JPH0733259Y2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION (Industrial field of application) The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus for forming an image on a recording paper by transferring a toner image formed on a photoconductor to the recording paper, and in particular, a toner The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus having a mechanism for collecting discharged toner remaining on a photoconductor to which an image has been transferred.

(Prior Art) For example, in an electrophotographic copying machine, after forming an electrostatic latent image on a photosensitive drum and developing the electrostatic latent image with toner,
The toner image is transferred to recording paper to form a copy image. Exhaust toner remains on the photoconductor drum to which the toner image has been transferred. The waste toner is removed from the photoconductor drum by the cleaning device, and is conveyed to the waste toner collecting container. It is stored inside.

In the discharged toner collecting container, the discharged toner conveyed by a predetermined conveying means is introduced through an opening formed on the upper surface of the container, so that the discharged toner is accumulated in a mountain shape below the opening. . As a result, there is a possibility that the discharged toner overflows from the discharged toner collecting container, even though there is a space in the discharged toner collecting container where the discharged toner can be collected.

Therefore, in order to uniformly disperse the discharged toner accumulated below the opening in the discharged toner collecting container, power is transmitted to the discharged toner collecting container to swing the container. ing. However, in order to swing the waste toner collecting container, not only parts such as a cam body and a spring are required, but also noise may occur when swinging. Further, if the power for swinging the discharged toner collecting container is introduced from the drive source for rotating the photoconductor drum or the like in the copying machine, the photoconductor drum may be unevenly rotated.

In order to solve such a problem, for example,
In Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 115270, when the upper unit and the lower unit are dispersed, the discharged toner collecting container is rotated by its own weight in order to uniformly disperse the discharged toner accumulated in the discharged toner collecting container. A copying machine having a structure is disclosed.

In the copying machine disclosed in this publication, the upper unit is rotatable with respect to the lower unit with the recording paper conveyance path as a boundary, and when a paper jam occurs, the upper unit moves upward from the lower unit. It is rotated. The discharged toner removed from the photoconductor is conveyed to a discharged toner collecting container arranged on the side of the recording paper conveying path by a predetermined conveying means arranged in the upper unit. The discharged toner collecting container is arranged so as to be rotatable only in the vertical direction (vertical direction) by its own weight with respect to the discharged toner conveying means. Therefore,
When the upper frame is rotated upward with respect to the lower frame due to paper jam processing, etc., the waste toner collection container is
The discharged toner, which is rotated downward by its own weight and is piled up in the container, is uniformly dispersed over the entire container.

(Problems to be Solved by the Invention) In the copying machine disclosed in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. Sho 60-115270, the discharged toner collecting container is arranged laterally of the recording paper conveyance path along the recording paper conveyance path. In addition, the discharged toner collecting container can only rotate by its own weight. Therefore, when the upper unit is rotated upward with respect to the lower unit, the discharged toner collecting container is rotated in the vertical direction by its own weight, and is in an inclined state along the recording paper conveyance path. As a result, the discharged toner collecting container closes the recording paper conveyance path on the side of the recording paper conveyance path. Therefore, when removing the paper jammed in the recording paper conveyance path, it is necessary to manually lift the discharged toner collecting container to open the recording paper conveyance path.

The present invention solves the above-mentioned conventional problems, and an object thereof is to provide a waste toner recovery container when a photoconductor unit having a photoconductor or the like attached thereto is rotated with respect to a lower base unit. The structure is such that the discharged toner can be tilted by its own weight so as to be evenly dispersed throughout the container, and it can also be rotated to the side of the recording paper conveyance path to open the recording paper conveyance path. An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus that can easily perform paper jam processing.

(Means for Solving Problems) In the image forming apparatus of the present invention, with the recording paper conveyance path as a boundary,
An image forming apparatus in which a photoconductor unit to which a photoconductor or the like is attached is rotatably arranged with respect to a lower base unit, and a side of a recording paper conveyance path is provided to collect discharged toner removed from the photoconductor. And a discharge toner recovery container having an opening located below the discharge port of the discharge toner, the discharge toner recovery container is directly or indirectly connected to the discharge port, and the discharge toner recovery container is And a connecting unit for horizontally rotating the container around the discharge port toward the front and for tilting the discharged toner collecting container in the vertical direction by its own weight as the photosensitive unit rotates. Therefore, the above object is achieved.

