JP5646024B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus including a toner recovery tank that recovers waste toner generated in a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, a multi-function machine, or the like using an electrophotographic system.

  In an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer, a toner image formed on a photosensitive drum is directly transferred to a sheet or transferred to a sheet via an intermediate transfer belt. At this time, a part of the toner is not transferred and remains as a residual toner on the image carrier such as the photosensitive drum or the intermediate transfer belt. If the residual toner is left as it is, the next image formation cannot be performed satisfactorily. Therefore, the residual toner is removed by a cleaning unit such as a drum cleaner or a belt cleaner, and the removed residual toner (waste toner) is collected by the toner. It is collected in the tank. When the waste toner is stored in the toner recovery container and the toner recovery container is filled with the waste toner, an operation of replacing the toner recovery container with a new unused toner recovery container is performed.

  In recent years, the toner collection container has been integrated with another component into a cartridge shape so that the replacement operation of such a component can be easily performed and the apparatus can be downsized. For example, in Patent Document 1, a toner supply container for supplying toner to a developing device and a toner recovery container for recovering waste toner generated on an image carrier are integrally formed, and this cartridge is an image forming apparatus. It is detachably attached to the main body. The residual toner is removed by the cleaning unit, and the waste toner is transported from the cleaning unit to the toner collection container and stored in the toner collection container. On the other hand, when the toner in the toner replenishing container runs out due to consumption of toner for development, the cartridge is pulled out from the apparatus main body, the pulled out cartridge is discarded, and a new cartridge is attached to the apparatus main body.

JP-A-6-222628 (paragraph [0017], FIG. 1)

  In the above-described prior art, when the cartridge is replaced, the toner in the toner replenishing container has been replenished to the developing device and no toner remains in the toner replenishing container, but the toner collection container is full of waste toner. It may not be. In this case, a space for storing the waste toner is generated in the toner recovery container, and the empty space is wasted. Further, when a low density image or an image with a low printing rate is frequently formed, the toner in the developing device is forcibly consumed regularly in order to prevent the toner from deteriorating. That is, the toner forcedly discharged onto the image carrier without being transferred to the paper is removed by the cleaning unit, and the toner is transported to the toner collection container, so that a large amount of waste toner is stored in the toner collection container. Although the recovery container is full, toner may still remain in the toner supply container. As described above, there is an inconvenience that the cartridge must be replaced even though the toner in the toner supply container remains.

  The present invention has been made to solve the above-described problems. A toner replenishing container capable of replenishing toner to a developing device without waste, an improvement in workability of replacement, and efficient disposal of waste toner. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that includes a toner collection container for collection and can reduce the size of the apparatus main body.

  In order to achieve the above object, a first invention provides a cleaning unit that removes residual toner on an image carrier, a toner collection container that collects waste toner removed by the cleaning unit, and a toner that is supplied to a developing device. The toner supply container is detachably provided with respect to the apparatus main body, and the toner recovery container is provided detachably with respect to the toner supply container.

  According to a second aspect of the present invention, in the image forming apparatus, the toner collection container is detachably attached to the toner supply container with a hook-and-loop fastener.

  According to a third aspect of the present invention, in the above image forming apparatus, the hook-and-loop fastener provided on the toner collecting container side has an extending portion extending outward from a facing portion facing the toner supply container. It is a feature.

  According to a fourth aspect of the present invention, in the above image forming apparatus, an attachment pin having a large diameter portion and a small diameter portion is formed on either one of the toner supply container and the toner recovery container, and the other In the facing portion, an insertion hole having a larger diameter than the large diameter portion, a guide groove having a width narrower than the large diameter portion and formed wider than the small diameter portion, which is formed continuously with the insertion hole, and the guide A mounting groove having a locking groove formed on the opposite side of the groove to the insertion hole and locking the mounting pin is formed.

  According to the first aspect, the residual toner on the image carrier is removed by the cleaning unit, and the residual toner removed by the cleaning unit is conveyed to the toner recovery container and stored in the toner recovery container as waste toner. . For example, in the case of continuously outputting an image with an average printing rate, when the toner in the toner supply container becomes empty, the toner collection container becomes full of waste toner. The toner supply container to which the container is attached can be detached from the apparatus main body, and the toner supply container filled with toner, to which the empty toner collection container is attached, can be attached to the apparatus main body. On the other hand, if a large number of images with a low printing rate are continuously output, the toner collection container is filled with waste toner before the toner in the toner supply container is used up. At this time, the toner collection container is removed from the toner supply container. The toner collection container that is removed and empty can be attached to the toner supply container. Therefore, the toner replenishing container can replenish the toner to the developing device without waste, and the toner collecting container improves the workability of replacement, and can efficiently collect the waste toner. In addition, the toner main body can be miniaturized by detachably providing the toner collection container.

