JPH09212052A - Waste-toner recovery device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To provide a waste-toner recovery device which is relatively low in cost, capable of storing waste toner to the greatest amount it can hold, and has made improvement in maintenance. SOLUTION: The device is provided with coil springs 32 each of which is fixed to the main body 20 of an image forming device at its one end 32a and extends vertically, and a stage 34 fixed to the other end 32 of each of the coil springs 32. Further, a storage container 36 is placed on the stage 34, and a microswitch 44 for detecting displacement of the storage container 36, when it is filled with waste toner, is set under the central part of the stage 34.

Description

Detailed Description of the Invention

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to a waste toner collecting device for collecting toner removed from an image carrier after transfer in an image forming apparatus such as an electrophotographic copying machine or an electrophotographic printer.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art Conventionally, an image forming apparatus using an electrophotographic method has been widely used. This electrophotographic image forming apparatus forms, for example, a latent image on a drum-shaped image carrier, and causes toner (developer) to fly to the image carrier to develop the latent image. It is a device that forms an image and transfers the developed image to a sheet to obtain a print image (copy image). In general, a part of the toner that has flown to the image carrier remains on the image carrier after the transfer, so a cleaning device that removes the remaining toner is provided in the image forming apparatus. Further, the image forming apparatus includes a waste toner collecting device that collects the toner (waste toner) removed by the cleaning device.

An example of a conventional waste toner collecting device will be described with reference to FIG.

A conventional waste toner collecting device 10 includes a carrying pipe 12 for carrying waste toner, and the carrying pipe 1.
2 is provided with a conveying screw 14 installed inside. The toner remaining on the photoconductor (not shown) after the transfer is removed by a cleaning device (not shown), and is transported inside the transport pipe 12 by the transport screw 14, and the waste toner is accommodated via the connection pipe 16. Storage container 1
8 is accommodated. The container 18 is the main body 2 of the image forming apparatus.
0, and the waste toner 22 is stored in a conical shape inside the storage container 18, as shown in FIG. When the waste toner is further stored in such a state, the waste toner is clogged inside the connection pipe 16 and the conveyance pipe 12 before the storage container 18 is filled with the waste toner. Therefore, the container 18 must be frequently taken out of the image forming apparatus, the waste toner must be discarded, and the container 18 must be emptied, which increases the frequency of maintenance.

Therefore, in order to reduce the frequency of maintenance and improve the maintainability, a cam or the like is installed on the side surface or the bottom surface of the container 18 to give a shock to the container 18 to positively disperse the waste toner. A technique has been proposed in which the accumulation height of the waste toner stored in the storage container 18 is made uniform and the waste toner is stored in a full amount. In addition, a container with high transparency is used, and a light emitting diode (LE
There is also proposed a technique in which D) and a light-receiving element are installed to detect the fullness of the container depending on whether the light from the LED passes through the container and improve the maintainability.

[0006]

However, in the technique of smoothing the waste toner by using the cam or the like, the cost is increased because the cam or the like and the drive source thereof are installed, and there is a problem that an offensive sound is generated. is there. Further, in the technique of using the LED and the light receiving element to detect the fullness, the waste toner stains the container having high transparency, which may cause erroneous detection, which may not improve the maintainability.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide a waste toner collecting device capable of fully containing waste toner at a relatively low cost and improving maintainability.

[0008]

A waste toner collecting apparatus of the present invention for achieving the above object forms a latent image on an image carrier, develops the latent image using toner, and transfers the developed image to a transfer material. In a waste toner recovery device for recovering the toner remaining and removed on the image carrier after the transfer in the image forming apparatus for transferring to (1) the vibration of the main body attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus. Swinging member (2) A swinging member (2) is provided with a container for storing the toner removed from the image carrier, which is attached to the main body via the swinging member.

Here, it is preferable that the waste toner collecting device is provided with a displacement detecting means for detecting a predetermined amount of displacement of the storage container.

