JP3490581B2 - Process unit and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention forms a toner image on the surface of an image carrier, temporarily transfers the toner image onto the surface of an intermediate transfer member, and then transfers the toner image onto a recording medium to form a recorded image. The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus and a process unit for obtaining the above.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art An image forming apparatus of the above type, which is configured as an electronic copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, or a multifunction machine having at least these two functions, is well known. In this type of image forming apparatus, the toner image on the surface of the image carrier is transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer body by the first transfer means, and the toner image transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer body is recorded on the recording medium by the second transfer means. Is transcribed to. At this time, since the toner remains on the surface of the image carrier after the toner image is transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer member, the toner is removed from the surface of the image carrier by the first cleaning member, and the toner is similarly removed. The toner remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer body after the image is transferred to the recording medium is also removed by the second cleaning member.

As described above, the toners removed from the surfaces of the image carrier and the intermediate transfer member are sent to the waste toner container detachably attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus and stored therein. It When the waste toner container is full of toner or is almost full,
The waste toner container is removed from the image forming apparatus main body, and a new empty waste toner container is mounted. The waste toner container is replaced.

Heretofore, conventionally, a waste toner container for storing the toner removed from the image carrier and a waste toner container for storing the toner removed from the intermediate transfer member have been provided, respectively. The respective waste toner containers must be replaced separately, which complicates the work.

Therefore, the toner removed from the image carrier and the toner removed from the intermediate transfer member are also accommodated in a common waste toner container. By doing so, the replacement work of the waste toner container can be simplified.

At this time, since it is necessary to feed the toner removed from the image carrier and the intermediate transfer member into one waste toner container, a large toner intake port extending in the longitudinal direction is formed in the waste toner container, Each toner sent from the image bearing member and the intermediate transfer member is fed into the container through the inlet. Alternatively, the waste toner container may be provided with two toner inlets, and the respective toner inlets
The toner removed from the image carrier and the toner removed from the intermediate transfer member are respectively fed into the waste toner container. This is because it was believed that the toners sent from both the image carrier and the intermediate transfer member could not be sent to the waste toner container unless this was done.

However, in any of the above-mentioned configurations, the total opening area of the toner intake port formed in the waste toner container becomes very large. Therefore, in order to replace the waste toner container, the container is image-formed. When the toner is removed from the apparatus main body, the toner inside the container may leak from the toner inlet of the large opening. It is also known that the waste toner container is provided with an opening / closing shutter, and the opening / closing shutter closes the toner inlet when the container is removed from the image forming apparatus main body. If the opening area is large, the total amount of toner adhering to the periphery of the toner intake will be considerably large, so when replacing the waste toner container, the toner adhering to the periphery of the toner intake will fall or scatter around it. There is no escape.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention has been made on the basis of the above-mentioned novel recognition, and its purpose is to remove the toner removed from the image bearing member and the toner removed from the intermediate transfer member. To provide a process unit and an image forming apparatus capable of feeding and storing the same toner into a common waste toner storage portion and reducing the opening area of a toner inlet for feeding the toner into the waste toner storage portion. is there.

[0009]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image carrier on the surface of which a toner image is formed in a process unit detachably attached to an image forming apparatus main body, An intermediate transfer member to which the toner image on the surface of the image carrier is transferred; a first cleaning unit that removes toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after transferring the toner image to the intermediate transfer member; Second cleaning means for removing the toner remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer body after the transfer onto the recording medium; a waste toner accommodating portion having a single toner inlet into which waste toner is fed; The waste toner removed from the image carrier by the cleaning means and the waste toner removed from the intermediate transfer body by the second cleaning means are conveyed to the toner inlet. It proposes the process unit, characterized in that integrally provided with a waste toner conveying means (claim 1).

At that time, in the process unit according to claim 1, the toner is conveyed so that the toner sent from the toner inlet into the waste toner containing portion is spread over the entire length of the waste toner containing portion in the longitudinal direction. It is advantageous to provide a toner feeding means for controlling (claim 2).

Further, in the process unit according to the second aspect, the lowermost portion of the toner feeding means is located at a height level of ½ of the entire internal height of the waste toner storage portion or above the height level. Therefore, it is advantageous that the height position of the toner feeding means is set (claim 3).

Further, in the process unit according to claim 2 or 3, the toner intake port is formed on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the waste toner storage section, and the toner amount detection is performed on the other end side. Advantageously, the device is arranged (claim 4).

