JPS62144191A - Toner recovery device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To recover only toner to a developing unit by installing a filter on a toner recovery route. CONSTITUTION:A flexible pipe 8 incorporates a spiral screw 9. The screw is traveled by rotating, whereby the toner removed out of a photosensitive drum is conveyed in the direction of an arrow C, and recovered in the developing unit 2. In that case the filter 24 constructed of a mesh, etc., is installed on the toner recovery route. Since a fixing tool 25 can be detachable (for instance, it is formed with a spring elastic body, and retains the filter 24 with spring pressure.), and therefore the filter 24 made of a mesh, etc., can be removed.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION Field of Industrial Application The present invention is directed to transporting toner removed from the surface of a photoreceptor drum by cleaning with a blade in an electronic copying machine to a predetermined position in a developing device in order to reuse it. The present invention relates to a toner recovery device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION In conventional electronic copying machines, images formed on the surface of a photoreceptor drum are developed using a powdered material commonly referred to as toner. Then, this toner image is transferred to copy paper, fixed thereon, and finally copied.

Conventionally, in electronic copying machines, the surface of the photoreceptor drum is reused many times, so when the image forming cycle of transferring the toner image formed on the photoreceptor drum surface to copy paper is completed, the photoreceptor drum It was necessary to remove residual toner left on the surface. Some methods have also been proposed in which the removed toner is returned to a predetermined position in the developing device and reused. One method is to clean the surface of the photoreceptor drum with a blade, wiper, or the like. Toner recovery devices that collect this removed toner include those that connect the developing device and the cleaning device as described above with a duct and return the inside of the duct using the toner's own weight, and those that connect the developing device and cleaning device with flexibility. The toner was tied with a plastic tube and a bead chain or spiral screw was run inside the tube to convey the toner to a predetermined position in the developing device and collect it. By the way, as mentioned above, in electronic copying machines, the toner image formed on the surface of the photoreceptor drum is transferred onto the copy paper, so the copy paper transfers the toner onto the surface of the photoreceptor drum. The object passes through the object while coming into contact with the object.

In addition to the toner transferred onto the copy paper, residual toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum is removed by a cleaning device such as a blade, and the toner is collected by a toner collecting device.

Problems to be Solved by the Invention However, with the above configuration, fiber pieces (paper dust) etc. from the copy paper remain on the surface of the photoreceptor drum, and these fiber pieces (paper dust) etc. are mixed with the residual toner. The toner particles are removed by the cleaning device and collected into the developing unit by the toner recovery device. Since the collected toner is used again, -
Fiber fragments (paper powder) and the like collected together with the toner also come out of the developing device again together with the toner. As a result, it gets between the surface of the photoreceptor drum and the copy paper. When this happens, lines and the like appear on the copied material, degrading the quality of the copy. In addition, foreign matter such as fiber fragments from the collection path, plastics contained in the copying machine, drive belts, etc. are also collected and entered, thereby deteriorating the quality of copies. In addition, as the above-mentioned foreign matter is collected many times, the amount of foreign matter increases in the developing device, and it ends up getting between the surface of the photoconductor drum and the blade of the cleaning device, etc. This has the problem of causing scratches on the surface and the tip of the blade, significantly degrading the quality of the copy.

In view of the above-mentioned problems, the present invention provides a toner recovery device for the purpose of removing foreign substances such as fiber pieces (paper powder) from copying paper and fiber pieces from inside a copying machine.

Means for Solving the Problems In order to solve the above-mentioned problems, the toner recovery device of the present invention is provided with a filter made of mesh or the like in the toner recovery path.

Function: With the above-described configuration, the present invention improves the quality of copies by removing foreign substances such as fiber pieces (paper dust) from copy paper and fiber pieces from the copying machine in the path for collecting toner. Furthermore, the life of the photoreceptor drum surface and blade tip can be improved.

Embodiment Hereinafter, a toner recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention will be described with reference to the drawings.

FIG. 1 shows a schematic configuration of a toner recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention. In FIG. 1, reference numeral 1 denotes a photosensitive drum, which rotates in the direction of the arrow (,). 2 is a developing device. 3 is a toner formed on the surface of the photoreceptor drum 1. A copy paper 4 is used to transfer the toner 3 on the surface of the photoreceptor drum, and is conveyed in the direction of arrow (b). Reference numeral 5 denotes a blade or the like for removing residual toner remaining on the surface of the photosensitive drum after being transferred to copy paper. 6
is the toner removed by a blade or the like. A cleaning device 7 collects toner removed by a blade or the like. A flexible tube 8 connects the developing device 2 and the cleaning device 7. A helical screw 9 is built into the flexible tube 8, and by running the helical screw while rotating, the toner removed from the photoreceptor drum is conveyed in the direction of arrow (C) and transferred to the developing device 2. It will be collected.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged schematic cross-sectional view of the portion (A) shown in FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. 2, and FIG. 4 is a plan view of FIG. 2. Figures 2 and 3.

In FIG. 4, reference numeral 21 is a take-out port formed in the flexible tube 8 to take out the toner conveyed by the helical screw 9. As shown in FIG. 22 is formed in the developing device and has an outlet 21
This is a collection port that collects the toner removed from the developer into the developing device. Reference numeral 23 denotes a spiral screw provided in the developing device, and serves to send the toner collected from the collection port 22 into the developing device. )・ner 6 collected from the photoreceptor drum is transported by the above-mentioned conveyance system to arrows (d), arrows (,),
It is transported in the directions of arrows (f) and (q) and collected.

Note that, as described above, foreign substances such as fiber pieces (paper powder) coming out of copy paper and fiber pieces coming out of the copying machine are also collected in the same way. As described above, foreign matter is also collected into the developing device at the same time as the toner, and is fed to the photosensitive drum again.

24 is a filter composed of a mesh or the like. Note that the size of the holes in the mesh etc. is larger than the particle size of the toner. Reference numeral 26 denotes a fixing device for fixing the filter 24 made of mesh or the like. The fixing tool 26 has a removable structure (for example, is made of a spring elastic body and presses the filter 24 with spring pressure), so that the filter 24 made of mesh or the like can be removed.

As described above, according to this embodiment, by providing a filter made of a mesh or the like in the toner recovery path, foreign substances other than toner can be shut out by the filter, and only the toner is recovered to the developing device. can do. Also, since the filter can be replaced,
By replacing the filter clogged with foreign matter and replacing it with a new filter, the toner collection path can be maintained.

In this embodiment, a filter made of mesh or the like is provided in the flexible tube 8, but it may also be provided near the collection port 22 of the developing device 2, or it may be provided in the IJ-ning device. 7 may be provided.

Effects of the Invention As described above, the present invention includes a filter made of mesh or the like in the toner recovery path, thereby eliminating fiber fragments (paper powder) emitted from copying paper and fiber fragments emitted from the copying machine. Foreign matter can be removed and the quality of copying can be improved.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a schematic configuration diagram of a toner recovery device according to an embodiment of the present invention, FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view that is a partially enlarged view of FIG. 1, FIG. 3 is a side view of FIG. The figure is a second plan view. 1...Photosensitive drum, 2-...Developer,
3... Toner, 4... Copy paper, 5... Blade, 7... Printing IJ-ning device, 8...
Flexible tube, 9...Helical screw, 21...-
...Take-out port, 22...Collection port, 23...
・・Spiral screw, 24・・・・−・filter,
26--Fixing tool.

Claims (2)

[Claims] (1) A toner recovery device comprising a toner recovery path between a cleaning device and a developing device, and a filter provided in the toner recovery path. (2) The toner recovery device according to claim 1, wherein the filter has a mesh shape.