  According to the second aspect of the invention, since the toner collection container is detachably attached to the toner supply container with the hook-and-loop fastener, the toner collection container can be easily attached and detached, and the installation space can be small.

  According to the third aspect of the present invention, the toner collection container can be easily detached from the toner supply container when the extension portion is held and operated.

  According to the fourth aspect of the invention, since the toner collection container is detachably attached to the toner supply container by the attachment pin and the attachment groove, the toner collection container can be easily attached and detached, and the installation space can be small.

1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. 1 is a diagram schematically illustrating an image forming unit and a toner container according to an embodiment. A side view showing a cross section of a toner container according to an embodiment. The figure which shows the state which attached the toner collection container which concerns on another embodiment to the toner supply container.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings, but the present invention is not limited to these embodiments. Further, the use of the invention and the terms shown here are not limited thereto.

  FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. The image forming apparatus 1 is provided with a sheet feeding unit 2 disposed in a lower portion thereof, a sheet conveying unit 3 disposed on a side of the sheet feeding unit 2, and an upper side of the sheet conveying unit 3. An image forming unit 4, a fixing unit 5 disposed on the discharge side of the image forming unit 4, an image reading unit 6 disposed above the image forming unit 4 and the fixing unit 5, and a toner container 120. It has.

  The paper feed unit 2 includes a plurality of paper feed cassettes 7 for containing paper 9, and the paper 9 from the paper feed cassette 7 selected from among the plurality of paper feed cassettes 7 by rotating the paper feed roller 8. Each sheet is sent out to the sheet transport unit 3.

  The paper 9 sent to the paper transport unit 3 is transported toward the image forming unit 4 via the paper transport path 10. The image forming unit 4 forms a toner image on a sheet 9 by an electrophotographic process. The image forming unit 4 is a photoconductor 11 supported so as to be rotatable in the direction of an arrow in FIG. A charging unit 12, an exposure unit 13, a developing device 14, a transfer unit 15, a cleaning unit 16, and a charge eliminating unit 17 are provided.

  The charging unit 12 includes a charging wire to which a high voltage is applied. When a predetermined potential is applied to the surface of the photoconductor 11 by corona discharge from the charging wire, the surface of the photoconductor 11 is uniformly charged. Then, when light based on the image data of the original read by the image reading unit 6 is irradiated to the photoconductor 11 by the exposure unit 13, the surface potential of the photoconductor 11 is selectively attenuated, and the surface of the photoconductor 11 is irradiated. An electrostatic latent image is formed.

  Next, the developing device 14 develops the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the photoconductor 11, and a toner image is formed on the surface of the photoconductor 11. This toner image is transferred by the transfer unit 15 to the paper 9 supplied between the photoconductor 11 and the transfer unit 15.

  The sheet 9 on which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed toward the fixing unit 5 disposed on the downstream side of the image forming unit 4 in the sheet conveying direction. In the fixing unit 5, the sheet 9 is heated and pressed by the heating member 18 and the pressure roller 19, and the toner image is melted and fixed on the sheet 9. Next, the sheet 9 on which the toner image is fixed is discharged onto the discharge tray 21 by the discharge roller pair 20.

  After the transfer by the transfer unit 15, the toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor 11 is removed by the cleaning unit 16, and the residual charge on the surface of the photoconductor 11 is removed by the charge eliminating unit 17. Then, the photosensitive member 11 is charged again by the charging unit 12, and image formation is performed in the same manner.

  When image formation is repeated, the toner of the developing device 14 is consumed. In order to supply toner to the developing device 14, a toner container 120 is disposed above the developing device 14. The toner container 120 stores unused toner and supplies the toner to the developing device 14.

  FIG. 2 is a diagram schematically showing the image forming unit 4 and its periphery. As described above, the image forming unit 4 includes the photoconductor 11 that is an image carrier, the charging unit 12, the exposure unit 13, the developing unit 14, the transfer unit 15, the cleaning unit 16, and the charge eliminating unit 17. A toner container 120, a toner transport unit 141, and a toner collection container 131 are provided around the image forming unit 4.

