JPH11149237A - Image formation device - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To release the detention of toner on a carrying path in an image formation device sending out transfer residual toner on an image carrier from a discharge port, receiving the toner sent out from the discharge port by the rotation of a carrying coil and naturally falling down by a slope face, a carrying path, causing to flow down along the carrying path to a recovery port positioning below the carrying path. SOLUTION: The upper end portion of a toner loosening member 30 is hung on one part of a carrying coil 20c via a shaft member 32, and the lower portion of the toner loosening member 30 is positioned so as to touch the detention portion of the toner. Thereafter, the toner loosening member 30 is moved by turning a carrying coil 20c so that the toner loosening member 30 slides on, touches with, and parts from the carrying path 3 so as to loosen the toner mass deposited on the carrying path 3.

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 of the type which reuses transfer residual toner after cleaning.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art A transfer device collects residual toner on an image carrier by a cleaning device, and sends the collected residual toner to a developing device for developing a latent image on the image carrier for reuse. Image forming apparatus.

In such an image forming apparatus, as a means for reusing the toner once developed, as a technique not known, as shown in FIG. And this outlet 1
, A toner collecting port 2 of the developing device is positioned below the developing device, and a transfer formed by an inclined surface provided between the toner discharging port 1 and the toner collecting port 2 by using a part of the photoconductor case 7. The transfer path 3 is disposed, and the transfer residual toner T which is sent out from the discharge port 1 by the rotation of the transfer coil 20 c as the toner transfer means and falls naturally is received by the transfer path 3, and is transferred along the transfer path 3 T has been proposed in which T flows down in the direction of an arrow by the action of gravity and is guided to a recovery port 2.

The toner supply unit 5 sends out the new toner T 'from the supply port 6 using a part of the cleaning device according to the arrow a, and similarly, the toner T' which has naturally fallen to the transport path 3. Inclined surface 8 provided at opposing position
, And is caused to flow down to the common recovery port 2 by the action of gravity by using the inclined surface 8, and to be subjected to development together with the toner T.

As described above, the toner T,
In the image forming apparatus configured to guide T ′, it is difficult to arrange the discharge port 1 immediately above the collection port 2,
The transport path 3 must be interposed.

However, the toner T sent out from the discharge port 1 does not have good fluidity due to the inclusion of impurities such as paper dust and the like. Even on the slope, on the transport path 3,
As shown by the two-dot chain line in FIG. 7, the toner T accumulates in a mountain shape and stays in a stagnation state, so that a so-called blocking state does not occur and the flow-down phenomenon does not occur. .

[0007]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION Accordingly, an object of the present invention is to provide an image forming apparatus capable of eliminating such a blocking state by simple means.

[0008]

The present invention has the following configuration to achieve the above object.

(1) The transfer residual toner on the image carrier is collected by a cleaning device, and the collected transfer residual toner is sent to a developing device for developing a latent image on the image carrier and reused. An image forming apparatus, wherein a toner collecting port of the developing device is disposed below a discharge port of the transfer residual toner provided in the cleaning device,
A conveying path having an inclined surface is arranged between the toner outlet and the toner collecting port, and the toner which is sent out by the toner feeding means from the outlet and drops naturally is received by the conveying path. In the image forming apparatus configured to guide the toner to the collection port along the conveyance path, the image forming apparatus is driven by using a rotation motion of the toner feeding unit for sending out the toner, and a movement of breaking the lump of the toner accumulated on the conveyance path. (Claim 1).

(2) In the image forming apparatus described in (1), the toner feeding means is constituted by a rotating spiral member.

(3) In the image forming apparatus described in (1) or (2), the discharge port comprises a circular port opened on a vertical wall surface thereof, and a toner feeding means is provided in the circular port. (Claim 3).

(4) In the image forming apparatus described in (1), the toner breaking member is configured so that a part of the toner breaking member is in contact with the conveyance path by its own weight.

(5) In the image forming apparatus described in (1), (2), (3) or (4), the toner breaking member is formed by a free end side of a shaft member having one end fixed to the toner feeding means. Thus, the shaft member was suspended in a loosely fitted support state (claim 5).

(6) In the image forming apparatus described in (5), the toner breaking member has a clearance in both the axial direction and the perpendicular direction to the shaft member while being sandwiched between two washers. The shaft member is loosely supported and is prevented from falling off by a ring-shaped portion formed at the shaft end of the shaft member.

(7) In the image forming apparatus described in (5), the toner breaking member has a hollow shape in which the flowing direction of the toner is opened.