Further, in the process unit according to the fourth aspect, the height direction center of the toner amount detection device portion facing the inside of the waste toner container is a half of the total internal height of the waste toner container. It is advantageous that the height position of the toner amount detection device is set so as to be positioned at a height level or a height higher than that level (Claim 5).

Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention proposes an image forming apparatus comprising the process unit according to any one of claims 1 to 5 (claim 6). Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention comprises the process unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, wherein the toner intake port is formed on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the waste toner storage section. Therefore, an image forming apparatus is proposed in which the toner amount detecting device is arranged on the other end side, and the toner amount detecting device is provided on the image forming apparatus main body side. Further, in the image forming apparatus according to claim 7, the center in the height direction of the toner amount detecting device portion facing the inside of the waste toner containing portion has a height level of 1/2 of the entire internal height of the waste toner containing portion. It is advantageous that the height position of the toner amount detecting device is set so as to be positioned at or above the height (claim 8). Further, in the image forming apparatus according to claim 7 or 8, it is advantageous that a window hole is formed in a portion of the waste toner storage portion corresponding to the toner amount detection device, and the window hole is covered with a thin film seal. (Claim 9). Further, in order to achieve the above object, the present invention is an image forming apparatus including the process unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3, further comprising a toner amount detecting device, and the toner amount detecting device is the image forming device. An image forming apparatus is provided which is provided on the main body side (claim 10). In order to achieve the above object, the present invention provides an image forming apparatus including the process unit according to claim 2 or 3,
A toner amount detecting device is provided, the toner amount detecting device is provided on the image forming apparatus main body side, and the centers of the toner feeding means and the toner amount detecting device are substantially at the same height. A device is proposed (Claim 1)
1).

[0015]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing the internal structure of a color image forming apparatus configured as a printer. The main body 1 of the image forming apparatus shown here is immovably placed on an installation surface such as a floor. A fixed body 2 and a rotatable body 3 pivotally supported by the fixed body 2.
Further, a process unit 4 formed by integrally assembling a plurality of process elements is detachably mounted. FIG. 2 is a sectional view showing the inside of the process unit 4.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the endless belt-shaped photosensitive member 8 constituting an example of an image bearing member is wound around the rollers 6 and 7 rotatably supported by the unit case 5 of the process unit 4. ing. A drum-shaped photosensitive member, a dielectric drum, a dielectric belt, or the like can be used as the image carrier. A charging device including a charging charger 9 is arranged at a position facing the photoconductor 8, and the charging charger 9 is also supported by the unit case 5.

On the other hand, the fixed main body 2 supports an exposure device configured as a laser writing unit 10, a rotary type color developing unit 11 and a black developing unit 12, respectively, and develops by both developing units 11 and 12. The device is configured.

The color developing unit 11 includes a yellow developing device 11Y, a magenta developing device 11M and a cyan developing device 11
It is configured as a unit in which C is integrally assembled, and the whole is rotatably supported by the fixed body 3.

During the image forming operation, the roller 7 is rotationally driven by a driving device (not shown), so that the photosensitive member 8 is rotated in the direction of arrow A. At this time, the surface of the photoconductor is neutralized by a destaticizing device (not shown), then the surface of the photoconductor is uniformly charged by the charging device including the charging charger 9, and the charged surface emits light emitted from the laser writing unit 10. The modulated laser beam L1 is used for exposure to form a first electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor. At this time, for example, the yellow developing device 11Y of the color developing unit 11 is positioned so as to face the surface of the photoconductor 8, and the first electrostatic latent image is visualized as a yellow toner image by the developing device 11Y. To be done. At this time, the black developing unit 12 is separated from the surface of the photoconductor 8 and does not perform the developing operation.

On the other hand, the unit case 5 has a proper number of two rotating rollers 1 arranged in this example, which are two in this example.
4, 15 are rotatably supported, and these rotating rollers 1
An endless intermediate transfer belt 16, which is an example of an intermediate transfer member, is wound around 4, 15 and one of the rotating rollers 14 is driven by a driving device (not shown),
The intermediate transfer belt 16 is rotationally driven in the arrow B direction. The intermediate transfer belt 16 and the photosensitive member 8 are
Contact each other at the above position, and the tip of a transfer brush 18, which is an example of a first transfer unit, contacts the back side of the intermediate transfer belt 16 at this position, and the transfer brush 18 is also supported by the unit case 5. A transfer roller or a corona discharger may be used as the first transfer means.

