JPS63108371A - Toner detecting device - Google Patents

Abstract

PURPOSE:To surely detect the fullness of waste toner by providing the titled device with a detecting means to be driven by pressing force caused by the toner which is disabled to be carried and pressed by a carrying means from an aperture formed on an end part of a toner carrier. CONSTITUTION:Waste toner 9 is discharged from the aperture part 2a of a carrying case 2 to a toner recovery container 8 by a carrying screw 3. Waste toner 9 which can not be carried out from the aperture part 2a because the container 8 is filled with waste toner applies force in the toner carrying direction. A slide washer 5 and a detecting lever 6a are moved by the force, a detecting part 6b of the sensor 6 is pressed and a detecting signal is generated to stop the carrying of toner.

Description

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION [Field of Industrial Application] The present invention relates to a toner detection device used in an image forming apparatus that detects when toner cannot be further transported when being transported. It is something.

[Conventional technology and problems]

In an image forming apparatus such as an electrostatic copying machine, toner remaining as an untransferred image on a photoreceptor after development and transfer is scraped off by a cleaning device such as a blade, and the scraped toner is removed by a conveying means. Transport and collect in a collection container.

Normally, the toner thus collected is not supplied to the developing section again, but when the container is full, the entire container is taken out of the machine and discarded, and a new container is installed inside the machine.

However, if the device M is activated even though the container is full, or if the collection container is not properly installed or is forgotten, the following conditions occur.

■ The screw device for conveying toner is thrown out by the cleaning bag and damages the surface of the photoreceptor.

■ Toner scatters and makes the inside of the machine dirty.

■ Toner sticks to the conveyor surface and cannot be reused.

■ Excessive load is applied to the drive section of the toner transport device, resulting in damage.

For this reason, conventionally, as a means for detecting the collected toner,
Optical sensors are often used, but if the light-transmitting part of the toner collection container becomes dirty with toner, the detection means using this optical sensor may cause false detection, making it impossible to reliably detect that the collected toner is full. There were drawbacks.

(Objects of the Invention) It is an object of the present invention to provide a toner detection device that eliminates the above-described drawbacks of the prior art and can perform reliable detection operations.

(Embodiment) FIGS. 1 and 2 show an embodiment of the present invention.
1 shows a transport case 2 extending between a cleaning device (not shown) and the mounting position of the toner collection container 8, and a transport case 2 for transporting untransferred toner on the photoreceptor scraped off by the cleaning device from the cleaning device. Untransferred toner (hereinafter referred to as waste toner) on the photoreceptor that has been carried out by the screw 3 and conveyance 1 creu 3
A shutter member 4.9 is provided to slide in the insertion/removal direction of the toner collection container 8 to open and close the opening 2a for carrying out the toner collection container 8. A slide seat 5 is provided on the inner side of the end of the transport case 2 so that it can move eight times, a sensor (for example, a micro switch, a pressure sensor, etc.) 6 that outputs a signal by the B shift of the slide seat 5, and a shutter member 4 is connected to a toner collection container. It is composed of a spring 7 that slides in the insertion/removal direction of 8.

When the toner collection container 8 is full, the opening 2 of the transport case 2
The waste toner 9, which can no longer be carried out from point a, exerts a force in the direction A (toner conveyance direction), which is not shown in FIG. Due to the force of the toner, which does not reach the same level as above, the slide seat 5 and the detection lever 6a of the sensor 6 move, and the detection part 6 of the sensor 6 moves.
b is pressed, the sensor 6 issues a detection signal and stops toner conveyance.

If the toner collection container 8 is not attached or is incomplete, the slide seat 5 is pushed in the A direction by the spring 7 and the special part 4b of the shutter member 4 as shown in FIG. The state will be as follows.

Normally, as shown in FIG. 2, the collar 4a of the shutter member 4 is pushed by the toner collection container 8, and the transport case 2
The opening 2a is not blocked by the shutter member 4, and the waste toner 9 carried out by the conveying screw 3 is stored in the opening 2.
The toner is transported to the toner collection container 8 from a.

(Effects of the Invention) As described above, by providing the waste toner detection means at the end of the toner conveyance path, it is possible to reliably detect the waste toner fullness, and it is also possible to save space with a simple configuration.

[Brief explanation of the drawing]

FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional view of a toner detection device according to the present invention in an operating state, and FIG. 2 is a cross-sectional view of the same in an inactive state. 2-111 conveyance case, 3-111 conveyance screw, 4-111 shutter member, 5-111 slide seat, 6---sensor, 7---spring.

Claims (1)

[Scope of Claims] A conveyance path that has an opening near an end and through which toner is conveyed; a conveyance means that conveys toner through the conveyance path; and toner that is discharged from the opening of the conveyance path. a toner container that receives the toner, and a detection means that is provided at an end of the conveying path and is operated by a pressing force caused by pushing the toner that cannot be carried out from the opening by the conveying means. Detection device.