JPH08262946A - Discharged toner box and image forming device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE: To provide a discharged toner box whose cover surface exposed to the outside is not soiled by toner in a state where the cover shields an opening, and an image forming device. CONSTITUTION: This discharged toner box 100 is constituted of the cover 105 shielding/opening the opening 101 of the toner box 100 and provided to move in nearly the same direction as the attaching/detaching direction of a cleaning device, a projection 105a which is provided on the cover 105 side and on which the cleaning device can abut, and an energizing means 106 energizing the cover 105 in a direction where the opening 101 is shielded.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention scrapes off the discharged toner after the transfer of an image carrier and is disposed below a cleaning device detachably attached to the main body of the apparatus. The present invention relates to a discharge toner box having an opening for storing the discharge toner therein and an image forming apparatus using the discharge toner box.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art FIG. 5 is a block diagram of a color printer as an example of an image forming apparatus. In the figure, reference numeral 1 denotes a photoconductor drum which is an image carrier, and is an OPC photoconductor coated on the drum, which is electrically grounded, and is rotationally driven in the clockwise direction (direction of arrow I in the figure). Reference numeral 2 denotes a scorotron charger, which uniformly charges the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 at a potential V _H by corona discharge by a grid held at a potential V _G and a corona discharge wire. Prior to the charging by the scorotron charger 2, in order to eliminate the history of the photoreceptor until the previous print, the exposure is performed by the exposure device (for example, PCL) 3 using a light emitting diode or the like to remove the charge on the peripheral surface of the photoreceptor. Keep it.

After the photosensitive drum 1 is uniformly charged, the image exposure means 10 performs image exposure based on an image signal.
The image exposure means 10 uses a laser diode (not shown) as a light emitting source and performs scanning while the optical path is bent by the reflecting mirror 12 via a rotating polygon mirror 11, fθ lens, etc., and rotation of the photosensitive drum 1 (sub scanning). Form an electrostatic latent image. Here, the character portion is exposed to form an inverted latent image in which the character portion has a lower potential VL.

At the periphery of the photosensitive drum 1, there is provided a developing device 20 in which a two-component developer composed of a toner such as yellow (Y), magenta (M), cyan (C), black (K) and a carrier is incorporated. First, the development of the first color is carried out by the developing sleeve 21 which contains a magnet and holds the developer and rotates. The developer is composed of a carrier in which magnetite is used as a core and an insulating resin is coated around the core, and a toner having a pigment as a main material and a charge control agent, silica, titanium oxide, etc., according to the color,
The developer is formed on the developing sleeve 21 by the layer forming means.
The layer is regulated to a layer thickness (developer) of μm to 600 μm and conveyed to the developing area.

Developing sleeve 21 and photoconductor in the developing area
The gap with the drum 1 (development gap) is larger than the layer thickness (developer)
0.2 mm to 1.0 mm, and the voltage value V_ACAC Bahia
And the voltage value V_DCDC bias of is superimposed and applied. V
_DCAnd V_HTherefore, since the toner charges have the same polarity, V_ACBy
The toner that gives the opportunity to leave the carrier is V _DC
Higher potential V_HDoes not adhere to the_DCMore potential
It adheres to the low VL portion and is visualized (reverse development).

After the visualization of the first color is completed, the image forming process for the second color is started, the uniform charging is performed again by the scorotron charger 2, and the electrostatic latent image based on the image data of the second color is exposed to the image exposing means. Formed by 10. At this time, the charge removal by the exposure device 3 performed in the image forming process of the first color is not performed because the toner attached to the image portion of the first color scatters due to the rapid decrease in the potential around the image.

Again, an electrostatic latent image similar to that of the first color is formed on the portion of the photoconductor having the potential of V _H over the entire peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 1 without the image of the first color. , Development is performed, but in the portion where the development of the image of the first color is carried out again, the electrostatic latent image of the potential VM is formed by the light shielded by the toner adhering to the first color and the electric charge of the toner itself. Development is performed according to the potential difference between V _DC and V _M. In the overlapping portion of the images of the first and second colors, if the development of the first color is performed by creating an electrostatic latent image of V _L , the balance between the first and second colors is lost, so the exposure amount of the first color is reduced. It may be reduced to an intermediate potential such that V _H > V _M > V _L.

