JP3315041B2 - 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 image forming apparatus such as a printer for printing and outputting data and images.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional image forming apparatus includes, for example, a color printer as shown in FIG. The color printer in FIG. 1 includes two photosensitive drums 21 and 22.
And one intermediate transfer drum 24 and a transfer roller 25
And The developing devices 26 and 27 for supplying, for example, magenta (red) and cyan (blue) toners, and cleaning for removing residual toner on the photoconductive drum 21 and discharging it as waste toner are provided around the photoconductive drum 21. Device 2
9 are provided.

Further, developing devices 31 and 32 for supplying, for example, yellow (yellow) and black (black) toner, and a residual toner on the A cleaning device 34 is provided for discharging the toner. At the time of transfer to transfer paper, about 93% of the toner is transferred, but the remaining 7% is
The cleaning device 29,
34 removes the remaining residual toner.

[0006] A waste toner storage container 36 that removes residual toner from the photosensitive drum 21 and stores waste toner discharged from the photosensitive drum 21 is connected to the cleaning device 29 via a transport path 38. A waste toner storage container 40 that removes residual toner from the photosensitive drum 22 and stores waste toner discharged from the photosensitive drum 22 is connected to the cleaning device 34 via a transport path 42.

[0005] A cleaning device 44 is provided at a lower left portion of the intermediate transfer drum 24 in the drawing, and a cleaning device 46 is provided at a right side of the transfer roller 25 in the drawing. A waste toner storage container 48 that removes residual toner from the intermediate transfer drum 24 and stores waste toner discharged from the intermediate transfer drum 24 is connected to the cleaning device 44 via a transport path 50. The cleaning device 46 includes the transfer roller 2
A waste toner storage container 52 that removes residual toner from 5 and stores waste toner that has discharged the waste toner is connected via a transport path 54.

Such a color printer includes a photosensitive drum 21, developing devices 26 and 27, and a photosensitive drum 22.
And developing devices 31 and 32, an electrostatic latent image of a color image is formed on the peripheral surface of the intermediate transfer drum 24, and thereafter, the transfer paper is fed in the direction of a dashed line between the intermediate transfer drum 24 and the transfer roller 25. At this time, the color toner image is transferred to the transfer paper by the transfer roller 25, and finally the color toner image is fixed to the transfer paper by the fixing device 58, and the transfer paper is discharged.

[0007]

However, such a conventional image forming apparatus includes a waste toner storage container 36,
40, 48, and 52 in total, each of which has a small volume and quickly fills up. Each time, the full waste toner storage container is discarded and replaced with a new empty waste toner storage container. Was. For this reason, there has been a problem that the number of operations for replacing the waste toner storage container by the user increases, and at each time the user gets dirty, giving the user discomfort and temporarily suspending other work.

[0008] Each of the four waste toner storage containers has:
It is necessary to provide a detecting means for detecting that the toner is full, and a large number of detecting circuits are required. For this reason, the number of parts increases and the cost of the image forming apparatus increases. there were.

Accordingly, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus capable of reducing the number of replacement operations of a waste toner storage container by a user, enabling the user to use the image forming apparatus comfortably, and reducing the number of parts to reduce the cost. Is the subject.

[0010]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a plurality of rotating bodies to which toner used for image formation is electrostatically attached, and discharges waste toner by removing residual toner from the rotating bodies. A plurality of cleaning devices as many as the number of rotating bodies to be cleaned, and a single waste toner collection and storage container having a plurality of entrances as many as the cleaning devices, collectively storing waste toner discharged from the plurality of cleaning devices. And a single detecting means capable of detecting that the toner inside any one of the plurality of entrances of the waste toner collection container is full.

According to the image forming apparatus having such a configuration,
Waste toner discharged from multiple cleaning devices
Since a single waste toner collection and storage container having a plurality of entrances is used to collectively store the waste toner collection and storage container, the capacity of the waste toner collection and storage container is increased to allow the user to replace the waste toner collection and storage container. By reducing the number of times, the user can comfortably use the image forming apparatus without soiling his hands.

In addition, since a single detecting means for detecting that the toner inside any one of the plurality of entrances of the waste toner collection container is full is provided, each of the plurality of entrances is separately provided. Since it is not necessary to provide the detecting means, the number of parts of the image forming apparatus can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

[0013]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. 1 to 6 are views showing a first embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a color printer according to the present embodiment. The color printer in FIG. 2 includes two photosensitive drums 61 and 62, one intermediate transfer drum 64, and a transfer roller 65. A developing device 6 that supplies, for example, magenta (red) and cyan (blue) toners is provided around the photosensitive drum 61.
6, 67, and a cleaning device 69 for removing residual toner on the photosensitive drum 61 are provided.