(8) In the image forming apparatus described in (6), the toner breaking member is provided with a convex portion for strengthening contact with the inclined surface corresponding to a portion where toner easily accumulates. ).

(9) In the image forming apparatus described in (5), a muffler sheet is provided in a part of the transport path where the toner breaking member comes into contact.

(10) (1), (2), (3),
(4), (5), (6), (7), (8) or (9)
In the image forming apparatus according to the aspect, the transport path has a spread in a direction perpendicular to the wall surface, and includes a flat inclined surface extending from below the discharge port to the recovery port, and the recovery port has the slope. The configuration is such that new toner flows down using another inclined surface provided at a position facing the surface.
0).

[0019]

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS (1) Example of Image Forming Apparatus Provided for Practicing the Present Invention In the present invention, a transfer residual toner on an image carrier is collected by a cleaning device, and the collected transfer residual toner is collected. An image forming apparatus which sends a latent image on the image carrier to a developing device for developing and reuses the latent image, wherein a toner of the developing device is provided below an outlet of a transfer residual toner provided in the cleaning device. A collection port is arranged, and a conveying path having an inclined surface is arranged between the toner discharge port and the toner collection port. The present invention can be widely applied to an image forming apparatus configured to receive an image on the conveyance path and guide the collection port along the conveyance path to the collection port. As an image carrier, not only a photoconductive photoconductor but also such a photoconductor, an image carrier capable of carrying an electrostatic latent image and visualizing the image with toner by an electrostatic developing method. Also encompasses the body.

FIG. 2 shows an example of an image forming apparatus using a photosensitive member as an image carrier. In FIG. 2, a photosensitive drum 10 as an image carrier is rotatably driven in a counterclockwise direction in the figure by a driving mechanism (not shown). Around the photosensitive drum 10, a charging device 1 for performing image forming processing in the order of rotation.
2. a writing device (optical axis indicating an optical path is indicated by an arrow) 14 as an exposure unit, a developing device 16, a transfer device 18,
A cleaning device 20 is provided.

The charging device 12, the photosensitive drum 10, and the cleaning device 20 are supported by a single casing 22 (see FIG. 13) provided independently of the developing device 16. It is configured to be removable from the inside of the device.

The charging device 12 includes a roller capable of contacting the surface of the photosensitive drum 10, and the roller is electrically connected to power supply means (not shown) so that the surface of the photosensitive drum 2 is uniformly darkened. It is charged to a predetermined polarity. The writing device 14 includes a laser beam scanning device (not shown), and the photosensitive drum 10 charged by the charging device 12.
A laser beam is radiated on the surface in the main scanning direction and the sub-scanning direction to form an electrostatic latent image.

The developing device 16 has a well-known structure which is provided detachably with respect to the main body of the image forming apparatus and has a developing sleeve 16a and a paddle wheel 16b therein. In this example, a two-component developer in which a toner and a carrier are mixed is used as the developer.
The present invention can be applied to any image forming apparatus that reuses toner without being limited to an apparatus using a two-component developer.

The transfer device 18 includes a transport belt 18a that can be brought into contact with and separated from the photosensitive drum 10, and a transfer paper (not shown) carried on the transport belt 18 is provided with a transfer charger (not shown). By the function, the toner image on the photosensitive drum 10 visualized by the developing device 16 is electrostatically transferred to the developing device. The transfer paper to which the toner image has been transferred is conveyed to the fixing device 28 and fixed. Transfer device 1
In the vicinity of the transfer paper receiving port 8, a paper feed device 24 including a registration roller for transporting the transfer paper to the transport belt 18 a is arranged.

The cleaning device 20 includes a cleaning blade 20a for scraping off residual toner T remaining on the photosensitive drum 10 after being transferred by the transfer device 18.
A collecting blade 20b for collecting the toner T scraped off from the photosensitive drum 10 by the cleaning blade 20a; a conveying coil 20c as a toner feeding means for collecting the collected toner in one place; There is provided an irradiation window 20d for irradiating static elimination light for removing residual charges on the body drum 10.

