JPH04129169U - Toner recycling mechanism - Google Patents

Abstract

(57) [Abstract] [Purpose] To enable toner recycling without using a complicated conveyance mechanism in the toner recycling mechanism of an image forming apparatus that returns the toner removed in the cleaner section to the developing section and reuses it. The purpose is to [Structure] A toner replenishment cartridge 27 containing replenishment toner is provided, a mounting portion 26b for the toner replenishment cartridge 27 is provided in the cleaner portion 26, and a developing portion 24 is provided with a mounting portion 26b for the toner replenishment cartridge 27.
A toner replenishment port 24a is provided in the toner replenishment port 24a. The toner replenishment cartridge 27 containing replenishment toner in advance is attached to the mounting portion 26a of the cleaner section 26, and the waste toner removed by the cleaner section 26 is sequentially stored and collected in the toner replenishment cartridge 27, and after a predetermined amount has been collected. Toner refill cartridge 2
7 is removed, and the mixed toner of replenishment toner and waste toner is replenished into the developing section 24 through the replenishment port 24a.

Description

[Detailed explanation of the idea]

0001

[Industrial application field]

This invention is applicable to image forming devices such as copiers and printers that use electrophotography. The residual toner remaining on the image carrier without being transferred onto the recording paper is returned to the developing section and reused. Regarding the toner recycling mechanism used.

0002

[Prior art and its problems]

The image forming section, which can be said to be the heart of an image forming device, has a structure that uses a photosensitive member as an image carrier. Centering around the body drum, there are a charging section, an exposure section, a developing section, a transfer section, and a printing section near the circumference of the body drum. Each functional part, such as the inner part, is arranged in sequence, and there are basic differences in this configuration. However, it depends on the structure and function of each functional part. It has a wide variety of structures. Figure 3 shows some examples of conventional image forming units. vinegar.

0003 The image forming section shown in FIG. 3(a) is constructed by unitizing each component into a disposable kit. This is an example of a configuration that has become mainstream in recent years. That is, the photosensitive drum 1 and one in which part A including the cleaner part 2 and part B including the developing part 3 are integrated, There are devices in which the A section and the B section are configured as separate units. In this case, e.g. For example, a predetermined amount of developer (toner) is filled in the developing section 3 in advance, and all of this is consumed. The life of the kit is reached at the point when the waste toner (recording paper) collected in the cleaner section 2 is When the residual toner remaining on the photoreceptor drum 1 without being transferred upwards is almost full. The lifespan of the kit is defined as the lifespan of the kit, and when the lifespan reaches the end of the lifespan, the kit is replaced with a new one. I was doing it. However, recently, the life of the photoreceptor drum 1 has become longer. These long-life photoreceptor drums 1 have been improved in the past and have been incorporated into kits. Since the amount of toner consumed will also increase when the If it is improved to have a larger volume, or if parts A and B are integrated, it will be even more compact. It became necessary to improve the volume of the image forming section 3 so that the volume of the image forming section 3 became larger. There was a problem in that it became large.

0004 In view of this situation, some devices have a configuration as shown in FIG. 3(b). sand That is, the developing section 3 is provided with a lid 3a that can be opened and closed, and the toner can be replenished by opening the lid 3a. This should be done regularly, and the waste toner collected by the cleaner section 2 should be cleaned. Attach the toner bottle 4 to the cleaner section 2, and replace this waste toner bottle 4 regularly. It was designed to do so. In this way, compared to what is shown in Figure 3(a), The degree of freedom in design is increased, and even when using the long-life photoreceptor drum 1, the image quality is The entire image forming section can be kept small. However, in the case of Fig. 3(a) In the same way, waste toner is thrown away, and in that sense, there is no waste of materials. has not been resolved. Especially since the waste toner bottle 4 must be replaced every time toner is replenished. , each time you do not have to throw away the waste toner bottle 4 containing waste toner, which becomes industrial waste. Must not be. Note that if the volume of the waste toner bottle 4 is increased, the bottle will be filled more frequently. However, as the size of the waste toner bottle 4 increases, the entire device also needs to be replaced. This results in an increase in size, which is not desirable.

[0005] Therefore, the idea of reusing waste toner has been proposed for some time. An example of adopting this idea is shown in FIG. 3(c). That is, the cleaner section 2 and the developing section 3 are connected by a recycling conveyance path 5, and the waste toner in the cleaner section 2 is transferred to the recycling conveyance path. 5 into the developing section 3. In addition, in this case as well, part A and B part are integrated, or A part and B part are configured as separate units, etc. , it is possible to take various forms. With this configuration, Figure 3(b) shows Even when using a long-life photoreceptor drum like the one shown, the image forming section The entire structure can be kept small and waste of materials can be eliminated. However, this With such a configuration, waste toner can be used effectively, but on the other hand, recycling A spiral shaft, a conveyor belt, etc. for conveying the waste toner into the inside of the conveyor path 5. There is a problem that a feeding mechanism must be provided, making the structure complicated and expensive. It was.

