JP3242753B2 - Collected material transfer device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a collected material transporting device, and more particularly, to a method of transporting a collected material (toner) in an electrophotography to a toner collecting bottle to prevent a defective transport due to toner adhesion near an outlet of the transporting device. And a toner conveying device capable of separating toner adhering near the toner conveying device outlet. For example, the present invention can be applied to a toner stirring device.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Known documents that describe the prior art according to the present invention include, for example, a "cleaning device" in JP-A-3-160487, a "toner conveying device" in JP-A-1-128358, and No. 182,689 discloses an "electrophotographic apparatus". Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. HEI 3-160487 discloses a vibration device which vibrates in contact with a blade of a toner conveying spiral in order to obtain a cleaning device which does not cause deterioration of image quality by reducing toner remaining in the cleaning device. The member introduces the collected toner in the cleaning housing into the toner conveying spiral without being deposited,
The toner remaining in the cleaning device can be extremely reduced.

[0003] Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 4-182689 discloses a recording medium which does not require a large fan and shuts off heat from a fixing device to prevent toner blocking in a cleaning device. In an electrophotographic apparatus in which the upper transfer image is fixed by a fixing device while the surface of the photoreceptor after transfer is cleaned by a cleaning device,
The cleaning device is provided with a casing having a heat insulating effect.

As described above, in the conventional electrophotography, there is blocking, which is a clogging development due to the adhesion of the toner near the outlet of the conveying device for sending the toner to the toner collecting bottle. If the toner causes the blocking near the outlet of the conveying device, the toner causes a conveyance failure, and the toner is not collected in the toner collecting bottle, and the uncollected toner causes a stain inside the electrophotographic apparatus.

[0005]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made in view of the above circumstances, and it is an object of the present invention to provide a collected material transporting device capable of preventing toner blocking and smoothly transporting toner to a toner collection bottle. It was done.

[0006]

To achieve the above object, the present invention provides (1)
A pump for supplying air and a flow of air from the pump are collected in an electrophotographic collection device such as an electrophotograph in which collected items in a collected item conveyance path are conveyed to a collection bottle via an inlet by a conveyance unit. A blowout port provided in the recovered material transfer path so as to blow out in a direction perpendicular to the material transfer direction and in a direction opposite to gravity, and a control device for controlling driving of the pump
The control device is provided with air having a periodic strength.
Controlling said pump to supply; or
(2) Collected material in the collected material transport path is entered by the transport means
Collected items such as electrophotographs conveyed to collection bottles through the section
A pump for supplying air in the transfer device;
The flow of air from
Installed in the collected material transport path so that it blows out in the opposite direction.
And a system for controlling the operation of the pump.
Has a control device, a sensor for detecting a pressure difference between the outlet and the interior of the collection conveying path, a control circuit for feeding back the pressure difference detected by the sensor to a controller for controlling the driving of the pump it, further in (3) above (1) or (2), a plurality of said pumps, each
It is characterized by having a plurality of control devices for controlling the driving of each pump, another control device for monitoring the plurality of control devices, and a plurality of air flow outlets. Hereinafter, a description will be given based on examples of the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram for explaining an example of a collected article transfer apparatus to which the present invention is applied . In the figure, 1 is a toner transfer path, 2 is a transfer coil, 3 is a toner collection bottle entrance, Reference numeral 4 denotes a toner collection bottle, 5 denotes toner, 6 denotes a toner accumulation layer, 7 denotes toner, 8 denotes an outlet, and 9 denotes a pump. In the toner transport path 1, the toner 5 is transported by the spiral transport coil 2 from the direction C where the cleaning blade is present to the toner recovery bottle 4 via the toner recovery bottle entrance 3. At this time, the gravity direction A of the toner conveying path 1
An air flow outlet 8 is installed on the inner wall located at
Further, a pump 9 for supplying air is provided at the outlet 8.

