JP5980188B2 - Image forming apparatus - Google Patents

Description

  The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a waste toner storage unit that stores waste toner discharged from an image forming unit.

  In general, an image forming apparatus having a function of detecting a fullness of a waste toner storage unit that stores waste toner discharged from the image forming unit is known. Specifically, the amount of waste toner in the waste toner storage unit is divided into a light emitting unit that emits light toward the upper end of the waste toner storage unit and a light receiving unit that receives light transmitted through the upper end of the waste toner storage unit. (See, for example, Patent Document 1).

JP 2008-83587 A

  However, the inner wall of the upper end portion of the waste toner storage unit may be contaminated with toner that falls from the image forming unit to the waste toner storage unit. In this case, the light emitted from the light emitting unit is blocked by the toner, and the light receiving unit does not receive the light.

  An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing erroneous detection of a waste toner accumulation state.

  An image forming apparatus according to the present invention includes an image forming unit, a waste toner storage unit, a partition plate, a light emitting unit, a first reflecting unit, a first light receiving unit, and a control unit. The image forming unit forms an image using toner. The waste toner storage part has an opening at the upper end for receiving the toner discharged from the image forming part. The partition plate partitions the waste toner container at a top end portion of the waste toner container into a first space through which the toner from the opening passes and a second space through which the toner from the opening does not pass. The light emitting unit emits light from the outside of the waste toner storage unit toward the second space. The first reflecting unit is disposed in the second space and reflects light emitted from the light emitting unit. The first light receiving unit receives reflected light from the first reflecting unit toward the outside of the waste toner storage unit. The control unit detects an accumulation state of the toner accumulated in the waste toner storage unit according to a light reception result of the first light receiving unit.

  According to the present invention, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of suppressing erroneous detection of a waste toner accumulation state.

1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a method for detecting an accumulation state of a waste toner container in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a method for detecting an accumulation state of a waste toner container in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 6 is a diagram for explaining a near-full detection method for a waste toner storage unit in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 5 is a diagram for explaining a full detection method for a waste toner storage unit in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 10 is a diagram for explaining another example of a method for detecting an accumulation state of a waste toner container in the image forming apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

  Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings for understanding of the present invention. In addition, the following embodiment is an example which actualized this invention, Comprising: The thing of the character which limits the technical scope of this invention is not.

[Schematic Configuration of Image Forming Apparatus 10]
First, a schematic configuration of an image forming apparatus 10 according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIG.

  As shown in FIG. 1, the image forming apparatus 10 includes an ADF 1, an image reading unit 2, an image forming unit 3, a paper feed cassette 4, a control unit 5, an operation display unit 6, a partition plate 7, and an accumulation state detection unit 8. It is a multi-function machine equipped with the above. Note that a printer, a copier, a facsimile machine, and the like are also examples of the image forming apparatus according to the present invention.

  The ADF 1 drives each of the transport rollers 12 by a motor (not shown), and transports the document set on the document placement unit 11 to the paper discharge tray 13 through the image reading position by the image reading unit 2. This is an automatic document feeder.

  The image reading unit 2 is an image reading unit including a document table 21, a light source unit 22, mirrors 23 and 24, an optical lens 25, a CCD (Charge Coupled Device) 26, and the like. The document table 21 is a document placement unit provided on the upper surface of the image reading unit 2. The reading unit 22 includes an LED light source 221 and a mirror 222, and is movable in a sub-scanning direction (left and right direction in FIG. 1) by a motor (not shown). The LED light source 221 includes a number of white LEDs arranged along the main scanning direction (the depth direction in FIG. 1). The mirror 222 reflects the light emitted from the LED light source 221 and reflected by the surface of the document at the reading position on the document table 21 toward the mirror 23. The light reflected by the mirror 222 is guided to the optical lens 25 by the mirrors 23 and 24. The optical lens 25 collects incident light and makes it incident on the CCD 26. The CCD 26 includes a photoelectric conversion element that inputs an electrical signal corresponding to the amount of light incident from the optical lens 25 to the control unit 5 as image data of the document.