The cleaning device 20 is mounted on a casing 22 shown in FIG. That is, at a portion extending in the axial longitudinal direction of the photosensitive drum 10 from one end side of the casing 22, the collection blade 20b, the transfer coil 20c, and the like shown in FIG. 1 are provided, and are rotatably supported.
It is covered with a cover from above. These recovery blades 20b
The collection blade 20b of the transfer coil 20c faces the opening 22a formed in the upper part of the casing 22 shown in FIG. 2, and the transfer coil 20c is formed in the upper part of the casing 22 so as to surround the transfer coil 20c. The drive gears G1... Provided on each shaft end of the recovery blade 20b and the transfer coil 20c are disposed on the curved surface portion 22b. G2
The gears are rotated in conjunction with the transmission of power from a drive gear that meshes with the gears.

One end of the casing 22 constitutes a toner collecting portion, and includes a vertical wall surface 25, a cover 26 facing the wall surface 25 at an interval, and an opposing space between the wall surface and the cover 26. With a plate-like member that closes tightly,
Forming a chamber. A part of the plate-like member constitutes the transport path 3 and the inclined surface 8 described in FIG. In the upper part of this chamber, a discharge port 1 composed of a circular port (opening) is formed on a wall surface 25. The end of the transfer coil 20c is located in the discharge port 1, and the transfer residual toner T is sent out by rotation (see FIGS. 3, 6A and 7).

Immediately below the discharge port 1, the same transport path 3 as that described with reference to FIG. 7 is located. A horizontal bottom surface is formed at the bottom of the chamber at a lower portion along the slope of the transport path 3 and the inclined surface 8, and a recovery port 2 is provided at the bottom surface.
In addition, a supply port 6 for supplying new toner T ′ from the toner supply unit 5 is provided above the inclined surface 8. The configuration of the discharge port 1, the recovery port 6, the transport path 3, the inclined surface 8, etc.
7 are denoted by the same reference numerals in the following description as in FIG.

The discharge port 1 is connected to a developer collecting portion of the developing device 16 by a transport pipe (not shown), and sends out toner from the toner replenishing device 5 and the cleaning device 20 to the developer collecting portion. With such a configuration, the toner is supplied from the toner supply device 5 → the supply port 6 → the recovery port 2 → the developing device 16 → the photosensitive drum 10 → the cleaning blade 2
0a → the transport coil 20c → the discharge port 1 → the recovery port 2 → the developing device 16 so as to be circulated and reused.

Although the inclination of the transport path is set to θ = 60 degrees in consideration of the fluidity of the toner, the blocking of the toner T in the transport path 3 may occur even in this case. Therefore, in the present embodiment, the transport coil 20c as a toner feeding unit is used.
Paying attention to the fact that the toner is rotating to feed the toner, a toner breaking member driven by using the rotating motion is provided, and the movement of the toner breaking member causes the conveyance path 3 to move.
This was broken before the state in which the toner T was deposited on the upper surface to prevent blocking. In this case, as the toner feeding means, other than the transport coil 20c,
A helical member, for example, a screw conveyor may be used. In such a case, a toner breaking member can be provided by utilizing the rotation of the screw conveyor according to the contents described below.

As shown by reference numeral 30 in FIGS. 1, 4, 5, and 6, the toner breaking member has a shape like a plate-shaped member bent in a U-shape. The material can be metal or the like. Assuming that the direction of the ridge line of the bent portion that is bent in a U-shape is the longitudinal direction, the toner breaking member 30 has a length in the longitudinal direction. Opposing piece 30 forming a U-shape
a and 30b have substantially the same shape. These facing pieces 3
The opposing piece 30b, which is one of the opposing pieces 30a, extends in the longitudinal direction more than the other opposing piece 30a, and forms a mounting portion 30c at its tip.

The mounting portion 30c has a long hole 30e which is long in the longitudinal direction of the toner breaking member 30. On the edge of the opposing piece 30b in the direction orthogonal to the longitudinal direction and near the portion where the long hole 30e is formed,
A trapezoidal projection 30f is formed.

In FIGS. 4 and 5, a shaft member 32 made of an elastic member is bent in a U-shape, and one end of the U-shaped open side is bent by 90 degrees to form a stopper 32a. Is provided slightly longer than one end side, and a ring-shaped portion 32b is provided by deforming the end portion into a round shape, and from the stopper 32a side of the shaft member 32,
These members are passed through the washer 34a, the mounting portion 30c, and the washer 34b in this order. Then, the transfer coil 20c mounted on the casing 20 is slightly pulled out from the discharge port 1, and in the pulled-out state, the U-shaped bent portion of the prepared shaft member 32 is connected to the end of the transfer coil 20c ( It is pushed from the end opposite to the side where the drive gear G2 is provided, that is, the end facing the discharge port 1) until the stopper 32a hits the inner diameter of the transfer coil 20. As a result, the shaft member 32 is firmly fixed to the transport coleu 20 by the elasticity of the shaft member 32.

