JP3298757B2 - Electrophotographic equipment - 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 apparatus, such as a laser copying machine, a laser printer, and a laser facsimile, for recording on paper using an electrophotographic system. Of these, the residual toner on the photoreceptor after image transfer is removed by a cleaning device, and the removed toner is transported through a transport path and collected in a developing device for reuse, or collected in a waste toner container and discarded. Or something of the type.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, for example, in a laser copying machine,
For example, as shown in FIG. 23, the cleaning device 1 and the developing device 2 are connected by a transport pipe 3, and the transport pipe 3
There is a configuration in which a coil spring 4 is provided rotatably.

Then, the residual toner on the photoreceptor 5 after the image transfer is removed by the cleaning device 1, and the removed toner is transported through the transport path in the transport pipe 3 by the rotation of the coil spring 4 to the developing device 2. And was reused (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. Hei 3-208082).

[0004] In recent years, in electrophotographic devices, while "small size" and "cost reduction" have been promoted, "color" and "high speed" have also been promoted. Has been requested.

However, in the configuration shown in FIG. 23, since the coil spring 4 is used, the transport path must be laid out in a substantially straight line using a straight transport pipe, and other members hinder the transport path. Often, the layout was difficult.

Therefore, some conventional laser copying machines have, for example, a configuration in which a plurality of conveying pipes are sequentially changed in direction and connected to each other, and a conveying path is laid out by bypassing other members that are in the way. .

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 24, one end of the rotating shaft 7 of the photosensitive drum 6 has an outer diameter slightly smaller than the outer diameter of the photosensitive drum 6 and a plurality of permanent magnets 8 inside. A non-magnetic rotating body 9 having
There is also a configuration in which an endless belt 11 made of a non-magnetic material is wrapped around an idler roller 10 located at a position distant from the idler roller 10 so that the tension roller 12 acts to make the tension state.

During driving, the non-magnetic rotator 9 rotates together with the photosensitive drum 6, and the endless belt 11 rotates in the direction of arrow X in FIG. Then, when the toner passes through the developing device 13, the toner on the developing roller 14 is attracted by the permanent magnet 8 to form a spike A of the toner on the endless belt 11.
Next, when the toner passes through the cleaning device 15, the used toner discharged from the discharge port 15a is sucked by the ear A, and the toner, which has no longer been attracted by the permanent magnet 8, is conveyed on the endless belt 11, When passing through the position of the idle roller 10, it is dropped into the inlet 13a of the developing device 13 (see Japanese Patent Application Laid-Open No. 57-136677).

[0009]

However, the above-described laser copying machine has the following problems. In this method, a plurality of conveying pipes are sequentially changed in direction and connected, so that there are a plurality of bent portions, and a coil spring driving means must be provided for each of the bent portions. And increase costs. Since the plurality of permanent magnets 8 are used, the number of parts increases, and the size of the apparatus increases and the cost increases.

Therefore, an object of the present invention is to remove a residual toner on an image carrier after image transfer by a cleaning device.
In an electrophotographic apparatus that transports the removed toner through a transport path and collects the collected toner in a collection unit, without increasing the number of parts and increasing the size and cost of the apparatus.
An object of the present invention is to make it possible to freely lay out a transport path.

[0011]

Accordingly, the present invention provides
As shown in the following illustrated examples, the photoconductor 3 after image transfer
The cleaning device 39 removes the residual toner on the image carrier, such as 0, and transports the removed toner t through the transport path 56, and collects the collected toner t into a recovery unit such as the developing device 33 or the waste toner container 58. in photographic apparatus, provided with bent the conveying path 56, along its conveying path 56, Rutotomoni a conveying belt 60 for conveying by placing the toner t is removed by the cleaning device 39, the
In the middle of the transport path 56, the transport belt 60 is
Fold in the direction of overlapping the left and right sides of the surface along the width center line of
Bent .

According to a second aspect of the present invention, as shown in the following illustrated embodiment, in the electrophotographic apparatus according to the first aspect, the toner t removed by the cleaning device 39 is removed.
It is characterized in that it falls at the center of the width of the conveyor belt 60.