When the yellow toner image formed on the surface of the photoconductor 8 reaches the transfer portion 17 as described above, a voltage having a polarity opposite to that of the toner is applied to the transfer brush 18, whereby the photoconductor 8 is transferred. The toner image on the surface is the intermediate transfer belt 1.
6 is transferred to the surface. After the toner image is transferred in this way, the toner left untransferred adheres to the surface of the photoconductor, and the toner is supported by the unit case 5 and the tip portion thereof is pressed against the photoconductor 8. The first cleaning member including the cleaning blade 19 scrapes and removes. The toner thus removed from the surface of the photoconductor drops into the toner receiver 20 that is integrally assembled to the unit case 5. As the first cleaning member, other appropriate means such as a fur brush can be adopted.

The surface of the photosensitive member whose surface has been cleaned as described above is again subjected to the static elimination function, and then uniformly charged by the charging charger 9, and then the laser beam L1 emitted from the laser writing unit 10 to the charged surface. Is irradiated,
A second electrostatic latent image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor. When this latent image passes through the color developing unit 11, the rotation of the unit 11 causes the magenta developing unit 11M to move to the photoconductor 8 for example.
, Which makes the second electrostatic latent image visible as a magenta toner image. This toner image is also transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16 to which the yellow toner image has been transferred, by being superposed on the yellow toner image, by the action of the transfer brush 18, just as described above. . The toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor 8 after the transfer of the magenta toner image is also removed from the surface of the photoconductor by the cleaning blade 19.

In exactly the same manner as described above, a cyan toner image and a black toner image are sequentially formed on the surface of the photoconductor by the cyan developing unit 11C and the black developing unit 12 facing the surface of the photoconductor, respectively. The toner image previously transferred is superposed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16 and transferred successively. The residual toner is removed from the surface of the photoconductor by the cleaning blade 19 every time when each toner image is transferred, and the surface is cleaned. In this way, a full-color toner image is formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16.

On the other hand, in the paper feed cassette 21 of the fixed main body 2, the recording medium 2 made of paper or a plastic sheet is used.
2 are stacked, and the recording medium 22 is fed one by one in the direction of arrow C by the rotation of the paper feed roller 23. The recording medium 22 thus fed is conveyed by a conveying roller pair 24 and a registration roller pair 25 which are rotatably supported by the rotating body 3, and a full-color toner image formed on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16. Is fed to the nip portion between the intermediate transfer belt 16 and the transfer roller 26 opposed to the intermediate transfer belt 16. At this time, the full-color toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16 is transferred onto the surface of the recording medium 22 by the voltage applied to the transfer roller 26 and having a polarity opposite to that of the toner. The transfer roller 26 is rotatably supported by the rotating body 3, and
Constitutes an example of the second transfer means. As the second transfer means, an appropriate means such as a corona discharger or a brush can be adopted.

The recording medium 22 on which the full-color toner image has been transferred passes through between the fixing roller 28 and the pressure roller 29 of the fixing device 27 provided on the fixed main body 2 after leaving the intermediate transfer belt 16. When the action of heat and pressure,
The toner image is fixed on the surface of the recording medium 22. The recording medium 22 that has exited the fixing device 27 is discharged by a pair of discharge rollers 30 rotatably supported by the fixed main body 2 to a discharge stack portion 31 above the fixed main body with the image surface facing downward.

On the other hand, a full-color toner image is recorded on the recording medium 22.
The toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt 16 after being transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16 is scraped off by the cleaning blade 32 having its front end pressed against the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16, and the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16 is cleaned. Cleaning blade 3
Reference numeral 2 denotes an example of a second cleaning member. The cleaning blade 32 is fixed to an arm 33 that is swingably supported by the unit case 5, and is scraped off the intermediate transfer belt 16 by the cleaning blade 32. The toner is received by the toner receiver 34 fixed to the arm 33. As the second cleaning member, it is possible to employ a cleaning member having another suitable form such as a fur brush.

The cleaning blade 32 has an arm 33.
The cleaning blade 32 is separated from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16 when the toner images are transferred to the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16 by the swinging of. After the full-color toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer belt is transferred to the recording medium 22, the tip of the cleaning blade 32 is pressed against the surface of the intermediate transfer belt by the swing of the arm 33 only when the toner remaining on the surface is cleaned. The transfer residual toner is scraped off and removed.