[0006]

[Purpose of invention] In view of the above-mentioned conventional problems, the present invention has been developed to transfer toner without using a complicated conveyance mechanism. The purpose is to provide a toner recycling mechanism that enables the recycling of .

[0007]

[Key points of the idea]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention develops an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier with toner. and a cleaner section that removes residual toner remaining on the image carrier. E., an image form in which the toner removed in the cleaner section is returned to the developing section and reused. In the toner recycle mechanism of the production equipment, the toner replenishment car containing replenishment toner is the toner replenishment cartridge; In addition, a toner replenishment port is provided in the developing section, and the toner replenishment cartridge is provided with a toner replenishment port. Attach the cartridge to the attachment section of the cleaner section with the replenishment toner stored therein in advance. and sequentially storing and collecting the removed toner in the toner replenishment cartridge, After collecting a predetermined amount, the toner replenishment cartridge is removed and the replenishment toner and the removed toner are removed. Replenishing the mixed toner with the waste toner at once into the developing section through the replenishing port. It is characterized by

[0008]

【Example】

Embodiments of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings. Figure 1 shows an image forming apparatus (this one) equipped with an embodiment of the toner recycling mechanism of the present invention. Here, the configuration of the printer is shown.

[0009] The basic configuration of the image forming apparatus is almost the same as the conventional one, and the paper feed roller 11 The recording paper carried in from the paper feed section consisting of etc. is transferred to the conveyance section consisting of conveyance rolls 12 etc. The toner image formed by the image forming section M while being conveyed along a predetermined path. is transferred onto the recording paper, a fixing section consisting of a fixing roll 13 etc. transfers it onto the recording paper. The toner image is configured to be fixed on the paper.

0010 The image forming section M to which the toner recycling mechanism of this embodiment is applied functions as an image carrier. A charging section 22 and an exposure section (printing section) are located near the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 21. A configuration in which a head) 23, a developing section 24, a transfer section 25, a cleaner section 26, etc. are sequentially arranged. In particular, the cleaner section 26 includes a toner replenishment car containing replenishment toner. A cartridge mounting section 26a is provided to which the cartridge 27 can be freely attached and detached, and a developing section 26a is provided. The section 24 is provided with a toner replenishment unit for replenishing toner from the toner replenishment cartridge 27. An opening 24a is provided so that a toner replenishment cartridge 27 can be inserted and removed. picture The basic function as an image forming section is the same as the conventional one, and the charging section 22 The exposure unit 23 exposes the uniformly charged surface of the photosensitive drum 21 based on the printed information. An electrostatic latent image is formed by the application of light, and this electrostatic latent image is developed by the developing section 24. After being developed as a toner image, it is transferred onto the recording paper that is conveyed under the photoreceptor drum 21. The toner image is transferred in the copying section 25. On the other hand, the image is not transferred onto the photoreceptor drum 21. The toner remaining on the photosensitive drum 21 is removed and collected from the photosensitive drum 21 by the cleaner section 26. be done.

[0011] As shown in FIG. 2, the toner replenishment cartridge 27 stores toner inside. A lid 27b that can be opened and closed is provided on one side of the housing 27a. A flexible sheet 27c such as a Mylar sheet is attached to the holder. As shown in Figure 1 Insert the toner replenishment cartridge 27 into the cartridge mounting section 26a of the cleaner section 26. When installed, the flexible sheet 27c is attached to the cleaning block of the cleaner section 26. The toner is replenished by receiving the toner scraped off from the top of the photoreceptor drum 21 by the radar 26b. It functions as a guide for recovery into the cartridge 27.

0012 Before using the image forming apparatus having the above configuration, first, the developing section 2 4, and a toner replenishment car containing new refill toner. The cartridge 27 is attached to the cartridge attachment section 26a of the cleaner section 26. this condition When image formation is repeatedly performed in this state, the residual toner on the photoreceptor drum 21 is gradually cleaned up. The toner is removed by the cleaning blade 26b, and the toner replenishing cartridge is removed via the flexible sheet 27c. The cartridge 27 is stored and recovered. In this way, the toner refill cartridge The removed toner is gradually collected into the tank 27, and when the collected amount reaches a predetermined amount, In this case, the toner replenishment cartridge 27 is removed from the cleaner section 26. this In this state, the toner refill cartridge 27 is filled with new refill toner and the cleaner section 26 is filled with new refill toner. The mixed toner mixed with the removed toner is contained therein. Next, remove the above As shown in FIG. 24a, the mixed toner in the toner replenishment cartridge 27 can be completely removed. All together, the toner is replenished into the developing section 24 through the toner replenishment port 24a. Along with this, Cree In the inner part 26, a new toner replenishment cartridge 27 containing new replenishment toner is installed. Attach as above. In this state, image formation becomes possible again. like this By repeating the regular replacement work of the toner replenishment cartridge 27, the photoconductor drive can be The waste toner removed from the top of the ram 21 is naturally recycled and used, eliminating wasted toner. It is possible to eliminate unnecessary waste.