[0013]

[0014]

According to the present invention, at the time of driving, the residual toner on the image carrier after the image transfer is removed by the cleaning device 39, and the removed toner t is placed on the transport belt 60.
The sheet is conveyed through the bent conveyance path 56 and collected in the collection section. At this time, the right and left
Wraps the toner and transports it.

According to the second aspect, the transport belt 6
The toner t is placed at the center of the width of 0.

[0016]

[0017]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. FIG. 10 is a schematic configuration diagram showing the configuration of a laser copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention as viewed from the front.

In the figure, reference numeral 20 denotes a copying machine main body, and reference numeral 21 denotes an original reading device provided on the upper portion of the copying machine main body 20.

When copying is performed using this laser copying machine, the original 23 is set on the original placing surface 22 of the original reading device 21, and a start button (not shown) is pressed.
Then, the image information of the document 23 is read by the reading element 27 using the irradiation lamp 24, the mirror 25, and the lens 26, and the read content is sent to the image processing device 28.

On the other hand, the photoreceptor 30 is driven to rotate in the direction of arrow C. At that time, the surface is uniformly charged by the charging device 31, and based on the data from the image processing device 28, the light from the optical writing device 32 is output. Irradiation with laser light L forms an electrostatic latent image on photoreceptor 30 as an image carrier. This latent image is
When passing through the position of the developing device 33, the image is visualized by the toner. Then, the visible image is transferred by the transfer device 35 to the sheet P sent at a time by the registration roller pair 34. After the transfer, the paper P is transported by the transport belt 36 to the fixing device 37, where heat and pressure are applied to fix the visible image on the paper P. Then, after fixing, the sheet P is sent out from the fixing device 37, discharged onto the sheet discharge tray 38, and stacked.

After the transfer of the visible image, the residual toner is removed from the photosensitive member 30 by a brush roller 40 of a cleaning device 39.
The residual charge is removed by the discharge lamp 41 to prepare for the next use.

Incidentally, the cleaning device 39 described above is used.
Includes a cleaning case 45. As shown in FIG. 9, the cleaning case 45 is provided with a protruding portion 45b outwardly from the side plate 45a, and a toner delivery port 45c is provided there.
Is provided downward.

The cleaning case 45 contains a toner conveying screw 48 in the bottom. The toner conveying screw 48 has one end 48a penetrating through the side plate of the cleaning case 45 and protruding to the outside, and a drive gear 49 is mounted thereon, while the other end 48b passes through the protruding portion 45b and protrudes through the bearing 46. It is supported and provided on the end face of the portion 45b.

By the way, the laser copying machine of the embodiment shown in FIG.
An empty space is provided in the lower right of the copying machine body 20 shown in FIG.
A waste toner container 58 indicated by a dotted line is detachably provided there.

Now, in such a laser copying machine, FIG.
As shown in FIG. 3 to FIG. 3, a toner transport case 51 is provided by connecting the waste toner container 58 and the cleaning device 39. The toner transport case 51 has a horizontally long cylindrical shape including a U-shaped main body portion 52 having an upward opening shown in FIG. 2 and a lid portion 53 shown in FIG. 1 which covers the upward opening. The outlet 55 is provided downward at the other end, and a transport path is formed inside. The cleaning case 45 and the toner carrying case 51 are connected by communicating the inlet 54 with the toner outlet 45c, and the waste toner container 58 is communicated by communicating the outlet 55 with the toner collecting port of the waste toner container 58. The transport path 56 is laid out by connecting the toner transport case 51 and providing a bypass portion 51a that bypasses the lower side of the other member 57 approximately at the middle of the length.

The transport path 56 in the toner transport case 51 houses a transport belt 60 along the transport path 56. As the transport belt 60, an endless flat belt is used, and one of the transport belts 60 is provided around a driving roller 61.