  The image forming unit 3 performs an image forming process (printing process) based on image data read by the image reading unit 2 or image data input from an information processing apparatus such as an external personal computer. This is an image forming unit of the type. Specifically, the image forming unit 3 includes a photosensitive drum 31, a charging device 32, an exposure device (LSU) 33, a developing device 34, a transfer roller 35, a cleaning device 36, a fixing roller 37, a pressure roller 38, and a disposal. A toner storage unit 39 and the like are provided. In the image forming unit 3, an image forming process for forming an image using toner on a sheet such as paper supplied from the paper feed cassette 4 is executed according to the following procedure.

  First, the photosensitive drum 31 is uniformly charged to a predetermined potential by the charging device 32. Next, the exposure device 33 irradiates the surface of the photosensitive drum 31 with light based on image data. As a result, an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image data is formed on the surface of the photosensitive drum 31. The electrostatic latent image on the photosensitive drum 31 is developed (visualized) with toner by the developing device 34. The developing device 34 is supplied with toner from a toner container 34 </ b> A that can be attached to and detached from the image forming unit 3. Subsequently, the toner image formed on the photosensitive drum 31 is transferred to a sheet by the transfer roller 35. Thereafter, the toner image transferred to the sheet is heated and fixed by the fixing roller 37 when the sheet passes between the fixing roller 37 and the pressure roller 38.

  On the other hand, the toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum 31 after the image forming process by the image forming unit 3 is removed by the cleaning device 36. Then, the toner removed by the cleaning device 36 is discharged as waste toner and stored in the waste toner storage unit 39. Specifically, the toner discharged from the cleaning device 36 is transported to the waste toner container 39 by driving a transport member such as a spiral member in a toner discharge path (not shown).

  The control unit 5 is a computer having control devices such as a CPU, ROM, RAM, and EEPROM. The CPU is a processor that executes various arithmetic processes. The ROM is a non-volatile storage unit in which information such as a control program for causing the CPU to execute various processes is stored in advance. The RAM is volatile storage means, and the EEPROM is nonvolatile storage means. The RAM and the EEPROM are used as a temporary storage memory (working area) for various processes executed by the CPU.

  Then, the control unit 5 performs overall control of the image forming apparatus 10 by executing various control programs stored in advance in the ROM by the CPU. The control unit 5 may be configured by an electronic circuit such as an integrated circuit (ASIC, DSP), and the image forming unit separately from a main control unit that controls the image forming apparatus 10 in an integrated manner. 3 or the like may be provided.

  The operation display unit 6 includes a display unit such as a liquid crystal display that displays various types of information in accordance with control instructions from the control unit 5, and hard keys that input various types of information to the control unit 5 in response to user operations. Or an operation unit such as a touch panel.

[Configuration of accumulation status detector]
FIGS. 2 and 3 are schematic views showing a schematic configuration of the partition plate 7, the accumulation state detection unit 8, and the waste toner storage unit 39. 3A is a view of the upper end portion of the waste toner accommodating portion as viewed from the extending direction of the partition plate, and FIG. 3B is an upper end portion of the waste toner accommodating portion 39 shown in FIG. It is the figure which expanded the periphery of 392.

  As shown in FIG. 2, the waste toner storage unit 39 has a main body 391 that stores the toner T discharged from the image forming unit 3 and a transparent upper end 392 provided on the main body 391. Alternatively, it is a translucent resin container. The waste toner container 39 is detachable from the image forming apparatus 10.

  A circular opening 393 for receiving the toner T discharged from the cleaning device 36 by the screw member (not shown) is formed on the upper surface of the upper end 392. Note that the diameter of the horizontal section of the upper end 392 is smaller than the diameter of the horizontal section of the main body 391, and a large amount of the toner T can be accommodated in the main body 391.

  The upper end 392 is partitioned by the partition plate 7 into a first space 392A and a second space 392B. The partition plate 7 is a transparent or translucent plate-like member that partitions the waste toner storage portion 39 into the first space 392A and the second space 392B at the upper end portion 392. Further, as shown in FIG. 3B, the upper end portion of the partition plate 7 is disposed at the same height as the opening 393, and the lower end portion of the partition plate 7 is lower than the opening 393. Is arranged. The side surface of the partition plate 7 is joined to the inner wall of the waste toner container 39 in the upper end 392. The shape of the partition plate 7 is merely an example. For example, the partition plate 7 is a plate-like member formed in an arc shape or a gate shape with respect to the inner wall of the waste toner storage portion 39 in a plan view of the waste toner storage portion 39. There may be.

