JPH01191886A - Toner collecting device for image recorder - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent a toner from being leaked and scattered by pressing and energizing a flange of an elastic pipe member for connecting a discharge port part of a cleaning device and a collecting port of a toner collecting device and allowing it to adhere closely and to be engaged to the discharge port part. CONSTITUTION:The upper flange of a bellows pipe 22 of an elastic pipe member for connecting a discharge port cylinder 16 which has been fixed to a discharge port part 9b of a cleaning device and a collecting port of a toner collecting box 15 is allowed to adhere closely and engaged to the end part of the cylinder 16 through an paper flange supporting body 18 which is energized by a pressure spring of a supporting member 19 and an energizing member. In such a way, it is prevented that a toner is leaked and scattered from this engaging part.

Description

[Detailed description of the invention] [Industrial use group]

The present invention relates to an image recording device such as an electrophotographic copying machine or an electrostatic recording device, and more specifically to a removable toner collection box that removes toner remaining on the surface of an image bearing member in the recording device using a cleaning device. The present invention relates to a toner collection device that collects toner.

[Conventional technology]

In image recording devices that use electrostatic images, such as electrophotographic copying machines and electrostatic recording devices, an electrostatic image is formed on an electrostatic image carrier, and toner is attached to the electrostatic image by a developing device. The resulting toner image is transferred and fixed onto recording paper to obtain the desired recorded matter. After the image transfer has been completed, residual charges on the electrostatic image carrier are erased by a static elimination electrode, and then toner remaining on the surface is removed by a cleaning device. The removed toner is collected in the -H cleaning device and conveyed to a toner discharge port provided in the device. Then, the toner is collected from the toner discharge port via a transport path such as a pipe member into a toner collection box that is detachably provided in the image recording apparatus. This toner collection box is designed to be replaced at an appropriate time.

[Problems to be solved by the invention]

By the way, some of the above-mentioned toner collection boxes are designed so that, for example, vibration can be applied from the outside in order to uniformly store the collected toner inside the box. Conventionally, fixed pipes have been used to transport toner to such vibrating toner collection boxes. An elastic member such as maltbren was provided at the joint between the pipe and the toner collection box to prevent toner from scattering. However, such a structure restricts the vibration of the toner collection box, impairing the ability to store toner uniformly. Further, the difference in the opening area of the pipe end and the collection opening area of the toner collection box caused toner scattering. Furthermore, a sealing member was fixed to the joint between the toner discharge port of the cleaning device and the toner transport pipe.
The shielding performance was insufficient, and toner leaked from this joint, staining the surrounding area. If the positional accuracy of the joint between the toner discharge port and the toner transport pipe is poor, toner scattering cannot be prevented and the sealing member may peel off.

[Means to solve the problem]

The present invention has been made to solve the above-mentioned problems, and is designed to prevent leakage and scattering of toner when collecting toner into a vibrating toner collection box, and to prevent the vibration of the toner collection box from being disturbed. An object of the present invention is to provide a toner recovery device for an image recording apparatus that prevents toner from leaking from a joint between a toner discharge port and a toner transport pipe. The above purpose is to apply toner to the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrier to form a toner image, then remove the toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier using a cleaning device, and store the toner in a removable toner collection box. The toner collecting device of the image recording apparatus to be collected includes an elastic pipe member that is elastic and retractable between the toner discharge port of the cleaning device and the toner collection port of the toner collection box, and near an end of the elastic pipe member. A support member that movably supports the end of the pipe member and a biasing member that presses and biases the end of the elastic pipe member toward the toner discharge port are disfigured, and the toner discharge port and the elastic pipe are This is achieved by a toner collection device for an image recording apparatus, which is configured to tightly engage the end portion of the member.