The drive roller 61 has a structure in which one end of a roller shaft projects through the side plate of the main body 52 to the outside, and transmits a driving force from a drive source (not shown) to the drive roller 61 through an appropriate transmission means. And

The conveyor belt 60 is provided with the other end thereof wrapped around a driven roller 62. The driven roller 62
Has flanges 62a at both ends, as shown in FIG.
It is rotatably attached to the roller shaft 63. The roller shaft 63 is connected to a frame 64 provided in the copying machine main body 20.
, The other end is inserted between both side plates of the main body 52, and a washer 65 is attached to the end thereof.

Then, as shown in FIG. 4, the tip of a cleaning blade 75 is pressed against the conveyor belt 60 around the driven roller 62. The base end of the cleaning blade 75 is appropriately supported and provided in the toner transport case 51.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, a plurality of intermediate driven rollers 66 are provided at the middle of the conveyor belt 60.
... Provided by being supported by 73. These intermediate driven rollers 6
6... 73 are configured to be supported in the same manner as the driven roller 62. Then, four intermediate driven rollers 67, 68, 70 pressed against the belt surface of the transport belt 60.
Of the 73, the two intermediate driven rollers 67 and 68 have a middle and narrow shape as shown in FIG. 6 or FIG.

During driving, a driving force from a driving source (not shown) is transmitted to the driving gear 49 shown in FIG. 9 to rotate the driving gear 49, and the toner conveying screw 48 is rotated clockwise in FIG. At the same time, a driving force is separately transmitted to the driving roller 61 to rotate the driving roller 61.
Then, the toner t in the cleaning device 39 is sent to the toner outlet 45 c by the rotation of the toner transport screw 48, and the toner t is dropped from the toner outlet 45 c to the center of the width of the transport belt 60.

On the other hand, when the driving roller 61 is rotated,
The transport belt 60 rotates. At this time, for example, the bias of the conveyor belt 60 is prevented by the flange 62a of the driven roller 62. Thus, the toner t placed on the center of the width of the conveyor belt 60 is conveyed to the outlet 55 along with the rotation of the conveyor belt 60, and the intermediate driven roller 6 is transported along the way.
7. Do not touch the toner t underneath.
Then, when the transport belt 60 goes around the driven roller 62, the toner t falls by its own weight and is further scraped off by the cleaning blade 75. Then, the dropped toner t is collected into the waste toner container 58 through the outlet 55.

At the time of collection, the waste toner container 58 is
When the inside is full, the waste toner container 58 is replaced with a new waste toner container, and the waste toner container 58 taken out of the copier main body 20 is replaced.
Discard as it is.

The transport belt 60 is a flat belt. However, the transport belt 60 may be configured to use a synchro belt as shown in FIG. In this case, the driving roller 61 and the driven roller 62 described above are used.
Although not shown, a configuration using a synchro pulley is adopted. In this way, for example, it is possible to prevent a slip when the total length of the arrangement of the transport belt 60 is long.

By the way, in FIG 示例 described above, lay the conveyance path 56 by bypassing the lower other member 57 out of the way, turned distribution conveyor belt 60 along its conveying path 56. However, the present invention is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 11, a configuration in which the transport path 56 is laid out so as to bypass the upper side of the other member 57 that interferes and the transport belt 60 is routed along the transport path 56. Alternatively, although not shown, the transport path 56 may be laid out so as to bypass the vertical, horizontal, or diagonal direction of the other member 57 that is an obstacle, and the transport belt 60 may be routed along the transport path 56. .

In FIG. 11, the toner transport case 51
Is formed by bending the entirety into a mountain shape and bending the transport path 56. And it arrange | positions above the other member 57, and the other member 57
And lay out the transport path 56. Conveyor belt 6
0 is the driving roller 61 and the driven roller 6 as described above.
2, and are provided by pressing intermediate driven rollers 77... 80 against the front and back surfaces of the intermediate belt.

By the way , according to the present invention, the transport belt 60 distributed along the transport path 56 is configured as shown in FIG.
I do . In this embodiment, a toner transport case (not shown) is provided at a plurality of positions in the middle so as to be bent at a right angle. As shown in FIG. 13, the transport belt 60 has a circular arc shape in vertical cross section, and is wound around the drive roller 61 and the driven roller 62 with the concave surface as the surface, and along the width center line in the middle of the transport path 56. 14 is bent in the direction in which the left and right sides of the front surface are overlapped with each other to form the state shown in FIG. 14, and the upper surface is bent and provided via a pair of upper and lower intermediate driven rollers 82...