  On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3A, the toner T discharge port 36 </ b> A from the cleaning device 36 is located only above the first space 392 </ b> A with respect to the opening 393. That is, the first space 392A is a space through which the toner T from the opening 393 passes, and the second space 392B is a space through which the toner T from the opening 393 does not pass.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the accumulation state detection unit 8 includes a light emitting unit 81, a first reflecting unit 82, a first light receiving unit 83, a second reflecting unit 84, and a third reflecting unit. 85 and a second light receiving unit 86. Here, the accumulation state detection unit 8 is arranged on the same side as the second space 392 </ b> B when viewed from the extending direction of the partition plate 7 in the image forming apparatus 10. The accumulation state detection unit 8 is used to detect the accumulation state of the toner T accumulated in the waste toner storage unit 39.

  Specifically, the first reflection unit 82, the second reflection unit 84, and the third reflection unit 85 are disposed in the waste toner storage unit 39. On the other hand, the light emitting unit 81, the first light receiving unit 83, and the second light receiving unit 86 are disposed in a mounting unit (not shown) to which the waste toner storage unit 39 can be attached and detached. For example, the mounting unit (not shown) is a part of the main body frame of the image forming apparatus 10, and the waste toner storage unit 39 is fixed to or swingably mounted on the main body frame of the image forming apparatus 10. Is done. The mounting unit (not shown) may be a housing such as the image forming unit 3 or the cleaning device 36. Further, the waste toner container 39 may be supported in a state of being suspended by the toner T discharge port of the cleaning device 36.

  As shown in FIG. 3B, the light emitting unit 81 emits light from the outside of the waste toner storage unit 39 toward the first reflecting unit 82 in the second space 392B. ) Etc. Here, an optical path P <b> 1 indicated by a broken line in FIG. 3B indicates a path of light propagated from the light emitting unit 81 to the first reflecting unit 82.

  The first reflecting portion 82 is an acrylic light guide plate disposed on the partition plate 7 so as to face the light emitting portion 81 in the second space 392B. The first reflecting portion 82 has a reflecting surface that is inclined from the light emitting portion 81 side toward the partition plate 7 side from above to below. Accordingly, the first reflecting unit 82 reflects the light emitted from the light emitting unit 81 toward both the first light receiving unit 83 and the second reflecting unit 84.

  Here, an optical path P <b> 2 indicated by a broken line in FIG. 3B indicates a path of reflected light propagated from the first reflecting portion 82 to the first light receiving portion 83. In addition, an optical path P3 indicated by a broken line in FIG. 3B indicates a path of reflected light propagated from the first reflecting portion 82 to the second reflecting portion 84. The first light receiving unit 83 and the second reflecting unit 84 are disposed at positions below the light emitting unit 81 and the first reflecting unit 82, and the optical path P2, the optical path P3, and the optical path P1. Are non-parallel optical paths that intersect each other. The first reflecting portion 82 is not necessarily installed on the partition plate 7, and the waste toner is only required to be able to detect the accumulation state of the toner T by the accumulation state detection portion 8. You may install in what position of the accommodating part 39. FIG. The wall surface of the partition plate 7 may also serve as the first reflecting portion 82 and the third reflecting portion 85.

  The first light receiving unit 83 is disposed at a position that is lower than the light emitting unit 81 and the first reflecting unit 82. The first light receiving unit 83 includes a light receiving element such as a photodiode that receives reflected light from the first reflecting unit 82 toward the outside of the waste toner storage unit 39. Further, the first light receiving portion 83 is disposed at a position that is higher than the lower end portion of the partition plate 7 and has a predetermined height close to the lower end portion. The first light receiving portion 83 may be disposed at the same height as the lower end portion of the partition plate 7. As a result, there is a problem that may occur when the first light receiving portion 83 is disposed at a position extremely higher than the lower end portion of the partition plate 7, specifically, the first light receiving portion 83 It is possible to prevent the problem that the toner T is not accumulated up to the position and it cannot be determined whether or not the waste toner container 39 is full. That is, the first light receiving unit 83 may be disposed at a predetermined height as a position where the toner T deposited in the waste toner storage unit 39 reaches. The first light receiving portion 83 is arranged at the same height as the lower end portion, so that the second light receiving portion 86 is necessarily arranged at a lower height than the lower end portion. .

