JPH079167Y2 - Image forming device - Google Patents

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Technical Field of the Invention] The present invention relates to an image forming apparatus in which waste toner generated during image formation is contained in a removable waste toner bottle (container).

[Conventional technology]

In an image forming apparatus such as a liquid crystal printer or an LED printer, a known PPC process is used to form a toner image of toner in a developing device based on an electrostatic latent image to form an image on a sheet. In such an image forming apparatus, the cleaner collects the residual toner that has not been transferred to the sheet during image formation. Normally, a tank is built in the cleaner to store residual toner, that is, waste toner. However, depending on the image forming apparatus, an apparatus including a detachable waste toner bottle is also used. In such an image forming apparatus, the waste toner collected by the cleaner is conveyed in the rotation axis direction by using a rotating body such as a coil spring and dropped into the waste toner bolt from the discharge port at the end of the cleaner. It is stored in the toner bolt. Therefore, the waste toner bottle is attached to the end of the cleaner.

On the other hand, as the image forming apparatus, there is known a so-called shell open structure in which the upper machine body can be largely opened with respect to the lower machine body in order to facilitate the maintenance and the assembling process. Here, a liquid crystal printer (hereinafter referred to as a printer) will be described as an example of an image forming apparatus having a shell open structure and provided with the above-described waste toner bottle with reference to FIG.

The printer P includes a recording unit 2 that forms and records recording information on the photosensitive drum 1, and a paper feeding unit 4 that sequentially feeds the paper 3 at a timing that matches the recording information formed on the photosensitive drum 1. , A sheet conveying section 5 for conveying the sheet 3, reversing it, and discharging it to a predetermined position. Recording unit 2
Is a charger 6 arranged near the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 1 to uniformly charge the photoconductor drum 1 and recording information on the photoconductor drum 1 to form an electrostatic latent image. A print head 7, a developing device 8 for developing the electrostatic latent image formed on the photosensitive drum 1 with toner, a transfer device 9 for transferring the developed recording information onto the sheet 3, and a transfer device for transferring the developed recording information onto the paper 3. It is composed of a cleaner 10 for removing the residual toner on the photosensitive drum 1 which has not been removed. The photoconductor drum 1, the charger 6, and the cleaner 10 are the process unit PU.
Is integrally formed and is detachably attached to the apparatus main body.

The paper feed unit 4 includes a paper feed cassette 11 for stacking and storing papers 3 of a predetermined size, a paper feed roller 12 for taking out the papers 3 one by one from the top, and feeding the papers 3. The turn guide 13 for reversing the paper and guiding the conveyance, and the paper 3
And a stopper 15 for conveying the sheet 3 toward the transfer unit 9 in time with the image on the photosensitive drum 1.

Further, the printer P is detachably provided with a waste toner bottle 16 for collecting the waste toner removed by the cleaner 10.
The structure for attaching / detaching the waste toner bottle 16 to / from the apparatus will be described later in detail.

The paper transport unit 5 is located above the paper feed cassette 11 and receives the paper 3 and a separation roller 17 that separates the paper 3 on which the image on the photoconductor drum 1 is transferred by the transfer device 9 from the photoconductor drum 1. Guide plate 18, a fixing device 19 for fixing the transferred toner image by heat and pressure, guide plates 20 and 21 for guiding the paper 3 upward, and the paper 3 along the guide plates 20 and 21. It is composed of a transport roll 22 that transports the paper 3 upward, a paper discharge roll 24 that discharges the paper 3 onto a paper discharge tray 23 provided on the upper surface of the housing of the printer P, and the like.

Further, the printer P is formed by being divided into an upper machine body UB and a lower machine body DB, and the upper machine body UB is configured to be half rotatable with respect to the lower machine body DB about a hinge portion 25.
Then, the above-mentioned photosensitive drum 1, charger 6 and cleaner
Process unit PU integrated with 10 is the upper fuselage UB
When the so-called shell is opened, it can be detached from the printer body.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view showing a state in which the process unit PU is removed. In the process unit PU, the photosensitive drum 1, the charger 6, and the cleaner 10 are integrally housed in a unit casing 26.