  The cleaning unit 16 includes a cleaning blade 22 and a conveying screw 23. The cleaning blade 22 is provided in contact with the surface of the photoconductor 11 and removes toner remaining on the surface of the photoconductor 11. The conveying screw 23 is provided in parallel with the axial direction of the photoconductor 11 and conveys the residual toner removed by the cleaning blade 22 toward the toner conveying portion 141 side.

  The toner transport unit 141 transports residual toner (waste toner) removed by the cleaning unit 16 to the toner collection container 131. The toner transport unit 141 has a pipe, one end of the pipe is connected to the cleaning unit 16, the other end is connected to the toner recovery container 131, and a transport screw (not shown) that transports waste toner in the pipe. Have.

  The toner collection container 131 collects waste toner conveyed from the cleaning unit 16 via the toner conveyance unit 141. The toner collection container 131 is detachably provided on the toner container 120, and is disposed on the back side of the paper surface of FIG.

  FIG. 3 is a side view of the toner container as viewed from the left in FIG. The toner container 120 is detachably provided to the main body of the image forming apparatus, and includes a toner supply container 121 that stores unused toner, and a toner collection container that is detachably provided side by side with the toner supply container 121 in the longitudinal direction. 131.

  A conveying member 122 is provided in the toner supply container 121. The conveying member 122 has a screw and is disposed at the bottom of the toner supply container 121 so as to face the supply port 121a. When the conveying member 122 rotates, the toner is agitated and conveyed toward the replenishing port 121a. The toner in the toner supply container 121 is supplied to the developing device 14 (see FIG. 2) via the supply port 121a. A shutter member (not shown) is provided facing the supply port 121a. The shutter member opens and closes the supply port 121a, always closes the supply port 121a, and opens the supply port 121a when supplying toner to the developing device 14. Open.

  The toner collection container 131 includes a toner storage part 131a, a receiving port 131b, and a shutter part 131c.

  The toner storage unit 131a stores waste toner. The receiving port 131b is formed in the upper part of the toner collecting container 131, receives the waste toner conveyed by the toner conveying unit 141 (see FIG. 2), and is detachably attached to the toner conveying unit 141. The shutter part 131c is provided so that the receiving port 131b can be opened and closed. The receiving port 131b is always opened, and the waste toner conveyed to the receiving port 131b falls to the toner storage unit 131a and is stored in the toner storage unit 131a. Then, when the toner storage part 131a is full of waste toner, the receiving port 131b can be closed by the shutter part 131c. The toner collection container 131 is filled with waste toner when the toner in the toner supply container 121 is empty when an image with an average printing rate (for example, 5%) is output. It is set to a storage volume such that

  Hook fasteners 124 and 134 are provided on the mutually facing portions of the toner reinforcing container 121 and the toner collecting container 131.

  A hook-and-loop fastener 124 on the toner supply container 121 side (hereinafter referred to as supply side) is formed with a pile-like fastening portion on a base material, and is attached to the facing portion 121d of the toner reinforcing container 121 by adhesion. The toner collection container 131 side (hereinafter referred to as the collection side) 34 is formed with a plurality of hook-shaped fastening portions on the base material, and is attached to the facing portion 131 d of the toner collection container 131 by adhesion. The supply-side hook-and-loop fastener 124 may have a hook shape, and the collection-side hook-and-loop fastener 134 may have a pile shape.

  When the surface side fasteners 124 and 134 on the supply side and the recovery side are overlapped, the toner recovery container 131 is attached to the toner supply container 121. When the lower side of the toner collection container 131 is pulled to the left side, the collection-side surface fastener 134 is peeled off from the supply-side surface fastener 124, and the toner collection container 131 is removed from the toner supply container 121. The collection-side hook-and-loop fastener 134 may be formed so as to extend downward from the facing portion 131d, and the extension portion may be held and pulled to the left side. The surface fastener 134 is easily peeled off. Further, the extending portion of the surface-side fastener 134 on the collection side may be formed on the front surface side or the back surface side of the paper surface of FIG. 3 instead of being formed below. Further, a guide part that partially protrudes from the four sides toward the facing part 131d of the toner collection container 131 is provided on the facing part 121d of the toner supply container 121, and the toner collection container 131 is supplied with toner along the guide part. When the recovery-side surface fastener 134 is overlapped with the supply-side surface fastener 124 so as to face the container 121, the toner recovery container 131 can be easily aligned with the toner supply container 121.

  When the toner container 120 having the above configuration continues to output an image with an average printing rate (for example, 5%), the toner collection container 131 is discarded when the toner in the toner supply container 121 becomes empty. Filled with toner. When the toner in the toner supply container 121 is emptied, a warning is displayed on the operation panel (not shown) of the image forming apparatus 1 to prompt the user to replace the toner container 120.

