JPH063405Y2 - Developer recovery device in electrophotographic device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Use of the Invention] The present invention relates to a developer recovery device in an electrophotographic apparatus.

[Background of the invention]

As a conventional technique, there is, for example, JP-A-54-636. In this prior art, the toner adhering to the surface of the drum is removed by a rotating brush, the removed toner is guided to a separating body through a suction pipe, and the cyclone effect of the separating body is used to collect the toner below the separating body. I try to collect it in the dust box. Further, the dust collecting filter arranged above the separating body separates the toner from the air, and only the air is exhausted to the outside by a blower.

By the way, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional technique, when exhausting the toner collected in the dust collection box, only the dust collection box is removed from the main body to perform the exhaust work, and therefore the dust collection box is removed. There is a drawback that the toner in the box is easily diffused and the area around the apparatus is easily soiled.

[Purpose of device]

An object of the present invention is to solve the above-mentioned drawbacks of the prior art and to provide an electrophotographic apparatus capable of efficiently exchanging a developer recovery container.

[Outline of device]

In order to achieve the above object, in the developer collecting device in the electrophotographic apparatus of the present invention, a cleaning device for removing the developer remaining on the surface of the electrostatic image holding member and a developer sent from the cleaning device side are provided. A cyclone device for collecting, a developer collecting container for collecting the developer existing in the developer mixture floating in the cyclone device, and a suction action for guiding the developer mixture into the developer collecting container And a first inflow port for sucking the developer mixture in its side surface, and a filter for purifying the sucked developer mixture inside. And a second inlet for discharging the air purified by the filter means on the bottom surface, and a first inlet for connecting means attached to the cyclone device. Together with detachably connected,
The second inflow port is detachably connected to the upper part of the exhaust device storage chamber located below the developer recovery container, and the cover lower part and the exhaust device storage are provided in the main body of the electrophotographic device so as to be openable and closable via locking means. A configuration is adopted in which the developer recovery container is pressed and supported between the upper parts of the chambers and mounted on the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus.

[Example of device]

An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to FIGS. 1 to 4. FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a developer recovery device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a configuration of a developer recovery container used in the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a developer recovery container in an electrophotographic apparatus main body. And FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the developer recovery container is removed from the electrophotographic apparatus main body.

As shown in FIG. 1, the electrostatic image carrier (photosensitive drum) 1 is rotationally driven in the direction of the arrow, and a latent image is formed on the surface of the electrostatic image carrier 1 through a charging and exposure process (not shown). Then, the latent image is developed by the developing device 2 to form a visible image on the surface of the photosensitive drum 1, and the visible image is printed on a sheet through a transfer process (not shown). At this time, the developer remaining on the photosensitive drum 1 side without being transferred to the paper side is scraped off from the surface of the photosensitive drum 1 by the far brush 4 constituting the cleaning device 3, and the cyclone device 5 is used.
Guided to the side. Most of the developer introduced into the cyclone device 5 falls to the bottom of the cyclone device 5 and is collected, but the developer mixture floating in the cyclone device 5 passes through the hose 10 and serves as a first inlet 7b. The developer is recovered in the developer recovery container 7.

The developer recovery container 7 is closed except for the inflow port 7b and the inflow port 7c serving as the second inflow port, and the developer recovery container 7 is provided with a fine filter 7a.

Therefore, the fine-grained developer contained in the developer mixture is collected in the developer collecting container 7 by the fine filter 7a, and only purified air passes through the filter 7a and is provided at the bottom of the developer collecting container 7. The gas is exhausted from the exhaust device 8 through the inflow port 7c.

The filter 7a is provided in the developer recovery container 7 as shown in FIG. 2, and has the features that it can be downsized, that the pressure loss of the passing air is reduced, and that it has the necessary and sufficient developer recovery capability. In consideration of this, the filter has a pleated cross section.

3 and 4 show the arrangement of the developer recovery container 7 and the exhaust device 8. In the figure, reference numeral 6 denotes the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus, a hollow packing 9 is provided on the upper surface of the exhaust device storage chamber 6a for housing the exhaust device 8, and the suction port of the exhaust device 8 is the hollow portion of the packing 9. It is located just below. Further, the developer recovery container 7 is installed on the packing 9 by connecting the inlet 7c of the developer recovery container 7 to the suction port of the exhaust device 8.

When opening the upper cover 6b of the container for storing the developer recovery container 7, the handle 64 is pushed in the direction of the arrow to engage the hook portion 61 formed integrally with the handle 64 with the receiving portion 62 protruding from the main body. The state is released, and the upper cover 6b can be opened. When the developer collecting container 7 is installed, the elastic member 63 provided on the lower surface of the upper cover 6b presses and holds the developer collecting container 7 from above, and keeps the bottom surface of the developer collecting container 7 and the upper surface of the packing 9 sealed well. It is a pressing means for Further, a joint 11 is provided at the tip of the hose 10 that connects the cyclone device 5 and the developer recovery container 7.
Is provided, and the joint 11 is connected to the inflow port 7b of the developer recovery container 7 through an opening 65 provided in the main body.

When replacing the developer recovery container 7 in the electrophotographic apparatus having the above structure, the hose 10 connected to the inflow port 7b of the developer recovery container 7 is removed, and the upper cover 6b configured in the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus is opened. Thus, the developer recovery container 7 can be taken out of the apparatus main body and can be transported together with the developer recovery container 7 to a disposal place or the like.

[Effect of device]

According to the developer collecting device of the present invention, a cleaning device for removing the developer remaining on the surface of the electrostatic image carrier, a cyclone device for collecting the developer sent from the cleaning device side, and the cyclone device A developer collection container for collecting the developer existing in the developer mixture floating inside; and an exhaust device for giving a suction action so as to introduce the developer mixture into the developer collection container, The developer recovery container is provided with a first inflow port for sucking the developer mixture on its side surface, a filter means for purifying the sucked developer mixture, and a bottom part for removing the developer mixture. The closed structure is provided with a second inlet for discharging the air purified by the filter means, the first inlet is detachably connected to the connecting means attached to the cyclone device, and the second inlet is provided. The mouth is detachably connected to the upper part of the exhaust device storage chamber located below the developer recovery container, and is provided between the lower part of the cover and the upper part of the exhaust device storage chamber which are provided on the main body of the electrophotographic device via the locking means so as to be openable and closable Since the developer collecting container is pressed and supported and mounted on the main body of the electrophotographic apparatus, the filter means for purifying the developer mixture can be handled integrally with the developer collecting container. Therefore, it is possible to significantly eliminate the contamination around the apparatus due to the diffusion of the developer, and it is possible to provide the electrophotographic apparatus which can perform the replacement work of the developer recovery container extremely efficiently.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a developer recovery device according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is an explanatory view showing a configuration of a developer recovery container used in the present invention, and FIG. 3 is a developer recovery container in an electrophotographic apparatus main body. And FIG. 4 is an explanatory view showing a state in which the developer recovery container is removed from the electrophotographic apparatus main body. In the figure, 1 is a photosensitive drum, 3 is a cleaning device,
Reference numeral 5 is a cyclone device, 7 is a developer recovery container, and 8 is an exhaust device.

Continuation of the front page (56) References JP-A-54-636 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A cleaning device for removing the developer remaining on the surface of the electrostatic image carrier, a cyclone device for collecting the developer sent from the cleaning device side, and a developer floating in the cyclone device. A developer collecting container for collecting the developer existing in the air-fuel mixture; and an exhaust device for giving a suction action so as to guide the developer air-fuel mixture into the developer collecting container. A side surface portion thereof is provided with a first inlet for sucking the developer mixture, a filter means for purifying the sucked developer mixture is provided inside, and a bottom portion is cleaned by the filter means. Second to discharge air
An exhaust device having a closed structure with the first inflow port detachably connected to the connecting means attached to the cyclone device, and the second inflow port located below the developer recovery container. The developer recovery container is removably connected to the upper part of the storage chamber, and the developer recovery container is pressed and supported between the lower part of the cover and the upper part of the exhaust device storage chamber, which are provided on the main body of the electrophotographic device via the locking means to open and close the electronic device. A developer collecting device in an electrophotographic apparatus, which is mounted on a main body of a photographic apparatus.