(Embodiment) An embodiment of the present invention in an electrophotographic copying machine will be described below.

As shown in FIG. 2, the electrophotographic copying machine, which is the image forming apparatus of the present invention, has an optical device 11 disposed at the upper portion thereof, and a photosensitive drum 10 disposed at the substantially central portion thereunder. There is.
Around the photosensitive drum 10, as in the conventional electrophotographic copying machine, a charging device 12, which uniformly charges the photosensitive drum 10,
A developing device 13 for developing the electrostatic latent image formed by the optical device 11 on the charged photoconductor drum 10 by toner, a transfer device 14 for transferring the toner image on the photoconductor to a recording paper, and a recording paper for the photoconductor. A separating device 15 for further separating and a cleaning device 16 for collecting the residual toner on the photoconductor are arranged.

The photosensitive drum 10 is located at a position near the lower part of the machine in the vertical direction.
A recording paper conveyance path 17 is formed which passes through the transfer device 14 and the separation device 15 and cuts the machine body in the vertical direction. A fixing device 18 for fixing the toner image transferred onto the recording paper to the recording paper is disposed downstream of the recording paper conveying path 17.

The recording paper conveying path 17 is connected from the fixing device 18 to the paper discharge port 19, and extends upwardly through the recording paper reversing path 21 and the recording paper circulating path that passes through the lower part of the machine and is connected to the upstream portion of the recording paper conveying path 17. It is also connected to road 22.

Such an electrophotographic copying machine can copy an image only on one side of the recording paper, and can also perform double-sided copying in which the image is also copied on the back side of the recording paper on which the image is formed. Synthetic copying is also possible in which an image is further formed on the image forming surface of the formed recording paper. In the case of normal single-sided copying, the recording paper on which the toner image has been transferred and fixed is discharged from the machine through the paper discharge port 19, but in the case of double-sided copying,
The recording paper on which the toner image is fixed is once conveyed from the recording paper conveyance path 17 into the upper recording paper reversal path 21, and then is conveyed to the lower recording paper circulation path 22. Then, while passing through the recording paper circulation path 22, the recording paper is inverted so that the surface on which the toner image is fixed faces downward and is introduced into the upstream portion of the recording paper transport path 17. In the case of composite copying, the recording paper on which the toner image has been fixed is conveyed directly from the recording paper conveyance path 17 to the recording paper circulation path 22.
The toner image is conveyed inward and is introduced into the upstream portion of the recording paper conveyance path 17 from the recording paper circulation path 22 without being inverted, with the surface on which the toner image is fixed facing upward.

In the electrophotographic copying machine, as shown in FIG. 3, an optical unit 31 provided with an optical device 11 arranged at the upper part of the machine body is attached.
And the recording paper conveyance path 17 as a boundary, the photosensitive drum 10 and the developing device 1
3, photoconductor unit with cleaning device 16 installed
32 and a base unit 33 to which a transfer device 14, a separating device 15, a recording paper reversing path 21, a recording paper circulating path 22 and the like are attached. The base unit 33 and the photoconductor unit 32 are divided with the recording paper conveyance path 17 as a boundary, and the photoconductor unit 32 is engaged with the base unit 33 so that the end of the base unit 33 on the sheet feeding side is engaged. It is supported by a support shaft 34 arranged above so as to be vertically rotatable with respect to the base unit 33.

The optical unit 31 is rotatably supported with respect to the base unit 33 by a support shaft 35 provided above the paper discharge port 19 in the base unit 33.

The optical unit 31 and the photoconductor unit 32 are connected by a link plate 36. The link plate 36 is a photosensitive member unit 32.
One end is rotatably supported by a link pin 37 disposed above the pivoting tip portion on the side opposite to the side where the support shaft 34 is disposed. The link plate 36 is located above the paper feed side from the one end in a normal copying operation state in which the photoconductor unit 32 is engaged in the base unit 33, and the optical unit 31 and the photoconductor unit 32 are in contact with each other. And the tip end portion thereof is movably locked to a link pin 38 disposed at a proper position on the side of the rotation tip end of the optical unit 31.

Therefore, as shown in FIG.
When the photoconductor unit 32 is rotated upwards (counterclockwise direction in FIG. 3) around the center 35, the photoconductor unit 32 is pulled by the optical unit 31 and upwards (clockwise direction in FIG. 3) around the support shaft 34. Direction).