The drum shaft 1a of the photosensitive drum 1 is a unit casing 26.
Of the printer P and is detachably provided in the groove 31a of the unit mounting portion 31 of the printer P. Cleaner 10
Is a collection roll 28 and a toner transport part 29 that transports the residual toner collected by the collection roll 28 (FIG. 5) on the photosensitive drum 1 in a predetermined direction, and a toner discharge port provided at one end of the toner transport part 29. And a cap member 30 that opens and closes. A lever 30a is erected on the cap member 30 and is constantly urged by a spring (not shown) in a direction to close the toner discharge port. When the upper body (not shown) contacts the lever 30a, the lever 30a is rotated in the direction of arrow C to open the toner discharge port. When the toner discharge port is opened, the waste toner is discharged into the waste toner bottle 16 by the function of the toner transport unit 29.

FIG. 8 is a perspective view of a main part showing a mounting portion of the waste toner bottle 16 provided in the printer P. The mounting port cover 32 hinged to the lower body DB is unlocked by the claw 33 when the upper body UB is opened in the direction a, and can be opened in the direction of arrow b. Therefore, the upper fuselage UB is closed, and
The mounting port cover 32 does not open when the cap member 30 of the toner transport unit 29 described above is open. That is, upper body UB
Is closed by the upper fuselage UB.
As described with reference to FIG. 6, the cap member 30 is opened by rotating in the direction of arrow C, and at this time, the mounting port cover 32 of the printer P is not opened if the upper machine body UB is closed.

[Problems of conventional technology]

Therefore, in the image forming apparatus configured as described above, the waste toner bottle 16 can be replaced while the upper body UB is opened. However, as shown in FIG. 8, the mounting port cover 32 malfunctions. When the upper machine body UB is closed while being opened, that is, when the shell close is performed, the waste toner bottle 16 can be attached to and detached from the printer P with the upper machine body UB being in the closed state. Become. Therefore, if the waste toner bottle 16 is pulled out in this state, the cap member 30 at the waste toner discharge portion is open, and the toner is scattered into the machine.

Further, in order to solve this drawback, there is proposed a structure in which the mounting opening cover 32 is always biased by a spring in a closing direction so that the cover is automatically closed. However, at this level, a fundamental solution cannot be achieved. This is because even if the mounting opening cover 32 is biased by the spring, the upper body UB can be closed with the cover open. Therefore,
Although a mechanism has been proposed in which the opening / closing of the mounting port cover 32 and the opening / closing of the waste toner discharging unit are interlocked, both have a drawback that the mechanism is complicated and expensive.

[Purpose of device]

In view of the above-mentioned conventional drawbacks, the present invention prevents the toner from scattering into the image forming apparatus by allowing the waste toner to be discharged to the waste toner bottle only when the waste toner bottle is attached, and An object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of constructing such a mechanism simply and inexpensively.

[Key points of device]

In order to achieve the above object, the present invention has a cleaning mechanism that removes residual toner remaining on the peripheral surface of a photoconductor and discharges it as waste toner from an opening of a discharge part, and a first body having an apparatus main body that can be freely opened and closed. An image forming apparatus comprising a waste toner container that is detachably attached to the apparatus main body and that stores the waste toner discharged from the discharging unit, the apparatus main body being provided in the discharging unit. A first lid member that moves to a position where the waste toner container comes into contact with the waste toner container and closes the opening when the waste toner container is attached to the waste toner container; and a closing operation of the first machine body and the second machine body A second lid member that comes into contact with the first body and moves from a position that closes the opening to a position that opens is provided, and when the waste toner container is attached and the first body and the second body are closed. Only the first and second lid members are Characterized by opening the opening by moving to a position opening the aperture to be.

[Example of device]

Hereinafter, embodiments of the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings.

1 and FIG. 2, which is a sectional view taken along the line I-I of FIG. 1, show a main part of a printer P as an image forming apparatus according to the present invention, and show the relationship between a waste toner bottle and a process unit PU. Is. The overall configuration of the printer P is the same as that shown in FIG. 5, and the same members as those shown in FIG. 5 are designated by the same reference numerals and used in the following description.