Further, developing devices 71 and 72 for supplying, for example, yellow (yellow) and black (black) toners, and a cleaning device 74 for removing residual toner on the photosensitive drum 62 are provided around the photosensitive drum 62. Is provided. Screw conveyors 69a, 74a, and 84a are provided in the cleaning devices 69, 74, and 84 to convey waste toner toward the near side in the figure along the length direction.

In the vicinity of one end of the intermediate transfer drum 64,
A cleaning device 6 is provided on the front side of the one end surface 64a in the figure and below the rotating shaft 64b of the intermediate transfer drum 64.
A waste toner collection container 92 for collectively storing waste toner discharged from the discharge pipes 78, 82, and 90 of 9, 74, and 84 is disposed.

That is, the waste toner collecting container 92 is formed with entrances 94, 95, 96 into which the waste toner discharged from the discharge pipes 78, 82, and 90 enters. As shown in FIG. 2, the waste toner collection container 92 has a lid 92a.
And a box-shaped box portion 92b.

The lid 92a of the waste toner collection container 92 is made of a transparent material, and the box 92b is made of a colored material such as black. The protruding cylindrical portions 95a, 94a, and 96 are provided on the lid 92a at intervals in the length direction.
a are formed side by side (see also FIG. 3). 9 inward of the inner circumferential radius of these protruding cylindrical portions 95a, 94a, 96a.
5, 94, 96 are formed.

As shown in FIG. 2, the waste toner collecting and storing container 9
Above the second lid 92a, each end has a protruding cylindrical portion 94.
a, 95a, 96a, which are arranged on both sides of each of the shaft members, and which are arranged so as to coincide with one another as a whole.
0 (100a, 100b, 100c, 100d) is provided.

The shaft member 100 has a light-transmitting property, and is formed in a rod shape from a transparent acrylic resin having a diameter of about 3 mm to 6 mm. Light-emitting diodes (light-emitting elements) 102 are provided on both end surfaces of the shaft member 100, that is, on an end surface of the shaft member 100a opposite to the protruding cylindrical portion 95a and an end surface of the shaft member 100d opposite to the protruding cylindrical portion 96a.
And a phototransistor (light receiving element) 103 are opposed to each other and arranged coaxially.

As shown in FIG. 4, when standard light from the light emitting diode 102 enters from one end surface of the shaft member 100,
The light is transmitted in the axial direction of the shaft member 100 and exits from the other end.
3 is received. Light emitting diode 10
2 and the shaft member 100 or the phototransistor 10
If there is something that blocks light between 3 and the shaft member 100,
The phototransistor 103 cannot receive light transmitted from the light emitting diode 102.

2 and 3, the shaft members 100a, 1
00b, 100c, and 100d, the protruding cylindrical portion 95
a, 94a and 96a, which are integrally formed with the lid 92a made of a transparent material and are also transparent, so that light can be sequentially transmitted between the shaft members 100a, 100b, 100c and 100d. It is possible.

As shown in FIG.
And the phototransistor 103 are both the detection control circuit 1
05. Then, the detection control circuit 105
Main control circuit 10 for overall control of color printer
6 and the main control circuit 106
A display unit 108 such as a CD is connected. The shaft member 1
00, light emitting diode 102, phototransistor 10
3. The detection control circuit 105, the main control circuit 106, and the display unit 108 constitute a single detection means as a whole.

The detection control circuit 105 is a circuit having a configuration as shown in FIG. That is, in FIG. 5, reference numerals 102, 103, and 100 denote the same light emitting diode 102, phototransistor 103, and the same as those shown in FIG.
And the shaft member 100.

One terminal A of the light emitting diode 102 is connected to a power supply (not shown), and the other terminal is connected to a resistor 109.
Is connected to one of the terminals. The other terminal of the resistor 109 is connected to the collector of the transistor 111, and an on-state signal having a predetermined time width is input to a terminal B connected to the base of the transistor 111 as a signal for printing preparation. ing.

Therefore, when a current corresponding to the signal in the ON state flows from the terminal B to the base of the transistor 111,
The transistor 111 is turned on, and current flows from the terminal A to the emitter of the transistor 111 through the light-emitting diode 102 and the resistor 109, so that the light-emitting diode 102 is turned on.

The emitter of the phototransistor 103 is connected to the base of the transistor 113, and the collectors of the phototransistor 103 and the transistor 113 are connected to the base of the transistor 115. The base of the transistor 115 is connected to the collector of the transistor 115 connected to the terminal D via the resistors 117 and 118, and the terminal D is connected to a power supply (not shown). The emitter of the transistor 115 is connected to the terminal C.

The operation of the image forming apparatus according to the above embodiment will be described below with reference to the flowchart shown in FIG. First, in a printing instruction standby state in which the power is turned on, a signal for printing preparation is input to the base terminal B of the transistor 111, so that a current flows from the terminal A to the collector of the transistor 111, and the light emitting diode 102 is turned on (step S1).

