JPH0594122A - Driving device for waste toner carrier - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To evade pollution caused by waste toner in a device by adopting constitution that a waste toner carrier is not driven even if the device is operated in a state where a waste toner recovery part is unset. CONSTITUTION:The waste toner dropped in a waste toner carrying tube 6 from a cleaning unit 5 is discharged to the waste toner recovery part 3 of a developing unit 1 by the rotation of a waste toner carrying coil 7 by a driving gear 10 via an idle gear 11. The idle gear 11 is interlocked with a driving position where it is engaged with both of the driving gear 10 and an output gear 12 and a neutral position for which the idle gear 11 is separated from the driving gear 10 by interlocking with the mounting action of the developing unit 1 by a bracket 14. In other words, the sliding of a sliding member 21 slid by the attaching/detaching action of the developing unit 1 is transmitted to the bracket 14 via pulleys 17 and 18. Thus, in the state where the developing unit 1 is not mounted, the waste toner carrying coil 7 is not rotated and the waste toner is never discharged.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a drive device for a waste toner conveying device in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine or a printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, a printer, a facsimile, etc., at the time of transfer, waste toner remaining on the image carrier without being transferred to a transfer sheet is collected in a cleaning unit. ing. However, a large amount of waste toner cannot be collected by the waste toner collecting section of the conventional cleaning unit, and if the waste toner collecting section is enlarged, the size of the apparatus becomes large.

For this reason, in recent years, due to the demand for downsizing of the apparatus and the layout, there is a space away from the cleaning unit, such as, for example,
A waste toner collection container that is integrated with the developing device is installed inside the developing unit, and the waste toner collected by the cleaning unit is conveyed toward the waste toner collection container via the waste toner conveying device. A configured device has been proposed.

For example, in a kind of developing device such as a small copying machine, a toner hopper portion in which toner to be supplied to a developing portion of an image carrier is enclosed, and a waste toner collected from the image carrier is accommodated. And a waste toner storage portion for performing the operation are integrally formed in a single developing device.
2. Description of the Related Art There is a developing unit type developing device that is configured to be discarded together with the collected waste toner after executing one copy, and is being put to practical use.

[0005]

By the way, as described above, a waste toner collecting container integrated with the developing device is installed at a place distant from the cleaning unit and having a space, and is collected by the cleaning unit. If the waste toner collection device is configured to be carried toward the waste toner collection container via the waste toner carrying device, the waste toner carrying container is not set at a predetermined position. The device may be activated. As described above, when the waste toner conveying device is driven with the waste toner collecting container not set, the waste toner that should be collected in the waste toner collecting container is discharged into the device. The inside is significantly contaminated with waste toner. In particular, when the waste toner collecting container is provided inside the developing unit, the developing unit is attached and detached relatively frequently, so that the above-mentioned troubles are likely to occur.

The present invention has been made in view of the above points, and an object thereof is a waste toner collecting container, or
Even if the device is operated with the developing unit integrated with the waste toner recovery unit not set, the waste toner conveying device is configured so as not to be driven, thereby avoiding contamination by waste toner inside the device and It is an object of the present invention to provide a drive device for a waste toner conveying device, which is capable of always maintaining a clean state.

[0007]

In order to solve the above problems, the present invention is directed to a waste toner conveying device for conveying waste toner collected in a cleaning unit of an image forming apparatus toward a waste toner collecting container. And a drive gear driven by a drive source, an output gear for driving the waste toner conveying device, and a drive gear of the drive gear that meshes with both the drive gear and the output gear. An idle gear that transmits rotation to the output gear; and an idle gear support member that swingably supports the idle gear around a support shaft of the output gear while the idle gear meshes with the output gear. , The idle gear is combined with the drive gear and the output gear in association with the mounting operation of the waste toner collecting container to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The idle gear support member is swung to a drive position in which the idle gear is supported at a neutral position in which the idle gear is separated from the drive gear in conjunction with the operation of separating the waste toner collecting container from the image forming apparatus main body. Support member swinging means for swinging the member is provided.

In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides the waste toner collecting container in the developing unit of the image forming apparatus and interlocks with the attaching / detaching operation of the developing unit with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The idle gear supporting member is swung between the drive position and the neutral position.

[0009]

According to the present invention, the idle gear supporting member is rocked in association with the mounting and demounting operation of the waste toner collecting container or the mounting and demounting operation of the developing unit. , The idle gear is disengaged between the drive position and the neutral position.