The above description is for the image forming operation when forming a full-color image on the recording medium 22, but only one of the developing devices constituting the color developing unit 11 and the black developing unit 12 is used. It is also possible to form a single-color image or a two-color or three-color image.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, the image carrier formed as the photoconductor 8 on which the toner image is formed, and the intermediate transfer to which the toner image on the surface of the image carrier is transferred. An intermediate transfer member configured as a belt 16, a first transfer unit configured as a transfer brush 8 for transferring the toner image on the surface of the image bearing member to the surface of the intermediate transfer member, and the toner image on the surface of the intermediate transfer member as a recording medium 22. Second transfer means configured as a transfer roller 26 for transferring the toner image onto the intermediate transfer member, and a first cleaning member configured as a cleaning blade 19 that removes toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after transferring the toner image to the surface of the intermediate transfer member. A second cleaning member configured as a cleaning blade 32 for removing the toner remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer body after the toner image is transferred to the recording medium 22. It is Bei.

Further, in the illustrated image forming apparatus, the rotating body 3 forming a part of the image forming apparatus body 1 has one of the rotating rollers 15 around which the intermediate transfer belt 16 is wound around the fixed body 2. It is pivotally supported about the central axis in the direction of arrow E in FIG. The state of a part of the rotating main body 3 when rotated in this manner is shown by a chain line in FIG.

As described above, the transfer residual toner is removed from the surfaces of the photoconductor 8 and the intermediate transfer belt 16 by the cleaning blades 19 and 32, respectively.
These toners are conveyed and fed into a common waste toner container 35 as described later, and are stored in this container 35. The waste toner container 35 of this example is detachably attached to the container receiving portion 5a of the unit case 5. Rotating body 3
1 is rotated to the open position shown by the chain line in FIG. 1, the upper portion of the waste toner container 35 is opened, so that the container 35 can be removed from the unit case 5. In this example, the waste toner container 35 is detachably attached to the unit case 5 of the process unit 4, and the waste toner container 35 is detachably attached to the image forming apparatus main body 1 via the case 5. The toner container 35 may be directly and detachably supported on the image forming apparatus main body 1.

As described above, since the waste toner container 35 is removably attached to the image forming apparatus main body 1, when the toner in the container 35 is full or nearly full. The container 35 can be easily removed from the image forming apparatus main body, and a new empty waste toner container can be attached to the image forming apparatus main body 1. Although it is possible to replace the waste toner container 35, even when the photoconductor 8 deteriorates further and reaches the end of its life,
Rotate the rotating body 3 to the open position shown by the chain line in FIG.
The entire process unit 4 can be replaced with a new one.

In the following description, the waste toner container 35 will be described.
The toner inside is full or almost full,
The state in which the waste toner container needs to be replaced will be described simply as the waste toner container is full or has reached the end of its life.

As described above, since the toner removed from the photoconductor 8 and the toner removed from the intermediate transfer belt 16 are stored in the common waste toner container 35, the respective toners are stored in different waste toner containers. As compared with the case of such a configuration, the replacement work of the waste toner container 35 can be simplified. However, since it is necessary to send each toner removed from the photoconductor 8 and the intermediate transfer belt 16 into one waste toner container 35, conventionally, a large-sized toner elongated in the longitudinal direction is inserted into the waste toner container 35. Either the intake port is formed or two toner intake ports are formed, and the toner removed from the photoconductor and the intermediate transfer belt is sent to the waste toner container. For this reason, the total opening area of the toner intake becomes very large, which, as described above,
When the waste toner container is removed from the image forming apparatus body,
The toner was unavoidably dropped or scattered.

Therefore, in the image forming apparatus of this example,
A toner conveying / collecting unit that collects the toner removed from the photoconductor 8 by the cleaning blade 19 and the toner removed from the intermediate transfer belt 16 by the cleaning blade 32 at one place is provided, and corresponds to the place where the toner is collected by the unit. By forming a toner intake port at a portion of the waste toner container 35, the opening area of the toner intake port can be reduced. Specific examples related to this are as follows.

