JP5573486B2 - Waste toner collection container and image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to a waste toner collecting container for storing waste toner generated in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a facsimile, and a printer using an electrophotographic system, and an image forming apparatus including the same.

  In an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine using toner or the like, waste toner (hereinafter referred to as waste toner) is generated because the transfer rate of toner to a recording medium is not 100%. In many of these image forming apparatuses, the generated waste toner is collected in a waste toner collecting container provided at one place inside the machine and then discarded.

  A detection sensor such as a photo interrupter is installed in the vicinity of the waste toner collection container, and the detection sensor detects the fullness of the waste toner. In order to prevent overflow of the waste toner from the waste toner collection container, In many cases, there is room for size. In addition, downsizing of electrophotographic copying machines and the like is required to reduce the size of the waste toner collection container and improve the waste toner filling rate of the waste toner collection container.

  The most efficient way to improve the filling rate of the waste toner collection container is to make the shape of the waste toner collection container sufficiently high and deposit the waste toner in the vertical direction. Due to the space restrictions, the waste toner collecting container needs to be flat.

  Patent Document 1 discloses waste toner that is transported to a waste toner container through a toner inlet by a toner transport screw, and detects the toner by a toner amount detection device when the waste toner container becomes full of toner. In the image forming apparatus having the storage device, in order to prevent the toner amount detection device from erroneously detecting the waste toner container when the waste toner container is detached from the image forming apparatus main body and tilted, the toner inlet of the waste toner container It discloses that a shield is provided between the toner amount detecting device and the toner amount detecting device.

  In addition, although it is disclosed that the waste toner conveyance direction of the toner conveyance screw in the waste toner container is switched, the waste toner accumulates symmetrically at the position of the waste toner dropping port because the switching position is directly below the toner inlet. Accordingly, waste toner is detected at a fixed height where the toner amount detection device is disposed, and the space above the toner amount detection device remains unused. Further, the structure of the waste toner container is complicated because the container has a partition wall.

  Therefore, an object of the present invention is to accurately detect the fullness of waste toner in the waste toner collection container while further increasing the waste toner filling rate of the waste toner collection container.

The object of the present invention is to collect waste toner for receiving waste toner in a waste toner collecting container for collecting waste toner discharged from at least one of an image carrier and a transfer conveying member in an image forming apparatus. A waste toner amount detecting means for detecting the amount of collected waste toner, and a waste toner conveying member for conveying the collected waste toner inside the waste toner collecting container, wherein the toner amount detecting means The waste toner conveying member is disposed on one side surface of the recovery container, and extends over the one side surface of the waste toner recovery container and the other side surface opposite to the one side surface. in the axial direction of the member, the waste toner conveying force of the toner amount detecting means side with respect to the position of the lower of the waste toner collecting port, relative to the position of the lower of the waste toner collecting port Serial than the waste toner conveying force of the toner amount detecting means and the opposite side have a smaller again agitating member, said waste toner conveying member on the opposite side to the toner amount detecting means with respect to a position below the waste toner collecting port The problem is solved by conveying waste toner to the opposite side of the toner amount detecting means by rotational driving .

The waste toner conveying member has a screw having a shaft and a helical body on the opposite side of the toner amount detecting means with respect to a position below the waste toner collecting port, and the stirring member has a shaft and It is preferable to be configured as a paddle having a blade portion.
Further, it is preferable that the agitating member stirs and conveys the waste toner mainly in a direction perpendicular to the axis of the agitating member by rotational driving.

Further, it is preferable that the waste toner conveying member has a screw having a shaft and a spiral body on the toner amount detecting means side from the stirring member.
The screw on the toner amount detection means side from the stirring member preferably transports waste toner to the toner amount detection means side by rotational driving.

The screw on the opposite side of the toner amount detection means with respect to a position below the waste toner collection port has a transport direction switching position for switching the transport direction of the waste toner . in the opposite side to the toner amount detecting means, by the rotation of the screw, preferably the waste toner is conveyed to the toner amount detecting means side.
Further, the position of the waste toner collecting port and the position of the waste toner conveying member at a position below the waste toner collecting port on the side opposite to the toner amount detecting means and the member on the toner amount detecting means side preferably a border position, than the central portion of the waste toner collecting container is disposed in said toner quantity detecting means side.

Moreover, it is preferable that the screw having a shaft and a spiral body from the member boundary position to the transport direction switching position further includes a blade portion extending radially outward from the shaft.
Moreover, it is preferable that the blade portion of the screw having the shaft, the spiral body, and the blade portion is integrally formed with the blade portion of the stirring member seamlessly at the member boundary position.

In addition, the waste toner conveying member is configured as a screw having a shaft and a spiral body, and the waste toner is disposed on the opposite side of the toner amount detection unit with respect to a position below the waste toner collection port by the screw. is transported to the opposite side of the toner amount detecting means, in the toner amount detecting means side from a position below the waste toner collecting port, it is transported to the toner amount detecting means side, the stirring member, the waste toner collecting port It is preferable that the screw diameter is smaller than that on the opposite side of the toner amount detecting means with respect to the lower position.
Further, it is preferable that the image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes the above-described waste toner collection container.

  According to the present invention, the waste toner conveying force in the axial direction of the waste toner conveying member in the waste toner collecting container is changed at a position below the waste toner collecting port, and the side closer to the detection sensor from the waste toner collecting port. Is small and large on the side away from the waste toner recovery port from the detection sensor. Therefore, first, a larger amount of waste toner is transported to the opposite side of the detection sensor to increase the waste toner filling rate of the waste toner collection container, while the vicinity of the detection sensor that has been transported later than the opposite side of the detection sensor. The waste toner is detected by the detection sensor, and full / near full is reliably detected, and overflow of the waste toner from the waste toner collecting container is prevented.

1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire image forming apparatus of the present invention. It is a figure which shows the conventional waste toner conveyance path | route and a collection container, and shows a mode that the waste toner which fell from the collection port is accommodated in a container at a mountain shape. It is a figure which shows the conventional waste toner conveyance path | route and a collection container, and shows a mode that the waste toner which reached | attained the conveyance member in a container is conveyed toward the edge part of a collection container, and is equalized. It is a figure which shows the conventional waste toner conveyance path | route and a collection container, and also shows a mode that the accumulated waste toner reaches | attains a full detection sensor or a near full detection sensor. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows 1st Embodiment of the waste toner collection container according to this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows 2nd Embodiment of the waste toner collection container according to this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows 3rd Embodiment of the waste toner collection container according to this invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows 4th Embodiment of the waste toner collection container according to this invention. FIG. 6 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a fifth embodiment of a waste toner collecting container according to the present invention. It is a schematic sectional drawing which shows 6th Embodiment of the waste toner collection container according to this invention. It is a schematic perspective view which shows the structure of the concrete waste toner collection container according to this invention.

  FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of an entire image forming apparatus according to the present invention. The apparatus shown in the drawing is a photosensitive member as an image carrier of each image forming station of K (black), Y (yellow), C (cyan), and M (magenta) uniformly charged by a charging roller 4 as a charger. The image read by the scanner 1 is color-separated by the writing device 2 and written for each color on the body 3 to form an electrostatic latent image. For example, a K (black) station will be described. The latent image formed on the photoconductor 3 is developed by the developing device 5 in accordance with the K toner so as to form a toner image. The developed K toner image is sandwiched between the photoreceptor 3 and the primary transfer roller 8 so that the intermediate transfer belt 7 serving as a transfer conveying member is in contact with the photoreceptor 3 at a portion thereof. Transcribed above. In this way, a toner image is formed on the photoreceptor 3 in the same manner at each image forming station of Y (yellow), C (cyan), and M (magenta), and the toner image transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 7 is formed. The transfer paper is fed from the registration rollers in accordance with the timing of reaching the secondary transfer position, and is transferred onto the transfer paper at once by the secondary transfer roller 10. The transferred transfer paper is transported to the fixing device 11 by the transport belt 9, fixed, and discharged as a copy image.

On the other hand, after the toner image has been transferred onto the intermediate transfer belt 7, the residual toner is removed by the cleaning device 6, the charge is removed by a neutralizing lamp (not shown), and then uniformly charged by the charging roller 4 again. Repeat the operation.
The intermediate transfer belt 7 after the toner image is transferred to the transfer paper is removed from the photoreceptor 3 on the intermediate transfer belt 7 again after the residual toner is removed by an intermediate transfer belt cleaning device (not shown). The image forming process of transferring the image and transferring the image to the transfer paper at once is repeated.

  Residual toner removed from the photoreceptor 3 or the intermediate transfer belt 7, that is, waste toner, is disposed in the lower part of the image forming apparatus 1 through a waste toner conveyance path (not shown) extending inside the image forming apparatus 1. It is conveyed to the toner recovery container 22. The waste toner conveyance path extends from each cleaning device to the lower collection container 22. The collection container 22 is installed above the paper discharge tray, but may be arranged in another space. In the image forming apparatus 1 according to the present invention, a fixed amount of waste toner 19 can be stored in the waste toner transport path 20 or the temporary storage unit, and therefore, while the recovery container 22 is being replaced, the waste toner 19 from the cleaning device is transported. The printing operation can be continued.

  FIG. 2 shows a conventional configuration of the enlarged waste toner collecting container 22 and the waste toner transport path 20. During the printing operation, the waste toner 19 transported through the waste toner transport path 20 extending from the cleaning device to the top of the recovery container 22 passes through the waste toner recovery port 27 at the tip of the waste toner transport path 20 and the central portion of the container. Through the collection container 22. Here, the waste toner conveyance path 20 in front of the collection container 22 is provided with an in-path conveyance member 21 configured as a screw having a shaft and a spiral body. The in-path transport member 21 is rotationally driven by a driving unit (not shown) disposed outside the waste toner transport path 20 to transport the waste toner 19 from the left side to the right side in FIG. On the other hand, one or a plurality of in-container transport members 23 configured as a screw having a shaft and a spiral body are also provided in the upper part of the container over the entire width of the container. It is configured to be driven to rotate by a drive unit (not shown) arranged outside the door. The in-container transport member 23 is provided with a spiral body in the opposite direction from the transport direction switching position 26 in the center toward the left and right ends, and when it is driven to rotate, the waste toner 19 in the center of the container is removed from the center. While transporting in the axial direction toward the end portion, the surface of the spiral body has an angle with respect to the axis, so that the waste toner 19 is diffused by the circumferential component of the spiral body.

  A fullness detection sensor 24 as a toner amount detecting means for detecting the fullness of the collection container 22 is provided outside one side surface of the collection container 22. This is arranged to detect the upper level rather than the upper limit in the container, and outputs a detection signal when the waste toner 19 accumulates up to the arrangement position of the detection sensor, and widely uses known sensors. be able to. The fullness detection sensor 24 detects fullness before the collection container 22 is actually full. A near full detection sensor 25, which is configured in the same manner as the full detection sensor 24 and serves as a toner amount detection means for detecting near fullness near full, is disposed below the full detection sensor 24, and is at a lower level than full. Detects near fullness.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the waste toner 19 accumulated in the recovery container 22 accumulates in a mountain shape (conical shape) until reaching the in-container transport member 23, and as shown in FIG. 3, the in-container transport member After reaching 23, the conveyance member 23 is rotationally driven and conveyed symmetrically toward the end of the collection container 22 and leveled.

  As shown in FIG. 4, when the waste toner 19 reaches the near full detection sensor 25 and is detected, a display on the operation panel on the upper part of the image forming apparatus 1 and an alarm sound are emitted to the user. When the replacement toner is urged and the waste toner 19 reaches the full detection sensor 24 and is detected, the printing is forcibly stopped. As described above, the in-container conveyance member 23 extends over the entire width of the container in the upper part of the container and equalizes the waste toner 19 accumulated in a mountain shape to a uniform level. The fullness of the container is accurately detected by the fullness detection sensor 24 arranged slightly below. Accordingly, as shown in FIG. 4, even when full is detected, the upper portion of the in-container conveying member 23 has a sufficient space. Therefore, when the container is removed for exchanging the container or when further waste toner 19 is accumulated, Therefore, the waste toner 19 does not overflow and the waste toner transport path 20 is not clogged. Therefore, scattering into the room and damage to the transport member 21 in the path are avoided. However, since this upper space remains unused, the waste toner filling rate is also reduced.

As shown in FIGS. 1 to 4, a waste toner collection port 27 is conventionally provided near the center of the waste toner collection container 22, and the waste toner 19 from the apparatus main body is dropped into the waste toner collection container 22 through the waste toner collection port 27. It was. In addition, the in-container conveyance member 23 inside the waste toner collection container 22 switches the feeding direction of the waste toner 19 at a conveyance direction switching position 26 directly below the waste toner collection port 27, toward both ends of the waste toner collection container 22. Waste toner 19 was sent. As a result, the waste toner 19 is accumulated symmetrically with respect to the vicinity of the drop opening in the collection container, that is, in a conical shape. It was. Furthermore, the volume of the waste toner collecting container cannot often be made sufficiently large in consideration of the layout of the apparatus main body, but it is still desired to further increase the filling rate.
Further, when the position of the detection sensor is arranged above the in-container conveyance member 23, the waste toner conveyance force of the in-container conveyance member 23 is small in the vicinity of the detection sensor, so that the fullness cannot be reliably detected.

Therefore, in the present invention, the waste toner collection container is improved so as to further increase the waste toner filling rate and accurately detect the fullness of the waste toner.
FIG. 5 shows a first embodiment of the waste toner collecting container 22 according to the present invention. As shown in the drawing, an in-container transport member 23 as a waste toner transport member extending over one side surface of the recovery container and the other side surface facing the same is attached in the waste toner recovery container 22. Further, a fullness detection sensor 24 as a toner amount detection means is provided near the attachment location and below the in-container transport member 23, and a near fullness detection sensor 25 as a toner amount detection means is further provided therebelow. doing. The detection sensors 24 and 25 are provided on one side surface of the waste toner collection container 22.

  In this embodiment, the in-container conveyance member 23 is a distant portion configured as a screw having a shaft and a spiral body on the side away from the detection sensor 24, 25 from the member boundary position 28 below the waste toner collection port 27. On the side closer to the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the member boundary position 28, the side conveyance member 30 and the stirring member 32 configured as a paddle including a blade portion extending radially outward from the shaft are configured. . Here, the stirring member 32 is configured to include two blade portions extending vertically from the shaft, but may be configured to include three or more blade portions. The far side conveyance member 30 configured as a screw conveys the waste toner 19 from the member boundary position 28 below the waste toner collection port 27 to the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 by rotation, and is configured as a paddle. The agitating member 32 has a function of agitating and conveying the waste toner mainly in a direction perpendicular to the axis (a direction perpendicular to the paper surface) and leveling the waste toner. Therefore, the waste toner transport force in the axial direction of the far side transport member 30 is higher than the waste toner transport force in the axial direction of the stirring member 32. In other words, on the side closer to the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the waste toner collection port 27, the stirring member 32 having a smaller axial waste toner conveyance force than the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the waste toner collection port 27. Is arranged.

  As a result, the waste toner 19 collected in the collection container 22 is conveyed to the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 by the far side conveyance member 30. On the other hand, the agitating member 32 breaks up the level of the waste toner 19 and smoothes it in the vicinity of the detection sensor, so that the broken waste toner 19 accumulates on the detection sensor side according to the angle of repose of the accumulated waste toner. At this time, the amount of waste toner transported to the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 by the far-side transport member 30 having a larger waste toner transport force in the axial direction is the waste toner transported to the vicinity of the detection sensor by the stirring member 32. More than the amount. In addition, since the waste toner 19 is first transported largely to the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25, the waste toner feeding speed to the detection sensor vicinity side becomes slow, and the detection of full / near full becomes slow. Eventually, as shown in the figure, a sufficient amount of waste toner is filled on the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 so as to exceed the height of the far side conveying member 30, and then the waste toner is placed on the vicinity of the detection sensors 24 and 25. Fills and can detect full / near full.

  In this embodiment, when the collection container 22 is set in the image forming apparatus 1, the side on which the detection sensors 24 and 25 are installed is the back side of the image forming apparatus 1, and the detection sensors 24 and 25 are installed. The side that is not present is the front side of the image forming apparatus 1.

  FIG. 6 shows a second embodiment of the waste toner collection container 22 according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the in-container conveyance member 23 is a far side conveyance configured as a screw having a shaft and a spiral body on the side away from the detection sensor 24, 25 from the member boundary position 28 below the waste toner collection port 27. On the side closer to the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the member 30 and the member boundary position 28, on the side closer to the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the member boundary position 29 and further on the stirring member 32 configured as a paddle consisting of a shaft and a blade portion. The vicinity side conveyance member 31 comprised as a screw which consists of a shaft and a helical body is comprised. Therefore, on the side closer to the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the waste toner recovery port 27, the stirring member 32 having a smaller axial waste toner conveying force than the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the waste toner recovery port 27 is provided. Has been placed.

  As a result, as in the first embodiment (FIG. 5), the waste toner 19 is transported and collapsed by the rotational drive of the far-side transport member 30 and the stirring member 32. Furthermore, since the waste toner 19 is transported in the axial direction toward the detection sensors 24 and 25 by the rotation of the vicinity-side transport member 31, the waste toner 19 can be transported to the position where the detection sensors 24 and 25 are disposed. Thus, even when the detection sensors 24 and 25 detect full / near fullness based on the weight and pressure of the waste toner 19, the detection sensors 24 and 25 can be surely pressed against the waste toner 19, and the recovery container can be more reliably collected. Full / near full can be detected.

  FIG. 7 shows a third embodiment of the waste toner collecting container 22 according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, the in-container conveyance member 23 is a far side conveyance configured as a screw having a shaft and a spiral body on the side away from the detection sensor 24, 25 from the member boundary position 28 below the waste toner collection port 27. On the side approaching the detection sensors 24, 25 from the member 30 and the member boundary position 28, on the side approaching the detection sensors 24, 25 from the stirring member 32 configured as a paddle consisting of a shaft and a blade portion, It is comprised from the vicinity side conveyance member 31 comprised as a screw which consists of a shaft and a helical body. Further, a transport direction switching position 26 is provided on the far side transport member 30, and on the side away from the detection sensors 24, 25 from the transport direction switching position 26, the waste toner 19 is detected by the rotational drive of the far side transport member 30. It is conveyed toward the sensors 24 and 25. As described above, the side closer to the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the waste toner collection port 27 has a smaller agitation with less axial waste toner conveyance force than the side away from the waste toner collection port 27 from the detection sensors 24 and 25. A member 32 is disposed.

  By switching the transport direction of the waste toner 19 at the transport direction switching position 26, the amount of waste toner 19 deposited on the side away from the detection sensors 24, 25 is reduced as compared with the second embodiment (FIG. 6). . As a result, even when the amount of waste toner 19 increases, the load associated with the rotation of the conveying member applied to the bearing (not shown) of the conveying member provided in the collection container 22 is reduced, and the rotational torque of the conveying member is reduced. can do. Therefore, damage to the screw and paddle caused by an increase in the rotational torque of the conveying member is avoided.

  FIG. 8 shows a fourth embodiment of the waste toner collecting container 22 according to the present invention. In the present embodiment, as in the third embodiment (FIG. 7), the in-container conveyance member 23 is connected to the shaft on the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the member boundary position 28 below the waste toner collection port 27. A far side conveying member 30 configured as a screw made of a spiral body, a stirring member 32 configured as a paddle consisting of a shaft and a blade on the side approaching the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the member boundary position 28, and a member boundary On the side approaching the detection sensors 24, 25 from the position 29, it is composed of a shaft and a near-side transport member 31 configured as a screw made of a spiral body, and a transport direction switching position 26 is provided on the far-side transport member 30. It has been. As described above, the side closer to the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the waste toner collection port 27 has a smaller agitation with less axial waste toner conveyance force than the side away from the waste toner collection port 27 from the detection sensors 24 and 25. A member 32 is disposed.

  However, the position of the waste toner collection port 27 and the member boundary position 28 are arranged not on the central part of the collection container but on the side closer to the detection sensors 24 and 25. Therefore, the stirring member 32 configured as a paddle composed of a shaft and a blade portion is shorter than in the case of the third embodiment (FIG. 7). As a result, the space on the opposite side of the detection sensors 24 and 25 as viewed from the positions of the waste toner collection port 27 and the member boundary position 28 is increased, so that it exceeds the height of the far side conveying member 30 as shown in the figure. More waste toner 19 can be sent to this space, and the waste toner filling rate of the collection container 22 can be further increased. Since the waste toner 19 starts to be conveyed in the direction of the detection sensor after the mountain of the waste toner 19 has grown to a certain level, full detection can be reliably performed.

Further, according to the present embodiment, the recovery port 27 is set at an arbitrary position according to the shape of the recovery container 22 without fixing the recovery port 27 to the central portion of the recovery container 22, and is transported in a screw shape and a paddle shape. Since the members can be combined, the layout flexibility on the apparatus main body side according to the shape of the collection container 22 can be improved (for example, the length of the waste toner conveying member 20 on the apparatus main body side can be shortened) The risk of toner clogging is reduced.
In order to adjust the accumulation amount of the left and right waste toners 19 at the member boundary position 28, the member boundary position 28 is shifted to the right side in the drawing, not the position directly below the waste toner collection port 27 as shown in the figure. May be.

  FIG. 9 shows a fifth embodiment of the waste toner collection container 22 according to the present invention. In this embodiment, the in-container conveyance member 23 is basically configured as a screw having a shaft and a spiral body on the side away from the detection sensor 24, 25 from the member boundary position 28 below the waste toner collection port 27. On the far side conveying member 30 and on the side approaching the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the member boundary position 28, the stirring member 32 configured as a paddle composed of a shaft and a blade part, and the detection sensors 24 and 25 approach from the member boundary position 29. On the side, it is composed of a shaft and a near-side conveying member 31 configured as a screw made of a spiral body. Further, a transport direction switching position 26 is provided on the far side transport member 30, and the position of the waste toner collection port 27 and the member boundary position 28 are arranged not on the central portion of the collection container 22 but on the side closer to the detection sensors 24 and 25. Yes.

  However, the far side conveying member 30 configured as a screw having a shaft and a spiral body from the member boundary position 28 to the conveying direction switching position 26 further includes a blade portion extending radially outward from the shaft. . Therefore, this portion is formed as a screw paddle portion 34 including a shaft, a spiral body, and a blade portion. The blade portion of the screw paddle portion 34 is at the member boundary position 28 and the blade portion of the stirring member 32. And are integrally formed. Similar to the above-described embodiment, the far side conveyance member 30 (screw paddle portion 34) from the member boundary position 28 to the conveyance direction switching position 26 conveys the waste toner 19 to the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25. On the other hand, the far side conveyance member 30 and the near side conveyance member 31 on the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the conveyance direction switching position 26 convey the waste toner 19 to the side approaching the detection sensors 24 and 25.

  A stirring member 32 configured as a paddle including a shaft and a blade portion, and a screw paddle portion 34 including a shaft, a spiral body, and a blade portion are separated at a member boundary position 28 below the waste toner collection port 27. Therefore, on the side closer to the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the waste toner collection port 27, the stirring member 32 having a smaller axial waste toner conveyance force than the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the waste toner collection port 27 is provided. Has been placed. The screw paddle part 34 conveys the waste toner 19 to the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 in the axial direction with a spiral body forming a screw, and the blade part forming the paddle mainly in a direction perpendicular to the axis (paper surface). The waste toner can be agitated and conveyed in the direction perpendicular to the direction), so that the volume of the collection container 22 can be used efficiently.

  Further, as in the fourth embodiment (FIG. 8), the waste toner in the axial direction of the conveying member toward the side farther from the detection sensors 24 and 25 than in the case where the screw paddle portion 34 is constituted only by a screw. The conveying force decreases. Therefore, when the amount of waste toner 19 in the collection container 22 is small compared to the configuration of the fourth embodiment (FIG. 8), it is possible to detect whether the collection container 22 is full or near full. That is, by selecting the shape of the conveying member in this way, the amount of waste toner collected in the collecting container can be adjusted, and an excessive increase in the weight of the collecting container 22 and the rotational torque of the conveying member 23 when full is achieved. Can be suppressed.

  FIG. 10 shows a sixth embodiment of the waste toner collecting container 22 according to the present invention. As shown in the drawing, an in-container transport member 23 as a waste toner transport member extending over one side surface of the recovery container and the other side surface opposite to the side surface is attached in the waste toner recovery container 22, and in the vicinity of the mounting location. A fullness detection sensor 24 as a toner amount detection means is provided below the in-container transport member 23, and a near fullness detection sensor 25 as a toner amount detection means is further provided therebelow. The detection sensors 24 and 25 are provided on one side surface of the waste toner collection container 22. In the present embodiment, the in-container transport member 23 includes the far side transport member 30 on the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the transport direction switching position 26 directly below the waste toner collection port 27 and the detection sensor from the transport direction switching position 26. 24, 25, the near side conveying member 31 conveys the waste toner 19 to the side away from the detection sensors 24, 25, and the near side conveying member 31 conveys the waste toner 19. Transport to the side approaching the detection sensors 24 and 25. The far side transport member 30 and the near side transport member 31 are configured as a screw having a shaft and a spiral body, and the far side transport member 30 is configured to be larger than the near side transport member 31. The screw diameter of the side conveying member 30 is configured to be larger than the screw diameter of the near side conveying member 31. In this manner, the waste toner transport force in the axial direction of the far side transport member 30 is set to be higher than the waste toner transport force in the axial direction of the near side transport member 31. In other words, on the side closer to the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the waste toner collection port 27, the vicinity side conveyance member having a smaller waste toner conveyance force in the axial direction than the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 from the waste toner collection port 27. 31 is arranged.

  Instead of or in addition to increasing the screw diameter, increasing the screw pitch also increases the distance traveled when the screw makes one revolution, thereby increasing the waste toner conveying force. It is also conceivable to change the number of screw strips or screw angle. As described above, the waste toner 19 is transported in the axial direction from the central portion toward the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 by the rotation of the in-container transport member 23, and the near-side transport member. By 31, the waste toner 19 is conveyed in the axial direction from the center toward the detection sensors 24 and 25. As a result, as shown in the figure, first, the side away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 is filled with a sufficient amount of waste toner so as to exceed the height of the far side conveying member 30, and then the waste toner is disposed near the detection sensors 24 and 25. Since the toner is filled, the empty space of the collection container 22 can be reduced as much as possible, the waste toner filling rate can be increased, and the fullness of the collection container 22 can be reliably detected.

  FIG. 11 is a schematic perspective view showing the configuration of a specific waste toner collecting container 22 according to the present invention. The waste toner collection container 22 includes an in-container conveyance member 23 similar to that of the fifth embodiment (FIG. 9). When such a relatively flat and vertically long waste toner collection container 22 is used, it is required to efficiently use the capacity of the waste toner collection container 22. The waste toner collecting container 22 includes the in-container conveyance member 23 in the above-described embodiment, so that the waste toner is first conveyed away from the detection sensors 24 and 25 by the rotational drive of the in-container conveyance member 23. Then, it is transported to the side approaching the detection sensors 24 and 25, and full / near full is reliably detected.

  In addition, as the detection sensors 24 and 25, what has a rubber film and the elongate filler part extended to a perpendicular direction, respectively, and utilizes sensors, such as a photo interrupter, can be considered. Specifically, a soft rubber film is stretched on the side wall of the recovery container 22 so as to protrude into the recovery container, and the filler part is rotatable to the outside of the recovery container so that the protrusion of the filler part overlaps the protrusion of the rubber film. From the outside of the rubber membrane. Further, a photo interrupter (not shown) is provided on the image forming apparatus 1 side, and when the collection container 22 is installed in the apparatus main body and the filler part rotates, the light emitting part and the light receiving part of the photo interrupter become the filler part. It is supposed to be blocked by. Therefore, when the rubber film is recessed due to the weight and pressure of the waste toner 19 and the filler portion rotates outside the collection container 22 accordingly, the rotated filler portion blocks the light from the light emitting portion of the photo interrupter and Is not reaching the light receiving unit, and full / near full is detected.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 19 Waste toner 20 Waste toner conveyance path 21 In-path conveyance member 22 Waste toner collection container 23 In-container conveyance member (waste toner conveyance member)
24 Full detection sensor (toner amount detection means)
25 Near full detection sensor (toner amount detection means)
26 Transport direction switching position 27 Waste toner collection port