  In response to this warning display, the outlet (not shown) of the toner transport unit 141 (see FIG. 2) to the toner collection container 131 is closed, the shutter unit 131c is closed, and the waste toner in the toner collection container 131 is discharged to the outside. The toner container 120 is taken out from the apparatus main body so as not to leak. Then, a new toner container 120 having a toner supply container 121 filled with toner and an empty toner collection container 131 is attached to the apparatus main body.

  On the other hand, when a large number of images with a low printing rate are continuously output, the toner in the developing device 14 is forcibly consumed regularly, and the toner collection container 131 is disposed of the waste toner before the toner in the toner supply container 121 is used up. May fill up. When the toner collection container 131 is full of waste toner, a warning that prompts replacement of the toner collection container 131 is displayed on an operation panel (not shown) of the image forming apparatus 1.

  In response to this warning display, the outlet (not shown) of the toner transport unit 141 (see FIG. 2) to the toner collection container 131 is closed, the shutter unit 131c is closed, and the waste toner in the toner collection container 131 is discharged to the outside. Do not leak. Next, the lower portion of the toner supply container 121 is pulled to the left in FIG. 3, and the collection-side surface fastener 134 is peeled off from the supply-side surface fastener 124. As a result, the toner collection container 131 is removed from the toner supply container 121. Then, in order to replace the full toner collection container 131 with a new toner collection container 131 that is empty, the surface fastener 134 of the new toner collection container 131 is overlapped with the surface fastener 124 of the toner supply container 121. Then, a new toner collection container 131 is attached to the toner supply container 121.

  According to the embodiment, the image forming apparatus 1 includes a cleaning unit 16 that removes residual toner on the photoconductor 11, a toner collection container 131 that collects waste toner removed by the cleaning unit 16, and a developing device. 14 includes a toner supply container 121 for storing toner to be supplied. The toner supply container 121 is detachably provided on the apparatus main body, and the toner collection container 131 is provided detachably on the toner supply container 121.

  According to this configuration, the residual toner on the photoconductor 11 is removed by the cleaning unit 16, and the residual toner removed by the cleaning unit 16 is conveyed to the toner recovery container 131 and stored in the toner recovery container 131 as waste toner. The For example, when an image with an average printing rate (for example, 5%) is continuously output, the toner collection container 131 is filled with waste toner when the toner in the toner supply container 121 becomes empty. At this time, the toner supply container 121 to which the toner recovery container 131 is attached is detached from the apparatus main body, and the toner supply container 121 to which the toner recovery container 131 in an empty state is attached and full of toner is attached to the apparatus main body. be able to. On the other hand, when a large number of images with a low printing rate are continuously output, the toner collection container 131 is filled with waste toner before the toner in the toner supply container 121 is used up. At this time, the toner collection container 131 is replenished with toner. It is possible to remove the toner collection container 131 from the container 121 and attach the empty toner collection container 131 to the toner supply container 121. Therefore, the toner replenishing container 121 can replenish the toner to the developing device 14 without waste, and the toner collecting container 131 can improve the workability of replacement and can efficiently collect the waste toner. By providing the supply container 121 and the toner collection container 131 in a detachable manner, the apparatus main body can be downsized.

  Further, according to the above-described embodiment, the toner collection container 131 is detachably attached to the toner supply container 121 by the surface side fasteners 124 and 134 on the supply side and the collection side, so that the toner collection container 131 can be easily attached and detached. The installation space may be small.

  Further, according to the above embodiment, the surface fastener 134 provided on the toner collection container 131 side has an extending portion that extends outward from the facing portion 131 d that faces the toner supply container 121. Accordingly, when the extended portion is held and operated, the toner collection container 131 can be easily detached from the toner supply container 121.

  In the above embodiment, the configuration in which the toner collection container 131 is detachably attached to the toner supply container 121 with the hook-and-loop fasteners 124 and 134 is shown, but the present invention is not limited to this, and the attachment groove shown in FIG. The toner collection container 131 may be detachably attached with an attachment pin that fits into the groove. FIGS. 4A and 4B are a plan view (FIG. 4A) and a cross-sectional view (FIG. 4B) showing a state in which the toner collection container 131 is attached to the toner supply container 121 with the attachment groove and the attachment pin.