An image forming process similar to that for the second color is performed for the third and fourth colors, and a visible image of four colors is formed on the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1. On the other hand, the recording paper P carried out from the paper feed cassette 15 via the half-moon roller 16 is temporarily stopped, and when the transfer timing is adjusted, the recording paper P is fed to the transfer area by the rotation operation of the paper feed roller 17. .

In the transfer area, the transfer roller 18 is pressed against the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 in synchronism with the transfer timing, and the supplied recording paper P is nipped and a multicolor image is transferred at once. To be done.

Next, the recording paper P is discharged at almost the same time by the discharging electrode 19 which is brought into a pressure contact state, separated from the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 and conveyed to the fixing device 30, where the heat roller 3
The toner is fused by heating and pressurizing 1 and the fixing roller (pressure bonding roller) 32, and then the toner is ejected to the outside of the apparatus through the paper ejection roller 41.

Incidentally, the transfer roller 18 and the removing electrode 19 described above.
After the recording paper P has passed, it is retracted from the peripheral surface of the photosensitive drum 1 to prepare for the next toner image formation. On the other hand, recording paper
The photoconductor drum 1 from which P is separated is a cleaning device 50.
Removing and cleaning the discharged toner by pressing the blade 51 of
The charge is again removed by the exposure device 3 and charged by the scorotron charger 2, and the next image forming process starts.

The blade 51 moves immediately after cleaning the surface of the photoconductor and retracts from the peripheral surface of the photoconductor drum 1. In this image forming apparatus, the photoconductor drum 1, the scorotron charger 2, the exposure device 3, and the cleaning device 50 are assembled into a process unit 5 in the direction of arrow II (horizontal direction) in the figure. It is removable.

Further, the image forming apparatus shown in the figure is capable of manually feeding paper in addition to the automatic paper feeding mechanism. The recording paper P manually fed by the manual paper feed tray 70 is conveyed by the rotation of the pickup roller 71,
The sheet is fed to the transfer area through the same process as the sheet feeding from the sheet feeding cassette 15 described above.

The discharged toner on the photosensitive drum removed by the blade 51 is conveyed to the back side of the apparatus by a conveying screw 52 provided in the lower portion of the cleaning apparatus 50.

An opening is formed in the lower portion of the back side of the cleaning device 50, and the discharged toner carried by the carrying screw 52 falls from this opening. A transfer discharge toner unit 60, which serves as a discharge toner box for storing discharge toner, has a transfer roller 18 below the cleaning device.
Is provided. The transfer discharge toner unit 60 is shown in FIG.
As shown in, an opening 61 through which the toner discharged from the cleaning device 50 falls is formed. The opening 61 is provided rotatably around an axis horizontal to the opening plane,
A lid 62 that covers / opens the opening 61 is attached.

One end of the lid 62 is locked to the transfer discharge toner unit 60 main body side, and an intermediate portion is wound around a shaft.
The other end is a torsion spring 63 locked to the lid 62.
Is biased in a direction to cover the opening 61.

Further, the lid 62 is formed with a protrusion 64 extending upward so that the lower portion of the process unit 5 can come into contact therewith. Then, when the process unit 5 is attached to the image forming apparatus in the direction of arrow III (horizontal direction) in FIG.
The lower portion of the process unit 5 pushes the protrusion 64 of the lid 62 that hides the opening 61 against the biasing force of the torsion spring 63, and the lid 62 rotates (FIG. 7B), and the opening 61 is opened. Thus, the state where the toner discharged from the cleaning device 50 can be stored inside is completed.

[0018]

However, in the transfer / discharge toner unit 60 of the image forming apparatus having the above-described structure, when the opening 61 is in an open state, the surface (upper surface) exposed to the outside when the opening 61 of the lid 62 is concealed. The discharged toner falling from the transfer discharge toner unit 60 adheres to the 62a side.

Therefore, when the recording paper P of the image forming apparatus causes a jam in the vicinity of the transfer portion, the process unit 5 must be removed from the image forming apparatus and the user needs to remove the jammed recording paper P. At this time, since the surface of the lid 62 that covers the opening 61 is exposed to the outside by the discharged toner, there is a problem that the user's hand and clothes are soiled.

