JPH06130869A - Waste toner recovering device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To provide a waste toner recovering device which can avoid spilling and scattering of waste toner out of a recovering container in the replacement of the recovering container and can prevent soiling of hands, clothes, and surroundings. CONSTITUTION:The device is composed of a cleaning unit 12 which scrapes waste toner sticking to a photosensitive body 1, the recovering container 17 connected to the cleaning unit 12, a heat supply means 23 which supplies heat generated by a heat fixing-unit 8, to the recovering container 17. The temperature of the recovering container 17 keeping the waste toner therein is increased by the heat generated by the heat fixing-unit 8, thereby solidifying the waste toner in the recovering container 17.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a waste toner collecting device for collecting waste toner attached to a photoconductor in an electrophotographic apparatus.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art First, a printing operation by a general electrophotographic apparatus will be described with reference to FIG. In the process of rotating the photoconductor 1, the surface of the photoconductor 1 is charged by the corona discharge action of the charging device 2, and the charged portion is scanned with an optical signal corresponding to an image signal from the exposure means 3 to the surface of the photoconductor 1. An electrostatic latent image is formed on. The electrostatic latent image is developed by attracting the toner of the developing device 4. On the other hand, since the paper 6 is supplied by the conveying roller 5, the toner image on the photoconductor 1 is transferred to the paper 6 by the transfer device 7, and the paper 6 is transferred onto the paper 6 while passing through the thermal fixing device 8. The transferred image of is fixed. The heat fixing device 8 is formed by disposing a heating roller 9 having a heater therein and a pressure roller 10 that presses the paper 6 against the heating roller 9 inside the cover 11.

As described above, the toner image on the photoconductor 1 is transferred to the paper 6, but the transfer efficiency is about 80 to 90%, and the waste toner remains on the photoconductor 1. The waste toner is cleaned by the cleaning unit 12. That is, the cleaning unit 12 includes the waste toner container 13
The cleaning blade 14 wipes off the waste toner on the photoconductor 1, and the screw 15 conveys the waste toner dropped in the waste toner container 13 to the collection container 17 shown in FIG. Reference numeral 16 is a static eliminator which removes static electricity from the surface of the photoconductor 1 for the next image formation.

As shown in FIG. 4, a pipe 18 connected to one end of the screw 15 is provided on one side of the waste toner container 13 of the cleaning unit 12.
A drop port 19 that faces the opening surface of the recovery container 17 is formed in a part of 8. Therefore, the waste toner container 13
The waste toner inside is conveyed by the screw 15 and falls into the collection container 17 through the drop opening 19 of the pipe 18. In addition,
In this conventional example, the side plate 2 that holds the photoconductor 1 rotatably
0 is integrally formed on both sides of the waste toner container 13.

[0005]

By the way, the recovery container 1
7 is periodically replaced because the amount of collected waste toner gradually increases. However, since the toner has fine particles and is extremely light, the waste toner is spilled or scattered from the collection container 17 if it is handled poorly. It often pollutes the surroundings.

[0006]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION According to the present invention, a cleaning unit for wiping off waste toner adhering to a photosensitive member, a recovery container connected to the cleaning unit, and heat generated by a heat fixing device are transferred to the recovery container. And a heat supply means for supplying the heat.

[0007]

According to the structure of the present invention, the recovery container for storing the waste toner sent from the cleaning unit can be heated by the heat generated by the heat fixing device, thereby solidifying the waste toner in the recovery container. Therefore, it is possible to prevent the waste toner from spilling or scattering from the collection container when the collection container is replaced, and prevent the hands, clothes, or the surroundings from being soiled.

[0008]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to FIGS. The same parts as those described with reference to FIGS. 3 and 4 are designated by the same reference numerals, and the description thereof will be omitted. A space 22 is formed around the collection container 17 and a case 22 for detachably holding the collection container 17 is provided. Therefore, the heat supply means 23 for supplying the heat generated by the heat fixing device 8 to the recovery container 17 is provided. The heat supply unit 23 includes a pipe 24 that connects one end of the cover 11 of the heat fixing device 8 to the case 22, and a fan 25 that faces the opening surface of the pipe 24 at one end of the cover 11.

In such a structure, the waste toner dropped in the waste toner container 13 of the cleaning unit 12 is sent to the collection container 17 by the screw 15. On the other hand, the heat generated by the heater of the heating roller 9 during fixing is generated by the fan 2
5 and the pipe 24 supply the inside of the case 22, so that the waste toner in the collection container 17 and inside is warmed.
Usually, the toner melts at a temperature of 60 ° C. or higher. On the other hand, the hot air sent from the heat fixing device 8 to the case 22 by the heat supply means 23 is naturally higher than 60 ° C. As a result, the waste toner in the collection container 17 can be solidified. Therefore, when the collection container 17 is replaced, it is possible to avoid the situation where the waste toner is spilled or scattered from the collection container 17, and it is possible to prevent the hands, clothes, or the surroundings from being soiled.

[0010]

As described above, according to the present invention, since the recovery container connected to the cleaning unit is provided with the heat supply means for supplying the heat generated in the heat fixing device, the cleaning unit is sent to the recovery container. It is possible to heat the waste toner, which makes it possible to solidify the waste toner in the collection container, and therefore avoids a state where the waste toner spills or scatters from the collection container when the collection container is replaced, It has the effect of preventing stains on hands, clothes, or the surroundings.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a vertical sectional front view showing an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a part thereof.

FIG. 3 is a vertical sectional front view showing an example of a conventional electrophotographic apparatus.

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a part thereof.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Photoreceptor 8 Thermal Fixer 12 Cleaning Unit 17 Recovery Container 23 Heat Supply Means

Claims (1)

[Claims] 1. A cleaning unit for wiping off waste toner adhering to a photoconductor, a recovery container connected to the cleaning unit, and a heat supply means for supplying heat generated by a heat fixing device to the recovery container. A waste toner collecting device characterized by the above.