  A mounting groove 126 is formed in the facing portion 121 d of the toner supply container 121, and a mounting pin 136 is formed in the facing portion 131 d of the toner recovery container 131. Two mounting grooves 126 are formed on the facing portion 121d, and two mounting pins 136 are formed on the facing portion 131d so as to face the mounting groove 126 when the toner collection container 131 is mounted on the toner supply container 121. Is done.

  The mounting pin 136 has a large diameter portion 136a protruding from the facing portion 131d, and a small diameter portion 136b formed between the large diameter portion 136a and the facing portion 131d and having a smaller outer diameter than the large diameter portion 136a.

  The mounting groove 126 is formed in an inverted L shape to guide and lock the mounting pin 136, and the guide groove 126b into which the small diameter portion 136b of the mounting pin 136 fits, and the locking groove 126a having a larger groove width than the guide groove 126b. Furthermore, a round insertion hole 126c having a size slightly larger than the large-diameter portion 136a of the mounting pin 136 is provided below the mounting groove 126. The locking groove 126a is formed on the back side of the guide groove 126b with respect to the facing portion 121d, and is provided so that the large-diameter portion 136a of the mounting pin 136 fits. When the large-diameter portion 136a of the mounting pin 136 is fitted into the locking groove 126a, the mounting pin 136 is held so as not to be detached from the mounting groove 126.

  In order to attach the toner collection container 131 to the toner supply container 121, when the large diameter portion 136a of the attachment pin 136 is inserted into the insertion hole 126c of the attachment groove 126 and the toner collection container 131 is moved upward, the small diameter of the attachment pin 136 is obtained. The portion 136b is guided and abutted upward along the guide groove 126b of the attachment groove 126. When the toner collection container 131 is moved to the left, the small diameter portion 136b of the attachment pin 136 is guided and abutted on the left side along the guide groove 126b of the attachment groove 126. At this position, the receiving port 131b (see FIG. 3) of the toner recovery container 131 faces the toner delivery port (not shown) of the toner transport unit 141 (see FIG. 2), and the large-diameter portion 136a of the mounting pin 136. Is fitted in the engaging groove 126 a of the attachment groove 126, and the toner collection container 131 is attached to the toner supply container 121.

  According to the above embodiment, in the image forming apparatus 1, the mounting pin 136 having the large diameter portion 136 a and the small diameter portion 136 b is formed on the facing portion 131 d of either the toner supply container 121 or the toner collection container 131. The other facing portion 121d has an insertion hole 126c having a diameter larger than that of the large diameter portion 136a and a guide having a width narrower than that of the large diameter portion 136a formed continuously from the insertion hole 126c and wider than that of the small diameter portion 136b. An attachment groove 126 having a groove 126b and a locking groove 126a formed on the opposite side of the guide groove 126b from the insertion hole 126c and locking the mounting pin 136 is formed.

  According to this configuration, the toner collection container 131 is detachably attached to the toner supply container 121 by the attachment pin 136 and the attachment groove 126, so that the toner collection container 131 can be easily attached and detached and the installation space can be small. .

  In the above-described embodiment, an example is shown in which the present invention is applied to a monochrome copying machine that collects toner remaining on the photoconductor 11, but the present invention is not limited to this and collects toner remaining on the intermediate transfer belt. The present invention may be applied to a color image forming apparatus.

  The present invention can be used for an image forming apparatus provided with a toner recovery tank that recovers waste toner generated in a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, or a combination machine using an electrophotographic system.

DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Image forming apparatus 11 Photoconductor (image carrier)
DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 14 Developing device 16 Cleaning part 120 Toner container 121 Toner supply container 124, 134 Surface fastener 126 Mounting groove 126a Locking groove 126b Guide groove 126c Insertion hole 131 Toner collection container 131a Toner storage part 131b Receiving port 131c Shutter part 136 Mounting pin 136a Large Diameter part 136b Small diameter part

Claims (1)

A cleaning unit for removing residual toner on the image carrier;
A toner collection container for collecting waste toner removed by the cleaning unit;
A toner supply container for storing toner to be supplied to the developing device;
The toner replenishing container is detachably attached to the apparatus main body,
The toner collection container is detachably attached to the toner supply container by a hook-and-loop fastener,
The surface portion of the toner supply container provided with the surface fastener is provided with a guide portion partially protruding toward the surface portion of the toner recovery container provided with the surface fastener along the guide portion. The toner collection container faces the toner supply container;
The hook-and-loop fastener provided on the toner collecting container side has an extending portion extending outward from a facing portion facing the toner supply container,
An image forming apparatus, wherein the toner collection container can be detached from the toner supply container in a state where the toner supply container is attached to the apparatus main body.

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