After the toner crushing member 30 is fixed to the end of the transport coil 20, the transport coil 20 is pushed into the discharge port 1 so as to be located at a predetermined rotation position. When the toner breaking member 30 is inserted into the shaft member 32, the opposed pieces 30a, 30
The position is determined so that the direction of 0b faces the transport path 3.

In this manner, the toner breaking member 30 attached to the transport coil 20c is configured such that the respective edges of the opposing pieces 30a and 30b face downward, that is, face the transport path 3, and the toner breaking member 30 is It is supported by the shaft member 32 in a loosely fitted state, and is suspended by its own weight with a part thereof being in contact with the transport path 3.

As described above, the toner breaking member 30 has the upper portion loosely supported by the shaft member, and the lower portion abuts against the transport path 3 by its own weight. As shown in FIG. It is provided inclined. The shaft member 32 is a transfer coil 20c.
The toner breaking member 30 is loosely supported at a position deviated from the rotation center, and rotates together with the transport coil 20c. Therefore, when the transport coil 20 rotates, the toner breaking member 30 is rotated.
Performs a kind of crank motion, and a portion in contact with the transport path 3 reciprocates. Further, since the toner breaking member 20c is lightweight, it vibrates while coming into contact with and separating from the conveyance path 3 in the course of the crank movement. Further, the transport path 3 and the toner breaking member 3
The zero contact site also changes. Edges, lower ends, protrusions 30f, and the like of the opposing pieces 30a and 30b move irregularly toward and away from the transport path 3 and reciprocate. The progress of such movement is shown in FIG. 1 by a two-dot chain line, a solid line, a broken line, and the like.

Considering that the toner crushing member 30 is attached to the conveyance path 3 at an angle, in the course of the movement, as shown in FIG. And reciprocating sliding contact with the conveyance path 3 with a stroke indicated by the arrow, movement of the convex portion 30f coming into and out of contact with the conveyance path 3, and movement of the toner breaking member 30 falling on the conveyance path 3. Is repeated. Therefore, if a portion where the toner breaking member 30 comes into contact with a portion where the toner easily stays on the transport path 3 is located, the movement of the toner in the transport path 3 can be avoided by such a movement.

Since the portion on the transport path 3 immediately below the discharge port 1 is a portion where the toner easily falls and accumulates, the contact (contact / separation) with the transport path 3 is particularly enhanced by providing a convex portion 30f. Thus, the toner is prevented from being deposited by the toner breaking function of the projection 30f. In addition, a portion where the above-mentioned corner is in contact with the conveyance path is also a portion where toner tends to stay. In order to make the reciprocating motion of this corner smoothly, and to protect the transport path 3, the corner is rounded as shown by the symbol R.

The toner breaking member 30 includes two washers 3
4a and 34b, the shaft member 32 is loosely fitted to the shaft member 32 with a clearance in both the longitudinal direction and the direction perpendicular to the shaft. It is done freely. Also, the portion of the mounting portion 30c is the shaft member 32.
To prevent the accident that the lower end of the toner breaking member 30 is swung greatly. Further, these toner breaking members 3
0, the washers 34a, 34b are prevented from falling off by a ring-shaped portion 32b formed at the end of the shaft member 32,
Since the curved portion of the ring-shaped portion comes into sliding contact with the surface of the washer 34b, the movement of the toner breaking member 30 is performed smoothly.

In each process of performing such a movement,
The opposing pieces 30a and 30b do not change the basic position facing the transport path 3. By forming such a U-shaped hollow shape in which the flowing direction of the toner is opened, the toner flows smoothly. Further, the weight of the toner breaking member is reduced as far as the toner breaking function is satisfied, thereby reducing the load on the power source.

The upper portion of the toner breaking member 30 is separated from the toner conveying path 3 in accordance with the rotation of the conveying coil 20c.
The operation of falling by its own weight is repeated, and noise is generated by such a contact / separation operation. In order to reduce this noise, a noise canceling sheet 34 indicated by reference numeral 34 in FIG. 6B is attached to an inclined surface, and the conveying path 3 is formed on the surface of the noise canceling sheet 34. As the sound canceling sheet 34, a sheet made of a sponge having a thin synthetic resin film adhered to a surface of a plate-shaped member for improving slippage is used.

In FIGS. 1, 6A and 6B, the toner breaking member 30 shows a state in which only the convex portion 30f is in contact with the transport path 3, but this is merely an example. In fact, the rolling motion also brings the opposing pieces 30a on the near side into contact with each other at the same time.

[0043]

According to the first to fifth aspects of the present invention, it is possible to cause the toner on the conveyance path to flow down to the recovery port without depositing the toner on the conveyance path by a simple means utilizing the rotational movement of the toner feeding means. .

According to the sixth aspect of the invention, the movement of the toner breaking member can be performed smoothly, and an accident such as a large swing can be avoided.

According to the seventh aspect of the present invention, it is possible to prevent the toner from flowing down and to appropriately reduce the weight of the toner breaking member.

According to the eighth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to enhance the contact with a portion where the toner easily accumulates and to effectively break the toner in the portion.

According to the ninth aspect of the present invention, toner collapse can be performed with low noise.

According to the tenth aspect of the present invention, it is possible to eliminate the stagnation of the toner on the conveyance path for an image forming apparatus of a type in which the new toner and the collected toner are guided to the collection port by utilizing natural fall. Can be.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 is a diagram illustrating a positional relationship of a toner breaking member on a conveyance path.

FIG. 2 is a diagram illustrating a main configuration of an image forming apparatus suitable for carrying out the present invention.

FIG. 3 is an exploded perspective view of a casing of the cleaning device.

FIG. 4 is a front view of a transfer coil and a toner breaking member attached to the transfer coil.

FIG. 5 is an exploded perspective view illustrating a state in which the toner breaking member is attached to the transfer coil.

FIG. 6A is a view for explaining the relative positions of a discharge port, a recovery port, a supply port, a toner breaking member, a conveyance path, and the like.
FIG. 4B is a diagram illustrating an example in which a conveyance path is configured by a muffled sheet.

FIG. 7 is a diagram illustrating a state in which toner is accumulated in a conveyance path.

[Explanation of symbols]

 DESCRIPTION OF SYMBOLS 1 Discharge port 2 Collection port 20c Conveying coil (as toner feeding means) 30 Toner breaking member 32 Shaft member

Claims (10)

[Claims] A cleaning device collects transfer residual toner on an image carrier, sends the collected transfer residual toner to a developing device for developing a latent image on the image carrier, and reuses the toner. An image forming apparatus, wherein a toner recovery port of the developing device is disposed below a discharge port of the transfer residual toner provided in the cleaning device, and an inclination is provided between the toner discharge port and the toner recovery port. An image is arranged in which a conveying path composed of a curved surface is arranged, and the toner that is sent out from the discharge port by the toner feeding means and falls naturally is received by the conveying path, and guided to the collection port along the conveying path. In the forming apparatus, a toner breaker that is driven by using a rotation movement of the toner feeding unit for sending out the toner and that performs a movement to break up a lump of the toner accumulated on the conveyance path. An image forming apparatus comprising a member. 2. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said toner feeding means comprises a rotating spiral member. 3. An image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said discharge port comprises a circular port opened on a vertical wall surface thereof, and a spiral port as a toner feeding means is provided in said circular port. An image forming apparatus comprising a member. 4. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein the toner breaking member is configured to have its own weight so that a part thereof contacts the conveyance path. 5. The image forming apparatus according to claim 1, wherein said toner breaking member is loosely fitted to said shaft member at a free end of said shaft member having one end fixed to said toner feeding means. An image forming apparatus suspended in a supported state. 6. An image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein said toner breaking member has a clearance in both an axial direction and a direction perpendicular to the axis in a state sandwiched between two washers. An image forming apparatus, wherein the image forming apparatus is loosely supported by a shaft and is prevented from falling off by a ring-shaped portion formed at a shaft end of the shaft member. 7. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the toner breaking member has a hollow shape in which a toner flowing direction is opened. 8. The image forming apparatus according to claim 5, wherein the toner breaking member is provided with a convex portion for strengthening contact with the inclined surface corresponding to a portion where toner easily accumulates. Image forming device. 9. An image forming apparatus according to claim 4, wherein a muffling sheet is provided at a part of said conveyance path where said toner breaking member comes into contact. . 10. The method of claim 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, or 8.
Or the image forming apparatus according to 9, wherein the transport path has a spread in a direction perpendicular to the wall surface, and includes a flat inclined surface extending from below the discharge port to the recovery port. An image forming apparatus having a configuration in which new toner flows down using another inclined surface provided at a position facing the inclined surface.