  The second reflecting portion 84 is an acrylic light guide plate or the like installed on the inner wall surface of the upper end portion 392 of the waste toner storage portion 39. The second reflecting portion 84 reflects a part of the reflected light from the first reflecting portion 82 toward the first light receiving portion 83 toward the third reflecting portion 85 in the second space 392B. Let The second reflecting portion 84 may be disposed on the mounting portion (not shown) outside the waste toner accommodating portion 39 together with the first light receiving portion 83. Here, an optical path P4 indicated by a broken line in FIG. 3B indicates a path of reflected light propagated from the second reflecting portion 84 to the third reflecting portion 85.

  The third reflecting portion 85 is an acrylic light guide plate disposed on the partition plate 7 at a height lower than the first reflecting portion 82 in the second space 392B. The third reflecting portion 85 has a reflecting surface that is inclined from the second reflecting portion 84 side toward the partition plate 7 side from above to below. Thereby, the third reflecting portion 85 reflects the reflected light from the second reflecting portion 84 toward the second light receiving portion 86. Here, an optical path P5 indicated by a broken line in FIG. 3B indicates a path of reflected light propagated from the third reflecting portion 85 to the second light receiving portion 86.

  The second light receiving unit 86 is disposed at a position that is lower than the first light receiving unit 83, the second reflection unit 84, and the third reflection unit 85. The second light receiving unit 86 includes a light receiving element such as a photodiode that receives reflected light from the third reflecting unit 85 toward the outside of the waste toner storage unit 39. In addition, the second light receiving portion 86 is disposed at a predetermined height lower than the lower end portion of the partition plate 7. As a result, there is a problem that may occur when the second light receiving portion 86 is disposed at a position higher than the lower end portion of the partition plate 7, specifically, up to the position of the second light receiving portion 86. As a result of the toner T not being accumulated, it is possible to prevent the occurrence of a problem that it cannot be determined whether or not the waste toner container 39 is nearly full (near full). In other words, the second light receiving unit 86 may be disposed at a predetermined height as a position where the toner T deposited in the waste toner storage unit 39 reaches.

[Accumulation status detection method]
In the image forming apparatus 10, the control unit 5 determines whether or not the waste toner storage unit 39 is full according to the light reception results of the first light receiving unit 83 and the second light receiving unit 86. It is possible to detect whether or not the waste toner container 39 is almost full. Hereinafter, a method for detecting the accumulation state of the waste toner storage unit 39 using the accumulation state detection unit 8 will be described with reference to FIGS. 4 and 5.

  First, as shown in FIG. 4, as a result of the accumulation of the toner T in the waste toner container 39, the optical path P5 connecting the third reflecting portion 85 and the second light receiving portion 86 is Consider a case where the toner T blocks the toner. In this case, the second light receiving unit 86 cannot receive the reflected light from the third reflecting unit 85. On the other hand, the first light receiving unit 83 can receive the reflected light from the first reflecting unit 82.

  Therefore, in this state, the control unit 5 accumulates the toner T up to a position where the light path P5 is blocked according to the light reception results of the first light receiving unit 83 and the second light receiving unit 86. Is detected, and it is determined that the waste toner container 39 is almost full. At this time, the control unit 5 displays near-full of the waste toner storage unit 39 on the operation display unit 6. The control unit 5 does not accumulate the toner T in the waste toner storage unit 39 until the position where the toner T blocks the optical path P5. If the reflected light is received, it is determined that the waste toner container 39 is not nearly full.

  Next, as shown in FIG. 5, as a result of further accumulation of the toner T in the waste toner storage unit 39, the optical path P2 connecting the first reflection unit 82 and the first light receiving unit 83 is obtained. Is considered to be blocked by the toner T. In this case, the first light receiving unit 83 cannot receive the reflected light from the first reflecting unit 82.

  Therefore, in this state, the control unit 5 detects that the toner T is accumulated up to a position that blocks the optical path P2 according to the light reception result of the first light receiving unit 83, and stores the waste toner. It is detected that the part 39 is full. At this time, the control unit 5 displays the full state of the waste toner storage unit 39 on the operation display unit 6. Note that the control unit 5 does not accumulate the toner T in the waste toner storage unit 39 until the position where the toner T blocks the optical path P2, and the first light receiving unit 83 causes the toner T to be removed from the first reflection unit 82. If the reflected light is received, it is determined that the waste toner container 39 is not full.