The cleaning blade 32 shown in FIG.
Extends in the width direction of the intermediate transfer belt 16 and the toner receiver 34 extends along the widthwise direction of the intermediate transfer belt 16. A toner transport device configured as a toner transport screw 37 is disposed along the toner receiver 34. The toner conveying screw 37 is rotationally driven around its central axis by a driving device (not shown) arranged in the image forming apparatus main body 1, whereby the cleaning blade 32 is provided.
The toner that has been scraped off from the surface of the intermediate transfer belt 16 and dropped on the toner receiver 34 by one end portion in the width direction of the intermediate transfer belt 16, in this example, a direction perpendicular to the paper surface of FIGS. 1 and 2. Transport to the front side.

In this way, in the toner conveying path which is conveyed while being guided by the toner receiver 34, the toner arranged on the front side of the unit case 5 is also schematically shown in FIGS. 3 and 4. One end side opening of the transport duct member 36 is connected and fixed. The duct member 38 extends obliquely downward, and its other end side opening is connected and fixed to the front end portion of the toner receiver 20 shown in FIG.

While being guided to the toner receiver 34, the toner sent to the front side by the toner carrying screw 37 is
From the one end side opening of the toner carrying duct member 36, it enters the inside of this duct member 36, is dropped and carried inside by its own weight, and is sent to the toner receiver 20 through the other end side opening.

On the other hand, the cleaning blade 19 pressed against the photoconductor 8 also extends in the widthwise direction of the belt-shaped photoconductor 8,
Along with this, the toner receiver 20 extends long, and along this toner receiver 20, a toner carrying device configured as a toner carrying screw 38 is arranged. Figure 3
In the example shown in (1), the toner carrying screw 38 is divided into two parts 38a and 38b, and the spiral directions of the blades of these parts are reversed. Therefore, when the toner conveying screw 38 is rotationally driven by a driving device (not shown) on the main body of the image forming apparatus, the toner removed from the photoconductor 8 by the cleaning blade 19 is guided to the toner receiver 20 while being transferred to the toner receiver 20. Conveyor screw 3
8 is collected in the collecting portion 39 at the middle portion in the longitudinal direction. At this time, the toner that has been removed from the intermediate transfer belt 16, transported through the toner transport duct member 36, and sent to the toner receiver 20 is also collected by the toner transport screw 38 in the intermediate collecting section 39. The toner removed from the intermediate transfer belt 16 and the toner removed from the photoconductor 8 are both collected in one place, that is, in the collecting unit 39.

Further, in the example shown in FIG. 4, the direction of the spiral of the blade of the toner carrying screw 38 is constant,
As a result, the cleaning blade 19 causes the photoreceptor 8
The toner removed from the toner is guided to the toner receiver 20 by the rotation of the toner transport screw 38, and is transported to one end side in the longitudinal direction (in the example of the drawing, the front end side of FIGS. 1 and 2). , The collecting portion 39 on the one end side
Then, the toner that has been removed from the intermediate transfer belt 16 and sent to the toner receiver 20 by the toner transport duct member 36 is collected together.

As described above, in the illustrated example, the toner carrying screws 38, 37, the toner receivers 20, 34, and the toner carrying duct member 36 are replaced by the cleaning blade 19.
The toner removed from the surface of the image carrier composed of the photoconductor 8 by the first cleaning member composed of 1 and the toner removed from the intermediate transfer member composed of the intermediate transfer belt 16 by the second cleaning member composed of the cleaning blade 32 An example of the toner transport / collection means that collects at a location, that is, the collection unit 39 is configured.

As described above, the toner discharge port 50 is formed and the toner guide tube 51 is fixedly connected to the portion of the toner receiver 20 corresponding to the portion where the toner is collected by the toner conveying / collecting means. . The lower opening of the toner guide tube 51 coincides with the toner intake port 40 formed in the waste toner container 35. in this way,
A toner inlet 40 is provided at a portion of the waste toner container 35 corresponding to a portion where the toner is collected by the toner conveying / collecting means.
And the waste toner container 35 is formed in the illustrated example.
A toner inlet 40 is formed on a part of the upper wall 35a. The collected toner passes through the toner discharge port 50 and the toner guide tube 51, is sent into the waste toner container 35 through the toner intake port 40, and is stored therein.