[0013] Although not specifically shown in the figure, the image forming apparatus itself is equipped with a toner replenishment cart. The ridge 27 is configured to be easily attached and detached. For example, image forming device book The upper cover of the body can be opened, and the toner replenishment cartridge 27 can be opened in the opened state. The image forming section M can be attached and detached, or the image forming section M can be attached or detached as shown in FIG. If the unit is knitted, part or all of the unit may be removed from the equipment as necessary. The toner replenishment cartridge 27 is configured so that it can be removed and installed in this state. has been done.

[0014] Further, the toner replenishment cartridge 27 installed in the cleaner section 26 is filled with toner in advance. However, in general, the transfer effect of toner from the photoreceptor drum 21 onto the recording paper is The percentage is 80%, and the remaining 20% is considered to be recovered toner, so toner supplementation is It is desirable that the capacity of the charging cartridge 27 be set with this in mind. example For example, when the image forming apparatus is first operated, the amount of toner filled in the developing section 24 is 100. If it is completely consumed, 20% of the toner will be used as a toner. - Since the toner will be collected in the refill cartridge 27, the toner refill cartridge 27 has a capacity that can accommodate 100 toners, and 80 new ones are replenished in advance. After the toner is stored, all the toner in the developing section 24 is consumed. 20 collected toner is obtained, that is, a new one is added to the toner replenishment cartridge 27. When 100 mixed toners including replenishment toner and recovered toner are obtained, Remove the toner replenishment cartridge 27 from the cleaner section 26 and remove the 100 toner cartridges in it. By replenishing the mixed toner into the developing section 24, efficient toner regeneration can be achieved. It becomes possible to use the bicycle.

[0015] As described above, the toner recycling mechanism of this embodiment can be used in an image forming apparatus. By doing so, there is no need to prepare a dedicated waste toner bottle (see Figure 3(b)). , waste toner can be produced without using a more complicated toner transport mechanism (see Figure 3(c)). Since it can be recycled to the image section 24 and used, it is highly cost-effective and practical. It is possible to provide the following equipment.

[0016] Moreover, the new toner replenishment cartridge 27 installed in the cleaner section 26 Refill toner consists of waste toner and cartridges collected before cartridge replacement. Since the mixed toner is mixed internally, when the mixed toner is introduced into the developing section 24, it is already mixed. The toner becomes uniform and no problems occur during development.

[0017] The gist of this invention is to provide a toner refill cartridge containing new refill toner. Attach the cartridge to the cleaner section in advance, and collect a predetermined amount of collected toner into this cartridge. After that, the mixed toner is replenished into the developing section. Various transformations are possible within. For example, as a toner replenishment cartridge, see Figure 2. You are not limited to the shape shown, but you can also use cleaners that allow waste toner to be collected. Any cartridge may be used as long as it can be attached to the inner part. Also , after replenishing toner to the developing section, the toner replenishment cartridge itself is shown in Figure 1. You can leave it attached to the developing section as shown above, but after toner is refilled, the developing section The toner refill cartridge is removed from the toner refill port and the toner refill port is covered with a lid. You may.

[0018]

[Effect of the idea] According to the present invention, waste toner can be recycled to the developing section without using a complicated toner transport mechanism. Because it can be used as an image forming device, it is highly cost-effective and practical. can be provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of an image forming apparatus equipped with an embodiment of a toner recycling mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a toner replenishment cartridge used in the toner recycling mechanism of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a diagram showing an example of a conventional image forming section.

[Explanation of symbols]

21 Photosensitive drum 24 Developing section 24a Toner supply port 26 Cleaner section 26a Cartridge installation part 27 Toner refill cartridge

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A developing section that develops an electrostatic latent image on an image carrier with toner, and a cleaner section that removes residual toner remaining on the image carrier, the toner being removed by the cleaner section. In the toner recycling mechanism of the image forming apparatus, the toner recycle mechanism of the image forming apparatus is provided with a toner replenishment cartridge containing replenishment toner, a toner replenishment cartridge mounting part is provided in the cleaner part, and the toner replenishment cartridge is installed in the developer part. A toner replenishment port is provided, and the toner replenishment cartridge containing the replenishment toner is attached to the mounting portion of the cleaner section, and the removed toner is sequentially stored and collected in the toner replenishment cartridge, and A toner recycling mechanism characterized in that after a fixed amount of toner is collected, the toner replenishment cartridge is removed and a mixed toner of the replenishment toner and the removed toner is replenished into the developing section through the replenishment port.