【Example】

Embodiments of the present invention will be described based on the attached drawings. FIG. 1 is a sectional view of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention. The general functions of the image recording apparatus will be explained with reference to the figure. The image carrier 1 is formed by depositing or coating a photoconductive photosensitive layer on the surface of a conductive support cylinder. Reference numeral 2 denotes a charger disposed above and close to the image carrier l. The charging charger 2 performs corona discharge to sequentially charge the image carrier 1 as the image carrier 1 rotates in the direction of the arrow. In a reading unit (not shown), the original is illuminated by a light source, and the optical image of the original is captured by an imaging lens or multiple CCDs.
It is read by a reading means consisting of. The image signal output from the CCD of the reading means is subjected to signal processing in the signal processing section. From the signal processing section, a color signal separated according to the color of the toner is inputted to the writing unit A. In writing unit A, a laser beam generated by a semiconductor laser is rotated and scanned by a polygon mirror 4 rotated by a drive motor 3, passes through an Fθ lens, has an optical path bent by a reflecting mirror, and is directed to the image carrier l. irradiated on top. When scanning is started, the laser beam is detected by the index sensor, and modulation of the beam by the first color signal is started. The modulated beam scans over the image carrier l, which has been uniformly charged in advance by the charger 2. A latent image corresponding to a first color, for example, cyan, is formed on the surface of the image carrier by main scanning by the laser beam and sub-scanning by the rotation of the image carrier 1. This latent image is developed by a developing device 5 loaded with cyan toner, and a cyan toner image is formed on the surface of the image carrier. The obtained toner image, while being held on the surface of the image carrier, passes through the opposing portion of the cleaning device 9, which is separated and retracted from the surface of the image carrier, and enters the next image forming cycle. The image carrier 1 is uniformly charged by the charger 2. Next, the second color signal output from the signal processing section is input to the writing unit A, and is written on the surface of the image carrier to form a latent image in the same manner as in the case of the first color signal. . The latent image is developed by a developer 6 loaded with a second color, for example magenta toner. This magenta toner image is formed to overlap the cyan toner image already formed on the surface of the image carrier. Furthermore, the third color signal output from the signal processing section is input to the writing unit A, and is written on the surface of the image carrier in the same manner as the first and second color signals. An image is formed. The latent image is developed by a developer 7 loaded with a third color, for example yellow toner. This yellow toner image is formed to overlap the cyan toner image and magenta toner image that have already been formed on the surface of the image carrier. A developing device 8 has black toner, and forms a black toner image on the surface of the image carrier based on a control signal generated by a signal processing section. AC and DC biases are applied to the developing sleeves of these developing devices 5, 6, 7, 8, and jumping development is performed using the two-component developer. The superimposed image of the toner images developed in this manner is transferred by the transfer pole 10 onto the recording paper P, which is a transfer body, fed from the paper feed section B. The transfer paper to which the toner image has been transferred is separated by a separation pole 11 and a separation claw 1.
2 is separated from the surface of the image carrier 1, conveyed to the fixing device 13, and fixed thereon to obtain a recorded matter. A cleaning device 9 acts on the image carrier l after the transfer to remove unnecessary toner remaining on the peripheral surface. The removed toner is collected in the -H cleaning device 9 and conveyed to the toner discharge port of the cleaning device. The toner discharged from the toner discharge port is
The toner is collected by the toner collection device 14 of the present invention and stored in the toner collection box 15 of the device. Reference numeral 23 denotes a drum mount that forms an integrated drum unit including the image carrier 1, the developing device 5, 6, 7, 8, and the cleaning device 9. This drum mount 23 is connected to the main body 24 of the image recording device.
It is constructed so that it can be attached to and detached from it by a moving means such as a rail member. Therefore, the image carrier 1, the developing units 5 to 8, and the cleaning device 9 are mounted on and removed from the main body 24 in the front and rear directions in the plane of FIG. 1 while being disposed on the drum mount 23. FIG. 2 is a side sectional view of the toner recovery device 14. In the figure, the drum pedestal 23 moves in the left-right direction on the paper. Reference numeral 16 denotes a discharge port tube fixed to the discharge port portion 9b of the cleaning device 9. This discharge port cylinder 16 is connected to the drum mount 2.
3, and guides the toner conveyed to the discharge port 9b by the toner conveying screw 9a of the cleaning device 9 to a bellows pipe 22, which will be described later. As shown in FIG. 2, the discharge port cylinder 16 moves to the left together with the drum mount 23. Then, the lower front end of the drum mount 23 comes into contact with the guiding portion 17b of the upper 7 flange 17, which will be described later. 22 is a toner collection box 15 from the cleaning device 9.
It is a bellows pipe that transports toner up to. Bellows pipe 2
2 is made of material such as CR rubber or nitrile rubber,