As described above, in the image forming apparatus of this embodiment, the toners removed from the intermediate transfer belt 16 and the photoconductor 8 are collected in one place by the toner conveying / collecting means.
Since the collected toner is sent into the waste toner container 35 from the toner intake port 40, the opening area of the toner intake port 40 can be made significantly smaller than in the conventional case. Moreover, it is not necessary to provide a plurality of the toner intake ports 40, and the number of the toner intake ports 40 may be one. For this reason, the waste toner container 35 detachably attached to the image forming apparatus main body becomes full, and therefore, when the container 35 is removed from the image forming apparatus main body 1 by the above-described procedure, the toner intake port of the container 35 is removed. It is possible to prevent the toner from leaking from 40.

Further, normally, a shutter (not shown) is provided at the toner intake port 40, and when the waste toner container 35 is set as shown in FIG. 2, the shutter opens the toner intake port 40 and wastes it. When the toner container 35 is removed,
The shutter operates to close the toner inlet 40 to prevent the toner from leaking out. Even if such a shutter is provided, if the opening area of the toner inlet is large, the toner adheres to the periphery thereof. When the waste toner container is removed, the generated toner drops around the waste toner container and scatters. However, if the opening area of the toner intake port 40 is small as in this example, the amount of toner adhering to the peripheral edge of the toner is very small, so that even if the adhering toner drops when the waste toner container 35 is removed. However, the amount is extremely small, and it is possible to suppress the problem that the periphery is soiled with toner.

As described above, the toner intake port 40 formed in the waste toner container 35 can be made extremely small. However, when the opening area of the toner intake port 40 is small as described above, the above-mentioned advantages can be obtained. On the other hand, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the toner T in the waste toner container 35 is intended to be in the area of the toner intake 40, and the toner T does not reach the entire waste toner container 35, and the waste toner container There is a possibility that the toner accommodating efficiency of No. 35 will decrease.

Therefore, in the illustrated image forming apparatus, as shown in FIG. 2 to FIG. 4, the waste toner container 35 is provided with a toner conveying screw 41 which is an example of toner feeding means. In the illustrated example, the waste toner container 35 extends long in the width direction of the photoconductor 8 or the intermediate transfer belt 16, and the toner conveying screw 41 has its shaft end at each longitudinal end wall 35b of the waste toner container 35. ，
35c is rotatably supported, and its shaft is rotationally driven by a drive device arranged in the main body of the image forming apparatus.

As a result, the toner conveying screw 41
The toner feeding means is configured to convey the toner T fed into the waste toner container 35 from the toner inlet 40 so that the toner T is spread over the entire length of the waste toner container 35 in the longitudinal direction. In the example of FIG. 3, the toner conveying screw 41 is composed of two portions 41A and 41B, the spiral directions of the blades thereof are opposite to each other, and the toner sent to the waste toner container 35 has a central portion in the longitudinal direction thereof. From, it is conveyed toward each end side. In the example shown in FIG. 4, the direction of the spiral of the blade of the toner conveying screw 41 is constant, and the toner T fed from the toner inlet 40 is
Are transported to the opposite side. In this way, although the toner inlet 40 has a small size, it is possible to prevent the toner T entering from here from remaining in the shape of a mountain at the portion of the inlet 40, and storing the toner in the waste toner container 35. The efficiency can be increased.

The toner conveying screw 41 conveys the toner T as described above. At that time, if the screw 41 is located below the inside of the waste toner container 35, even if the toner conveying screw 41 rotates. , Waste toner container 35
In the upper area of the toner, the toner is hardened in a bridge shape, which may not be properly conveyed.

Therefore, in the image forming apparatus of this example,
As shown in FIG. 2, the lowermost portion 41a of the toner feeding means constituted by the toner feeding screw 41 is located at a height level L which is 1/2 of the total internal height H of the waste toner container 35 or above the height level L. Thus, the height position of the toner feeding means is set. Preferably, the toner feeding means is arranged very close to the upper wall 35a of the waste toner container 35.

According to the above construction, since the toner conveying screw 41 is located in the upper portion of the waste toner container 35,
When the screw 41 rotates, the waste toner container 35
A toner bridge is not formed in the upper area of the inside, and the toner can be efficiently conveyed over the entire area of the waste toner container 35 in the longitudinal direction.

By the way, when the waste toner container 35 is full of toner, that is, when it reaches the end of its life, the waste toner container 35 is replaced with a new empty waste toner container as described above. Usually, the waste toner container 35
Is shorter than the life of the photoconductor 8 and is set to about 1/2 of the life of the photoconductor 8, for example.