The pair of upper and lower intermediate driven rollers 82 have flanges 82a at both ends, for example, as shown in FIG. The fixed shaft 90 has a flange 90a in the middle, and intermediate driven rollers 8 above and below it.
2 is rotatably mounted and secured with a washer 91, and the lower end is fixed to the frame 64. The other intermediate driven rollers 83 to 86 are supported by the same method as described above.

As shown in FIG. 12, between the intermediate driven roller 82 and the driving roller 61, the intermediate driven roller 8
A first guide roller pair 93 is provided near the two sides. The first guide roller pair 93 is an upper roller 94 that sandwiches the transport belt 60.
And a lower roller 95, both ends of which are the toner transport case 5.
1 and rotatably provided between the two side plates, and provided in contact with the left and right surfaces of the surface of the transport belt 60. A second guide roller pair 97 is provided between the intermediate driven roller 86 and the driven roller 62 near the intermediate driven roller 86.
The second guide roller pair 97 includes an upper roller 98 and a lower roller 99 sandwiching the transport belt 60. Both ends are supported rotatably between both side plates of the toner transport case 51, and are rotatably provided. It is provided in contact with the left and right sides of the surface of the belt 60.

When driven, the toner t dropped to the center of the width of the conveyor belt 60 is conveyed as the conveyor belt 60 rotates, as shown in the figure. At this time, the transport belt 60 is opened and held by the upper rollers 94 left and right until it passes the first guide roller pair 93. Then, after passing through the first guide roller pair 93, the transport belt 60 gradually bends along the width center line in the direction in which the left and right sides of the surface are overlapped, and wraps the toner t between the left and right sides of the transport belt 60. The sheet is conveyed until it passes the second guide roller pair 97 as it is. When the conveyor belt 60 is opened left and right again by the upper roller 98 after passing through the second guide roller pair 97, when the conveyor belt 60 turns around the driven roller 62,
The toner t falls under its own weight.

Then, when the transport belt 60 wrapped around the driven roller 62 returns to the drive roller 61, the transport belt 60 is opened by the lower roller 99 until it passes the second guide roller pair 97. Then, when the transport belt 60 is bent in the same manner as described above and passes the first guide roller pair 93, the transport belt 60 is opened right and left by the lower roller 95.

In the embodiment described above, the transport belt 6
In the case of No. 0, an arcuate shape having a vertical cross section in a natural state was used, and was wound around a driving roller 61 and a driven roller 62 with its concave surface as a surface. However, the transport belt 60 is not limited to this. For example, as shown in FIG. 16, a belt having a semicircular vertical cross section in a natural state is used, or as shown in FIG.
A drive roller 61 and a driven roller 62 having a substantially circular cross section in a natural state and having a concave
It is good to wrap around. Then, when the transport belt 60 is folded along the width center line in the middle of the transport path 56 as described above, the transport belt 60 is easily bent.

[0043] Next, the conveyor belt 60 to turn distribution along the transportable sending passage 56, may be configured as shown in FIG. 18. As shown in FIG. 19, the transport belt 60 is formed in a substantially H-shaped vertical cross section, and is provided with partitions 60b at predetermined intervals in the surface groove 60a.

During the driving, the toner t placed on the transport belt 60 is rotated with the rotation of the transport belt 60 to the outlet 55.
When the toner t is conveyed to the side, even if the toner t is conveyed in the vertical direction as shown in the figure, the partition 60b can prevent the toner t from spilling out from the surface groove 60a. Then, when the transport belt 60 goes around the driven roller 62, the toner t falls by its own weight, and further, as shown in FIG.
Then , scrape off with a fur brush 109.

The transport belt 60 described above may have, for example, a substantially H-shaped vertical cross-section as shown in FIG. 21 and no partition, or may have a substantially X-shaped vertical cross-section as shown in FIG.

Further, in all the above-described embodiments, examples have been described in which the waste toner container 58 is used as the collection unit. However, the developing device 33 may be configured as a collection unit.

