JPH1115345A - Treating method for recovered toner - Google Patents

Abstract

PROBLEM TO BE SOLVED: To store a large volume of the collected toner in a cleaning part, and to print more copies by storing the collected toner in a part of a collection chamber in the softened and fluidized, or molten state. SOLUTION: The toner scraped down by a cleaning blade 7 is dropped on a heater 12 arranged on a bottom part of a collected toner storage chamber 10 in a cleaning part 3. The toner is melted by the heat of the heater 12, and its volume is turned <=1/3 of the powder volume. Thus, the collected toner of >=3 times the conventional value can be stored even when the volume of the collected toner storage chamber is the same as the conventional value. The temperature of the heater 12 is controlled to the value slightly higher than the melting point of the toner, the toner is melted by heating the heater 12 in a stage where the toner is deposited to some degree, not by constantly setting the temperature to the value, and the heating is stopped for a while before the toner of the prescribed quantity is deposited. That is, the photoreceptor material is prevented from being adversely affected by the temperature rise in the storage chamber.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0001]

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention The present invention relates to an electrostatic copying type copying machine,
The present invention relates to a method for processing collected toner accumulated in a collected toner storage room or a collected toner accumulation unit of a printer, a facsimile, or the like.

[0002]

2. Description of the Related Art In a copying machine of an electrostatic copying system, after a photoconductive photoconductor is charged, an image is exposed to form an electrostatic latent image, and then the electrostatic latent image is developed to form a toner image. Is formed. Next, after the toner image is transferred onto a transfer sheet such as paper or film, the toner image is fixed by fixing means such as heat fixing and discharged from the apparatus. After the toner image has been transferred, the toner remains in a thin layer on the photoreceptor in the form of an image. Therefore, before the next copy, the residual toner is removed, that is, so-called cleaning is performed. The above-described series of steps is also performed in a printer, a facsimile, and the like. As cleaning means, brush cleaning, blade cleaning, web cleaning, and the like have been practically used. Brush (including sponge) cleaning is primarily used in high speed equipment, and web and blade cleaning is primarily used in low to medium speed equipment.

FIG. 4 is a schematic sectional view of a specific example of a cartridge of a low to medium speed machine employing conventional blade cleaning. 1 is a photosensitive drum, 2 is a developing unit, 3 is a cleaning unit, and 4 is a charger. The developing unit 2 includes, for example, a magnetic brush developing roller 5 and toner 6, and further includes a toner supply mechanism, a toner stirring mechanism, and the like (not shown). The cleaning section 3 includes a cleaning blade 7, a toner receiving section 8, a collected toner feeding mechanism 9, and others. The lower space in the cleaning unit 3 is a collected toner storage chamber or a toner collection chamber 10.

The cartridge shown in FIG. 4 is used as follows. When the cartridge is loaded into an electrostatic copying machine (in the present invention, an electrostatic copying machine, a printer, a facsimile and the like are collectively referred to as an electrostatic copying machine) and the operation is started, the photosensitive drum is turned by an arrow (clockwise). Rotate like). The surface of the photoreceptor is uniformly charged by the charger 4 and pattern-exposed by, for example, a laser beam as shown by an arrow 11. Next, the toner image is formed in the developing unit 2. The toner image is transferred to paper at the lower portion of the photoconductor drum. The toner image transferred to the paper is fixed by a fixing device (not shown). A thin toner image remains on the surface of the photosensitive drum onto which the toner image has been transferred. The toner image is chipped off by the cleaning blade 7 and cleaned, so that the next print can be performed again. After the cleaning step, if necessary, exposure for removing the residual potential is performed. The toner scraped off by the cleaning blade 7 falls on the toner receiving portion 8 and a part of the toner falls further down into the toner collecting chamber, but a part of the toner is deposited on the toner receiving portion 8.
This is swept out into a lower toner collecting chamber 10 by a toner feeding mechanism (rotary wing) 9. When the receiving portion 8 is steeply inclined, the rotating wings are unnecessary.

[0005] Copying, printing, and the like are performed as described above, and the collected toner in the cleaning unit 3 gradually increases. Photoconductor 1, developing unit 2, and cleaning unit 3
When the developing unit is used up, the cartridge is usually discarded or
Alternatively, it is collected by a collection company for recycling. In such a case, the volume in the cleaning unit 3 is designed to be a necessary size according to the amount of toner charged in the developing unit 2. When the toner filling amount is large and the number of printable sheets is large, it is necessary to increase the volume of the cleaning unit 3. That is, although a small number of print cartridges (thousands) does not cause much problem, a cleaning unit needs to be large in order to make a cartridge capable of printing about 10,000 sheets, and the cartridge is not a compact cartridge. There was a problem.

