozzle 20b. The outer shape of the upper nozzle 20a is slightly smaller than the inner diameter of the lower nozzle 20b to prevent waste toner from leaking from the connection between the upper nozzle 20a and the lower nozzle 20b.

FIG. 3 is a schematic sectional view near the lower end of the lower nozzle 20b. 2 and 3, the lower nozzle 20 will be described.
The detailed configuration of the connecting portion between the lower end of b and the fixing device 21 will be described. The fixing device 21 includes a connection cap 22 for fitting the cylindrical portion 9a of the waste toner container 9, an elastic body 25 for supporting the lower nozzle 20b, and a mounting plate 23 for supporting the elastic body 25. . The cylindrical portion 9a of the waste toner container 9 and the connection cap 22 are connected by a click mechanism (not shown). As shown in FIG. 3, a lower nozzle 20 is provided at the center of the upper surface of the connection cap 22.
An opening 22a having a diameter larger than the outer diameter of b is provided.

The mounting plate 23 has a convex shape at its center, and an opening 22 a is formed on the upper surface of the connection cap 22.
It is provided so as to cover. An opening 23a having a diameter larger than the diameter of the lower nozzle 20b is provided at the center of the mounting plate 23 so as to overlap the opening 22a.

A donut-shaped flange 24 having an outer diameter larger than the diameters of the openings 22a and 23a is attached to the outer surface near the lower end of the lower nozzle 20b. Flange 24 is between connection cap 22 and mounting plate 23. An elastic body 25 made of urethane foam is filled between the lower surface of the mounting plate 23 and the upper surface of the flange 24 and between the lower surface of the flange 24 and the upper surface of the connection cap 22 to support the lower nozzle 20b in an upright state and to open the lower nozzle 20b. Part 2
The gap between 2a and the lower nozzle 20b is closed. The portion of the lower nozzle 20b further from the flange 24 is inserted into the opening 22a, so that waste toner is sent from the lower nozzle 20b to the waste toner container 9.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view of the copying machine 1 when the upper frame 100 is opened. As shown in FIG. 4, since the main body is divided at the boundary of the copy paper transport path A and the transport path A is opened, the jam can be easily removed. On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 4, when the upper frame 100 is opened, the upper nozzle 2 housed in the lower nozzle 20b is opened.
0a is pulled by the cleaner 5 and protrudes. Therefore, the toner nozzle 20 is in an extended state. At the same time, the nozzle 20 receives a force in the direction indicated by the arrow B in the figure. Therefore, as the upper frame 100 is opened, the nozzle 20
Tilts to the left in FIG.

FIG. 5 is a schematic sectional view around the lower nozzle 20b when the lower nozzle 20b swings. As shown in FIG. 5, since the elastic body 25 is expandable and contractible, the lower nozzle 2
0b can swing freely.

It is also possible to provide a toner outlet on the lower surface of the cleaner 5, and connect the outlet to the upper nozzle 20b by an elastic body in the same manner as shown in FIG. 3 of this embodiment. .

[0023]

[Embodiment 2] As a second embodiment, an example in which an elastic body is used for a connection portion between an upper nozzle and a lower nozzle will be described. The basic configuration of this embodiment is the same as the configuration of the first embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a sectional view of a connecting portion between the upper nozzle 20a and the lower nozzle 20b. As shown in FIG. 6, the difference between the inner diameter of the lower nozzle 20b and the outer diameter of the upper nozzle 20a is increased so that the upper nozzle 20a can swing with respect to the lower nozzle 20b. The lower nozzle 20b is fixed to the main body of the copying machine 1 by fixing means (not shown). An elastic body 26 is fixed to the inner peripheral surface of the upper end of the lower nozzle 20b,
The gap between the connecting portions of the two nozzles is closed. Since the upper nozzle 20b and the elastic body 26 are not fixed,
The upper nozzle 20b can move in and out of the lower nozzle 20a. Therefore, as in the first embodiment, the nozzle 20
Can expand and contract.

FIG. 7 is a schematic view of the copying machine when the upper frame is opened in this embodiment. As shown in FIG. 7, when the upper frame is opened, the upper nozzle 20a protrudes from the lower nozzle 20b and tilts to the left as shown in FIG. 4 of the first embodiment. Therefore, even if the upper frame 100 is opened, there is no possibility that the toner leaks. Further, since the elastic body 26 is sandwiched between the upper nozzle 20a and the lower nozzle 20b, it is not necessary to accurately design the outer diameter of the upper nozzle 20a to match the inner diameter of the lower nozzle 20b.

In this embodiment, the lower nozzle 20b is fixed to the main body of the copying machine. However, the lower nozzle 20b may be swingable with the same structure as in the first embodiment without fixing the lower nozzle 20b. In this case, the frame can be more easily opened and closed because the number of swinging parts increases.