Wall thickness 0.6mm, inner diameter 24mm, bellows outer diameter 40mm. This is a hollow cylindrical elastic toner transport duct with a natural length of 62 mm. Both ends of the bellows pipe 22 have fitting edges 2 approximately 7 mm long.
2a and 22b. The cylindrical portion 17c of the upper 7 flange 17 is attached to the fitting edge 22a via the upper 7 flange support 18.
is fitted and inserted, and a bellows retaining ring 26 is inserted from the outside of the fitting edge 22a.
is fitted to fix the fitting edge 22a and the cylindrical portion 17c. Further, the lower 7 flange 25 is fitted into the fitting edge 22b, and a bellows retaining ring 27 is fitted from the outside of the fitting edge 22b to fix both. The upper flange support 18 is a support that swingably supports the upper 7 flange 17. A hole 18b is bored in the center of the upper seven flange support 18, and a bellows pipe 22 with the upper flange 17 fixedly attached thereto is attached to the hole 18b. Further, the upper 7 flange support 18 is formed with a bent pivot support.
A pivot hole 18a in which the fulcrum shaft 21 is pivoted is bored in the pivot support. The fulcrum member 19 is fixed to the side wall of the main body 24 with screws or the like. The fulcrum member 19 has a fulcrum portion for the operation of the upper flange 17 described above. A fulcrum hole 19b is bored in the fulcrum portion bent on both sides of the fulcrum member 19. A fulcrum shaft 21 into which a pressure spring 20 and the upper seven flange supports 18 are fitted is inserted into the fulcrum hole 19b. Further, the fulcrum member 19 has a bent stopper portion 19a with which one end of the upper flange support 18 engages. As shown in FIG. 2, the pressing spring 20 is configured such that its coil portion is uniaxially supported by the fulcrum shaft 21, and one end urges the upper 7 lange support member 18 upward. Due to the upward biasing force of this pressing spring 20, the upper 7 flange support 1
The upper 7 flange 17 and the bellows pipe 22 which are integrally fixed to the upper 7 are urged upward. As described above, the movement of one end of the upper flange support that is engaged with the stopper part 19a is restricted within a certain range by the stopper part 19a, so the upper flange 17 does not move further upwards than the predetermined position. . With the above structure, when the drum mount 23 is attached and detached, the engagement and separation of the discharge port cylinder 16 and the upper 7 flange 17 are smoothly performed. When the drum mount 23 is attached to the main body 24, the lower front end of the drum mount 23 that has moved leftward comes into contact with the guide portion 17b of the upper flange 17. Since the upper 7 flange 17 is movable downward about the fulcrum shaft 21 as described above, the lower front end of the drum mount 23 is connected to the upper flange 17.
Press down to move over this and stop in place. Further, when the drum mount 23 is to be removed, the drum mount 23 is moved to the right. Then, the lower end portion of the discharge port cylinder 16 comes into contact with the guide portion 17d of the upper flange 17. The upper flange 17 is pushed down and the discharge port tube 16
moves over the upper 7 lunge 17. Since the upper 7 langes 17 are urged upward by the pressure springs 20, the lower surface of the discharge port tube 16 and the upper surface of the upper 7 langes 17 maintain a close contact state, and toner leakage does not occur. The lower 7-lunge support 28 is a support that integrally supports the lower end of the bellows pipe 22 into which the lower flange 25 is fitted and fixed. An insertion hole 28a into which the lower end of the bellows pipe 22 is inserted is bored near the center of the lower seven-lunge support 2a. Further, a spring locking portion is formed protruding from one end of the lower flange support 28, and a locking hole 28b is bored at the tip of the spring locking portion. One end of a coil spring 29 is locked in this locking hole 28b. As shown in FIG. 3, a pair of locking pins 28c, 28c are protruded from the lower 7-lunge support 28, and an actuating lever 30 is movable in the left-right direction on the locking pins 28c, 28c. It is attached as if it were. This lower 7-lunge support 28 and the operating lever 30 are connected to the elongated hole 3 of the operating lever 30.
0a and 30a are the locking pins 2 of the lower 7 lunge support 28
8C128c". And Fig. 4 (A), (
As shown in Figure B), the locking member 33.33 having a flange is fitted onto the locking pins 28c, 28c from above, the E-ring is installed in the groove of the locking pin 28c, 128c, and the lower 7
The lunge support 28 and the actuation lever 30 are engaged for mutual lateral movement. In FIGS. 1 to 4 (A) and (B), reference numeral 15 denotes a toner collection box that stores toner therein. The toner collection box 15 is a sealed box having a toner collection port 15a. As will be described later, this toner collection box 15 is given vibration in conjunction with the operation of the image recording apparatus, so that the toner collected from the collection port 15a is evenly stored therein. A lower 7 flange 25 fixed to the lower end of the bellows pipe 22 is engaged with the collection port 15a of the toner collection box 15, and the toner transported by the bellows pipe 22 is discharged from the lower end of the lower 7 flange 25. be done. In FIGS. 4(A) and 4(B), 32 is the operating lever 30.
This is a fixed plate that pivotally supports the operating lever 31. The fixing plate 32 is fixed to the side wall of the main body 24 as shown in FIG. This fixed plate 32 has an operation fulcrum shaft 32a that forms a fulcrum for the movement of the lower 7 langes 25, an operation regulation shaft 32b that regulates the amount of operational displacement of the operating lever, and a fulcrum for the operating lever 31. An operation fulcrum shaft 32c and an operation regulation shaft 32d that regulates the amount of operation displacement of the operation lever 31 are installed. The operation lever 31 is swingably supported on the operation fulcrum shaft 32c, and when the operation knob 31a is pushed upward as shown in FIG. 4(A), the operation lever 31 moves within the range regulated by the operation regulation hole 31b. moves in the direction of the arrow. This movement causes the pressing piece 31c at the tip of the operating lever 31 to press the pressing portion 30c of the operating lever 30. The actuating lever 30 is pressed against the pressing portion 30c.