Normally, the toner 5 is conveyed to the toner collection bottle 4 by the helical conveyance coil 2 like the toner 7, but a part of the toner is settled by gravity, so that the toner conveyance path located in the gravitational direction A is formed. 1 is deposited on the inner wall as a toner deposition layer 6. At this time, by the supply of air from the pump 9, an air flow in the direction opposite to the gravitational direction A is generated in the toner conveying path 1 at the air outlet 8. The generated air flow causes a force in the direction opposite to the gravitational direction A to be generated in the toner constituting the toner accumulation layer 6 to float the toner constituting the toner accumulation layer 6. The toner floats and reaches the area where the helical transfer coil 2 can reach, so that the toner can be transferred to the toner collection bottle 4 and an air layer is formed between the toner particles. Since the frictional resistance generated due to the contact of the toner can be eliminated, the toner conveyance becomes more efficient.

[0009] FIG. 2 is a block diagram of a blow-out out port, in the figure, 1
Numeral 0 denotes a grid-like net, and other parts having the same functions as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals. As a shape of the air outlet 8, a lattice net 10 is considered. Normally, the toner has an average particle diameter of about 10 μm. However, in the case of the toner after cleaning, the toner aggregates and enters the toner conveying path as a lump larger than the apparent average particle diameter. Further, the aggregated toner itself has a high adhesiveness, and tends to form a larger lump. Therefore, in order to prevent the toner that is settled and deposited by gravity from clogging the air outlet 8 having the shape of the grid net 10, it is necessary to make the toner as small as the average particle diameter of the toner. However, it is possible to have a certain size. Therefore, the pump 9
As a result, air is blown out from the air outlet 8 to float the accumulated toner with respect to gravity, prevent the toner from being deposited on the inner wall surface of the toner conveying path 1, or float the accumulated toner. The toner is transported by the transport coil 2.

[0010] Figure 3, one collecting transfer apparatus according to the present invention
In the figure which shows an Example , in the figure, 11 is a control device, and others,
Parts having the same functions as those in FIG. 1 are denoted by the same reference numerals.
A control device 11 for controlling the pump 9 for supplying air is further provided in FIG. The control device 11 controls the flow of air sent to the air outlet 8 of the pump 9 that supplies air, so that the flow of air on the inner wall of the toner transport path 1 is changed. Specifically, the control device 11 is provided with a control signal for periodically giving a method of supplying air to the pump 9 for supplying air. At this time,
At the air outlet 8, the flow of air having a periodic strength causes the toner constituting the toner deposition layer 6 to float, and the toner deposition layer 6 relatively deposited by the vibration due to the strength of the flow. It also floats the toner, making toner transport more effective.

FIG. 4 is a view showing another example of the recovered article conveying apparatus according to the present invention.
In the figure, reference numeral 12 denotes a feedback circuit, 11 and 13 denote sensors, and other parts having the same functions as those in FIG. 3 are denoted by the same reference numerals. In the toner conveying device shown in Figure 4, the toner transport apparatus shown in Figure 3, further and sensor 13 for detecting the pressure of the outlet 8 of the air, the sensor 14 detects the pressure inside of the toner conveying path 1 and A feedback circuit 12 is provided to take in signals from the sensors 13 and 14 and feed back the difference between the pressure at the sensor 13 and the pressure at the sensor 14 to the control device 11. With this series of feedback circuits, the pressure difference between the sensor 13 and the sensor 14 can be kept constant, and the toner conveyance can be stabilized.

[0012] Figure 5 is a diagram showing an apparatus for measuring pressure difference (△ p), in the figure, 15 is a liquid, 16 capillaries, 17 and 18 in the liquid level, other, the same effect as FIG. 4 Portions are given the same reference numerals. One end of a U-shaped thin tube 16 containing the liquid 15 is a sensor 14, and the other end of the thin tube 16 is a sensor 14. When there is no difference between the pressure at the sensor 13 and the pressure at the sensor 14, the two liquid surfaces 17, 18 of the liquid 15 in the U-shaped tubule 16 have the same height in the direction of gravity. However, when there is a difference between the pressures at the two sensors 13 and 14, the liquid levels 17 and 18 have different heights,
The pressure difference can be detected from this difference in height.

[0013] Figure 6 is a diagram showing still another embodiment of a collecting conveying device according to the present invention, in the figure, 19 is a control circuit, 20
a to 20e are control devices, 21a to 21e are pumps, 22
a to 22e are outlets, 23 is periodicity of air flow, 2
4a to 24e are air flows. In the toner conveying device shown in FIG. 6, the pump supplies air as shown in shown to preparative toner conveying device 3, and a control device for controlling the pump, and preparing a plurality of combinations of outlet air. That is, in FIG.
At 21e, at the control devices 20a to 20e of the plurality of pumps,
Furthermore, it has a plurality of air outlets 22a to 22e. Further, a control device 20a for controlling a plurality of pumps
-20e are provided with other control circuits 22a-22e.