Further, even when the transfer and discharge toner unit 60 is replaced, there is a problem that the user's hands and clothes are similarly soiled. The present invention has been made in view of the above problems, and an object thereof is to provide an ejected toner box and an image forming apparatus in which the surface of the lid exposed to the outside is not contaminated with toner when the lid is in a state of concealing the opening. To do.

[0021]

Means for Solving the Problems A first method for solving the above problems is described below.
According to the invention, the discharged toner after the transfer of the image carrier is scraped off, and at the bottom of the cleaning device detachably provided in the apparatus main body in a substantially horizontal direction, an opening through which the discharged toner falls is provided. And a lid provided to cover and open the opening of the waste toner box and to be movable in substantially the same direction as the mounting and demounting direction of the cleaning device. A protrusion that is provided on the side and against which the cleaning device can abut,
And an urging means for urging the lid in a direction of concealing the opening.

Here, it is desirable to integrally form the protrusion and the lid. A second invention for solving the above-mentioned problems is to scrape off the discharged toner after the transfer of the image carrier and to be detachably attached to the main body of the apparatus, and to be disposed below the cleaning apparatus. In an image forming apparatus having an opening through which the discharged toner falls and an exhaust toner box for storing the discharged toner inside, an attaching / detaching direction of the cleaning device is substantially horizontal, and an opening of the transfer discharging toner unit is A cover provided to be concealed / opened and movable in substantially the same direction as the mounting and demounting direction of the cleaning device, a protrusion provided on the lid side, with which the cleaning device can abut, and the opening to the lid. And an urging means for urging in the direction to conceal.

[0023]

In the waste toner box of the first invention, when the cleaning device is mounted, the cleaning device pushes the projection of the waste toner box against the biasing force of the biasing means, the lid retracts from the opening, and the opening opens. Then, the discharged toner can fall through the opening.

Since the lid moves in substantially the same direction as the horizontal direction which is the attaching / detaching direction of the cleaning device, the lid is out of the falling range of the discharged toner. Therefore, when the lid covers the opening, the surface exposed to the outside is not contaminated by the toner.

Further, by integrally forming the protrusion and the lid, the assembly process can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.
In the image forming apparatus of the second invention, when the cleaning device is mounted, the cleaning device pushes the protrusion of the toner discharge box against the biasing force of the biasing means, the lid retracts from the opening, and the opening is opened. Therefore, the discharged toner can fall through the opening.

Since the lid moves in substantially the same direction as the horizontal direction, which is the attaching / detaching direction of the cleaning device, the lid is out of the falling range of the discharged toner. Therefore, when the lid covers the opening, the surface exposed to the outside is not contaminated by the toner.

[0027]

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT An embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention, and FIG.
2 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG. 3, FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a view showing a state in which the lid hides the opening in FIG.

Note that the difference between this embodiment and the conventional example is the structure around the opening of the transfer and discharge toner unit, and since the other parts are the same, those parts are designated by the same reference numerals, and their description will be given. Is omitted.

In these figures, the transfer toner discharge unit 100 of this embodiment is provided with an opening 101 through which the toner discharged from the cleaning device 50 falls. Of the four inner wall surfaces of the opening 101, the process unit 5 has two surfaces parallel to the attachment / detachment direction of the process unit 5.
Each of the convex guides 102 extends in the same direction as the attachment / detachment direction (horizontal direction).

Further, among the four inner wall surfaces of the opening 101, of the two inner wall surfaces orthogonal to the attachment / detachment direction of the process unit 5, on the inner wall surface on the fixing device 30 side, the guide 10 is provided.
A slit 103 is formed which extends in a direction parallel to the plane formed by the second top surface.

The slit 1 is formed on the guide 102.
A lid 105 is provided slidably so as to cover the opening 101 by inserting 03. Further, the lid 105 is formed with a bent portion 105a that extends upward and serves as a projection with which the lower portion of the mounted process unit 5 can come into contact.
Further, the bent portion 105a also functions as a stopper that abuts against the inner wall surface of the opening 101 to prevent the lid 105 from further moving.

Of the four inner wall surfaces of the opening 101, the cutout piece 10 is provided on the upper part of the inner wall surface on which the guide 102 is provided.
1a is formed. 106 is a cutout piece 1 in the middle part
01a, one end of which abuts against the inner wall surface of the opening 101 and the other end of which abuts against the bent portion 105a of the lid 105, and biases the lid 105 in a direction to conceal the opening 101. It is a torsion spring as a means.

On the inner wall surface of the lower side of the slit 103, the discharged toner stored inside the slit 103 and the lid 1.
A seal member 107 such as a felt member that prevents the transfer discharge toner unit 100 from leaking to the outside through a gap with the seal member 107.
Is provided.

Next, the operation of the above configuration will be described. When the process unit is attached to the image forming apparatus, the lower portion of the process unit pushes the bent portion 105a of the lid 105 that covers the opening 101 against the biasing force of the torsion spring 106, and the lid 105 moves on the guide 102. And opening 1
01 is in the open state, and the state in which the toner discharged from the cleaning device 50 can be stored inside is completed.

When the process unit is removed from the image forming apparatus, the lid 105 moves in a direction to conceal the opening 101 by the biasing force of the torsion spring 106. According to the above configuration, when the process unit is set in the image forming apparatus, the lid 105 moves in substantially the same direction as the attaching / detaching direction of the process unit. Therefore, when the opening 101 is opened, the lid 105 moves out of the falling range of the discharged toner. . Therefore, when the lid 105 hides the opening 101, the surface exposed to the outside is not contaminated by the toner.

Further, the bent portion 10 as a protrusion is formed on the lid 105.
By integrally forming 5a, the assembly process can be reduced and the cost can be reduced. It should be noted that, in the above embodiment, the transfer toner unit in which the transfer roller and the discharge toner box are integrated has been described as the discharge toner box, but the discharge toner box may be a single unit.

Similarly, in the above-described embodiment, the cleaning device is described as the process unit in which the photosensitive drum, the scorotron charger, the exposure device, and the cleaning device are assembled. It may be detachable from the forming device.

[0038]

As described above, according to the discharged toner box of the present invention, the lid moves in the substantially same direction as the mounting and demounting direction of the cleaning device, so that the lid is out of the falling range of the discharged toner. Therefore, when the lid covers the opening, the surface exposed to the outside is not contaminated by the toner.

Further, by integrally forming the protrusion and the lid, the assembly process can be reduced and the cost can be reduced.
Further, according to the image forming apparatus of the present invention, since the lid moves in the substantially same direction as the mounting and demounting direction of the cleaning device, the lid is out of the range where the discharged toner falls. Therefore, when the lid covers the opening, the surface exposed to the outside is not contaminated by the toner.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a configuration diagram of a main part of an embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line AA in FIG.

3 is a sectional view taken along line BB in FIG.

FIG. 4 is a diagram showing a state in which a lid hides an opening in FIG. 1.

FIG. 5 is a configuration diagram of a color printer as an example of an image forming apparatus.

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the transfer discharge toner unit in FIG.

FIG. 7 is a diagram for explaining the operation in FIG.

[Explanation of symbols]

 100 Transfer Exhaust Toner Unit (Exhaust Toner Box) 101 Opening 105 Lid 105 Bent (Protrusion) 106 Torsion Spring (Biasing Means)

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. An opening for scraping off the discharged toner after the transfer of the image bearing member and arranged at a lower portion of a cleaning device detachably provided in a substantially horizontal direction with respect to the apparatus main body, through which the discharged toner falls. In the waste toner box having the waste toner stored therein, a cover provided to hide / open the opening of the waste toner box and is movable in substantially the same direction as the mounting / removing direction of the cleaning device, An ejected toner box, comprising: a protrusion provided on the lid side, with which the cleaning device can come into contact, and an urging unit that urges the lid in a direction to conceal the opening. 2. The discharged toner box according to claim 1, wherein the protrusion and the lid are integrally formed. 3. A cleaning device that scrapes off the discharged toner after the transfer of the image carrier and is detachably attached to the apparatus main body, and the cleaning device is disposed below the cleaning device, and the discharged toner falls. In an image forming apparatus having an opening, and a discharge toner box for storing the discharge toner inside, an attaching / detaching direction of the cleaning device is substantially horizontal, and the opening of the transfer discharge toner unit is concealed / opened, A lid provided so as to be movable in substantially the same direction as the mounting and demounting direction of the cleaning device, a protrusion provided on the lid side, with which the cleaning device can abut, and a direction for concealing the opening with respect to the lid. An image forming apparatus comprising: an urging unit that urges.