When the waste toner container 35 has reached the end of its life, it is necessary to inform the operator of that fact.
As shown in FIGS. 2 to 5, the waste toner container 35 is provided with a toner amount detecting device 42, which detects that the toner in the waste toner container 35 is full, and based on the detection signal, The fact is displayed on the display unit provided outside the main body of the image forming apparatus, and the operator replaces the waste toner container 35 according to the display according to the procedure described above. As the toner amount detection device 42, for example, a piezoelectric element is used.

At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, the toner inlet 40 is formed at one end side in the longitudinal direction of the waste toner container 35, and the toner amount is provided at the other end side of the waste toner container 35. It is desirable to place the sensing device 42. With this configuration, the toner T fed from the toner inlet 40 into the waste toner container is transported from one end side to the other end side by the toner transport screw 41, and the amount of the transported toner is controlled. Toner amount detection device 42
The toner amount detecting device 4
Even if the number is two, the full state can be detected only when the toner in the waste toner container 35 is full, and the full state can be correctly detected.

If a toner amount detecting device is provided near the toner inlet 40 shown in FIG.
In the state where the end of the waste toner container opposite to 0 is not yet full of toner, the toner amount detection device detects that the toner is full, and the toner can still be stored sufficiently. There is a problem that the waste toner container is replaced.

For the same reason, the toner amount detecting device 4
2 is preferably provided in the upper region of the waste toner container 35. More specifically, as shown in FIG. 2, the height direction center D of the toner amount detection device portion facing the inside of the waste toner container 35 is half the total internal height H of the waste toner container 35. The height position of the toner amount detection device 42 is set so as to be positioned at the level L or a height above it. In the illustrated example, the central axis of the toner conveying screw 41 and the center D of the toner amount detecting device 42 are substantially at the same height.

As described above, when the detection surface of the toner amount detecting device 42 is arranged in the upper region with respect to the height of the waste toner container 35, the detection device is operated while the toner in the waste toner container 35 is low. It is possible to prevent the problem that full toner is detected. When the waste toner container 35 is actually filled with toner, the fact is not shown until the toner amount detecting device 4
2 detects. Therefore, it is possible to store the maximum amount of toner in the waste toner container 35 and replace the waste toner container 35 with a new one in this state.

By the way, the toner amount detecting device 42 used in each of the above-mentioned constitutions can be supported by an appropriate element, and may be fixedly supported by the side wall 35d of the waste toner container 35, for example. However, when the toner amount detecting device 42 is fixed to the waste toner container 35 in this way, the waste toner container 35 is a replacement part, and therefore, the toner amount detecting device 42 is also replaced every time the waste toner container 35 is replaced, which is very economical for the user. Will impose a physical burden.

Therefore, in the image forming apparatus of this example,
As shown in FIGS. 2 and 6, the toner amount detection device 42 is
It is arranged on the image forming apparatus main body 1 side, that is, the fixed main body 2 side in the illustrated example, through a bracket (not shown), and the waste toner container 35 is set at a predetermined position of the image forming apparatus main body as shown in FIG. Window 43 is formed in the portion of the waste toner container 35 corresponding to the toner amount detecting device 42,
The window hole 43 is covered with a thin film seal 44.
As the thin film seal 44, for example, a flexible sheet made of rubber or synthetic resin having a thickness of 0.5 mm or less can be used.

According to the above construction, when the waste toner container 35 is set in the image forming apparatus main body 1, the detection surface of the toner amount detection device 42 is provided with the thin toner seal 44 to detect the waste toner container 35. Since it faces the inside, it is possible to detect fullness of the toner without any trouble. Moreover, the window hole 43
Since it is covered with the thin film seal 44, the toner in the waste toner container 35 does not leak to the outside through the window hole 43.

Further, when the waste toner container 35 is filled with toner and it has reached the end of its life, when the waste toner container 35 is detached from the image forming apparatus main body 1 as described above,
The toner amount detection device 42 is left on the side of the image forming apparatus main body 1. Therefore, the toner detection device 42 is not replaced, and the economical efficiency can be improved.

As described above, the present invention is applied to the process unit 4 detachably attached to the rotating body 3 of the image forming apparatus body 1 including the fixed body 2 and the rotating body 3 and the image forming apparatus having the process unit. Although the applied example is shown, the present invention can be widely applied to various types of image forming apparatuses other than the image forming apparatus and process units thereof. Further, it is obvious that the present invention can be applied to an image forming apparatus including an electronic copying machine, a facsimile, or a complex machine thereof, and a process unit thereof.