More specifically , a plurality of control devices 20a to 20e are linked to a control circuit 19 to provide a plurality of pumps 2
Signals for periodically commanding the supply of air are given to 1a to 21e. Thereby, a plurality of air outlets 22a-
Air flows 24a to 24 having a periodicity 23 from 22e toward toner transport direction B and opposite to gravity direction A.
e occurs. Air flow 24a having this periodicity 23
Reference numerals 24e to 24e float the toner, and serve as a conveying unit for the floated toner. Thereby, the toner in the toner accumulation layer 6 is floated, and the toner can be transported by the air flows 24a to 24e having the periodicity 23.

[0015]

As apparent from the above description, the present invention has the following effects. (1) according to claim 1 to the corresponding effect: In electrophotography, when to convey the toner to the waste toner bottle, and reduce the deposition of the toner to the inner wall surface of the toner conveying path, further the air pump for supplying air By changing the manner of supply, it is possible to remove even relatively firmly deposited toner, which is effective in realizing smooth conveyance of the toner to the toner bottle. (2) according to claim 2 to the corresponding effect: In electrophotography, when to convey the toner to the waste toner bottle, and reduce the deposition of the toner to the inner wall surface of the preparative toner conveying path, further, the pump for the supply of air The method of supplying air can be controlled while monitoring the pressure in the toner conveying path. As a result, stable accumulation of toner can be reduced, and toner can be smoothly transported to the toner bottle. (3) according to claim 3 into a corresponding effect: In electrophotography, when to convey the toner to the waste toner bottle, and reduce the deposition of the toner to the inner wall surface of the preparative toner conveying path, a further periodicity of the toner transport direction It also enables toner to be transported due to the flow of the toner. As a result, it is possible to reduce the accumulation of the toner and further smoothly transport the toner.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram for explaining an embodiment of a collected article transport device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a configuration diagram of an outlet in the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a view showing another embodiment of the recovered article transport device according to the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a view showing still another embodiment of the recovered article transport device according to the present invention.

5 is a configuration diagram of a pressure difference measuring device in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a view showing still another embodiment of the collected article transporting device according to the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 ... Toner conveyance path, 2 ... Conveyance coil, 3 ... Toner collection bottle inlet part, 4 ... Toner collection bottle, 5 ... Toner, 6 ...
Toner deposited layer, 7: toner, 8: outlet, 9: pump.

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (58) Field surveyed (Int. Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 21/10-21/12 G03G 15/08-15/08 507 B65G 33/00-33/38

Claims (3)

(57) [Claims] A pump for supplying air to a collected-material transporting device such as an electrophotograph, wherein a collected material in a collected-material transport path is transported to a recovery bottle via an inlet by a transport means;
A blow-off port provided in the collected-goods conveying path so as to blow air flow from the pump in a direction perpendicular to the collected-material conveying direction and in a direction opposite to the gravity, and controlling the driving of the pump.
And a control device that controls the periodic dynamics.
Control the pump to supply air with
And a recovered material transport device. 2. A method according to claim 1 , wherein the collected material in the collected material transport path is transferred to a transport means.
Electrophotography transported to the collection bottle through the entrance
A pump for supplying air,
Check that the air flow from the pump is perpendicular to the
And transport the collected material so that it blows out in the direction opposite to gravity.
A blow-off port provided in the feed line and the drive of the pump are controlled.
A control device for controlling the operation of the pump, a sensor for detecting a pressure difference between the outlet and the inside of the recovered material conveying path, and a control circuit for feeding back the pressure difference detected by the sensor to a control device for controlling the driving of the pump. times Osamubutsu conveying device you <br/> characterized by having. A 3. A plurality of the pump, and a plurality of control devices for controlling the driving of each of the pump, and another control unit that monitors the control device the plurality of, and outlet of the plurality of air flow The recovered material transporting device according to claim 1 or 2, wherein: