JPH0551912B2 - - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Field of Industrial Application) The present invention provides an image reproducing apparatus, specifically a photoreceptor unit that is detachable from the main body of the image reproducing apparatus and has a toner collection tank with an opening/closing lid. The present invention relates to an image reproducing device comprising:

(Prior Art) In an image reproducing apparatus using a photoreceptor, in order to facilitate the handling of the image reproducing apparatus such as maintenance, repair, and replacement of consumable parts, the photoreceptor drum, developer, and cleaner are integrated into a unit. The unit is configured to be detachable from the main body of the image playback device.
For example, it is described in Japanese Patent Publication No. 58-54392. A toner bolt for collecting toner removed from the photoreceptor by a cleaner is connected to the developing device.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) Conventional image reproducing devices in which a photoreceptor, a developing device, and a cleaning device are integrated are convenient because the photoreceptor, developing device, and cleaning device can be handled as one unit. However, since no particular consideration is given to the handling of the bolt that collects the toner removed from the photoconductor by the cleaning device, there is a problem that the toner may scatter if the bolt is handled carelessly. .

(Means for solving the problem) A toner collection tank is provided in the photoreceptor unit that is removable from the main body of the image reproducing apparatus, and the toner receiving port of the toner collection tank is used to attach and remove the photoreceptor unit to the main body of the image reproducing apparatus. A toner receiving port opening/closing lid is provided that opens and closes in conjunction with the toner receiving port.

(Function) When the photoconductor unit is attached to the image reproducing device, the toner receiving port opening/closing lid is automatically opened, and when the photoconductor unit is being removed from the image reproducing device, the opening/closing lid is automatically closed.

(Example) Photoreceptor 1 which is an endless belt-shaped recording medium
1 is an electrophotographic photoreceptor having an inorganic or organic photoconductive layer provided on a base film, and is stretched between two rollers 2 and 3. Roller 2 is a driving roller and roller 3 is a driven roller, each of which is supported by a roller support member to be described later, and together constitute an independent photoreceptor unit. This photoreceptor unit has a developing device 4 at one end.
By inserting the shafts of the rollers 2 and 3 into the two grooves 6 and 7 of the developing unit 5, the rollers 2 and 3 are removably assembled to the developing unit 5. This developing device unit 5 is also detachable from the main body of the image reproducing apparatus. When the developing device unit 5 with the recording unit attached thereto is guided by an appropriate positioning means and attached to the main body of the apparatus, the photoreceptor 1
The mutual positioning between the static eliminator 8, cleaning device 9, charging device 10, exposure device 11, and transfer device 12 located above the upper belt, which are located above the upper belt, is performed accurately.

The surface of the photoreceptor 1, which rotates clockwise, is first uniformly charged to a predetermined polarity by the charging device 10, and then is irradiated with a light image or a light signal of an image to be reproduced from the exposure device 11. , an electrostatic latent image corresponding to the image to be reproduced is formed thereon. This electrostatic latent image is developed by toner 14 that is accommodated in the developing device 4 and conveyed by the developing roller 13. This developed toner image is transferred to a transfer device 1.
A transfer paper 15 is placed under the transfer paper 15 , and the toner image is transferred onto the transfer paper 15 by charging or an electric field by the transfer device 12 . After the transfer, the transfer paper 15 is separated from the photoreceptor 1 and undergoes fixation of the transferred toner image.
The photoreceptor 1 is subjected to charge removal by the charge removal device 8 , and the toner remaining after transfer adhering to the surface of the photoreceptor 1 is removed by the cleaning device 9 .

The image is reproduced through these steps, and the toner removed from the photoreceptor by the cleaning device 9 is returned to a toner collection tank, which will be described later, and discarded.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a photoreceptor unit 16 equipped with a toner collection tank. The rollers 2 and 3 that support the belt-shaped photoreceptor 1 have both sides attached to both side plates 17a and 17 of the roller support member 17.
b, and this side plate 17
a, 17b, the upper part thereof is continuous with the top plate 17c,
The lower part thereof is continuous with the bottom plate 17d, and side plates 17e (only one of which is shown) bent upward from both sides of the bottom plate form a hole having a rectangular cross section as a whole, that is, a toner recovery tank 18. The upper opening 17 for receiving toner is connected to this hole.
f is provided.

On the other hand, as shown in FIG. 3, the cleaning device 9 is provided with a conveying device 19 equipped with a rotating screw conveyor for conveying the toner removed from the photoreceptor 1 in the width direction of the belt. ,
The lower discharge port 19a is connected to the roller support member 17.
The toner receiving opening 17f is opposed to the toner receiving opening 17f. This opposition is provided by appropriate positioning means of the image reproducing apparatus main body when the photoreceptor unit 16 is assembled into the apparatus main body. The recovered toner sent by the toner conveying device 19 naturally falls from the end thereof, enters the receiving opening 17f from the discharge opening 19a, and is accumulated in the toner recovery tank 18. In order to prevent the toner that has fallen into the receiving opening 17f from partially accumulating below the tank portion 1,
7g is diagonal. Furthermore, if the bottom plate 17d of the tank is also inclined, partial accumulation of toner can be prevented. The toner collected in the tank 18 is appropriately removed and discarded, or is returned to the developing device and reused. Alternatively, when the entire photoreceptor unit 16 is replaced due to deterioration of the photoreceptor belt 1 or other reasons, the entire photoreceptor unit is discarded.

As shown in FIG. 4, a toner receiving opening 17f of the photoreceptor unit 16 is provided with a toner receiving opening opening/closing lid 21 which can be opened and closed by rotating around a fulcrum 20. As shown in FIG. This lid 21 normally has an opening 17
When the photoreceptor unit 16 is assembled into the developing device unit or the unit receiving member 22 of the main body of the apparatus,
As shown in FIG. 5, an opening/closing lid 21 is provided by the end 22a of the side plate. When the photoconductor unit is removed from the unit receiving member,
The opening/closing lid 21 is automatically closed to prevent the toner collected in the tank from scattering or spilling to the outside.

(Effects of the Invention) According to the present invention, when the photoreceptor unit is removed from the image reproducing device, the toner receiving port of the toner collection tank is automatically closed, so that it is possible to prevent toner from scattering from the toner collection tank. be effective.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a schematic side view showing an example of an image reproducing device to which the present invention is applied, FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing an example of a photoreceptor unit having a toner recovery tank, and FIG. FIGS. 4 and 5 are cross-sectional views showing an example of a toner conveying device that conveys toner to a toner collection tank. FIGS. FIG. 5 shows a state in which the inlet opening/closing lid is closed, and FIG. 5 shows a state in which the inlet opening/closing lid is open. DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1... Photoreceptor, 4... Developing device, 9... Cleaning device, 16... Photoreceptor unit, 18... Toner collection tank, 21... Toner receiving port opening/closing lid.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] 1. A photoreceptor unit having a toner collection tank and detachable from the main body of the image reproducing apparatus, and an electrostatic latent image forming means for forming an electrostatic latent image on the photoreceptor of the photoreceptor unit. and a developing device that develops the electrostatic latent image, and after developing the electrostatic latent image with the developing device,
a transfer device that transfers the visible image onto a transfer paper; a cleaning device that removes toner from the photoreceptor after transfer; and means for collecting the toner removed by the cleaning device into the toner recovery tank; means for positioning the photoreceptor unit with respect to the electrostatic latent image forming means; and a means for positioning the photoreceptor unit with respect to the electrostatic latent image forming means; An image reproducing device comprising: a toner receiving port opening/closing lid that opens when the photoreceptor unit is removed from the image reproducing device;