[0006] As shown in FIG. 4, the photosensitive member 1, the developing unit 2 and the cleaning unit 3 are not formed as an integral cartridge.
It is also known that the photoconductor 1 and the cleaning unit 3 are integrally formed as an independent photoconductor cartridge, and the developing unit 2 is an independent cartridge. In such a case, even if the toner in the developing cartridge is exhausted, the photosensitive member cartridge is usually still usable, and only the developing cartridge is replaced with a new developing cartridge. In this way, for example, every time the developing cartridge is replaced three times, the photosensitive member cartridge is replaced with a new one. In such a case, the volume of the collected toner storage chamber 10 may be too small to store the collected toner. Then, the collected toner in the collected toner storage chamber 10 is transported to another toner accumulation unit. For example, the toner is returned to the developing unit for reuse, or is transported to a toner accumulation chamber provided adjacent to the developing unit. In this case, since the photoreceptor cartridge and the developing cartridge are independent, a mechanical connection is provided between the two. When the developing cartridge is pulled out of the apparatus, there is a problem that the toner is easily spilled from the connecting portion because the connecting portion is separated.

Even if the photosensitive member, developing unit and cleaning unit are integrated into a cartridge, or if the photosensitive member cartridge and the developing cartridge are independent, if the cartridge is laid sideways or upside down, toner will spill out of the cleaning unit. However, there is a problem that care must be taken in such a case or when replacing the cartridge.

[0008]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION In view of the above-mentioned background, an object of the present invention is to store a larger amount of collected toner in a cleaning unit than before without increasing the volume of the cleaning unit. Eliminates the need to transport the collected toner to another toner accumulation chamber, thereby preventing toner leakage during the conveyance, printing more copies than before, and reducing the spillage of the collected toner from the cleaning unit. An object of the present invention is to provide a method for treating the collected toner.

[0009]

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION It is an object of the present invention to provide an electrostatic copying apparatus using a toner containing a resin as a component, and a toner image remaining on a photoreceptor after being transferred to a transfer sheet. This is achieved by collecting the collected toner and softening and fluidizing or melting and storing the collected toner in a part of the collection chamber. In the method of the present invention, softening and fluidizing the toner means that when the toner is left in a softened state, it flows slowly by gravity to form a flat liquid surface. Usually, when the toner is softened by the toner softening agent, the toner has a very large viscosity and is putty-shaped. However, if the toner is left for several hours, for example, it flows slowly and becomes a flat surface.
In addition, melting refers to a state in which the resin component in the toner is melted, whereby the entire toner is liquefied and can flow.

Next, the present invention will be described in detail with reference to the drawings. FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a specific example of a cartridge for carrying out the method of the present invention, in which the same reference numerals as in FIG. 4 perform the same or the same functions as in FIG. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 12 denotes a heater, which is disposed at the bottom of the collected toner storage chamber 10 and has any shape as long as it can be disposed at the bottom of the collected toner storage chamber 10, such as a flat plate, a wire, a cord, a rod, and the like. Is fine. As the heater 12, for example, a nichrome wire heater, a semiconductor heater, a sheath heater, a quartz lamp heater, or the like is used, but the heater 12 is not limited thereto. The upper surface of the heater 12 generates heat preferentially,
It is desirable to arrange a heat insulating material below the heater so that heat is hardly transmitted below.

The operation of the embodiment shown in FIG. 1 will be described. The toner scraped off by the cleaning blade 7 falls onto the heater 12 disposed at the bottom of the collected toner storage chamber 10 in the cleaning unit 3 in the same manner as in FIG. Then, the toner is melted by the heat of the heater. Further, the subsequent toner similarly melts on the heater. It has been confirmed by the present inventors that the volume of the powdery toner decreases to 1/3 or less when it is melted by heat. Therefore,
Even if the collected toner storage chamber has the same volume as the conventional one, it is possible to store three times or more the collected toner as compared with the conventional one. If the heater 12 is constantly heated, the temperature in the storage chamber rises. Therefore, the temperature of the heater is naturally controlled to be slightly higher than the melting temperature of the toner, and is not always set to that temperature. The heater may be heated to melt the toner when the toner has accumulated to some extent, or the heating of the heater may be stopped for a while until the toner has accumulated to some extent. For example, the heater may be heated for a certain time every time 100 sheets are printed. Care must be taken so that the temperature in the storage chamber does not rise and adversely affect the photoreceptor.