Further, it is preferable that the displacement detecting means determines that the container has been displaced by the predetermined amount when the predetermined amount of displacement is continuously detected for a predetermined time.

The swing member is preferably a spring, and more preferably a coil spring. When using a coil spring,
The number of coil springs is determined based on the size and shape of the container.

Further, as the displacement detecting means, a micro switch or the like is preferable in consideration of the influence of the scattering of the waste toner, but if the scattering amount of the waste toner is small, a combination of an LED and a light receiving sensor may be used.

[0013]

BEST MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION Embodiments of a waste toner collecting device of the present invention will be described below with reference to the drawings.

1 and 2 are schematic views showing a waste toner collecting device, and FIG. 1 shows the waste toner collecting device in a state where about half of the waste toner is contained in the container.
Shows a waste toner collecting device in a state where the storage container is full of waste toner.

The waste toner collecting device 30 is provided in an image forming apparatus (not shown) such as a well-known copying machine, and the toner remaining on the image carrier after transfer and removed (waste toner).
Collect. The waste toner collecting device 30 includes a coil spring 32 (which is an example of a swinging member referred to in the present invention) having one end 32a fixed to the main body 20 of the image forming apparatus and extending in the vertical direction, and the other end of the coil spring 32. A stage 34 fixed to the portion 32b is provided. Although only two coil springs 32 are shown in the drawing, a large number of coil springs 32 may be fixed to the main body 20 depending on the size of the stage 34. Further, the waste toner collecting device 30 includes a storage container 36 placed on the stage 34. The waste toner 22 is transported inside the transport pipe 40 by the transport screw 38, and is stored in the storage container 36 via the connection pipe 42. Below the center of the stage 34, a micro switch for detecting the displacement of the storage container 36 when it is full of waste toner (which is an example of displacement detecting means in the present invention).
44 are installed. This micro switch 44
When continuously turned on for one second (which is an example of the predetermined time referred to in the present invention), an ON signal is sent to the operation unit of the main body (not shown).
To display that the storage container 36 is full. Further, below both ends of the stage 34, stopper stands 46 for receiving the stage 34 on which the storage container 36 filled with the waste toner is placed are installed. 80% of the waste toner is stored inside the storage container 36.
When about 95% is stored, the waste toner 22 and the storage container 36 are
The coil spring 32 is contracted by the weight of, the stage 34 is received by the stopper base 46, and the micro switch 44
Is configured to be turned on. That is, when the storage container 36 is displaced from an empty position to a substantially full position (which is an example of a predetermined amount of displacement according to the invention), the displacement is detected by the microswitch 44.

As the print image is formed by the image forming apparatus provided with the waste toner collecting device 30, the waste toner is gradually stored in the storage container 36. Although the image forming apparatus usually has a silent structure so that vibration does not occur during image formation, a slight vibration occurs in the main body 20 of the image forming apparatus. Due to this slight vibration, the coil spring 32 fixed to the main body 20 swings (swings). When the coil spring 32 swings, the stage 34 and the storage container 36 also swing, the vibration is transmitted to the waste toner 22 stored in the storage container 36, and the pile of the waste toner as shown in FIG. Flatten as shown in. Therefore, the waste toner is not stored in a conical shape inside the storage container 36, but the waste toner is stored in a flat state. As a result,
As shown in FIG. 2, the accumulated height of the waste toner becomes uniform,
The storage container 36 is filled with the waste toner. Therefore, it is unnecessary to frequently remove the storage container 36 from the image forming apparatus to discard the waste toner and empty the storage container 36, and the maintainability is improved accordingly. In addition, a coil spring 32 is provided to flatten the waste toner.
Since the device is used, the entire device has a simple structure and is relatively low in cost.