A positioning pin 39 is provided at an appropriate position of the base unit 33 facing the lower surface of the rotating tip of the photoconductor unit 32 (upper side of the position where the separating device 15 is provided in the recording paper conveyance direction). An engaging recess 32a that engages with the positioning pin 39 when the photosensitive unit 32 is rotated downward to engage with the base unit 33 is provided on the lower surface of the rotating tip of the body unit 32. Has been done.

Then, as shown in FIG.
When the photoconductor unit 32 is rotated downwardly (clockwise in FIG. 3) from a state in which the photoconductor unit 32 is rotated upward about the support shaft 34, the photoconductor unit 32 is pressed by the link plate 36 and is rotated downward about the support shaft 34 (see FIG. The photoconductor unit 32 is engaged with the base unit 33 by being rotated counterclockwise in the figure). At this time, the engaging pin 32 of the base unit 33 is engaged with the engaging recess 32a of the photoconductor unit 32 to position the photoconductor unit 32 with respect to the base unit 33, and the photoconductor drum 10 is transferred to the transfer device.
It is set at a predetermined position opposite to 14.

Below the cleaning device 16 attached to the photoconductor unit 32, as shown in FIG. 2, there is provided a toner discharge device 41 for carrying the discharged toner removed from the photoconductor drum 10, for example, using a spiral conveyor. It is arranged.

In the discharged toner conveying device 41, the downstream side in the discharged toner conveying direction is
It extends to the front side of the machine body so as to be located on the side of the recording paper conveyance path 17, and as shown in FIG. 1, it is located at the corner of the drum side plate 32b arranged on the front side of the machine body of the photoconductor unit 32. Insert the notch. A discharge port 42 projecting downward is provided at a downstream end of the discharged toner conveying device 41 which penetrates the drum side plate 32b in the discharged toner conveying direction, and the discharged toner collecting container 43 is provided in the discharge port 42. However, the discharge port 42 is arranged so as to be rotatable about its axis and tiltable in the vertical direction.

The discharged toner collecting container 43 is elongated along the recording paper conveying path 17, and the paper feeding side portion of the bottom surface thereof is inclined so that the paper feeding side end is located above. An opening 43a is formed at the paper discharge side end of the upper surface of the discharged toner collecting container 43, and a connector 44 is interposed in the opening 43a. The discharged toner collecting container 43 is connected to the discharge port 42 of the discharged toner conveying device 41 by the connecting tool 44.

As shown in FIG. 4, the connecting member 44 has a disc shape, and an opening in the waste toner collecting container 43 is formed on the outer peripheral surface thereof.
A groove 44a is formed so that the peripheral edge of the 43a is slidably fitted. Further, a long hole 44b extending in the recording paper conveying direction is formed in the connecting tool 44, and a lower end portion of a discharge port 42 protruding downward of the discharged toner conveying device 41 is formed at a central portion of the long hole 44b. Are fitted. The connector 44 is supported by the discharge port 42 by a pair of pins 45 and 45 so that the connector 44 can be vertically tilted in a plane orthogonal to the discharged toner conveying direction.

In the base unit 33, when the photoconductor unit 32 is connected to the base unit 33, a container receiver 46 that engages with the bottom surface of the waste toner collecting container 43 to support the waste toner collecting container 43 in a substantially horizontal state. Is provided.

When the photoconductor unit 32 is rotated upward with respect to the base unit 33 from the state in which the photoconductor unit 32 and the base unit 33 are connected, as shown in FIG. Due to the own weight of the container 43, the pins 45 and 45 are tilted in the clockwise direction in FIG. 5 so that the sheet feeding side end is located downward. When the upper surface of the end of the elongated hole 44b of the connecting tool 44 on the sheet discharge side contacts the discharge port 42 of the discharged toner conveying device 41, the tilting of the connecting tool 44 is stopped and the discharged toner collecting container 43 moves to a predetermined position. It is tilted.

The connecting tool 44 is slidably engaged with the peripheral edge portion of the opening 43a of the discharged toner collecting container 43, and therefore, in the state where the connecting tool 44 is attached to the discharge port 42 of the discharged toner conveying device 41. As shown in FIG. 6, the waste toner collecting container 43 has a connecting member.
It can be pivoted to the side of the recording paper conveyance path 17 about the center of the recording paper conveyance path 17 to separate it. Side surface 44 of the discharged toner collection container 43 on the discharge side
The d and the side surface facing the drum side plate 32b are continuous via a curved surface 43c so that the discharged toner collecting container 43 can rotate without contacting the drum side plate 32b.