In FIGS. 1 and 2, the waste toner bottle 16 is mounted in a waste toner bottle case 34 fixed to the lower machine body DB. The amount of waste toner collected in the waste toner bottle 16 is detected by an optical sensor (not shown). Also, the second
As shown in the figure, inside the toner carrying section 29 provided in a part of the process unit PU, a coil-like carrying member 37 is rotatably arranged by a drive mechanism (not shown). A toner discharge port 44a is formed at the end of 29. Further, a notch 34a is formed in the bottom of the waste toner bottle case 34, and a leaf spring 41 is fixedly provided in the notch 34a, and the waste toner bottle inserted by the leaf spring 41 is inserted.
16 is urged upward, and is in contact with the rib 42 of the process unit PU. The mounting port cover 32 is a hinge of the lower fuselage DB.
It is supported by 32a so as to be semi-rotatable in the directions of arrows b and b ', and is always biased by a spring member (not shown) in the closing direction (b' direction). In addition, a cushion member 43 is attached to a portion inside the mounting port cover 32 that abuts the waste toner bottle 16, and a claw 33 is provided at an upper end portion, and the upper body with the claw 33 closed. It is locked by UB and never opens.

Here, the configuration of each member in the vicinity of the waste toner discharging portion 44 which is the tip portion of the tor conveying portion 29 and which is the protruding portion of the process unit PU, and the detailed assembly of the cap member 30 and the like will be described with reference to FIG. As shown in the circle A of this figure, this discharge part
The process unit PU extends at the end of the process unit PU and projects in a cylindrical shape, and a discharge port 44a for discharging toner is formed below. Further, a cylindrical protrusion 44b is erected on the end surface 44d of the discharge portion 44, and a protrusion 44c is formed on the peripheral surface of the discharge portion 44. Further, a tension spring 45, which will be described later, is provided on the end surface 44d of the discharge portion 44.
A pin 44e for hooking a hook formed at one end of is also provided upright.

To the discharge portion 44 having such a configuration, the compression spring 46, the cap member 47, the partitioning fixture 48, the cap member 30, the tension spring 45,
Install lid 49 sequentially. To explain this assembly, first,
The compression spring 46 is hooked at the position shown by the chain double-dashed line 46 ', and at this time, one end 46a of the compression spring 46 is locked to the projection 44c on the peripheral surface of the discharge portion 44.

Next, the cap member 4 with the lever 47a formed on the discharge portion 44
7, the cutout surface 47b 'of the cutout portion 47b is the projection 44c described above.
Attach it by abutting it on the back surface (with respect to FIG. 4). Then, the other notch surface 47b ″ of the cap member 47 is locked to the one end 46b of the compression spring 46 described above.
Since 6a and 46b are springs that are processed so as to be urged in the separating direction, when the cap member 47 is attached as described above, the cap member 47 is urged in the arrow d direction. The cutout surface 47b 'comes into contact with the above-mentioned back surface of the protrusion 44c, and the stationary state is maintained. Therefore, the lever 47a moves the inclined surface 16d of the waste toner bottle 16 as described later.
When it comes into contact with the cap member 47 and receives a force in the direction of the arrow d ', the cap member 47
Rotates in the d'direction, but returns in the d direction when the waste toner bottle 16 is attached or detached or is not attached.
Therefore, the opening 47e provided in the cap member 47 is also configured to change its position as the cap member 47 rotates in the d or d'direction.

Next, in order to partition the cap members 47 and 30, the partitioning fixture 48
Hole 48a in the cylindrical projection 44b and the pin 44e in the hole 4a.
Penetrate to 8b.

Next, the cap member 30 is attached. Hole for this installation 30
The d is inserted into the convex portion 44b, and the pin 44e is inserted into the cutout portion 30c formed in the partition portion 30b in the cap member 30. Then, hooks at both ends of the tension spring 45 are hooked between the pin 44e and the pin 30e provided upright on the partition portion 30b. By this attachment, the cap member 30 is urged to rotate in the direction of arrow e, but the pin 44e abuts on the notch surface 30c ″ of the notch portion 30c, and the cap member 30 stands still in the posture shown in FIG. Face 30c ′, 3
There is an angle of approximately 90 ° between 0c ″. Therefore, the lever
As described above, the cap member 30 rotates in the e'direction when the upper member UB contacts the convex portion 36 of the upper member UB and receives a force in the arrow e'direction. However, when the upper member UB is opened, the cap member 30 is rotated.
30 rotates in the e direction and returns to the original position. Therefore, the opening 30e provided in the cap member 30 is also configured to change its position as the cap member 30 rotates.