It swings against the spring force of the spring coil 29 with the operating fulcrum shaft 32a as the swing center. The amount of displacement caused by this rocking is regulated by the operation regulating hole 30d and the operation regulating shaft 32b. As shown in FIG. 2, the operating knob 31a of the operating lever 31 is positioned so as to prevent the toner collection box 15 from moving forward and backward in the plane of the drawing when the operating lever 31 is not operated. The toner collection box 15 is configured to be moved in the front-rear direction in the paper of the second drawing when it is attached or detached, but the operation knob 31a is pushed upward and the lower 7 lunges 25 are separated from the collection port 15a of the toner collection box 15. The toner collection box 15 cannot be pulled out unless it is in this state. As shown in FIG. 4(B), push up the operation knob 31a and remove the lower flange 25 and toner collection box 1.
When the toner collection box 15 is released from the collection port 15a, the operation knob 31a does not prevent the movement of the toner collection box 15 to the right as it is detached from the apparatus main body 24. In FIG. 5, 34 is a tray that grips the toner collection box 15 and vibrates. A plurality of guide holes 34d are bored in the bottom of the tray 34, and the tray 34 is movably engaged with the bottom of the main body 24 through the guide holes 34d. As shown in FIG. 2, a locking pin 37 with an integrally fixed flange is inserted from below the bottom of the main body through the guide hole 34d of the tray 34, and a support washer 38 is fitted. Attach the E-ring to the groove of the locking pin 37. In this way, the tray 34 and the bottom of the main body are loosely engaged by the engaging pin 37 and the support washer 38, and the tray 34 is configured to be movable relative to the bottom of the main body within the range of the guide hole 34d. There is. Abutting portions 34a, 34a are formed protruding from the side surfaces of the tray 34, and abut against stop bars 24a, 24a protruding from the inner side wall of the main body 24. Further, locking portions 34b, 34b are provided on the side surfaces of the tray 34, and a compression hole 36. It has become. Further, a retaining piece 34c protruding from the side surface of the tray 34 engages with a cam 35 that rotates in conjunction with the operation of the image recording device. The tip of the retaining piece 34c is configured so as not to come into contact with the cam surface near the minimum diameter of the cam 35. When the tip of the retaining piece 34c is in contact with the cam surface of the cam 35 near its maximum diameter, the contact portions 34a, 34a are spaced apart from the stoppers 24a, 24a as shown by the dashed lines. When the cam 35 further rotates and reaches its minimum diameter portion all at once, the engagement piece 34c is biased by the compression spring 36, 36 and rapidly moves to the right in the drawing along the step on the cam surface. . Before the tip of the retaining piece 34c reaches the cam surface, the contact portion 3
4a, 34a and stoppers 24a, 24a abut. In this way, a sudden load on the camshaft 35a is prevented. Figures 2 to 4 (A)
, (B), the lower end of the bellows pipe 22 and the collection port 15a of the toner collection box 15 are engaged with each other, and when the toner collection box 15 vibrates as described above,
The bellows pipe 22 will also vibrate in the same way. As described above, since the lower 7-lunge support 28 and the operating lever 30 are configured to be movable relative to each other, the collection port 1
Each member near 5a does not interfere with this vibration in any way. The toner recovery device of the present invention is constructed as described above, and its operation will be explained below. The toner remaining on the image carrier after the transfer is removed and collected by a cleaning device, and is conveyed through the cleaning device toward the discharge port. The toner that has reached the discharge port passes through a discharge tube fixed to the discharge port and reaches the bellows pipe. The upper end of the bellows pipe is movably supported and always urged upward, so that each time the cleaning device is attached to or detached from the image recording device, it swings following the movement of the lower end surface of the discharge port tube. To maintain an optimum state of close engagement between the lower end of the discharge port cylinder and the upper end of the bellows pipe. The toner transported within the bellows pipe is collected in a toner collection box. In order to store toner uniformly in the toner collection box, vibrations are applied to the box in conjunction with the operation of the image recording device. Since the collection port of the toner collection box and the lower end of the bellows pipe are supported while being connected to each other without interfering with the above-mentioned vibrations, toner does not leak or scatter from this connection. Then, the toner collection box is sufficiently vibrated to store the toner uniformly. When installing or removing the toner collection box, when the toner collection box is installed,
The operating knob that engages and releases the lower end of the bellows pipe and the toner recovery box collection port is placed in a position that prevents removal of the toner collection box, so the toner collection box can be removed without operating the operating knob. Never.