[0027]

Third Embodiment In the first and second embodiments, the configuration in which the toner nozzle swings in conjunction with the opening and closing of the upper frame of the copying machine main body has been described. The present invention can also be applied to a device that is provided detachably from the device.

Therefore, in this embodiment, a copying machine in which a waste toner container is detachably provided to the copying machine body will be described. The basic configuration of the copying machine main body of the present embodiment is the second configuration.
This is the same as that of the embodiment shown in FIG.

FIG. 8 shows the lower nozzle 20c and the waste toner container 9 '.
FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a connection portion with the above. The lower nozzle 20c is fixed to the copying machine main body by a fixing means (not shown). The lower nozzle 20c is connected to the waste toner container 9 'by a fixing device 30. As shown in FIG. 8, the lower end of the lower nozzle 20 c is sandwiched by an elastic body 27 held between a mounting plate 28 of a fixing device 30 and a connection cap 29. In this embodiment, the lower end of the lower nozzle 20c is provided with the first
The embodiment is not provided with a flange as shown in FIG. 3, and is detachable from the waste toner container 9 '.
The fixing device 30 is not fixed to the copying machine main body, and can be removed from the copying machine main body together with the waste toner container 9 '.

With the above configuration, while the waste toner container 9 'is mounted on the copying machine main body, the toner nozzles are opened and closed according to the opening and closing of the upper frame, as in the second embodiment. It can be swung, and the connecting part of the nozzle and the lower nozzle 2
There is no possibility that the waste toner leaks out from between the fixing device 30 and the fixing device 30. Further, when the waste toner container 9 'is attached to and detached from the copying machine main body, the waste toner container can be freely inclined with respect to the lower nozzle 20b, so that the attachment and detachment of the waste toner container can be easily performed.

Further, in the first to third embodiments, an example is shown in which a cleaner for cleaning the surface of the photosensitive member is used as the toner collecting device. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, the toner floating near the photosensitive member may be used. The present invention can be applied to a case where an exhaust duct for sucking air is used as a collection device.

[0032]

According to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, the elastic member is interposed between the nozzle and the inlet of the collecting container or the outlet of the collecting device , so that the nozzle is also connected to the inlet.
Or, it is supported so that it can swing around the discharge port of the collection device, preventing the collected developer from leaking from the nozzle support even when the relative position between the collection container and the collection device is changed. be able to.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic sectional view of a copying machine 1 to which the present invention is applied.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing a connection configuration of a cleaner 5, a nozzle 20, and a waste toner container 9 shown in FIG.

FIG. 3 is an enlarged view showing a detailed configuration of a support portion of a lower nozzle 20b shown in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a schematic diagram when the upper frame 100 of the copying machine 1 shown in FIG. 1 is opened.

FIG. 5 is a diagram showing that a lower nozzle 20b of FIG. 3 has swung.

FIG. 6 shows an upper nozzle 20a of a copying machine according to a second embodiment of the present invention.
FIG. 10 is a cross-sectional view showing a connection portion between the lower nozzle and a lower nozzle.

FIG. 7 is a schematic diagram when the upper frame of the copying machine according to the second embodiment of the present invention is opened.

FIG. 8 shows a lower nozzle 20c of a copying machine according to a third embodiment of the present invention.
It is an enlarged view which shows the detailed structure of the support part of FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 2 Photoconductor drum 4 Developing device 5 Cleaner 6 Transfer device 9 Waste toner container 10 Toner outlet 11 Toner inlet 20 Toner nozzle 25, 26 Elastic body

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] An image carrier on which a latent image is formed; and a developing device for developing the latent image on the image carrier with a developer.
An image forming apparatus for forming an image on a transfer material by transferring an image on an image carrier developed by the developing device onto a transfer material, wherein the image forming device leaks out of the developing device for image formation. A collecting device for collecting the waste developer remaining in the vicinity of the image carrier without being transferred onto the transfer material, and a collection container for storing the waste developer collected by the collecting device. A cylindrical nozzle for sending the waste developer from the collection device to the collection container, wherein the collection device and the collection container are provided so that their relative positions can be changed; The apparatus has an outlet for sending collected waste developer to the collection container, and the collection container has an intake for taking in waste developer sent from an outlet of the collection device; The nozzles have openings at both ends of the inlet and the front of the collection container. A relative position between the collection device and the collection container is provided at a position overlapping with a discharge port of the collection device, by sandwiching an elastic body between the inlet or the periphery of the discharge port and the nozzle. said nozzle said with the changes
An image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus is swingably supported around an inlet or the outlet . 2. A first frame with said collection container, according to claim 1 and a second frame which is movably supported on the frame first provided with a said collecting device Image forming device. Wherein the collection container is removably to claim 1 or claim 2 is provided to the image forming apparatus main body
The image forming apparatus as described in the above .