[0010]

Embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail below with reference to the drawings. However, for the purpose of avoiding complication of the description, the illustration and disclosure of the configuration and operation of the range clearly conceivable from the description of this specification, and the above and other objects and novel features of the present invention are omitted. , Or simplify.

1 to 5, the developing unit 1
Has a hopper portion 2 in which a toner for forming an image is stored, and a waste toner collecting portion 3 in which a collected waste toner is stored. The toner contained in the hopper portion 2 of the developing unit 1 is supplied to the photoconductor unit 4 by the developing roller 1a. As a result, a toner image is formed on the photoconductor unit 4, and this toner image is transferred onto the transfer paper.

At this time, the untransferred toner remaining on the photoconductor unit 4 without being transferred onto the transfer paper is collected in the cleaning unit 5 as waste toner. Inside the cleaning unit 5, a conveying screw 5b for conveying the waste toner collected in the waste toner receiving portion 5a to the rear portion of the cleaning unit is arranged. The waste toner carried to the rear part of the cleaning unit 5 by the carrying screw 5a is dropped into the waste toner carrying pipe 6 through the waste toner collecting port 26. The waste toner carrying pipe 6 reaches the waste toner collecting section 3 of the developing unit 1 along the rear side plate 32 of the main body of the copying machine or the like, and the waste toner carrying coil 7 is mounted therein. There is. A bevel gear 8 is integrally provided at the end of the waste toner conveying coil 7. The waste toner carrying coil 7 is
The drive gear 10 is rotated by the motor 9 fixed to the main body of the apparatus, and the rotation of the drive gear 10 is changed to the idle gear 11
Is transmitted to the output gear 12 via the
The other bevel gear 13 which is integrated with the bevel gear 8 at the end portion of the waste toner carrying coil 7 is driven to rotate by being rotated.

As a result, the waste toner dropped into the waste toner carrying pipe 6 is carried to the developing unit 1 by the rotation of the waste toner carrying coil 7, and is discharged from the waste toner discharging port 26 of the waste toner carrying pipe 6. The toner is discharged into the waste toner collecting unit 3 of the developing unit 1.

Here, the idle gear 11 is the drive gear 1
The rotation of the drive gear 10 is transmitted to the output gear 12 by meshing with both 0 and the output gear 12. Further, the idle gear 11 is in a state of being meshed with the output gear 12, and with the support shaft 16 of the output gear 12 as a center,
It is supported by an idle gear support member (bracket 14) via a shaft 15 so as to be swingable. The bracket 14 is driven by the idle gear 11 in conjunction with the mounting operation of the developing unit 1 (the waste toner collecting unit 3 when the waste toner collecting unit 3 is provided independently) with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus. The developing unit 1 is swung to a drive position (a broken line position in FIG. 5) that meshes with both the gear 10 and the output gear 12, and with respect to the image forming apparatus main body.
The idle gear 11 is driven by the drive gear 1
The bearing 32 is swung in a neutral position (solid line position in FIG. 5) separated from zero. Such interlocking between the bracket 14 and the developing unit 1 is achieved by the pulleys 17, 1
Via a supporting member swinging means, which is fixed to a bracket 14 at one end and a sliding member 21 at the other end, which is slid by the attaching / detaching operation of the developing unit 1, through a supporting member swinging means.

The sliding member 21 is fitted to the sliding member guide 22 (FIG. 4) of the guide frame 20 fixed to the side plate 32 of the main body of the apparatus, and the developing unit 1 which is detachably attached to the guide frame 20. It is slid along the attachment / detachment direction. Further, the sliding member 21 faces the sliding member 2 in the opposite direction to the wire 19.
1, the position A in FIG. 1 is displaced by the tension of the spring 23 stretched between the guide frame 20 and the projection 24 of the guide frame 20. As a result, the bracket 14 is raised via the wire 19, and the idle gear 11 is swung together with the bearing 32 to the neutral position (solid line position in FIG. 5) away from the drive gear 10. As is clear here, when the developing unit 1 is not attached to the guide frame 20 (FIG. 1), the waste toner discharge port 26 of the waste toner carrying pipe 6 is exposed at the end of the guide frame 20. However, since the idle gear 11 is swung to the neutral position (the position indicated by the solid line in FIG. 5) away from the drive gear 10, in this state, even if the apparatus is erroneously operated, the waste toner carrying pipe 6 is discarded. The waste toner is not discharged from the toner discharge port 26.

On the other hand, from the above-mentioned state, when the developing unit 1 is mounted on the guide frame 20 by aligning the recess 27 on the lower surface of the developing unit 1 with the guide rail 28 of the guide frame 20,
The rear side plate 29 of the developing unit 1 abuts on the front end of the sliding member 21, and in this state, when the developing unit 1 is further inserted, the stopper 30 provided on the guide frame 20 is inserted into the developing unit 1. When the rear plate 29 of 1 hits,
The setting of the developing unit 1 is completed. In the mounting process of the developing unit 1, the waste toner collecting unit 3 of the developing unit 1
Through the waste toner receiving port 31 formed on the rear side of the
The waste toner discharge port 26 of the waste toner carrying pipe 6 is inserted into the waste toner collecting section 3.

Further, in the mounting process of the developing unit 1, the sliding member 21 moves in the direction of the arrow X from the position A to the position B in FIG. 1, and the bracket 14 and the idle gear caused by the wire 19 are moved. 11 oscillates in the direction of the arrow Y with the bearing 32 about the shaft 16 by its own weight, and the idle gear 11 oscillates to a drive position (broken line position in FIG. 5) in which both the drive gear 10 and the output gear 12 mesh. It

In this state, by rotating the drive gear 10 by the motor 9, as described above, the waste toner does not scatter in the apparatus, and the waste toner is discharged from the waste toner discharge port 26 of the waste toner conveying pipe 6. It is collected in the collection unit 3.

When the idle gear 11 meshes with both the drive gear 10 and the output gear 12, the drive gear 10 rotates in the direction in which the idle gear 11 bites between the drive gear 10 and the output gear 12. , That is, FIG.
In the arrow Z direction, the idle gear 11 and the drive gear 10
Make sure that it does not come out of mesh with.

Although the waste toner collecting portion is formed in the developing unit in the above embodiment, the waste toner collecting portion may be formed as a single unit independent of the other units. The device operates exactly as described above.

[0021]

According to the present invention, a waste toner collecting container,
Alternatively, even if the apparatus is operated with the developing unit integrated with the waste toner collecting unit not set, the waste toner conveying device does not operate, so that the inside of the apparatus can be prevented from being contaminated by the waste toner. Can be kept clean at all times.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a driving device in a waste toner conveying device according to the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view of a drive device in the waste toner conveying device of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a schematic perspective view of a developing unit mounted on the waste toner conveying device.

FIG. 4 is a schematic side view of a mounting portion of the developing unit.

FIG. 5 is a schematic diagram of a drive system in the waste toner conveying device of the present invention.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Developing Unit 3 Waste Toner Collection Section 5 Cleaning Unit 6 Waste Toner Transport Pipe 7 Waste Toner Transport Coil 9 Motor 10 Drive Gear 11 Idle Gear 12 Output Gear 14 Bracket 19 Wire 20 Guide Frame 21 Sliding Member 25 Waste Toner Collection Port 26 Waste Toner outlet 31 Waste toner inlet

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. A drive device for transmitting drive to a waste toner transport device for transporting waste toner collected by a cleaning unit of an image forming apparatus toward a waste toner collection container, the drive device being driven by a drive source. The drive gear, an output gear for driving the waste toner conveying device, an idle gear for transmitting the rotation of the drive gear to the output gear by meshing with both the drive gear and the output gear, and the idle gear An idle gear support member that swingably supports the idle gear around a support shaft of the output gear while still meshing with the output gear, and the mounting operation of the waste toner collecting container to the main body of the image forming apparatus. Then, the idle gear support member is oscillated to a drive position where the idle gear meshes with both the drive gear and the output gear. And a supporting member rocking means for rocking the idle gear supporting member to a neutral position in which the idle gear is separated from the drive gear in association with the operation of separating the waste toner collecting container from the main body of the image forming apparatus. A drive device for a waste toner conveying device, characterized in that 2. A developing unit of the image forming apparatus is provided with the waste toner collecting container, and the developing unit is attached / detached to / from the main body of the image forming apparatus in association with the driving position and the neutral position. The idle gear support member is swung, and the idle gear support member is swung.
A drive device for the waste toner transport device described. 3. The drive gear is rotated in a direction in which the idle gear bites between the drive gear and the output gear in a state where the idle gear meshes with both the drive gear and the output gear. The drive device for the waste toner conveying device according to claim 1.