【Effect of the invention】

According to the present invention, there is provided an elastic pipe member that is extendable and retractable between the toner discharge port and the toner collection box collection port, a support member that movably supports the end of the elastic pipe member, and a support member that movably supports the end of the elastic vibrator. A biasing member that presses and biases the discharge port portion is provided, and the end portion of the elastic pipe member and the toner discharge port portion are closely engaged, so that the toner discharge port portion and the elastic pipe member are tightly engaged. It is now possible to provide a toner collection device for an image recording device that can prevent toner from leaking and scattering from the storage area.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of an image recording apparatus according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a side cross-sectional view of a toner recovery device showing an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. A), (B
) is a front view showing the engagement and release states of the bellows pipe and the toner collection box, and FIG. 5 is a plan view showing the vibration mechanism of the toner collection box. ■...Image carrier 9...Cleaning device 9
b...Discharge port part 14...Toner collection device 1
5... Toner collection box 15a... Collection port portion 16... Discharge port tube 17
... Upper flange 18 ... Upper 7 flange support (support member) 19 ... Fulcrum member (support member) 20 ... Pressure spring (biasing member)

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) After toner is attached to the electrostatic latent image on the surface of the image carrier to form a toner image, the toner remaining on the surface of the image carrier is removed by a cleaning device and collected in a removable toner collection box. In the toner collection device of the image recording device, there is provided an elastic pipe member that is extendable and retractable between the toner discharge port of the cleaning device and the toner collection port of the toner collection box, and a retractable elastic pipe member that is disposed near an end of the elastic pipe member. A support member that movably supports an end of the pipe member, and a biasing member that presses and biases the end of the elastic pipe member toward the toner discharge port are provided, and the toner discharge port and the elastic pipe member are connected to each other. 1. A toner recovery device for an image recording device, characterized in that the toner recovery device is configured to closely engage an end portion. (2) The toner recovery device for an image recording apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the elastic pipe is a hollow member having a bellows shape.