Finally, the lid 49 is applied to the end surface of the cap member 30, and the screw 50 is inserted into the hole 49a and stopped, whereby the assembly of the discharge portion of the process unit PU (FIG. 3) is completed. In this state, the discharge port 44a of the discharge unit 44 assembled in this way is (normal)
It's closed. That is, the opening 47e of the cap member 47 does not match the discharge port 44a, and the opening 30e of the cap member 30 also does not match the discharge port 44a. Therefore, the discharge port 44a of the normal discharge unit 44 is blocked.

FIG. 7 is a perspective view showing an example of the waste toner bottle 16. A neck portion 16b is erected on the upper surface 16a of the waste toner bottle 16. Further, the corner portion between the upper surface 16a and the side surface 16c of the waste toner bottle 16 is configured by an inclined surface 16d, and the inclined surface 16d is provided with the above-mentioned lever 47a provided in the discharge portion 44 of the above-mentioned process unit PU. Abut. Further, a knob 16e is provided on the container body of the waste toner bottle 16 to move the waste toner bottle 1 in the direction of the arrow, and the printer P will be described later.
Used when loading and unloading the body.

The operation of the image forming apparatus configured as above will be described. In FIG. 1 and FIG. 2, the solid line shows the case where the process unit PU is installed in the apparatus and the waste toner bottle 16 is installed in the waste toner bottle case 34. When the image forming process is continued and the developer in the developing device 8 shown in FIG. 5 is consumed and the waste toner bottle 16 becomes almost full, the above-mentioned optical sensor is activated and the waste toner bottle is displayed on the display portion (not shown) of the printer P. View 16 replacement requests. When a request to replace the waste toner bottle 16 is displayed on the display unit, the operator replaces the waste toner bottle 16 according to the following replacement procedure.

First, the lock release lever (not shown) is operated to open the upper fuselage UB as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG. When the upper fuselage UB is opened, the mounting port cover
The claw 33 at the upper end of 32 is disengaged from the upper body UB and can be opened in the direction of arrow b as shown by the chain double-dashed line in FIG.
At the same time, the lever 30a pressed by the convex portion 36 which is a part of the upper body UB pivots upward (direction e in FIG. 1), and the opening 30e of the cap member 30 and the discharge port 44a do not match, The waste toner discharge port 44a is closed.

Next, the operator inserts the waste toner bottle 16 into the knob 16
Grasp e and pull out from the waste toner bottle case 34. By this operation, the inclined surface 16d of the waste toner bottle 16 and the lever 47a
Of the lever 47a (cap member
47) rotates in the d direction. Along with this rotation, the opening 47e
Also, the positions of the opening 47e and the waste toner discharge port 44a do not match.

Therefore, in this state, the waste toner discharge port 44a is closed by both the cap members 30 and 47, and the toner scattering does not occur even when the waste toner bottle 16 is removed or vibrated during replacement. Also, the process unit PU
Similarly, when the toner is removed from the apparatus main body, since the waste toner discharge port 44a is closed, the waste toner does not scatter and there is no fear that the inside of the apparatus is contaminated with the toner.

After removing the old waste toner bottle 16 in this way,
A new waste toner bottle 16 is attached to the waste toner bottle case 34 by opening the attachment port cover 32. Waste toner bottle case
Since the leaf spring 41 is fixedly installed at the bottom portion of the 34, the attached waste toner bottle 16 is pushed upward.

Next, as shown in FIG. 3, when the process unit PU is mounted (or already mounted) from above, the upper end of the waste toner bottle 16 is pressed against the rib 42 provided at the lower end of the toner transport unit 29. , It moves down to a predetermined position against the biasing force of the leaf spring 41. Further, when the mounting port cover 32 is closed, the waste toner bottle 16 is pressed and fixed in the right direction in FIG. 2 by the cushion member 43 attached to the inside of the cover. At this time, the inclined surface 16d of the waste toner bottle 16 rotates the lever 47a in the d'direction to align the opening 47e of the cap member 47 with the waste toner discharge port 44a.

Next, when the upper machine body UB is closed, the claw 33 provided on the upper end of the mounting port cover 32 is locked and fixed to a part of the exterior of the upper machine body. Therefore, it does not open outward. In addition, the gap between the lower end of the toner transport unit 29 and the neck 16a of the waste toner bottle 16 is in close contact.

Further, when the upper body UB is closed from above the process unit PU, as shown in FIG. 1, the convex portion 36 pushes and rotates the lever 30a erected on the cap member 30, so that the cap member 30 is e ′. By rotating in the direction, the opening 30e of the cap member 30 and the waste toner discharge port 44a are aligned with each other. Therefore, the toner delivery unit 29 and the waste toner bottle 16 are connected to the discharge port 44.
a, the waste toner can be collected by communicating through the openings 47e and 30e.

Therefore, when the upper body UB is closed while the mounting opening cover 32 is opened due to a malfunction or the like by the above operation, even if the waste toner bottle 16 is removed, the discharge opening 44a is rotated in the d direction of the lever 47a. Due to the movement, the toner will not be closed and the waste toner will not be scattered.

In the above-mentioned embodiment, the cleaner is the process unit.
I have described an example that was configured integrally as a part of PU,
Of course, the present invention is not limited to this, and can be applied to other cleaning mechanisms.

[Effect of device]

As described above in detail, according to the present invention, since the member for opening and closing the discharge port of the waste toner is provided in association with the loading and unloading of the waste toner bottle and the opening and closing of the upper machine, the waste toner when the upper machine is closed. Even if the bottle is removed, the waste toner is prevented from scattering. Therefore, even if the user accidentally detaches the waste toner bottle from the apparatus when the upper body is closed, the waste toner does not scatter in the apparatus.

Further, the present invention has a simple structure and can be provided at low cost.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a side view of an essential part showing an example of the printer of this embodiment, FIG. 2 is a sectional view of the essential part showing an example of the printer of this embodiment, and FIG. 3 is used for the printer of this embodiment. FIG. 4 is a perspective view showing an example of mounting a process unit to be used, FIG. 4 is an overall perspective view showing an example of a discharging unit, FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram showing the overall configuration of a printer, and FIG. 6 is a conventional process unit. FIG. 7 is a perspective view of the waste toner bottle when it is attached to the lower body, and FIG. 8 is a perspective view showing a mounting / dismounting portion of the waste toner bottle of the printer. P ... Printer, PU ... Process unit, UB ... Upper machine, DB ... Lower machine, 10 ... Cleaner, 16 ... Waste toner bottle, 16a ... Top, 16b ... Neck, 16c ... Side, 1
6d …… Sloping surface, 16e …… Knob, 29 …… Toner transport, 30,47 …… Cap member, 30a, 47a …… Lever.44
...... Ejection unit, 44a ...... Ejection port,

 ─────────────────────────────────────────────────── ─── Continuation of the front page (72) Moritaka Takashi Inventor 2-229 Sakuragaoka, Higashiyamato-shi, Tokyo Casio Electronics Co., Ltd. (56) Reference JP-A-61-233766 (JP, A) Kaisho 59-137978 (JP, A)

Claims (1)

[Scope of utility model registration request] 1. A first body and a second body, each of which has a cleaning mechanism for removing residual toner remaining on the peripheral surface of a photoconductor and discharging the residual toner from an opening of a discharge portion as waste toner.
An image forming apparatus comprising a waste toner container that is composed of a machine body and is detachable from the apparatus body and that stores the waste toner discharged from the discharge section, wherein the discharge section includes the waste toner to the apparatus body. A first lid member that moves from a position where it abuts against the waste toner container to close the opening to a position where the waste toner container is opened during the mounting operation of the waste toner container; and the first lid member when the first and second bodies are closed. A second lid member that moves from a position that closes the opening to a position where the waste toner container is abutted against the machine body is provided, and the second cover member is installed only when the waste toner container is attached and when the first machine body and the second machine body are closed. An image forming apparatus, wherein both the first and second lid members move to a position where the opening is opened to open the opening.