Next, it is determined whether or not the phototransistor 103 has received light (step S2). If YES, a signal current flows to the terminal C (step S3), and the main control circuit 106 which has detected this detects a container replacement. Display section 1
08 is not displayed (step S4).

That is, when (the base of) the phototransistor 103 is in the light receiving state, the transistor 113 is turned on, and the transistor 113 is also turned on. In this state, the transistor 115 is also turned on, and the transistor 115 is turned on.
The current flows to the terminal C through the terminal. When the current flows through the terminal C in this manner, the entrance 9 of the waste toner collection container 92
No. 4, 95, and 96 show cases where the toner is not accumulated and the light is not blocked.

In step S2, when the phototransistor 103 does not receive light (NO), no current flows to the terminal C (step S5), whereby the main control circuit 106 causes the display unit 108 to display a container replacement instruction (step S5). Step S6). That is, the phototransistor 103
When no light is received, the phototransistor 103 and the transistors 113 and 115 are turned off, so that no current flows through the terminal C. In this case, the toner is accumulated at one of the entrances 94, 95, and 96 of the waste toner collection container 92 and the light is blocked.

According to the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, the waste toner discharged from the plurality of cleaning devices 69, 74, 84 is supplied to the plurality of entrances 94, 95,
Since a single waste toner collection container 92 having a single storage container 96 is used to collectively store the waste toner collection container 92, the capacity of the waste toner collection container 92 is increased, thereby allowing the user to replace the waste toner collection container 92. Reduce the number of times
The user can comfortably use the image forming apparatus without soiling his hands.

Further, since a single detecting means for detecting that the toner inside any one of the plurality of entrances 94, 95, 96 of the waste toner collecting and storing container 29 is full is provided, It is not necessary to provide separate detection means at each of the entrances 94, 95, and 96, so that the number of components of the image forming apparatus can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

FIG. 7 shows a second embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
It is a figure showing an embodiment. In the first embodiment, the case where the lid portion 92a of the waste toner collection container 92 is flat in the horizontal direction has been described.
In this embodiment, as shown in FIG. 7, a slope 122b is provided in the middle of the lid 122a of the waste toner collection container 122 in the left-right direction in the figure, and the entrances 124, 125 and 126 are provided.
Are arranged so that their height positions are different from each other.

In the first embodiment, the shaft member 100 is formed on one straight line. However, in the second embodiment, the shaft member 130 is formed on the lid of the waste toner collecting container 122. It is bent at two points G and H in the longitudinal direction so as to form a gradient portion 130a parallel to the gradient portion 122b of 122a.

According to the second embodiment, the degree of freedom in the layout of the cleaning devices 69, 74, or 84, and the degree of freedom in the layout of other components such as the photosensitive drums 61, 62, are obtained. Can be improved. Even if the shaft member 130 is bent in the middle, the function of transmitting the light is not so different from the shaft member 100 arranged on a straight straight line according to the first embodiment.

FIG. 8 shows a third embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.
It is a figure showing an embodiment. In the first embodiment, a case has been described in which three of the entrances 94, 95, and 96 for receiving waste toner from the cleaning devices 69, 74, and 84 are waste toner collection containers 92 formed in the lid 92a. However, in the third embodiment, an inlet 97 for introducing waste toner from the cleaning device 98 of the transfer roller 65 by the discharge pipe 99 is added,
A waste toner collecting and storing container 1 in which a total of four entrances 97 together with the entrances 94, 95, and 96 are formed in the lid 132a.
32 is different from that of FIG.

In the third embodiment as well,
The waste toner discharged from the plurality of cleaning devices 69, 74, 84, 98 is supplied to the plurality of entrances 94, 95, 9
6 and 97 are collectively stored using a single waste toner collecting and storing container 132, and by increasing the capacity of the waste toner collecting and storing container 132, the waste toner collecting and storing container 132 by the user can be stored. By reducing the number of replacement operations, the user can comfortably use the image forming apparatus without soiling his hands.

In the above embodiment, the case where the present invention is applied to a color printer using two photosensitive drums 61 and 62 and one intermediate transfer drum 64 has been described. The present invention is not limited to a printer, and can be applied to a monochrome printer using only one photosensitive drum. In that case, waste toner discharged from the two cleaning devices of the photosensitive drum and the transfer roller can be collected and stored in one waste toner collection container.

In the above embodiment, the screw conveyor 69a and the like are provided in the cleaning device 69 and the like, and the waste toner is sent in the longitudinal direction of the cleaning device 69 and the like by the screw conveyor 69a and the like. Instead of or in combination with such a screw conveyor 69a, a cleaning device 69
May be formed at an angle, and the conveyance of the waste toner may be driven or assisted by a piezoelectric element or other vibration means.