In the electrophotographic copying machine having such a structure, the base unit 33
The photoconductor unit 32 is engaged with, and the copying operation is performed with the lower surface of the optical unit 31 contacting the upper surface of the photoconductor unit 32. In this case, as shown in FIG. 1, the discharged toner collecting container 43 is locked to the container receiver 46 arranged in the base unit 33 and is in a substantially horizontal state. In this state, the toner discharged on the photoconductor drum 10 is removed by the cleaning device.
The toner is removed from the photoconductor drum 10 by 16 and is conveyed by the discharged toner conveying device 41 to the discharged toner collecting container 43 on the side of the recording paper conveying path 17, and the discharged toner collecting container is discharged from the discharge port 42.
It is thrown into 43. The discharged toner charged in the discharged toner collecting container 43 is accumulated in a mountain shape below the discharge port 42 as shown in FIG.

As described above, when the discharged toner is collected from the photoconductor drum 10 and the recording paper conveying path 17 is jammed while the predetermined copying operation is being performed, or the toner in the developing device 13 is consumed. When it is necessary to replenish toner, the optical unit 31 is rotated upward about the support shaft 35. As a result, the photoconductor unit 32 is also pulled by the link plate 36 and rotated upward with respect to the base frame 33. In this case, with the upward rotation of the photoconductor unit 32, the discharged toner conveying device 41 is also moved upward, and the discharged toner conveying device 41
As shown in FIG. 7, the discharged toner collecting container 43 attached to the discharge port 42 via the connecting member 44 is pulled by the discharge port 42 and moves upward. As a result, the waste toner collecting container 43
Is tilted about its own pins 45 and 45 due to its own weight, and its bottom surface moves along the container receiver 46, so that its paper feed side end is moved downward, as shown in FIG. Then, the bottom surface of the container receiver 46 is disengaged, and the end of the elongated hole 44b of the connector 44 is locked to the discharge port 42, whereby the discharged toner collecting container 43 is stopped in a predetermined inclined state. In this case, the waste toner accumulated in the waste toner collecting container 43 in a mountain shape moves in the container 43 as the container tilts,
As shown in the figure, it accumulates at the end rotated downward.

In this state, the discharged toner collecting container 43 is horizontally moved forward in a direction away from the recording paper conveyance path 17 in order to open the recording paper conveyance path 17 to the side, as shown in FIG. It is rotated. As a result, the recording paper conveyance path 17 is opened laterally, and the recording paper jammed in the recording paper conveyance path 17 is removed. Then, when the predetermined paper jam processing is completed,
The discharged toner collecting container 43 is rotated so as to close the side of the recording paper conveyance path 17, and then the optical unit 31 is rotated downward. When the photoconductor unit 32 is rotated downward to engage with the base unit 33, the waste toner collecting container 43
With the downward rotation of the photoconductor unit 32, the bottom surface of the photoconductor unit 32 is engaged with the container receiver 46 and the leading end of the paper feed side is rotated upward. When the photoconductor unit 32 is rotated further downward, the engaging recess 32a of the photoconductor unit 32 is engaged with the positioning pin 39 of the base unit 33 to be positioned. At this time, the waste toner collecting container 43 is locked by the container receiver 46,
The substantially horizontal state is achieved, and the discharged toner in the discharged toner collecting container 43 is uniformly dispersed over the entire lower portion of the container 43.

In the above embodiment, the discharge port 42 of the discharged toner conveying device 41
And the waste toner collecting container 43 are connected by a connecting tool 44. However, without using such a connecting tool 44, the discharge port 42 of the waste toner conveying device 41 and the waste toner collecting container 43 are connected. Good. As an example in which the connecting tool 44 is not used, for example, as shown in FIGS.
A flange portion 42a is formed at the lower end portion of the discharge port 42 and a long hole 43e is formed on the upper surface of the discharged toner collecting container 43. The long hole 43e extends in the longitudinal direction of the discharged toner collecting container 43, and the discharge side end of the elongated hole 43e is locked by the flange portion 42a provided in the discharge port 42 so that the discharge port 42 slides. It is big enough to get. The other paper feeding side end is the flange
42a has a circular shape that can be inserted, and the flange portion 42a of the discharge port 42 is inserted from the end portion of the circular shape, and the flange portion 42a is moved to the other end side along the long hole 43e. Thus, the flange portion 42a is locked in the elongated hole 43e. Then, the lid 43f is locked to the circular end portion of the elongated hole 43e on the paper feeding side to prevent the flange portion 42a from coming off the elongated hole 43e.

With such a configuration, since the flange portion 42a of the discharge port 42 is locked to the long hole 43e of the discharged toner collection container 43, the discharged toner collection container 43 is centered around the discharge port 42.
It can be rotated around its axis, and as shown in FIG. 9C, the flange portion 42a is tilted by its own weight without coming off from the elongated hole 43e.

(Effect of the Invention) As described above, the image forming apparatus according to the present invention has a waste toner collecting container whose opening is located below the discharge port of the waste toner, and the waste toner collecting container directly or indirectly with respect to the discharge port. And a discharge toner recovery container that is horizontally rotatable around the discharge port toward the front and that tilts the discharge toner recovery container in the vertical direction by its own weight as the photoconductor unit rotates. When the photosensitive member unit is rotated upward with respect to the basic unit,
The discharged toner collecting container is tilted by its own weight. Therefore, the discharged toner accumulated in a mountain shape in the discharged toner collecting container is uniformly dispersed throughout the container. Therefore, the toner collecting ability of the container can be effectively utilized, and as a result, the amount of toner collected per collecting container can be increased. Further, since the discharged toner collecting container can be horizontally rotated forward, the front of the recording paper conveyance path can be largely opened when performing the paper jam processing. Therefore, the paper jammed in the recording paper conveyance path can be easily removed. Further, at that time, it is not necessary to manually lift the waste toner collecting container.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a partially cutaway side view of a waste toner collecting container in an electrophotographic copying machine which is an image forming apparatus of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the electrophotographic copying machine, and FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional view for explaining the operation of the machine, FIG. 4 is a plan view of a main portion of the waste toner collecting container, FIG. 5 is a partially cutaway side view for explaining the operation of the waste toner collecting container, and FIG. FIG. 7 is a plan view of the collecting container, FIGS. 7 and 8 are perspective views of the discharged toner collecting container for explaining the operation, and FIG. 9 (a) is a cross-sectional view of an essential part of another embodiment of the present invention. FIG. 9B is a plan view thereof, and FIG. 9C is a sectional view for explaining the operation. 16 ... Cleaning device, 17 ... Recording paper conveying path, 31 ... Optical unit, 32 ... Photoconductor unit, 33 ... Base unit, 41 ... Exhaust toner conveying device, 42 ... Discharge port, 43 ... Exhaust toner collecting container, 44 ...
Connector.

Claims (4)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. An image forming apparatus in which a photoconductor unit to which a photoconductor or the like is attached is rotatably arranged with respect to a lower base unit with a recording paper conveyance path as a boundary, and is removed from the photoconductor. A waste toner collecting container, which is located on the side of the recording paper conveyance path to collect the waste toner and has an opening below the discharge port for the waste toner, and the waste toner collecting container is directly connected to the discharge port. The exhaust toner recovery container, and the exhaust toner recovery container is horizontally rotatable forward around the discharge port, and the exhaust toner recovery container is self-weighted as the photoconductor unit rotates. And an image forming apparatus that includes a connecting unit that tilts in a vertical direction. 2. A flange portion is formed at a lower end portion of the discharge port, and a portion of the upper surface of the discharged toner collecting container has a diameter smaller than the diameter of the flange portion and the other portion is the flange portion. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein a long hole having a diameter larger than the diameter of the long hole is formed, and the discharge port is directly connected to a small diameter portion of the long hole. 3. A utility model registration in which an opening is formed on an upper surface of the waste toner collecting container, and the discharge port is indirectly connected to the waste toner collecting container through a connecting tool interposed in the opening. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1. 4. The connecting member is disk-shaped, has a groove on the outer peripheral surface into which the peripheral edge of the opening of the discharged toner collecting container is slidably fitted, and is extended in the recording paper conveying direction. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 3, wherein the utility model registration has a long hole, the lower end of the discharge port is fitted in the center of the long hole, and is pin-connected.