JP-A-11-305623

Claims (11)

In a waste toner collecting container for collecting waste toner discharged from at least one of an image carrier and a transfer conveyance member in an image forming apparatus,
A waste toner collecting port for receiving the waste toner, a toner amount detecting means for detecting the amount of the collected waste toner, and a waste toner conveying member for conveying the collected waste toner inside the waste toner collecting container. And
The toner amount detecting means is disposed on one side surface of the waste toner collecting container,
The waste toner conveying member extends over the one side surface of the waste toner collecting container and the other side surface opposite thereto.
The waste toner conveying member is configured so that a waste toner conveying force on the toner amount detection means side is lower than the waste toner collecting port with respect to a position below the waste toner collecting port in the axial direction of the waste toner conveying member . the have a small again stirring member than the waste toner conveying force of the toner amount detecting means and the opposite side of the position,
The waste toner conveying member on a side opposite to the toner amount detecting unit with respect to a position below the waste toner collecting port conveys the waste toner to the opposite side of the toner amount detecting unit by rotational driving. Waste toner collection container. The waste toner conveying member has a screw having a shaft and a spiral body on a side opposite to the toner amount detection unit with respect to a position below the waste toner collection port, and the stirring member includes a shaft and a blade portion. The waste toner collecting container according to claim 1, wherein the waste toner collecting container is configured as a paddle having The stirring member, a waste toner collecting container according to claim 1 or 2, characterized in that stirring and conveying the waste toner in the axial direction perpendicular mainly the agitating member by the driving rotation. The waste toner collection unit according to any one of claims 1 to 3 , wherein the waste toner conveying member includes a screw having a shaft and a spiral body on the toner amount detection unit side from the stirring member. container. 5. The waste toner collecting container according to claim 4 , wherein the screw on the toner amount detection means side from the stirring member conveys waste toner to the toner amount detection means side by rotational driving. The screw on the side opposite to the toner amount detection means with respect to a position below the waste toner collection port has a transport direction switching position for switching the transport direction of the waste toner, and the toner is switched with respect to the transport direction switching position . The waste toner collecting container according to claim 2, wherein the waste toner is conveyed to the toner amount detection means side by the rotational drive of the screw on the side opposite to the amount detection means. The position of the waste toner collection port, and the position of the waste toner transport member below the waste toner collection port, the portion on the opposite side of the toner amount detection means, and the member boundary position of the portion on the toner amount detection means side DOO is, waste toner collecting container according to claim 6, characterized in that it is disposed in the toner amount detector side than the center portion of the waste toner container. The waste toner according to claim 7 , wherein the screw having a shaft and a spiral body from the member boundary position to the transport direction switching position further includes a blade portion extending radially outward from the shaft. Collection container. The waste toner according to claim 8 , wherein a blade portion of the screw having a shaft, a spiral body, and a blade portion is formed integrally with the blade portion of the stirring member at the member boundary position. Collection container. The waste toner conveying member is configured as a screw having a shaft and a spiral body,
By the screw, waste toner is conveyed to the opposite side of the toner amount detection means on the side opposite to the toner amount detection means with respect to the position below the waste toner collection opening, and below the waste toner collection opening. From the position on the toner amount detection means side, it is conveyed to the toner amount detection means side ,
2. The waste toner collection container according to claim 1, wherein the stirring member has a screw diameter smaller than a side opposite to the toner amount detection unit with respect to a position below the waste toner collection port. An image forming apparatus comprising: a waste toner container according to any one of claims 1-10.

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