80% of the waste toner is contained in the container 36.
When about 95% of the toner is stored, as described above, the waste toner 2
2, the coil spring 32 is contracted by the weight of the container 36,
The stage 34 is received by the stopper base 46, the micro switch 44 is turned on, and the displacement of the storage container 36 is detected. Here, even if the storage container 36 is not almost full of waste toner, the stage 34 may momentarily come into contact with the micro switch 44 due to the swing of the coil spring 32, and the micro switch 44 may repeatedly turn on and off. , There is a risk of false detection. However, as described above, since the micro switch 44 is configured to output the ON signal to the operation unit (not shown) of the main body when continuously turned on for 1 second, the micro switch 44 is turned ON / OFF. Even when the above is repeated in a short time, erroneous detection of the micro switch 44 is prevented. As a result, it is possible to reliably detect that the storage container 36 is full, and prevent the storage container 36 from being taken out due to an erroneous detection, so that the maintainability is further improved.

In the above embodiment, the stage 3 is used.
Although the container 36 is placed on the container 4, the end portion 32b of the coil spring 32 is attached to the bottom wall of the container 36 without using the stage 34.
May be detachably fixed. Further, the coil spring 32 may be fixed to the side wall of the container 36.
Further, a leaf spring may be used instead of the coil spring 32. Furthermore, instead of the micro switch 44, an LED
The LED and the light receiving element may be arranged laterally of the housing container 36 to detect the displacement of the housing container 36.

[0019]

In the waste toner collecting device of the present invention, since the accommodating container is attached to the main body of the image forming apparatus through the swinging member, the swinging member can be moved by a slight vibration during operation of the image forming apparatus. It swings, and the container also swings in accordance with this swing. As a result, the waste toner stored in the storage container is leveled, the accumulated height of the waste toner becomes uniform, and the storage container is filled with the waste toner. Therefore, it is unnecessary to frequently remove the storage container from the image forming apparatus and discard the waste toner to empty the storage container.
The maintainability is improved accordingly. Further, since the swinging of the swinging member is used, the entire device has a simple structure and the cost is relatively low.

Here, when the waste toner collecting device is provided with a displacement detecting means for detecting a predetermined amount of displacement of the container,
When the storage container is full of waste toner and is displaced by a predetermined amount, the displacement detection unit detects that the storage container is full, so that the maintainability is further improved.

Further, when the displacement detecting means determines that the accommodating container is displaced by a predetermined amount when the predetermined amount of displacement is continuously detected for a predetermined time, the displacement detecting means is caused by swinging of the accommodating container. Does not determine that a predetermined amount is displaced even when repeated on and off, because it is determined that the storage container has been displaced by a predetermined amount when a predetermined amount of displacement of the storage container is continuously detected for a predetermined time, The fullness is reliably detected, and the maintainability is further improved.

[Brief description of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic view showing an embodiment of a waste toner collecting device of the present invention, showing a state where waste toner is stored in about half in a storage container.

FIG. 2 is a schematic view showing a waste toner collecting device similar to that of FIG. 1, showing a state in which a storage container is full of waste toner.

FIG. 3 is a schematic view showing a conventional waste toner collecting device.

[Explanation of symbols]

 30 Waste Toner Collection Device 32 Coil Spring 34 Stage 36 Storage Container 38 Conveying Screw 40 Conveying Pipe 44 Micro Switch

Claims (3)

[Claims] 1. In an image forming apparatus for forming a latent image on an image carrier, developing the latent image using toner, and transferring the developed image to a transfer material, the latent image remains on the image carrier after transfer and is removed. In the waste toner collecting device for collecting the toner, a swinging member mounted on the main body of the image forming apparatus and swinging by the vibration of the main body, and a swinging member mounted on the main body via the swinging member, A waste toner recovery device, comprising: a storage container that stores the toner removed from the image carrier. 2. The waste toner collecting device according to claim 1, further comprising a displacement detection unit that detects displacement of the storage container by a predetermined amount. 3. The displacement detecting means determines that the storage container is displaced by the predetermined amount when the displacement of the predetermined amount is continuously detected for a predetermined time. Waste toner recovery device.