JPS6273287A - Copying machine - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To increase the capacity of a recovery container for toner powder collected by a cleaning device and to obtain a compact, inexpensive copying machine by providing the recovery container to the center bottom part of the copying machine. CONSTITUTION:Toner remaining on the peripheral surface of a photosensitive drum 1 is scraped off by the blade 6b of the cleaning device 6, sent into a pipe 7 by a roller 6c, a screw for conveyance, etc., and accumulated in the toner recovery container 8 successively. In this case, the toner recovery container 8 occupies the overall depth of the device, so its capacity is made large. Further, the toner recovery container 8 is detachable from the device, but when it is attached, a lid 8a is fixed to hold the container 8 in a nearly sealed state and the accumulated toner is prevented from scattering out of the container 8. When the container is taken out of the device, the container 8 is lowered slightly and then the pipe 7 and a receiving cylinder 8b disengage from each other, so that the container 8 is taken out together with the lid 8a in the fitted state.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to an improvement in a copying apparatus that uses a powder developer and has a toner collection container.

[Conventional technology]

In electrostatic copying devices Cr such as electronic photocopiers, all toner powder remaining on the photoreceptor after the toner image has been transferred to the recording paper is removed by a cleaning device. The separated toner powder is usually deposited on the bottom of the cleaning device or is collected in a toner collection container specifically provided in front or behind the cleaning device.

[Problem that the invention seeks to solve]

However, in general, the volume of the bottom of the cleaning device is limited, and it is necessary to frequently take out and dispose of accumulated toner powder. This requires increasing the size of the drum, which leads to an increase in the size of the copying apparatus, which is undesirable.

On the other hand, if the toner collection container is located far away from the cleaning device as described above, it will be necessary to provide a conveyance device to move the toner powder from the cleaning device to the toner collection container, and the mechanism will become double-tracked, which will also cause problems in the device. This results in an increase in size and cost, and furthermore, the toner cannot be conveyed smoothly.

As a result of solving this problem and improving the present invention, the present invention has a built-in large-capacity toner collection container that can directly collect peeled toner powder even in a downsized copying machine without increasing the size of the device. The purpose is to provide equipment.

[Means for solving problems]

The purpose of item 2 is to provide a sealed container below the conveyance path of the transfer paper, and to store the toner collected by the cleaning device. This is accomplished by a copying device characterized by forming.

〔Example〕

An embodiment of the present invention is shown in FIG.

The figure shows the arrangement of internal components of the copying apparatus when viewed from the front side.

Reference numeral I denotes a photoreceptor drum, and on its peripheral surface there is an image forming section having a charging electrode 2, an exposure system 3, and a developing device 4;
A transfer pole 5 for transferring the formed image onto a transfer paper, and a cleaning device 6 for cleaning the toner remaining on the peripheral surface of the photoreceptor drum 1 after the transfer are disposed.

A screw or the like is provided at the bottom of the cleaning device 6 for conveying the toner toward the back wall in parallel with one axis of the photosensitive drum, and the holes 6a provided in the back wall do not interfere with the conveyance of the transfer paper. A lower end 7a of the pipe 7 is connected to a removable lid 8a of a toner collection container 8 of the present invention disposed below the photoreceptor drum 1, that is, at the center bottom of the apparatus. It is opened in the receiving tube 8b attached to the.

That is, the toner remaining on the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor drum 1 is scraped off by the blade 6b of the cleaning device 6, and is sent into the pipe 7 by the roller 6c and the conveying screw, and is sequentially transferred to the inside of the toner collection container 8. However, in this case, the capacity of the toner collection container 8 can occupy the entire depth of the device, so it is possible to have a large capacity.

The toner collection container 8 is also removable from the device, but when it is attached, the lid 8a is fixed to keep the container 8 in a sealed state, and the accumulated toner is kept in the container 8. It is IF-prevented from scattering externally.
To take out the container 8 from the apparatus, the pipe 7 and the receiving tube 8h are disengaged by pulling the container 8 slightly downward, and the container 8 can be taken out with the lid 8a attached.

Furthermore, in the present invention, a recess 9a and a transfer pole 5 are provided on the upper surface of the lid 8a to avoid a stop plate I2 that temporarily stops the transfer paper conveyed by the paper feed roller 11.
The other parts except the four parts 9b that house the transfer paper form a guide plate on the lower side of the conveyance path of the transfer paper, so that there is no need to additionally install a separate guide plate. Note that the lid 8a formed as the guide plate can be formed of a metal plate or a resin plate with a smooth surface.

That is, the transfer paper carried out from the paper feed cassette 13 by the feed roller 14 is sandwiched between the paper feed rollers 11 along the guide plate 15 on the upper side fixed to the apparatus, and then its lower surface is guided by the upper surface of the lid 8a. and is conveyed toward the circumferential surface of the photoreceptor drum 1.

At the transfer pole 5, the transfer paper is guided by a guide member 10 fixed to the upper surface of the lid 8a, and the image is transferred while contacting the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 1, and thereafter it is again moved along the upper surface of i8a. The paper is transported and fed to the fixing device I6. As is well known, the guide member 10 is composed of a plurality of plate-like members arranged in parallel at intervals, and supports and guides the transfer paper, and at the same time allows charging by the transfer pole 5. There is. Further, reference numeral 17 denotes a separating claw for removing the transfer paper after the transfer from the circumferential surface of the photosensitive drum 1. K
If the recording paper causes a paper feeding failure on the lid 8a,
By opening the toner collection container 8, the recording paper can be removed.

[Effects of the Invention] The present invention provides a collection container for toner powder collected by a cleaning device at the center bottom of a copying device, thereby increasing the capacity of the collection container and disposing of the collected toner powder. In addition to reducing the frequency of operations and streamlining the work, the lid of the collection container can also be used as a guide member on the lower side of the transfer paper conveyance path, making effective use of space and saving on materials. 5 things to do,
As a result, a compact and low-cost copying device with a large toner recovery capacity has been provided.

[Brief explanation of drawings]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional configuration diagram of a copying apparatus according to the present invention.

Claims (1)

[Claims] A substantially sealed container is provided below the conveyance path of the transfer paper, the container is a container for storing toner collected by a cleaning device, and the upper surface of the container forms the lower surface of the conveyance path. Characteristic copying device.