[0063]

According to the process unit of the first aspect, the toner removed from the image carrier and the toner removed from the intermediate transfer member can be accommodated in a common waste toner accommodating portion. It is possible to reduce the size of the toner intake port formed in the storage portion.

According to the process unit of the second aspect, although the toner inlet is small in size, the toner inside the waste toner container can be entirely distributed, and the toner container of the waste toner container can be accommodated. It is possible to prevent a decrease in efficiency.

According to the process unit of the third aspect, it is possible to prevent the toner bridge from being formed on the upper portion of the waste toner containing portion, and to reliably convey the toner to the entire waste toner containing portion by the toner feeding means. Can be sent.

According to the process unit of the fourth aspect, it is possible to eliminate the possibility that the toner amount detection device detects that the toner amount is full when only a small amount of toner is stored in the waste toner storage portion.

According to the process unit of the fifth aspect, even if a small amount of toner is stored in the waste toner storage portion, it is possible to more reliably prevent the toner amount detection device from detecting the toner full. .

[0068]

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic diagram illustrating an example of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view showing an internal structure of a process unit.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing an example in which a toner intake port is provided at a central portion in the longitudinal direction of a waste toner container.

FIG. 4 is a schematic view showing an example in which a toner inlet is provided at one end of the waste toner container in the longitudinal direction.

5 is a cross-sectional view of the waste toner container shown in FIG.

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view of the waste toner container shown in FIG. 4 taken along the toner amount detection device.

[Explanation of symbols]

1 Image forming device body 40 Toner intake 41a bottom 42 Toner amount detection device 43 window 44 thin film seal H total height L level T toner

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Claims (11)

(57) [Claims] 1. A process unit detachably mounted to an image forming apparatus main body, an image carrier on which a toner image is formed, and an intermediate transfer member to which the toner image on the surface of the image carrier is transferred. A first cleaning means for removing the toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier after transferring the toner image onto the intermediate transfer body; and a toner image remaining on the surface of the intermediate transfer body after transferring the toner image onto a recording medium. A second cleaning unit for removing toner; a waste toner storage unit formed with a single toner inlet into which waste toner is fed;
Waste toner conveying means for conveying the waste toner removed from the image carrier by the first cleaning means and the waste toner removed from the intermediate transfer body by the second cleaning means to the toner inlet. A process unit characterized in that and are integrally provided. 2. The toner feeding means for feeding the toner so that the toner fed from the toner inlet into the waste toner containing portion is spread over the entire area of the waste toner containing portion in the longitudinal direction. The listed process unit. 3. The height of the toner feeding means is set so that the lowermost portion of the toner feeding means is located at a height level of ½ of the entire internal height of the waste toner container or above the height level. The process unit according to claim 2, wherein the height position is set. 4. The toner intake port is formed on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the waste toner containing section, and the toner amount detecting device is arranged on the other end side. The listed process unit. 5. The height direction center of the toner amount detection device portion facing the inside of the waste toner storage portion is at a half level of the entire internal height of the waste toner storage portion or a height above it. The process unit according to claim 4, wherein the height position of the toner amount detection device is set so that the toner amount detection device is positioned at a height. 6. An image forming apparatus comprising the process unit according to claim 1. 7. The process unit according to claim 1, wherein the toner intake port is formed on one end side in the longitudinal direction of the waste toner container, and the other end side. An image forming apparatus, wherein a toner amount detecting device is disposed in the image forming device main body side. 8. The center in the height direction of the toner amount detecting device portion facing the inside of the waste toner storage portion is at a height level of ½ of the entire internal height of the waste toner storage portion or a height above it. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a height position of the toner amount detection device is set so as to be located at a height. 9. The image forming apparatus according to claim 7, wherein a window hole is formed in a portion of the waste toner containing portion corresponding to the toner amount detecting device, and the window hole is covered with a thin film seal. 10. An image forming apparatus including the process unit according to claim 1, further comprising a toner amount detecting device, and the toner amount detecting device is provided on a main body side of the image forming device. An image forming apparatus characterized by. 11. An image forming apparatus including the process unit according to claim 2, further comprising a toner amount detecting device, the toner amount detecting device being provided on a main body side of the image forming device, and the toner feeding means. An image forming apparatus, wherein the centers of the toner amount detecting devices are substantially at the same height.