JPH0713008Y2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

TECHNICAL FIELD The present invention relates to a cleaning device in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, and more particularly to a residual toner collecting device after removing residual toner on the surface of an image carrier. Is.

(Prior Art) Conventionally, in an image forming apparatus such as a copying machine, an electrostatic latent image is formed on an image carrier uniformly charged by an appropriate means, and the electrostatic latent image can be formed by a developing device. The toner is visualized and transferred onto a predetermined transfer material, and the residual toner remaining on the image carrier after the transfer is collected by a cleaning device, while the residual toner after cleaning is formed into a spiral shape provided in the cleaning device. It is configured such that it can be stored in the toner recovery bottle provided on the front surface of the apparatus main body by the transfer means. Here, referring to FIG. 2, in general, the toner recovery bottle 8 is provided with a front side plate 5 for supporting each device in the apparatus such as an image carrier at a predetermined position, and for carrying out jam processing and maintenance. It is located between the opening and closing door 7.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) However, in the case of the above-mentioned conventional technology, since the toner recovery bottle 8 is arranged between the front side plate 5 and the opening / closing door 7, even if the apparatus main body is downsized, In order to secure a space for arranging the toner recovery bottle 8, the depth of the apparatus main body is required. Therefore, conventionally, there has been a drawback in that there is a dead space between the opening / closing door 7 and the front side plate 5 even when the apparatus main body is downsized.

On the other hand, in recent years, for the purpose of increasing the strength of the opening / closing door of the main body of the apparatus, there is one in which the opening / closing door is manufactured by blow molding. However, in order to increase the strength, it is generally considered that a metal plate such as an iron plate is used, but in comparison with this, blow molding is more cost-effective, and thus this method is generally used. Here, blow molding is a method of obtaining a hollow body by inflating a thermoplastic parison or a sheet that is softened by heating in a combined mold using air pressure or the like, closely contacting with the mold and simultaneously cooling. is there. Therefore, since the blow-molded door forms a hollow body, the image forming apparatus having the above-mentioned toner collecting bottle has a drawback that the depth of the apparatus body further increases.

An object of the present invention is to solve the above problems and further downsize the apparatus main body.

(Means for Solving the Problems) The present invention is provided in a cleaning device for removing residual toner on an image carrier, an outlet for discharging the removed residual toner to the outside of the cleaning device, and an image forming apparatus. The opening and closing door is formed, and the opening and closing door is formed with an opening into which a discharge port can be inserted and a hollow body for storing the residual toner discharged from the discharge port. To do.

(Function) The residual toner on the image carrier is removed by the cleaning device. The removed residual toner is transferred to the discharge port so as to be discharged to the outside of the cleaning device by the transfer means inside the cleaning device. The residual toner that has reached the discharge port is stored in the hollow body inside the open / close door formed by blow molding.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention will be described below with reference to the accompanying drawings.

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a copying machine main body of the present invention, FIG. 3 is a top view of the vicinity of the discharge port of the present invention, FIG. 4 is a side view of the discharge port when the opening / closing door is closed, and FIG. The figure is a side view of the discharge port when the opening / closing door is opened.

In FIG. 1, opening / closing doors 2 and 3 are provided on the front surface of the copying machine main body 1 so as to be openable and closable around both front ends of the copying machine main body 1. A cleaning device 4 is provided inside the copying machine main body 1 in order to remove the residual toner on the surface of the photoconductor drum (not shown), and the cleaning device 4 is provided on the front surface thereof with the removed residual toner. A discharge port 40 projects so as to discharge to the outside of the cleaning device 4. here,
The opening / closing door 2 is provided with an opening 21 into which the discharge port 40 can be inserted and removed and a hollow body 22 for storing the residual toner discharged from the discharge port 40 by the blow molding described above. In addition, opening and closing door 2
A discharge opening 24 is formed at the lowermost end of the hollow body 22, that is, in the lower part of the hollow body 22, in order to discharge the residual toner stored in the hollow body 22 to the outside of the hollow body 22, and the discharge opening 24 is slidable. A lid 23 is provided and is usually configured so that the residual toner is stored in the hollow body 22. Next, the configuration near the discharge port 40 will be described with reference to FIG. A discharge port 40 protruding from the front surface of the cleaning device 4 penetrates the front side plate 5 of the copying machine body 1 and is inserted into an opening 21 of an opening / closing door 2 provided at a slight distance from the side plate 5 (opening / closing). Door 2 is closed). Next, the configuration of the discharge port 40 will be described with reference to FIG. The discharge port 40 protruding from the front surface of the cleaning device 4 is provided with a spiral 44 as a residual toner transfer member inside the discharge cylinder 41, and the opening formed at the free end of the discharge cylinder 41 is closed to prevent toner scattering. Shutter member 43 for closing the opening (fourth
It is rotatably provided on the discharge cylinder 41 via a winding spring 42 biased in the counterclockwise direction in the figure.

Next, the operation of the present invention will be described. The residual toner removed by the cleaning device 4 from the photoconductor drum (not shown) is transferred to the front surface of the cleaning device 4 by the spiral 44 and drops into the hollow body 22 in the opening / closing door 2. Normal,
In the copyable state, as shown in FIG. 5, since the discharge port 40 is inserted into the opening 21 of the opening / closing door 2, the upper end of the shutter member 43 abuts the opening 21, and the cylinder opening 45 is opened.
Here, for example, when jam clearance, maintenance, etc. are required, the opening / closing doors 2 and 3 are opened. At this time, as shown in FIG. 4, since the shutter member 43 and the opening 21 are not in contact with each other, the shutter member 43 is opened by the urging force of the winding spring 42.
To block. In this way, when the residual toner stored in the hollow body 22 becomes full, by sliding the first lid 23 in the direction of arrow A, the residual toner can be discharged to the outside of the hollow body 22.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, according to the present invention, a hollow body is formed in the opening / closing door by blow molding, and residual toner is stored in the hollow body. Can be reduced, and at the same time, the strength of the door can be increased.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a copying machine main body according to the present invention, FIG. 2 is a top view near a conventional toner recovery bottle, and FIG.
4 and 5 are side views of the outlet of the present invention. 1 …… Copier body 2, 3 …… Opening / closing door 4 …… Cleaning device 21 …… Opening 22 …… Hollow body 40 …… Ejecting port

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A cleaning device for removing residual toner on an image carrier, a discharge port for discharging the removed residual toner to the outside of the cleaning device, and an opening / closing door provided in the image forming apparatus, An image forming apparatus, wherein the opening / closing door is formed with an opening into which a discharge port can be inserted and a hollow body for storing the residual toner discharged from the discharge port.