  As described above, in the image forming apparatus 10, the upper end portion 392 of the waste toner container 39 is partitioned into the first space 392 </ b> A and the second space 392 </ b> B by the partition plate 7. The accumulation state detection unit 8 is disposed on the same side as the second space 392B in the plan view of the waste toner storage unit 39. Thereby, the toner T falling into the first space 392A from the opening 393 is suppressed from adhering to the inner wall of the second space 392B and the components of the accumulation state detection unit 8. Therefore, in the image forming apparatus 10, occurrence of erroneous detection of the accumulation state of the toner T is suppressed, and highly accurate detection of the accumulation state is realized.

  In the present embodiment, the configuration in which the first light receiving unit 83 and the second light receiving unit 86 are provided and both the fullness and near full of the waste toner storage unit 39 can be detected has been described. On the other hand, a configuration in which either the first light receiving unit 83 or the second light receiving unit 86 is omitted and only one of the full and near full of the waste toner storage unit 39 can be detected is also conceivable.

  FIG. 6 is a diagram illustrating another example of the accumulation state detection unit 8. In the example shown in FIG. 6, the image forming unit 10 includes a top plate 9 that is provided in the opening 393 of the waste toner storage unit 39 and closes the second space 392 </ b> B of the waste toner storage unit 39. . Accordingly, the toner T does not enter the second space 392B from the opening 393, so that the adhesion of the toner T to the wall surface in the second space 392B and the components of the accumulation state detection unit 8 is more effective. To be prevented.

10: Image forming apparatus 1: ADF
2: Image reading unit 3: Image forming unit 31: Photosensitive drum 32: Charging device 33: Exposure device 34: Developing device 35: Transfer roller 36: Cleaning device 37: Fixing roller 38: Pressure roller 39: Waste toner storage unit 391: Storage unit 392: Upper end 392A: First space 392B: Second space 393: Opening 4: Feed cassette 5: Control unit 6: Operation display unit 7: Partition plate 8: Accumulation state detection unit 81: Light emitting unit 82 : 1st reflection part 83: 1st light reception part 84: 2nd reflection part 85: 3rd reflection part 86: 2nd light reception part 9: Top plate

Claims (4)

An image forming unit that forms an image using toner;
A waste toner container having an upper end formed therein for receiving the toner discharged from the image forming unit;
A partition plate that divides the waste toner storage portion into a first space through which the toner from the opening passes and a second space through which the toner from the opening does not pass at an upper end portion of the waste toner storage portion;
A light emitting unit that emits light from the outside of the waste toner storage unit toward the second space;
A first reflecting part disposed in the second space and reflecting light emitted from the light emitting part;
A first light receiving unit that receives reflected light from the first reflecting unit toward the outside of the waste toner container;
A control unit for detecting the accumulation state of the toner accumulated in the waste toner storage unit according to a light reception result of the first light receiving unit;
A second reflecting portion for reflecting a part of reflected light from the first reflecting portion toward the first light receiving portion toward the second space;
A third reflecting portion that is disposed at a position lower than the first reflecting portion in the second space and reflects reflected light from the second reflecting portion;
A second light receiving portion that is disposed at a position lower than the first light receiving portion and receives reflected light from the third reflecting portion toward the outside of the waste toner storage portion;
Equipped with a,
The first reflecting portion and the third reflecting portion are disposed on the partition plate,
The second reflecting portion, the first light receiving portion, and the second light receiving portion are disposed outside the waste toner storage portion,
The second light receiving part is disposed at a position that is a predetermined height lower than the lower end part of the partition plate,
The control unit detects whether or not the waste toner storage unit is full according to the light reception result of the first light receiving unit, and receives the light reception result of the first light receiving unit and the second light receiving unit. An image forming apparatus that detects whether or not the waste toner container is almost full according to a light reception result . Provided in the opening, an image forming apparatus according to claim 1, further comprising a top plate for closing the upper part of the second space. Before SL emitting portion, wherein the first light receiving portion, the second light receiving portion and said second reflecting portion, an image forming apparatus according to claim 1 or 2 is disposed in the image forming apparatus main body. The first light receiving portion is at the same height as the lower end portion of the partition plate, or at a predetermined height that is higher than the lower end portion of the partition plate and close to the lower end portion of the partition plate. the image forming apparatus according to any one of claims 1 to 3 is disposed.

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