FIG. 2 shows an example in which a rod-shaped infrared (or visible light) lamp 13 is disposed above the cleaning unit in place of the heater 12 shown in FIG. Numeral 14 denotes a reflector for the lamp, which efficiently heats the collected toner in the collected toner storage chamber 10 and serves as a shielding plate so that light does not reach the photoconductor. In this example, since the upper surface of the toner deposited on the bottom of the collected toner storage chamber is preferentially heated, the toner can be heated with little energy even if the thickness of the melt-solidified toner increases. When the heater 12 is used, in a state where the melted and solidified toner is thickly deposited on the heater 12, when the apparatus is stopped and the apparatus is restarted the next day, the solidified toner is thickly deposited on the upper part of the heater. Therefore, a large amount of energy has to be supplied temporarily to melt the whole. Further, since heat is supplied from the heater, a large amount of toner must be periodically melted. To prevent the temperature inside the storage chamber from rising, for example, the storage chamber is evacuated and externally supplied (for example, the toner receiving section 8). It is desirable to allow air to enter the storage compartment. The thirteenth lamp system is superior to the heater system in that such a need is eliminated.

When the cartridge is recycled, the upper surface of the heater 12 and the inner wall of the storage chamber are made of a releasable material such as silicone resin or Teflon so that the toner solidified in the storage chamber can be easily removed. Is desirable. Alternatively, a tray made of a releasable material may be arranged on the heater, and the toner may be melted in the tray. When an infrared lamp is used, the inner wall of the storage chamber may be made releasable, or a tray as described above may be used.

Next, another embodiment of the present invention will be described. In FIG. 3, reference numeral 15 denotes a member in which a softener for toner is contained in sponge, felt, nonwoven fabric, or the like. Examples of the toner softener include a toner solvent and a plasticizer, but a plasticizer is preferable because it has no odor, does not affect the toner in the developing unit, and the like. The plasticizer does not have a dissolving effect as much as the solvent, but softens and fluidizes the toner, and is effective in reducing the volume of the powder. The plasticizer is odorless, has no volatility, and has no adverse effect on other parts of the device. In the specific example using the heater of FIG. 1, heat control is necessary, but in this example, it is not necessary, so that the method of the present invention can be applied compactly and inexpensively. When a fatty acid, a non-volatile mineral oil, a vegetable oil or the like is used together with the plasticizer, there is an advantage that the wettability between the toner and the plasticizer is improved.

Specific examples of the plasticizer include dioxal phthalate, dibutyl phthalate, butylphthalylbutyl glycolate, and other phthalic plasticizers, and further include phosphoric acid, fatty acid, epoxy, polyester, and other known plasticizers. One. Among these, it is particularly preferable to select a material having good compatibility with the resin in the toner, that is, a material which is easily softened. The toner softener is usually a liquid, and may be supplied as it is to the bottom of the collected toner storage chamber, but since it may flow out during handling, as described above, the sponge,
It is desirable to absorb the felt or other liquid holding member.

Although reduction of the volume of the toner powder by heat melting or fluidizing with a softener in the collected toner storage chamber has been described above, the toner softener and heat may be used in combination. Attempting to soften and fluidize the toner with the toner softener at room temperature requires about several hours or more, but heating to about 50 ° C. reduces the softening and fluidizing time of the toner to a fraction. I understood that. A preferred heating temperature range is about 30 or more and below the melting point of the toner. If the temperature is lower than this, the effect of heating is small.
If the temperature is higher than this, there is no point in using it together with the softener.
A more preferred range is from about 30 to about 80 ° C. If the temperature is higher than this, temperature control for preventing the influence on the photoconductor becomes complicated. A more preferred range is from about 40 to about 60 degrees C. If the temperature is about 60 ° C., the influence on the photoreceptor is hardly a problem even if the temperature is not particularly controlled.
This embodiment is one excellent embodiment of the method of the present invention.

In the above embodiment, the cartridge type copier has been described. However, the method of the present invention is not limited to the cartridge type, and is applicable to the collected toner even in a type of copier which does not use a cartridge. can do.

[0018]

The toner accumulated in the collected toner storage chamber of the cleaning section is softened and fluidized or melted by the softening and fluidizing or melting means at that location, and its volume is reduced to a fraction of a volume. Even if the chambers have the same volume, several times the amount of the collected toner can be stored.