Further, when the waste toner from the cleaning device 98 is not stored together with the waste toner from the other cleaning devices 69, 74, and 84 as in the first embodiment, the toner adheres to the transfer roller 65. Since only a small amount of residual toner is generated, only the waste toner from the cleaning device 98 may be separately stored in a single waste toner storage container.

[0042]

As described above, according to the present invention, waste toner discharged from a plurality of cleaning devices is collectively stored by using a single waste toner collection container having a plurality of entrances. By increasing the capacity of the waste toner collection container, the number of replacements of the waste toner collection container by the user can be reduced, and the user can comfortably use the image forming apparatus without soiling the hands. it can.

Also, since a single detecting means for detecting that the toner inside any one of the plurality of entrances of the waste toner collection container is full is provided, each of the plurality of entrances is separately provided. Since it is not necessary to provide the detecting means, the number of parts of the image forming apparatus can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.

Also, the number of parts is small and the configuration is simplified,
Constraints that are strictly required for assembling precision are eliminated, and man-hours are reduced.

The light to be used may be ordinary light, and the shaft member 1 to be used.
Since an inexpensive acrylic rod member can be used for 00, the cost of the image forming apparatus can be reduced.

Further, regardless of the shape of the waste toner collection container 92, the shaft member 100 can surely transmit light from the light emitting diode 102 to the phototransistor 103, so that the degree of freedom in design can be improved.

Further, since the waste toner can be easily and reliably detected, and the detection mechanism is simple, an image forming apparatus having high reliability for a long time and a long life can be realized.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a first embodiment of an image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a detailed enlarged sectional view and a detection circuit diagram of a waste toner collection container 92 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a top view of a waste toner collection container 92 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 4 shows a light emitting diode 102 and a phototransistor 1
FIGS. 3A and 3B are schematic diagrams illustrating the operation principle of the shaft member 100. FIGS.

FIG. 5 is a specific circuit configuration diagram of a detection control circuit 105 in FIG. 2;

FIG. 6 is a flowchart illustrating an operation procedure of detecting waste toner in the image forming apparatus illustrated in FIG. 1;

FIG. 7 is a schematic configuration diagram illustrating a second embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a third embodiment of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

FIG. 9 is a schematic configuration diagram showing a conventional color printer.

[Explanation of symbols]

 21, 22 Photoreceptor drum 24 Intermediate transfer drum 25 Transfer roller 26, 27, 31, 32 Developing device 29, 34, 44, 46 Cleaning device 36, 40, 48, 52 Waste toner storage container 38, 42, 50, 54 Conveying path 58 Fixing device 61, 62 Photoreceptor drum 64 Intermediate transfer drum 64a One end surface 64b Rotating shaft 65 Transfer roller 66, 67, 71, 72 Developing device 69, 74, 84, 98 Cleaning device 69a, 74a, 84a Screw conveyor 78, 82, 90, 99 Discharge pipe 92 Waste toner collection container 92a Lid 92b Box 94, 95, 96, 97 Entrance 94a, 95a, 96a Projecting cylindrical part 100, 100a to 100d Shaft member 102 Light emitting diode 103 Phototransistor 105 Detection control circuit 106 In control circuit 108 Display unit 109, 117, 118 Resistance 111, 113, 115 Transistor 122 Waste toner collection container 122a Cover 122b Gradient unit 124-126 Entrance 130 Shaft member 130a Gradient unit 132 Waste toner collection container 132a Cover A ~ D terminal

Claims (4)

(57) [Claims] 1. A plurality of rotating bodies to which toner used for image formation electrostatically adheres, a plurality of cleaning devices of the same number as a number of rotating bodies for removing residual toner from the rotating body and discharging waste toner, A single waste toner collection container having the same number of entrances as the cleaning device and collectively storing waste toner discharged from the cleaning device; and any one of the plurality of entrances of the waste toner collection container An image forming apparatus provided with a single detecting means capable of detecting that the toner inside the image sensor is full. 2. The detecting means, wherein a plurality of entrances of the waste toner collection container are formed in a transparent protruding cylindrical shape, and each end is disposed on both sides of each of the entrances and is entirely on one line. A shaft member having a light transmitting property arranged to be coincident with the light-transmitting and light-receiving elements; and a pair of light-emitting / light-receiving elements arranged on a coaxial line opposed to two ends of the shaft member opposite to the entrance. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, comprising: 3. An apparatus according to claim 2, wherein an outlet of at least one of the plurality of cleaning devices and an inlet of the waste toner collection container are disposed below a rotating shaft of the rotating body having the largest diameter. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: 4. An image forming apparatus comprising: a color printer having two photosensitive drums and one intermediate transfer drum, wherein each of the photosensitive drum and the intermediate transfer drum has a cleaning device. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein: