JPH07261619A - Image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To prevent used developer from spilling, and to avoid contamination in a machine body, staining an operator and soiling paper by elongating the elongating and contracting receiving port of a developer containing means and covering a discharge means even when an upper unit is opened. CONSTITUTION:This device is provided with a cleaning auger 3 functioning as the discharge means for discharging the used developer, that is, discharged toner from a discharge port 3a in the upper unit. One end of the upper unit is supported by a lower unit so that the upper unit can be opened/closed. Then, a developer containing box 6 provided with the elongating and contracting receiving port 5 which is arranged at a position under the auger 3 with reference to the lower unit, contracted at ordinary times and elongated in a state where the upper unit is opened from the lower unit so as to always cover the discharge port 3a of the auger 3 is installed. By using this device, the used developer is prevented from spilling because the elongating and contracting receiving port is elongated to cover the discharge port of the discharge means even when the upper unit is opened from the lower unit.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus, and more particularly to improvement of an image forming apparatus using a clamshell system in which an upper unit can be opened and closed with respect to a lower unit.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A conventional example of an image forming apparatus employing a clamshell system will be described with reference to FIGS.

An image forming apparatus 50 shown in FIG. 1 includes an upper unit 42 having a cleaning auger 40 for discharging a used developer, that is, a discharged toner from a discharge port, and an upper end of the upper unit 42 so as to be openable and closable. The lower unit 43 and the lower unit 43, and the discharge toner box 44 with the receiving port 45 facing the discharge port of the cleaning auger 40 in the lower unit 43.

[0004]

However, in the case of the above-described image forming apparatus 50, normally, the discharge port 41 of the cleaning auger 40 contacts the receiving port 45 of the discharge toner box 44 as shown in FIG. Although it has entered, when the upper unit 42 is opened / closed for jam processing, maintenance, removal of discharged toner, etc., the discharge port of the cleaning auger 40 is exposed to the space, and as a result, as shown in FIG. The discharged toner may be piled up and spilled out, or the toner may be accidentally shaken by the toner during the work to cause dirt inside the toner image forming apparatus 50 and dirt on the operator. Further, even when the inside of the discharged toner box 44 is filled with the discharged toner, there is a problem that the discharged toner leaks from the receiving port 45 and the inside of the machine and the operator are stained.

Another problem is that when the jammed paper is removed from the machine body during the jam processing, the paper comes into contact with the discharged toner and the toner scatters.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Therefore, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus in which used developer is not spilled in any case and dirt in the machine body, an operator's dirt, and a paper dirt can be avoided.

[0007]

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus including an upper unit having discharge means for discharging a used developer from a discharge port, and a lower stage supporting one end of the upper unit so as to be openable and closable. The unit includes a unit and a developer accommodating unit provided in the lower unit and having an expansion and contraction receiving port that covers the discharge port of the discharging unit even when the upper unit is opened from the lower unit.

According to another aspect of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, an upper unit having discharge means for discharging the used developer from a discharge port, a lower unit for supporting one end of the upper unit in an openable and closable manner, and the lower unit. And a developer accommodating means having an expansion and contraction receiving port which is disposed in the upper unit and extends in a state where the upper unit is opened from the lower unit.

According to another aspect of the image forming apparatus of the present invention, an upper unit having a cleaning auger for discharging the used developer from an outlet, a lower unit for supporting one end of the upper unit to be openable and closable, and a lower unit for the lower unit. And a developer accommodating box provided with an expansion / contraction port in which the upper unit extends in a state where the upper unit is opened from the lower unit, a combination of a bellows part, a rubber expansion / contraction part, a coil spring or an annular magnet utilizing repulsive force. And have.

[0010]

According to the image forming apparatus of claim 1, even when the upper unit is opened from the lower unit, the expansion and contraction receiving port of the developer accommodating means extends and covers the discharging port of the discharging means. It is possible to prevent spilling of the used developer and avoid stains inside the machine, workers, and paper.

According to the image forming apparatus of the second aspect, even when the upper unit is opened from the lower unit,
Since the bellows-shaped expansion and contraction inlet combining the insulating elastic body, the conductive elastic body of the developer accommodating means or a plurality of magnets utilizing the repulsive force extends and covers the discharge opening of the discharging means, Prevents spillage and avoids dirt inside the machine, workers, and paper.

According to the image forming apparatus of the third aspect, even when the upper unit is opened from the lower unit,
Since the expansion / contraction port that combines the bellows part of the developer container, the rubber expansion / contraction part, the coil spring or the annular magnet that utilizes repulsive force extends and covers the discharge port of the cleaning auger, it prevents the spillage of the used developer. It is possible to avoid stains inside the machine, spills on workers, and stains on paper.

[0013]

EXAMPLES Examples of the present invention will be described in detail below.

The image forming apparatus 1 of this embodiment has the same basic structure as the image forming apparatus 50, but as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, used developer, that is, discharged toner, is discharged from the outlet. 3a, an upper unit 4 having a cleaning auger 3 as a discharging unit, a lower unit 2 that supports one end of the upper unit 4 to be openable and closable, and a lower position of the cleaning auger 3 with respect to the lower unit 2. And a contraction receiving port 5 that is normally contracted and extends in a state where the upper unit 4 is opened from the lower unit 2 to constantly cover the discharge port 3a of the cleaning auger 3. It has a developer storage box 6 as storage means.

Next, a basic structure of the developer accommodating box 6 will be described below.

The developer storage box 6A shown in FIG. 3 is provided with a telescopic receiving port 15 at the upper part thereof, and a substantially rectangular parallelepiped main body 16 for storing the discharged toner is provided below the telescopic receiving port 15.

The expansion / contraction inlet 15 is provided with a bellows portion 15a integrally formed with the main body 16 and a joint portion 15b formed on the bellows portion 15a. By integrally forming the expansion and contraction receiving port 15 with the main body 16, both of them are naturally made of the same material (for example, synthetic resin), and there is an advantage that they can be easily regenerated.

In such a developer storage box 6A, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, when the upper unit 4 is closed with respect to the lower unit 2, the bellows portion 15a contracts, and the upper unit 4 lowers. Bellows 1 when opened from 2
5a extends, and the height of the expansion / contraction receiving port 15 is always higher than the height of the mountain of the discharged toner, so that the mountain of the discharged toner is not exposed to the outside.

The developer storage box 6B shown in FIG. 5 is provided with an expansion and reception port 21 at the upper part thereof, and below the expansion and reception port 21, a substantially rectangular parallelepiped main body 20 for storing the discharged toner is provided.

The expansion / contraction opening 21 is made of, for example, rubber as an elastic material, and in the contracted state, expands / contracts to the side as shown in FIG. 5 and expands in the expanded state as shown in FIG. , And a joint portion 23 formed on the upper portion of the stretchable portion 22.

Even if such a developer storage box 6B is used,
It is possible to exhibit the same operational effect as the developer accommodating box 6A.

FIG. 7 shows an example in which another expansion / contraction receiving port 25 is formed on the main body 20. The expansion / contraction receiving port 25 has a coil spring 26 between the joint portion 23 and the main body 20.
Is arranged and the outer circumference of the coil spring 26 is surrounded by a cylindrical body 27 made of, for example, rubber as a material of an elastic body.

Even if such a telescopic receiving port 25 is used, the same operational effect as in the above case can be exhibited.

FIG. 8 shows an example in which another expansion and contraction inlet 28 is formed on the main body 20, and the expansion and contraction inlet 28 is made of rubber between the joint portion 23 and the main body 20. The bellows-shaped member 29 made of cloth is connected in a tubular state, and a pair of annular magnets 30 and 31 are arranged inside the bellows-shaped member 29 at predetermined intervals. Annular magnet 30,
As shown in FIG. 9, the magnetic pole arrangement of 31 is such that the S poles are opposed to each other and the joint 23 is pressed against the discharge port 3a side of the cleaning auger 3 by utilizing the repulsive force.

Even if such a telescopic receiving port 28 is used, the same operational effect as in the above case can be exhibited.

[0026]

According to the first aspect of the present invention, even when the upper unit is opened, the expansion and contraction receiving port of the developer accommodating means extends and covers the discharging port of the discharging means. It is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing spillage and avoiding dirt inside the machine body, dirt on an operator, and dirt on paper.

According to the second aspect of the present invention, even when the upper unit is opened, the bellows-like expansion and contraction receiving port extends and covers the discharge port of the discharging means, so that the spill of the used developer is prevented. Therefore, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of avoiding dirt inside the machine body, dirt on an operator, and dirt on paper.

According to the third aspect of the present invention, even when the upper unit is opened, the expansion and contraction inlet combined with the bellows part, the rubber expansion / contraction part, the coil spring or the annular magnet utilizing the repulsive force extends, and cleaning is performed. Since the discharge port of the auger is covered, it is possible to provide an image forming apparatus capable of preventing used developer from spilling and avoiding dirt inside the machine, dirt on the operator, and dirt on the paper.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a perspective view showing a state in which an upper unit of an apparatus according to an embodiment of the present invention is opened.

FIG. 2 is an explanatory diagram showing a contracted and expanded state of the expansion / contraction inlet of the developer accommodating box of the apparatus according to the embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a front view showing a contracted state of the expansion and contraction inlet of the developer accommodating box used in the apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 4 is a front view showing the stretched state of the expansion / contraction inlet of the developer accommodating box used in the apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 5 is a front view showing a contracted state of a telescopic receiving port of another developer accommodating box used in the apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 6 is a front view showing an extended state of the expansion and contraction receiving port of another developer accommodating box used in the apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view showing another example of the expansion and contraction receiving port of another developer accommodating box used in the apparatus of this embodiment.

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view showing another expansion and contraction inlet of a developer accommodating box used in the apparatus of this embodiment.

9 is an explanatory diagram showing a magnetic pole arrangement of an annular magnet in the expansion / contraction receiving port shown in FIG. 8. FIG.

FIG. 10 is a perspective view showing a state where the upper unit of the conventional apparatus is opened.

FIG. 11 is a schematic view showing the arrangement of a developer storage box of a conventional device.

FIG. 12 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which toner is stored in a waste toner box in the conventional apparatus.

FIG. 13 is a cross-sectional view showing a state in which toner has accumulated in a waste toner box in the conventional apparatus.

[Explanation of symbols]

 1 Image forming apparatus 2 Lower unit 3 Cleaning auger 4 Upper unit 5 Expansion / contraction inlet 6 Developer container

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An upper stage unit having a discharge means for discharging a used developer from a discharge port, a lower stage unit supporting one end of the upper stage unit in an openable and closable manner, and the upper stage unit arranged in the lower stage unit. And a developer accommodating unit having an expansion / contraction receiving port that covers the discharge port of the discharging unit even when opened from the lower unit. 2. An upper unit having discharge means for discharging used developer from a discharge port, a lower unit supporting one end of the upper unit to be openable and closable, and the upper unit disposed in the lower unit. And a developer accommodating means having an expansion and contraction inlet that extends from the lower unit in an opened state. 3. An upper unit including a cleaning auger for discharging a used developer from a discharge port, and a lower unit for supporting one end of the upper unit to be openable and closable.
A bellows portion which is disposed in the lower unit and extends in a state where the upper unit is opened from the lower unit,
An image forming apparatus, comprising: a rubber expansion / contraction portion, a coil spring, or a developer accommodating box having an expansion / contraction receiving port in which a magnet utilizing repulsive force is combined.