[0019]

【Example】

Example 1 As a copying machine, Z-85 commercially available from Sharp Corporation was used. The photoconductor cartridge of Z-85 was modified, and the following heater was arranged in the toner collecting section. Silicon rubber heater with an effective heat generation area of about 4 cm × about 25 cm and a thickness of 1.5 mm (a heat generation resistance wire is arranged between two silicon rubber sheets, and about 0.6 W
/ Heat generated at a power density of / cm 2) was disposed at the bottom of the toner collecting chamber as shown in FIG. After printing 100 sheets, it was confirmed that the toner was thinly deposited on the entire surface of the heater. A voltage of AC100V is applied to this heater for about 4
After applying for about 1 minute, the toner was completely melted. The power consumption of the heater was about 60W. With such a heater power and heating time, no adverse effect on the photoreceptor was observed even without performing temperature control or exhaust. In this way, as the number of prints increases, the solidified toner gradually thickens on the heater, so that the heating time of the heater or the applied power needs to be gradually increased. In that case, as described above, if the air in the cleaning unit was exhausted and air at room temperature was allowed to enter from the toner receiving unit, there was no effect on the photoconductor. In this way, about three times as much recovered toner as before can be stored in the toner recovery chamber.

Embodiment 2 The same copying machine as in Embodiment 1 was used. The photoreceptor cartridge was modified, and a member containing a toner softener was arranged as described below. A sponge having a thickness of about 1 cm and a size of about 6 cm × about 30 cm is arranged at the bottom of the toner recovery chamber as shown in FIG. 2, and a liquid obtained by mixing dibutyl phthalate and soybean oil in a volume ratio of 2: 1 is added thereto. 150 ml was impregnated. In this state, 1,000 prints were made, and after standing overnight, the inside of the cartridge was checked. As a result, the recovered toner was completely softened and flowed and became flat. According to this method, approximately twice the amount of the collected toner can be stored in the toner collection chamber.

Example 3 In Example 2, the heater used in Example 1 was placed beside the sponge containing the toner softener, and the temperature of the toner softener was set to about 50 ° C. The power of the heater was controlled on and off. In this state, 1000 prints were performed in the same manner as in the second embodiment.
When the inside of the cartridge was confirmed two hours later, the recovered toner was completely softened and fluidized. According to this method, approximately twice the amount of the collected toner can be stored in the toner storage chamber.

[0022]

As described above, according to the method of the present invention, the toner accumulated in the collected toner storage chamber is melted by heat or softened and fluidized by a toner softener to have a substantial volume. Since the toner is reduced by a factor of several, the amount of collected toner that is several times larger than that of the conventional toner can be stored in the storage chamber. This eliminates the problem of toner leakage. Further, since a larger amount of toner may be filled in the developing cartridge than before, a larger number of copies can be printed with one cartridge. Further, since the toner is softened and fluidized or melted in the toner storage chamber, it is difficult for the toner to leak from the toner storage chamber during handling of the cartridge. Furthermore, if the number of printable copies is the same, there is an advantage that the cartridge can be made smaller than the current state.

[Brief description of the drawings]

FIG. 1 shows a sectional view of a specific example of a cartridge for carrying out the method of the present invention.

FIG. 2 shows a sectional view of another embodiment of a cartridge for carrying out the method of the present invention.

FIG. 3 shows a sectional view of still another embodiment of a cartridge for carrying out the method of the present invention.

FIG. 4 shows a cross-sectional view of a specific example of a conventional cartridge.

[Description of Signs] 1 ... Photoreceptor Drum 9 ... Toner Feeding Mechanism 2 ... Developing Unit 10 ... Recovered Toner Storage Room 3 ... Cleaning Unit 11 ... Pattern Exposure 4 ... Chargers 12, 13
... Heating means 5... Developing roller 14... Reflecting mirror 6... Toner in developing section 15... Toner softening member 7.

Claims (4)

[Claims] In an electrostatic copying apparatus using a toner containing a resin as one component, a toner remaining on a photoconductor after a toner image is transferred to a transfer sheet is collected, and the collected toner is collected. A method for treating a recovered toner, wherein the recovered toner is softened and fluidized or melted and stored in a part of the recovered toner storage chamber. 2. The method according to claim 1, wherein the melting of the toner is performed by heating. 3. The method according to claim 1, wherein the toner is softened and fluidized by a toner softening agent. 4. The method according to claim 3, wherein the softening and fluidization of the toner by the softening agent is performed under heating.