[0047]

As described above, according to the present invention, the transport path is provided to be bent, and along the transport path,
Since the configuration includes a transport belt for mounting and transporting the toner removed by the cleaning device, the number of components can be reduced, and the transport path can be freely laid out with a simple configuration. Therefore, the size, cost, and mounting density of the device can be reduced. In addition, the left and right
To transport the toner.
More reliably prevents toner from spilling from the belt
can do.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, the toner is placed at the center of the width of the transport belt, so that the
It is possible to prevent toner from spilling from the transport belt.

[0049]

[Brief description of the drawings]

In [1] les chromatography The copier is a front view showing a cut place for conveying the toner removed by the cleaning device to the waste toner container with the toner carrying case position.

FIG. 2 is a cutaway perspective view showing a connection portion between the toner transport case and the cleaning case.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a transport belt that is routed along a transport path in the toner transport case.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a driven roller side on which the conveyor belt is wound.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view of the driven roller portion.

FIG. 6 is a longitudinal sectional view of an intermediate driven roller pressed against an intermediate belt surface of the transport belt.

FIG. 7 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another example of the intermediate driven roller.

FIG. 8 is a partial perspective view showing another example of the transport belt.

FIG. 9 is a partial perspective view of the cleaning device.

FIG. 10 is an overall schematic configuration diagram showing the configuration of the laser copying machine as viewed from the front.

FIG. 11 is a perspective view showing another example of a state in which the conveyor belt is arranged.

FIG. 12 shows a laser copying machine according to an embodiment of the present invention;
There are a perspective view of a conveying <br/> belts turn distribution along the conveying path in the toner carrying case.

FIG. 13 is a sectional view taken along line DD of the conveyor belt in FIG.

14 is a cross-sectional view of the conveyor belt taken along line EE in FIG.

FIG. 15 is an exploded view of an intermediate driven roller portion around which the conveyor belt is wound.

FIG. 16 is a longitudinal sectional view showing another example of the transport belt.

FIG. 17 is a longitudinal sectional view showing still another example of the transport belt.

FIG. 18 is a perspective view of still another example of the transport belt.

FIG. 19 is a perspective view of a part of the transport belt.

FIG. 20 is a front view of a driven roller side on which the conveyor belt is wound.

FIG. 21 is a longitudinal sectional view of still another example of the transport belt.

FIG. 22 is a longitudinal sectional view of still another example of the transport belt.

FIG. 23 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a portion of a conventional laser copying machine where toner removed by a cleaning device is transported to a developing device, which is cut at a transport pipe position.

FIG. 24 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a state in which another conventional laser copying machine conveys toner removed by a cleaning device to a developing device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 Reference Signs List 30 photoconductor (image carrier) 33 developing device (collection unit) 39 cleaning device 56 conveyance path 58 waste toner container (collection unit) 60 conveyance belt t toner

──────────────────────────────────────────────────続 き Continued on the front page (72) Inventor Nobuo Iwata 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Tsuyoshi Tsuruga 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Inventor Shigeo Kurodaka 1-3-6 Nakamagome, Ota-ku, Tokyo Inside Ricoh Co., Ltd. (72) Tomonori Yabuta 10-3 Kitamura, Tottori City, Tottori Ricoh Microelectronics (56) reference Patent Sho 57-108879 (JP, a) JP Akira 62-49370 (JP, a) JP flat 4-156573 (JP, a) (58 ) investigated the field (Int.Cl. ⁷ , DB name) G03G 21/00

Claims (2)

(57) [Claims] 1. An electrophotographic apparatus for removing residual toner on an image carrier after image transfer by a cleaning device, transporting the removed toner through a transport path, and collecting the removed toner to a collection section, wherein the transport path is bent. together to provide, along the conveying path, Rutotomoni a conveying belt for conveying by placing the toner removed by the cleaning device, wherein
In the middle of the conveyance path, the conveyance belt is
An electrophotographic apparatus that is bent along the line in the direction in which the left and right sides of the surface overlap . 2. The electrophotographic apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner removed by the cleaning device is dropped to a center position of a width of the transport belt.